Giving a weary sigh, he moved the finished stack of reports over to the corner of the carved, oaken desk that he usually occupied, and got up from his worn chair, before walking over to make a few more adjustments to the large map, sprawled in its entirety across a round table, usually able to seat ten, moving around carved figures and tiles, representing groups of guards, soldiers, bandits and other gangs that moved across the area surrounding the great city of Gongmen.
Snorting in annoyance, knowing that, once again, they had been too late to catch the group of thieves in time, a frequent occurrence these last few months, he moved the small, red tile that represented the gang of bandits, sliding it further down the road, towards a town called, 'Jinhae', represented by a drawing of a few houses, surrounded by a wall, and made a mental note to send a messenger to the Gonjang garrison, telling them to broaden their patrols around the northern road. Hopefully, either the Jinhae town garrison would be enough to stop them, or they would be able to trap the bandits between the two towns.
Seeing the large number of red and blue tiles, the blue tiles representing 'supposed' bandit groups that they had not been able to confirm existed in the area, he gave a slight, almost despairing shake of his head, noticing how they severely outnumbered the white and golden figures, representing guards and troops, either out of Gongmen or one of the other population centers in the prefecture, the few guards having been spread thinly across the hinterlands to better guard the people.
It was no surprise that Gongmen, and many other large towns in the area, had had a steady flow of new arrivals and refugees ever since winter started, either moving to more populated areas in search of safety, or already having lost their homes to the marauders, now seeking to find refuge in the neighboring town..
Even to him, it seemed that the bandits were striking everywhere at once, seemingly both well supplied and well-coordinated, ambushing trade-routes and outposts almost on a weekly basis, only then to melt back into the wilderness. While many stories and myths surrounding the attacks circulated between the general populace, he was pleased to know that, despite what most people thought, the province wasn't completely overrun by bandits, attacking indiscriminately, leaving villages and towns deserted.
But that was about the only good news he had.
While it was true that the rumors made the situation look much worse than it was, and he suspected dark forces behind the origins of those stories as it were, they still had some small basis in facts, however embellished they might be. Reports had arrived telling of bold attacks on villages, the bandits demanding huge sums before departing, or otherwise ransacking the place before they left, leaving the inhabitants with nothing but the clothes on their backs, without either food or supplies to make it through the winter.
However, despite the seriousness of such attacks, they were not the ones he was most concerned about. As if those raid weren't bad enough, there had been a few, gruesome, vile and heinous ambushes, in between the more 'regular' forms of banditry. The target either being an unlucky caravan, or some isolated farms, deep within the wilderness, the ferocity and cruelness of the raids going against every sense of righteousness he possessed, and at odds with years of experience.
While years of guarding the common people against scores of gangs of brigands and bandits had taught him a great deal about how such groups operated, he still found it peculiar the way that some of these attacks were carried out.
Master Ox had always prided himself on being a skillful tactician, able to make smart, skillful and comprehensive plans at a moment's notice, or to see a pattern in a seemingly random chain of events, helping him take down his adversary in quick order. It had been one of the things that had made him, along with master Rhino and master croc, some of the most successful kung Fu warriors of all time, working together as a team to take on challenges that would have proven too much for either two of them.
He turned, glancing at the large, empty chair where his old friend would have sat not too many months ago, offering his sage advice, his leadership and wisdom, always invaluable to himself and master Croc, was sorely missed. As was he.
He would be lying if he said the wound had healed, the loss of the third member of the trio still weighing heavily on both of them, the two masters keenly feeling the loss of their leader and friend. Ever since the dragon warrior and the furious five had defeated Shen, they had both worked hard to atone for their defeatism, their lack of commitment, their great shame, and hopefully, they would make the heroic sacrifice of Master Rhino all the more worthwhile.
While master Croc had been using almost all his time, training the new recruits, trying to whip them into shape, he himself had been applying all his faculties to try to get to the bottom of the increased bandit activity, not satisfied with the simple explanation of the wolves just running amok across the land. He had used most of his time trying to come up with a solution, a plan, a counter strategy, anything to try and apprehend and stop the increasing attacks. But, in between his other duties to the city and its people, he found that he had less and less time to actually stop, catch his breath, and do anything but react to the opposition's next move.
Looking at the ever-shifting map, he knew that he was failing in his duties. Unable to see the larger picture, not understanding what their adversaries plan revolved around, what the endgame was, what they hoped to achieve. There was something, or rather, someone at work here, other than a few wolves and gorillas trying to get rich quick, and the fact that they knew so little about who that someone was, bothered him to no end.
After having spent the first few months after Shen's defeat reestablishing order in the city and surrounding lands, he and master Croc had been hard-pressed to keep up with the growing number of concerned reports coming in from a number of noticeable citizens and villages from around the area, talking about gangs of wolves prowling the land, seemingly attacking and plundering indiscriminately.
Despite their best efforts, they had been unable to assemble much of the original city guards, many having either perished or fled when the wolf army arrived, and most of those who had been either imprisoned or gone underground had proven unwilling to rejoin, opting for a safer position or job, having had enough of guard duty to last for a life-time.
With much of the guard comprised of raw recruits, many very young and very green, the results had been… less than impressive. And both he and master Croc had been compelled to accompany many of the patrols, thereby leaving the city unguarded, despite their better judgement.
It had been on one such night, when both he and his friend had been chasing a band of raiders in the western edge of the province, that an attack was made on the council chambers, masked and armored wolves climbing over the walls, breaking into the inner compound, and forcing their way into the vault, stealing numerous valuables and treasures.
That was when it became clear that someone was still pulling the strings, even though both Shen and his commander had both perished. Whoever this person was they were not just leading a bunch of ragged gangs of bandits, but a wider group of both informers, messengers and hardened warriors, the attacks on the outlying settlements nothing but a distraction to cover the operations in the city. Someone powerful, someone with both the cunning, the strength and the will, to take on the mantle of Boss.
And that someone was hiding somewhere in Gongmen city.
It all fit. The way the different groups seemed to circle around the city, keeping a fair distance, not approaching within more than a hundred li, or the fact that, despite their best attempts at secrecy, the movement of troops in and around the city seemed to reach the prowling groups of bandits no matter where they went.
He suspected that whatever they had been after in the vault, the large chamber having contained numerous things besides just gold and valuables, they had wanted badly. The resources poured into the attack having both been considerable, and the attack itself having been risky, revealing their presence in the city.
And apparently, they either hadn't got whatever it was they were after, or they had other, darker business to attend to before leaving.
