02 第1章 木兰赶鸡（2）

02 第1章 木兰赶鸡（2）

A loud squawk brought Mulan’s thoughts back to her task. As if f inally realizing that the coop meant food and rest, the chickens began to move toward it in a group. Mulan let out a happy little whoop, startling an old woman standing inside the shrine that sat in the middle of the communal courtyard. She was lighting incense at the base of the large phoenix statue that dominated the shrine. Like the rest of the compound, the shrine had seen better days. Tiles fell off the roof, and more than a few boards were loose. The statue, however, remained in good shape. To those who lived in the village, the statue was the most sacred and important part of their little world. It was a representation of their ancestors, a connection to those who had come before. Every man, woman, and child spent at least some part of every day in the shrine, enjoying the stillness and peace the place brought. Most of the time. 

For one moment, it seemed Mulan’s job was complete. As Mulan stood back, her father ushered the last of the birds toward the coop’s open door. Out of the corner of her eye, Mulan caught sight of a lone chicken veering from the rest of the group. Mulan frowned. She looked back at her father. Zhou was distracted, making sure each chicken got inside. He didn’t notice there was an escapee. A look of determination crossed her face. Quietly, she slipped away, ducking and weaving around a few neighbors as she followed the chicken toward the rough wooden building. 

As she watched the chicken move farther out of her reach, Mulan’s heart began to pound and her fingers began to twitch. Her pace quickened. First a faster walk, then a slow jog, until she took off in a sprint after the chicken. Hearing Mulan’s footsteps, the chicken let out a loud Bwack and ran faster, flapping its wings wildly, sending feathers f lying. 

The race was on!

Through the courtyard Mulan chased after the chicken. But every time her fingers were nearly close enough to reach out and grab the bird, the pesky animal would duck to the side, gaining freedom for another moment. 

Having noticed what his daughter was doing, Zhou shouted, “Mulan! Forget the chicken!” But Mulan’s steps didn’t slow. 

She barely registered the fact that the bird had headed back toward the coop by way of the shrine until she was inside the circular structure. Caught up in the moment, Mulan continued to follow the chicken, which awkwardly flew up and over the phoenix statue. Mulan took a running jump and followed, sailing over the ancient holy relic. Her feet managed to clear it ... but the stick she was still carrying did not. 

With a loud CRACK, the stick slammed into the large stone bird, knocking off its left wing. Outside the shrine, other villagers looked up from their chores at the loud sound, letting out a collective gasp as the wing fell to the ground with a thud. They had paid little mind to Mulan’s antics—until now. 

Mulan didn’t notice. She was already out of the shrine and sprinting behind the chicken up a stairwell to a balcony on the second floor of the building. Catching sight of the charging girl, a young mother, clutching her baby in her arms, jumped out of the way just in time to avoid Mulan’s flailing limbs. Racing along, Mulan ducked under a bin of rice held by two men—and right into a woman hanging her laundry. The woman screamed as laundry—and more feathers—went f lying.