11.
Zhou Que was ordered to patrol the north border of Wu. The soldiers were tired. Panting heavily. Zhou Que looked at them, he was tired as well, but didn't show that weakness to others. He turned around, now looking at his cousin, Zhou Tai didn't show any sign of being tired, but he knew every man had to be near fainting in this weather. Then he spoke. "We'll rest ahead, just a little more". After a couple hundreds of meters, the army stopped, a big forest lying in front of them, and the sun was slowly going to sleep. The men started making their camp for the night, it'll be a harsh walk through the forest, many soldiers believed in the ancient legends that came from the forest. Spirits killing a man with just a touch. Many soldiers were scared, but not many showed their fear. Zhou Que was curious, if there were spirits, it would be interesting to fight them. Zhou Que started to walk away from the camp, he liked to take a walk in the early evenings. He was alone and had time to think. Then he heard someone yelling from not far away. "What are you doing?" It was a young girl's voice. Zhou Que ran in the direction of the sound. Arriving under a grand plum tree, three huge men were surrounding a girl. The biggest one lifting the girl on her collar. The girl now started to yell again. "Oh haha! Picking on the small ones!" While saying this she started to throw her arms up and down, then she fell out of her cloth jacket. Directly after he feet touched the ground, she jumped up high, into the tree. "We know who you are shrine girl! Come down!" The girl sitting in one of the top branches, looked down, and stuck her tongue out. "Try to catch me ugly!" A cheeky voice added to it. Zhou Que stood there, a bit confused if he should help her. But in the end he did. He wasn't about to let those three harm a girl. Zhou Que stepped forward. One of the men turned around and looked at him. "Hey brother, look." He pointed at Zhou Que. The biggest man stopped looking at the girl and turned around at Zhou Que. "Aw I get it, you wanna save her 'eh? Well tough luck!" The man took a huge hammer he hid behind him and started to run at Zhou Que. "I'll smash you to pieces!" Zhou Que stepped forward, unsheating his sword and piercing the the man straight through his heart. The man collapsed, the other two, after seeing their brother fall, started to run. Fleeing from the scene. Zhou Que sheated his sword. And walked towards the tree, right under the tree, he picked up the cloth piece of wardrobe and looked up. The girl was sitting there. Zhou Que had a confused look on his face, the girl didn't look scared. But happy. A big grin covering her face. The she jumped down, landing right in front of his nose. She snatched the cloth and put in on. The cloak had a weird eye pattern on it, but he had no time to observe the cloth further as the girl started to happily jump up and down and talk. A lot.
The girl was happy. "Mr Tough guy! You are strooong!" She twirled around in happiness. Grinning from ear to ear. Then she stopped, looked at him, inhaled deeply and said. "You were liks shinng, and he was like rawr, and then you were like hahaa, and then" She continued showing the situation she just saw to him, weird movements, kicking and punching, then happily swinging her arms from one side to another. "You are amazing mr. Toughguy!" She then stopped. Looked at him. Maybe he was sleepy and didn't want to answer her. She smiled. "Soo, thank you for helping me, even though I didn't need any!" The girl then jumped back into the tree. Dissapearing under the thick layers of leaves.
Zhou Que stood there for a while. Analysing the situation. Well, he helped the girl. That was important. But why did they want her anyway. She was... To kindly put it. Abnormal. How can anyone be that happy in a situtaion like that. He signed. Turned around and started to make his way back to the camp.
Zhou Que kept thinking about that girl, there was something strange about her. And he had this feeling that they would meet again. Although he wasn't sure is he'd like that. She truly talked a lot. And she was very active, kind of annoying. But it didn't matter, he had to go home to Jiangdong, and get some rest.
A week later, Zhou Que woke up, he heard a sound. Something fell of his table. He pretended like he still slept, then suddenly, he grabbed a dagger nearby and jumped out of his bed. Then he was astonished. He lowered his dagger. The girl he saved a while ago stood before him, with a big smile. "Hey mr. Toughguy! I wanted to thank you for saving me back then! I brought you some peaches!" The girl shouted really loud. "Shhh! Keep it down! Do you want everyone to hear you?" Zhou Que whispered. The girl looked confused, then she continued, but a little more quiet this time. "I hope you like peaches, I've plucked them myself. So here for you." The girl tossed a peach to Zhou Que, still a bit confused, he catched it. "Uhmm, thank you?" He said. "Now get out of here, before they catch you!" The girl nodded, waved, and ran out of the tent. Zhou Que returned to his bed, but then he heard the sound of falling jars, and a little scream. "I'm alright!" He heard softly. Zhou Que sighed. Then he returned to bed.
About fifteen minutes, he woke up again. The girl was back. "Hey mr. Toughguy! I forgot to tell you, my name is Cu." A little cranky, Zhou Que nodded. "Very nice." He said. "Now get out of here before you get into trouble." Cu nodded, waved again, and ran out of the tent. Then she came back again. "Oh yeah, I also forgot to tell you, that the tents are moving." Zhou Que didn't know what to say for a moment. "What?" he just said. "The tents are moving! I can't get out like this!" The girl whispered in a happy tune. Zhou Que stood up. "I can't believe I'm doing this." he muttered. "Fine", he said. "I will get you out of here, but stay away then, ok?" Cu smiled, "Ok mr. Toughguy!"
When he came out of his tent, every tent stood still. "Ok mr. Toughguy! Come with me, I will show you!" Cu whispered. Cu ran forward. Zhou Que shuffled after the girl. Cu turned right, then again, then again and then again. They stood before Zhou Que's tent again. Cu looked amazed. "See?" She said. "The tents are moving!" Zhou Que understood what was going on. Cu totally had no sense of direction. She was lost, but didn't want to admit it, even to herself. "*Sigh*, I will show you the way out ok? Follow me" Cu cheered happily, "Yeey, ok mr. Toughguy!" Zhou Que walked outside the camp. "Well, shoo now. And don't come back ok?"He said sleepy. "Ok! Bye mr. Toughguy!" Cu said. Then she ran off. And as Zhou Que walked back to his tent, he noticed that it would be morning in an hour. Great, he thought. Now he might as well stay up till morning, there was no point in sleeping now.