Chapter 10: The War Pushes On.
Hello there everyone I am glad to write another chapter I hope you all enjoy and I hope you will review. And this chapter is dedicated to theGreyFoxx because he is a great friend and a great author and you should check out his amazing stories.
Po and Sage were going over there battle plans in Sage's tent. Po was distracted, he couldn't stop thinking about Tigress and all the things that were said. She loved him and he never knew it. But he came to a realization that hit him like a ton of bricks. Tigress saw Sage and him kiss and all the other mushy gushy love talk, that's why Lee was a jerk to Sage that night. It was just Tigress who was jealous of Sage. Po felt so conflicted he didn't know who to chose he had been friends with Sage for years but, Tigress was well Tigress who wouldn't dream of getting to love the Master of Hardstyle something not many people could claim not even Shifu, and he did love her in a way but he didn't know who to really chose. On one hand he would break Sage's heart if he chose Tigress but if he chose Sage he would lose Tigress as a friend and possibly more. While Po was distracted Sage looked up from her plans to get Po attention she could tell he was in deep thought so Sage stopped talking.
"You got it Darling?" Sage asked making sure Po understood.
"Yeah I got it" Po lied. Sage saw though the lie and she looked into his eyes and sighed.
"You miss Tigress don't you?" Sage asked.
"No no of course not I was thinking about... other things" Po lied again. Sage started to tear up.
"You love her don't you!?" she whimpered. Po realized his mistake and embraced Sage knowing that she was feeling insecure.
"No Sage your wrong sure I like her but I love you and I will always be there for you I promise" Po said as he stroked her back. Sage's eyes soon dried as she started to purr. "Are you ok now?" Po asked as they separated.
" Yes I am fine Po thank you" Sage said then she became serious quick.
"Ok as I was saying Tai Lung's forces are going to retreat to regroup with Attila's main force in the captured city of Chongqing. If we flank around the city we can besiege the city and hopefully kill Attila." Sage said with hope in her eyes. Po started to worry it was happening again Sage ranting and raving about Attila and her father's demise. Po hated hearing her rant even when they were young it hurt him to see Sage go through the 5 stages so quickly: Denial in himself mostly, anger towards Attila and his men, bargaining where she would blame herself for what happened that night (which didn't make sense since she was 5 years old when it happened and she could do little to no help in that situation). Then she would become sad and fall into a depression remembering the image of her father with Attila's sword through his chest and the evil laughter of Attila. Then she would accept her father's death then return back to her regular self. This is why I am here she's going to get herself killed if she keeps thinking about Attila. Po thought to himself as Sage ended her little drama session.
" Okay well now that everything is in order. It's time to go to bed we have a early morning" Sage said. Po then began his way back to his tent when he felt a striped tail wrap around his ankle.
"And where do you think your going" Sage said with a hint of lust in her voice.
"I was going back to my tent like the rules say" Po said seriously.
"Well rules are rules but orders come first and I order you soldier to spend the night with me" Sage ordered with a grin. Po saluted.
"Ma'am yes ma'am!" Po stated. Sage giggled as she moved Po to there bed where Po cradled Sage in his arms there hearts starting following the same rhythm and there breathing became one sound in the silent night.
"Ahhh I love the army" Po whispered as he drifted off to sleep.
Tigress had disguised herself as a female black panther. She was happy that she could finally speak with a woman's voice then a man's voice. Tigress crept past the armed guards and made her way to the cannons where she planted an I.E.D (Improvised Explosive Device) to each cannon so in the morning Sage would receive the surprise of her life. Tigress then made her escape to return to Tai Lung's camp to move out for Chongqing city in the morning. She flashed a grin in the night showing her white fangs. They were the only visible part of her body showing. The next morning Po and Sage woke up to the horn and got dressed in their battle gear and made their way to the officer's mess hall for breakfast. Po was allowed in the mess hall because he had 'connections' to the officers many of whom became some of his best friends as they sat down they were accompanied by Major Chan who was a wolf, he was once a small town thief but he turned his life around after the Emperor had entered his father's blacksmith shop to order weapons for his army. There he was asked to join the army because the Emperor had seen great potential in him. Another officer sat down at the table it was none other then Colonial Liu who was a female clouded leopard and Sage's best friend when she was in basic. They sat there eating their food and sharing funny stories. "So I said to the guy that ain't no poodle that's my wife!" Chan said as the whole table began to laugh.
