The Other Side

Settled deep in the lush,  green forest of Furgreen were two forest clans who were enemies. Both clans were situated far from each other and they had guards at a border which forbid any of them from passing into the other's territory. Their hatred stemmed from an old war held between their ancestors.   Lord Cheng, head of both tribes wanted Wolf peak tribe to unite and merge fully with his tribe but chief Hua wanted his tribe to be independent and not under Lord Cheng's control. Hence, a terrible war broke out, causing hundreds of men from Lord Cheng and Chief Hua to suffer heavy casualties. After a decade of fighting, both leaders decided to sign a truce and made sure that no one crossed the border, Helm, an area in the forest where the bitter war broke out. Many years later.......... Tian Yun Cheng, a great grandson of Lord Cheng and also the chief of Elm tribe had a beautiful daughter named Shan shan. She had big, black eyes and long, dark brown hair which fell over her shoulders in mass of curls. She was skilled in archery just as she was in using a rapier. A birthday gift from her mother before she passed away due to certain health conditions. Ever since then, Shan Shan treasured the rapier more then ever and she brought it everywhere along with her. Sometimes when she was feeling sad or lonely, she would talk to the rapier and made-believe it was her mother, the one person she could talk with and pour out her problems to. Shan shan had two brothers. One was two years older than her and another who was three years younger than her. Being the only girl in the family meant she was not like other girls. She wasn't into bracelets and stuffs like that but she loved playing swordfighting and archery with her brothers. She also loved hunting and sometimes would even venture with her brothers deep into the southern part of the forest, the one place her father forbid her from. There was a time where her father caught them trying to go deep into the southern forest. "Did i ask your brothers to follow you here?" Tian Yun Cheng questioned. " No." Shan shan answered timidly. "Shan shan, how many times have I told you not to go there?" Tian Yun Cheng was controlling his anger but the naive girl couldn't understand why. "Why won't you let us? I've been everywhere except for the southern forests." "Shan shan, as my only daughter, i trust in you not to do foolish things like this. Of all the things you can do, why must you come to this f*******n place?" "Because I want to know what's on the other side." She said insistingly. "Then you will still go even if i try to stop you?" "Yes," her voice was firm. A slap landed on Shan shan's left cheek. Everyone was stunned. Tian Yun Cheng had never hit his daughter before. Shan shan just stood there looking dumbfounded with a hand on her red, swollen cheek as tears began to well up in her eyes. Tian Yun Cheng was also surprised by his actions and suddenly felt guilty. Before he could say anything, Shan shan quickly mounted her horse and rode away. Her two brothers said nothing but followed her back. That incident didn't discouraged her instead it made her bolder and more curious than ever.