Hey guys, sorry I'm taking so long. I'm deciding to post this One-Shot from a part of the story that wont make it in. Enjoy!
Kung Fu Panda: The Rogue Lord One-Shot
Exaggerated Reports
It had been a cold but good day of looting and killing from a small band of wolf bandits, they had decided to go to a nearby Tavern to celebrate completely unaware that a pair of bloody-amber eyes were watching their every move.
As soon as the wolves had entered the Tavern the animal leapt from his perch he landed in front of the tavern door, his hood had fell revealing the face of a tiger. His face formed a feral snarl, as he breathed out his breath showing in the mountains cold air he pulled his hood up over his head, as he made his way inside.
Once inside the tavern was scarce of any other patrons, save for the snow leopardess who was tending to the wolves sitting in the corner; though apprehensively. He made his way over and he sat on the stool as the snow leopardess made her way behind the counter.
"What can I get you?" She asked, as he kept his head to the counter.
"Water." He said, as she turned her back to him a few seconds later she turned back and placed a cup of water in front of him.
"Anything else?" The snow leopardess asked, as he shook his head. He sat back, slowly drinking his water listening to the wolves conversation.
"Thank god that Lord Fang was killed in Gongmen, now I can finally loot a place without him telling me to or not." One wolf said, as the others nodded in agreement as the tiger took another sip of his water.
"Yeah, what were we thinking; he promised us money and power, but it only seemed like he had all the power. The only reason we were afraid was because he had that stupid sword." A second wolf said.
"Yeah, and now that he's gone we can do what we want, and no one can catch us!" A third wolf exclaimed happily, as they cheered the tiger took a second sip of water.
"Good thing we got the report from our Captain here, as our Commander took the rest of the army and hid like a coward." A fourth wolf said, as the tiger finished the last of his water before he set the cup down.
"Do not believe everything you read." The tiger said, as the wolves and snow leopardess looked at him.
"Yeah, and what do you know? You looking to fight?" The first wolf said, as the tiger chuckled.
"Please, I don't need to lower myself to fighting traitors; especially ones as stupid as you six." The tiger said, as the wolves snarled at him.
"What do you know about us?" A second wolf said, as the tiger stood up from his stool as he faced the wolves his head down.
"Maybe this will remind you." The tiger said, as he reached to the hilt of the sword on his back, as he drew the blade revealing a pale green glow the wolves flinched back in fear.
"I-I-Is that…" One wolf tailed off, as the tiger chuckled before he turned his head up towards them.
"Remember me?" The tiger asked sarcastically, as he saw the wolves and the snow leopardess' faces paled.
"L-L-Lord Fang your alive?" One wolf stuttered, as Lord Fang smirked at them.
"Surprised?" Lord Fang said, as he spun his sword twice in his hand before he stopped in a stance, sword poised to strike as the wolves hesitantly raised their swords Lord Fang smiled.
"Enthusiastic, are we? Good." He said, as one of the wolves tried to strike first with a downward slash, Lord Fang blocked as he used his claws in a mock swipe, as the wolf jumped back Lord Fang stood back up.
"Nice reflexes, too bad they won't save you!" Lord Fang said, and before the wolf could react Lord Fang charged forward and slashed the wolves throat. He fell to his knees in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding, as his soul flowed into the Hun Shou, as Lord Fang simply returned to his stance.
"Next?" He asked calmly; he expected one of the wolves to jump at the bait, and one did.
The second wolf leapt into the air he slashed down as Lord dang simply stepped to the side, as he quickly spun and slashed the wolfs calf as a result the wolf crashed into a table, as a third wolf charged forward and swung.
Lord fang ducked under his strike and smashed the hilt of his sword into the wolfs jaw, as he stumbled back Lord Fang quickly spun and struck, by the time the wolf opened his eyes the blade had slid across his eyes blinding him. Lord Fang followed it up by slashing his claws across the wolfs chest as he quickly spun and buried his sword in the wolfs gut, as the wolfs blood poured out.
Lord Fang pulled his sword out as he heard the slightly slow footsteps behind him, he dodged to the left as the wolf whose calf he slashed ran by. Lord Fang buried his sword in his back, as both the wolf souls flowed into the Hun Shou as he shook the blood off.
The fourth wolf in his height of fear foolishly ran towards Lord Fang, as he swung his sword Lord Fang quickly blocked his sword, grabbed his neck and snapped it like a piece of bamboo before tossing the dead wolf to the side, as he faced the wolf captain and the remaining soldier.
"He's messing with us, he could have killed us all quickly." The captain said, as Lord Fang smirked at him.
