The Five [COMPLETED]

Part Twenty

"Mira!" Kai called. "Are you in here?" 

A shrill, crabby voice came floating through the cave. "You young ones are so demanding! Always screeching at each other to 'Come here, right now'!" An elderly woman limped out from the middle tunnel. Her gray hair was matted and sprung in all directions. Scars marred her body; some large and bulgy, others thin and white. "You'd think something was terribly wrong, wouldn't you? But no, they only want to show you their amazing catch or a new move they mastered." She shook her head, tutting, and looked at Kai. Then her gaze turned to us, and her eyes widened. "Who are these people?" she demanded. 

"Relax, Mira," Kai told her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This is the Furious Five!"

"The what?" Mira said, peering at us. 

Kai sighed. "They're from the Jade Valley, and -"

"The Jade Valley?" Mira repeated. A scoff of laughter escaped her mouth. "Everyone knows that the Jade Valley is just some mystical made-up place where some Grand Master supposedly built a palace on top of a hill and practiced kung fu all the days of his life! How could you believe something like that, Kai? Have you forgotten what we taught you? Or have your new friends distorted your views?"

Kai lifted his head and closed his eyes. Another deep, long sigh filled the still, silent air. Then, Kai grabbed Mira by the shoulders and said tightly, "Mira. I am telling you the truth. If it makes you feel better, Scar knows that the Jade Valley is real."

"Yes, I heard," Mira replied tersely. "But that doesn't mean I have to believe it is." Roughly shoving Kai away from her, she snapped, "Get out of here, boy! I have patients to treat." Kai stumbled backwards, his eyebrows furrowed. Then his jaw clenched, and he snarled, "Whatever you wish, o great and mighty Healer." He turned and stalked out of the healer's cave. Mira sighed and turned to us. "Come here, all of you," she said. "I'll treat your injuries one at a time, and then you can rest in the patient's quarters until I deem that you are fit to leave."

So the process began. Mira worked surprisingly fast, making poultices and stitching wounds together. Her fingers were nimble and agile as she grabbed herb after herb; us eating some to help build our strength, and others on our wounds to help them heal. All the while, Violet was watching Mira with great interest, an impressed look in her eyes. "You know a lot," she commented.

Mira looked up from her work and studied Violet carefully. "I suppose," she replied. "I know how to heal more ailments than I can count - cuts, scrapes, bruises, bites. Just try me." Looking over at us, she pointed to the tunnel on the far right side of the cave. "The sleeping quarters are down there," she told us. "I will go get Scar soon so he can inspect you." We all slowly started shuffling across to the tunnel. Looking back, I noticed Violet had stepped forward towards Mira shyly. Her voice was quiet as she spoke.

Mira said something in reply; her voice sounded both hostile yet curious at the same time. The rest of their conversation was lost as I started descending through the tunnel. I was swallowed by darkness. Dust covered every inch of the tunnels' surface, filling my throat with each inhale I took. I coughed violently as we continued to descend. Eventually, we came to another cave with a sandy hollow like the one in the outer camp. A shaft in the tunnel allowed light and air to come in. Beds made out of clumps of moss and leaves were scattered across the ground.

"Well, I guess this is our home for the next few days," Lawrence said, going to the clump of bedding nearest to the entrance. 

The other boys quickly followed suit. I sighed as I came to the bedding in the very middle of the cave. "Do you think they might try and attack us in our sleep?" I wondered out loud. "After all, Scar didn't take particular liking to us staying in the healing quarters."