The door leading to the chamber opened, admitting an exhausted looking master Croc, who walked over and plopped into his chair, looking defeated.
"A long day with the new recruits?"
The question was asked with some amusement, but it hid real interest, as well as some trepidation. While they had improved the training regime any new prospective guards would have to go through, making the whole process faster and easier for all involved, the whole process was still time consuming, and many who applied for the position was simply not fit for the duty, for one reason or another.
Throwing his hands up in the air in a sign of defeat, master Croc seemed to be in a mild state of disbelief.
"They are just so bad! I swear one of them almost stabbed me by accident when he tried to hand me his spear for inspection."
He sighed heavily, rubbing his scaly head with both his hands.
"well, a handful of them did do quite well actually. The rest, I'm not so sure about. But we'll see."
Then, turning his head slightly to see his friend stand at the map, his back turned to him, he got up and walked over to stand at his elbow, the ox standing both head and shoulders above him.
Looking at the mess of tiles, figures, lines and notes littered around the table, he felt his tired head give a painful pang as it was trying to grasp what he was seeing. But since he had never had a head for details or strategy, he let his friend do what he did best, without commenting.
After a few minutes, master Ox straightened, shaking his head again.
"I just don't understand. Why suddenly all this movement down here. What is the plan?"
It was voiced more as a question to himself, rather than actually being directed at Croc, but nevertheless he took a step forward, looking at the area of the map indicated.
It was just as big a mess as the rest of the table, blue and red tiles scattered wildly across what he recognized as the southern edge of the province, still within the Gongmen prefecture. A few golden tiles where placed near or on the three town in the area, a few drawing and scratches showing where a settlement or village was placed, the area around the south being a lot less populated than the uplands, getting closer to the city.
Running along the edge of the two provinces, creating a natural border between them, was a medium sized river, Croc knowing a thing or two about the waterways in the general area, recognized it, having used it a few times himself to travel quickly northward, the river making a sort of highway, joining with its larger cousins, flowing all the way to Gongmen.
"Maybe they are trying to leave? There are a few good crossings here and there. OH, I know a really good tavern right about here. Serves some amazing carrot-stew."
Ox harrumphed, seemingly uninterested in that little tidbit of information, but he did take a few notes on a scroll he pulled over.
Someone knocked on the door, disturbing them in their deliberations, an antelope guard sticking his head inside.
"Sorry to disturb you masters, but there is a messenger here, he says it's urgent news."
Master Ox made a gesture, signaling for the guard to let him in.
After a minute or so, the antelope returned, this time with a very wet, very tired looking middle-aged goose, dressed in a plain robe, but carrying a sash over one arm, marking him as a member of a local militia somewhere.
As he entered, he made a deep bow towards both of them, exhausted, still taking in large gulps of air, his dark feather, graying around the edges, ruffled and ill kept, dripping with moisture.
"Great masters, I come from the town of Gonjang. I carry a message from the captain of the guards there, Shen Ji, I'm afraid it's very bad news."
He held out a scroll that looked much the worse for wear after the long trip, but when master Ox quickly unfurled it, he found it easy enough to read, the letters within still undamaged.
'To the masters of the kung fu council of Gongmen.
It is with great sorrow I inform you of a most vile attack perpetuated against a small village, some three days travel south and west from Gonjang, a large band of raiders having fallen upon the inhabitants there.
The villagers, seeking refuge in or town, tells of great brutality and destruction, the marauders stealing all their food and burning down their houses in the raid, killing all those who resisted, wounding many of the fleeing villagers. I must beg for support and supplies, as I have neither the men to pursue, or the resources to keep the villagers fed through the winter.
I have sent a squad out to assess the damage and scout the area, but I doubt we'll find any traces of them, the fiends already having a few day's head start. Until then, I shall fortify or town and step up patrols. I await further instructions.
Your loyal servant:
Shen Ji, captain of the guard.'
Master Ox let out a despairing moan, putting a hand on the table, leaning against it heavily. This was truly bad news.
He gave the scroll to Croc who, after reading it, placed it gently on the map, seemingly shocked by the events described within, some of their worst fears having been brought to life.
After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Master Ox turned to the messenger, gesturing to the scroll, laying on a stack of papers.
"How long ago was this sent?"
The goose gave a startled yelp, jumping slightly on the spot, apparently having drifted off slightly.
"yesterday morning, I flew almost without pause as soon as I was dispatched. The captain made it very clear that I was not to delay."
Master Ox nodded, his respect for the goose climbing. Looking at the map, he calculated that it would take at least ten days for a company to reach Gonjang on foot, and that wasn't taking into account either the season or the conditions of the roads.
Of course, they could always sail down the coast, landing at a small fishing village, and trek the distance inlands, saving them a few days. But again, the season and the weather could prove troublesome.
"We could send another letter to the governor. He has to listen now!"
Master Ox turned to look at Croc, who seemed to be as angry as he was, both at the gruesome attack, but also at their apparent helplessness against the bandits.
As much as he would like to agree with his friend, he doubted that governor Chao would lift a finger to help them.
Despite his position as the administrative head of the province, it was no secret that Chao, and many of his predecessors, had always despised Gongmen and the peacocks that ruled there, envying their wealth and their autonomy. Despite the dire situation, and the deteriorating conditions of both the trade-routes and roads in the area, Chao had refused to send any help at all, citing the need to protect the areas closer to his own lands and people.
He held nothing but contempt for that man, putting his own pride and ambition above the welfare of the people he was supposed to protect, he was a poor governor and deserved no respect.
He shook his head.
"I do not believe that governor Chao will help us in this matter, or offer any more assistance than he already has."
Croc sighed heavily, nodding his agreement.
"You're probably right. Man, I hate that guy. Well then, guess I'll take a few of the less raw recruits and head out tomorrow. No way we are letting them get away with this!"
Master Ox agreed. They had to be brought to justice, and they had to stop these attacks.
He turned back to the table, about to write a reply for the messenger to take back, when he glanced at the map, taking in the position of the village in question.
Maybe it was just another raid, admittedly, more gruesome and horrible than the others, but with the only intention being to get some gold and some food.
Or maybe it had another purpose in mind altogether. But what it was, what the plan behind all of it was, he could not see.
Frustrated at his own lack of insight into the mind of his adversary, he bent down, beginning his reply.
Perhaps after some meditation. Maybe then, it would be clearer.
.
.
Everything hurt.
