It was warm, but at the same time, it was so cold.
His blood was on her back, his weight even more so, but that's not what was bothering her at the moment – if they didn't find any shelter soon, the very one she was carrying (an overgrown, large panda) would fall to his own wounds on the account of heavy blood loss.
Just a moment ago, she promised him that she wouldn't let it come to that.
Then again, that moment ago was long past her sense of time – she had been running far longer than what she could remember, much less unsure how far they were from the Jade Palace.
If it were up to her, she would be running towards the Jade Palace to get her friend some help, but given the circumstances, there was no way she could run into them again without meeting up with the very bandits she was trying to get away from. In the event that she would run into them again, the distraction that the rest of the Furious Five had done would be in vain. Normally, she would not be the one to run, but at the same time, it's not like there was anyone else that had the strength to carry Po away from his death.
At least that was what she had hoped to do.
If the smell of his blood became any stronger, she would have been worried that he had lost too much. Then again, maybe the smell of his blood would confirm that since it was raining. She couldn't put him down yet to check his wounds, so only the heavens knew how much of his blood had left his body, much less how much had been washed out of his system by the rain.
She needed to look at that soon, but out of the rain so he wouldn't get a fever, much less a cold. Tigress didn't worry about herself for two reasons: one, her injuries were minor; and two, there was a weak likelihood that she would get sick because she was carrying Po on her shoulders. That meant that a great number of the cold droplets that were falling from the heavens were falling on Po instead of her. Besides, with as warm as he was, there was even less likelihood that (since she had a strong immune system) she would get sick anyway.
In strange sense, Po was protecting her - again.
It was Po's deep concern for her that got him into this predicament in the first place. Apparently the bandits thought it might be fun to try to take her out. Even if the bandits couldn't go back to their master alive, Tigress wouldn't let them go back alive, especially after what they had did to Po just so long ago.
After all, he did it to protect her.
She didn't like the idea of Po feeling obligated to do so, but she understood why. Even if he didn't tell her yet, that didn't mean she didn't know. She was well aware of what he was feeling concerning her, and had come to the conclusion that she was willing to wait for him to have the courage to trust her enough with such vital information.
Tigress had been patient with Po before, now was no different – after all, that's what people do when they cared for one another. The word that best described Po's feelings for her was still a little foreign in her mouth, which was another reason why she was willing to take it so slow.
Po's feelings were her was almost as unbelievable as hearing his voice right now.
"T-Tigress…"
From the corner of her eye, she saw one of his paws move, perhaps the third time she witnessed Po do this ever since this endeavor.
"…Tigress… where…?"
"Don't worry, Po," she said gently, but loud enough for the panda to hear her in the pouring rain, "I've got you – just hang on."
Not only could she hear Po's deep breathing, she felt it on her back. His heavy breathing slowly turned into something that sounded like wheezing, confirming to Tigress that she needed to now, more than ever, to get out of this rain.
If Po didn't hang on, she was going to let him have it once all of this was over.
Suddenly, her ears perked up at something that sounded like steps – steps that weren't her own. After squinting a little, Tigress realized that the light she was seeing was not just a figment of her imagination. Normally, she wouldn't go straight towards a light, but after a silent prayer of hope, Tigress picked up the pace and went after it.
What she didn't know was that the light was actually coming towards her, and all within good reason. As Tigress came closer to the light, she realized that this was true, and not only was the light not a figment of her imagination, but someone was holding the light.
It was a female pig, an umbrella in one hand, and a lamp in the other, keeping the lamp under the umbrella so the light won't go out. Tigress was just as surprised as she was as they recognized one another in the rain.
"O-Oh my!" the pig villager said, "M-Master Tigress!"
"We don't have much time!" Tigress said, immediately going to the point because she knew that she could trust her, "The Dragon Warrior needs help!"
"Yes, yes, of course!" she said, turning around from the same direction she came from, "Please, please, right this way."
Even if the pig wasn't as fast as she was, Tigress intentionally stayed behind her, knowing that she was the only one who knew the way that would mean Po's safety.
As she saw a cave that was illuminating with similar lights, she hoped that the rain didn't take him.
