Hey everyone! Sorry about update times, I was on a huge class trip Washington DC, so I wasn't able to write for about a week. My birthday was last Friday, and I just finished celebrating with friends and fam, but now it's time for some Fanfiction.

Special thanks to:

The Grey Alien: Thanks for all the support you've given me so far. I'm glad you're following the story... I'm also VERY glad you don't kill people for slow updates, because I would be hopelessly doomed.

Coneofwonders: happy to see you again, and I believe that in Traditional Chinese, Án Yán can be translated to a form of darkness, or chaos.

Berserker88: I'll work on the capitalization thing. Thanks for all the support and everything, I like seeing that you enjoy the story.

TheWhisperingWarrior: glad you noticed that part. Crane usually seems calm and collected, but when around someone he likes, things get a bit awkward.

JubJub025: Thanks for all the encouragement, Complements always help.

animatedfangirl21101: glad to see you again. That review really raised my spirits, and we all know kind words go a long way as I was mentioning to JubJub025.

Lola3934: don't worry, I just view Croc as Casanova, as does Berserker88. Crane and Mei Ling are only for each other...

Guest: I try to update as quickly as possible, but we all have paces.

Spyrofan34: you're new to this story. Thanks for the support so far anyway, I hope to hear from you in future chapters!

On to the story!

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead! We need to get going!" Mei Ling shouted as she playfully slugged Crane in the arm.

" Ow! G-g-get outa here!" The avian blushed slightly as he furiously flapped his wings at the feline, trying to keep himself under the covers. "I'm not even dressed yet! Can a guy get a little privacy around here?"

Mei ling blushed as well. "Oh. Hehe, I'm sorry... I'll meet you in the hall of Heroes. Ox and I are ready to leave."

Crane, still desperately clenching the sheets to his body, shook his head."Fine. just let me change my bandages and get some flipping clothes on. I'll be out shortly."

The feline giggled as she exited the room. "See ya in a bit Jien."

Crane just sighed and shook his head again.

After he had prepped himself for the day, Crane covered his bandages with a navy blue vest that matched his pants. He then walked out to meet Ox and Mei Ling.

"Hey there Crane." Ox called out. "You ready to rock?"

The avian smirked a bit. "ready as I'll ever be... I guess."

"Ox has already established a plan with Shifu." The feline began."Our mission is to travel to The Lee Dai Academy, where we shall gather recruits. We'll probably stay the night there anyway, there's not a village for another fifteen miles."

Crane was about to express his approval, but was interrupted by a loud ruckus from the hall.

"I spy, with my little eye, something... Black, orange, white and-"

"Po..."

"Hold on let me think..."

"Po..."

"I'll come up with something just have me-"

"Po!" Tigress shouted. "For the third time... It's me."

The panda's face hardened a bit. "Okay, fine. I spy, with my little eye, something that doesn't enjoy fun, destroys happiness, and can't learn to have a good time."

This was followed by a resonant whack, followed by a loud thud on the ground. Tigress then walked out of the hall, without Po.

"Hey, Tigress!" Crane called out. "What's that game you're playing? Sounds like fun!"

She growled at him and continued walking.

Po, gasping for air, stumbled out into the open, clenching his stomach. "Y-you think Shen's cannon was bad? I w-would easily take ten of those to the stomach than her iron f-fists." He coughed a bit. "How am I going to survive this trip with her? She hates me!"

"Now now," Ox started. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She's probably just a bit annoyed with you, that's all."

Croc, who had just entered the room, walked right up to Po. "Aye, uh... My friend... Um... The tiger... She kinda... Um... Hates you..." The reptilian rubbed the back of his neck. "In fact, I think she hates everybody!" He let out a nervous laugh and patted The panda on the shoulder. "Eh... Good luck my friend..."

Po solemnly watched the crocodile walk away, before following him down the steps towards the barracks.

Ox cracked his knuckles. "We best be headin' out. It's noon and we need to reach the academy by nightfall."

"Sounds good to me." Mei Ling replied. "You ready Jien?"

