A/N: So this is my sequel to my story Friends Forever. If you haven't read it, then I will suggest you to do it, or else you probably won't understand much of this chapter (or those who will come). Just so you know, the first ten chapters in Friends Forever aren't that good (short and many grammar mistakes. I was new on fanfics).
To those who don't know; I am from Denmark, so English isn't my mother language, so there will be some mistakes. Forgive me for that.
I don't own Kung Fu Panda, only the OC.
Thank you for reading my story! And a review won't hurt at all.
Shadows Of The Past, A Shadow Always Follows You
"Tigress, look out!"
Po managed to block the croc's attack before it could hit the distracted feline. Tigress sent her friend a grateful glance, before punching the next bandit in his face. Twirling around, she saw Viper and Crane take out what was rest of the bandits.
"Well, that was easy. We can be back at the Jade Palace before sundown." Monkey exclaimed as he and Mantis joined the others.
Tigress immediately started to walk in the directions they had come from. She wanted to be home as soon as possible.
Viper leaped after her. "Tigress, what are we going to do with them?" She asked, her tale pointing at the unconscious bandits.
"Nothing." The tiger said flatly. "I think they have learned what will happen if they continue to attack travelers."
They walked some time in silence, the boys following behind them. Tigress could feel Viper's worried eyes on her, but ignored it. She didn't want to talk right now. Actually, she didn't want to talk at all.
As by instinct, her paw reached up to her beloved necklace. Win's stone that her master had brought her, was now hanging around her neck. Every day, it painfully reminded her of the wolf, her best friend, her… Tigress wasn't even sure of her feelings now. She missed the black wolf, and her heart was aching when she thought of him.
But did she love him? The 'L-word' was so strange for her. Maybe she did, but she knew that she should forget everything about being together. After all, they had been separated so many times now, and Tigress doubted that they had been through the last one. Win was living with the other wolves and she just had to accept it.
The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior continued their travel until they finally chose a place to rest and eat to Po's joy. While the other started to pack out their stuff, Tiger walked to the nearby lake. One glance at her reflection told her why her friends were so worried about her.
Her golden eyes that when they were full of anger could make enemies fear, was now lifeless and tired. Often they were focusing on things that her friends couldn't see, making the eyes to look absent. Tigress made her paw wet and wash of some dried blood from a little cut on her arm. Probably from her earlier fight.
Tigress had lost a lot of weight since she had left Win. Viper had been the first to notice. Honestly, the snake was scared. Her friend was starting to become a shadow of the former Master Tigress. The tiger herself wouldn't talk about it, and she kept avoiding being together with the others, making Viper even more worried. Tigress clearly needed help, but she just wouldn't accept it.
As the reflection continued to bring Tigress memories, she closed her eyes. Sometimes she felt like there was a massive abyss between her and her friends. Like she was all alone in the fight she was starting meet. All those shadows…
Her striped body slightly shivered for a moment. She should have gotten used to them now. But they still scared her. It was understandable, of course; seeing things that other couldn't see was not so calming. But even though they were frightening her, Tigress was still interested, nearly spellbound in them. They were all different; she could both see and sense that. She had seen some who looked like fog, little clouds that only she could see. They seemed harmless, innocent.
Tigress opened her eyes again to see twirling smoke over the silent water. One more thing that only her golden eyes could see. In her thoughts she called them spirits or shadows. She never talked about them to anyone. They wouldn't believe her anyway. Maybe Master Shifu would, but why make him even more worried than he was now? Tigress was aware of the fact that her master knew about the prophecy.
What would he do? If she lost to the power, would he then fight against his own student? So far, Shifu had only talked about that she should soon visit the valley's doctor. Maybe her changing was created by an illness? Tigress had refused to see the doctor so far, but she knew it couldn't be long before her master wouldn't give her a choice.
Forcing her eyes away from the sort of beautiful view, she stood up and walked away from the lake. The spirits stayed where they were. Tigress joined the others, founding them sitting on a falling log. They all stay quiet for a moment when they saw the feline walking towards them.
