Silent Love For A Silent Wolf (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny)

Silent Wolf

(His half smile is sooo cute!)

I sat with my eyes half lidded breathing deeply scanning the small crowd that had gathered here at a curtain tavern. Silent Wolf had sent out a warrant for warriors of the Iron Way to join him protecting the house of Te.

I had admired Silent Wolf for many years and my father had taught me the Iron Way until he died so it was only logical to join up with Silent Wolf.

One warrior went up to Silent Wolf and offers his twenty swordsmen for a high price. I rolled my eyes at the arrogance of the man. When he was told no he started to attack. Silent Wolf looked about at everybody to see if anyone else will join him.

"I am Flying Blade of Shantung." One man stood up.

"I am Thunder Fist Chan, famed in Zhejiang." A large man said banging his big hand on the table.

"I am Silver Dart Shi, famed in Fuzhou." A woman said standing up.

"I am Turtle Ma, famed in... This tavern." A half drunk man said.

"I am Jade Fan, famed in foshan." I said taking off my hat with a half smile.

The twenty-one men attacked and we all fought together. Two men came at me at once and I dodged kicking a table up into their faces. And so the fight went on, at points I found myself fighting back to back with Silent Wolf, spin around Flying Blade, or throw men into the way of Silver Dart Shi's darts. I thought we fought we fought well together.

I picked up my hat and dusted it off when the last man had fallen. later we would set off for the house of Te.

While checking and packing my saddle bags I was fully aware of Thunder Fist Chan watching me intently. He was currently talking with Flying Blade, most likely about me being to young like many before have tried to give me problems about. I was 22 but I was a bit short, Silver Dart Shi was taller then me and probably a few years older, I wandered if she had the same problem.

I shook him from my mind and looked over at Silent Wolf who was 'silently' checking over his horse and bags. That was one thing he and I had in common, we both liked to keep quiet and keep to ourselves.

"Jade Fan."Thunder Fist Chan said from behind me and I cursed myself for daydreaming.

"Yes?" I replied with out turning or looking away from Silent Wolf.

"Aren't you a bit young to be doing stuff like this?" Idiot, I thought to myself. "And inexperienced?" I shut my eyes trying to keep my blood boiling in anger.

"No, but if you're challenging me then I accept." I said turning around to face the large man.

"You fight me? Ha!" He crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"We don't need another fight, we need to get going." Silent Wolf said getting up onto his horse. I nodded at Silent Wolf and stepped up onto my horse.

We traveled at a good pace until the sun set then Flying Blade built a fire and we cooked some food. They sat and laughed, telling stories and eating. I sat between Silver Dart Shi and Flying Blade listening to them tell their stories with my eyes closed.

"What about you, what's your story?" Flying Blade asked but I didn't know he was talking to me until he tapped my arm. "Jade?" It was strange because nobody had called me Jade but my father.

"My story?" I looked up them all and then at Flying Blade who nodded. "No, it's boring you don't want to hear it." I said. "And I don't want to anyway." I whispered but he hadn't heard me.

"We'd love to hear it!" Turtle Ma said taking another drink from his bottle.

"Yeah, wouldn't think someone so young could fight so well." Flying Blade laughed and bumped my arm abruptly.

"No, thank you." I said again.

"Come on everyone wants to know, hey Silent Wolf, what about you, want to know Jade's story?" Flying Blade called and everyone turned to looked at Silent Wolf you was brushing his horse and checking his bags. Silent Wolf didn't turn or talk so I took the chance to slip away.

"Wonder how he got the name Silent Wolf."

I sat against the rock wall and soon fell asleep but awoke again in the middle of the night. I looked about in the moon light and saw Silent Wolf setting were he was before, still awake and keeping watch. I got up and stepped over the lightly snoring people until I got to were he was sitting with his back to the camp against a log.

"Have you slept yet?" I asked from a step or two behind him. He shook his head.

"I'm fine." He said still scanning the darkness.

"Well, I will not be able to go back to sleep so I'll be up anyways."

"You can sit here with me." He said as if talking to a child who was afraid to be alone but I knew he didn't mean like that. "If you'd like.. In case I fall asleep." He finished and I smiled even though he couldn't see me. I walked around the log and sat down beside him.

We sat in silence and I found myself very much enjoying myself just to sit there next to him. The only time the silence was broken was when Flying Blade started snoring and I had to hold my breath so I wouldn't laugh even though in the dim moon light I could see a small smile on Silent Wolf's lips.

After about half an hour Silent Wolf fell asleep and was making the softest snoring sounds. I need to get up and stretch but I didn't want to move because the log our backs were on would move. After a bit I got up trying to keep the log still but to no avail. Silent Wolf however didn't wake, he just stirred a little bit then was still. I smiled and walked over to the fire pit to stir the tiny bit of coals.

I had not noticed how cold it was until then so I grabbed my blanket and put it over my shoulders. I walked around the little camp then stopped at Silent Wolf and noticed he didn't have a blanket with him. It was logical to keep yourself cold when on watch to keep yourself awake but he was sleeping. I took the blanket off my shoulders and laid it over him then walked away to go find a high place to keep watch.

I climbed up the hill and stood over the cliff where I could see our little camp in the moon light and the light form the camp fire. I sighed and frowned, I hoped I hadn't crossed any lines putting my blanket over Silent Wolf. Maybe he wouldn't know it was mine. Stupid me, why did I do that?

I took out my sword and practiced until the sun rose three hours later. I looked over at the camp and saw them just starting to stir so I put my sword away and walked back to them. I got back just in time to hear Turtle Ma ask, "Where's Jade Fan?" Everyone looked about and saw me standing not far from Turtle Ma, I loved being able to walk with out making a sound.

"I'm still here, I just couldn't stand Flying Blade's snoring." I said.

"Hey." Was all Flying Blade said. I looked over at where I had slept and saw my blanket folded neatly. I looked over at Silent Wolf but he was doing his own thing.