That was the first thing he noticed. While it wasn't the all-consuming pain that one might expect after having been stabbed with a thick piece of wood, it still hurt pretty bad. And it hurt everywhere.
His head hurt, his face hurt, his leg hurt, his stomach hurt, his side hurt, his chest hurt. Probably the only thing that didn't hurt was his tail, and even that could be argued was only because it had gone numb, the weight of his leg cutting off the blood flow.
'I thought being dead would be a lot less painful than this.'
Which could only mean one thing then.
He wasn't dead.
Though both surprised and greatly relieved, he did not feel that it was much cause for celebration right at the moment, having no idea either where he was or how he had survived the ordeal, having been certain that the wounds he had suffered would prove fatal.
Trying to open his eyes, he felt something preventing them from doing so, and immediately feared that he had been bound, his eyes covered so that he could not see his surroundings. But when he lifted his arm, he found that he could move freely, or, at least, he wasn't restrained in any way he could sense, a dull, throbbing pain accompanying even a slight movement of either his arms or his legs, preventing him from immediately reaching up to his face to remove whatever was holding his eyes shut.
But feeling around, trying to see past the pain that gradually subsided to a dull ache, he could sense his body resting against something firm, but soft, something a little heavy covering him as he lay there. If he would have to guess, he would say that he was lying in a bed, and a comfy one at that, covered by a layer of blankets.
He hardly dared move, mostly because he knew that doing so would bring a new wave of hurt rushing through his body, but also because he did not know where he was, or who was around, and showing them that he was awake and ready might not be such a good idea. But he forced himself to do so anyway, managing to move an arm around, groaning as his wounded side gave a displeased jolt, hoping that nobody was around to either see or hear him.
Gently touching his face, he felt layers of cloth rolled around much of the upper part of his head, covering his eyes and forehead. Hooking a claw under the edge, he managed to tip it up far enough to remove it from his right eye, the left side of his face feeling slightly numb, but prickling painfully as the bandage moved, tightening slightly. He guessed that it had something to do with the fact that he had been clawed in the face, but that was just a theory.
Carefully tilting his head left and right, feeling as if something heavy was rolling around behind his eyelids as he did so, he saw that he was in a large, square, comfy looking room about three by four meters, occupying a bed that, by his admittedly low standards, could only be considered luxurious, covered by a couple of large, thick blankets.
Judging by the type of wood and the style of the room, he guessed that he was still at the tavern, which raised more questions than it answered really, but the fact that he didn't know for sure still bothered him.
A small stove, a fire visible within, was placed against the far wall, while a simple chair was sat besides it opposite the bed. A window to his left, showing brightening skies outside, gold, orange and red vying with each other to dominate the thin white clouds outside, told him that it was morning.
To his right, furthest from the bed, was a door, closed for the moment, and next to it, nearer him, was a dresser, three drawers set within it, each with a metal handle. Leaning against the dresser on his right side was his sword, his bow and his backpack, along with a stack of neatly folded clothes, washed and cleaned, looking fresh and...
Wait, weren't those his clothes?
Gently lifting the blankets, he was given a view of his broken and battered body, bandages covering the creamy white fur on his chest, stomach and circling his right thigh. A large, bulging bandage placed on his side where the wolf had stabbed him with the wooden stake, a green, peculiar smelling mush of herbs placed against the wound.
But most worrying of all, what really made Jun nervous, was the fact that underneath the blankets, he was wearing nothing at all.
Blushing bright red, he quickly covered himself once again. It was clear that whoever had placed him here wanted him to survive, to be comfortable, and had gone through a lot of trouble to make sure he was both those things.
But he did not like the thought of someone else having seen him naked. Even if it had been to save his life.
Trying to reach out for the pile of clothes, wanting to put on at least a pair of pants, he immediately withdrew his paw as a shooting pain rushed up from his wound, making it clear in no uncertain terms that he wasn't going anywhere soon.
"Oh spirits damn it all."
He whispered the curse to himself, feeling a need to went some of his frustration. But as if summoned by the words, the door to the room opened, and a middle-aged woman stepped through carrying a tray of tools and bandages, along with two pots with some liquid inside each.
Jun sat completely still as she walked across the room, placing the tray on a chair next to the stove and began rearranging the things, placing some of them to the right, readying a few tools, while putting the pots on top of the stove, placing a piece of cloth within one of them.
He most certainly hadn't seen her before. He hardly even knew what she was, her black spotted fur resembling that of a leopard, but she was much smaller than what one would expect for one of those, so maybe, she was a cat of some sort?
She looked nice enough though, kind of like what he had always expected an old aunt to look like, dressed in plain clothing, an apron placed slightly askew, her fur graying a bit around her ears and eyes, but overall, looking kind and warm, smiling and humming a jaunty tune to herself as she worked.
She turned to look at him, stopping as she caught his eye, the other still covered by the bandages, she was momentarily surprised, but then she smiled broadly.
"AH, glad to see you're finally awake. Well, I shouldn't be surprised, Nuan said you were a tough one after all."
Her voice was soft and warm, matching well with the mental image he had already formed of her. She turned a little, so that she was facing the room, her side to him but still in such a way that he could see what she was doing, she began stirring the pot as steam started rising from it, tossing in a couple handfuls of something as she did so, only turning her eyes away for a few seconds before returning all her attention to him again, her smile turning into a sincerely concerned frown.
"I must say you were in a real state when we found you. For a moment I thought you wouldn't make it through. I'm glad I was wrong."
Perking up as his dulled mind picked up the mention of Nuan, he tried to sit up a little, only managing to scoot back a few more inches to rest his head against the backboard to see her better. There was so much he needed to know, his memory foggy and fragmented, the last he remembered was being thrown down the stairs in the inn's main room, sure that he was about to die.
"I'm sorry but, where am I? what happened? Where are the bandits? Is Nuan and Ai alright?"
Then, after a moment, looking her up and down once again, he quickly added.
"And who are you?"
She banged her wooden spoon against the edge of the pot before she moved it off the stove, putting a lid back on it, after she threw in a few more herbs, then turning her attention back to Jun, wiping her paws off on her apron.
"Well, first things first, my name is Bai Lin and you are still in 'Chong's tavern, if you remember anything of what happened."
It all came back to him as his mind cleared, beginning to remember the fight, right up to the point where he was thrown down the stairs.
She placed a paw on her chest as she introduced herself, seemingly happy at all the questions and activity he was displaying, maybe taking it as a good sign. She continued, her tone and demeanor growing serious as she told him what had happened.
