It was a normal day at the Jade Palace. That included sparring, eating, sparring some more, training a bit, and a few dumpling challenges. The Five were practicing inside the Training Hall, while I was doing a bit of training on my own outside. Master Shifu was up in the meditation cave, meditating as always.
I began to practice a few fighting sequences from my own made-up style, Panda Style. I made it up by myself with a little bit of help from Shifu. The Five helped with cooperative sequences such as the 'Double-Duck-Strike'.
As I practiced, I began to realize that ever since we had defeated Lord Shen a few weeks ago, things had become quite quiet. There were less bandit raids and invasions, and very few threats were being made on China. It was strange, but I guess that's what happens when you defeat a major threat- all minorities go into hiding.
"Wyaaa!" I exclaimed, kicking the air.
"Ahem," someone behind me cleared their throat.
I turned around to see a small, snow leopard who was shorter than me and obviously a few years younger too. She had piercing blue eyes and spotted silver fur. She wore a deep lavender vest with loose black pants which looked a bit like a Jade Palace outfit, but that must have been just a coincidence. She was much too thin, and had hardly any muscles from what I could see. There was no way she had come from here at one point. But then again, if you looked at me you would think the same. "...yes?" I began after a moment's hesitation.
"I would like to speak to Master Shifu," she prompted simply,
"Why... why do you want to see him?" I asked, struggling to maintain the same authority that the Five did when handling this sort of situation.
"My reasons do not include you, therefore it is none of your business," the snow leopard snapped with a lash of her tail.
"Well then, I'll need a name," I said, trying to keep my cool.
"Names are unnecessary," she crossed her arms.
"Come on! I need to know that much so I can at least tell Master Shifu who is coming to see him!" I protested. "You have to tell me at least that."
"Don't. Push. Me," she growled, giving me a firm warning glare with flattened ears.
"Oh, I'm not pushing you. You are the one pushing me," I countered, hoping that made sense.
With a low growl of annoyance, the snow leopard leaped over my head and landed behind me- towards the staircase that lead up the the meditation cave. "Fine then. I will go to Shifu without any 'special permission'," she growled. With that, she darted away.
No, no, no! I just let a complete stranger in on Palace grounds! This isn't good! Not good at all!
"Uh... Po, who were you talking to?" Mantis asked me as he exited the Training Hall.
"Uh, well, you see... there was this snow leopard and..."
The rest of the Five gathered outside.
"She asked me to speak to Shifu so I asked her what her name was and all that... but she didn't answer. So I told her she couldn't go up until I at least knew her name but she just ignored me and went anyway," I explained quickly.
"And you just... let her pass?" Monkey asked, looking confused.
"Well uh... she kinda leaped over my head... she was really fast for being so small..."
"Maybe we should follow her to make sure she doesn't cause any trouble up there," Viper suggested, glancing up the staircase.
"I agree," Tigress said quietly.
With that, we began to climb up my old enemy: the staircase! {Except there weren't so many flights of stairs on this staircase.}
When we reached the top, we snuck around the bend and hid behind the rock wall which separated us from Shifu and the snow leopard's view.
Everything was very quiet at the moment.
"You remember me, I presume," the snow leopard began quietly.
Shifu said nothing for a moment. "I believe so, Tai Ling."
I exchanged glances with the Five.
"What brings you here?" Shifu asked coldly.
Tai Ling growled lightly. "I need help. No, allow me to change that: the town southwest of Gongmen City needs help. Ever since Shen died, the Wolf and Gorilla Gangs have been creating their own version of the cannons. They don't have strategy, but they were the ones building the weapons in the first place so they know exactly what to do."
"I'd expect you to try and handle things on your own like you normally do. Why did you come here?" Shifu pointed out before saying anything else.
"My motives are mine alone," Tai Ling answered warningly. There was a small hint of a threat in her voice.
"I understand. Will you accompany The Dragon Warrior and the Five to the village?" Shifu said simply.
I think we know how to find places on our own, Shifu...
Tai Ling didn't sound too thrilled about it, either. "Fine. But I'd advise you to tell them to come out of hiding from the wall over there, it's rude to eavesdrop."
How did she know? We were super quiet!
