Year of the Tiger

By corset-rebellion-follower

Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda

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Chapter 26- Sage

The next morning, the sun rose up over the Valley of Peace and bathed the tiny village in its warming glow. Some extra sunrays seeped through the slats that made up a shutter. They spread their warmth over a tigress, giving her more stripes.

Clover gently rubbed one of her eyes before pulling the covers farther around her. Warm. Need warm. She felt a source of heat behind her which was pulling her close. She sighed happily and snuggled against it. The heat source started to gently kiss down her neck. She giggled and wriggled away.

"Stop that."

"But you're so pretty…"

She sat up. "Tang Ning, if you don't stop it, I swear, I'll—" The snow leopard sat up next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing their lips together. She slowly broke down and kissed him back, resting her hands on his chest. Feeling his lungs straining he pulled away, grinning slightly. She smiled back shyly.

"Do you know how beautiful you are to me?" he whispered.

She giggled and stroked his cheek. "Kinda. You won't stop saying it."

"It's not my fault that you have a face more beautiful than any goddess in heaven."

She smiled and rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. "Ugh, what time is it? I don't remember falling asleep until really late." He lay back down and ran his fingers teasingly up her back.

"Don't know. Probably morning."

She looked back at him. "Morning? It's morning? It can't be morning!"

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Do you realize what will happen if my parents find out I was out all night? I'll be dead! Especially if they find out I was with you!"

He took her paw and brought her back down into his arms. "Relax. Nothing happened, and you know that I would never take your virginity before marriage. All of our clothes stayed on, so what's there to be worried about?"

"You have me convinced, but try telling that to my father. I guarantee he'll gut you and serve you for dinner," she snapped. He kissed her fingers.

"You're right. He will. But will you stay a few more minutes? Please?"

A small smile formed on her face. "Fine. A few more minutes. But that's all," she insisted. He nodded and wrapped his arms tighter around her, a grin plastered on his face.

Goddamn, I am the luckiest man on earth.

Clover had come to him in the middle of the night and broke down in his arms. After she finally calmed down, she had explained that she had done a lot of thinking and thought that he was right; she didn't love the panda, no matter how sweet and innocent he was. Then she practically pounced on him and smashed their lips together. It wasn't as if she told him she wanted to marry him and have his babies, but it was so much more than he had imagined her confessing to.

"Ning?"

"Mmm?"

She turned over in his arms to face him. "Do you think that after all of this is over—you know, with my sister's wedding and the Emperor—do you think we could have a relationship?"

He smiled. "I think there's a good chance we could. We could right now if you wanted to. It's not as if there's a certain time that we have to get together," he said.

She nodded and fell silent. "What? What's is it?"

"Well—I just want you to know that… that I love you. I really love you. And even after I ignored you and told you that you were stupid, and then avoided you to go out with Po, I would really like to be your girlfriend. If you want to be my boyfriend."

He inspected her face. She looked nervous and scared.

He took her paw and laced their fingers together. "I love you too. And I would love to be your boyfriend. If you're sure that you wanna be my girlfriend."

She nodded. "I know I wanna be your girlfriend." A huge grin spread across his face. "What?" she asked, "Why are you smiling at me like that?"

He climbed out of bed. "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right." He got down on one knee in front of her, still holding one of her paws. She cracked up. "Clover, will you be my girlfriend? Pretty please? I'll be your best friend!"

She laughed harder, but squeezed his paw and said, "Yes, yes, I'll be your girlfriend. But that pretty please better have a cherry on top. I'm in the mood for some fruit."

"Of course. If you will come with me to the kitchen," he picked her up off the bed and caught her by surprise, "Then I will fill any desire for fruit that you may have." She giggled and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

He returned the favor by kissing her lips.

"My pleasure."

They entered the tiny kitchen and Ning placed Clover back down on the floor. She went over to the window and opened it. Some of the Valley was still tinted by pink and yellow sunrise, but the market was already bustling and joyful.

She smiled at the sight. People were already haggling for better prices, old friends talking and laughing together, and Tigress looking mopey and sad… wait, Tigress? Clover rubbed her eyes before looking again. Sure enough, her sister was walking along with the early morning shoppers, but not as cheerful as what was around her.

"Ning! Come here," Clover whispered, pulling the snow leopard over to the window.

"What is it?" She pointed out the tiger among the crowds. "Wow, she looks down. Is she alright?"

She hit him upside the head. "That's not the point! The point is that she's actually out of the Jade Palace! Do you think she's going to apologize to Dongwa? As in right now? I wouldn't be surprised if he fell asleep in his empty house last night."

Ning shook his head. "I don't think so. She's going the opposite direction from Dongwa's house."