"Nuan and Ai are both alright, I was home with my husband, we live a few Li up the river, when they burst through the door. They were in a right state, Ai crying and Nuan hardly making any sense at all."
She sighed, returning to her stew, or whatever it was she was working on, beginning to pour it out in a bowl. He was overjoyed to hear that they were both alright, his concern for both of them having been a greater source of distress than he had initially thought. Bai, seemingly happy with the portion she had poured began working with the bandages, preparing them.
"When she finally calmed down enough to tell us what had happened, we gathered a couple of our neighbors, sure that we would have to bury you when we arrived, hoping that the bandits had left when we got there."
Jun wasn't sure, but it seemed that she shivered a little as she recalled the event, but that might just have been the dizziness and pain. But he did catch the sideways glance she threw towards him, the concern still evident but… so was something else.
"It was a mess in there. I haven't seen anything like it since, well, since I was a nurse in the imperial army."
This time, he definitely caught a shiver, and it wasn't from the cold, the room being very toasty as it was, the stove giving off a palpable wall of heat, the wood within, cracking and burning merrily.
"When we found you, we were certain that you were already dead. All that blood, all those wounds. I must admit we were all greatly surprised when I found a pulse."
The smile returning, she took up her tray once more, moved over, placed it on the dresser, and went over and retrieved the chair and the pot of steaming water, placing the chair next to him before sitting down, hiding the pot away next to the bed. Jun self-consciously pulled the blanket a little further up, covering his bare shoulders as well at the rest of him.
"well, we did the best we could, and I'm happy to see that it has proven enough to keep you amongst the living, though it was touch and go for a time. I have a few questions for you now, if you don't mind me asking?"
Jun had to admit that he was slightly reluctant to be subjugated to an interrogation, but he could always refuse to answer if they proved too invasive. After all, she seemed nice, and he had no reason to distrust her, but still he had to be clear on the nature of the questions first.
"Oh I just want to know how you got that wound on your thigh, and the one on your arm. They seemed older than the rest, maybe by a week or so."
She seemed concerned again, her arms placed expectantly in her lap, her hands folded together, as she waited for his answer.
He remembered back, recalling the superficial wounds he had received fighting the other groups, both the two wolves that had hunted him and the group he had ambushed at the river, but he had not thought them to be anything warranting any worry. He had, after all, washed them clean and kept them that way as best he could.
"This isn't the first time I've had to fight their kind."
He found that he was reluctant to tell her too much about his past, feeling quite guarded about the events of the last week or so. He had opened up to Nuan, maybe more out of loneliness and a desire to calm her down more than anything else, but now he felt as if it was… private. What had happened was his burden to carry, and he felt uncomfortable sharing it with her. The wound was still very raw, and he expected that she would not understand if he told her.
She nodded, as if she had been expecting an answer like that, but wasn't satisfied with it nevertheless.
"And if I may ask, why have you been fighting bandits. As far as I can tell, you can't be much more than fifteen, much too young to be getting into such fights."
It wasn't voiced accusingly, or scolding. It was more concerned, more saddened. He suspected that she might already know, or have guessed, some of the events that had led him to the tavern, alone and in the depths of winter, but he couldn't be sure.
"Have you talked to Nuan? Have you asked her?"
Nuan knew his whole story, and although he had decided that he wished to keep his past a secret, he had not shackled her with any obligation to do the same, and so she had been free to tell her about it.
She shook her head.
"I asked her. She said you had suffered. That you had known a terrible loss, but she said that if I wished to know more, it was probably best if I asked you."
He was instantly grateful that Nuan had decided not to share his past with her, perhaps sensing that it was not something he had wished to be spoken freely about. Maybe it seemed a little unfair to Bai, but he preferred it if she did not know.
"I don't want to talk about it. It is… uncomfortable for me."
She nodded, understanding, and did not pry any further, perhaps not needing to. She got up and began rummaging with the object on the tray, pushing the chair a little closer to the bed, before sitting down again with the tray in her lap, giving Jun a clear view of the array lined out upon it.
There was a pair of scissors, kept immaculately clean and sharp, along with a small knife, a bundle of bandages of various lengths, and a bowl of chunky green stuff, that smelled horrible.
He wrinkled his nose at the smell, and at the risk of sounding petulant, he quickly commented on the look of the soup.
"I hope you don't expect me to eat that. I'm sorry but it doesn't smell very enticing."
He knew that it might offend her, after all, she had just spent quite a while cooking it for him, but he did not feel like he had much energy to be polite. Especially if she was about to force that sludge down his throat.
She looked at the chunky green, foul-smelling sludge, an eyebrow arching slightly and a smile tucking at her lip.
"It's not as bad as it looks actually. But no, I'm not going to make you eat it. I am however going to redress your wounds, so if you would be so kind."
She made a shooing gesture with her paw, gesturing for him to remove the blankets, as she began rolling one of the bandages around one of her paws for ease of use, looking for all the world as if this was an everyday occurrence.
Jun blushed slightly at the notion, feeling quite self-conscious.
"I… I um... I can't."
His voice came out quite small and hesitant making her look up from her preparations, a questioning look on her face. Swallowing slightly, he leaned in a little closer, so as not to have to announce it too loud.
"I'm not wearing anything underneath."
For a moment, she sat there, as if she wasn't quite grasping what he was saying, before she seemed to catch his meaning, the puzzled look on her face replaced with one of slight amusement.
"Well of course you aren't! Do you know how much of a hassle it is tending to wounds with all kinds of clothes in the way. Besides, I had to see if you had any other scratches and dents hidden away under there."
She continued preparing as it suddenly dawned on Jun that he hadn't actually been paying real attention to what she had been saying. going back over their conversation, he realized that when he had been unconscious, it was more than likely that she had been the one to tend to him. She had said it herself after all, she was a nurse. She had said so herself.
Jun felt as if his cheeks might burn off from the heat rising through them as he blushed violently at the realization. As far as he knew, the only ones to have seen him as nature had made him was his family, as their little home had had very few chances of privacy, and him and his brother had shared a room after all, but this was something else, and he couldn't help but feel mortified at the thought.
Either noticing his suddenly very crimson cheeks, or perhaps the steam coming out of his ears for all he knew, she too realize the effects her words had had on him, and she waved a paw dismissively, trying to soothe him.
"Oh honey, I'm a nurse, I've probably seen hundreds of men naked, one more won't hurt me. It's nothing I haven't seen before. Besides, who do you think was the one to put those bandages on you in the first place?"
