I am back. Not much more to say, really.

MufasaToSoar out.

Entry #549

It has been two years since I have last written here. I know that the last entry should've been the last, but I needed to write something for now.

Since that time, I have learnt alongside my sister, Tigress, in the Tiger style of kung fu. While she once doubted her ability to teach me one time, I only gave her support along with her then-boyfriend, Po. And while I am far below from being a master, I am far above from a novice with the help of herself and Master Shifu.

Since then, Po and Tigress have married and are currently expecting a child. When the news came, the two were the happiest out of everyone. And that's saying something, as all were the happiest they could be then.

Right now, though, I cannot get a feeling off my mind. Like something is going to happen. Something bad. And that is the reason why I had to write now, to voice my thoughts because this feeling has reached a point where it cannot be ignored.

Tiger closed his journal and placed it underneath the cot he was sitting against. He wasn't feeling the best he could be. It was true that he felt something bad was going to happen.

But he couldn't think by just sitting around. He got his loose woollen shirt on and left his room. Since it was the middle of the night, the rest were sleeping. He walked through the barracks, being as quiet as possible. It was so quiet, he could hear the snores.

He made it out of the barracks and sat down in the peaceful garden just outside the training area. He looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, emitting the second lowest amount of moonlight possible.

His ear picked up a sound. It was tiny, but it was heard. The lightest of footsteps was coming towards him. He just pretended to stay ignorant of the fact and continued to stare at the moon.

The footsteps came close. Tiger decided to take this small opportunity. He quickly rolled forwards, spun and leapt forwards on all fours. He kicked forwards, hitting a robed figure in the left shoulder. While the figure recuperated from the attack, Tiger leapt away and stared them down.

Whoever this person is, they sure do know how to use strange weapons. A shield was on their right hand, the very rim gleaming in the moonlight. And the robe and hood didn't do much to give any details away, either. But he wasn't stupid as to who this mystery person is.

It was the legendary assassin of traitors and generals. It was Steelmoon.

He growled, trying to scare Steelmoon. But he knew it wouldn't work too much. It was said that Steelmoon faced over one thousand troops once to kill a target and wasn't deterred. What was it going to take?

Tiger charged, sending a rapid punch to the face, or where he hoped the face was. Steelmoon just stood there, the shield by his side. When the punch came, Steelmoon leant slightly to Tiger's left and sliced towards him with the shield. The rim was sent across the shirt and skin, but both were cut. Tiger shuffled back, grunting in pain and clutching the cut. Blood seeped out of the wound and stained the shirt he wore red.

He looked up at Steelmoon, growling at him more voraciously and having a predatory look in his eyes. He lunged, sending a intermediate amount of punches and kicks, most of which were dodged. Those that did hit, however, were glancing blows and barely affected the assassin. When Steelmoon struck forth with twirling cuts and spinning slashes of the shield rim, Tiger weaved this way through the gaps and struck with whatever he could.

This trading of blows brought Tiger against the wall of the courtyard. Steelmoon went to punch him, the sharp rim now coated in a thin layer of Tiger's blood. Tiger closed one hand around Steelmoon's wrist, the other on the centre of the shield. Both wrestled in that position, trying to gain the upper.

Tiger heard a click, but it was too late. As soon as he heard it, a sharp pain was in his stomach. He let go, the pain worsening when he did so. He looked down, seeing a blade in his stomach. He began to breathe harder to get the same amount of air.

When the blade was quickly pulled out, he let out a scream that could've woken the dead from their unwakable slumber.

The rest of the occupants, the exception being Tigress, all woke to the blood curdling scream. They all ran to where they thought the scream came from, which was near where they all trained in kung fu. There, they saw Tiger lying against a wall in a feeble position in a pool of his own blood. Tiger was immediately wrapped in makeshift bandages that they made from the leaves.

When Romeo came down to pick Tiger up, the feline reached up and pulled the ram down to come eye to eye with him.

"It... It was ssss... Steelmoon." Tiger whispered out with great effort.

Romeo stood back up and stepped a few paces backwards. Po ended up picking Tiger up and carried him quickly over to his room in the barracks. Krynn came up to the shocked Romeo, who was still standing there.

"Why did you let my son lie there?" She asked, her voice dripping with threatening intent.

"He said 'it was Steelmoon.' He must've attacked Tiger when he was out here." Romeo replied.

Krynn shuffled back, shaking her head in disbelief. Tears started to cloud her vision and her legs gave way from under her. Krynn just sat there on the dirt, crying into her palms. Romeo carefully pulled her up and softly guided her back to the barracks, where they are sure the others would've put Tiger.

A really short time later:

They placed Tiger into the cot, his shirt was thrown aside, his wounds now dressed and treated properly. Most of them were silent, except for both Tigress and Krynn since both were softly crying to themselves. Krynn was sitting close to Tiger's head, softly stroking the fur on the face with love and care.

"What happened to him?" Monkey asked, being unnaturally serious.

Romeo groaned and lowered his head slightly. Crane turned his head towards the ram.

"Have something to say, Romeo?" Crane questioned, garnering the attention to the rest.

Romeo sighed, shifting his weight. "Tiger told me that it was Steelmoon. Steelmoon is an assassin of legend, the assassin of traitors of the highest order and of the greatest enemy generals. It is said that he has the very ability to walk in complete silence, even on chalked ground. No one knows exactly what he looks like, only that he can blend into anything anywhere." Romeo explained. He motioned with his head towards Tiger. "Those wounds are of Steelmoon's very weapon. We do not know what it is, but it has killed many."

"So this 'Steelmoon' guy thinks he can kill a piece of our family?" Mantis asked, extremely angered for his small size.

"Obviously thinks so. We'll get 'im." Po said.

Three of the Furious Five and Po all ran out, leaving Shifu, Tigress, Viper, Romeo and Krynn all in the room with Tiger. Romeo sat on the floor, beside Tigress. Shifu walked out, leaving only four in there. Tiger began to breathe heavier, his chest heaving with each breath and a sweat forming on each and every laboured breath he took. He began to shake violently, attempting to break or roll off the cot he was laid upon. Romeo quickly stood back up and held the male feline down by the arms. It took three minutes, but Tiger stopped shaking.

But when Romeo was almost about to sit back down, he noticed something. A bronze glow, or specifically, a lack of it. He laid down onto his stomach and checked underneath the cot. He never found the journal that Tiger prized to himself. Romeo pulled himself out and up.

"What were you searching for, Romeo?" Krynn asked, slightly detached from herself.

"Tiger's journal." Romeo explained. Krynn's hand stopped patting her son's face and her eyes looked at the ram. "It's gone."

Steelmoon came out of the village and into the outskirts, the hood still up. The assassin dashed across the empty dirt road, leaving only a light footprint.

When the heavens finally decided to shed its load of rain, Steelmoon was out of the vicinity and in the mountain range, finding a cave rather quickly.

Taking the shield that gave the assassin their name very carefully off, Steelmoon sat down and leant against the cave wall. Steelmoon didn't worry about the cold temperatures of the night. The clothes they wore would protect them from the cold.

But Steelmoon couldn't breathe properly right now. Raising gloved hands, Steelmoon removed the hood and face mask, revealing a lioness with golden fur and the greyest of eye colours. She picked out a book she retrieved from her recent target's chambers here, the outer borders covered in bronze embroidery.

She opened it up to the first page, revealing that it was a journal.

'How very interesting.' She thought, smiling to herself.

She closed the journal and pulled the hood back up. She closed her eyes and moved herself into a comfortable position for a sleep after the hardest part of the mission.