He was already when he heard the shouts, the jarring sound of blade on blade. Sleep had not come to Shang that night-all he could see when he closed his eyes was her face, etched onto his mind like a beautiful brush painting. He would not see her again-,he felt sure of that. If only there had been another way...

Voices from outside snatched him from his reverie. Angry shouts and the clash of swordplay broke through the walls of his tent. Shang leapt up, throwing on a robe and grabbing his own sword from its stand. He had an uneasy feeling that this was more than a brawl between the recruits.

He ran out into the midst of the camp. Several recruits were stumbling around, bleary eyed and disorientated. He spotted one man clutching his arm, blood seeping through his fingers. "What happened, what's going on?" he demanded. Numbly the man shook his head and shuddered, silent sobs racking his body. Shocked, Shang appealed to the empty darkness -"He's wounded, get the medic!". He turned, trying to work out where the source of the fighting was-

"Captain!" A lanky recruit Shang recognised as Ling came running towards him, gasping for breath. He had a wild, raw fear in his eyes. "Huns are in the camp! You must come now!"

Shang stopped dead. "Huns?" He felt cold sweat run down his back. "But that's impossible". Wu Zhong's location was secure. He had patrols scouting the vicinity every day and night. They shouldn't have been able to get within a hundred yards of the camp without being seen.

"It's true!" insisted Ling. His voice rose. "We don't have much time. Ping is-"

Shang drew in a sharp breath. "Ping?"

"He's...fighting them", Ling said, helplessly."I don't think he can hold the two of them off." his skin paled and he wrung his hands. "Some of the recruits...they tried to help him but...now they're dead..."

Shang had already began running towards the entrance of the camp, his heart slamming against his ribs, trying to piece together what Ling had said. Ping was gone. She was gone. She couldn't be here. She was safe. Or so he had thought. He saw in his mind's eye, the Huns, brutish and cruel faced, their demonic laugh and their jagged blades piercing air and flesh. The image he wouldn't ever forget, springing to life again in a horribly new form.

This time he wouldn't be too late.

The scene that met him as he rounded the corner towards the gates of the camp was anarchy, and just as Ling had described. One Hun lay dead on the ground, his throat cut and blood darkly staining the grass beneath him. The bodies of several recruits lay slumped like heavy sacks of rice, still and unmoving. Bracing himself momentarily behind the nearest tent, Shang's stomach twisted violently as he heard the wet, thick sound of blade in flesh, and saw a dark shape straighten up, wiping his sword on his furs. Fresh blood beaded in the grass, and Shang found himself looking into the empty eyes of another young soldier.

His horror turned to anger. These were his recruits, under his watch, and somehow this had happened. Dead soldiers before he had even led them into battle. And Mulan caught up in the middle of it all.

Drawing his sword he darted from behind the tent and lunged for the Hun, swinging the blade towards his neck. The fur clad soldier let out a roar and parried the blow, pushing Shang back with a force that knocked him backwards. Shang caught his balance and aimed a swift kick to the Hun's stomach, which ordinarily would have been devastating- Shang's training had been rigorous, his technique unmatched. But this blow, the heavyweight Hun barely seemed to acknowledge, but lazily caught Shang's foot , twisting it back towards him. He hit the ground with a groan, ad looked up to see his opponent looming darkly over him. This enemy was something different entirely. Smirking, the Hun raised his own sword and with a laugh, brought it down upon him.

Exhausted and gasping for breath, Mulan snatched a glance around her, only for a second. Where was he? Where was Shang? She couldn't hold the Huns off forever. Her opponent was tiring too, but ultimately he was the stronger, the more experienced. He deflected her blows with adept ease, and it was all she could do to defend his. She seemed to be on the defensive constantly, and even that couldn't last. Her limbs ached, her muscles searing with pain and fatigue. Her mouth was dry and felt as if it were coated in sand, and her hair was plastered to her face with blood and sweat. Her hands were blistering from gripping her father's sword.

It was only sheer fear and adrenalin that was keeping her on her feet. This was life and death as she had never known it before. She prayed that Ling would find Shang quickly. He was the only one who could help finish this.

The Hun leered at her from behind his sword. "Give up!" he growled. "Save me some effort, and I'll kill you quickly". He shot her a dark look. "You've interfered with my purpose enough". His eyes were dark and slitted, his mouth twisted in a cruel line, snake-like almost. Mulan thought of a snake's tactics-keeping a distance, then waiting for the right moment to strike, never losing eye contact, outwitting and panicking the enemy into submission. Perhaps it was time to change her game.

"Y-your purpose? It seems a little flawed." She replied quickly, between ragged breaths. "Why bring only two other men to attack an entire camp of soldiers?" Mulan was bluffing, but her words suddenly struck her as true. She held his gaze and kept her sword in front of her, hoping he wouldn't notice the trembling in her hands.

Snake- eyes flashed her a look of annoyance. "Fool!" he snapped . "Of course that wasn't our intention". He lunged for her again, but the brief pause had given Mulan some of her strength back and she parried it with confidence. She though she saw uncertainty flash across his face for a split second.

"If not, then what?" She shot back. "Killing for sport?" The bitterness and disgust in her voice was clear. "You-"

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she saw a movement behind the other Hun. Shang. Her eyes widened as they met his, but he raised a finger to his lips as he advanced slowly towards them, a wooden training staff in his hand. She noticed with concern a rip in his robe and small wound to his shoulder, darkly staining the material. She detected a faint tremor in his movements- was he badly injured? He saw her glance to his arm and shook his head, gesturing at her to continue. She had to keep stalling Snake Eyes.

Well" She urged.

The Hun looked at her with disdain. "Only one was meant to die here tonight" he hissed. "Just one. But treachery and your meddling has caused far more. So you can thank yourself and the traitor here for those extra deaths" he spat.

Mulan gasped with shock. She thought she'd been doing the right thing. And betrayal? They weren't on the same side. She shook her head dumbly. "No" she whispered uncertainly. Laughing at her confusion, Snake Eyes took a step forward. Outwitted. Panicked. That's how a snake left its victim before the kill. "Don't worry" he grinned. "It's all over now". He swung his sword at her with a roar, as Shang darted forward and swiftly clubbed him over the head with the staff. Mulan saw one last flash of his reptile eyes before he hit the ground.

Mulan's legs began to give way, and she stumbled. Shang was there in an instant, his strong arms wrapping around her. "Mulan!" He spoke with urgency. "Are you alright?" She nodded numbly into his chest. He pulled back and looked at her searchingly. "What happened?" Mulan felt a lump rise up in her throat. "I'm sorry" she managed to choke out. "They were there, at the gate when I left...I didn't..I couldn't..." She felt hot tears spill down her cheek and she rubbed them away fiercely. "I should go...she finished lamely.

Shang was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. He lifted his hand to her face and with his thumb brushed away a drop about to escape from her eyes. Then he looked away and his voice hardened. "You're not going anywhere."

Okay...so long break since i wrote the last chapter, but hopefully this is worth it! I know a lot of things are unanswered and don't make sense right now but they will! Hope you enjoy it! Comments appreciated :)