Ying didn't know what to say. He was beginning to feel dizzy again. He lifted his hand to take another bite out of his dinner bun when a small boy suddenly darted out of the alley's darkest corner. The child managed to grab Hok's and Ying's bags of coins before Ying even thought to act.
As the boy scurried away, Ying dove at him, catching the boy by one scrawny ankle. The boy squealed and squirmed as Ying clamped down hard with an eagle-claw grip, compressing skin, muscle, and tendon. The boy yelped, tears welling up in his dirty eyes. He dropped the bags of coins.
Hok stood. “Let him go, Ying.”
“I don't think so,” Ying replied. “Nobody takes what's mine. I'm going to teach him a lesson.”
“You've hurt him plenty,” Hok said. “He's just a little boy and he's probably starving to death. Look how skinny he is. Take the coins back and give him a bun.”
“No,” Ying said. “I'm not in the mood for charity. He took my coins with his right hand, so I am going to break that hand for him.” Ying reached out for the boy's tiny hand.
“I'm warning you, Ying. Don't harm him.”
Ying could see the seriousness in Hok's eyes. After seeing the damage she did back at the pet market, Ying wasn't sure he wanted to tangle with her tonight. He pulled his free hand away from the boy and slightly loosened his eagle-claw grip on the boy's ankle. The kid stopped crying, and Hok sat back down.
Hok sighed. “Please just let him go, Ying. I'm tired of arguing with you. He can even take my coins if he truly thinks he needs them more than I do.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Ying said. “You'd let him take your money?”
Hok nodded. “It looks like he's in a worse situation than you or me. I bet he has no family. No home. No food.” She looked at the boy. “Is that true?”
The boy nodded, sniffling.
“See,” Hok said.
“So what?” Ying replied. “I was an orphan, too.”
Hok gave him a disgusted look. “Give me a break, Ying. You always had food on your table, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back.”
Ying ground his teeth but said nothing.
Hok looked at the boy. “What is your name?”
“ShaoShu,” he replied.
“Little Mouse?” Hok asked.
The boy nodded.
Ying snorted. “It's fitting.”
Hok ignored his comment. “Did your parents give you that name?”
“I don't remember who gave me that name,” ShaoShu replied in a small voice. “That is the only thing anyone has ever called me. Well, that and some curse words.”
Ying smirked. “Imagine that.”
Hok glared at Ying. “Give him a break. I bet ShaoShu would feel terrible stealing from us if he knew our situation.”
“Don't be ridiculous,” Ying said. “He is a little thief. He doesn't care about you or me. He only cares about himself.”
“That's funny,” Hok said. “Sounds like somebody else I know.”
Ying hissed loudly and stood, releasing ShaoShu. “That's it,” Ying said. “I've had it. This conversation is over. I'm leaving.”
“Me too,” ShaoShu squeaked. He shoved a dinner bun in his mouth and scurried away.
Ying watched ShaoShu go and smiled. He pointed to the large bag jingling in ShaoShu's left hand.
“ShaoShu!” Hok called out. “My coin bag! Bring it back! Running off like this isn't the right thing to do! Not until we finish talking. Don't make me look like a fool!”
ShaoShu rounded a corner and was gone.
Ying snickered. “He certainly did make you look like a fool.”
Hok pointed toward Ying's feet. “Is that so? Then what did he make you out to be?”
Ying looked down and ground his teeth. ShaoShu had somehow managed to steal his coin bag, too.
“Why, that little—” Ying began to say.
“Get over it, Saulong,” Hok interrupted in an ag gres sive tone. “We still have your precious dragon bone.”
Ying froze and his eyes darkened. “What did you call me? Don't ever use that name again.”
“Why not?” Hok asked. “You've never been happy with the name Eagle. Vengeful Dragon suits you perfectly.”
“I'm warning you, Hok. You have no idea what it's like to have had your name changed.”
Hok surprised him with a shrill laugh. “You never cease to amaze me, Ying. What makes you think you are the only one with a different name?”
Ying didn't reply.
“That's right,” Hok said. “I had a different name, too. Except I also had to shave my head and dress like a boy every day for nine years. How many times did you have to put on a turban and dress like a girl to hide your true nature?”