Gu Fei gently pried her mother's hand away and, pretending to draw a knife from the mule cart, walked over to Uncle Ma. Uncle Ma said quickly, "The seven of us will spread out, each taking a position. From the sounds just now, I'd guess there are five or six wolves. They've just about got us surrounded."
He raised his voice. "If anyone spots a wolf, don't panic. Wolves are afraid of fire, so they might not come all the way in."
"If a wolf does charge, a few of us here will take the lead. Don't move unless we move. If we do, the men from each family will assist from the sides. Grab whatever weapon you have and just swing at the wolf. But be careful not to hit anyone!"
'You couldn't expect these farmers to have much combat skill. It'd be good enough if they could just lend a hand without causing more trouble.'
"Furthermore, all you women, keep a close watch on your children. No noise, no screaming. We can't have the men getting distracted. Does everyone understand?"
