The sun began to set as the golden rays of the sun waved one last good-bye to the Valley Of Peace. It was winter and as usual in the winter the sun set early as night broke out. The villagers shuffled their feet as the coldness cloaked them on their shoulders and hurried home for nice steaming hot soup and warm tea. Many villagers only liked the winter for the Winter Festival but other than that they scolded at it. Who would like the numbness of their fingers or the harsh cold winds? Well one animal stayed out in the cold and didn't mind the chill that was coming in. If you were to walk up the Jade Palace steps and go to the Peach Tree Of Heavenly Wisdom you will see a female tiger sitting under there in lotus position as she breathed in the sweet smells coming from the valley. Tigress sat there as she watch nightfall beginning to break out and watched as the lights of the homes in the Valley began to light up. It was close to the Winter Festival and you can practically feel the excitement in the air. Tigress laughed out loud as she remembered the last Winter Feast. Po, The Dragon Warrior, decided to be with his father than the greatest master's in all of China. But Tigress and the rest of the warriors, including Master Shifu decided to go with him and be part of his 'family'. Tigress only shook her head in amusement as she went back to look at the stars that finally showing themselves and the rising crescent moon. Tigress thought that the crescent moon look like one of Master Oogways smiles. She only made a sad smile appear on her face as she remembered a memory of her past.
Flashback: Tigress (10 years old, Winter's Festival.)
The young female cub stared from on top of the Jade Palace roof at the scenery below her. It was the Winter's Festival and the whole village was celebrating and enjoying their time to be together. Except for the young cub. She sigh as she remembered the conversation with Master Shifu earlier.
"Baba!" Tigress said as she rushed forward to Master Shifu with a gleeful expression. Master Shifu only gave her a stern look.
"It's Master Shifu, Tigress. Now what do you want?" He asked sternly as he continued to look at the scrolls in his hands.
"Forgive me Master Shifu, It's just that...the valley is having a festival and I was wondering if we can go?" Tigress said as she got up from her bow and looking at Master Shifu with a hopeful expression. Without even giving her a glance Master Shifu only shook his head.
"No, Tigress. You will need to stay here and practice your training. I have a feeling you were slacking off again." Tigress hopeful face dropped heavily at that.
"But Master Shifu! I have been practicing hard all this week and I also did better at the adversary than last week! And also I was hoping for you and me to watch the fireworks together." At that a slight pained expression crossed Master Shifu's face for a second before he scowled.
"No, Tigress! You will go eat lunch and train until it is nighttime. Now go and no more arguments!" Master Shifu said as he began to walk away.
"But ba- I mean Master Shifu I-" She began to say but she was cut off again.
"No more arguments now GO!" He pointed as he walked away.
"Yes Master Shifu." Mumbled Tigress as she stared at the floor but she was pretty sure that he didn't hear her. Suddenly she felt a warm hand lay on her shoulders. She turn around and bowed at Master Oogway.
"No need for that young one." Master Oogway said as Tigress quickly stood up as she refused to look up. Master Ooogway seeing that only chuckled.
"Don't fret young one, Shifu always gets grumpy around the holiday's." Oogway said as he tried to help the young cub.
"Why doesn't Master Shifu let me do anything with him other than training. Even when were training he's always disappointed in me." Tigress spoke as she still refuse to look up. Master Oogway only looked down at the sad cub.
"Shifu has dealt with problems in his past that makes him think that showing emotions is a way of showing weakness and he refuses to think any other way." Master Oogway said.
"I just wanted to look at the Winter Festival." Tigress said as she choked back a sob. Master Oogway sensed that she was still distressed so he only leaned in towards her.
"Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hand." Was all that Oogway had to say as he straighten back up and walked away. Tigress only stared at his retreating figure and shook her head.
"I hate it when he uses riddles with me." Tigress said as she went the kitchen to eat.
