Clash of cultures.
Disclaimer: ..Yeah, I think it's obvious to tell that I don't own Kung Fu Panda. There would have been more tigers.
Chapter 4
Sukā talks most of the time, pointing out any landmarks that were etched into the walls as she mentioned in her history lesson, or talking about secret passages in the walls. Then they arrived at the garden, where Tigress walks along the wall, with Sukā close behind.
"Are there exits here too?" Tigress asks, looking at the wall. There are main exits to other parts of the garden, rising above the waist high walls.
"No, there aren't any places to put them," Sukā admits casually.
'She just wanted to go to the garden,' Tigress realizes, an eye trained on the young princess, 'This wasn't about showing me around. At least not the main reason.'
"You are a master?" Sukā asks.
"Yes, a kung fu master," Tigress states, looking over one of the walls.
"..Where is your weapon? Don't you need a weapon? The knights have swords, the archers have bows and arrows, where is your weapon?" Sukā asks.
Tigress sighs, "My body is my weapon. I do not need one that can be forged, like a sword. Kung Fu is using your own strength, with your fist, your foot, and everything else," she answers.
"..Oh," Sukā continues on. Tigress looks at the sky.
"The hours almost up. You should get back to your tutor."
Sukā stops, then sighs. "I wanted to spend more time with you, though."
"I'll be there, I have to watch you, which means not leaving your side," Tigress states firmly. "Time to go back, Princess Sukā."
Sukā slumps unprincess like. Tigress watches her walk past her.
'If you were my student, you wouldn't be this lazy, spoiled, or carefree. Discipline and knowledge is what makes someone a great leader, not jewels and blood.' Tigress clenches her paw. 'I cannot wait, until I can leave this place. Tigers or not, it's nothing like home.'
Sukā continues, looking at the plants as she passes them. She stops to sniff one and Tigress rolls her eyes.
"Your tutor will be missing you if you continue to dawdle," she comments.
"Right, sorry," Sukā walks towards the palace at a less lazy pace. Tigress sniffs the air suddenly.
"Wait, princess," she calls.
Sukā stops and sniffs the air. "I smell it too." Tigress takes a deeper whiff and then the scent hits her; coppery tang mixed with wet fur.
"Oh no," she looks at the palace. A figure in Tora colors comes out of the palace. It seems like he's waving, but then he collapses in a heap. Sukā gasps and runs to him. "Sukā, wait-" Tigress says quietly, following after her. The princess rounds the last bend and falls to her knees on the steps at the knight's chest. There are multiple wounds, including broken shafts of arrows.
"No no.." Sukā says, gently touching his neck, in case his heart still beats.
Tigress kneels on one leg next to her. She places her paws on either side of Sukā's shoulders. "We need to go. The palace isn't safe anymore, we need to go," she whispers, looking around.
Sukā sniffs, wiping her nose with her long sleeve, "O-Okay, okay." She allows Tigress to pull her away. Tigress takes her hand and leads her back the way they came. A window opens above them.
"There they are!" A hoarse voice calls. Tigress looks behind her. There's a tiger in dark green leather, pointing at them. Tigress looks around her and pulls Sukā to go faster.
"Through there!" She yells, pointing at the nearest entrance. Sukā goes through and they hide behind the low wall. 'I hate hiding, I want to fight.' Tigress looks at the turrets, and the entrances. All are swarming with the new green clad tigers. 'But the princess needs to be protected, and I can't leave her.'
Tigress growls to herself. Then she looks at the East wall of the garden they are in. There is another circular garden, with nothing beyond it. She hunches over and Sukā follows her lead. They sprint to the edge. "Fire!" They hear behind them. Arrows whiz through the air. Tigress stops and turns around. She deflects some with her paws and legs.
She roars as one enters her shoulder. She breaks it off near the arrowhead and catches up to Sukā. "It's too far down!" Sukā yells at her, scared. Tigress looks at the archers reloading, with swordsmen in front. The blades gleam.
"No it's not." Tigress picks up the princess and leaps over the edge. Sukā screams as they fall. Arrows go past them again. Another slices Tigress across her spine. But the arrow continues its descent.
