Chapter 14 : Feels Like Home

The Emperor and his wife sat in their throne in the hall. They were accompanied by two servants who were fanning them slowly. A long red carpet was stretched from the throne to the entrance of the hall. They were chatting leisurely when a young tiger maid in yellow robes rushed into the hall and bowed in front of them.

"Your Majesty," she greeted excitedly.

"What is it, Yong?" The Emperor asked.

"The Prince, he's back."

Upon hearing that, both The Emperor and The Empress sprang to their feet. They turned to look at each other with joy.

"Our son has returned." The Empress murmured, her eyes glowing with happiness. She smiled brightly at the doorway, awaiting the return of her son.

Not long after, Prince Yuan Sheng entered the hall with Tigress and the five armoured tigers behind him.

"Father, Mother," The prince bowed. "I have come home."

The Empress rushed to her son and embraced him tightly.

"I missed you." The Empress said as tears of happiness rolled down her cheeks.

The prince hugged his mother in return. "I missed you too."

The Emperor walked slowly towards his wife and son, a smile forming on his face as he watched their happy reunion. After a few moments, he turned to face Tigress.

"And you are...?"

"Father," Prince Yuan Sheng said as he broke away from the hug. "It's her. I found her."

"Really?" The Emperor's face one of complete elation. If possible, he looked even happier than when he was informed that his son had returned. Even without any explanations from his son, he knew who the young tigress in front of him was. "It's … it's you!"

"Um," Tigress didn't know what to say as her first greeting. Then quickly, she remembered what the tigers did when she first arrived. She knelt down.

The Empress smiled. She placed her paws gently on Tigress' shoulder and greeted her softly. "Welcome back, dear."

"It's a honor to meet you," Tigress felt awkward, but forced herself to bow. "Your Majesty."

"We're glad to have you back." The Emperor told her. His voice was loud but friendly. "We thought we would never have the chance to meet you ever since we lost you."

"Oh."

"Well, Son," Emperor Tiger patted his son's shoulder proudly. "You didn't disappoint me this time. I'm proud of you."

"Anything for you, Father."

"Your journey must have been difficult. Did something bad happen?" The Emperor referred to their haggard looks. "You're awfully wet."

"Mmm..." Tigress was disconcerted as to whether to tell them that she had shoved their son to the river.

"We got into little accident." The prince answered. "Our boat wrecked and I almost drowned. But thanks to her," he gestured to Tigress. "She saved my life."

"You did?" The Emperor asked.

She didn't reply, but the emperor believed his son.

"Thank you." The Empress thanked Tigress. "Thank you for saving my son."

"It's my duty to help, Your Majesty." She replied. Everything the prince said was a lie, but he was right about one thing. She did save his life. She was confused however, as to why the prince was glorifying her, making her seem like a hero.

The empress smiled again. "You have a name, dear?" she asked softly.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty." Tigress apologised. "I don't know my real name. My parents abandoned me at an orphanage and I don't remember anything else before that. People around me has been calling me Tigress ever since."

"Poor you." The empress replied gently as if she knew how Tigress felt. "I knew your parents. Your mother and I were friends." She looked deep into Tigress' eyes. "Yes, you do look a lot like her."

Tigress' eyes widened. "You knew them? Then do you know where they are now?"

"I wish I could tell you my dear, but we could never find them after they took you away from here. Even until now, we are still clueless as to why they would do that."

Tigress' face fell. "I see."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Your Majesty."

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

The emperor broke the awkwardness. "Well, the most important thing is that you're back with us."

"I'm pleased about it." Tigress tried her best to be polite. The friendly attitude of all the tigers in the land gave her a warm feeling, a feeling of... home?

"Don't be disappointed about your name or your parents." The emperor advised. "Although we all have a dark past, that does not mean that we have to keep thinking about it. The future is waiting for us."

Tigress set a smile. "You are right, Your Majesty."

The future is waiting for us. Tigress knew without a doubt what the emperor meant.

"Now." The Empress continued, "You should take a rest. Yong!" She called out to the young maid servant. "Please show Tigress her room."

The maid bowed. "Certainly, Your Majesty."

"Change your clothes dear." The empress told Tigress. "We'll meet again at lunch."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The maid led Tigress to her new room. "This way."