"What gave you that idea captain? The fact I killed your four friends quickly." Lord Fang said, as the last soldier ran forward and slashed down, as Lord Fang dodged to the right he quickly pinned the wolfs sword to the ground, as he punched the wolf in the jaw before he quickly flipped the wolf over on his back before breaking his arm, then slashing his throat before he turned to the Captain.
"And then there was one." Lord Fang said, as he re-sheathed his sword with a maniac smile on his face, he intended to use his fists as he walked closer he saw the Captain was shaking when Lord Fang was close enough the Captain tried to punch him.
Lord Sang simply batted his punch to the side grabbing his wrist in the process, as he deflected the wolfs other punches before he squeezed and twisted the Captain's wrist at an angle, Lord Fang clamped his hand around the wolfs throat as he lifted him into the air, the wolfs feet no longer touching the ground.
"Still believe I'm dead?" Lord Fang said, as the Captain grabbed his forearm as he attempted to free himself.
"I just told them what the report said, it said you were dead." The captain choked out, as Lord Fang pulled him to eye level.
"The reports of my death were greatly exaggerated." Lord Fang said before he snapped the Captains neck with a satisfying crunch, before he threw the dead wolf against the wall. He turned to face the snow leopardess as he saw her cowering behind the counter, he walked over to the counter he cleared his throat as the snow leopardess let out a small scream as she looked at him.
He pulled something out of his robes and placed it on the counter, as the snow leopardess slowly stood up she saw it was several coins, as she looked from the coins to Lord Fang she saw a smile on his face.
"for the damages." Lord Fang said, as he realized at some point his hood fell, he grabbed it and pulled it up again before he turned to the snow leopardess; he placed his finger over his lips telling her to stay quiet after he finished he gave her a smirk before he left the Tavern back out into the snow.
The snow leopardess spent the next several hours cleaning; though, she didn't move the bodies she heard her door open, she turned her head to the door half expecting more bandits but who she saw caught her by surprise, it was the Dragon Warrior, the Five, and a Tigress.
"Po relax were halfway to the Valley we'll stop here for the night to wait out the storm." Tigress said, as Po nodded at her decision, as they entered Viper had wrapped herself around Bao Jin's waist for warmth when they walked into the Tavern Viper uncurled from Bao Jin.
"Good, I'm looking forward to…" Po trialed off when he saw the others stop, he turned his head and saw the damage and the dead wolves.
"What happened here?" Viper asked, as Bao walked towards one of the bodies. She knelt to examine it, she saw the wide slash marks and the way their bodies were drained of their souls, she had come to one conclusion as she turned her head towards her friends.
"Guys, I have an idea of what happened here. I need you to check those bodies and tell me what you see." Bao instructed, as they each went to a body.
"I found slash marks and a stab through the back; most likely from a sword." Tigress said, as Bao received similar responses from the others about slashes and stabs.
"This one had his neck snapped; whoever did this was very strong." Monkey said, as Mantis jumped over to the wolf slumped against the wall.
"This one had his neck snapped as well, then he was thrown against the wall." Mantis said, as Bao nodded before she stood up.
"Okay, do you recognize anything about these wolves?" Bao asked, as the Five and Po looked at the wolves.
"They look like they were from Lord Fang's army." Po said, as Bao gave him a smile.
"Good, that's because they are or were after we killed Lord Fang at Gongmen, but what's striking me is how four of the six wolves look like they had their souls drained from their bodies." Bao said.
"Bao, you're not suggesting that Lord Fang survived, are you?" Tigress asked, as Bao gave her an unsure look.
"I'm not sure, but we only know one sword that could do this, and we never recovered it from Gongmen, nor did we find Lord Fangs' body." Bao said, as she gestured to the wolves before she turned her head to the snow leopardess.
"Excuse me, can you tell me what happened here?" Bao asked, as the snow leopardess looked at her in fear.
"It's alright we won't hurt you." Bao comforted, as the snow leopardess relaxed slightly.
"He looked like you." She said in a small voice, as Bao looked taken aback.
"Me?" She asked, as the snow leopardess nodded.
"Except he was older, a male, he had bloody-amber eyes and a sadistic smile when he killed those wolves." The snow leopardess described, as Bao turned to her friends.
"That only confirms my suspicions; the slashes from a sword, the crushed necks, some of the wolves looking like their souls were taken from their bodies, the description from the snow leopardess… Lord Fang is alive." Bao said, as the others gasped or had wide eyes.
"But, why did he kill his own soldiers?" Po asked, as Bao looked at one of the wolves.
"One thing comes to mind; he hates traitors." Bao said.
"How do you know they're traitors?" Viper asked.
"Because these were the bandits we were chasing." Bao said.