After hours of trudging in the forest, Mulan and Belle finally pinpointed where the Yaoguai has been living. Even though it was mid day, the forest was so dense that light barely made its way into where the beast lived. Aurora was close to Phillip watching how Mulan would go to her knees, observing the dirt and tracks the beast had left. Mulan's countenance becomes very serious, grabbing a handful of dirt, she rises, quickly looking at the party. "It's near, this is freshly burned." she shows Belle the dirt, nodding with confirmation. "What do we do?" Aurora heard herself say out of the blue. Everyone looked at her in astonishment, she was silent the whole time, until now. Mulan drops the dirt, "We go find the Yaoguai." She began to turn until Phillip stepped up towards Mulan. "The Yaoguai?! I didn't exactly agree to this!" Phillip's voice wavered in fear. "You said you would help me on my quest, and killing the Yaoguai is the quest." Mulan's voice was harsh and strict, she wasn't going to have argue with the petty Prince. "Excuse us..." Belle smiled awkwardly toward Phillip and Aurora, pulling Mulan aside. "You didn't tell them?!" Mulan rolled her eyes, "That is hardly the matter! My village is in danger!"
"You deceived these kind people Mulan, don't you feel any guilt?" Belle's accent became more prominent with every word. "It shouldn't matter what the obstacle is! If you agree to help someone, it shouldn't matter!" Mulan's normally steady voice was raising from anger. "Petty friendships will not be in the way of my Duty." Mulan had enough of scolding, she turned on her heel and marched forward. Mulan was going to complete the task at hand with or without their help. Belle signed heavily, motioning for Phillip and Aurora to follow, if they wished. "We should just leave them." Phillip whispered turning away. Aurora grabbed his arm, "We can't just leave them. You agreed to help!" Aurora stood disappointed with Phillip. "Mulan never told me it was the Yaoguai! Do you know what that beast is?! It's dangerous! You could get hurt."
"Don't worry about me, Phillip. You agreed, and it shouldn't matter, I'm safe with you. You know that..." Aurora couldn't hold back her disappointed tone. Why can't you be the Prince I fell in love with? Aurora left his side, walking fast to catch up with Belle and Mulan. Phillip stood dumbfounded just watching his Princess take charge. He smiled a bit, shaking his head.
It was beginning to go dark and the party have been walking hours toward the Yaoguai's home. "Shouldn't we set up camp?" Phillip suggested closely behind Mulan. "No, The Yaoguai hunts by night, and if we wait any longer, it will flee. The Yaoguai doesn't have a permanent home." Mulan stopped abruptly, having everyone stop suddenly, on alert. "That cave," Mulan pointed ahead, "It's there." Mulan unsheathed her sword with such intensity Phillip took a step back. "Belle and Phillip, you watch from the outside, just in case it slips away." Both nodding. Mulan took careful steps toward the cave, as Phillip and Belle walked on the sides of the entrance, Aurora quickly stepped in front of Mulan. "Aurora!" Phillip called, but she ignored him. "Let me go with you!" Aurora suggested stopping Mulan in her tracks. Mulan's countenance was puzzling, "Why?"
"B-because, I can help!" Aurora tried to think of anything, anything to go with Mulan. "It's too dangerous Princess, you'll just get in my way." Mulan walked passed Aurora coldly. Aurora huffed and stopped Mulan again, but by grabbing her arm. "Please...I want have something worth fighting for." Mulan turned astonished at the Princess' words. Mulan relaxed her muscles, she looked into Aurora's pleading, blue eyes. She couldn't help but nod. "Just don't fall behind." Aurora beamed walking with Mulan into the cave. Phillip looked uneasily at Aurora, but nodded in approval. "She's something." Belle grinned under her words. "She is."
The cave was pitch black, dry, and cold. Mulan took careful steps in the darkness, her eyes adjusted to the darkness she felt Aurora's trembling hand hold onto her armored shoulder for guidance. "Do you want to light a torch?" Mulan asked, still intently focused on where she treaded. "No...If it will hinder your skills then, no." Mulan stopped, alerted. Aurora felt her muscles tighten, her sword at the ready. Aurora felt an immense heat through her body, then around the corner of the cave walls she saw a bright, flaming beast. Mulan quietly told Aurora to stay hidden, giving her a small knife. Just in case. Mulan crept toward the beast, with trepidation of waking it. The slow breaths of the beast were loud as its chest heaved up and down. Aurora peered from where she was hiding, watching closely to Mulan's every step. Aurora must have shifted from where she was because rocks scraped beneath her, making Mulan dart towards her. "Mulan!" Aurora shrieked, Mulan turned back, seeing the large, flaming beast in front of her. It's scorching body lit brighter, flames spewing from its mouth. "Mulan!" The beast's chest heaved in and out, shooting flame from its mouth. Mulan quickly avoided the beast's attack, she swung her sword, hitting the beast in its side. It's howled in pain and anger, it's eyes searched for Mulan. The heat was tremendous, even in the cold cave, Aurora 's forehead was covered in cool sweat, from fear and the heat. Aurora stepped away from her spot, only to see that the Yaoguai heard her move. The Yaoguai jumped toward Aurora, growling, flames falling from its body. The beast lunged towards Aurora "Aurora move!" without thinking, Aurora jumped out of the way, The Yaoguai hitting the cave wall hard. Mulan ran toward Aurora while the beast was down, "Go!" She grabbed her flimsy shawl, pulling her up and pushing her towards the Cave's exit, both running for their lives. The Yaoguai's short breaths were right behind them, it was chasing its prey. The Yaoguai began to hit the sides of the cave, making the cave echo with loud bangs.