After she ate she went to the Training Hall and practiced. She wanted to show Shifu that she will continue on to try to make him proud. But it seems that the more she tried the more Shifu seem less proud off her. As he finally said training was over, Tigress was exhausted and she was sweating out of every pore in her body and she struggled to stay up.
"How did I *wheeze* do Master *wheeze* Shifu?" Tigress wheezed out as Master Shifu stared at her.
"You did O.K but you need to improve on your flexibility and also your final turn was sloppy and you nearly fell so you have to work on that too." Master Shifu said as he paid more attention to the scrolls in his hands than to the exhausted Tigress. Tigress felt as though her heart was crushed, she worked the hardest she ever has this whole week and that was all he have to say?
"Go to bed already Tigress you will need to wake up early for early morning running." Shifu said as he turned and walked away. Tigress bowed to him and mumbled 'Yes Master Shifu'. But Tigress did the exact opposite. Instead she went to the top of the roof and watched the festive light's from the village below. She breathed in the smells of the food and watched as a few paper lanterns were brought to the sky. Oh how much Tigress wanted to go to the festival with Shifu and him finally being proud of her, but she knew it was only a dream. She sigh as she jumped off the roof and walked back to her empty room. After she fell asleep she was awaken by Master Oogway.
"Master Oogway?" Tigress mumbled half-asleep as Oogway placed a finger at his mouth and motioned her to be silent. He grabbed her blanket and wrapped it around the half-asleep tiger. he grabbed her hand and led her outside. Tigress rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn as she realized where they were headed. Master Oogway finally stopped at The Peach Tree Of Heavenly Wisdom.
"Come Tigress look." Oogway motion as he pointed to the valley. Tigress had to say it was pretty amazing. The lights glowed brightly as a nice aura came from the valley and one can't help but noticed the night sky. It was filled by billions of bright and shining stars and the crescent moon. Tigress smiled happily as she stared at the fireworks that the villagers began to ignite.
"Tigress, did you know that our village is alive?" Master Oogway said.
"Huh?" Tigress said.
"It's alive with people but the land is also alive. Do you want to feel the earth's heartbeat?" Master Oogway said. Tigress smirked and shook her head in amusement, she will always think that this turtle will always be nuts, but she went ahead and nodded her head. Oogway smiled as he laid down on the ground on his belly, he patted the ground in front of him and motion Tigress to do the same. Tigress rolled her eyes but obliged and laid down belly to the ground and her arms and legs spread. Tigress looked at Master Ooogway's smiling face that was a foot away from hers.
"When do I feel the earth's heartbeat?" Tigress asked.
"Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hands." Oogway said as Tigress rolled her eyes. At first nothing happened but then suddenly, Tigress felt it. At first it was a gentle thump against the floor but it gradually grew 'till both Tigress and Oogway were smiling. They look at each other without saying a word, not wanting to break the rhythmic beat of the earth's heart.
End of Flashback.
Tigress snapped out her thoughts as she felt a warm blanket being wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up to see Po's smiling face.
"Hey Tigress." He said as he sat down next to her.
"Hey Po." Tigress said as she tighten her grip on the blanket around her.
"What brings you out here at night in the cold without any warm clothes?" Po said as he gestured to Tigress outfit which was only her black pants and her red short sleeved vest.
"Nothing I just thought I should enjoy this moment. What brings you out here?" Tigress said. Po shrugged his shoulders.
"What? Can't I go outside and bring a blanket to one of my freezing friends that seemed to be begging to have frostbite?" Po said as Tigress smiled a bit.
"Thanks any way for the blanket, aren't you gonna get cold from this weather." Tigress said as she pointed a accusing finger at Po.
"Hey I'm covered. Most of my fat keeps me warm." Po said as he poked his belly in which it began to move so he needed to place his hands on top of it so it can stop moving, in which Tigress suppressed a smile.
"Well I'm glad that your here, I have someone to enjoy this view with me." Tigress said as she gestured to the valley and the night sky.
"Woah, that is way too awesome." Po said as he finally took notice at his surroundings.
