36. Stubborn
Xiang bit his beak lips together as Liu stroked his aching leg. He was sitting in front of her on a chair in the hallway of Shen's family's vacation home. Dao was still staying in one of the rooms into which a doctor had disappeared with Shen and Ān-Mā. Xiang would have loved to have gone in, but considering Shen's state of mind, he hadn't dared to do it.
He flinched again at Liu's touch. Liu smiled pityingly at him. Climbing the stairs had put a lot of strain on his joints again, but she got the impression that Xiang didn't care.
"You should do more range of motion exercises with your leg," she said, although the sentence sounded ridiculous to her in hindsight. Actually, she wanted to remain silent, but the silence made her say something to take Xiang's mind off things. Though Xiang tried to appear calm on the outside, Liu noticed how he kept pressing the claws of his movable leg on the wooden floor and scratching the surface, and his eyes kept flicking to the closed door as well.
Liu couldn't help but took Xiang's wings in hers. Finally, Xiang looked at her again.
"If there had been any complications," she said, "you would have been told by now."
Again she gave him an encouraging smile. Xiang also tried to raise the corners of his beak, but he didn't succeed. His thoughts constantly revolved around whether he couldn't have done something better. And the question of what could happen afterwards remained open.
At that moment, Yin-Yu appeared. In the wings, she held a damp towel, which she handed to Liu. "Here you are."
Liu accepted it gratefully. "Thank you." Then she wrapped the cloth around Xiang's aching leg.
"Anything new?" Yin-Yu asked.
Xiang avoided her gaze. He was uncomfortable talking "normally" to his ex-wife. Actually, he hadn't felt the discord of that time when she had helped him up the stairs. But after the tumult died down, the gloomy thoughts in days gone by returned.
Finally, Liu gave the answer. "Unfortunately, we heard nothing yet. It's all so quiet in there."
Yin-Yu sighed in defeat. "But if something bad had happened, they would have said it long ago."
Liu smiled. "I've said the same thing before." She looked back at Xiang, who hesitantly gave her another look. But then Xiang's attention was drawn to the living room, where the heads of the peafowls children had appeared in the doorway, giving him strange looks.
Xiang watched them in silence. With all the excitement, he hadn't had time to look at them closely. Even this morning, they were strangers to him, now they were a part of him, if only half. Xia and Sheng sat quietly in the living room, but seemed to glance down the hall here and there.
Shenmi finally broke away from the group and approached the three adults. For a few seconds, she and Xiang made eye contact. Neither of them had fully processed today's results. Neither of them had exchanged a word after defeating the ninjas. But Shenmi noticed that Xiang didn't want to talk now, although she would have liked to have hugged him and comforted him at least. But she had promised him not to do anything like that in the presence of others. He just wasn't ready yet, so Shenmi tugged at the end of her mother's dress instead. "Mom, Uncle Dao will get better, won't he?"
Yin-Yu stroked her head, but before she could say anything, footsteps could be heard on the stairs. In the next moment, Po stuck his head through the apartment door, with full cheeks. "Hoooi! And? Any news yet?" Po asked, swallowing something. Then he stepped into the hallway. His bald head was "fixed" again, so he no longer had to wear a helmet. In his paws, he held a bowl of dumplings.
Xiang's beak remained open at the sight, stunned.
Po noticed Xiang staring at his bowl and furrowed his eyebrows. "What?! When I'm nervous, I have to eat something." With these words, Po stuffed another dumpling in his mouth.
Xiang shook his head disapprovingly at the behavior. "This is village manners. Simply unworthy. And that accompanies someone like him." By "him," he meant Shen.
Po seemed to suspect that and swallowed the dumpling with a acidulous expression.
Liu tried to calm things down. She was sure that Xiang just wanted to vent his worries. "Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything yet," she answered calmly. "Neither good nor bad."
Po frowned. Then he tiptoed to the door and listened. But there was really nothing to be heard, no matter how hard he pressed his ear to the wood.
"How did you actually know how Dao would react?" he finally turned to Xiang.
Xiang folded his wings, but then he answered truthfully. "When he told me that he often played fighting games with his reflection, I suspected that in his trance state he might mistake Shen for a reflection. But with me, maybe he thought it was his father…" He paused.
Shenmi tilted her head questioningly. "You meant your father, right?"
