A/N: Sorry for the wait. But I have other stories to take care of. So we have reached the third and final part of the story (the first one was until Tigress left the palace, the next one was about the whole fleeing thing, and now we are nearing the end with the last part).
Let's see how Shu is, shall we?
Oh, and about how I know that owls sleep on one leg? I am following an owl family through a live webcam (they just got two kids! So sweet! Now I can see them grow up!) and then I observed it. Plus, I had a budgie for six years before he died, and he too slept on one leg. Birds do that to relax for some reason.
I do not own Kung Fu Panda.
Spread Your Wings, Paying Off Debt
"Are you speaking the truth, Miss?"
Shu tried not to be offended. She laid her cold eyes on them. "Of course I am! Why would I not?"
The soldiers shared glances, a bit nervous. Her voice was demanding, but she still was not their leader. Though, they could not help but be suspicious. Fenghuang was an old and so was this old lady.
A connection?
Longwei cleared his throat and took a step forward. "Please forgive my warriors, Miss Shu. Unfortunately, not all we have talked to have been truthful."
Shu hated to admit it, but she was tired. Her age was plaguing her wings and she was trying to hide how much she was panting. It had taken her over a day to find a village, and first now they started to believe her!
The owl lifted her head. "Thank you," she said, voice distant though. "You'll have to hurry; they were already starting to leave when I took off."
"Do you have any idea of where they might be heading?" Longwei asked her, his steel blue eyes meeting hers.
Shu hesitated and she did not know why. She had already told them where Fenghuang had been hiding, then why could she not continue.
But, after all, she was not sure of Fenghuang's destination. She just had an idea of where they could be hiding now, if they already had arrived.
Though, it was foolish and dangerous. Still, Fenghuang had never let such things stop her; she had always thought she was invincible.
But… Maybe she had changed after the tiger came. Getting some responsibility could change a person. Maybe Fenghuang had learned to think about what she was doing and what the consequences might be.
"No," she answered, feeling lightheaded. "But her wing was broken."
Longwei turned around to give his soldiers orders. Fenghuang was slow and Tigress would not leave her. That gave them a chance of catching up with them.
His plan was working after all.
Shu started to walk away, her job was done here. But she was too tired to fly and she did not really feel like returning home. Not now. Not after this.
Then where should she stay? Around her where villagers and soldiers that had been busy searching for her daughter.
Letting out a gasp, Shu realized she needed to rest. She could not fool herself; she was old. Not as fast as she had been. Not as strong.
Not as powerful.
Her head was slightly spinning but she did not call for help. She just needed to find some water and then sleep. But all around her there were whispers, all blaming her.
But it was not her fault! And they should be grateful! Fenghuang was dangerous; she had just saved them all from her!
They should not…
Shu turned her head around to look at Longwei. She did not trust that leopard. And if he thought he could defeat Fenghuang, then he was the fool.
But then she met the eyes of a soldier standing near the leopard. Her entire face was almost covered by the silver helmet, but her eyes could not be mistaken.
The warrior looked directly back at Shu.
Then Shy fell to the ground.
Longwei saw this, but it was a few of his warriors that rushed to the owl's help. But even though it was only a matter of meters, the owl was not moving when they reached her.
"Dead," one of the warriors declared. "The stress was probably too much for her."
Another one gave him right with a rough, "Old people shouldn't walk for so long. Especially not flying."
Longwei watched as nearby villagers came, offering them their help. Good. He did not know much about the owl, and he really did not know what to do with her dead.
The warrior with the purple eyes stared at the scene in front of her until she then turned around to disappear into the crowd.
"Mother?" Tigress asked sleepily as she just woke up. It was the sound of a gasp that had disturbed her sleep.
Fenghuang stood up, staring into nothing. Her purple eyes were widened and she did not notice her daughter's calls.
"Mother?!"
First then she snapped out of it. "Lower your voice," she hissed warningly.
Tigress looked a bit hurt, but then her worried expression came back. "What happened?" she asked, this time in a whisper.
"Nothing. Go back to bed."
But Tigress remained where she was, staring at her. Had it been a nightmare? Her mother had been strangely worried about her ever since Chorh-Gom. Tigress understood it though, but she wished that her mother also could care about herself.
Tigress could handle herself, and if Fenghuang kept worrying like if Tigress was close to danger all the time, then something bad would happen. Tigress was sure of that.
Now she needed to take care of her mother.
She took a step forward, but then Fenghuang sent her a sharp glance. "Now, Tigress."
With sunken shoulder Tigress did was she was told. Fenghuang remained standing, as still was a statue. She knew what had happened without even knowing how.
Fenghuang did not sleep much that day. And when night came, she had made a plan of how to make things work here in their new… home.
"Where are you going?" Tigress asked her, seeing her open the door.
"I am going to get us some dinner." The owl was about the close the door when she saw that Tigress was now in the doorway, following her. Fenghuang sighed at the sight.
"And what can I do?" Tigress asked but in reality she just said that she wanted to be a part of the plan too.
Fenghuang walked away. "Stay guard."
Tigress glared darkly at her.
"Just for tonight," Fenghuang promised before sneaking down the hallway. Tigress remained where she was but did not loo happy. Though, now she could use her good ears.
Actually, when she concentrated on her hearing, she was pretty sure she could hear a snore coming all the way from the barracks. Probably the panda, she thought with a smirk.
Meanwhile Fenghuang was walking silently through the palace, nearing the kitchen. The antidote sure had helped. Her head was feeling better and her wing was no longer numb. Now she just had to wait for it to heal.
The kitchen was full of food, just as she had expected. Nothing they would miss. Just some bread and some apples.