Silently, Tigress picked up an apple and sat on the ground. After some time, Po looked curiously at her. "So… Tigress, what happened out there?"
Suddenly, the apple became very interesting. Tigress' eyes didn't leave it a second. "What do you mean?"
"Well, when that croc bandit attacked you were completely frozen. So I was just thinking…" The panda was caught off by Tigress' harsh voice.
"I made a mistake. That's what happened." She rose from the ground. "Let's get going. I want to be back at the Jade Palace as soon as possible."
When the sun finally gave up and disappeared to let the night rule, Tigress was back at the Jade Palace along with the others. They were now in the palace's kitchen, waiting for Po to serve their dinner. Master Shifu's glance was like a huge weight on Tigress shoulders.
Suddenly, it happens again. Tigress froze, sensing the presence of him. Shadow. He was the only one of the spirits that she had given a name. But he was also different. The name fit him well; he was like a shadow, a dark silhouette she could see in the corner of the room. Tigress didn't know if he really was a 'he', actually she didn't even know what he was. But sometimes he just appeared.
But there were another reason to his name. A shadow is silent, a shadow is watching you, a shadow always follows you. Tigress believed that he never really leaved her. But sometimes he just showed himself for her. He had never spoken to her, not directly. He was just there, watching.
And now he was here again. Out of the corner in her eye, Tigress could see him. She could feel him too. The whole room was always freezing cold when he was there. But like all the other things, Tigress was the only one who could sense it.
Shadow watched her in a minute, before disappearing with a sound of the wind. Tigress finally looked up from her bowl of noodles, sighing in relief. She flinched slightly when she met her master's blue eyes. He was examining her; he had clearly noticed her strange behaving.
Tigress returned her glance back to the noodles, silently twirling her chopsticks in it.
"Where are you?" She whispered into the dark, empty room. She knew it was a hard question, and she didn't expect an answer. Tigress thought about her whisper for a moment. Who was she really thinking about?
Of course there was Win. He was always in her thoughts, but she was trying to forget him. Just a little, to make it less hard.
Heuen, Hsueh and Huei Woo, they were all a part of her strange 'family'. Where they were now, she didn't know. Hopefully, they were in a safe place far away from any dangers.
Tigress sighed. When she had discovered her powers, the light had been there. The warm light that had saved her from Chiao Lo and had led her to Win. She had trusted the light. She had been sure that it would help her. But now it was gone. She hadn't seen or heard it since the first snow had fallen.
It was like Shadow had taken its place. Tigress prayed that he would disappear and the light would come back. But of course it wouldn't be that easy.
In a long time, she just sat there, staring into the wall. She didn't want to sleep and she would not let the fatigue win. If she slept, it would mean that she was going to have nightmares. They were now frightening her so much, that she would go days were she was avoiding sleep, before she finally nearly passed out. Then she would rest, but the nightmares would come with it.
There was still some about the cold, dark water but now there were other ones. In some dreams she could see the Jade Palace burn with her friends and master lying defeated on the ground. She was standing, looking down of them with an anger burning inside of her. When Tigress woke up from such a dream, she had often her claws out and the anger was still there.
The scaring thing about the dream was that Tigress feared that it could be real. If she lost this fight with herself, would she then be evil? If what the light had told her was true, then the power would control her. And if the power was evil….
No! Tigress wouldn't let it win. She was a warrior and she had made through hard times before. She just had to wait for the right time… If just something could show her what to do. This would be so much easier if she just had someone to help her. If she just could tell someone… But right now she was alone with it. And she was going to make it. She just had to remain strong.
Giving herself the slightest rest, Tigress fall into a weak sleep, waking up every time she heard a noise.
Grandmaster Shifu was sitting near the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, trying to get some answers. His heart sought the advice of Oogway, but the sky remained silent. The red panda shook his head in despair. Something big was going to happen, and the feeling of danger was strong. A threat was nearing the Valley of Peace and he needed his students to be ready.
