Kung Fu Wolf: Rising of the Moon

Chapter Seventeen: New Moon

Hiro's P.O.V.

The walk back to the Jade Palace was so much better than the walk to Shanghai. Maybe it was because the mission was over, Marcus's sister was found and safe, the Bandit Brigade were sent to Chor Ghom prison… and I was alive! Talk about a bonus, huh?

Anyway… three days have passed since that night and ever since…. Everyone's been asking me about my arm, my healing ability and my new hook swords. To be perfectly honest it was getting kind of annoying. Thankfully Tigress put an end to the little Q&A after she put Chin in an excruciating arm lock after asking the same question for the forty-eighth time… and yes, I did keep count.

Anyway, back to the here and now.

We found ourselves at a crossroads, one path would take us home to the Valley of peace, the other lead straight to the imperial capital. This is where we would say goodbye to our friend and client Marcus and his sister.

"I don't think I could thank y'all enough for all you've done. I only wish there was something I could do in return." The tall jungle cat said bowing from the waist. Marcus and his sister were planning on heading to the imperial city to try his luck at getting a job as an imperial guard. With his skills I'm sure he could make it no problem… but a letter of recommendation from the Dragon Warrior never hurt one's chances.

We all returned the bow. "No need to thank us… this is what we do." I said lifting my head. "Just get to the capital safely and we can call it even."

Marcus nodded and turned to the slender pantheress next to him. "Alright sis, you ready?" Said "sis" nodded and her older brother with a cute "Mm-hmm" then turned to the rest of us. "And thank y'all again for saving me from those scoundrels. If y'all ever make it to the city I'd be ever so grateful if you'd stop by for a visit."

Aww, how nice. After we had said would be sure to up the panther siblings, if the situation ever presented itself, both brother and sister started on their way to their new home.

I'm gonna miss them.

The rest of the trip back home was kinda uneventful, although I did suggest we go back through the Migong Canyon again… which was met with an angry and resounding "NO!" by the whole group.

I guess they can't take a joke.

Instead we took a longer way around that took an extra few days, but we made it back to the Valley of Peace none the worse for wear.

Waiting for us at the top of the Thousand steps, aptly named by the way, was Master Shifu and Master Bi Long both with pleased expressions on their faces. "Welcome back everyone, I take it your mission was successful?"

I decided to let everyone else tell the masters the story of our little adventure, I honestly didn't feel like telling Shifu how I was killed just yet, instead I made my way to the kitchen to get started on lunch. I'm sure everyone would want something nice to eat after the trip, so I decided to make something a little special, in honor of my first successful mission with the Furious Five and the Sapphire masters; Teriyaki and tofu noodle stir fry!

"So how was it?" A voice from behind me said. I turned around to see a black furred fox with glowing purple markings on his face, the mysterious master of the Sapphire Palace, Zoyo Li… with his big black hat off! Didn't think he had it in him to walk around in broad daylight without it.

"Is it alright to be walking around so exposed like this?" I jokingly asked.

Zoyo twitched his shoulder and smirked a little. "As long as no one's around to see… I see no problem with it. So…?"

Hmm…?

"How was what?" I asked. I always kinda wished people would be more specific when it came to questions like this, sometimes a simple who, what, when, where, why, and how aren't enough.

"Your meeting with the moon spirit?" He asked simply.

Ah… yes.

Back in the quarry I was killed by the leader of the Bandit Brigade and found my way to the spirit world where I was welcomed by Master Oogway ( was really great to see him though ) and a white furred female wolf who turned out to be the spirit of the moon…

And my mother.

Someone I've been wanting to meet since… well forever.

I looked Zoyo in the eye and said softly… "It was nice." But then a question entered my mind. "Tell me though… did you know about who and what I was when you first saw me? Or about my relationship with… her?" Since the night he had asked me about my dream I always felt that he knew a lot more than he let on.

Zoyo turned his gaze downwards and spoke in a serious tone. "I had a theory, but I wanted to be sure. Now after your… miracle, I suppose you could call it, I have no doubts now."

I nodded. "So what happens now?" I asked, finding myself in a situation I had no experience in… a situation more… divine than anything else.

Zoyo's eyes locked onto me again. "Your mastery of the physical is almost complete, next you must learn the ways of the spiritual."

Makes sense… I think.

"And that's where you come in?" I asked. He was the trainer of the half breeds, so I assumed…

The fox shook his head. "No, in the ways you must be trained; I have no experience."

Ahh right… never assume.

"However…" He continued. "If you go to the Lunar temple in the mountains in the northeast… you will find your teacher there." He handed me a scroll, when I opened it there was a map to my next destination drawn upon it.

It didn't seem like a long journey, maybe… three to four days at the most. Nothing I can't handle.

I rolled the scroll back up… The Lunar Temple huh? Maybe i could learn a little more about mother there. My attention returned to Zoyo, who was putting his face hiding hat back on his head. "When should I leave?" I asked.