Her eyes widened as she froze. Behind her… There was someone. She was sure of that. But instead of calling out her daughter's name, she slowly turned her head around, just enough to get a glance of the person.
It was Shifu.
Another nightmare had been disturbing his sleep and he had entered the kitchen with sleepy thoughts in the hope to get some warm milk. Some part of him told him it only worked for little children, but right now he was desperate. He missed his sleep.
But suddenly he was awake. In front of him was Fenghuang. In his kitchen. With her wings full of bread. He blinked, jaw hanging.
Then Fenghuang slowly walked away. She did not talk to him or send him a glance.
When she was gone, Shifu was still standing there, frozen like a statue. What had just happened? Was it….? Was that….?
Shaking his head, he tried getting back to reality. He must have been sleeping. No way Fenghuang could have been here.
Stealing bread…
Yet, Shifu spent the hours of the night walking around the palace. Just to be sure. But he saw no Fenghuang.
Had he really gotten that old?!
Seeing things… Shifu rubbed his face with his paw. He better head back to bed before he also started seeing Tai Lung walking around.
That was when he heard something coming from outside the palace. Footsteps. Fenghuang! He had not been dreaming! She was out there, soon attacking…
He smashed the door open and he was right about one thing; there was a person sneaking around outside.
It just was not Fenghuang.
Ju-long let out a surprised scream, jumped some meters backwards, landing on his bad leg and fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Shifu barked at him, immediately standing in front of him.
The wolverine gave him a dark glance. "What about helping up a wounded man?"
Holding back a sigh, Shifu offered him his paw and ragged him up so he could stand. "Now answer my question."
"Just getting some fresh air," Ju-long told him. "I have been wasting my time with being inside too long."
"You were running off," Shifu declared, looking at him.
"Depends on many things."
The Grandmaster raised an eyebrow. "Example?"
"Whether if I can leave by my own will or not."
Shifu looked at him, understanding his question. "No," he then declared. "Your actions have consequences."
"You must understand that it was never my wish to hurt any of-"
"But helping other people with it does not make you innocent," Shifu said. "Guards will come after you tomorrow."
Ju-long nodded shortly. "And where are you sending me?"
"Chorh-Gom. Of course not like Fenghuang, but in another cell. I believe some months are all we can give you."
Ju-long was not happy. Being caught in the middle of his escape, then getting to know that he was going in prison.
But he was not going to try and escape.
Actually, this was might a big chance for him. All the customers he could meet in the prison… All desperate… Fenghuang might have destroyed his home, but he could still have his business.
"Master Shifu?"
The red panda turned around and saw his students.
"We heard yelling," Viper explained for all of them. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes," Shifu answered. "But I would appreciate if some of you could make sure that Ju-long stays in his room until morning."
"Yes, Master."
As they followed the wolverine back into palace, Shifu watched his students go. Po caught his glance. "Master?"
"Just tell me if you see anything suspiciously," Shifu told him.
Po nodded but was not sure why has master was telling him that.
Fenghuang made it clear that they should be quiet as soon as she entered the room. She quickly lock the door and stood still. Tigress did the same.
They looked into each other's eyes and waited.
About a minute later, they heard footsteps. But then person did not stop, and walked away. When the sounds were gone they let out a revealed sigh.
They did not say anything, though.
Still silent, Fenghuang handed Tigress some bread. She took it with a smile and quickly started eating; she was hungry as it was long time since they had gotten anything to eat.
Fenghuang ate too and there went hours before they dared to talk. "Shifu saw me," Fenghuang said with a low whisper.
Tigress widened her eyes. They were stuck here? If the masters were searching for them, then it would not last long until they would be found.
"Don't worry; he was half asleep. I am pretty sure he thinks his mind is failing him."
"Poor Shifu," Tigress sighed quietly.
Fenghuang raised an eyebrow by her daughter's comment.
"It's not funny thinking you are crazy," Tigress said, defending herself and her opinion. "No matter who you are."
"We were lucky. Just be glad about that."
Po was hungry. Very hungry. So he could not sleep. His stomach was roaring and he hit it slightly, hoping it would fall quiet again so it did not wake up his friends.
But it did not help and now he was sneaking towards the kitchen. He better eat while being awake so he did not start sleepwalking again. He was pretty sure that he had started doing that in the nights, because he had been noticing that food was disappearing throughout the night.
He had been sleepwalking with the same reason before, so it did make sense.
But when he reached the kitchen someone else was there. Clamping a paw over his mouth to hold in the gasp, Po quickly backed away. What?! What was Fenghuang doing here? Cooking?!
Shocked, he had backed down a hallway that did not lead to the barracks and now the panda found himself stuck. He could not just go back, so he would have to use the other hallways to get to Shifu. It would take longer time, but he would be safe.
Wait… If Fenghuang was here, then where was…? "Tigress," Po whispered under his breath. He then stepped on a floorboard that creaked.
The door in front of him sprung open and there was Tigress, in the doorway, opening the door as she thought it was her mother returning back.
Tigress stared at Po and Po stared at Tigress. He had his mouth opened in disbelief, while Tigress' expression only showed how shocked she was. "You owe me," she then whispered, almost hissing. "You owe me your life. I saved you at Chorh-Gom."
Po just continued staring, but inside his mind he saw the scene again where Tigress saved him from falling into his death.
"You owe me, Po. Don't tell the others."
What were they doing here? His friends… He had to tell them, right?
"I saved your life. Now help me."
A/N: hope you liked the chapter. The scene with Shu will be explained in the next chapters. I personally love Fenghuang's way of getting away from Shifu. Just pretend nothing is wrong… Nothing going on here…
Thank you for reviewing.