"Yea." The avian said with a smile. "I'm ready... It's been nearly fifteen years since I last visited home, and I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

With that, the group bid everyone farewell, and set out on their journey.


4 hours later...

"We're close, but we might be able to make better time of we cut east through this bamboo forest." Ox suggested. Walking and planning all day, a tired Crane and Mei Ling were anxious to reach the academy before sundown. "Let's just go through." agreed Crane." The earlier we get there, the more work that we can get done."

Mei ling smiled and agreed also.

They began on the narrow path, that often disappeared between the long bamboo and rocks. The light from the last rays of the sun provided little to no effect in the dim Forrest. Crane, who felt as if they were lost, turned around to ask Ox for the map.

they were alone."Ox? Ox where are you?

crane was confused, but the feline in front of him was undoubtedly sensing something. Her ears perked straight up and she swiveled her head around, as if looking for danger.

Mei ling fetched her staff and assumed her fighting stance. "I don't think we're alone out here Jien...

"Yeah no kidding..." The avian assumed his stance and surveyed the dark forest. "I got you're back. Just watch the front okay?

No answer.

"Okay?"

Still no answer.

"Mei?" Crane quickly swiveled his head around, only to be knocked unconscious by the dark figure in front of him.

The world was leaping in and out of motion. Everywhere he looked, nightmarish creatures where bounding through the ground and onto other planes. Crane shook his head. There was blood in his mouth, and he was tied to three strands of bamboo along with Ox and Mei Ling,"

"Mei... Ox... You guys alright?" The two nodded, they were just waking as well.

The avian spat out some blood and looked around. It appeared that just adjacent to them, there was a figure leaning up against a large Boulder.

It was undoubtedly a young wolf, who was picking at his teeth with a dagger. He removed the blade from his mouth and spoke softly. "Why'd you come here?

The trio just looked at him and whispered.

"What are we supposed to say?" Mei ling questioned. "it's obvious we're on a mission, but we can't tell him that."

"Is he part of the Án Yán?" Asked crane. "If he's not, we should be okay."

"Just let me handle this." Ox whispered back.

The canine put the dagger in his right paw, where he began to twirl it between his fingers. "Don't be shy... Speak up now.

Ox grinned. "You don't scare me you Án Yán scoundrel. I deal with scum like you every day."

The blade that was once dancing in the wolf's hand was now laying in the bamboo, just a few centimeters above Ox's skull.

The canine walked over, and retrieved the dagger. He then knelt down and grabbed Ox's left horn, pulling it close to his mouth. "I'm not here to play games. Tell me why you're here."

Ox smiled. "I'm sorry, maybe it was a bit too difficult for the message to reach your pint sized brain... "I AINT TALKIN!" He spat in the canine's face.

The wolf let go of his horn and round kicked Ox in the side of the head, nearly knocking him unconscious right then and there. blood was trickling from his nose and mouth, and he was suffering a major concussion. However, the master remained smiling and started laughing. "That all you got? C'mon! Gimme somthin' I'll remember!"

"Why are you here!?" The wolf shouted as he grabbed Ox's neck.

"To meet your mother."

The canine growled. "I can, and will kill you! Tell me why you're here!"

"Here comes your mother now!"

The wolf, his eyes now blazing with fury, fetched his dagger, and pressed the blade against the oxen's throat. "I'm going to count to three... And you are going to tell me why you are here.

Ox's face turned to a menacing scowl. "Try me."

"One"

"Do it. I dare you."

"Two"

"Are you waiting for the grass to grow!? Do it already!"

"Three"

"GO ON! DO IT!"

The wolf gripped the knife tightly and quickly jerked his hand-

"STOP!" Mei Ling screamed. "You want answers! Ask me." Don't touch anyone else!"

Ox gave the feline a suspicious look, but nodded his head. She then glanced at crane, and winked, before mouthing an apology of some sort.

"I can tell you anything you want to know... But you need to come closer." She said in a tone The avian had only heard once before. To him, it was friendly... A bit too friendly.

The Canine kneeled down and anxiously leaned in towards the feline, awaiting any valuable information that was to come.

