Are We Mortal?

Chapter Eleven- The Start of the Storm

A/N: Chapter Eleven is up and running.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda, only my characters


For the best part of the day the newly adjoined member of the group, Shan Yi, lead the way along the snake-like path that carved its way into the Dragon's Pass. Shifu remained close to the panther as he piloted onwards; there was small chatter between the red panda and feline but it was easy to tell that they had become quick friends. In fact, everybody had befriended the panther.

Well, besides Tigress. Ever since Shan Yi had 'helped' Po with his coughing problem- or at least eased it- Tigress was sceptical of him. It was a tingle in her whiskers that told her this guy was not to be trusted. But with Po's somewhat annoying encouragement, she adapted- though only just.

With every hour passing slowly by, the group began to see a change in the area around them. The wetness of the dew sprayed grass had been wiped clean by a crisp white blanket of snow. In fact, everything was covered with the cold, white substance: the grass, the trees and the footpath- which surprisingly Shan Yi was able to keep track of.

Everyone soon wrapped up in their cloaks in means to shelter their bodies from the freezing cold.

The air was bitter and light, every breath that was made turned into a puff of warm steam before evaporating into nothing.

Shifu and Shan Yi both stopped their conversing and gazed over the mountain's edge to the distant sun, they looked at each other and nodded. They had gone far enough for today; they were already far from any signs of civilization. Shan Yi turned to the Grand Master. "I know a place not far from here. It's only a cave but it'll give us a roof over our heads."

Shifu looked up to a cluster of menace-looking clouds that crept slowly in their direction before turning to glance back at Po with concern in his oceanic eyes. He snapped his head back to the panther with a stern face and straight lips."Hurry."

It was half an hour later that the dark clouds had gathered in the sky above, and trouble hit.

A snow blizzard.

It was if many tiny shards of ice sprang from the heavens, cutting through the air like miniature projectiles and splintering into a thousand whips on the Kung Fu masters' skins and fur coats. Shan Yi had it easy; he was covered from head to toe in his straw hat, long sleeved robe and cloak.

Shifu and the others: not so much.

"Not much further!" The panther shouted above the howl of the crying winds, looking back on Shifu who was waist deep in snow thanks to his small stature.

"You said that ten minutes ago!" The shivering red panda bawled back, ears pinned back to shelter his head from the thousands of tiny fast-moving snowflakes.

"Doesn't hurt to keep the spirit going though!" Shan Yi laughed from under his hat as he continued treading forward.

Shifu just glared at the back of the panther's cloak as he fell back in line.

This guy was mad!

Fortunately it was a few minutes afterwards that Shan Yi found the cave. Everybody ran into the grotto and collapsed on the stone floor. Shifu shook the snow off his being as he scanned their temporary camping site. It was a fairly large cave; it seemed to stretch far into the core of the mountain but the only problem was that the ceiling was quite low. Viper, Mantis and he would be okay with moving around but the others would have to hunch- if not, then there were going to be some major headaches very quickly.

Clonk.

"Augh!"

So it begins.

The aged panda turned to find that it was not actually his students who had knocked their head on the stone ceiling but Shan Yi. The panther rubbed his cranium with a hissing groan. "Not quite the height I remembered it to be." The feline said as he took his hat and back pack off by the mouth of the cave, still rubbing his aching head before lying down and placing the hat over his face, crossing his arms. He was asleep in minutes.

Shifu gave a ghost of a grin as he removed his own bag. The Furious Five did the same and all settled down for the night whilst Po had managed to set up a reasonable fire to keep everyone warm.

The Grand Master rolled out his sleeping mat as he sat down in the lotus position to meditate. There was so much that had happened today- it was almost too much for Shifu to actually take in. He was strong and driven, true, but everything, and everyone, had their limits. And one of them struck him the hardest.

Hei An was dead.