The emperor, the empress and the prince watched her as she followed the maid out of the hall.

"Father." The prince addressed his father when Tigress was gone from their view.

"Yes, Yuan Sheng?"

"I've done my duty to bring her back."

"I know."

"Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"I think it's enough. You have done well. We don't need to worry anymore when we move out."

"Move out? You mean we're moving to—"

"Yes. We're going to embark on our journey this week."

"Can't we just wait for a while for that moment, Father? She just arrived."

"We have been waiting for this moment since over a thousand years ago, Son. On top of that, we've spent another twenty five years just to look for her. We can't waste anymore time."

"But father, I don't think it'll be easy to persuade her to join our armies."

The emperor raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because she's different. She's not like what you think. I'm sure that she doesn't even want to lead the war. Even when she was a kid, she was never taught to do that."

"Mmhhh..." The emperor looked at his son, rubbing his chin as he pondered on the situation. "We'll see. I won't be called the emperor if I can't convince her to join us."

.

~TLoTDaTT~

.

"This is your room, Your Highness." The maid announced as they arrived at a large room.

Tigress entered the room in with a mixture of wonder and awe. The room was twice the size of her former room at the Jade Palace. There was a plush red carpet that covered the entire wooden floor. A large four poster bed covered by a pink valance sat in the middle of the room.

"Amazing." She muttered to herself as she walked towards the bed, admiring it. The bed sheets were softer than a newborn's fur.

"And these," the maid said as she opened a wardrobe. She took out a silk robe with long sleeves and placed it on the bed. "These are your clothes."

"That's beautiful."

"Take a rest, Your Highness. The emperor and the others will be waiting for you at the dining room."

"Thank you," Tigress replied. "And please stop calling me 'Your Highness'. I do not have royal blood."

"Oh, well." The maid looked uncertain. "Er, so how do I address you, Uh, Miss?"

"Just call me Master Tigress."

The maid nodded. "I understand, Master Tigress. May I go?"

"Sure."

After the maid left, Tigress took a closer look at the new set of clothes that the maid had placed on the bed. The robe was similar to the one that the Empress wore. Any female wearing it obviously would look graceful.

Her eyes then scanned to the whole room, from the ceiling to the floor. It was the feeling of warmth and comfort that she has been experiencing ever since she arrived at Darknest Land this morning. From commoners to the Emperor and Empress themselves, everyone seemed to accept and welcome her. She had even forgotten that she hated the prince.

The way the prince and his parents had treated her earlier made a sensation like she was part of their family. It felt like home. It felt... like she belonged.

But... Did she?

She didn't know. All she knew was that she had found a new home.

'But what about their plan?' She thought. 'They wanted me for a purpose. They wanted me only because they needed me'.

"Is that you?" A gentle voice was heard near the door.

Tigress turned and saw another tigress standing near the door. This one was old and was observing her behind her glasses. She had a hunchback and wasn't taller than Tigress. There was something about this old tigress that reminded her about the Soothsayer from Gongmen City.

"Yes?"

The old tigress fiddled with her staff as she entered the room. She approached tigress and stopped in front of her, her eyes never once moving away from the young tigress.

"You are back." She said softly.

"I am sorry. Do I know you?" Tigress asked politely.

The old tigress smiled. "No. But I do know you."

"I think everyone in here knows me."

"I knew you since you were born."

"You did?"

"You shouldn't be here. You don't belong here."

Tigress frowned. Didn't all tigers want her here? The prince was even willing to do anything to have her back to this land.

"You'll be killed," the old tigress continued. "By a warrior of black and white."

"Wait a second!" Tigress exclaimed. "A warrior of black and white? Who are you talking about?"

"A warrior that will stand in your way. When the time comes, destiny will bring you two together, face to face, for a battle until one of you dead."

Tigress shuddered to hear that. A Warrior of black and white? An image of Po flashed into her mind.

"You're telling me about that legend, aren't you?"

"A legend that will come true. You have a choice to leave to avoid your fate."

"Avoid my fate? Wait a second. Are you saying—"

"Fang Zi?" Someone interrupted.

The old tigress was surprised to see the prince standing near the door. "Your Majesty."