None of us made a move from behind the wall.
Tai Ling sighed as Shifu said nothing about us. "When will they be leaving for the village?"
"It's a bit late to start today, but I don't believe you'd mind waiting one more day?" Shifu suggested.
Tai Ling muttered something unintelligible. "I'd prefer not to, but if this is the case I will meet everyone down by the Thread at Hope tomorrow at dawn."
"No. You will stay here overnight."
No. No. No. No. No!
"Oh joy," Tai Ling muttered sarcastically. "Fine then."
"Train as well," Shifu added.
"I really don't think-" Tai Ling stuttered.
"Just do it!" Shifu snapped, getting impatient.
"This will be just great," Tai Ling sighed.
You're not the only one thinking that, I thought as I read my friends' faces. They didn't look thrilled at all to train with the sarcastic snow leopard. And truthfully, neither was I.
About an hour had past and Tai Ling had not spoken at all. I was relieved and I'm pretty sure that everyone else was too. The most that Tai Ling had done was training in the corner of the Training Hall on a few old dummies. There was something about the way she fought... it was familiar. For one, it was very advanced. And the way she stood in an attacking formation... it was just so familiar, yet vague. I pushed the thought away.
I practiced a few kicks, turns and punches before I realized that Tai Ling had been watching me the entire time.
"Your fighting style... is unique, to say the least," she commented quietly. "But I mean that in a good way."
I glanced at her, surprised. "Thanks... you fight like..."
Tai Ling flicked her ear and muttered something unhappily. She looked at me again. "Well then, as of tomorrow we will all be off towards Gongmen City."
"Yeah. It'll be great to do some defending again, its been really quiet around here lately," I agreed.
"Yes, it has been. But, it doesn't take long for things to start up again..." Tai Ling murmured then sprung away to train.
The journey towards Gongmen City was typical, heading alongside the Thread of Hope, then trekking through the snowy mountains.
So far we had reached the mountains, where it was snowing heavier than normal. As much as I wished we could just take a little break, no one stopped or slowed down. We just kept on hiking through the blizzard-like weather with the snow all the way up to our knees and our fur nearly frozen off.
Tai Ling seemed like the only one oblivious to the fact that it was so cold and that the snow was so deep. She just bounded along seeming as happier than ever.
It's 'cause she's a leopard... a SNOW leopard. Lucky her. I thought, freezing cold and ready to give up the hike.
"At this rate, it will take us an extra day to just get to Gongmen City," Mantis commented as we treaded along.
"Yeah," I agreed through chattering teeth. A sudden drop startled me as I plummeted a few feet into a snowdrift. "AH!" I yelled. "It's even colder down here!"
To my surprise, Tai Ling was the one who helped me out of the hole. "Test where you walk before you step," she advised quietly. "Especially around here."
"Okay..." I answered, confused by the fact she was being helpful.
"Do you travel through these mountains a lot, Tai Ling?" Viper asked.
"Quite often, yes," Tai Ling replied, glancing over her shoulder. "It can get annoying sometimes."
"Why do you travel through the mountains a lot?" Mantis asked.
"Uh... I'm just sent to do all the back and forth things."
"For who?" I wondered suddenly.
"My boss..." Tai Ling answered uncertainly before racing forward.
I exchanged confused glances with the Five before we headed onward in what seemed to be never ending snow.
* * *
After what seemed like forever, we took a break from the hike in a small cave in a mountainside that was sheltered from the storm. It was night already and normally by this time we would have reached the boat that would we would sail across the lake to Gongmen City.
I yawned. "Can we sleep for a bit?" I suggested.
Tai Ling stiffened but said nothing.
"We should get some rest," Tigress agreed. "It wouldn't be safe to travel through the mountains at this time anyway."
I sighed in relief and settled down in a comfortable spot. The Five did the same, but Tai Ling just stood by the entrance, leaning on a rock.
I looked at her questioningly.
"I... uh, I will keep watch, okay?" she stuttered before slipping out into the storm.
You can keep watch inside a cave, you know... I thought sarcastically. It's really cold outside...
"Why on earth would she keep watch in the cold?" Viper wondered aloud.
"I dunno. She is a snow leopard..." I pointed out.