Xiang turned away. It was so strange for him to call someone his father who he'd never known. A father he shared with others. His eyes wandered back to the door.
He jumped sharply when the door moved. The doctor, who was an old rabbit, stepped out, but immediately he closed the door again.
"How is he?" Xiang asked immediately before any of the others could ask the same question.
The old rabbit stroked his forehead. "The wounds looked worse than expected. But he is out of danger."
Relief filled the room. Even Po let out a soft "Hurrah" and put three dumplings in his mouth.
The door opened again and Ān-Mā stepped into the hallway. She looked around in surprise when she saw the assembled crew.
Shenmi came running towards her immediately. "Nanny! Can I see uncle Dao? Please!"
Ān-Mā looked at her in silence, then she stroked Shenmi's forehead with a smile. "Unfortunately, he hasn't woken up yet. He needs some rest. But I'm sure you can see him soon." Her gaze automatically wandered to Xiang. He seemed to have had the same question, but Ān-Mā shook her head. "Give him his rest. Also, I would have to clean him first. Surely he wants to look good when his family comes to a sick bed visit."
It was dark in the room even though it was late afternoon. The curtains had been drawn after the doctor's treatment because the light was no longer needed. For Dao, the most important thing was to rest. Silence was the only thing that filled this room. Shen had retreated to a corner and let the silence sink in. All this time he hadn't left Dao's side. He had watched the doctor's movement. Shen was no stranger to seeing blood, so he was able to follow the operation without any problems. Nevertheless, for the first time in his life, he had felt a strong stomach ache because this time it wasn't a stranger but his own brother who was lying on the hospital bed. At least the cuts hadn't been deep, which Shen was able to realize immediately, to his relief. After the doctor finished the treatment and left, Ān-Mā also went out the door. Now Shen was alone in the room with his brother and the older white peacock didn't know what to do next. It was as if a storm had passed, the last gusts of which he could still feel. Sighing, he leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling for a while. He slowly went through everything again in his mind. Everything had happened so fast before that he only now understood what had happened in the Jade Palace. However, the resentment rose in him again when he thought of Xiang's unexpected appearance. Why him? Why couldn't he have done something himself? Why Xiang?
Finally, Shen broke away from the wall and approached his brother's bed. Dao seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but it was only the sleeping drug that kept him sedated. He didn't seem to feel pain anymore. Shen closed his eyes. For the first time, he tried to put himself in his father's mind. How had he felt when Dao had struggled with life as a baby? Was it exactly how his father felt like he was feeling now?
"Father," Shen murmured softly, "what am I supposed to do now?"
At that moment, the door opened and Ān-Mā came in with a bowl of water and towels. "You look exhausted," she said. "Would you like to lie down a bit?" She pointed to the other beds in the room that actually belonged to the boys.
Shen wordlessly shook his head.
Ān-Mā nodded. She had already thought something like that. And no sooner had she started wiping Dao's feathers with water, Shen came to her side.
"Can I help?" he asked.
Ān-Mā looked at him in amazement. Then she smiled. "If you like."
While both were busy cleaning Dao's feathers, having not previously found time to wipe away the old blood, Ān-Mā kept glancing at Shen. The white ruler's wing movements were hesitant at first. But then Shen seemed to lose all shyness and even dared to lift Dao's upper body a little to rub his back.
A smile crossed Ān-Mā's mouth. Again, he was as close to his brother as he was the day they did drug rehab. She thought wistfully of what it would have been like if Shen and Dao had been the same age. What could they have done in their childhood? Shen would have had company. Someone who, like him, struggled with not looking like the other peacocks...
After they were done and Ān-Mā had covered Dao with the blanket, she dared to start a conversation.
"The others have been asking about Dao, too," she said, picking up the water bowl. "They are also glad that Dao is getting better soon."
Shen didn't look at her, but smoothed Dao's bedspread with a "Hm".
"Um, if you go outside," Ān-Mā began hesitantly, which immediately aroused suspicion in Shen again. He stopped moving and squinted at her.
"Xiang is also sitting in front of the door," the old goat forced himself to say. "Just so you know."
Shen let out a snort and stroked the blanket a little harder, nervously rubbing the end of the bed like he was trying to iron it.