Far from having the calming effect on him that she might have hoped, he just blushed even more, which was no mean feat. He dearly wished that he could sink through the bed and into the ground, hoping that it would swallow him whole. But failing that he simply clasped the blankets harder, trying to preserve his modesty.
"Actually, I think that I'm fine, no need to replace them at all. I'll probably be out of bed before tomorrow morning!"
The words rushed out as Jun, unable to stop himself blushing, tried to fend her off, having no desire whatsoever to drop his covers.
Seeing that her words had had the opposite effect on him than she could have wished, she sighed, somewhat defeatedly and stopped what she had been doing to turn and look at him sternly.
"Jun, I need to replace the bandages and to see if the wounds are infected. Now, I you don't want me to do it, I can go down and get my husband, but between you and me, he was always rubbish at helping me do this."
He felt as if this was only getting worse. As if it hadn't been bad enough with her, now her husband was going to join in!
As he remained silent, she seemed to reach an agreement with herself, sighing heavily.
"Well, if it really bothers you that much then I suppose we can skip the graze on your thigh, that wasn't actually that bad to begin with, but I have to insist that I tend to the others."
She crossed her arms as she stared him down determinately. Despite what he might want, Jun knew that she was probably right. If the bandages weren't changed, and the wounds weren't properly cared for, they might get infected, and then, despite all their hard work, he would die anyway, and in a much more uncomfortable way than simply getting stabbed.
Feeling that this was probably the best he could get away with, he nodded slowly, defeated, and slowly dropped the covers, keeping them just above his waist, so that she had access to the numerous wounds that he had acquired.
She was remarkably efficient, using the rag from the pot of steaming water to painfully scrub the wounds clean of any filth, before replacing the bandages around his arm and his chest, replacing the green goo that had previously been smeared upon the wounds with the fresh batch before redressing them in fresh, clean, white bandages.
Continuing downwards, doing the same to the deep scratch he had gotten on his stomach, and as she finally removed the fat, bulging cover to his stab-wound, Jun couldn't help but look down with a sort of morbid fascination. Though much of it was obscured by her herbal salve, he could still see the deep, angry red area around the puncture wound, the wooden stake having made quite a hole I his side, but it was already healing nicely, even if it was larger than he had expected.
He winched and whimpered pathetically as her deft paws squeezed around the edges, testing it, seeing if there was any signs of infection or bad healing.
"well, the stitches seem to be doing their job nicely, and I've got to say you do heal up rather quick compared to many others I've seen, but I still think you would need to stay at least a week or so more in bed before moving around too much, just to be sure."
He nodded as she spoke, trying to achieve the dual task of making sure the blankets stayed above the equator, clasping it in both paws as he squeezed it hard, and doing his best not to jerk and whimper every time she so much as touched the area around the wound, especially when she painfully, but a lot more gently, washed the area with the steaming rag.
As she reapplied the green goo Jun felt a sort of searing, dulling sensation, as the herbs seemed to burn uncomfortably around the edges before cooling off, leaving his side slightly, but refreshingly, numb, only tingling slightly.
Though it felt like an eternity, it probably wasn't more than a few minutes before she got up and brushed her hands off as she surveyed her handiwork, nodding contently.
"Well, everything seems to be coming along nicely, and though I don't think it should take too long before you can move about again, like I said, better to stick to your bed until your all healed up."
Pulling the covers back over himself, he gave a sigh of relief as the ordeal ended, thankful that it had at least been swift. He had even managed to untangle his tail, which was now hanging over the edge of the bed, sensation returning to it slowly.
But before he could lie fully back under the covers, she coughed, regaining his attention.
"Before you get too comfortable, perhaps we should see to your eye?"
He wanted to smack himself, somehow having almost forgotten about the claw marks on his face. Remembering how the wolf had almost taken his eye out, he felt a slight sense of dread returning. While he had been so busy earlier worrying and wondering about a dozen other things, he had completely forgotten the fact that he might very well be blind on one eye.
As she set about unwinding the bandages covering his face, he felt a growing sense of trepidation, fearing that he would see nothing from his left eye, having gone blind. But as soon as the last of the roll fell from his face, he found that the only thing that prevented him from seeing anything, was the crust of green salve, laying thick around it. She removed it the same way as she had remove most of the other, but when she was done, she sat a moment, contemplating it.
"I don't think it will be necessary to redress that. It is not as bad as I feared, though you will still have a few noticeable scars."
As soon as he realized that he had escape with his sight, he let out a breath he had been holding, his whole body sagging slightly as he realized just how lucky he had been. He gently lifted a paw to trace his fingers over his face, feeling the slight, tender scars that ran from his forehead downwards, across his brown and onto his cheek.
She picked up her tray, now bedecked with a pile of filthy rags and bandages, putting it back on the dresser, before she nodded happily as her smile returned, apparently satisfied with the whole ordeal.
"I'll ask Nuan to bring up a bowl of carrot soup later, but for now, I think you should try to get some more sleep, let the salve work its way in. Though I think they'll both be happy to know that their hero has finally woken up."
He smiled slightly, though he did not like being called a hero. The title didn't seem to fit him very well, it made him out to be something he wasn't. His smile fell again, growing downcast.
He wasn't a hero. He hadn't come to the tavern with the specific intention of stopping the bandits just because it was the right thing to do. He had been hunting them for his own selfish goals. Though he did want to stop the bandits before they hurt anyone else, he had never done it purely out of the goodness of his heart, but out of wanting revenge. It was about as unheroic as it could be.
"I'm no hero, far from it. I'm just, some guy. At the wrong place at the right time."
He looked down slightly, a little embarrassed at the undeserved praise. Even if it had been a joke, he found that it hit something tender within him, something raw. He had stopped the bandits from hurting either of the two bunnies, but would they have been in danger in the first place if he hadn't been there?
His reaction seemed to put a damper on her mood as well, because her face fell, her smile replaced with a sad, pitying expression. She returned to her tray, about to leave with it, when she stopped, picked something up from the dresser, and held it up slightly to her face, Jun, just able to see it passed her shoulder.
He recognized it immediately as Ai's little doll, Ting. Up close, it did have some resemblance to a bunny, though, he would have been hard pressed to guess it hadn't he known her. Bai smiled slightly, and somewhat sadly too as she looked at it.
"You know, they were both so worried about you. Ai wouldn't stop crying, sure that you were going to die. Nuan kept blaming herself for what happened, saying that it was all her fault. That you only tried to help them."
