The story is beginning to wrap up. I would like for this story to have 20 chapters, so one last chapter then the epilogue! However, we have a more pressing matter at hand- let's read on and see!
Phetiamwantip: Thank you! Luckily we still have a few more chapters, so it's almost like a bonus :)
StoryWriter2015: I am really appreciative of your continued support!
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Viper was silent as she and Milu left the Palace and began descending down the steps. Milu, who was no novice to the snake's emotions, smiled at her, "I know you and your comrades would be upset at my leaving. But I am a travelling doctor. And this is- er, will be, I should say- a beautiful town. I would be lying if I said I had not grown accustomed to this... place. Moscow is not unlike this town."
Viper nodded, "Tell me about Moscow. What is your life like there?" She looked up at the wapiti.
Milu thought for a minute, "Well, I haven't been there in a couple of years, but it is very beautiful. I am well known there, for I studied under the city's head doctor. After I learned all I needed to, well, I started travelling. It was not far, at first. Just to a few villages in the nearby woods. But I began branching out. I wanted to see Asia. So I told my family I would be travelling to China. To India. There I would be able to continue my practices, but also learn how different cultures heal their sick, treat their wounded.
They thought I was absurd, my family did. But off I went. First I went to Tibet-"
The green snake gasped, "I've heard of that place! What was Tibet like?" Viper asked eagerly, nearly stopping at the thought of such a faraway place. Milu smiled,
"Well, it was very cold. After several months of hiking and grabbing rides in carriages and wagons, I had arrived in the middle of winter. There was a village suffering from a terrible cough. I stayed with them until spring and gave them honey for their cough, as well as some medicine I took from Moscow. I told their chief how to prevent future ailments, and off I went. I went east, towards China. I arrived in a beautiful town called Shang Hai.
"Luckily there was no plague there, but simply a few sick. They had a doctor, but thankfully he was willing to learn foreign medicine. I taught him what I knew, he taught me what he knew. I headed south with the intention of going to India, but somehow I arrived in Gongmen City, just days after the peacock took over."
Viper shuddered at the thought of Shen, "What did you do after you arrived?"
"First," Milu thought back, "I rented a small house with some coins that I had gotten as payment from the sick in Shang Hai. I was just seeing off a patient and was getting ready for bed when I heard a great commotion. I come outside and I see a wounded lion outside my door!"
"Leo Lung!" Viper finished for him. Milu nodded,
"I fixed him up and he headed off towards that factory where he thought Shen was and, well, Ms. Viper, I think you can figure out the rest." Milu laughed good naturedly.
The events that took place ten months ago might've been frightening then, but now that Viper and Milu were looking back on it, they simply laughed at Leo Lung rushing headlong into danger. It was so unlike him. Milu blamed it on the pain and adrenaline he must've had pumping through his body.
When the two friends reached about halfway down the stairs, a sudden shriek startled them out of their conversation. Milu looked and saw two wolves hauling Shui up the staircase. The she wolf was groaning in pain. One of the wolves spoke,
"I think her baby is coming!" He whimpered, "You're a doctor! Help her already!"
Viper gasped, "Oh poor Shui! Let's get her to the infirmary!"
Milu nodded. He looked at Viper, "Go back to the palace and prepare a bed for her. And find something for her to hold on to- a pole, stick, anything to grab." Viper, with a quick nod, turned and slithered quickly back up to the palace. Shui, wincing in pain, looked pleadingly at Milu. The wapiti gently picked Shui up bridal style and began carrying her up the steps as fast as he could.
"Hey!" One of the wolves barked, "What about us?"
Milu turned and looked at them, Shui growled in pain. Milu spoke, "Do you want to help deliver her baby?"
The two wolves looked at each other, unsure. They may have fought in wars but helping birth a child seemed daunting. Milu pursed his lips, "You can wait outside the infirmary. If you want to help, wash your paws before you come in." He hurried back to the palace.
Once Milu reached the infirmary, Viper had a bed ready with several pillows. She looked on worriedly as Milu laid her down. Her belly was large, and she grabbed onto the bedsheets in pain.
"Here, Milu." Viper slithered forward, a large metal pole in her coils. The wapiti nodded in thanks and gave it to Shui, "Grab or bite onto this whenever you contract. It should help with the pain." The light she-wolf nodded, her eyes and cheeks wet with tears.