Ān-Mā narrowed her eyes in distress. "He was also very worried about Dao. Just like you." She watched as Shen's feather fingers cramped for a moment. "Good for him," Shen growled.
Ān-Mā sighed. "Shen. If Xiang hadn't reacted so quickly, it could have been worse."
Shen avoided her forgiving gaze. "You can't know that. You weren't even there."
"But they told me every detail," Ān-Mā objected. "And I'm sure... you think..."
"Stop that," Shen slowed her down decisively and raised a wing admonishingly. "If you think you can read my mind, you're on the wrong track. You have no idea how I'm feeling."
Ān-Mā sighed. "But I can imagine."
Shen's face twisted into an evil grimace. He hated her never-ending arguments.
At that moment, they heard a groan.
"Mm... ma... wa... ah..." it slipped through Dao's beak.
Quickly, Ān-Mā put the bowl aside and rushed over to him. "Dao, can you hear us? How are you doing? How do you feel?"
Dao shook his head as if trying to regain his wits. He blinked. Shen had also stepped closer to him now. They watched intently as Dao tried to focus on his surroundings. Had the drug at least worn off? Ān-Mā had previously expressed suspicions that after taking the drug once, there was no fear of permanent loss of control, as with regular use. Since this was only a guess, Shen was ready for a possible blind confrontation from his brother.
Ān-Mā stayed next to Dao and tried to help him out of his daze. "Dao, you are in the Valley of Peace. You are safe. Nothing can happen to you anymore."
Finally, Dao managed to keep his eyes open. His first gaze went to Ān-Mā, then to Shen, making Shen tense.
"Where... where am I again?" Dao breathed.
Ān-Mā breathed a sigh of relief. He was no longer under the influence of the drug.
"You are in the Valley of Peace," she repeated. "You gave us a big shook."
Dao looked at her questioningly. "Mmm? Did… did I…?" But then he seemed to think of something. He sat up abruptly.
"Don't, Dao," Ān-Mā warned, "otherwise the seams will tear."
"He killed her," Dao said to her surprise. The old goat noticed how the young peacock was shaking.
"Who do you mean?"
Dao's shaky eyes wandered to her. Tears welled up in his eyes. "My niece! Don't you remember?" He lowered his head and squeezed his eyelids together. "She is dead."
Ān-Mā felt a sense of relief. "Oh Dao. No. Your niece…" Shen cleared his throat and quickly she corrected herself. "Your half-niece didn't fall. Your niece Xia caught her. We then immediately sent her to the doctor in Gongmen City."
Dao looked at her like he wasn't sure if she was telling him the truth.
Eventually, Shen came into view. "For once, she's right this time," Shen confirmed.
Ān-Mā raised her eyebrows. Was Shen just trying to get Dao's attention in some way? But if that was his intention, it didn't last long.
"What about her?" Dao asked. "Is she still alive?"
Ān-Mā shook her head helplessly. "We don't know yet. We haven't received any message yet." Her worried sideways glance wandered to Shen. But he didn't want to comment on this, so she turned back to Dao. "And Ravan is also incapacitated. He has been arrested as far as I know." She gave Dao the chance to digest the news. Then she continued. "Don't you remember anything else?"
Dao frowned and thought hard. Then he raised his head. "There… there was… I thought… I saw… father."
Shen's gaze took on a somber expression again. "You haven't seen father," he corrected him. "It was Xiang. But you almost had me…" He lifted his bandaged wing, but his next words were choked off by Dao.
"Xiang? Xiang Where is he? There was… someone wanted to hurt father. Did I hurt him? Where is he? I don't remember anything. Did I kill him?"
Ān-Mā deemed it best to calm Dao down as soon as possible. She hurried to the door. As she expected, Xiang was sitting on the chair in the hallway. When the door opened, Xiang immediately raised his head. The goat waved him over.
The blue peacock rose quickly. Liu helped him with the crutch, then she let him into the room. There, Xiang still heard Dao calling his name, and he guessed what was going on. Dao, meanwhile, had sunk back onto the bed and looked very confused.
With a few limping steps, Xiang was at the bed. "I'm here." He grabbed Dao's wings. When Dao felt his wing pressure, he calmed down again. "I'm fine," Xiang kept talking to him. "You're the only one who took a beating."
He smiled at his half brother. At least that gave Dao the assurance that everything was fine.
