And here is Max's youngest rival/antagonist. Not a full-fledged evil one...but one that's completely gonna be in the competition. And of course, Max isn't the only one attending this tournament.

Chapter 4: Rivalry Cub

By the next day, Max is hanging out with Kovu, Borko and Kaila alongside Logan and Sage as they made their way to Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop so they can line up and let the cubs sign up for the tournament and Sage felt like it was a dreadful job to drag the younger ones and keep an eye on them while they're out there and he said, "Why should I have to watch you guys when I could be sleeping until noon?"

"Uh...probably because it's already noon." Logan answered.

Sage mocked what Logan said to him and Logan mocked back at him and Kalia looks over at the two pups and turned to Max and asked, "Are they always like this?"

"If you lived with 30+ brothers and sisters, they'd get on your nerves too." Max answered.

As soon as they saw the line, they can tell that they're inching closer and they got inside the Noodle Shop to sign up and since Max was already signed, he saw Kovu, Borko, Kalia and Logan sign up for the competition as well and he saw Po working and waved at him and Po waved back at him, same with Samurai too. He went over to say hi to them and accidently bumped into someone.

He looks over at the person and said, "I'm sorry about that. I should've been more careful."

"Yeah, more like you're blind! Watch where you're going, brainless!" the young cub spat out.

Max was kinda surprised that someone insulted him after he even apologized to this person for bumping into her by accident and he said, "Okay...well, at least you're not hurt or anything."

"Why are you still here?! Do you want to start a fight with me?! I bet you are! Come on, put your claws up! I can take you down just like that!" the cub shouted, using the fists and claws.

Max puts his hands up to show that he means absoultely no harm and he said, "No...I'm not here to fight."

"What, are you afraid to lose to a girl?!" the cub snarled, revealing herself to be a female black leopard, growling at Max.

"Um...I'm not here to fight at all today, actually. I'm just here with my friends, signing up for the kung-fu tournament." Max answered.

The panther looked up at the white tiger and she lets out a very spiteful smirk on her face and said, "Really? Aren't you too small and shrimpy to even be in a big kid's competition? The little kiddie contest is two feet away."

Max rolled his eyes at this person and he didn't really pay her any attention and said, "Well...okay then."

"This is for the big kids only, so beat it! You have no chance." the panther said, in a cold tone.

Max wasn't really certain to see what's her problem is and he remained as calm as possible and said, "Well...I signed up yesterday."

The panther got shocked at this and that made her madder than ever and she roared at his face, causing the others to turn around and notice and she said, "Why would those stupid judges would enter a bite-sized pipsqueak like you into this tournament?!"

Logan looked over and he was immediately familiarized by that leopard and he came over to Max's defense and said, "I see you haven't changed...Sabi."

"Logan..." the panther snarled.

"You guys know each other?" asked Max.

"Years ago at the orphanage in Korea. She and I have a history of feuding over one thing and whatever she did, I did a lot better. And she's very ill-tempered." Logan answered.

"Looks like this will be fun. Two victims I'll take down and win the whole thing to. If I were you...I'd watch my back, little boy." Sabi said, with a hint of menacing in her voice.

Kovu, Borko and Kaila came over to see what was going on and Kovu asked, "What's going on?"

Sabi looks at the rest of them and she said, "The little babies squad...how cute! I think I may puke from looking at your faces."

That didn't take Kovu so well and he said, "Who are you?"

Sabi got to Kovu's face and she said, "Someone you should be very afraid of...when I win."

She then shoved Kovu down the ground and that didn't sit well with Kalia as she growled at her and said, "You leave my friend alone!"

"What, is she your little stupid girlfriend?" asked Sabi, laughing at Kovu.

Kovu growled at her for that insult Sabi gave to Kalia and she said, "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"Ah, shut up...furry fuzz face." Sabi retorted.

Max didn't want to let this continue on and he said to him, "You don't talk to my friends like that."

"And just what are you gonna do about it...pip-squeak?" asked Sabi, then shoved Max down on the ground and pinned him down, ready to fight with him.

Soon enough, Samurai and Po rushed in to stop things and Samurai got Max out and Po held Sabi back and Po said, "There will be no fighting in my dad's noodle shop."

Sabi grunts in exasperation and said, "Like I'm gonna take you seriously...Dragon Warrior. What are you gonna do, let your big fat butt sit on me? You know what I would do to you if you did that? I'd make you cry...and I love watching losers cry!"

Max knows better than that and he said, "Knock it off. By the time this competition is over, it's you who will lose."

"Like I'm gonna lose to a fat baby." Sabi mocked.

Po clears his throat and said, "I take offense to that."

"Do I look like I care? Shut your fat mouth before I shut it for you!" Sabi growled.

"SABI!"

Rya groans at this and saw the caretaker coming in and she looked up at the 11-year old black panther with much embarassment and said, "Why do you always wanna start something?"

"That little tiger runt bumped into me." Sabi said, in a cold tone.

The caretaker came to Max and she said, "Is this true?"

"Yeah. I said I'm sorry, but she didn't really accept my apology." Max answered.

"Tattletale jerk!" Sabi spat out.

The caretaker looked at Sabi, sternly in the eye and said, "Enough."

Sabi scoffed at her and she just didn't really care and said, "Whatever. I'm still gonna destroy you at the tournament. So sleep with one eye open."

She then walked off and bumped into Max on purpose as she left the noodle shop and Max saw this as motivation to fuel his determination to prove her wrong and the caretaker came to him and said, "I am really sorry about all of this. Sabi can be a little...rough on the edges."

"A little rough? You could fit Master Tigress in there and she'd be like 12 times worse." Logan retorted.

"She just wants to give out attention. Besides that, I'm sure you've got good fighting skills." the caretaker added.

"Thank you." Max answered.

Sabi came back and she saw the caretaker talking to Max and it insures a threat to her and she said, "Aren't you coming or what?! And you...this isn't over yet."

The caretaker left the scene and Max sighed heavily at this and he knew that there was gonna be a challenge coming in, but he knows that he'll face it really quickly.

"Man, this is gonna be interesting. You should've started a cat slapfight and it would've been awesome." Sage said.

Max looked at Sage with a confused and disturbed look and he said, "You're so full of it."

Man, what do you guys make of Sabi? It was originally Rya, but I thought that Sabi was a better choice. Anyways, stick around for more!