She walked over from the dresser, still contemplating the doll as she did so, not taking her attention away from it, running one paw gently along its frame.
"Ai left this to look over you while you slept, hoping that it would help, if only a little bit. You know, when we arrived. When we came upon the scene inside…"
She stopped for a moment, looking out the window, contemplating the sun outside as she thought about her words. When she continued, it was with a voice, tinged slightly by fear, sadness coloring her tone.
"Nuan said there was nine of them. That they were going to harm or kill her and Ai for biting one of them. She said that you attacked them, that you kept them at bay long enough for her and Ai to escape."
She bent her knees slightly, bringing her eyes level with his as she sought to catch his gaze, but he steadfastly refused to look away from his own feet, not wanting to meet her eyes.
"I don't know what happened to you, what brought you to do something like that. But you took on nine armed wolves, alone, without any hope of help or rescue. Just to stop them from harming someone you barely know. Someone you have never met before."
She turned, putting down the doll on the chair, almost directly besides Jun's hand, the dolls oversized head making it look down, as if it too was sad. She walked over, picking up the tray, about to leave.
"If I can't call that heroic, then I don't know what to call it. Mad? Maybe. But to Nuan and AI, you're a hero. And when the villagers come to collect their belongings, I'm sure they'll call you a hero too."
She walked over to the door, awkwardly opening it with her elbow as both her paws were full. She stood in the open doorway, but before leaving, she turned her head to regard him one last time.
"I think it would be a good idea if you got some more rest. if you need anything, we'll be just downstairs. Don't hesitate to call."
As she closed the door, he was left alone in the room, his ears picking up the sound of movement on the hallway outside, as well as a lot of it downstairs, voices and creaking boards telling him that at least a few people were gathered there.
He gently picked up the small doll, holding it between his paws that looked much too large for such a small toy. He was touched that they had been so concerned about him, but somehow, it felt ill deserved. Still, it was somehow nice to know that there were people out there who cared for him, to whom he mattered.
He put it back on the chair, exhaustion overcoming him as he suddenly felt a slight sense of dizziness as the herbs did their job and numbed the pain from the wounds. Growing more and more sluggish, he Buried himself deeper under the covers, and he closed his eyes, letting sleep wash over him.
.
.
The six of them stood outside their sleeping quarters, watching as several of the palace workers, along with a few carpenters and masons from the village, swarmed around the second barracks, which stood empty most of the year, only housing the occasional guests every now and again, but was now a hurricane of activity, as was a great deal of the rest of the palace.
Between them, the workers carried planks, panels, tools and other materials needed for construction, the whole area seemingly being overhauled for some, as yet, unknown purpose.
The snow that had covered the palace courtyard had been swept aside, creating large piles of compact, hard ice at the edges of the large open area, so that they might better work, discarding their various burdens into growing piles of ready materials, already stacked high along the outside walls.
While the numerous workers, and the seemingly bottomless coffers, of the palace kept everything in top condition year round, Shifu, as the grandmaster, had ordered a few, extra constructions be made, and some areas to be renovated, since some buildings were not in constant use and so, had been given a lower priority, allowing them to fall a bit lower than the high standards he demanded of every facet of palace life and conditions.
This mostly involved the guest barracks, which was so rarely used that it was given a full refit and repair, the common area, which had seen better days, the bathing hall, which Po had always thought was a bit too small, and, to Po's great dismay, the kitchen, since the work prevented him from going in at his leisure, confining him to three square meals a day, and whatever snacks he kept hidden around.
While the craftsmen of the valley seemed positively thrilled by the numerous commissions they had received so late in the season, especially since it secured both work and profit for well after the new year, not all the students of the Jade palace were equally enthusiastic about the changes. Most of all, because they still remained ignorant of the reason behind them.
"Come on! One of you must have heard something, anything! I'm looking at you Tigress!"
Po had used the last couple of days trying to discover what was behind this recent rush of activity, but he had found master Shifu to be singularly uninformative, hiding away inside the vaults of the palace, only emerging to pass a new list of changes and commissions on to Zheng, who would then carry it to the appropriate recipient.
Growling slightly in annoyance, both from the panda's incessant questioning, but also from the lack of information herself, she answered testily.
"As I said before Po, if I knew what was going on, I would have told you. But since Master Shifu has not seen fit to tell us, I know as much as you. I trust that, in due time, we shall be informed."
She began walking towards the training hall, doing her best to ignore the bustling workers, that shied away from her, bowing respectfully wherever she went, as they did for the rest of the students of the Jade Palace.
"We have training to do. Just because there are a few more people around doesn't mean that you can slack off."
She directed the last few words to them all in general, giving a pointed look to Monkey who was lounging in the open window of his room, a jar placed on his stomach as he lazily dipped his hand in, retrieving a snack. Giving a sigh she continued on her path towards the training hall, perhaps to hide her annoyance at being kept in the dark as well.
Watching her leave, Po leaned down to whisper to Mantis and Monkey, who was sharing the jar of almond-cookies that Po had not managed to find before them.
"I know she knows something. All my Kung Fu interrogation skills are telling me she knows something."
Mantis perked an eyebrow at that, looking dubiously at the large panda.
"Your Kung Fu interrogation skills? You mean when you sit on someone to make them tell you where they hide the cookies?"
Po winched at the mention, and Monkey groaned, remembering the pain of having a very large bear fall on him, both remembering the incident with little fondness. Even though it had been an accident, it covered the chain of events well enough that neither of them felt the need to correct the tiny master, who was snickering at the reaction he had provoked, finding it amusing to no end.
Rolling her eyes at them, Viper slid forward so that she could address all three of them ad once.
"You know she is right though. If Master Shifu believed it important for us to know, he would have told us. There is no reason to speculate."
This did not seem to placate Po in the least.
"But what if it's a test?"
He inhaled sharply as if he suddenly realized something horrible.
"What if we are being attacked, and he's like, you know, preparing our defenses and stuff."
This only earned him more looks from his friends, as they clearly didn't buy into this theory either.
"If we were being attacked, I doubt he would have kept us in the dark. And I highly doubt the villagers would be so thrilled at the prospect."
Crane gestured to the numerous workers, all seeming to be in a stellar mood, which neatly punctured the panda's theory, but not his enthusiasm, as he thoughtfully began pacing back and forth.
Before he had a chance to continue his speculations however, the great doors to the palace opened, and Master Shifu stepped through, closing them after himself. Walking down the great stairs, now free of snow, he inspected the progress on the building, seemingly satisfied with the speed with which it was being carried out.
