The Last Hope

34. Attack of the Ninjas

Hello, before I start the new chapter, I would like to add a few lines in advance, because now a new year came and everyone had looked back at the last year. For all those who have been waiting so patiently for a new chapter, I would like to formally apologize, as the upload unfortunately didn't go as planned. All in all, the last year had been a stupid year from an organizational point of view. Just the fact that my computer had to break down of all things was annoying. In addition, there were health problems and a project for a publishing company, which took up a total of 50 percent of my free time. Had nothing of the sort come up, I would have finished this fanfic story in August, but now it has unexpectedly and unintentionally gone beyond the year, for which I feel very sorry. :-( Added to this was the criticism from others (about the writing project), so that I was actually planning to stop writing completely.

In summary, I can't look back on a good year because I couldn't even keep my own appointments because something had to come up all the time. While I'm not expecting a miracle in the new year, I'm still hoping to get the uploading going a little faster. I hope the long waiting times didn't annoy you, but unfortunately, as I said, everything turned out differently.

I still hope for a good start into the new year! Have a good reading time.

Xiang and Shenmi didn't know how long they sat together. Eventually, Xiang broke away from her and wiped his tear-stained face. Shenmi inclined her head sympathetically when she saw his wet shirt, too. But her own had also gotten some of her tears. She rummaged in her shirt and pulled out two handkerchiefs. One of them, she held out to Xiang. Xiang only saw it out of the corner of his eye. Only after a moment's hesitation, he reached for it without looking at her. He hesitated before blowing his nose. Shenmi considerately turned her back on him and also sniffled in her handkerchief.
After their nasal passages were free again, neither of them spoke a word at first. They just sat there and said nothing. Until Shenmi made up her mind to move her beak.
"Xiang?"
"Hm?" The blue peacock's eyes wandered in her direction. "May I call you uncle now, or shouldn't I?"
For a moment, Xiang's face turned dead serious, which made Shenmi a little scared again. But then he lifted the corners of his beak very slightly and stretched out his wing towards her. First, Shenmi ducked her head a bit. She jumped slightly when he gently stroked her forehead.
"As long as nobody's around," Xiang muttered to himself. Then he pulled his wing away from her again and stared into space. "If anyone else wants to be there."
Shenmi looked at him sadly. "But we're all here for you. And Liu, too."
Xiang avoided her gaze. "I don't think so. I never yelled at her that loud yesterday."
"But you still like her, don't you?"
Xiang said nothing.
After what felt like long stretched seconds, Shenmi took a deep breath. "Nanny once told me that it's never too late for anything, as long as you apologize sincerely."
Xiang was silent again.
Shenmi took a step towards him. "Liu might even need you. Your baby was almost killed by the ninjas."
Xiang jerked his head up. "What are you talking about?"
"There were these black ninjas. They almost dropped your baby. Xia caught it. Now they have taken Dao away. Maybe they'll turn him into a zombie again. They're up to the palace. Papa went there, too. Along with my older brother. Po and the other warriors went with him."
Xiang looked at her dumbfounded, which unsettled Shenmi again. Was that too much information after such a low phase?
At first, Xiang was unable to say a word, then he finally slowly moved his beak lips. "T-tell me slowly what happened."
Shenmi tried to report everything that happened in as much detail as possible.
After she finished, Xiang was silent again, albeit this time with a stunned expression on his face, as if he was struggling to sort his thoughts.
Finally, he leaned his wing against the wall and heaved himself up.
Shenmi backed away. "What will you do next?"
But instead of answering this question, Xiang just gave her a neutral look. "Do me a favor and get my cane." 'Cane' sounded better to him than 'crutch', but he hoped he didn't have to explain to the girl, his half-niece, what he meant and that she didn't ask more questions.
"I'll get to you." Shenmi immediately rushed up the stairs. Xiang looked after her thoughtfully.
Did she really have something from him?