Ān-Mā watched with concern as Shen curled his wings into shaky fists.
"Don't I exist for you or what?" Shen blurted out. "I risked everything for you. You almost killed me!" He lifted his bandaged wing again.
Finally, Dao noticed it, too. "Did I do that?"
"Indeed," Shen confirmed angrily. Originally, he had intended not to raise his voice on the subject, but the tension between the two caused the anger before the incident to boil up again.
Ān-Mā sighed inwardly. Shen's temper run wild again, but she held back from saying anything.
"Do you have to yell at him like that?" Xiang complained. "Basically, it's your own fault."
"Are you slurring your speech, or did I hear right?" Shen countered.
"You heard right," Xiang replied gruffly. "You could have asked me too. After all, he's my..." He stopped himself, but Shen picked it up immediately.
"He's not your whole brother," Shen hissed, taking turns looking at Dao and Xiang. "Or am I not good enough for you as a brother?" Shen asked pointedly at Dao. "I've already told you how I feel about the past. I can't undo what I've done. But you can't like this one more than me. After all, he nearly killed your family."
Xiang sat up angrily. "And now you're picking up on my past instead? Mind your own past. It has more to do with him than mine."
Meanwhile, Dao had dropped his head back onto the pillow and listened to the discussion between the two opponents in silence but with torment.
"He never said he liked me more," Xiang began again.
Shen countered back. "But he does!"
"Stop it!" Ān-Mā yelled, banging the stick on the ground. "You behave worse than children. All these unnecessary fights. Your father would be ashamed of you if he saw you like this."
Xiang crossed his wings, offended. "I never knew him," he murmured bitterly.
"Would have been even nicer," Shen teased sarcastically.
Dao, on the other hand, burst into tears again at the word "father." "Father," he murmured. "It had been so real."
Shen let out a snort. "But he's not your father. Just your half brother."
"That's enough now," Ān-Mā interrupted him. "You're going out now. Both of you. And for heaven's sake, end your differences. This has to stop. Especially now. Whether you accept it or not, you are still family. Maybe the last thing left of your father."
Shen and Xiang exchanged scowls, then they looked away from each other again.
Ān-Mā sighed heavily. "If you don't like each other, then at least make peace."
Shen and Xiang jerked their heads up. "With him?" Both of them exclaimed, stunned.
"Please…" Dao groaned, causing Xiang and Shen to pause at least. "Please just do it." Dao's eyes met Shen. "Please, promise me." He grabbed Shen's wing, but he avoided him.
"Why should I promise?" Shen complained.
Dao's gaze wandered to Xiang. "Then, promise it, too."
Xiang's beak remained open. "Concluding peace with him? It's as impossible as fire with water."
Shen glared at Xiang. "You're telling me."
But then both peacocks pricked up their ears when they heard an "Oh" from Zedong. Not only the children were standing in the doorway, but also Po, Yin-Yu, Liu and even Sheng. Everyone seemed very concerned. Except for Zedong, who excitedly raised his feather comb. "Are you going to fight again?"
Yin-Yu covered his beak admonishingly, but Shen didn't care about that remark. Again he looked at Xiang, who immediately caught his glare.
Finally, Shen folded his wings and looked at Dao, who was still looking at him pleadingly. "Do it for the family," Dao murmured softly. "Or has it still no meaning to you?"
Shen inhaled sharply, but with Dao's tears running down his face, he was unable to bring himself to yell at him. At the same time, he felt Xiang's gaze on the back of his neck, prompting him to fight out an eye-battle with his stepbrother again. But the others seemed to be holding their breath, too. Even Po's chewing on a dumpling in his mouth sounded deafening. Shenmi anxiously watched the scene, but she didn't dare approach Xiang. It was grown-up stuff, which she didn't understand really, but she realized that this wasn't a game.
After what felt like long stretched seconds, Shen lifted his beak. "But first, we have to clarify a few things."
Xiang narrowed his eyes. "Indeed."
Dao looked questioningly from one to another. "And what does that mean?"
Xiang took a step towards Shen. "I'm assuming your brother wants to have a word with me, right?" He gave Shen a mischievous look. "Half brother?"
Shen looked at him with a growl. "Sure, half brother."
