The next morning the sun was shining as bright as a blazing fire in the dead of night. The sky was clear when we headed back into the cave without words. I was unusually quiet only because I was thinking hard about what had spread through my heart the night before.
In the early morning, the cave seemed less menacing and eerie then before, but I noticed Mulan was much chipper today than ever. I felt that it was all our talking from last night, but I couldn't be sure only because I was as silent as a frightened child. But, I did learn so much about this woman in a matter of hours. I felt I really knew Mulan, and I dare say, more than Phillip in our long hours together in this god-forsaken forest.
Even though we didn't exchange any words as we ventured into the cave, all I could do was stare at her long black hair as I walked behind her. Her hair seemed it would feel just as soft as silk or velvet. I reached up wanting to run my fingers through her hair, but I had stopped myself in the process. I saw my fingers tremble from the thought I had suddenly had.
What are you doing?!
I retracted my hand, squeezing it into a fist. I felt all these emotions that I have never felt before. Even with Phillip, the thumping in my heart and the trembling in my knees never happened. I felt that my heart was in a whirlwind because it had been pounding ever since I had set my eyes on this Warrior. I tried to find reason behind this feeling, only to tell myself,
Maybe it's because we will actually find Phillip?
I shook my head trying to shake away these emotions, looking down at the cave's grungy floor.
Why can't I tell her...?
I looked up toward the woman who walked ahead of me watching her cape sway as well as her hair. Her strong composure made me feel empowered and safe all the time, and all at once made my heart would flutter and grow weak. I was so badly to tell her how I felt, but my mind prevented what my heart wanted.
Then, I felt my voice whisper out without me realizing what I was saying.
"Mulan, Do you love me?"
Mulan abruptly stopped in her tracks her muscles tensing and immediately turned toward me, with the most fearful, "What?"
I felt my chest tighten and my heart pound even harder. I gulped from her sudden response, I didn't know what had possessed me for a moment for me to utter those words out loud. But I felt my body grow cold and stiff seeing Mulan's cold reaction. Mulan kept looking in my eyes with her serious deep-brown chestnut eyes, not saying a word. We stood staring at each other only for me to watch her step forward, her eyes wandering from my lips to my eyes. I felt our bodies beginning to grow closer as the heart rose from between us. We were almost touching until we suddenly heard a familiar voice.
Phillip's voice.