She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,

She crosses passes and mountains like flying.

Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,

Chilly light shines on iron armor.

"You seem like you're going to collapse any moment," Luhan laughed as he watched Mulan trudge through the thickening snow.

She glared at him, before quickening her pace, feigning ease.

But Luhan could see right through that. He chuckled softly under his breath before taking her bag from her.

"Hey!" she cried out, as she felt the weight on her shoulders lessen. She glanced up to see Luhan marching in front of her, carrying both of their belongings like it wasn't difficult at all.

"Oh," she said as she realised that he was trying to help her. "Thanks."

He winked at her before striding ahead. 

Without her bag weighing her down, she managed to catch up to him.

She stared at the long climb ahead of them and let out a heavy breath. 

"Two days now," said a voice next to her.

She spun around to see Chen staring ahead as well.

"You ready?" he asked.

The girl watched the last sliver of sun disappear between two mountains.

"Do we have a choice?"

The next day was as difficult as the one before. The weeks of marching had seemed to merge and fade into one long journey. 

"If the war doesn't kill us, the weather will," a soldier grumbled as he brushed snow off his leathery skin.

Perhaps, he was right. Some days, Mulan felt ready to give up, to turn around, and to run away from the war. But it was her duty. A promise she had already made. So she ignored the man and quickened her pace. 

A chorus of yells signalled the end of the day, and the soldiers hurried to set up camp. The faster they worked, the sooner they would receive their rations.

She stumbled back as a soldier bumped into her and glared at his back, before dusting the snow off her armour. Despite the cold, she was sweating from the layers of clothing and armour she was wearing. 

Clutching onto her bowl, she headed off to a clearing in the forest, letting the heat of the bowl burn her calloused hands. She ate slowly, savouring the taste of food in , knowing that the next meal she would have would be at camp. A cold wind swept through the forest, the bare trees shrieking as they freezed from the cold. Their skeletons groaned as the snow settled on them and they cried out for the winter to be over. And it would be, soon. Mulan barely noticed the whistling of the wind as she lost h