With these words, they left the room and went to the stairs. Hesitantly, the others made way for them. When they were in the hallway, Xiang caught a glimpse of Xia, who had also overheard everything. Xiang looked at her suspiciously for a second, then he went behind Shen and they left the apartment. Everyone looked at them worriedly.
As soon as the door closed behind the two peacocks, Po wanted to follow, but Ān-Mā stopped him. "Not this time, Dragon Warrior. Leave them alone."
Po pouted. "Alright," he grumbled, stuffing a dumpling into his mouth in frustration.
In the background, he could hear Shenmi, who meanwhile had rushed to Dao. "Uncle Dao?! How are you doing? Is your tummy fine again?"
Po looked into the room, where Dao was now surrounded by all the peafowl children. Zedong had even jumped onto the edge of the bed. "You should have seen me spanking the black cat."
Now Ān-Mā hurriedly pushed his way into the room. "Well, well, children, don't be so wild. You have to give him some rest. He's still completely exhausted."
"But that doesn't matter," Dao said and picked up little Shenmi.
But Ān-Mā quickly took her away from him. "And certainly not lift anything." Gently, she put the disappointed girl down on the ground again. "You still need rest. Lie down." Her gaze wandered to Yin-Yu and Liu, who had stayed behind in the hallway. "Do me a favor and take the kids to Mr. Ping's restaurant. You can visit Dao later."
Yin-Yu nodded and took Shenmi in her arms. "Of course." She gave Dao an encouraging smile. "But it's good to see that you're awake again."
Dao inclined his head in embarrassment. For a moment, he completely forgot that she was the wife of his brother, whom he had viewed with suspicion all along.
Ān-Mā pushed the others out. "Come on, go kids. And stay with your mother." In the hallway, she met Sheng and Xia. "It would do you good to go outside, too. But stay in the restaurant."
Sheng nodded. "Alright." He took Xia's wing. "Come on."
At first, Xia hesitated, but Ān-Mā gave her a firm nod and a hoof sign to tell her to keep calm and leave her former father and her real father alone. Finally, Xia complied with the silent request and followed the others outside. Po followed last.
"That applies to you too, Dragon Warrior," Ān-Mā admonished as Po stood on the stairs. "No eavesdropping."
Disappointed, Po slouched his shoulders and ears. "Oh, fudge!"
After peace had finally returned to the apartment, Ān-Mā breathed a sigh of relief. She decided to check on Dao before leaving him alone again. When she entered the room, Dao was still lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Ān-Mā went to the curtains and drew them closer. "You should rest now. Sleep well."
But before she reached the door, Dao stopped her.
"What do you think what are they up to?" he asked.
Ān-Mā froze. "Well, I... I don't know."
Dao looked at her. "Will he hurt him?"
Ān-Mā sighed. "Both can't stand each other. From day one, but I don't think it will get to the point where they hurt badly."
She watched Dao sink back onto the pillow but seemed quite tense.
Helpless, Ān-Mā scratched the ground with her walking stick. "Dao," she began softly. "I can imagine that Xiang means a lot to you. He's a spitting image of your father. But remember that he also made a lot of serious mistakes towards your family. Hence, you must also understand Shen. It will not be easy to heal the wounds that were caused back then."
Dao was silent. Hesitantly, Ān-Mā approached the bed. "And don't be mad at your brother. Shen's just so excited about you. When the crooks took you away, he didn't hesitate and immediately rushed after you. He really wanted to get you out again."
Dao turned his head away. "It doesn't change what he did to dad back then."
Ān-Mā looked down sadly. "I can imagine how you feel. I saw you run away when you were a little boy fleeing the palace. It had been a bad time. Even after that in the palace everything was so lonely and empty. And so terribly sad." The old goat was close to tears, but she controlled herself. "In general, there was always a shadow on your family's kingdom. Right from the start. But it's no use dwelling on the past. What's more important is what you three are doing now. And if… if you want that Shen and Xiang make peace," she paused, "wouldn't it be good if you did the same with Shen?"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Dao even seemed to stop breathing for a fraction. Finally, he turned his back on Ān-Mā by turning over in bed. The old goat didn't say anything right away. She wanted to give Dao a chance to think about it. Finally, Dao trembled.
"Maybe father would be still alive at least," Dao gasped, "if he hadn't done it."