"What's that noise?" Phillip asked worried the sword at the ready. "It sounds like...banging?" Belle moved closer to hear better, "It's hitting the cave walls!" Belle said frantically. "What does that mean?!" Phillip asked agitated. "It means, that the whole cave might collapse. This is how it traps its prey!" Phillip began to run toward the entrance before Belle stopped him. "What?! They're in danger!"
"We can't just go in! What if we put Mulan and Aurora in more danger marching in there? The Yaoguai will just be more agitated. And with all of us in that small cave, something will happen. Don't worry, Mulan is a Warrior, she won't let it harm Aurora." Phillip sighed, hoping Belle was right.
"Aurora get out! I'll deal with the beast!" Mulan said pushing her towards the exit hard. "But you'll be in danger!" Aurora worriedly replied. "I can handle it, just GO!" Mulan felt the cave shake, the cave walls were going to collapse soon. There's no time left. "Aurora!" Mulan yelled one last time before the beast pounced toward Mulan. Aurora was conflicted, she couldn't just leave Mulan to fend for herself. But, on the outside, Phillip was waiting for her, probably worried. Aurora...Something worth fighting for...something worth fighting for..something... "Hey!" Aurora screamed, The Yaoguai darted it's flaming eyes toward the shrill voice. Without hesitation, Mulan stabbed the beast, a great howl sounded from the Yaoguai and everything went silent. The Yaoguai fell into ashes at Mulan's feet. Aurora smiled in relief. "you did it!" Mulan put her sword back in its holster, "No," walking towards Aurora, placing her hand on her shoulder, "you did it." Aurora grinned from the effort she did. The relief, as quick as it came left, the walls of the cave shook harder. Mulan's eyes darted around the cave, "It's collapsing!" Mulan pulled Aurora to a full on run, adrenaline pumping, toward the exit. Her armor scraped the sides of the cave, having a hard time seeing in the dark. Phillip and Belle heard the distant scrapes and ran to the entrance, "Mulan! Aurora!?" Belle yelled as they ran to the cave's entrance. Mulan and Aurora heard the distance yells above the cave's growling. Mulan could see the light Almost there! As they came close to the cave's exit, the cave shook one last time, harder than it was, Mulan saw boulders and rocks falling above them. Mulan grabbed Aurora's shawl and pulled her back. The boulders and rocks fell hastily, trapping them inside, and Belle and Phillip on the outside. "Mulan! Aurora!" Both Belle and Phillip yelled, trying to pull the rocks from the entrance. "Phillip!" Aurora screamed frantically hitting at the rocks. Mulan stood stunned, she failed at getting Aurora out safely. The Prince and Princess frantically called for each other. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine!"
"Can you move any of the rocks?" Phillip's thumping was heard from inside, he was hitting the rocks with his sword. "Stop!" Belle's voice intruded on the lover's frantic jabbing. "Mulan?" She called calmly, but with anxiousness. Mulan stepped near the wall of rocks. "I'm here."
"Do you think you can get out from here?" Mulan slowly examined each rock, they were perfectly lodged in. "No." Mulan said bluntly and evenly, looking at Aurora to make sure she wasn't hurt. She noticed the tears streaming down her gentle face, falling off the fine jaw line. Mulan had a sudden urge to touch the soft facial features of the Princess, to comfort her, to wipe away the harsh tears that invaded her face. "We can find another way out Belle, The Yaoguai wouldn't have trapped us in here without knowing another way out." Mulan looked away from Aurora to the imaginary figures in front of her. "what shall we do?" Belle asked. "Both of you, go into town. Wait for us there. There is no use waiting in the forest without any supplies..." Mulan sighed knowing that Belle wanted to help more than anything. "What about Aurora?!" Phillip's shriek interrupted Mulan. "I'm fine Phillip," Aurora hiccupped, "Just listen to Mulan." Mulan looked toward Aurora again, seeing her filled with sadness, but also a small light of bravery. She is indeed something else.