Even now when he thought about those very words it was like driving a stake through his already old and broken heart. Tai Lung was the first step; everybody knew how much it pained him when the snow leopard was sent away to prison- and then again after being defeated by Po. Although, in some sense, he was pleased and relieved to be rid of Tai Lung, but there was something that Shifu wanted back, just one little thing- his son.

But it didn't matter now, he hadn't just lost Tai Lung, he lost Oogway and Hei An as well.

It was a good thing Shifu's back was turned and there were howling winds outside: this way, no one could see the tears that silently ran down the Grand Master's furry cheeks and drop into his lap and the sobs that escaped from his throat as he grieved for the loss of another close person to his heart. He knew he had to be strong, and he cursed himself for being so weak, but losing two sons- a guy just breaks down.

And now, he was more likely going to lose another.

Now with the fire roaring ablaze in its small pit, Po sighed as he leaned back against the curve of the cave's walls and closed his eyes.

Across from him and the dancing flames that heated the entire cave, Tigress sat with her eyes set facing the panda. Her ember orbs burned as bright as the flames in the darkness of the stormy night, she watched as Po allowed himself a little moments rest.

Tigress cocked her head to the side a slightly.

There was something about the way the panda looked at this current moment that Tigress just could not take her eyes away from. With his eyes closed and the slow rise and fall of his chest, the way his paws loosely clasped together over his large stomach, everything about him seemed...different.

She then watched as a small smile crept its way onto his lips. "Stare any longer and you're eyes will go dry." Po spoke up.

Tigress felt her eyes widen and the heat rush to her cheeks, making them a rosy red underneath her ochre fur. "Sorry."

"Don't be." He replied softly. "I've been doing the same." He opened his eyes fully, the flicker of the flames dancing in his jade green orbs. He noticed the look on Tigress' face. "Oh come on now, Tigress, you're not the only one who knows how to sneak a glance." He beamed.

The heat in the feline's cheeks rose; she looked away, rubbing her arms underneath her cloak. It was only the sound of Po groaning that brought her back to look at him. The panda hand gotten up from his space and was making his way over to her. She shuffled over a little to give him room. As he sat down beside her she leaned into him as he wrapped a large arm around her, stroking her affectionately.

"I can feel you shivering."He mumbled brusquely.

Tigress tried to steady her nerves. "It's cold out; we did just tread through a blizzard."

Po was silent for a minute before he enquired. "That's not the reason, is it?"

Tigress sighed in defeat. "No, it's not."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Well, I'm just worried."

"About what?"

"About...loosing you, tomorrow will be the deadline. The poison will have set and Hei An said you'd only have less than a day to live."

Po was silent for a moment. "Huh, never thought about that. I've been too busy thinking of other things."

"Like what?" Tigress moved her head to look at Po in the face.

"Well..." The panda hesitated. "...like you, and Shifu and the rest of the Five. I've been trying so hard to put you guys before me I've forgot about the very reason why we're out here." There then came a shameful expression across Po's face. He removed his arm and turned away. "It's my fault. It's my entire fault."

Tigress sat up from her spot. "Po?"

The panda continued on as if he hadn't heard her. "It's my fault. If I hadn't been such a daydreamer none of this would have happened."

"Po...what are you talking about."

The panda's head snapped in Tigress' direction. The feline reeled back a bit when she saw Po's green eyes glassy with tears. "It's my fault. If I hadn't wanted to be your biggest fan, Tigress, we wouldn't be out here risking our lives for me. If only I had just moved on like everyone said. Then maybe we would be back at the Palace- where it's safe." Po turned away again as the tears finally gave in. "Why did I have to be such a fool!"

Tigress, herself, almost felt like crying. This was nothing like Po: he would always smile, always be able to laugh or make others laugh whether it would be intentional or not, no matter what situation. She had to act fast. "Po..." She called softly, he did not move. "Po..!" She called again a little firmer.

He still did not turn.

"Panda!" She hissed, Po finally wheeled round, tear stains falling down his cheeks.