Ān-Mā shook his head regretfully. "The panda village massacre was a big mistake. A mistake that cannot be undone, but maybe… maybe it was partly my fault." Ān-Mā couldn't help but used her hoof to wipe the tears from her eyes. "But what's the use of pondering on it? Dao. Shen keeps trying to approach you, but you keep rejecting him. Please don't think that he doesn't feel anything for you. He was also upset and sad when he found out about the death of your parents."
Dao pulled his head deeper into the pillow. "It's no use to them now. I can't forgive him this."
Ān-Mā looked at the ceiling for help. "Dao, did you know that after your disappearance, your father sacrificed practically everything to fund a future for Shen?"
Dao remained silent while Ān-Mā continued to speak, undeterred but pleading. "Are you trying to stab your father in the back by rejecting your brother? Father loved Shen. Do you want to hurt him with that?"
Again there was only silence from Dao.
Ān-Mā stifled a cry. "I knew your father very well. I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted anything else other than for you to get to know each other and be like brothers. And I'm sure Shen would like to know you, too."
She waited. Finally, Dao opened his beak to speak. "If he hadn't caused this horrible genocide back then, none of this would have happened," he replied in a tearful voice. "Then he could have known me earlier."
Dismayed, Ān-Mā leaned on her cane. Wasn't it possible to get this topic out of Dao's head? But the pain of his mother's rejection was still too deep.
"If he cares so much about me," Dao added shakily, "then he should apologize at least." With that, he pulled the blanket over his head and Ān-Mā guessed that this was the last thing what Dao wanted to say.
Dejected, she left the room and closed the door. She stood silently in the hallway for a moment, then she banged her cane on the floor in frustration. "Stubborn," she murmured. "All three." She could only hope that one of them would give in.
It was almost dark outside. Shen and Xiang had already left the village and were wandering aimlessly through the forest. Shen stopped in a clearing. Xiang too. It was quiet around them. Only in the distance crickets chirped or a bird chirped somewhere in the woods. A light evening breeze swept through the treetops, however, nobody of them felt relaxed by the tranquility of nature. Both felt as if a volcano was bubbling inside them.
Xiang, irritated by his archrival's silence, cleaned his throat in a provocative way. "Are you having trouble formulating a sentence or why are you standing there like a tree in the forest?" He let a few seconds of silence pass. "Or are you wondering how to hug me? Half brother."
Only now, Shen turned to him. When their eyes met, it was like lightning struck between them. But Shen shook off the scowl with a shake of his head. Then he lifted his head and looked down at Xiang disparagingly. "I find it hard to believe that the half-same blood runs through our veins."
Xiang narrowed his eyes. "Do you think it's easy for me? I thought, I was in a nightmare when I found out about this."
Shen raised his beak. "Then you're like me."
"At least one thing we have in common," Xiang teased. "But only really this one."
"You'll never be more to me," Shen asserted scathingly, "you will only be to me like a stain on my sword."
Xiang hissed angrily. "Fine, I agree with that, too. From the first moment you walked into my life, you brought me nothing but misery. Don't think I forgot you cut my wing shoulders."
Shen raised an eyebrow indifferently. "Oh, I remember, how are your wings?"
With an acidulous expression on his face, Xiang clutched his shoulders. "If the doctors hadn't been so good, I would have been even more angry with you."
Shen's feather comb quivered. "You should be glad that you didn't…" He paused.
"Say it!" Xiang demanded.
"That you didn't kill your half-nieces and half-nephews! If you had succeeded, you would not expect any mercy from me today."
"Are you going to hold this against me forever?" Xiang complained. "I couldn't help it at the time. I had been angry. I wanted to destroy you..."
"That's no reason!" Shen cut him off.
Xiang jumped up. "Oh yes? Just like you had no good reason to wipe out an entire panda colony?"
Both stared at each other like two aggressive snakes. No matter how you look at it, both of them had something to blame each other for.
"You're so stubborn!" Shen blurted out.
"Who do you think I inherited this from?" Xiang countered.
"Certainly not from my father," Shen claimed.
"You mean our father," Xiang corrected.
Shen raised his beak in the air again. "I've got the better half."
Xiang growled at him angrily. "I see. You need a stupid panda to understand something. Unlike me. I kept my royal status."
Shen let out an evil growl. "My mother was a decent woman. Unlike your psychotic relatives. My brother is probably the best example of this."
