Tigress looked around warily. It was dark in the Jade Palace, and it was silent. Good, they are all asleep, Tigress thought. She sneaked through the palace, and suddenly heard heavy footsteps coming towards her. She quickly glanced around for a place to hide, but it was to late.
"Tigress?" came a familiar voice. Tigress turned and saw Po standing there holding a water glass. Tigress groaned silently. Now she would never get to sneak out.
"What are you doing? Can't you mind your own business?", Tigress growled angrily.
"Sorry. I was just going to get water." he replied innocently.
Tigress sighed. Maybe she had been too harsh, but she wasn't about to admit it. She was at a loss of what to say, so she just turned to head back to her room.
"Wait… what are you doing up?" Po asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Nothing. Just going for a walk." She replied simply. It was a lie. But she couldn't tell anyone where she was about to go. She had received a letter from her REAL father who was visiting China, and was staying in a hotel beyond the Valley of Peace! But why was she keeping that secret, you may ask? Because she didn't want to hurt Shifu's feelings. He was the one who had adopted her, and been like a father to her. But had he treated her like a daughter? NO! So, she was happy that she would soon meet her real father soon.
Po was heading back to his room with his glass of water and (don't tell anyone) a few cookies as well. But when he passed Tigress's room, he realized something. Tigress wasn't there! She could have been on her "walk", but something was suspicious. Something was wrong. Maybe I should tell the others, he thought.
Tigress's excitement added extra energy to her paws, making her run faster than ever before. She was sprinting through the valley, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, on her way to meet her father. The cold, winter air buffeted her fur, but she was way too excited to feel the cold. She couldn't wait!
The Furious five (actually four) and Shifu were listening to what Po had to say.
"Maybe she's just going for a walk." Monkey suggested.
"No." Po insisted, " She seemed suspicious".
"Maybe a midnight snack?" Viper asked.
Po snorted. "She barely eats!"
"Maybe she's going to meditate." Shifu said.
" She has no inner peace!" Po pointed out.
"Then what would she be doing?" Crane wondered.
"Something…secret." Po replied.
Po tossed and turned in his bed. Shifu had insisted that Tigress would never do something dangerous or secret without permission, and was probably out on a walk. But there had been something different about Tigress when he saw her. She had been kind of hasty and impatient. As if she were going somewhere. Secretly. Was she on a mission? Was she in danger? Or was Shifu right? Thoughts whirled in his head, giving him a headache. He couldn't sleep.
Tigress was staying at a hotel for the rest of the night. She had reached the end of the Valley of Peace, but wasn't at her father's hotel yet. It was beyond the valley. Her muscles ached badly, and she felt tired enough to sleep for days! But she couldn't. She had to keep going. This could be her only chance to meet her real father! She closed her eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.
"Tiiiiiigreeess." Came a ghostly voice. Tigress whirled around and saw Oogaway standing behind her.
"Oogaway?" Tigress said slowly, "Is that really you?"
"Yes." he replied, "I have come to warn you."
"Warn me? Of what?"
"Just be careful. Trust those you know you can trust." Oogaway said.
And with that, Oogaway faded away and Tigress woke up, realizing it was all a dream. The words 'Trust those you know you can trust' echoed in her ears. I wonder what he meant, Tigress thought. Well, it was just a dream. Maybe it was nothing to worry about.
As you have probably guessed already, yes, Po had gone looking for Tigress. It was 3:00 in the morning, and he hadn't had a wink of sleep all night. He was searching the valley, asking anyone who was awake. So far, no one had a clue where Tigress was. And there was no evidence that she was still at the Jade Palace.
Peng, Tai Lung's nephew, was staying at a hotel at the end of the Valley of Peace. Ever since he had quit Kung Fu, he had traveled through China trying to find a different job. He was a really light sleeper, so when he heard pawsteps quietly pass his door and go down the hall, he was waken. Who would be awake at this time of night?, He wondered. Curiosity overpowered his sleepiness, and he quietly got up and started following the pawsteps. Finally the pawsteps stopped and he heard a voice.
"Who's following me?"
Peng was shocked. He knew that voice. "Master Tigress?"
Tigress stepped out from the darkness. "Peng? What are you doing here?"
" What are you doing here?" Peng echoed.
Tigress whispered, "Are you good at keeping secrets?"
"Yes." Peng replied eagerly.
Tigress kneeled down to whisper into the young cub's ear, "I'm going to meet my father."
"Wow. You have a father? Lucky."
"I just found out. But don't tell anyone, Ok?" Tigress said.
"Why not?" Peng wondered.
Tigress paused. Then said, "Just don't." firmly.
"But won't the others be worried?" Peng asked.
Tigress sighed. " Maybe. But I wont be gone long."
With that, Tigress whirled around and headed back to her room without even saying bye.
It was now 5:00 in the morning. Still no sign of Tigress. Po was so tired, that he was hungry. He went to his dad's noodle shop and made himself some noodles. He had no idea where to look or what to do. Everything seemed hopeless. Come on, me. THINK., Po thought. And an idea popped into his head.
"Zeng, do you have any letters or notes sent by Tigress?" Po asked Zeng.
"No. But I have one from Peng that got here a few minuets ago" Zeng replied.
"Can I have that one?"
"Yes! Actually, it was sent for you!" Zeng replied, handing him a piece of paper. It read:
Dear Po,
I am staying at a hotel at the end of the Valley of Peace and happened to see Tigress there. She told me not to tell you guys where she was going or why, but I wanted to let you guys know that she is not in danger. She is going to go to a hotel called The Bamboo Inn and she is now at the hotel that I'm in. Do not let anyone go after her. I'm serious. She'll be back in a few days though, and tell everyone there is nothing to worry about.
Sincerely,
Peng
The Bamboo Inn, Po thought, I'm going there.
Tigress awoke and it was now 7:00.
"Oh, no! I slept in!"
She had wanted to get up early and leave to The Bamboo Inn as soon as possible. Oh well. At least her muscles weren't aching as much anymore. She left the hotel and started off. It was really cold and it was now snowing. As Tigress ran, she thought. She thought about her dream from last night, and wondered how worried everyone was about her missing. I hope they don't come looking for me, she thought, Then everything would be ruined!
Po was panting hard. He had finally arrived at a hotel to stop and rest at. He hadn't slept all night, and he was ready to take a nap! He went to the front desk of the hotel and asked,
"Are there any open rooms?"
"Yes. 1st floor, room 13."
Po was about to go and then stopped himself to ask, "Have there been any kung fu masters here recently. Like a tiger? Or even a snow leapord?"
"Yes, actually. There have been 3 kung fu masters here in the past day or two."
Po froze. 3 kung fu masters? One could be Tigress, one could be Peng, but who would be the third? " Um… what kind of animals were they?" Po asked curiously.
" A tiger, snow leopard, and some other animal. I don't know what he was but he was small, had big ears, and…"
"A red panda?!" Po interrupted.
"Yeah, that's it!"
Po was shocked. Shifu had been here! And he was the one who said not to go after Tigress! "Are any of them still here?" Po asked.
"Only the snow leopard and red panda. The tiger left ten minuets ago."
"Ok. Thanks." Po replied and quickly made his was through the hotel.