Without waiting a single second, as the cave came into view, the pig ran ahead, yelling at the top of her lungs to the other villagers that were safe inside the cave. Tigress didn't need to say anything about Po's condition because the pig did it for her – declaring that anyone who knew how that the master of the tiger style and the Dragon Warrior were here, and the Dragon Warrior needed help. Even before Tigress entered the cave with her fallen friend, some of the pigs and geese were already running around, grabbing things such as bandages and other medical supplies to aid the new guests.
As she entered, the pig who had ran ahead was out of view, and a black goose villager came to meet them.
"Master Tigress," he said, lightly bowing in respect, "Please, right this way."
Nodding, Tigress followed the goose, taking in the scenery before her, and for the record, it wasn't a pretty sight. If there was an individual who wasn't cooking or doing something remotely useful, they were laying down on the closest thing they had to beds right now, healing from an ailment – from broken legs to just being unconscious altogether.
There was one pig that was laying down on the account of a head wound and his arm was in the closest thing they had to a cast. Next to him was a female goose that was giving him a worried look, taking his hoof into her wing as a tear went down her eye.
"What happened here?" Tigress asked, turning her gaze back to the goose that was escorting her.
"Our village was attacked by bandits," the goose replied, "They must have known that we had gunpowder and went after it. We don't have much, but we'll do what we can to help you and the Dragon Warrior."
"Thank you," Tigress said, "I wish I could help you."
"Oh, Master Tigress," the goose said as they went past a few numbers of people who were laying down or aiding some of the people who were laying down, "We're just relieved that you are all in one piece – it give us hope that we'll be okay."
"Yeah…" Tigress said, looking over at Po, yet couldn't speak what was on her mind.
Within a deeper section of the cave, there was a corner that had a much larger bed with no one in it. Not too far from the bed was another goose (except white) and a male pig, those who in the same attire color as the black goose that was leading her. Due to this circumstance, Tigress believed that these three were part of the group that were the closest thing they had to doctors right now.
It was the only hope she had right now for Po.
Going down on one knee close to the bed, she leaned forward to carefully place Po down without hurting him anymore than he already was. Even the geese and the pig helped Tigress into doing this, already well aware of the smell of blood meant that he was more hurt than what they could see right now. Then again, that question was answered when they were able to get Po on his back, the doctors gasping at what they saw.
Po, for the most part, was burned in a few places (two places on his right arm, one place on his left, and one on his face that was close to his right eye), but the greatest burn was on his stomach. Adding to the fact that he had been stabbed there, it was likely the ugliest wound he had on his body. Then again, the only thing that could remotely compare to that was his broken leg, which Tigress had tried to patch up before the run. Due to the fact it leaned in one direction that looked abnormal, it was obvious that if they hadn't put it back in place soon, he would be deformed for life.
Instructing amongst themselves, the white goose and the pig went off to get supplies as Tigress kneeled next to Po, her face facing the cave wall, but looking down at Po. She wanted to help him, but more than she cared to admit, she was confused as she grabbed his paw and took it into her own paws.
The goose had observed her for a minute, yet understood the stress of the circumstance. He also knew that Po needed help now. Coming up next to her, he placed his wing on her shoulder.
"Master Tigress," he said, "We need to help him now."
She nodded.
"We have to put his leg back into place or it may not heal properly."
She nodded again.
"Will… you consider doing it?"
She turned to look at him, rather surprised that he would ask such a thing, but the goose continued.
"We'll have to wake him up, and I don't know how long he's been out, but I believe he'll recognize you immediately. If he's with someone he knows, he should be relaxed enough for the bone to be put back into place."
Breathing in deeply in alternative to gulping her fear back, she turned to look back at Po, carefully putting her right paw onto his forehead, her left hand still holding onto his paw. When she let her breath out into a sigh, she took in the fact that she was strong, perhaps too strong. Then again, it was situations like this that Shifu had taught her in the first place about controlled strength. Her accuracy had developed well by now, but she also knew how much this would hurt.
Yes, she had hurt Po in the past, but it wasn't the same thing. She would normally spare with Po to either help him improve or get something across to him – this was for something he didn't mean to do. While it was the same, it was also different, and had to accept the fact that she would be responsible for hurting him to save his life.
Almost like the same way she did when they had to defeat Lord Shen.
Still, she had to do it.
Holding back her emotions, she placed Po's paw on his chest, so it wouldn't touch his wound, and looked at the black goose.