Xiang narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Well, it's a shame that he doesn't like you that much."
This sting went deeper than Xiang could have guessed. Shen glared at him angrily. "I… I…"
"Say it!" Xiang demanded impatiently.
"I hate you!"
Xiang stamped with his crutch. "Alright. I don't want to hide anything from you. I hate you, too In that case – what do you suggest? A truce?"
Shen's somber gaze fell on Xiang's. Just hugging and forgetting everything - that wasn't their style. On the contrary. Shen was convinced that he would never forget his - stepbrother's - misdeeds.
He clenched his wing hands into fists, which Xiang noticed.
"Say what you want to say," Xiang urged him. "There's nobody here but the two of us."
Shen took a few sharp breaths in and out. The anger that had built up over the years threatened to explode. Xiang flinched when Shen pulled out a feather knife, but then he just ram it into the ground.
"I'd love to hear you whimper," Shen hissed, beak clenched, "but I think we can also agree that we don't want to stab our – brother – in your case, probably your stepbrother – in the back."
Xiang narrowed his eyes. "Me neither. But I'd still like to hear you cry."
Shen let out an evil growl. "Fine! I think we both want it. Then we will get rid of it once and for all."
Xiang understood. "Fine! But without martial arts techniques. No kung fu, karate, judo... or whatever you can do. No kicks and no feather knives."
Shen raised his wing admonishingly. "And no walking aid," and pointed mockingly at Xiang's crutch.
"As you wish." Xiang threw away the crutch. Unsteady on one leg, he spread his wings for balance.
Shen was amused by that for a moment. After hastily removing his feather knives from his plumage, he approached Xiang. "Allow me." He grabbed Xiang's shirt to give the blue peacock a better balance. But Shen had no intention of doing him any favors. He was just waiting to finally be able to teach him a lesson. After Xiang regained a firm footing on one leg, they stared into each other's eyes again.
Shen raised the corners of his beak in a mocking gesture. "It's beneath my dignity to spank someone like you, but I want to be fair..."
"Shut up!" Xiang yelled at him angrily. "and strike at last!
Shen swung his wing back. "With pleasure."
He was even shaking with the urge. The first punch hit Xiang squarely in the face. Xiang fell backwards and landed hard on the forest floor. But he immediately threw himself forward and pulled Shen to the ground. Both rolled across the meadow, constantly punching each other in the stomach. When Xiang realized he couldn't harm Shen much with that, he yanked at the crest feathers.
Shen screamed. "You damn..." Now Shen grabbed Xiang's throat. After he finally released his feathers, they pecked at each other with their beaks, followed closely by more blows. Shen screamed again as Xiang slapped his wound, which Shen responded with by flipping his leg. Like two little boys, they wrestled without a break. Only when they lay panting on the floor, they let go of each other.
"What happened to you?!" Yin-Yu and Liu shouted at the same time with one voice.
They had been waiting in a yard for their husbands' return, and what the two peahens saw, let them open their eyes wide. Stunned, they stared at Shen and Xiang, who looked a bit battered. Shen's eye was black and Xiang's beak had a bit of skin cracked. Both of them were limping and seemed a little wobbly on their feet.
"We were just sorting out our differences," Shen replied, rubbing his face with a pained grimace.
"Just men's talk," Xiang added grimly, rubbing his almost twisted leg.
Yin-Yu and Liu shook their heads regretfully.
"Oh Shen."
"Oh Xiang."
Then they took them by the wings and brought them into the apartment.
While Yin-Yu and Liu were busy treating the two peacocks expertly, Po, Zedong and Shenmi peeked around the corner. They had been waiting for the return of the two peacocks too and frowned at the sight that presented itself to them. Only Shenmi seemed very worried. Shen and Xiang sat in the kitchen, each on a chair, and silently endured their wives' treatments, every now and then giving each other an icy look as if they were about to hit each other again.
"Po," Zedong asked after a while, "are men's talks always so painful?"
Po smiled wryly. "Believe me, I prefer talking to girls."
Zedong was less convinced. "But Tigress isn't like that and I know someone else who isn't like that either." He thought of Liana's iron grip and he even thought he could still feel a slight tug in the wing from it.
Po was silent for a moment, then he shook his head wistfully. "Could be. But women are sometimes more gracious in 'talk'." He sighed. "Just sometimes."