Nodding to himself, he walked over to talk to one of the foremen, a large pig with a pot belly, who was holding several sheets of paper in his hands, trying to make head or tails in the drawings and writing.
As they began talking to one another, Po suddenly had an epiphany. Turning to his friends, he started speaking, keeping his voice hushed, sounding conspiring.
"Shifu has been spending a lot of time going over different scrolls and stuff. I bet, if we could read some of them, we could get a feel for what he's planning."
Monkey looked up at the large panda, squinting slightly as he did so, not liking where this was going.
"You want to break into his office? You know what he'll do to you if he finds out right?"
Shifu had been searching the vaults of the palace these last few days, grabbing a few scrolls here and there, only to disappear into the small room he used as his personal, private study, where the scrolls remained afterwards, out of reach of his students, as they were forbidden from entering without being accompanied by him, or without his express permission to do so.
Po could well imagine the punishment for entering it without either of those. He would most likely be made to wash the floor of every building, using nothing more than a bucket of water, and a small rag. Or he would be made to clear the thin layer of snow from the roof, and the stairs, and the street below. Or some equally arduous, mind-numbing, time-consuming task.
Looking at their master once again, they noticed a certain, animation around him. A certain spring in his step, not literally of course, but still, he seemed to be… happier. As if he was exited at the prospect of whatever it was he was planning, and, they had to admit, that only made all of them want to find out what it was even more so than before.
"I wouldn't say I was 'breaking in' as much as 'taking a peep'. You know, it's not like we are doing something bad. We just want to know, to be prepared, like warriors. Right?"
Sounding like he was trying to persuade himself as much as if he was trying to persuade them, they all looked on as Shifu continued his rounds, walking over to a rather large goose, who oversaw the clearing of some of the areas behind the palace, making an open field in the forest just outside the normal training area.
Shaking his head slightly at the idea, Crane turned, walking back inside their quarters, calling over his shoulder.
"well, I think it would be best just to wait. I trust that when the time is right, he'll tell us. But for now, I think I'll try and work on my calligraphy, before you get us all into trouble."
Looking despairingly at his dwindling group of compatriots, he glanced at each of them in turn. They shared a look between them, before Viper too, shook her head.
"Sorry Po, but I agree with Crane. Besides, I don't fancy using my new year holiday trying to clean dust out of the ceiling panels."
She began slithering towards the training hall, no doubt intending to join Tigress in whatever regime she had set up for herself today.
Which left him with only Monkey and Mantis, the two of them, each with crumbs around their mouth, gave each other a despairing look. Monkey swallowed, answering first.
"You know, I just remembered I have this huge pile of letters I haven't replied to yet. I should really get right on that. You know how I hate keeping people waiting."
Jumping off, the windowsill, he quickly closed the window after him, leaving Mantis standing outside alone, with Po.
Looking around, seeing that he was the only one left he started glancing around frantically, trying to find some excuse to get out of what promised to be, a very bad plan.
"You know, I think I should get down to the village, try and see if I can't…"
Quickly grabbing him in his paw, Po began walking towards the palace, trying to look as if it was just a normal, everyday activity, managing to look extremely suspicions as he did so.
"Thanks Mantis, appreciate the help."
Sighing deeply, Mantis crawled up on his shoulder to better be positioned to make a quick escape.
"Yeah, Yeah. Anytime buddy."
Walking up to the great doors, they both made a quick check to see if Shifu was still talking with the workers, which he was, and indeed, he seemed to be moving further away, giving them even more time to investigate.
Rushing past the exhibits and the pool, quickly grabbing a candle as they did so, they crept up on one of the doors, hidden away at the very rear of the great hall, out of the way, hidden from direct view. Going though, they entered a long hallway, terminating in a stairwell, going down into the lower levels of the palace. Luckily, they weren't going that far, coming to stop at the second to last door, small windows letting in the light from the outside.
In front of them was a thick, solid, oaken door, metal and iron bands and hinges, painted with gold, inlaid in it. This was the entry to Shifu's office, situated right next to his sleeping quarters. Grabbing the handle, Po tried to open it and, when he found that it wouldn't budge, tried tucking even harder, the thick wood creaking ominously as he did so.
"It's locked."
He said it with a note of disappointment, even if he had anticipated that the grandmaster would keep his doors locked at all times. Spreading his 'thingies' sounding not at all disappointed, Mantis spoke up.
"Well, can't say we didn't try, now let's get out of here."
Ignoring him completely, Po looked at the lock, peeping though it, then looked at Mantis, then back at the lock.
"Can't you like, pick the lock or something? I mean, I've seen you do it before so, I know you can do it but…"
He left the last unsaid, looking imploringly at him. Mantis sighed and, using Po's arm as a sort of ladder, walked up to inspect the lock. Making a few 'hmm' and 'ha' noises, he began prodding it, sticking his arms through, twisting them this way and that.
Suddenly, giving a very loud clicking noise, that made Po wince and look at the door leading out to the great hall, the door unlocked, and, with a light shove, slowly crept open, revealing the interior.
"Awesome. Mantis, you stay here and watch the hall. If Shifu returns, you signal me, got it?"
He communicated in a loud whisper, not wanting Shifu to hear what they were doing. He had learned his lesson when it came to his master's supernatural hearing.
Mantis looked almost offended at the notion, directing a sour glance at the large bear.
"What! I help you break into his office, and I don't even get to see what he has planned? Tell, you what, why don't you stay here and guard the hall, and I'll see what's up."
Groaning heavily, the panda could not find a way to refuse his friend, but he would not let such a chance of snooping go past him, his curiosity greater than his dread for whatever terrible punishment Shifu might concoct.
"Fine, we'll both go in, but keep an ear open will ya?"
Not waiting for confirmation, he pushed through the door, closing it behind him, making sure that it was shut completely.
He turned to find the usually ordered and pristine office in a state bordering chaos. They had all been here before, usually when they were being briefed on a mission, or sometimes when he was instructing them in something. But those times, the office had been spotless, everything neatly stacked, placed in small piles here and there, the maps and scrolls covering the walls and table would be placed neatly upon one another, nothing taking up more space than was absolutely necessary.
Now, the light of the candle giving both of them ample light to see in the windowless room, it seemed as if half the library had been discarded in here, the maps of the palace and surrounding area folded out recklessly on the two tier table tucked up against the far wall, scrolls and papers on either side in uneven stacks.