The ground comes to greet the tigers. Tigress braces herself for the ground below. Her foot recoils before it touches the stone. She extends, using the force to push her to another one. She leaps off of that one as well. Sukā stops screaming and holds close to her protector as Tigress maneuvers them to safe flat ground.
When she finally reaches grass, she sets the princess down. Sukā takes a few steps, dizzy from the journey. She hears Tigress yelp behind her. The princess turns to see Tigress clutching her shoulder. "You're hurt."
"It's nothing," Tigress says, holding back how much her shoulder is in pain.
"Sit down," Sukā states, motioning to a smooth rock. Tigress relents. What she does not expect is for Sukā to kneel next to her and look at the wound. "I'm going to take it out. It is no doubt barbed so-"
"Do it," Tigress states, "I can handle pain-" Sukā rips the arrowhead out of her shoulder. Her first response is to roar in pain. A flock of birds takes flight in the distance. Tigress takes a few deep breaths, taking her mind off the pain. Her mind is distracted by a different kind of ripping.
Princess Sukā is ripping one of the long sleeves off her tunic. She holds the light blue fabric to the wound and tightly wraps it. Red shows through, the wound not properly closed yet. "I'll take care of it properly once we find a town," Sukā states.
Tigress looks at her shoulder, "..Thanks," she gives the princess a look of confusion.
"Can you stand?" Sukā asks.
Tigress nods, "Of course, princess."
"We can't let anyone know I'm the princess," Sukā states, "I am simply, Sukā. Or Su, as my mother called me."
"..Tigress, then," the warrior replies, standing. They start picking their way down the grassy slope. Tigress looks over her shoulder many times in case they are being followed. Finally, Sukā stops behind a rock. Tigress looks beyond it and sees a town. Tigers mill about, at work or, for the little ones, at play.
Sukā looks at her clothes. Tigress is thinking the same thing. She will be recognized immediately if she's wearing royal garments. She needs to go into town and get her something to keep her disguised, but she can't leave the princess there.
"Stay hidden," Tigress decides. She nudges Sukā towards a small cave in the rocks. Sukā goes in and looks back at Tigress. "I'll be right back. ..Do you have any money on you?"
Sukā digs into her belt and finds a sack of coins. "Here," she hands Tigress the sack. Tigress nods and takes it. She walks into the town, finding a shop. She buys the first top and trousers she sees that will fit the princess. She pays for them, also buying a cloak. She goes back to the princess.
"Change into these," Tigress orders. Sukā emerges not much later, in the brown cloth. Tigress dons the cloak, to hide her foreign qipao. She already took a risk going into town with her bright red and gold showing.
They walk into town, Tigress gripping her shoulder as lightly as she can. Her back stings, but she knows better than to scratch it. Sukā pulls her to an inn and they pay for a room. Tigress walks into their room. "Sit down," Sukā says again. Tigress feels she is in no position to decline.
She takes off the cloak and sets it to the side. The silk is soaked in blood. It smells just like the guard they found at the palace. Sukā notices the scent as well. Her eyes well up with tears, but she does not allow them to fall. She takes a deep breath.
"I'll be right back." She leaves the room. When she returns, she has a first aid kit, along with bandages. She works at Tigress' shoulder carefully, and finally wraps the area in clean white bandage.
"..It's getting dark," Tigress states, looking out their small window. Sukā nods.
"You should rest," she says gently. She stands up and walks to the door again.
"No, I'm coming with you," Tigress says. She starts to stand up, but falls back to the bed.
"You are hurt, I'll be right back. It's not far." Sukā walks out and closes the door behind her. Tigress sighs, looking out the window again.
'I'm supposed to protect her,' she growls to herself. 'I can't do that with this shoulder.' She tries to focus on meditation that Shifu taught her, but she can't with all the thoughts in her mind. 'How did she know..' Tigress lifts her left paw to touch her injured shoulder.
Well that escalated quickly.
Po: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!?
Me: Read on and find out.
Yes.. I added Po to this. He's next to you in the audience.