Hiddeninahighcrevice,MulanlookeddownattheridgewheretheRouranarmypreparedtheirattack.Asshewatched,oneofthemenshoutedorders,sendingsomesoldierstowardtheedgeoftheridgewithbowsandarrowswhileothersloadedalarge,heavyboulderontothetrebuchet.Groaningwitheffort,themenmoveditintopositionsothatitwasaimedatthevalley—andtheImperialsoldiers—below.

Takingamomenttomakesureshewasready,Mulanlookedinfrontofher.Thehelmetsshehadtakenfromthebattlefieldwerelinedupinarow.BlackWindwassafelyhidden.Shewasready.Liftingherbow,sheturnedandtookaimattheRourans.

Herfirstarrowflewthroughtheair.Therewasasurprisedcryasaninvaderfelltotheground.Thenanother.Andanother.Itdidn’ttakelongforthesoldierstonoticewhatwashappening.Oneturned,andMulansawhimscantheridgewhereshewashiding.SpottingtheImperialhelmets,heletoutanangrycry.Shoutingneworders,hehadhismenturntheirattentionfromthevalley.Thetrebuchetwasmoveduntilit,too,waspointedtowardthemountainwhereMulanstood,hiddenfromview.

Attheleader’ssignal,theRouransfiredarrowsattherowofImperialhelmets,unawarethattheywerenothingbutemptyshells,dummiestotricktheenemy.WhenitappearedthattheImperialsoldierswereunharmed,theRouransgrewangrier.Theirattentionturnedtothetrebuchet.Mulanwatchedandwaited,hopingshehadplannedcorrectly.

Amomentlater,thegroupofinvaderslitthefuel-coveredboulderthatsatinitsperchonthetrebuchet.Instantly,theboulderignited,burstingintoflame.Theinvadersreleasedthetrebuchet.

Astheflamingboulderflew,Mulanheldherbreath.Therockwashugeandheavy,andeventhoughithadbeenpropelledwithgreatforce,itseemedtomoveinslowmotionacrossthesky.ForMulan’splantowork,sheneededthebouldertoflystrongandtrue.

Closerandclosertheboulderflewuntil,withaloudboom,itslammedintothesnowymountainsidebehindher.Thenoiseoftheimpactechoeddownthemountainandoverthevalleyfloorbelow.TheImperialArmy,appearingassmallasantsfromMulan’sperchhighabove,seemedtopauseasthesoundreachedthem.Mulanwaited,listening.Shereacheddownandputherhandtotheground.

Shefeltit.Justthesmallestofvibrations,butitwasenoughtotellherthatherplanhadworked.

Notwaitingtoseetheresultoftheavalanchethathadalreadybeguntorollfromitspeak,Mulantookoffrunning.Shetrippedandsliddownthehard-packedsnow,thegroundshakingmoreviolentlyastheavalanchebecamestronger.

Mulanheardtheinvaders’shoutsastherumblinggrewlouder,andthentheshoutsturnedtoterrifiedscreamsasbehindherawallofwhiteappeared.Itbarreledtowardthem,unmindfulofwhicharmyitdestroyedinitspath.Thesnow,longstill,wasnowafreedbeast,eatinganythinginitsway.Feelingthewindfromtheavalanchebehindher,Mulanpickedupspeed.Butthesnowkeptcoming.Shewhistledloudly,andBlackWindappeared.Heracedtoherside,andjustbeforethesnowengulfedher,sheleaptontothehorse’sback.

Together,theygallopedaheadoftheavalancheasitnippedatBlackWind’shooves.Behindher,theinvadingarmywasnotaslucky.Withouthorses,andweigheddownbyarmor,theydisappearedintothewallofwhite.

Mulandidn’tsparethemathought.Shejustkeptriding,worryandfeargrowinginherstomach.Whenshehadthoughtofherplan,shehadforgottenonevitalpart:thatshecouldn’tcontrolthesnow.Shehadwantedtheavalanchetotakeouttheenemy,andithad,butshehadn’tthoughtthroughwhatwouldhappenafterthat.NowthesnowwasheadingstraighttowardtheImperialArmy.Anditwasn’tslowingdown.

UrgingBlackWindon,MulansawthefacesoftheImperialsoldiersgrowclearerasshemadeherwayfartherdownthemountainside.Shewatchedinhorrorastherunawaytrebuchettumbleddown,endoverend,beforelandingwithacrash—rightontopofCricket.HerscreamcaughtinherthroatasshewatchedHonghuiraceoverandpushthetrebuchetoffhisfriend.ShovingCrickettosafety,Honghuigottohisfeetonlytobehitwithawaveofsnowthatsuckedhimdown.

Mulandidn’thesitate.SlammingherlegsagainstBlackWind’ssidesandyankingonthereins,sheturnedtheprotestinghorseinthedirectionofthesnow.AshestruggledtomovetowardwhereHonghuihaddisappeared,BlackWindsnortedwiththeeffort.Hecouldbarelystayatopthesnow,andonhisback,Mulanstruggledtoremainatophim.

Suddenly,MulanspottedHonghui’sarmreachingupthroughthesnow.Extendingherarm,shemanagedtograsphishandinhersandthen,withthelastofherstrength,shepulledhimontoBlackWind’sback.Helaylimpinthesaddle,hiseyesclosedandhisbreathingshallow.TurningBlackWindoncemore,Mulangallopedahead.Asthelandleveledout,therushingsnowbegantoslow,thenstoppedaltogether.

Theavalanchehadended.

Inthesilencethatfollowed,MulanbroughtBlackWindtoahalt.Beneathher,thehorse’ssidesheavedashestruggledtocatchhisbreath.Hehadsavedher—andHonghui.Reachingdown,shegavehimagratefulpatontheneck.Thenshesliddowntotheground.

Witheffort,shemanagedtogetHonghui’sunconsciousbodyoffthehorse.Layinghimdowngently,shelookedathimforalongmoment,watchingashischestroseandfell.Hewasalive.Atleastshehadsavedhim.

Hearingshoutsfromtheothermenwhowerecomingfreefromtheirshock,MulangaveHonghuionelastlingeringlook.Shewantedtostaytomakesurehewasreallygoingtobeokay,butsheneededtomakesurethatwastheendoftheRouranattacks.Turning,shedisappearedintothefog.

Honghui’swholebodyhurt.Openinghiseyes,hesawthathewaslyingneartherestoftheImperialArmy.Hisheadpounded,andwhenhewenttostand,hislegsnearlygaveoutfromunderhim.ThelastthingherememberedwasgettingCrickettosafety.Thentherehadbeenacurtainofwhite.Thenextthingheknew,hewaswakingupontheground.

Butatleasthehadwokenup.Hehadtheoddestfeeling,almostamemorytuggingathim,thatsomeonehadhelpedhim,thoughheknewthatwasimpossible.Onlythecraziestofpeoplewouldhaverunintotheavalanche.Shakingoffthethought,hemadehiswayovertoCommanderTung.Asheapproached,heheardCricketcallingout.

“HasanyoneseenHuaJun?”Cricketasked,hiseyesscanningthearea.

HearingCricket’sworriedquestion,HonghuisawCommanderTungtakenoticeaswell.Hisbattle-wearyeyessearchedthemen.SpottingHonghuiinstead,hecalledhimover.“HaveyouseenHuaJun?”CommanderTungasked.