Chapter III: Getting ready
Tai Lung took three full days of rest to recover his strength enough to walk normally. Po was always there, encouraging and caring for him, making sure he was eating well and sleeping enough. This was totally different than the twenty years spent in Chor Ghom. In fact, this reminded him of his previous life at the Jade Palace, as the prodigy child, when much was expected of him, but he was cared for and watched over.
That was a lifetime ago for Tai Lung, but struggling against these thoughts was harder now with this panda always there for him, ready to help with a smile and kind words of praise.
I must hate him Tai Lung thought bitterly I'm bound to him by my word, but I must hate him with every fiber of my being.
But he couldn't, not really. They slept in the same room, mostly without talking, though the panda was good at filling the silence occasionally; for three nights it was Po that fed Tai Lung, tucked his blanket and even stretched his limbs to help speed the recovery.
So it was that in the morning of the fourth day Po woke to find that Tai Lung was gone as soon as his eyes opened and searched the cabin they shared.
He went out, thinking of yelling Tai Lung's name, but decided against it for fear that someone else could hear him and started to run. He didn't know where he would go. The only thing Tai Lung ever wanted, as far as Po knew, was the Dragon Scroll, and that was with him.
In that moment, Po heard music: a bamboo flute playing a sweet, delicate melody. Could it be Master Shifu? He followed the sound, and in that moment, he knew it wasn't his Master.
Someway off the road there stood Tai Lung, sitting in lotus position, making music with the air through his flute. He stopped and turned at Po when the panda approached.
"It's beautiful," Po praised sincerely.
"Well, I didn't only learn Kung Fu from Shifu in the Jade Palace," answered Tai Lung. He got up and strode towards the panda. "So, thought I left?"
"Ah, no," lied Po.
"So what was with all the running" Asked the leopard with a grin.
"Um, exercise and, uh, stuff," He replied, awkwardly rubbing his belly.
"I see," chuckled Tai Lung as he accompanied Po back to the cottage.
"What is this place?" queried the leopard.
"Oh, my dad uses it sometimes, gathers herbs around here and stuff, but it's mostly empty. We also used to fish in a river near here," answered Po, smiling fondly at memories of camp outs with his father.
"It's beautiful here. Peaceful," Tai Lung noted, feeling a light breeze ruffle his fur.
"Thanks. Yeah, it's cool," Po didn't know what else to say, though he was sensing a change in Tai Lung brought maybe by the fresh air and this peaceful environment.
Tai Lung looked over to the panda and questioned, "So, when are we leaving for this journey?"
"As soon as you put your clothes on," replied Po with a smirk. Tai Lung frowned.
"Clothes?" repeated the confused leopard as they entered the cabin.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Po, and from his backpack he got a grey shirt and a black cape with a hood on it. "You put this on, 'cause you know, you're kinda known just about everywhere."
"I will not hide like a coward!" growled Tai Lung.
"Oh, c'mon, you can, like, move in the dark without being noticed, and we can call you Shadow Warrior or something cool like that! How great would that be?" Po attempted, wracking his brain for ideas on how to convince the ex-convict.
"I think," returned Tai Lung gravely, looking at the cape. "That you can call me the Shadow of a Warrior."
Po hung his shoulders and dropped his arms to his sides. Then he tossed the clothes to Tai Lung.
"Put. Them. On."
The deep gleam in his emerald eyes made Tai Lung obey without further questions and, though he showed no sign of fear, he dressed as quick as he could.