His thoughts wandered to Tigress. It would be a lie if he said that he wasn't worried. The prophecy was still clear in his memory. Was it possible that his student could be the threat? Shifu remembered his fight with Tai Lung. Would Tigress be like him?
Right now he couldn't do anything. If it was Tigress' fate then he must wait to he was sure about it. But now he had to believe in her.
Shifu could see that his student wasn't feeling well. There could be other reason, but tomorrow he would send her to the doctor to see if she had any illnesses. Sighing deeply, Shifu slowly rose from his position. Tigress was in need of help, but she wouldn't let anyone close to her. Helping her wasn't going to be easy…
"I refuse."
The sentence itself was simple, but Shifu couldn't help but be stunned. Tigress never disobeyed him like that. Pulling himself together, he gave her a stern glance.
"And may I ask you why you don't find it necessary?"
Tigress went back to the obstacle course, obviously annoyed by taken away from her training. But before she could take a step more, Shifu was in front of her, demanding an answer.
"Because I'm not sick. I feel fine."
The others were now watching the master and the student, forgetting everything about their training. They were trying not to drop their jaws; they had never seen Tigress acting like this before. Yes, she could be angry sometimes, but she usually could control herself when she was talking with Shifu.
Viper slithered towards her feline friend. "Tigress, I really don't think it would hurt you if…"
"I'm not going." Tigress repeated, glaring at her master that still was blocking her way. Her friends was standing behind Viper, obviously supporting the snake. Six against one.
"As your master it's my responsibility to make sure that you are well." Also he was cut off by the irritated student.
"Then you have nothing to worry about."
"Maybe you have closed your eyes for your wellbeing, but I have not." Shifu barked, trying to control his temper. "Now, will you go to the doctor by yourself or do I have to send someone with you?" The threat was lying just behind his calm voice.
Tigress was nearly shaking of anger, but somehow managed to control herself. "It won't help." She said through her gritted teeth.
Still completely calm, Shifu eyed her. "Po, could you…?"
"Fine! I'll go now." Tigress scowled as she turned to leave. "Alone." She added after seeing Po taking some steps forward. With her friends' eyes in her back, she walked the long way down of the stairs.
Tigress didn't like doctors. Just the thought about someone examining her and then telling her what she could do better when it wasn't necessary, could make her snarl in anger. She knew that the doctors couldn't help her with was she was going through now.
Now, after seeing the doctor, her mood wasn't better. Actually, it was worse. Too skinny, lack of sleep, pushing her body to hard… Tigress had felt like been scolded by the doctor in an hour, before the old sheep had told her something that literally had ruined her day.
No matter what the doctor had said to her, she would not take a break from her training. And Tigress was fully aware of that a break wasn't just five minutes, no, the doctor had recommended her to rest in two weeks.
Training was the only thing that could keep her mind away from Shadow, spirits and the nightmares. Tigress was absolutely not going to stop herself from doing it. Of course she had lied to the sheep, saying that she would do as she was told and would inform Shifu about their conversation. Tigress was not going to do any of the things. Instead, she would take one of her many trips to the forest.
Tigress somehow found a rest when she was in Win's old cave. It reminded her of him, and that wasn't always a good thing. But Shadow had never revealed himself for her in the cave. Being there made her feel safe.
But today she hadn't enough time to go there. Master Shifu would expect her to be home soon, and if she wasn't there, he would make the others searching for her. It wouldn't be the first time that would happen. No, she would just be gone for a little time. Just to get away from everything.
The first sign of spring had come, and Tigress was happy to see that the long winter was over. Winter was dark and cold, it reminded her too much of Shadow. Maybe he would leave her alone when the sun was strong again.
Tigress expected that her little trip alone would make her mood better. That she finally could get some much needed rest. But she had only been there in short time, when she found out that she definitely had thought wrong.
A/N: So this was the first chapter to Shadows Of The Past. And wow, this took long time for me to write. But I hope you enjoyed it and will follow the story. Well, I did leave a cliffhanger, so I will try and update soon. Oh, and you are going to hear much more about Shadow, my new OC, in later chapters.