A New Son
Yuki launched herself at Shifu, ready to deliver a hard kick to the face. Shifu managed to dodge, but not before Yuki landed behind him and swipe at his legs. Shifu fell to his stomach and Yuki planted a foot on his back so he couldn't give up.
"Are you going to let me up now?" Shifu asked.
"Not until you promise not to throw paint at me." Yuki said. Her face was still pink from the paint.
"Fine." Shifu said. Yuki giggled and got off. Shifu smirked as he brushed himself off.
"You two getting along?" Oogway asked.
"She stared it." Shifu muttered. Yuki punched him in the arm. "Ow!"
"Shut up." Yuki said playfully. The two red pandas, accompanied by their tortoise master, went off to dinner. Afterwards, they went to bed.
"Goodnight." Yuki said, waving cutely to Shifu. The red panda smiled.
"G'night." He said. Yuki smiled warmly and walked into her room. Shifu chuckled and flopped down onto his bed, sighing. He and Yuki had been engaged just a week ago. In a few months, they'd be married. Shifu wished his mother could be here to see them. But at least she was watching in Heaven.
Then, Shifu's thoughts turned to cubs. He had realized after they were engaged that their marriage could lead to cubs one day. Shifu couldn't wait; he had been dreaming of having a son or daughter to call his own for a long time.
Shifu smiled and went to sleep.
That night, Shifu had a dream.
He was on the steps of the Jade Palace, looking out over the village. Suddenly, two snow leopards rushed past him. They were obviously a couple, one being a female and the other a male, the male grasping the female's hand. The female clutched a bundle of blankets in her free hand.
"Hurry up!" the male hissed. Shifu hurried after them, realizing that they were headed for the palace.
"Hush!" the female whispered. "The baby will wake up and then we'll all be in trouble!" Shifu followed them silently, but it seemed like they couldn't even hear him. The two snow leopards arrived at a door to the palace and stopped to catch their breath. The female held the bundle of purple blankets close to her.
"Are you sure about this?" the female asked.
"It's the only way he'll survive." The male said. "I'll distract Si Wang while you give the cub to Master Oogway." The female nodded sadly, and the male gave her a final kiss before running to face their pursuer, who Shifu noticed was a wolf running towards them. The snow leopard fought hard, but then the wolf called for backup, and a bunch of other wolves grabbed the snow leopard. Then, the first wolf, obviously Si Wang, went after the female snow leopard. The female met him halfway, tackling Si Wang. The wolf called for his comrades, who grabbed the female cat.
"Let's go." Si Wang said. The other wolves nodded and started to walk off, dragging the snow leopards with them. The female suddenly roared as loud as she could. Si Wang punched her hard, and she went silent. It was her roar that woke Shifu up, breathing hard. It was very late, and his fur was a bit damp with sweat. It was then that he realized something.
When the female snow leopard went to help her husband, she didn't have the bundle.
And if that dream was true, then the two parents must've wanted Oogway to keep something safe.
What else could've been in that blanket except……?
Shifu jumped out of bed. He grabbed a lantern and lit it quickly. If that kid was out there now, then he wouldn't survive the night. Shifu was glad he had slept in his robes and hurried down the hallway, careful not to disturb Yuki or Oogway. Shifu hurried outside and ran to the doors the snow leopards had to have been at. Shifu threw them open.
Not a single soul was in sight.
Shifu was confused, and then he realized that the wolves must've gotten the kid. Shifu sighed and went back to bed.
*****
Mew
Shifu opened one eye drowsily. He yawned and stretched, sitting upright and rubbing his eyes awake.
Mew
"What the…." Shifu muttered as he got out of bed. He lit a lantern and wearily walked down the hallway. After waking up from the nightmare he had two nights ago and going to find the cub, he was pretty tired. Shifu arrived at the front entrance to the palace and opened the doors. Nobody was around, and Shifu figured it was a bunch of kids playing games.
At this ungodly hour? He thought. He grumbled with impatience and closed the doors, yawning as he journeyed back to bed.
MEW
There it was again. That one sound that was going to drive Shifu crazy. Shifu sighed and walked to the entrance it seemed to be coming from. Shifu stood in front of the door, staring at it as though it was a bomb about to go off.
Mew
There it is. That little sound accompanied by a soft crying. Shifu set the lantern down and opened the doors. He didn't see anyone until he noticed a bundle of purple. Looking down, his eyes widened.
It was a cub. A teeny, tiny, baby snow leopard cub.
Shifu could only see the cub's face, seeing as the rest of the babe was wrapped in a purple blanket. Shifu walked up and picked the cub up, calming its cries. Shifu looked around for any sign of its parents, but the night was calm and silent except for the crickets. Shifu looked back down at the cub, who opened its eyes. The cub's irises were fiery and bright, like…….well, a fire. Yeah; the cub's eyes were simply fires with pupils and whites. The young cub giggled at the sight of the red panda, showing off its fangs. Shifu glanced around one last time before going into the palace, closing the doors and taking the cub with him. He held the baby in one arm and used his free hand to carry the lantern. He walked off towards his room when Yuki approached him, rubbing her tired eyes.
"Shifu?" she asked. "Why are you up?" Then, she noticed the cub in his arm, and her heart melted. "Aw, a cub. Where did you get him?"
"I found him outside." Shifu said.
"Well, let's take him to the kitchen." Yuki said. "I'll bet he's hungry."
"Wait, how do you know it's a he?" Shifu asked.
"Female instincts." Yuki said, walking off to the kitchen. Shifu followed, handing the lantern off to Yuki so he could hold the cub better. Now he could see that the cub did look boyish. In the kitchen, Yuki started heating up some milk while Shifu held the cub close. The snow leopard was batting his paws against Shifu's whiskers. Shifu couldn't stop staring at the cub with wonder.
Yuki gave Shifu a bottle of milk and the cub immediately reached for it. As Shifu fed the cub, Yuki propped her head on her elbows.
"I wonder if Oogway will let us keep him." Yuki said.
"Even if his first answer was no, you'd beg for us to let him stay." Shifu said. "You'd keep this kid even if he was a poisonous snake baby."
"Yep." Yuki said proudly. Shifu chuckled, and then he realized the cub was finished. He stared at the bottle, now completely empty, with amazement.
"The kid hasn't been eating much." Shifu said.
"What are you two doing?"
Yuki, Shifu, even the cub, turned and saw Master Oogway in the doorway. The old tortoise looked at each of his red panda students before his gaze fell upon the cub. Then he smiled.
"Who's our guest?" he asked. Shifu explained his dream and how he had found the cub. "Well, it's obvious this cub is in danger, and his parents trust us to take care of him."
"So he can stay?" Yuki asked. Oogway nodded and smiled broadly. Yuki cheered. Oogway chuckled.
"Now don't stay up too late." Oogway said. He walked off.
"Well, I guess you're a part of the family." Shifu told the cub. The snow leopard laughed.
"Shifu, what'll we call him?" Yuki asked.
"What do you mean?" Shifu asked.
"Well, he is kind of our son, is he not?" Yuki said. "We should be giving him a proper name."
"Well, what do you suggest?" Shifu asked.
"I like Chang." Yuki said. "But it's too common. We could call him Kai."
"Nah." Shifu said. "He needs a name fitting for……a warrior."
"The Dragon Warrior?" Yuki asked.
"Yeah." Shifu said. "The Great Dragon Warrior."
"Tai Lung." Yuki said. "Great Dragon."
"It's perfect." Shifu said.
"You think he'll be the Dragon Warrior?" Yuki asked.
"Absolutely." Shifu said.