Never Let Me Go.
Mulan once told Aurora that there were many battles she and Phillip had fought during their quest together, but not once did the warrior ever speak of the hardships they had to face, nor the love she secretly held for him deep in her heart.
The pair were running fast through the ruined remains of the Enchanted Forest, evading the group of ogres they had crossed paths with. Mulan’s eyes widened as the ground beneath her feet suddenly began to shake, the force of the ogres’ footsteps vibrating against the forest floor. Leaping over a fallen tree, the warrior spared for the chance to look over her shoulder, checking to make sure Phillip was right at her heels. It was a simple glance, barely taking a second of her time. But the seconds she had taken to meet his eyes were stretched too far.
"Mulan, look out!" Phillip shouted, his eyes filling with danger as Mulan whirled back around, just in time to see the ogre barrel through the trees in front of her; the trunk of the tall pine begin to snap and sway away from it’s roots. Mulan sucked in a sharp gasp, the tree leaning to fall in their direction as the ogre emerged onto the path, following the sound toward their direction.
Naturally reacting fast, Mulan spun around on her heel, barely catching the wild look in Phillip’s eyes before she shoved him hard the other way, the loud sound of the snapping tree almost masking her scream. “RUN!"
Long before he could protest, the tall tree accelerated toward the ground between them. Twisting herself around, Mulan leapt forward, barely escaping the danger of her first obstacle. The warrior leaned her head back as the ogre towered over her, a beastly growl spilling from the depths of its throat. Quickly drawing her sword, Mulan took no time to advance toward the beast, holding her sword tight while she charged through the space between it’s legs, slicing the blade against its massive ankles. The ogre snarled, lifting its large feet to turn itself around, sparing Mulan enough time to move away from it’s shadow, leading it towards the outskirts of the woods.
By the time she neared the ridge, the ogre was hot on her tail. Mulan sprinted forward, looking back to judge it’s next attack, giving herself time to sidestep its attempts of knocking her down. Bursting through the trees, Mulan pivoted a sharp right turn, her boots skidding on the rocks as she came to a stop. Moments later the ogre followed, coming out of the trees with evident anger. Fixating her bow, Mulan sprung forward into it’s path to face the beast head on. Drawing the bowstring back, Mulan aligned her arrow with the monster’s heart, it’s shadow shading over her.
But just before she fired, his voice rose above the rumbling horizon. “Mulan!"
Her head turned at the sound of his voice, relief washing over her as his approaching silhouette grew closer. But she wasn’t the only one who had heard his voice. The ogre lurched toward the sound, the impact of it’s feet shaking the ground as she soared backwards. Gritting her teeth, Mulan screamed for the ogre’s attention, leading it toward her before she released the string and fired, the beast screaming as the clouding pain lead it over the cliff. The ground crumbling beneath her feet, Mulan jumped forward with her arms outstretched, trying to catch the firm ledge before her fate would be met the same. He caught her first.
Her eyes were wide as Phillip’s hand enclosed around her wrist, holding her tight as she dangled beyond the overhang. Arms shaking with strain, she looked up at him, her words breathless.
"Don’t let go!"
"I won’t."
The pair were running fast through the ruined remains of the Enchanted Forest, evading the group of ogres they had crossed paths with. Mulan’s eyes widened as the ground beneath her feet suddenly began to shake, the force of the ogres’ footsteps vibrating against the forest floor. Leaping over a fallen tree, the warrior spared for the chance to look over her shoulder, checking to make sure Phillip was right at her heels. It was a simple glance, barely taking a second of her time. But the seconds she had taken to meet his eyes were stretched too far.
"Mulan, look out!" Phillip shouted, his eyes filling with danger as Mulan whirled back around, just in time to see the ogre barrel through the trees in front of her; the trunk of the tall pine begin to snap and sway away from it’s roots. Mulan sucked in a sharp gasp, the tree leaning to fall in their direction as the ogre emerged onto the path, following the sound toward their direction.
Naturally reacting fast, Mulan spun around on her heel, barely catching the wild look in Phillip’s eyes before she shoved him hard the other way, the loud sound of the snapping tree almost masking her scream. “RUN!"
Long before he could protest, the tall tree accelerated toward the ground between them. Twisting herself around, Mulan leapt forward, barely escaping the danger of her first obstacle. The warrior leaned her head back as the ogre towered over her, a beastly growl spilling from the depths of its throat. Quickly drawing her sword, Mulan took no time to advance toward the beast, holding her sword tight while she charged through the space between it’s legs, slicing the blade against its massive ankles. The ogre snarled, lifting its large feet to turn itself around, sparing Mulan enough time to move away from it’s shadow, leading it towards the outskirts of the woods.
By the time she neared the ridge, the ogre was hot on her tail. Mulan sprinted forward, looking back to judge it’s next attack, giving herself time to sidestep its attempts of knocking her down. Bursting through the trees, Mulan pivoted a sharp right turn, her boots skidding on the rocks as she came to a stop. Moments later the ogre followed, coming out of the trees with evident anger. Fixating her bow, Mulan sprung forward into it’s path to face the beast head on. Drawing the bowstring back, Mulan aligned her arrow with the monster’s heart, it’s shadow shading over her.
But just before she fired, his voice rose above the rumbling horizon. “Mulan!"
Her head turned at the sound of his voice, relief washing over her as his approaching silhouette grew closer. But she wasn’t the only one who had heard his voice. The ogre lurched toward the sound, the impact of it’s feet shaking the ground as she soared backwards. Gritting her teeth, Mulan screamed for the ogre’s attention, leading it toward her before she released the string and fired, the beast screaming as the clouding pain lead it over the cliff. The ground crumbling beneath her feet, Mulan jumped forward with her arms outstretched, trying to catch the firm ledge before her fate would be met the same. He caught her first.
Her eyes were wide as Phillip’s hand enclosed around her wrist, holding her tight as she dangled beyond the overhang. Arms shaking with strain, she looked up at him, her words breathless.
"Don’t let go!"
"I won’t."