The scrollcase that took up much of the wall next to the desk was filled with scrolls and a few books, seemingly having been placed haphazardly within, split up into five categories, as far as he could tell.
Okay, so chaos was perhaps overstating it. But given Shifu's usual orderliness, this could be considered very messy indeed.
He walked over to the work desk, pushing the small chair away so that he could better see, placing the candle in a worn candleholder, next to the ink and a feather, and picked up one of the numerous papers lying discarded on it.
But finding that It was nothing more than a list of chores and orders that he needed to have done, he let it fall back in the pile, and picked up another, going through the numerous arks of paper quickly, discovering that they all held similar uninteresting information. Letting the last few sheets fall back unto the wooden surface of the desk, he instead went over to inspect the scrolls in the large case, as he gleefully rubbed his paws together.
"Alright, let's see what kind of scrolls he has been reading lately. I bet it's some new secret grandmaster like technique, or maybe he's working on a new sort of gauntlet of death, you know, just to keep us in fighting condition. Uhh, maybe it's some…"
He was interrupted by Mantis, who had been going methodically up and down the different shelves, going in between the few dozen scrolls, using his speed to quickly read the titles and then move on, gaining quite a comprehensive overview of the nature of the scrolls. He sounded disappointed, almost as if he had been hoping that they truly would have stumbled upon some trove of knowledge, something resembling a dragon scroll, or something like it.
"It's just basic Kung Fu scrolls. All of it. Just, you know, how to perform a kick, how to stretch, how to exercise and eat properly, how to do Tai Chi. Something we all learned years ago."
He jumped back unto the pandas shoulder, sagging a little as he realized that it had all been for nothing.
"What!"
Almost shouting in disbelief, Po reached out and tore a random scroll from a shelf, opening it to read the title.
'The fundamentals of a training/recovery cycle'.
Tossing the scroll aside, he picked another, then another, refusing to believe the apparent mundane nature of the knowledge within, sure that they had simply missed something vital.
'Tai Chi fundamentals, the road to balance.'
'Basic teaching methods, how to impart your ideas unto others.'
'A true warrior. The importance of diet.'
Letting the last scroll fall into the pile with the other, he looked around the room, defeatedly, searching for something else, anything else. Truly disappointed, he looked back at the pile of scrolls.
"Why would master Shifu keep this hidden from us? I mean, he's usually secretive and all that, but this is really something else."
Shrugging, looking around the office, that now could be called nothing less than chaotic, he seemed to realize the mess they had left.
"We should probably clean up before Shifu gets back. Wouldn't want him to know that we've been in here."
"No, I suppose that was the whole idea behind the sneaking and the whispering in the first place."
Both of them stopped moving, standing completely still as the realized who the owner of the voice was. Swallowing heavily, they turned to look at a very irate master Shifu, standing in the door, which he had somehow managed to open without making a sound.
"Oh, eh, master Shifu, we were just ahmm…"
Trying, and failing, to come up with a viable excuse to be in his office without his express permission, Po glanced around, taking in the scene. Looking back up at his master, he could almost feel himself shrinking under the withering stare.
"This looks bad, doesn't it?"
Shifu nodded once as Po stated the obvious.
Mantis crawled up on the pandas head, looking equally uneasy at the thought of what lay ahead.
"We are going to regret this, aren't we?"
Again, Shifu nodded once, before turning his back on them, walking through the door.
"Now come along, I have an announcement to make to the five, and you might as well be present Po, this will involve you as well."
His tone brokered no argument, and carried all the annoyance and disappointment at the two of them. Quickly extinguishing the candle, they both rushed out after their master, following him into the great hall where the four others were already waiting for them.
As soon as Po took his place in the line, Mantis jumped down to stand on Monkey's shoulder, looking for all the world as if he had just received the death sentence.
Shifu walked up the few steps leading to the pool, the golden dragon above reflected in its calm water. Standing a little taller as he did so, now looking down at all of them, with the exception of Po and Tigress, he directed another, withering stare at Po and Mantis.
"Now that we are all present, I have an important announcement to make. Though it is mostly meant for the five, I have no doubt that it will affect all of us greatly."
As he talked, he gestured to the furious five, Po sliding a little away from them as master Shifu began talking, feeling that he might be intruding a little.
Leaning slightly against his staff, both using it as his symbol of office, but also to spare his bad leg slightly, he continued.
"Over the past few months, you have all made incredible progress, each one of you growing more skillful than I could ever have hoped at such a young age, exceeding even my high expectations."
They all beamed at the praise, knowing that their master did not give it either lightly or insincerely. If he said that they had done well then, they had indeed, done well.
"Indeed, you have progressed so much that I have been hard pressed to keep you challenged and engaged. Therefore, I now believe it is finally time for you all to advance to the next step in your journey."'
He stood up straighter, looking each of them in the eyes one at a time, pinning them to the spot with his unflinching look. They all stood a little taller, trying to look more confident than they felt as they sensed that he was growing more serious.
"You are about to embark on the toughest, most arduous part of your training. Nothing I have done will have prepared you enough for the challenges ahead, but I have complete faith that you will prove equal to the task at hand, and that you will not disappoint."
Swallowing slightly at that, Monkey and Mantis both exchanged a concerned look, Po trying to remain where he was, was tiptoeing on the spot as he tried to hide an excited yelp from escaping him. Crane did not move, but seemed equally as nervous as his two colleagues, while Viper looked concernedly at her friends, not seeming too worried at the prospect of the task at hand.
Tigress, standing to attention, took one step forward, placed her paws together and bowed before Shifu.
"Master, we are ready. Tells us what we must do."
Shifu nodded, glad to see the enthusiasm from his students as the others mirrored her stance, awaiting their instructions. Walking down the steps, coming to stop a few feet away from them, he once again looked each of them in the eyes before continuing.
"My students, you are going to impart your years of wisdom and experience onto another, younger, troubled person, in need of a mentor and guide. You are going to experience the single hardest, most rewarding task any true Kung Fu master will ever experience."
Smiling even more broadly as he saw the confusion written across their faces, he finished.
"My students, you are going to teach."
A
A
AN:
A long chapter that was actually quite fun to write, everything considered. And I'm glad to try my hand on one with a little more humor and happiness in it, hopefully a sign of things to come. Hope you enjoyed it, and that you'll stay tuned for more. Hopefully, it won't take me too long to finish the next chapter, as it will undoubtedly be a deal shorter than this. Until then though, you'll have to be satisfied with what you've got :).