"I'll do it."
"Tigress…?"
Without a second thought, she turned back to Po, her eyes widening over the fact that he was remotely awake. Then again, it was perhaps a good thing since that was a step she didn't have to do – to wake someone up only to hurt them was something Tigress really didn't want to do, especially if it was Po.
"Po?" she asked, putting her paw against his cheek so she could look at him, "Po, can you hear me?"
"Y-Yeah," Po winced, "I just… have a hard time feeling my leg…"
"I know," Tigress said, trying to be reassuring, "Your leg is broken and I need to put it back into place."
A flash of fear crossed his face, but Tigress kept her gaze. Po probably wasn't aware of where he was, much less anything else, so she had to be strong for him.
"Can you trust me?"
It took a while, but his cocky smile formed on his face: it was a weak one, but nonetheless cocky.
"Are you kidding me? I'd trust you with my life."
She cringed at such a statement – not from fear, but from the warmth she felt from hearing him say that.
"It's probably going to hurt like hell," Po said weakly, putting his paw over Tigress' that was on his face, "But that's okay – I trust you to do the right thing."
The glaze that was in his eyes told her that he probably wasn't going to stay awake for very long. Then again, with his trust, maybe he would be relaxed enough to put the bone back into place. Slowly, but reassuringly, Tigress moved over to his broken leg, which caused Po to fight back the darkness that was clouding his mind. When he felt her paws on his broken leg, he was reminded of what he had just said a few seconds ago, and that even with the gentlest touch, it already hurt on its own.
He wasn't completely there, but he did his best to be there, if that meant putting Tigress' mind at ease.
Slowly, she positioned herself and the bone to be put in place, thanks to the help of the black goose. The white goose and the pig had already returned with the supplies, they would be ready to patch up the leg once the bone was put back where it needed to be.
"Ready?"
Po nodded, flashing a weak, cocky smirk at her. He didn't have to be strong for her, but Tigress didn't say anything.
"1…"
He breathed in.
"2…"
He breathed out, completely relaxed.
The three didn't come – instead, a snap with heart-wrenching yell followed. The snap was an indication that the bone was back where it needed to be. However, the yell was of pure pain leaving Po's mouth, his once widened eyes from shock shutting immediately as the wave of pain hit him about as hard as Tigress felt when she heard him cry. It was hard to see, but Tigress knew that Po had cried not just verbally, but there were fresh tears leaving his eyes.
She didn't blame him for crying now – it must have hurt like heck.
As she moved to let the doctors take over his leg, she moved back up to his face, observing the salty tears and hearing the heavy pants that was coming from her dear friend. She was a little hesitant to do it, but knowing he needed reassurance, she cupped his face again, bright red meeting jaded eyes.
She was almost surprised that he was still awake after all that.
"What… about… three?" he asked.
If she were capable of feeling in her paws, she might have been able to feel how much he was shaking, but she couldn't. However, she did see it, and that was enough.
"Three," she replied, smiling a little, and hoping to lighten the mood after the painful ordeal.
Po wanted to say something, but his consciousness wouldn't allow him to, and faded back into the darkness that took him without complication. However, as much as she wanted to, Tigress decided to not disturb him this time – he was not unconscious, but asleep, and allowed herself to indulge the guilty pleasure of wiping away the tears he had produced going through such deep pain.
Gently, she laid his head back down before glancing at the doctors, with one goose looking over his leg and the other two putting herbs and remedies on his burns and wounds before patching them up. She figured that after what had just happened, it would be best if she let Po rest as they did their work.
Still, she didn't like the idea of leaving him, and hoped that the doctors wouldn't tell her to leave him.
"Master Tigress," the white goose asked, whom had just finished with Po's leg, "Are you injured?"
"Just a few scratches and burns myself," she replied, deciding that she might as well put them at ease too.
"If I may, can I tend to you? You don't have to move from his side if you don't want to unless it's absolutely necessary."
Thank the heavens.
"Thank you."
While the goose looked her over, she returned her gaze back to Po, knowing all too well that she might have been in a worse condition if he had not been on her back.
If only there was some way to show him her gratitude, but for now, she was very grateful, perhaps one of the most thankful creatures on the plane of existence.
After all, he had trusted her with his life, and if it were her, the feelings would be mutual.
