115 The Returning

We spent the entire summer months hidden away, but it was time to go back. Xin was eager to see Bǎo once more and I wanted to know how the ongoing issues with Zhang and his allies had progressed.

We packed up our things and gave our bows of thanks to the earth which we had lived upon and then turning to the river, bowed to the waters for their plentiful fish and water plants. Lastly, we turned and bowed deeply to the animals we had hunted and wished their spirits safe passage. 

Clearing the area, we took one last look and shouldered our bundles. Looking toward one another, we giggled and laughing, walked off with a lightness of step neither of us had felt for several years.

"Are they ever coming back?" Bǎo sat with Hao and Hàorán. The scout gad only recently returned from his exploration of the state of Chenxi and its province, and the news wasn't good. Homes looted, burnt crops, dead lying where they fell, and children sitting with blank eyes, held by women who had been beaten and abused. There were few men and those alive were old and incapable. 

Chenxi town was a burned out shell and Chen Manor no longer stood. It had been torn down, wrecked by looters and drunks who raided the stores and drank all the wines. 

Saké pots emptied, soy sauce pots tipped over, the place stank of death and spoiled soy.

What worried Hàorán was the effect this would have on the men. To see their women destroyed like this...... he couldn't go on.

Hao looked at him, "but my brother's wife and children? Did you manage to gather any real news?"

"I'm not really sure. Those who are still around are scared to talk and it's clear from the state of the forge, that it was turned upside down. Even the hearth was smashed. There's no sign of anyone, no clothing, no toys, nothing. I have told your brother not to give up hope. I suspect she took off pretty early and has secreted herself away somewhere."

"I know where she could be!" Hao grinned, "if I'm right, then clever girl! And thank you Niao." He got up and started to leave,  the other two looking on.

"Where you going?"

"To find my brother. To tell him where to look," and with that he was gone. Hàorán looked at Bǎo, quizzically. Bǎo shrugged, "don't look at me, no idea what's he's talking about."

We arrived at the gates of Shipao. Looking in, it hadn't changed much. Soldiers seemed to have increased in numbers though, and were squeezed into every tavern lining the route. Fields were being harvested, the market was bustling and women cheerfully sold their wares from boats, from carts, from bundles carried on family member's backs.

"So many people! Not used to all this activity, it makes my head hurt." Xin looked at me. 

"Mm, it can be intense. Once you get used to blocking their noise you'll be alright. The trick is to learn how to switch the sensitivity on and off. It'll come.  You'll get it, but first, let's find Bǎo and I'll leave you in his capable hands so you two can catch up."

I grabbed her hands and pulled her forward. I could sense where they were, and Bǎo hadn't moved from his spot for a while.

Bǎo saw her first. He stood up almost in disbelief, then, holding his arms wide and bracing himself for the full force of a launch, "Xin! You're back!"

Hearing his voice, she followed it to its source. I watched her as she located him, frozen in anticipation and then, without a backward look, she let her bundles fall to the ground, and ran full tilt into his arms. Leaping up, she hugged him round his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Burying her head into his neck, I heard the sobs of relief. She was home and she knew it.

Picking up her bundles I walked to join them.

"Here, these ones are hers, take care of her Bӑ0," and with that I walked towards the main building where Second Master would be.

Walking in, I could see them both. Hao was talking with great enthusiasm and animation, "I bet they went there. It's where Niao always retreated when she had had enough of people and its far enough away from the town and the smithy not to be found. Listen to me brother, if they got away they would have gone there."

Second Master looked skeptical. He wanted so much to believe this but didn't dare get his hopes up.

Hao continued badgering, "send Hàorán, send him back to the forge, get him to look for the house. She knows where it is, she could hide there with the children and not be found. Please, brother, believe me, she could still be alive!"

"He's right. Yiran could have left the forge and taken the children with her. She knows where the pond is and could fish. She knew where the food stash was, the seeds, the wood, the tools to survive."

The pair spun round.

"Niao!" Their eyes on stalks, they thought it was a ghost speaking, they didn't expect me to be standing there. Hao spoke first. "You, you're back? This is real? Right? You really are here, with me?" He looked at his brother, "with us?"

I smiled at him. The tears welled up in his eyes; he had been holding his emotions in check for so long, on seeing me he couldn't hold them any more. Running the small distance towards me, he hugged me in a tight embrace, "You're back, you're real, I'm not dreaming, you're back!"

Second Master looked at the pair of us. "I'll leave you two alone...."

"No!" I stopped him and peeled Hao off me so as to talk. "If Yiran and the children are still alive then they will either be captured as a form of ransom, or they will have hidden in the house in the woods." I left out the third option, he didn't need to hear that. "I will over winter here and leave once the weather thaws. It is pointless trying to go back in the freezing temperatures. I have done that numerous times and I loose condition and potentially my strength. Once back in Chenxi I will need my vitality to first of all deal with any of the Mu who may still be, how shall I say this, playing with their new found toys and then hunt for Yiran. I'm hoping Xin will go with me, this will be a female only hunt." 

The two men looked at one another, noticing the glint of hatred coupled with danger in my eyes; the eyes of a mountain lion defending its cubs.

"But first, I want to know the latest regarding the Twin Hammers, all these men and what's happening about Zhang and his friends."

Second Master laughed, "Plenty of time for that. We have the winter to talk about this. Right now I think I am going to head towards the kitchens and get a good meal together so as to celebrate the return of our two gallant ladies. I will give you two an hour then, get yourselves ready, we have a banquet to attend." As he walked out the rooms I heard him call, "Attendants!" He had hope and I had a lot of catching up to do. I was ready for it now.