Feral Heart (Mulan retelling)

Chapter 1

Author's Note: Thank you for checking out my first book: Feral Heart! As you probably noted from this title, I really like the movie Mulan so I thought I would make a story based on it. This is my first story and it is not edited yet so you might find mistakes on it. Anyway, I hope you like the book, if you do please comment and help me make it better! Enjoy your read!

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As the hot summer sun began to rise over the horizon, most villagers of Gretis slept soundly, unaware of the dark shadowy figure walking down the street as quietly as a panther.

Kyra was an early riser, something surely rare around these plains since most people used to sleep until the sun was high up on the sky. She, however, had a good reason to wake up early during the last few years. Her father was a well-known soldier that fought bravely when the Bulan army invaded from the north. While he was away, Kyra woke up early every day and went to bed late after the sun had lowered itself to the ground. She was anxious and wanted her father to be back as fast as he could so she waited for him many hours per day.

She still remembered the day he came back: she had woken up early again and had spent her day collecting berries from the nearby forest. The sun was setting when she stopped to look at the entrance of the village. She took a brief moment to appreciate the view of the faraway mountains and turned away when the sun touched the ground. As she took a step to walk back to her house she heard a faint horse-like sound. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked back at the wooden gates of the village.

A completely black stallion stood proudly carrying his rider: a middle aged man with white hair and bandages on his arms and legs. For a second she stood there, her brain unable to process what she was seeing, she didn't know if she should be  happy and relieved or sad and worried. Then it clicked; He was home, he was safe! Yes, he was hurt but alive!

She ran to him so quickly that he 
didn't have time to prepare for the hug she intended to deliver. She jumped on him, arms widely open and let an exasperated shout out. She was so excited that she almost knocked him down, making the black stallion jerk his head on her direction. The stallion looked rather amused and relieved since the girl was so sweet.

Later that evening Kyra learned that her father had returned home due to his injuries, specially the stab wound on his thigh. The wound was deep since the sword that made it penetrated into her father's flesh almost to the bone. It was a bit infected as well and it was quite fresh. It was almost as long and wide as her forearm and it was still bleeding. She worked on the wound for almost six hours before she was able to completely stop the bleeding.

Now, five years later, Kyra's only remainder of the war was her father's scar and his constant limping. Even her family got bigger and happier with the inclusion of Lucy, her stepmother. At first Kyra thought she was a bad person but later Lucy proved herself worthy of her father's love and care. Lucy was quite a pretty woman, edging the 50s, she was almost 10 years younger than Joseph, Kyra's dad. She had black hair that reached up to her lower back and big, brown eyes. She was very small, smaller than Kyra and had a high pitched voice that was smooth and soft.

Kyra was happy for her father because now he could live a happier and more complete life. After all, when her mom died ten years before, he was left heartbroken and alone with a seven years old daughter. Times were the hardest back them, her father was broken in more ways than she could imagine, including in terms of finances. They had little money since most of it was spent trying to save her dying mother.

Even now there were some days in which the pain from losing her mother was unbearable and she could not stop the tears from flooding her eyes and wetting her small face. Today, however, was not one of those days. Kyra woke up early not only because she couldn't help it but because she wanted to watch her neighbor, Jayden, practicing his fighting skills. Since the day she first discovered his training spot on the clearing near the west side of the pine forest she became interested on his fighting skills.