Outside the infirmary, the two wolves pulled up sitting mats and waited anxiously. They pinned their ears back, almost in shame, whenever a pained cry came from inside. Shui was their alpha. It hurt them to see- or hear her- in pain.
Viper slithered in and out of the infirmary. She returned with lavender, honey, water, and just about everything Milu or Shui needed. Whenever the door slid open the wolves tried to peak inside, but the could only see Milu standing over Shui, reassuring and helping her.
Nearly six hours later the sun began to set. Shifu, Leo Lung, Po and the rest of the masters returned from the Valley. As they headed off to dinner, they saw the pair of wolves huddled outside the infirmary.
"Is someone hurt?" Shifu asked. A groan of pain came from the infirmary. One of the wolves, a brown female name Ri Chu, spoke worriedly, "It's Shui! She's having her baby!"
"Oh." Shifu said, his eyebrows raised. Leo Lung looked at the infirmary door,
"Is Milu in there with her?"
"Viper too," said Ri Chu, nodding.
Shifu nodded slowly. A slow, pained moan came from the infirmary. Shifu spoke, "Let me know when her child has arrived."
With that, Shifu, Leo Lung, and the Furious Five- bar Viper- went to go practice in the new Training Hall. Ri Chu, whose ears were tired from being pinned to her head, leaned back and sighed as she could only imagine was Shui was going through.
A small black wolf on her left, named Wan, spoke up, "Maybe we should get some rest. It won't do Shui any good if we are out here." He gestured to the infirmary doors, which slid open as Viper quickly slithered out. She returned several minutes later with several towels in her coils.
Ri Chu pursed her lips and nodded slowly, "Maybe Master Shifu will let us stay in the dorms while we wait."
Wan and Ri Chu stood up and stretched their legs. They were about to go find the red panda when a sudden wail cut them off. This one wasn't like the others, however. It was higher pitched. Baby-like.
"Is that what I think it is?" Ri Chu asked excitedly, all of her sleepiness suddenly washed away.
Wan nodded, "I hope so!" He knocked eagerly on the infirmary doors. The duo of wolves heard Milu talking, and then the doors slid open. Viper looked at the two of them,
"I'm assuming you want to see the new baby?" She smiled. Wan tried to peak in, but he couldn't see anything. Milu said something in Russian, then approached them,
"My apologies, but I won't let anyone see Shui or her child. I want them to bond and for Shui to rest. Come back tomorrow afternoon. Viper," Milu turned to the green snake, "I am ever grateful for your help, you may go rest now."
"Thank you, Milu. I was more than glad to be able to help you." Viper dipped her head in a bow. She slithered out of the infirmary and Milu gently slid the door closed. Viper breathed a sigh of relief. Ri Chu looked at the snake,
"Shui's ok, right?"
"Yes. She did great. She probably just wants to rest now. I'm going to inform everyone that her baby was born though. You two should probably go tell the rest.."
"The rest of the pack, yeah." Wan said, "Let's go, guys!" He said eagerly, jogging down the hall and out of the palace; he hurried towards the wolf camp, which lay near the river bank where the battle took place. Ri Chu excitedly followed- both of them wanting to be the one to share the good news.
Viper, now left alone in the infirmary hall, slowly slithered off to the Training Hall, where she assumed her friends were. Shui and her child were born perfectly healthy, but that was one of the most tiring processes she had been apart of since she joined the Furious Five. Milu had her slithering around and gathering everything for himself and for Shui. But she enjoyed it. The relief and joy it brought her to bring Shui's child into the world... it was something she wouldn't forget.
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The next afternoon
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News of Shui's baby had spread faster than wildfire in a dry forest. The wolves, who had been told that they wouldn't be able to see Shui's child until the next day, rose before dawn and raced to the Jade Palace.
The second that Shifu opened the gates that morning the wolves flooded the palace. Shifu, who expected them to be in the village repairing homes, was genuinely surprised as the wolves nearly trampled him in an effort to get to the infirmary.
The majority of them had never been to the palace, and they wandered around as a group, lost, until they burst into the dorms by accident, startling awake the Furious Five and Po, who were still asleep. The tired Po guided them to the infirmary. The Furious Five also got up, deciding they wanted to Shui's baby as well. Viper kept her lips stubbornly sealed. Milu, hearing the footsteps and chattering of the crowd, quickly put himself outside the door.