"Closer." She prompted

He inched forward.

"Closer."

By now, crane had an idea of where this was heading, and he closed his eyes and let out a groan of disapproval. The wolf was now so close to Mei ling, that she could hear his heartbeat. "Well?" He questioned.

The feline smiled, and whispered softly, "listen close" before kissing him full on the lips.

Crane was clenching his eyes shut and banging his head on the bamboo behind him as Mei ling worked her foot around the sheath of the confused canine's knife. Suddenly, she flipped the blade away from him, which was quickly retrieved by Ox, who cut the ropes.

"Shoulda killed me when you had the chance." The wolf whirled around to find Ox standing right behind him. Panicking, the canine reached for a concealed brass whistle hidden cleverly behind his large pointy ears, and blew as loudly as he could.

Ox snatched the whistle and snapped it, as if it were a twig. He then landed such a bone shattering punch to the face that The sound of the canine's jaw breaking could have been heard round the world.

Ox grabbed him and slammed the delirious dog against a boulder. "Now it's our turn to ask..." The wolf cringed a bit and braced for another hit. "What do you know about the Án Yán?" Mei Ling questioned.

He popped his jaw back into place. "Who the hell are the Án Yán?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Ox clenched the bandit's ears and lifted them, bringing the duo eye to eye. "Why did you attack us?"

The canine spat out some blood and hesitantly shook his head.

Ox cracked his knuckles. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't waste our time, we have some very important business to attend to."

The dog sighed in defeat, closed his eyes and recited, as if reading from a manual. "I have a strict duty to maintain the security of these premises from all foreigners by order of our alpha... That's all I was told." He opened his eyes. "When you approached, by duty I had to stop, and interrogate."

The avian was puzzled by this. "Wouldn't it have just been easier not to attack us and attempt killing?"

The canine looked at him. "I never had the intention to kill... Just interrogation."

Crane eyed him suspiciously. "So, if you're not part of the Án Yán... What are you part of then?"

The wolf knew right then and there, he had struck a barrier. The way his eyes frantically swiveled and jolted seemed to present he was arguing with himself, as if he were to disclose the information or not.

"Well?"

The canine slightly opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He closed it, looked at crane and shook his head. "It's to early... The alpha must decide when."

Mei ling turned to Crane. "When? What does he mean when?"

At that moment, a long chain was forced around her neck, and she was immediately brought to her knees. Crane and Ox sprang into their stances, only to find the shackles quickly wrapped around their necks as well.

Four wolves had miraculously managed to sneak up behind the group, and provide an ambush against the masters.

One of the dogs walked around the captives, examining them as they struggled for air.

"Bring them all. He said in a deep raspy voice. "The alpha will see them."

Crane, who heard this, Managed to choke out, "W-wait... Wait." The wolf turned his head around and looked at the suffocating avian.

"Release your grip a bit," he called out to the canine holding the chain. "Let's hear what this bird is dying to say." The metal slid around Crane's long neck, allowing him to get a few extra gasps of oxygen.

"Go on, speak." The wolf spoke to the avian.

Crane looked up. "Y-you're making a big mistake. If you don't let us go, hundreds no. Thousands of innocent people are going to die. Just let us leave and-

"wrong." The canine interrupted. "Wrong. First of all, you're the one's who made the big mistake. You shouldn't even be here. And second of all, we can't let you leave. Once the Alpha knows you're here, you won't go home alive without his permission."

"Well tell your alpha that his little "property issues" will have to wait!" We need to gather recruits to fight-"

"Stop!" The wolf said firmly. "I've heard enough." He flicked his wrist at the wolf behind him, and the chains immediately tightened as before. "Y-you can't d-do thiiiss!" The avian shouted as air was ripped from him.

The canine, ignoring the bird's pleas, swiveled around and crossed his arms before eyeing his prisoners. "Bag em."

The two wolves on the side nodded affirmatively, and pulled a bag over Ox's head. Then Mei Ling's. And then over an extremely reluctant Crane. He knew that the fate of China, now rested in the hands of an alliance of rouge wolves. It would take a miracle to get out of this one.