"I'm starting to have my doubts…" Zhang He said putting his hand to his chin.

"It'll work." Zhang Liao said saddling up his horse.

Zhang He sighed.

Xun walked into the stables nearly dragging the huge deerskin behind him.

"You almost ready?" Lu Xun asked

The two Zhangs nodded.

"I don't know about this… surely someone will suspect you?"

"Nonsense! They are looking for a Swallow, not a deer!" Lu Xun said, cradling the skin on his back. "The tannery is just past the fourth gate, you get me that for unnoticed and I can clear the fifth on my own."

"How do we explain the extra horse?" Zhang He asked.

"Say it's a gift for the tanners." Xun said.

"Stop Worrying Zhang He, It's a good plan!" Liao said, preparing Lu Xun's steed.

"Ok… I'm ready now." Xun said handing Zhang He the skin.

"It's going to smell really bad…" Zhang He warned. Xun just grinned. He took of his hat and held it close to his chest and tucked his knees up. Zhang He wrapped his whole body up in the deerskin, lifted him up and rested the bundle over the horse's back.

"You ok in there?" Liao asked.

"… It smalls pretty bad…" Xun said, his voice muffled by the thick fur.

Zhang He sniggered. "I have to admit you do look convincing," Zhang He said. It just looked like a big bundle of furs draped over the horse, no one would ever guess.

Zhang Liao mounted his white steed and took the reigns of Xun's horse in hand.

"Now, you're not going to fall off are you?" Liao asked.

"I shouldn't but we'd better make sure, throw a couple of ropes over." Xun muffled.

Zhang He couldn't stop laughing. The idea was ridiculous, so ridiculous it might just work. He did as asked and tied a couple of ropes over the saddle around the fur covered Lu Xun. "Is that too tight?" Zhang He asked.

"Its fine, now let's get going it stinks in here!" Xun said.

Zhang He giggled and mounted his horse.

"Act serious now Zhang He, if we blow this Xun isn't the only one who'll be for it!" Zhang Liao growled.

Zhang He shook off. "Ok, ok…" He took a deep breath. "Ok I'm calm now"

"Hurry up!" Lu Xun spat.

So the journey began.

Inside his fur bundle, Xun could feel every move of the horse. The skin was disturbing, it was warm and damp and smelled like rotting flesh.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the first gate.

"Zhang Liao, what business have you beyond this point?" One of the guards asked.

"I'm taking these skins to the tanners house." Liao said.

It seems the plan worked as the first gate opened and they were through. They walked on for a while.

"You ok?" Zhang He asked.

Xun stirred. "I'm fine, don't talk to me!"

"Oh, sorry!" Zhang He jittered.

They soon reached the second gate.

"Zhang He! What have you got there?" One of the guards asked.

"Oh, we're taking these skins to the tanners." Zhang He said.

"Are they yours?" Another asked.

"I'm afraid I can't take credit, they're Zhang Liao's!" Zhang He said.

"Nice one Zhang Liao!" One said.

Xun sat perfectly still as he felt a hand on his back.

"Its good quality fur too, they'll pay you big for this!" The guard said.

"Well, we'd better go," Zhang He said.

"Oh, sorry to keep you, have a good day you two!" One guard said.

The gates opened and they were through.

After a while Xun was starting to wretch. The smell was awful.

"You alright?" Zhang he asked.

"I feel a bit sick…" Xun said, shifting his hand to cover his mouth.

"You can make it, we're halfway there." Liao said.

Xun held tight. With everything that he'd been through he wasn't going to be beaten by a deerskin!

They reached the third gate and were let through without question. It almost seemed too easy. Don't get confident… we could still have problems at the fourth gate, Xun thought.

Every rational part of Xun's mind was screaming at him. He had just let two Wei officers; two ENEMY officers effectively blindfold him and tie him to the back of a horse. They could be taking him anywhere! "Stop being so suspicious! That's Zhou Yu talking! These men are my friends, after all they've done for me how can I even think such things?" Thought Xun.

They reached the fourth gate and were, as always stopped by the guards.

"Where are you men going at this time of the day?" The guard asked.

"We're taking our deerskins to the tannery." Liao said.

"Why didn't you ask the castle tanner to do them?" The guard asked.

"That thieving wolf! Would YOU give him your skins? Last time I took one to him he shaved a foot off the flank saying it was damaged and made the collar of a robe with it!" Zhang he spat.

The guard hummed. "I guess you're right, he's not been the most honest merchant, ok you're clear to go through." The guard said. And with that the gates opened and they were through.

They walked for a few minutes then stopped and Xun could feel the ropes being untied. He threw the skins off his head and took a deep breath.

"I warned you about the smell!" Zhang He Jested.

"Yes, yes, you're so smart," Xun said sarcastically putting his hat back on.

He looked around. They were in the middle of a thick forest.

"This is it right?" Xun asked.

Zhang Liao smiled from his horse and dismounted, taking the deerskin up under his arm. "Tannery is that way, Fifth gate is that way." Liao said pointing forward and left.

They all fell silent for a second. It was like the end of an era.

"Well Swallow… oh, sorry lord Lu Xun." Zhang He said.

Xun smiled. "Its ok, you can still call me Swallow… Lu Xun is your enemy remember?"

The two Zhangs looked at each other and smiled. "Well Swallow, I guess its time to spread you're wings and fly home." Zhang He said, twirling around.

"I guess so…" Xun said looking down. These men had been his only friends for the past few days, these men had risked everything to save him, and now he was just going to go back and be their enemy again? How could he fight when they had shown him so much kindness?

"Swallow," Zhang Liao said, resting one hand in Xun's shoulder.

Xun couldn't hold back the tears and buried his face in the breast of Zhang Liao's robe. He didn't want them to see him crying.

"I'm going to miss you so much…" He cried.

"We'll miss you too Swallow," Zhang He said. He turned to rubbing at his eyes. "Blast! Promised myself I wouldn't cry…"

Xun let go of Liao and looked up into his eyes. He wouldn't give it away but he was sad to see Xun going.

Xun gave Zhang He a hug too. Zhang He smiled.

"You're not home yet kid, you have to get past the fifth gate." Zhang Liao said.

"Are you sure you can do it on your own Swallow?" Zhang He said.

Xun grinned wide. "Don't patronise me! I'm Wu's top strategist!"

"That's the Swallow we want to remember!" Get out there kid!" Zhang Liao said.

Xun Got up onto his horse and gave one salute farewell. The other two also saluted and mounted their steeds. He turned his horse around and headed for the fifth gate.

"This has to work now, I can still smell deer flesh!" Xun thought riding towards the gate. As he approached the gate the guards called out to him. "Stop! Who goes there?" The gate captain called.

He waited until the guard came closer.

"Oh thank heavens! Help me! My caravan was attacked by wolves and…"

Close enough.

He suddenly whipped his steed round and pulled the guard up on to his horse, putting his blade to the guard's throat.

"Open the gate or he dies!" Xun growled to the other guard, who fell over himself in shock.

"Open it! I'm not going to ask you again!" Xun growled cutting a shallow wound in his captive's hand. Both guards were terrified and quickly opened the gate.

Xun dropped the man and galloped as fast as he could. The guards on the other side of the gate spotted him and came quickly in pursuit.

Faster!

He kept going faster and faster, looking behind him to see if the men were still following, and didn't notice the road winding off to the left.

His horse spooked and they slipped, sending Xun tumbling down a bank. He could feel the rocks hitting every part of his body and soon he was unconscious.