"Quiet! Shui is still sleeping." He said, raising his hooves to get the crowd's attention.
Leo Lung, hearing a great commotion, saw at least one hundred wolves crowded in the hall, with Milu talking to him. Milu slipped into the infirmary for a minute or so before he rejoined the crowd. Leo joined the Furious Five and Po. Milu continued.
"I have awoken Shui, and I will only take in groups of ten at a time. No way can I fit all of you in there. First, I will have all of the Master of Kung Fu in first, as well as Ri Chu and Wan. Come along now." Milu entered the infirmary and gestured for the ten animals to follow.
Leo eagerly entered. He saw that Shui was in the first bed. She had the blanket pulled up to her torso and in her arms was a sleeping baby wolf. Leo smiled broadly. Po, Crane, Mantis, and Monkey aww'd in unison. Tigress' eyes were filled with wonder and curiosity, and Shifu smiled in approval. Ri Chu and Wan gasped happily, moving quickly to the sight of the bed. The Kung Fu Masters moved to join, so they huddled around the bed.
Shui's tail wagged until the blanket, "Good morning, everyone. Meet Huo."
Huo had dark fur, like his father, but his paws, belly, and muzzle were silver like his mother. His eyes were closed peacefully, and his tiny ears were folded closed. "He has the most beautiful eyes of any baby I've delivered." Milu commented offhandedly from the back of the crowd.
Shui nodded and gently kissed Huo's forehead. The baby yawned, showing a pink tongue, which only caused the whole room to swoon. Huo blinked his eyes open. They were a stunning ruby red. He stared curiously at the new visitors. Ri Chu whispered quietly,
"He has his father's eyes."
"Indeed." Shui whispered as she stared lovingly at her child, "It is almost like Alpha has blessed our child from the afterlife." She said soothingly. When Tigress heard that, she looked at the ground, ashamed. Shui, noticing Tigress' shift in mood, held Huo out, "Tigress, would you like to hold him?"
The tiger's eyes widened. She glanced around. Tigress had never held a baby before, "Be easy," Shui instructed, "Mind his head." Tigress gently held Huo, who looked at her. The baby wolf looked at Tigress curiously, following the pattern of the stripes on her head and neck. Huo laughed. It was an adorable sound; Tigress smiled.
"May I hold him?" Po asked eagerly, holding his arms out, smiling. Tigress looked at Shui. The mother nodded, shifting to sit up in her bed. Tigress passed Huo to Po.
Soon, every animal who wanted to hold Huo got a turn. The baby didn't cry at all- in fact, he seemed rather intrigued by the variety of animals who held him. When the baby reached his mother, Milu looked at all of the animals,
"Alright everybody. There are a thousand other wolves out there wanting to see and hold Huo. Time to go, now." He gently ushered everyone out. However, Tigress remained by Shui's side. Milu cocked an eyebrow, and she held up her paw; she wanted a minute alone with Shui.
When Milu had given her privacy, Shui began to feed Huo. She pulled up the blanket so he was covered. Tigress took a deep breath, "Shui, I am still incredibly sorry for my actions ten months ago."
Shui smiled gently, "I have already told you, my friend. I have forgiven you. I have no cruel thoughts or feelings to you."
Tigress nodded slowly, "I understand. It's just..hard, I guess."
"It is." Shui nodded slowly, "May I ask you one thing, Tigress?" Shui looked at the tiger. Tigress nodded, "May you be Huo's godmother? I would ask one of the wolves, but there is no other animal with as much skill as yours."
Tigress' eyes widened. Huo's godmother? Was that like a guardian? Someone who watched over a child and protect them? Did that make Leo Lung her godfather? She looked at Shui, who was patiently waiting for an answer. Tigress leaned down and gently hugged Shui around her neck.
"It would be an honor, my friend."
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Authors Note: It seems Tigress has finally gotten over the death of Alpha! And meet baby Huo everyone! Will Tigress make a good godmother for this little baby? What would Alpha think of his baby boy if he was still alive? If you want to answer the questions or just leave positive feedback or constructive criticism, be sure to leave a review! If you haven't yet already, then leave a follow or a favorite! A positive reception is my best motivation for writing! Write to you soon and wash your hands!
