The Last War

12. Silent Encounter

"Around the river bending, we can land," Xia said. "The village is not far away."
"And where is your hometown?" Po asked looking around.
The young peahen pointed more farther afield over the mountains. "A few high hills more away. But it has no sense to travel there. It's badly damaged and we aren't safe there. Spies of the Huns are around."
After a while, they stopped the ship. Xia jumped out first and waved her wing.
"Follow me!"
When nobody moved, she turned around. "What are you thinking about? Let's go!"
Po left the ship first, followed by the others. Just Shen came as the last one. Without the transportations, they had to go by feet. The group went after the peahen and walked between high hills. The snow wasn't very high, but the path was difficult to see.
After over one-half hour, they stopped.
"Footprints!" Po said and pointed in the deep snow. "Not very big, but not too small."
Xia came closer. "It must be from the mountain sheep who are living in the mountains in the little village."
"That's right."
Po winced and screamed with shock when he heard that little voice next to him which came like from nothing. A sheep with woods on his back eyed them.
"Welcome strangers," it greeted the group, ignoring the panda's scream. "We are glad about every visitor."
"We are looking for your village," Xia said.
The sheep raised its eyebrows. "Do we know each other? You look familiar to me."
"That's true," Xia agreed. "I had been in your village many days ago. But now I'm back."
The sheep rubbed its chin. "Indeed, I remember. You've gone long time ago. In this case, follow me. I know a cutoff."
With that the little group moved into gear through the hilly landscape. After a while, they met more and more sheep which transported woods on their backs. Finally, the way guided them up a hill where little houses appeared, inhabited with a lot of other sheep.
When the group passed the first houses, some sheep stopped and eyed the little group. It wasn't a secret for them that the peacock must be a lord who wore a magnificent expensive robe. Shen looked from one site to the other. It was a very little village, not very comfortable. Little wooden huts without much decoration.
His glance wandered ahead again. Xia heard for a special house, which lay on the top of the hill, in the middle of the village. A sheep saw her and walked into the house, but came back shortly after and another sheep followed.
Xia went faster. Before she reached them, she put together her wings, and they bowed at each other respectfully.
"Peace be with you," the older sheep said.
Xia nodded.
"How is he?" she asked. She was afraid to ask that question.
Po came close behind her and saw the sheep didn't look happy. With lowered face it answered: "All the time when you were gone, he didn't wake up. We managed to give him something to drink, but that's all. We don't know what we can do more for him. But he is still alive."
"Can I go to him?"
"You can," the sheep said and waved at the house door. But before Xia could enter, the sheep added: "But be warned, he shows no reaction."
Xia nodded sadly. Her eyes went to Po and Shen. Po looked at Shen, who didn't seem to know whether he should follow her into the house or not. Xia said nothing. She averted her glance and walked in the house.
Shen sighed, with a wave of anger, because the panda watched him pleadingly. And so, it came that the peacock entered a strange house, without knowing what he had to expect.
Po ranked his neck, but the inside of the house was in darkness. He looked around, then he walked on tiptoes slowly and carefully through the house door frame.
In the dim light, he saw how the two birds reached another part of the house which was separated by a curtain. Xia put it aside and they entered another little room. There stood a little table and a bed. The window had covered with a towel. Just a light of a lamp lighted the chamber. The girl went next to the bed where a young adult peacock lay inside. Shen didn't come closer and kept his distance. But he watched all. The young peacock's head was blue, maybe also some colors of green. The rest of his body seemed to be mixed green and blue. Slowly, the lord came a little closer. At the end of the peacock's neck, he could see some white silver, stains, but not so many and not so clear like on his mother.
Xia watched him. What was the lord thinking? But he said nothing. After a phase of silence, Xia bent down to her sleeping brother and touched his face gently.
"Sheng?" she whispered. "Your father is here."
A hissing let her wince.
Sheng meanwhile moved his beak lips a little, but he didn't wake up.
Shen came closer, but on his face was no motion. Finally, the warlord wrinkled his nose.
"He doesn't look similar to me."
"But...," Xia started, but she reined her anger. "He comes more to our grandparents. But there is something more..."
She walked more forward and put the blanket aside and showed a part of her brother's left underwing. She took a towel and rubbed about a body part near the wing. After a while, the body part became lighter until it was white. Now the lord was a little surprised. Xia put the towel away.
"Since his birth, some parts of his body are white. Mother was afraid it could give a hint that we, or more he, isn't Xiang's son, and since that, she colors his white feathers. Xiang should never know about that."
Shen winced, but became angry again after he saw Po's face through the curtains. The panda smiled shyly and disappeared immediately. Then Shen put his attention back to his "children".
Xia looked at him pleadingly like she wanted that he should accept the truth. But the lord was more than skeptically and let his eyes rest on the bird in the bed.
Was that individual really his son?
His eyes moved back to her. But then he turned around without a word.