"Honestly Chan do you have to be so immature?" Liu said as she was eating her food slowly.
"Ah lighten up Colonial if you don't you'll catch a arrow with that big head of yours" Chan said as he gobbled down his food. Po was snickering under his breath but Sage shushed him.
" Don't forget I outrank you soldier and one more smart ass comment like that and I will have you cleaning restrooms!" Liu ordered.
"Yes ma'am" Chan said sarcastically.
"Anyway… so Sage who's that handsome stud on your arm" Liu said with a wink. Both Po and Sage blushed with embarrassment but before Po could raise a finger Sage jumped right in.
"Well this is Corporal Po my best friend and my current boyfriend" Sage said with glee. Po blushed even more through the white parts of his fur he hadn't been called that by Sage directly even though he knew that they were a couple but it was still a new concept that Po had to grasp.
" Po… as in The Dragon Warrior Po Ping?!" Liu asked with a grin.
"Yes the very same" Sage said.
"Oh my gods! Dragon Warrior I am like your number one fan!" Liu yelled as she fan girled out on Po. Everyone was so shocked including Chan who had never seen the Colonial so happy. Liu just went full on fan girl asking for a autograph and asking him to tell him of his defeat of Tai Lung and Shen everything Po was capable of doing was asked by the wide eyed leopard. Po knew he had to stop this little outburst because it was starting to attract a lot of attention not just to the officers but the town as well.
"Well I am glad your such a big fan it's great to feel appreciated" Po said.
"Anything for you Dragon Warrior" Liu said as she continued eating.
The others sat content sharing their past stories and a few jokes. But there breakfast was immediately interrupted by a series of loud booms and screams. Sage and the others feared that they were being attacked. So they grabbed their weapons and gear and ran to the front lines in order to see what happened. But they didn't expect to stumble upon such a grizzly scene. Most of the cannons were destroyed or disabled and all the cannon crews were killed. Molten metal and large shards of metal were burning and cutting the crew's bodies as the smell of cooked flesh flushed it's way up into Po's nose. He threw up his breakfast and the others followed suit and the horrible smell soon spread to the town as well. Fire crews were putting out the fire that had spread to some of the nearby homes. When the fires were taken care of Sage sent in her team to investigate the cannons 'malfunction'. The team leader reported in.
"What did you find on the cannons?" Sage asked.
"Ma'am" the team leader said as he handed her pieces of rubber and wires. "We believe the cannons were sabotaged by a master engineer. There were bomb materials under each cannon and some in the barrel" The soldier reported.
"Did you find anything else? Sage asked.
"Yes we found a short black hair under one the cannons and it doesn't match to any of the crew's hair" The soldier said.
"Thank you Private you are dismissed" Sage said saluting the private as he returned the salute and made his way back to his men. Sage was curious who would want to sabotage the cannons and be able to get past the town's defenses. It's either assassins or one of my own men have betrayed me I need to re-evaluate my men I will send a message to the Emperor requesting his help in this manner. Sage thought as she made her way to Po.
"What did you find out?" Po asked.
"It was sabotage and I fear that one of my men did this" Sage said.
"Well we're just going to have to get to the bottom of this now will we" Po said confidently.
Po and Sage then went to salvage whatever they could from the cannons. And at the top of the hill stood two grinning figures.
"Impressive work I didn't know you were capable of killing anyone." Tai Lung said with a smug look on his face.
"I am willing to do anything for Po even if that means burning China to the ground" Tigress said with a growl.
"I have to say I love the new Tigress" Tai Lung said.
"Get in line Tai because Po was here first" Tigress said as she walked away.
"Not if I get to him first" Tai Lung sneered.
Well what do you guys think of the new Tigress do you like her? hate her? or are you in the middle but only I know if she has become evil and I will tell you at the end of the story if she is or your just going to have to see in the story. Well I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (Just in case I don't get the chance to say it on Christmas Day).