84 There!

We sat and chatted by the fire as the light dimmed. We'd finished off the vegetable soup and eaten every delicious mouthful of our fish. Now it was time to sit back and enjoy a fresh tea.

"You hear that?" Xin looked at me for conformation. I nodded.

She directed me left as she went right. It didn't take long before we spotted them, two men peering through the trees, looking for something or someone.

"Can you see them anywhere? We'll have to go back soon, it's getting too dark," one of them whispered. 

" But what will General Chen do if we....."

"You looking for us?" It was Xin. She made them jump so badly, they fell backwards into the shrubbery. Typical Xin, she tipped her head back and laughed. 

"Not very good in the gloom are you?" her peel of laughter filling the void. 

I walked toward her. "Don't pick on them Xin, it's not their fault," and I too laughed at the looks on their faces, with bits of bush sticking out everywhere. Most undignified, but funny all the same.

"Sorry gentlemen, are you trying to find us? If so, I think we found you." Xin was in her element, " please tell them back at the barracks, we'll come back tomorrow, but we just need some time, alone."

"Yes," I added, "some peace and quiet where we won't be disturbed." 

I grinned. 

They looked so forlorn; they'd disturbed us and broke into our peace.

"Sorry, sorry, but...."

"It's okay. Just say you've found us, we're alright and we'll be back tomorrow." Xin looked at them, "anything else?" She was playing with them like a cat with a mouse. She could be..... I grinned.

They retreated repeating how sorry they were for disturbing us. We just giggled and arm in arm, went back to our fire and some 'us' time.

"We make a good team." Xin cuddled into my arm. "I want this life. It's tough but cleaner and kinder. What are we going to do when this is all over and we can finally go home?"

I thought of home. A small house on stilts in the middle of nowhere with a mountain stream running partially under it. I thought of the walk to the lake where lotus plants grew, the water was shallow and the mud, fine.

"When we get home I'll show you where home is." 

She squeezed my arm, "tell me about it."

With that, we lay back and I told her about the house, the old lady and the lake not far away. We fell asleep, dreaming of home and a new life living the way we wanted. 

"Well?" Second Master was beyond worry, " did you find them? Are they alright? Is there a problem?" Impatiently, he clenched his fists,  "come on, tell me!"

The two scouts lowered their heads. One still had twigs in his hair. Just as the Master was about to say something, the other, noticing them, spoke, albeit, nervously.

"Yes, Sir we found the two ladies," they looked at each other, heads still bowed, " or should I say, they found us. Sir, they are so fast! They're frightening!" He paused to regain some composure, "they're fine, Sir. Better than fine, they were laughing....." he remembered how they laughed at them and lowered his head even further. "They asked us to tell you they are fine and will probably return tomorrow but need some time alone."

Nervously, they looked at each other. "I thought they were going to kill us, they're very scary."

At this point Second Master relaxed and laughed, " word to the wise, never tangle with these two, they'll cut your throat before you even realise they've lifted a blade." He turned away from them and allowed them the last vestiges of their face. "Thank you gentlemen, you have been a great help. Now may I suggest you get the rest of the shrubbery out of your hair and return to barracks."

Sheepishly, the men dismissed themselves and hurried out the room. "They look so innocent, those two. Who'd have thought they were so.....so......frightening?"

Second Master laughed. Now he could rest and await their arrival tomorrow.