Guan Ping sat by the water and, though his fellow officers were sitting just by him, he felt completely alone. The two most important people in Ping's life had disappeared over the edge of the boat and he knew he'd never see them again. His father Guan Yu was the only parenting figure in his whole life, and despite all the formalities that came with being Shu generals they were still very close. And Xing Cai had been Ping's best friend since he could remember, they used to sit under the peach trees in the garden where their fathers had become brothers and laugh and joke and forget all the little troubles that plagued both their lives. But now she was gone and his father too, his first battle had ended in such disaster he could never imagined. Stuck on an island, for they had discovered that they were indeed surrounded by water, without his father or his best friend. Ping felt so very alone.

He looked up and noticed Zhang Fei gathering up his spear. Zhong, Yun and Chao were doing the same with their weapons. Ping jumped to his feet and rushed over, excited to finally have something to do. Ping screeched to a halt right in front of Fei and stood to attention, puffing out his chest in an attempt to look older and manlier. Fei looked him up and down and let out a little snort.

"What you want, small fry?" Fei growled.

"Well, to come with you guys. I'm ready to help catch boars."

Fei rolled his lips as though in deep thought and then said, "No."

Ping's face fell and he gritted his teeth,

"Why? I'm old enough. I can do it." Ping stared defiantly at Fei's face. Fei put a patronizing arm on Ping's shoulder and began his responsibility speech.

"Listen, small fry, if it were up to me, you'd come along with us, no problem. But whilst your dad's… away… I'm in charge and he wouldn't be happy if I got you killed. Ok?"

Ping shook his head half-heartedly but he knew he wouldn't be allowed to go with them. His whole life he had always been too young to do anything, and to him it felt he would never grow up. He pushed past Fei and marched off into the forest leaving the rest of them looking on, confused.

The forest was by no means quiet and every little noise caused Ping's heart to beat a little faster. He knew he shouldn't walk too far in alone, but he was too angry to admit his mistake and turn back. Birds flew overhead and insects scurried across the forest floor. Rustlings in the bushes caused Ping to glance around nervously. He wished he had thought to grab a weapon. The rustling grew with every step Ping took, and he started to hope that someone from Shu had followed him. He was sure someone was watching him, waiting for him. Ping slowed to a halt, breathing heavily his eyes darting between the various hiding spots. And then it happened. A red blur darted from behind a tree and before Ping had a chance to stop it a dagger had been pressed to Ping's throat.

A tiny drop of blood ran down his neck and Ping gulped, petrified. The man holding seemed vaguely familiar.

"Where is she?" the man hissed in Ping's ear.

Ping shook heavily, tears springing to his eyes.

"Answer the damn question!"

"Ning! Stop!" Another figure burst through the bushes and Ping instantly recognised him as the Wu strategist Lu Xun. "Ning! That's Guan Ping, he's an ally."

At this Gan Ning snorted, "An Ally? Hardly. Those damn Shu have been waiting to double cross us."

Ping could hear the insanity in Ning's voice, and he prayed to the heavens that he would get out of this alive. If only I'd stayed at camp, Ping thought to himself. Luckily after a few minutes of Xun's reasoning Ning relinquished his hold on Ping's neck. As Ping calmed himself he took a good look at the Wu generals. Gan Ning had brown spiky hair tied in a bandana similar to Ping's own. He wore red trousers but no shirt and his bare chest was covered in colourful tattoos. Ning had a crazed expression on his face, sometimes sad, sometimes angry. Lu Xun, on the other hand, was small youthful and baby faced. He had short auburn hair in bangs over his face; he wore a red tunic and white trousers. He held in his hands two short daggers, whilst Ning seemed to be holding an entire armoury.

The two Wu generals surveyed their surroundings and then with a simple goodbye began to leave. Ping needn't think twice about running after them.

"What do you want Ping?" Ning snarled angrily.

"Where are you going? I wanna help." Ping said earnestly.

Gan Ning looked Ping up and down and was about to answer when Xun cut across him.

"Sure, you can come. Let me fill you in."

Ping settled himself on a fallen log, and Ning groaned and began pacing a small 10-metre radius.

"We landed here two days ago. We made a little camp, and we all settled down to sleep. That night, they came. Screaming woke us. We all rushed for our weapons, but they were gone. Still we tried to fight them off, with our fists. We chased them into forest, we kicked and punched and fought them anyway we could. But it wasn't enough. They took lady Sun Shang Xiang away with them."

At this Ning roared and stabbed his sword into the ground.

"Ning, was obviously heart-broken so me and him have been looking for her ever since. I've tracked them to here but they're pretty good at hiding. How have you lot been?"

"Fine, I guess. They took Shang Xiang?"

But this time Ning answered.

"Yeh. They did. And now we're waiting around to explain this to you. And she is being taking further away from me."

Xun understood what Ning meant and got to his feet, Ping did the same.

"You're right. Let's get going."

Ping was so happy to finally be doing something, even if it was just following some invisible tracks. It made him feel like an adult, and he was finally able to forget Yu and Cai by focusing all his energy on trekking through the dense jungle. Xun seemed to know exactly where he was going, but Ping began to feel less certain. Darkness was falling and he knew that the others would worry about him. Suddenly Xun dropped low to the ground, Ping and Ning followed his lead. Ning passed him a sword silently and Ping took it feeling both scared and excited. Up ahead they could hear muffled talking, Ning counted slowly to five and then, on zero, the three of them charged into the clearing. Two men dressed in simple robes sat by a fire they didn't look particularly strange or bloodthirsty in fact quite the opposite.

When they noticed the generals the two men drew their swords and prepared to fight. Ping found himself up against a strange bearded man with Xun to aid whilst Ning took the other. Ping spun, driving the blade into the enemy, but he was prepared, catching the blade with the flat of his sword and throwing Ping to the floor. Xun darted in but to no avail, the enemy blocking both daggers and kneeing him in the forehead. Ping jumped once more to his feet and charged in swinging the blade to the left and then the right but every attack was blocked. Xun joined the fight but still this other soldier fought with the will and strength of two men blocking both of them, and forcing them both back. Ping could not understand, how could someone with such plain, cheap robes be so skilled a warrior, why did this man not wear a full coat of arms and have a standard bearer?

Suddenly they heard a trumpet blast; all three officers stopped in their tracks and glanced around. Ping could hear a heavy thumping and the ground began to shake. Xun gasped and pointed over the tree tops, their opponents stood laughing. Ning, Xun and Ping turned and fled from the scene. The bearded man yelled after them, "Survival of the fittest my friends. How long can you run for?"

Ping's ran faster than he had ever before attempting to put as much distance between him and that giant grey monster as possible. He glanced at Xun who looked equally afraid even Gan Ning looked vaguely phased. Ping noticed deep cuts on Ning's shoulders and arms. Whilst he was noticing this he was not noticing the big oak up ahead. He did, however, notice, when he ran into it and collapsed. And then he didn't notice much else. Ning sighed and pulled the young boy into a fireman's lift.

"Come on Xun. Let's get this kid back to camp."

Zhang Fei's mood was as dark as the sky above. He couldn't believe what had happened, he had lost his friends son. His one responsibility, Yu would be so mad. In an instant Fei made one of those decisions he normally only made drunk. He grabbed his spear and raced off into the forest leaving the other Shu generals to cook and eat the food. Even Yan, still in his tent, could hear Fei's shouts of "GUAN PING!" all through the night.CHAPTER 3 is done and dusted

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