The instant his face was starring at hers she clasped her paws on his chubby cheeks and landed a firm but passionate kiss on his lips.

Again, like the first time, Po was stunned by the movement but he quickly settled into it and kissed back with the same fervour.

They slowly separated.

Tigress still held onto Po's cheeks with her paws, cupping them slightly- the way a mother does to her cub when she cooed him. "Po...if you hadn't been such a big fan then you're right, none of this would have happened." The panda's eyes turned away. "However, if things hadn't played out the way they had, then we would never have gotten together. It was only because of this that I finally got to know you better. I know it sounds crazy but I mean it. For the first time in my life, I'm not only finding you...but I'm finding myself." His emerald orbs connect back with her fiery own, she stroked the tears away. "For the first time, I know what I want."

Po sniffed. "What..."

Tigress took a deep breath. "I want us. I want you."

Po gave a small a small chuckle. "A bit much aren't I?" He joked.

Tigress felt her lips shape into a smile; the old panda was back once more. "I think there's enough to share." She gave another peck on his lips and settled back into him as he wrapped a loving arm around her frame once more.

Po 'hmmmed' as the pair relaxed and watched as the flames dance their majestic dance, spouting tiny sparks into their before fading into nothing. The crackle and pop of every ember almost sounded like a song.

The perfect song for the perfect moment.

But this wondrous moment was soon interrupted by the panda as he creased his brow in confusion. "It's weird." He mumbled.

"What is?" Tigress asked.

"Earlier today, when we ran into Shan Yi, I noticed that Hei An wasn't at the fight." Po lowered an eyebrow. "It was like he just vanished."

Tigress glared over to the mouth of the cave where Shan Yi laid under his cloak and hat, he was perfectly still. She opened her mouth to say something but Shifu's voice beat her to it.

"He didn't vanish." Came the grand Master's solemn voice. Po and Tigress quickly separated and looked at the red panda.

Tigress narrowed her stare on the red panda. "Then where is he?" She asked without the slightest sympathy.

Shifu turned his head vaguely in their direction, and in the flicker of the faint fire's light, Po believed he could see a tear roll down the red panda's cheek. "H-He's gone." Was the grieving reply.

Nothing more needed to be said.

An awkward silence fell over the cave, the only sounds being the cries of the winds outside and the crackle of the fire. Po swelled his chest as persistence took over. With a straight face he asked. "Shifu, who was Hei An?"

Silence was again the acknowledgement. Po slumped his sore shoulders against the wall and stared into the fire with frustration.

"...You mean, who he was before he was called Hei An."

Po's eyes quickly snapped to the Grand Master.

Shifu got up from his mat took a seat close to the fire, the light glowing against his red and white fur. His sea-coloured eyes red with tears- he didn't try to hide the- his mouth tight with straight lips. "Hei An is not his real name. That was the title he gave himself when he disappeared. His real name was Jīng Shen.

"Jing Shen?" Po echoed.

"Vitality." Tigress informed.

Shifu nodded, he looked at his two students and then at the flames of the fire. "Shen was much like Tai Lung, hard driven and full of spirit."

It dawned on Po. "Tai Lung, he was around at the same time as Tai Lung?"

The Grand Master stiffly bobbed his head again. "You were not yet born to this world when Shen came to the Palace, Po, or even you Tigress. Just like this storm, the memories thrash about inside my mind, more likely to haunt me till my death bed." Po and Tigress leaned forward, ears perked up as things begun to get interesting.

"I was reasonably young myself, the winter seasons had just hit; that is where everything began."

From the curve of the cave's mouth, Shan Yi slipped a paw from under his robe to the opening at the neck and used a single claw to silently tilt his hat back, just enough to allow one eye to see from under the rim. His curiosity, too, caught up within the Grand Master's words.

Both he and Po shared the same thoughts, though they did not know it.

This is gonna be good.