Phoenix In The Mist

Chapter 9: Camp Brawl

"Heaven's sake! Couldn't you have told me earlier?" I hissed at Yu Heng.

"Didn't think it was that important at that point," Yu Heng raised his palms in an apologetic manner. "Sorry, Feng."

I felt an urge to slap him. Not important? That scar was the most outstanding thing on Ju Yao's face! How would one know not to pay it any attention if they weren't told?

The stocky man was striding purposefully towards our table, his expression one of rage. Despite his girth, I could see that he was well muscled, and his clenched fists clearly indicated that he was ready for a brawl.

I bit my lip. What was I going to do? Not even an hour after reporting to the camp, and I was already going to potentially cause a fight.

"Blast it all," grumbled Ying Long. "Can't you keep yourself out of trouble for more than a day? Repeat my words, and hopefully he'll be sensible enough to keep his temper to himself."

Ju Yao slammed his hands onto the wooden table I was sitting at, rattling the utensils on it. One of my kuai zi * rolled off my bowl and clattered to the hard packed dirt ground. I couldn't help but notice that the knuckles on Ju Yao's hands were well calloused. I gulped.

"What you staring at, boy?" he jerked out his chin at me, exposing his scar further. I quickly averted my gaze, licking my lips nervously.

"Tell him nothing!" Ying Long whispered.

"N-nothing," I stammered out. I gripped the edge of the bench on either side of me, feeling the adrenaline thrum through my veins. A fight was in the offing, and my Phoenix perked up at that.

Not now, please not now, I silently begged it. For once it listened, and it settled down to wait, carefully studying the perceived enemy. Assessing him.

"What 'cha mean, nothing? You were clearly staring at my scar, weren't you?" Ju Yao snarled.

"Tell him - "

Before Ying Long could finish his sentence, Yu Heng decided to take matters into his own hands. Casually setting his elbows on the timber surface, he rested his chin on his clasped hands as he leaned forwards towards Ju Yao.

"If he said he wasn't staring at you, he wasn't," drawled Yu Heng. My eyes shot to him, pleading with him not to help me.

Ju Yao sneered. "And just who might you be?"

Either ignoring my warning gaze, or failing to notice it, Yu Heng straightened proudly. "Yu Heng, son of Yu Guan, governor of Yuan Cheng. Betrothed to Hua Mulan, daughter of the Hua Zhou."

A derisive sniff. "So what's he to you?"

Yu Heng's voice went deadly quiet. "He, as you so elegantly put it, my friend, is Hua Feng, my betroth's brother. So don't mess with him, if you know what's good for you."

Touching, but pointless. If he thought to dissuade Ju Yao from attacking me, it wouldn't work. From the tense line of his shoulders, the controlled strength in his biceps, I could tell that Ju Yao was still itching for a fight. All Yu Heng had done was include himself as a target.

Ju Yao bared his teeth in a wolfish smile at me. "I don't think he's that much of a threat, do you?"

Choked snorts of sniggling came from Ling Jia, who stood behind Ju Yao, his thin frame shaking with the force of his mirth. Beside him, Chien Po glared at me, as stony faced as ever. The pair must have made their way over when our attention was focused on Ju Yao.

"And you," Ju Yao said, looking contemptuously at Yu Heng, "Here's what I think of you." Shoving Yu Heng's bowl over the edge of the table, what remained of the stew inside splattered onto Yu Heng.

Yu Heng jerked back, grunting in disgust, his facial expression full of outrage. Lifting a stew covered hand, he formed a fist and shook it at Ju Yao. "You dare?" he hissed, flinging droplets of it back at Ju Yao. All Ju Yao did was smirk at Yu Heng's indignation.

By now, the whole mess tent was watching. Mocking laughter rang out at the comical figure the stew splattered Yu Heng made, causing his face to flush red with anger and embarrassment.

"Food fight!" someone called, and Yu Heng shook his head at the childishness of the man.

"I'm leaving," he muttered to me, ducking underneath the half eaten apple that flew over our heads. "You should get out of here too." Rising to his feet, he stalked towards the exit, dodging the flying food missiles.

I started to follow him, but a hand grasped my wrist in an ironhold. "Oh no, you don't," growled Ju Yao.

I reacted instinctively. Reaching back, I pried one of the man's meaty fingers from around my arm, and in a movement drilled into me, bent it back towards the back of his palm.

There was a yelp of pain, and then I was free.

I sprinted for the exit, Ying Long's claws digging into my shoulder as he fought to hold on. I ignored the chunks of fruit and cheese pelting me, and concentrated on weaving my way through the haphazard placement of chairs and tables.

About ten metres away from the tent flap, the air was knocked from my lungs as I was pounced on from behind. I gasped as my chin hit the floor, and I bit into my tongue, the sharp pain shooting through me. Ying Long was hurled from my shoulder, and as he went rolling across the ground, he yelled out some choice words that I was tempted to echo.

The coppery tang of blood filled my mouth. Inside me, the Phoenix screeched, no longer content to let me control the situation. Out, it rumbled. Now!

"Not so tough are you," came the harsh whisper into my ear. I spat out a mouthful of blood as I gradually released my hold on the Phoenix. "I'll enjoy beating you - "

I squeezed my eyes shut. My hands, scraped from the rough fall, rose from the ground and slammed down on the forearms caging me. It was through this conduit that the Phoenix channeled its unholy power, scorching the skin under my palms.

A scream. The arms were wrenched away, and I managed to ram my elbow into Ju Yao's face. A satisfying crack sounded, and he rolled away from me, clutching his bleeding nose and blistered flesh.

It wasn't enough for the Phoenix. It wanted to kill, wanted to flambé the man who dared to harm me, to stand over his burning corpse and crow its victory to the skies. The pressure pounded against my head, but I had just enough control to keep the Phoenix from taking over.

Staggering to my feet, I scooped up Ying Long and deposited him on my shoulder once more as I stumbled towards the tent flap. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself against the relentless pounding in my mind.

But before I could grab hold of the canvas, it was pushed open, and a bowed figure ducked through the opening. He drew himself up to his full height, and I found myself face to face with the most handsome man I had ever seen.

*Kuai zi: chopsticks