The last thing the fox spirit said to me was… "When you are ready. They will be expecting you. Good luck to you… Hiro Moonson"

Moonson, huh? Never had a last name before… I kinda like it.

Well… I guess I shouldn't keep my new teacher waiting, should I?

Later that day at the peach tree.

"I see. Well then if this is necessary for your training Master Wolf, then I wish you good luck." Master Shifu said to me as I told him my plans to head over to the Lunar Temple… well after I had explained the whole dying thing to him to the best of my ability. Boy was he surprised. I just wished he would have stopped asking about Master Oogway sooner, I know he looked up to the wise old tortoise, but come on!

Anyway, The Sapphire masters had left after lunch, which was an absolute hit by the way, and everyone decided to relax before training started again tomorrow. I, on the other hand, wanted to have a quick talk with my master about my plans and told him I wanted to leave as soon as possible… that was until he had some questions of his own which took a couple hours to answer. It's all about the details with this guy.

"Should I tell the others?" I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to my friends, but I didn't want them to try to stop me from going either… and I know most of them would try and stop me for one reason or another.

"Hmm. No." Master Shifu said after some thought. "I will let them know about your departure in the morning, for now you should get ready; it's very rude to keep your teacher waiting." No arguments there. I looked over to the horizon where the last of the sun's rays were peeeking out over the western mountains… yep now was as good a time as any I suppose.

I gave a bow to my diminuative master and made my way to the barracks where I'm sure everyone else had turned in for the night. My first stop was my room where I gathered my bag and my new hook swords… a gift from my mother. I wanted to stay and admire them a bit longer but then… I'd be burning moonlight.

My next stop was the kitchen where I gathered a few edibles for the road… speaking of food, I hope the guys will be alright without me here to cook for them…

Oh I'm sure they'll be fine.

Well i got my gear, I got a few snacks... Time to hit the road, i thought to myself as i made my way out the main doors…

"Going somewhre Dragon Warrior?"

And right there waiting for me at the top of the thousand steps, fur shinning beautifully in the moonlight, was master Tigress.

A smile crept onto my face, how foolish of me to think I could leave without her knowing. "Nothing gets past you, does it Tigress?" I asked with a light chuckle.

That rare smile, that seemed to be reserved only for me these days, founds it's way onto her face. "Not most days, no. So where are you going at this time of night? Alone? Without telling anybody?"

Aww how cute, she's worried about me.

"To be fair I did tell Master Shifu about me leaving for a while." I responded. She nodded, apparently pleased that I at least let our master know, but…

"But not me?" She said with a slight pout that looked too adorable for words… I swear at moments like this I feel like the luckiest wolf in the world; to be the only one the hardcore master of the Tiger Style shows her softer side to.

"Would you try to stop me if I did?" I knew deep down Tigress would probably try to keep me from leaving if she could.

Tigress thought it over for a moment and said… "No."

Huh… well i didn't see that coming.

Nor did I expect to take my hands in hers and look me in my now silver eyes.

"As long as you promise you'll come back soon."

I swear i thought i felt my heart skip a beat as our eyes were locked together… I honestly don't know what power she has over me but…

I never want her to stop.

"I promise." I said giving her hands a reassuring squeeze. She nodded, happy with my answer, and released my hands an stepped out of my way.

As I made my way to the top step I heard Tigress's voice one more time. "Where are you planning on going anyway?" She asked. A fair question, I saw no reason not to tell her.

I raised my glowing right arm for her to see. "Hopefully somewhere I can learn to control this." I said waving my arm around as an example.

Tigress seemed to like the sound of that. "So when you return…" She said, and intruiged tone in her voice. "You should be even stronger than ever." I turned around to face my female companion… i think i might know where this is going.

I shruged my shoulders. "Probably." Was all I said.

Tigress crossed her arms and with a smug look on her face said. "All right then, when you get back, you and I are going to have a sparring match to see who's gotten stronger in the time we've been apart."

Ha. Kinda had a feeling it would go there. Ah well, sound like fun… but maybe I ought to add some… stakes to this little contest.

"Sounds good." I said. Then I wore my own smug look and added. "But if I win… You got to go out on a date with me."

Im sure if anyone else said that Tigress would have broken their necks right there and then. But she just simply nodded, I guess she had no objections.

"Deal."

And with that I gave her one last smile and started on my way to my next adventure.

After a few minutes I was roughly about halfway down the seemingly endless set of stone stairs when I looked up at the moon and felt my mothers gaze upon me.

I smiled up at the great white circle in the sky knowing that no matter where my path led…

The Moon would always be there to guide me.

A/N.

Aaaaand done! *Whew!* The end of Rising of the Moon. Well I hope you all enjoyed it. As for what's next, don't worry Hiro's adventures are not over yet… in fact I have a few more plans for Hiro and… a new story soon. But until then…

Fave… Comment… Like…. And all that good stuff.

See ya next time!