"But in this weather, even she should be cold!" Viper exclaimed. "What do you think is up with her?"
I shrugged and yawned. "I dunno," I repeated, exhausted. I turned around and fell asleep before anymore conversation could arise.
I awoke to the sound of voices...and the smell of dumplings. Everyone was already awake but me, but I tried to ignore that.
The Five were eating warm dumplings, and I was about to ask how they got them warm when a sharp bark sounded from the entrance of the cave.
Tai Ling, who had been leaning on the same rock she had been on yesterday, flinched and darted outside at the sound of the bark.
The Five took no notice to this, and I rolled my eyes.
"Where'd you guys get the dumplin's?" I asked.
"Tai Ling brought them," Viper answered simply. "They are actually very tasty!"
I grabbed a dumpling from the stack of them in the middle of the cave. They were on top of a small blanket that served as a place mat. "But where did she get them...?" I muttered. I bit into one, surprised to find it steaming hot with beans inside. "Mmm..! Those are good!" I reached for five more, forgetting my suspicion.
"I wonder where Tai Ling keeps disappearing to?" Crane brought up after a moment.
"Wolves," Tigress answered.
"Huh?" I exclaimed with a few others.
"I followed her last night," Tigress explained, "She headed up to another cave a few miles away to meet with some wolves."
"What were they doing?" Mantis questioned with a flick of his antennae.
"Talking. I couldn't get close enough to hear what they said, though," Tigress stood up. "Let's find her and keep going."
"But... she's with wolves..." Crane pointed out. "We shouldn't trust her. What if there isn't even a problem in the village? What if this is a trap?"
"Then we will just be careful. Come on, let's go," Tigress answered firmly before heading out of the cave.
Monkey gave me a confused glance and I shrugged.
We followed Tigress out into the snow and began to head southwest in the direction of Gongmen City.
As we walked along the mountainside the heavy blizzard began to fade, and only a few snowflakes fell. "I'm glad the snow is finally lightening up," I commented, trying to get through the silence of the journey.
"Yeah, at least that's going well," Mantis muttered.
"What do you mean? I asked, treading over to him.
"Look," he pointed down the mountain.
I followed his gaze to see a huge camp swarming with wolves. And I mean a huge camp. "Oh great."
"There you guys are!" someone exclaimed.
We all turned to see Tai Ling racing up to us on all fours. "We have to cut across a different mountain 'cause of the-" she faltered as she saw the wolf camp. "Ugh!" she muttered, "I told him to set up camp outside the village!"
The Five and I stared at her in confusion.
Tai Ling's ears shot up. "Uh... well, you see..."
"Tai Ling, what are you talking about? And who is this 'him'? Your boss?" Viper asked the snow leopard.
Tai ling flicked her ear. "Yes and no. He is my friend and technically not my boss- though he likes the term," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, there's another heading through these mountains that will take us straight to-"
"So your boss... or friend, is a wolf?" I interrupted her.
Tai Ling folded her arms and ignored me. "The village. If we cut across here, well... you know, and-"
"So you work for the wolves?" Crane glared at Tai Ling.
"No. I do not 'work' for the wolves, I merely know them," Tai Ling lashed her tail. She had to look up at everyone except Viper, Mantis, and Monkey since she was so short.
"You aren't making any sense!" I exclaimed. "You call him your boss, then your friend, and then you just 'know' the wolves?!"
"All just said are true," Tai Ling said sarcastically. "But I don't like the wolves. Why else did I travel to the Jade Palace? To get a laugh?"
I studied her irritated face. Nope. Definitely not for a laugh. But for a trap...? Maybe so...
Tai Ling flicked her tail and gave me a 'really?' look as she noticed me looking at her uneasily. "Anyway, if you'd like you can all just journey on your own to the village, I don't care."
Nobody spoke, looking a bit unnerved.
Tai Ling smirked. "Good luck," she scoffed before darting down to the wolf camp. "Sharptooth!" she yelled into the camp before disappearing into a tent.
"That was weird..." I turned to the Five. "So... now what?"
"We stop these wolves from whatever they may be up to," Tigress decided. "Tai Ling wasn't leading us miles away from the Valley of Peace for nothing."