"Yeah I use to remember when Master Oogway used to take me up here and watch the fireworks go off in the valley during the Winter Festival." Tigress said as she refused to show a sad smile to the panda. "What did you and your dad used to do during the Winter Festival?" Tigress suddenly asked to Po.
"Well me and my dad just stayed at the noodle shop and serve dinner to families that can't have their own winter dinner. And after all the families go home me and dad stayed up to see the fireworks and have rice cakes." Po said as he smiled at the memories of him and his father at the shop when he was younger. But he quickly got embarrassed as his stomach growled at the memory of his father's rice cakes in which Tigress smirked.
"Give me a break his rice cakes were awesome!" Po said as Tigress chuckled.
"So what did you and Master Shifu do during the Winter Festival?" Po ask to Tigress after a few moments. Tigress drew in a sharp breath as she look at the village. Po waited a few moments before he said:
"Sorry to private?" Tigress shook her head.
"No it's just that... well you know that Master Shifu never showed me any love or anything and well... every year during the Winter Festival master Shifu grew more distant towards me. He got stricter and talk to me less." Tigress said as she and Po got a bit uncomfortable.
"Umm... sorry I ask." Po finally as the silence increased.
"No no. It's nothing I actually had fun one time with Master Oogway." Tigress said as she informed Po of her memory about when she was 10 with Master Oogway. When she was telling Po her story all she thought was 'Wow I'm actually telling somebody about my childhood.' You see Master Tigress was never comfortable with telling anybody about her past and the time she told Po about the ironwood trees she felt different than usual. She was ever so glad to tell him her adventures as a child and he just sat there and took in all her memories. I guess this is why Po was Tigress best friend.
"That was sweet of Master Oogway to do." Po said as Tigress finally finished her story.
"Yeah, he continued to do that every year until I was 12. At that year I was finally focusing on my training." Tigress said. After that Po and Tigress quieted down and just watched the village. Thoughts were racing through Tigress head. She has never told anybody her memory's from her childhood but here she was, she just told Po one her precious memories. A thought occurred to her.
"Hey Po?" Tigress said. Po tore his eyes off of the scene and looked at Tigress.
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to feel the earth's heartbeat?" Tigress said. Po looked surprise but quickly nodded. So Tigress laid down on the floor and patted the ground in front of her, she motion Po to do the same. Po laid down and was just a few feet from Tigress face. Both warriors stared at each other with their arms and legs spread.
"So... when do I feel the heartbeat?" Po said after a while. Tigress looked at him and smiled.
"Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hand." Tigress said as Po quieted down. Both warriors laid there, waiting for the heartbeat. Suddenly, both of them felt a gentle thumping. It started gentle at first but gradually grew until both warriors were smiling against at each other. Tigress closed her eyes and felt the beating sensation of her heart and the earth's heart come together in sync, and she knew also that Po's heart was in the same sync sensation as Tigress and the earth. After a while both warriors rolled onto their backs so they can still feel the earth's heartbeat but they can still gaze at the night sky. Suddenly Tigress hand found Po's hand and she held his hand. Tigress glanced towards Po who was looking at her, and they both smiled as both tighten their grip with each other and continued to gaze at the sky. They laid there for a while still holding hands and gazing at the sky, in sync with each other and the earth's heartbeat.
Author's note: Hey kung fu panda freaks! Just kidding! First I have to say that I think I'm forever doomed to write only oneshots...Oh well! I like it!=D. I Wrote this story in the middle of the night so I sacrificed my sleep to write this, and I was intending it to be fluffy and that it can either be romance or friendship. I also wanted to say that the 'wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hand' and the earth's heartbeat idea came from the story "Esperanza rising". I also wanted to say again that since my sister is leaving for college soon that I wont be able to be in Fanfiction for a while because she will be taking the computer with her, so updating my stories will have to wait 'till I get a computer! D'= sorry! Please read and review!
May all of you Fanfic freaks enjoy your lives! =D.