Clover's heart sunk. "I wish they would make up already and get married. They were practically made for each other."

"I agree. I didn't really know either of them very well, but they seemed like a very healthy and happy couple."

"They were. Tigress had never been happier than when she was with Dongwa. He could make her smile and laugh. And he loved to see her happy. It doesn't deserve to end like this," she sighed. She watched her sister just fidget and look at the people around her. Her eyes were red and watery.

Clover sighed and closed the window. "I'm going to go talk to her." She stopped short in front of the door and spun around to look at Ning. "I'm sorry that I'm running out like this. But she needs me."

He smiled and took her paws. "There's nothing to apologize for. Just go and help your big sister."

"Did I ever mention that you're the best boyfriend ever?" she asked.

He laughed and kissed her. "No. But thanks." She gave him another kiss before heading out the door. Tigress hadn't moved from her spot, and it didn't look like she was going to move any time soon.

Clover came up to her slowly and waved to give her a warning. "Hey, sis."

Tigress kept her eyes on the ground. "Hello." Her voice was little more than a whisper.

"Are… are you alright? No one's seen you in a few weeks," Clover said.

"I've been training. I seem to have gained a little weight from my lack of exercise." Clover sighed.

"Come on, Tigress, your wedding was just called off! You don't have to be the ice queen all the time."

"Well when you get your heart smashed into fifty million little pieces by the only man you ever loved, then we'll talk about expressing our emotions!" Tigress snapped. Clover was surprised by the sudden burst of emotion. But it didn't make her any less angry.

"Oh, Dongwa smashed your heart? You were the one who screamed that he and you were through! And he's been sitting, heartbroken, inside the house that he built for you! And your heart got smashed into fifty million pieces?"

The villagers started to stare at the arguing siblings.

Tigress' voice rose up to a high-pitched shriek. "I am NOT going to talk about this with you! Just leave me alone!" And she stormed off.

How dare she? She comes up to me and asks if I'm alright, and then screams in my face about something that's none of her business? What a bitch!

She turned towards the Jade Palace, but bumped into someone. The person collapsed to the ground. She became horrified when she realized it was an old man. "Oh my goodness, sir, I'm so sorry! I didn't watch where I was going, please forgive me."

He ignored her outstretched hand and stood up, quickly rearranging his robes. "Quite all right, dearie. I may be old, but I'm not made of glass."

He adjusted his darkened lenses. Tigress felt even worse now that she knew he was blind.

"Well there's a voice I'd never thought I'd hear up close. Master Tigress of the Furious Five. It's an honor." He tried to kiss her paw and missed a little, but she appreciated the gesture just the same.

"You can recognize me by my voice?" she asked.

"Of course. Being blind, I have enhanced hearing. Could probably hear a pin drop in this crowd if I wanted to." He started groping around for his walking stick.

"That's very impressive," she said, picking up the stick and handing it to him.

"Well, you've got what you've got. Now what are you doing down here instead of being up at the Jade Palace?" he asked.

"My Master decided that I needed fresh air and sent me down here. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do, though," she confessed.

"Well, sometimes the times when you don't know what to do are the best times to find out what you're supposed to do."

"Um, what?"

"How fares your love? I've picked up a few lines of gossip that you're getting married."

She slumped a bit. "Oh. Well, we're not getting married anymore. We broke up."

He clicked his tongue several times against his cheek. "I'm mighty sorry to hear that. Nothing like young love. But sometimes the strongest rope can be cut by the dullest blade."

Tigress stared at the man. He was starting to confuse her, and she didn't know if she could trust him. "I'm… I'm not quite sure what you mean."

"What I mean is that even though the soldier may be strong, he can be broken by the smallest strike." Tigress shook her head. Crazy old man. "Now dear, listen to me. Go talk to the boy. It doesn't matter if you just scream at him, go and see him one more time. Just to be sure."

And he started hobbling away, tapping his stick on the ground in front of him. She stared after him with a look of complete and utter confusion on her face.

What the hell was he talking about? I can't just go and see Dongwa; it would be too awkward. And what was with all those adages? She saw the man was beginning to disappear out of sight.

"Wait! To be sure of what?"

But he didn't respond, and soon was gone from view. She sighed and turned away.

A/N: No, the sage in the title of this chapter is not the fragrant spice, but the really wise guys who say smart stuff. And hooray, this story is offically over 50,000 words! Woo hoo! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and please continue to do so. Constructive criticism, a few words of encouragement for me to get the next chapter done, whatever you've got for me. And all the adages from this chapter? Complements of the brilliant mind of Proverb Moi. Enjoy the chapter, and review! Holla!