One Tail at a Time

Liwei - 3

We are wide awake and quietly hunkered down in the tall grass peering through the strands of folliage just watching silently as a large band of men moves just as quietly, mere meters from where we are lying.  The fire thank goodness has gone out, but the cold night air seems even more so as we watch what is looking like an army on the move.  

Very slowly, my head turns towards Liwei who is crouched low behind me and like me, his sight is squarely on the long line of men who rather than march as one would expect an army to move, these men are quietly bounding ahead and there isn't just a few of them either, but a literal army, there must be over two hundred of them and the fear in me is rising.  

I have no idea what it was that woke me up, but not only did Liwei throw his hand over my mouth to stop me from yawning or making any other noise, but he is directly behind me with his head on my shoulder and just watching quietly until eventually the long line of soldiers are finally gone.  It is not even dawn yet, in fact, going by where the moon is, we are still about four hours away from dawn, so why they are sneaking about on a country lane is anyones guess, but we both know it has something to do with the two of us, because those robes were Celestial robes.

Still, there is something decidedly odd about what I have just seen.  For one, I should have heard them coming no matter how tired I am.  My ability to pick up moving energy around me, is part of the intensive training I have learned under Shifu, and there is something else that seems odd or rather out of sorts.  Even though I am positive that those soldiers have moved on, I feel as if there is someone else with us, yet no matter how hard I strain both my eyes and ears to seek them out, I see and feel no one. In the end, I think it's just because Im tired and of course, we barely missed being caught by a whole Celestial army.

Waiting until we deem it safe enough to whisper, Liwei suggests that we might have stay where we are for at least another day or two.  It is either that, or we head back to Kunlun Mountain and get Shifu to help him, which is my idea.  Neither are ideal, because they both come with enormous problems.  For one, if we follow his idea, it will mean being away from Kunlun Mountain even longer and risking the ire of my entire Kunlun family who are no doubt out searching for me while also risking Liwei being caught and then used against his own father, while my idea could set Shifu up against his own people seeing as Prince Sang Ji is moving to capture him, which I also dont want.  

I had never met Sang Ji before, and I know so very little about him, other than he is the favoured grandson of the Skylord and the second Prince.  He was made the Crown Prince on his seventy thousandth birthday and though he has a harem, he has no wives or children.  And that is all I know about him, but if there is one thing I have learned from Shifu that is relevant to us right now, it is the Celestial Heavens will fight to the death for what they consider their property, and that being me.

And suddenly, I am wondering if I should just go back and leave Liwei to make his way on his own.  It would certainly save a lot of hassles should we get caught together, only the thought is fleeting and I am tightly gripping his hand should he also be having such traiterous thoughts.

"I think we should keep going.  Waiting here will do nothing but increase our discomfort, and besides, there are other paths to Xue Man, we just go the long way." I tell tell him firmly and steeling myself for an arguement seeing as he is stiffening behind me.

"No.  It is even riskier, because those soldiers have come from where we have to back track to, they will have left soldiers behind." he tells me.

"So?"

"So......  Leaving men behind is good strategy.  It means an enemy might see the bulk of their amry on the move, and backtrack." he explains which does make sense and it gives me an even greater appreciation for his knowledge of strategic warfare which I didn't consider.