"What are you doing in here?" He asked suspiciously, stepping inside.

"I—"

"She just came in." Tigress explained.

The prince eyed the old tigress. "Well, you can't be here. She," he referred to Tigress. "needs to rest."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Fang Zi replied. As she walked past Tigress, she whispered. "Go away and save yourself."

Tigress pondered as she stared at the retreating old tigress.

"Did she say something odd?" Prince Yuan Sheng asked.

Tigress shook her head. "Who is she?"

"Her? She's Fang Zi, The Seer and Palace Healer."

"She looks weird."

"Yep, she does. But she has been helping us for a long time now."

.

~TLoTDaTT~

.

"Hey!" Monkey exclaimed when Po stepped on his tail.

"Oops. Sorry." Po apologised as he shifted his feet from Monkey's tail, not noticing that he stepped on Viper's tail in the process.

"Aw."

"Oops. Sorry Viper."

"Be careful, Po." Crane warned. "Do you want us to die?"

They were now walking through the slippery and narrow pathway up the hill. Everywhere was covered in snow and hardened ice, making the climb treacherous. One misstep would cause them to slip and fall, sliding off the mountain and into the abyss.

"Ouch! Po, stop stepping on my tail!" Monkey grunted.

"Sorry again. I can't see clearly in the fog."

"If you step on my tail again, I won't hesitate to hit you."

"Hey, I said I'm sorry."

"Guys, knock it off," Crane tried to pacify them. "We're on a snowy hill. It would take only a small amount of sound to cause an avalanche."

"But he started it."

"Be quiet guys." Crane tried to warn again, like a big brother telling his two naughty younger siblings on what to do. "Just focus on where you're stepping."

"Speaking about stepping, why don't you just fly?" Po asked as he flapped his arms like as if they were wings. "I bet it's easier than walking in here."

"I can't. The fog makes it hard for me to see. It's too dangerous. I might've bumped into some-."

"Ouch!" Monkey cried. "Po, that's my tail again!"

"Sorry again."

"Watch it Po!"

"I'm trying."

"Guys. Keep your voice—"

"You didn't try!"

"I did."

"Didn't!"

"Guys. Please—"

"Yes. I did!"

"No. You didn't!"

"Guys!"

"What?!"

A loud rumble was heard, accompanied with the shaking of the ground. Five pairs of eyes widened in shock as they looked towards the top of the hill.

"Look out!" Viper screamed as she saw large chunks of ice sliding and rolling down the snowy hill, swallowing anything and everything in its path. Crane was snapped out of his trance when he realized that the avalanche would reach them within seconds.

"Run!"

The five warriors turned and ran, instinctively taking the direction that would take them as far away as possible from the approaching ice and snow.

Crane swiftly grabbed Viper and Mantis with his talons. He flapped his wings and flew up high, keeping a distance from large amount of snow that was rolling down the cliff. His eyes darted to and fro, desperately searching for any signs of Po and Monkey.

"Crane! Over here!"

He saw Monkey waving his arms as he tried to keep a step ahead of approaching mass.

"Hold on!"

The avian swooped down towards the primate.

"Grab my leg!" Crane shouted as he neared Monkey.

Because of his carelessness, Monkey slipped and started sliding down the increasingly sloping ground. Fortunately, he managed to grab hold onto Crane's talon before he fell off the edge of the cliff.

"Where's Po?" Crane asked.

Mantis squinted his eyes and saw his monochromatic friend screaming at the top of his lungs in panic as he attempted to outrun the large snow cloud that was threatening to swallow him.

"He's down there!"

Crane swooped down again, this time to rescue Po.

"Po! Grab my leg!"

Crane ascended immediately once he felt the additional weight of the black and white panda clinging on to him. Due to the amount thick fog that was obscuring his view, he didn't know that there was a large tree directly in his flight path. By the time he saw it, they were already too close to avoid it. He crashed hard into the tree, nearly getting themselves impaled by the numerous large thorns that were growing out of the tree.

They were totally disoriented as they fell out of the sky. Crane had lost his balance and was struggling to right himself. Unable to regain height, they plummeted towards the ground. As they crashed onto the icy surface, they were engulfed by the avalanche, sending them tumbling down the mountain.