Only with Viper on her side Tigress run to the nearest mountain´s bridge in order to cut all possible accesses from the north. After that done the south side with the main army of the alliance would be easier to protect. All in hope the little squad wouldn't be already there.

Though she and her friend went as fast as they could they were already to late.

The alliance was already located on the near by mountain, ready to enter the last bridge of the Wudang Mountains.

In this area were three bridges connecting the path between the two mountains and a dense fog blocked the outlook to the earth underneath the bridges.

The threes danced with the unwell strong winds which blew on top of the mountains and surely would stream away any tiny animal. High winds like these were natural announcer of a storm.

If Tigress and Viper wanted to go home dry they should hurry up with their task.

Viper seemed not be worried about any weather issues at the moment rather than their enemies which were ready to march over the bridges.

"They are already here? How did they manage to do this?", she wondered.

If Viper was wondering they must have been fast but id did not matter now.

"It doesn't matter. Our focus is the bridges. We have to cut all three of them.", Tigress answered focussed on the enemies. She seemed to count them and judge their strength.

Most of them were simple solders. Well, maybe not simple solders if they managed to push Viper back but she counted only five unarmed enemies. A thread? To be honest she did not know since she did not know any on her foes. What she hear about them was their victory road. But who in the world could be more dangerous than Kai or Tai Lung? Those were monsters of an enemy. Also the little squad she saw was not even that huge than Shen's army. She did not think she could get beaten by them but she promised to only destroy the bridges.

"Yeah but without Po and the others we need some time while they could already go for the third bridge. We can't keep care of all of them at once.", Viper said while staying there and looking to her enemies. One wrong charge could start the fight and observed the alliance's patience. They probably knew good enough they would move on dangerous terrain if they enter a bridge.

"They shun sending their troops across the bridges.", she said: "Looks like we got to do the first strike."

Viper was very unhappy leaving her students back but she had to warn her friends about the situation and how fast they lost the ground. If she had realized the plan of that snake out there earlier she maybe could had done more. Now was her time to set things right again.

She hated the alliance and everything around it. They were not the most strongest enemy but the most influential enemy. They destroyed everything she loved and took everything she cared about.

Having Tigress on her side they maybe would be able to strike them back but she preferred to firstly join with the other Furious Five again before starting any important battle. She did not want to get tricked again.

She looked around the three bridges and she saw how long the way down was.

All of it reminded her on the fight against Tai Lung which made her scared but she doubted anyone was able to do such an effective nerve attack as he did. She had Tigress on her side and just needed to cut the bridges which were very solid which was good most of the time. She would need some time to cut one down.

"So here is the plan, Tigress! We will both go to separated bridges. They probably will try to get to the third and that's when you suddenly move to the third bridge. I should be done with my bridge at this time and we can finish all of them."

She saw Tigress smiling at her while she said:

"I love your thinking though I don't know if I got everything but I think is going to be alright. Let bring this behind us and return to the Jade-Palace." Viper made attempts to explain Tigress about her plan but she decided to not do it.

"It's just… ah, here goes nothing!"

Viper saw her friend going for one of the bridges. The one in the middle so the only thing she had to do is to take care for one of the others. She took the most left one.

At the same time as Tigress started to run the alliance also made their move.

They went for the bridges but as far as they saw Tigress cutting down one of the ropes they hesitated though one general yelled at them to push faster.

Viper saw their fear view to the ground and back to their general while a separated squad moved onto the third bridge which was still nice and healthy.

"Tigress! Move! Quick!", she spoke loudly and then focussed on her task to cut off the ropes and one of the connections of this two mountains. She heard some fighting already but was not able to look up because she was concentrated on her ropes.

After she was done with them and the bridge fell down she looked up. No one was on the bridge as it fell but Tigress was already in battle with someone.

How could they been so fast unless…

Viper somehow forgot for a moment birds can fly. So some of the warriors just flew above the canyon and got some time for their allies to cross the still healthy bridge.

Though she was in battle Tigress managed quickly to get the upper hand and fought away a white peafowl and one falcon but as she managed to do so some ground units were already there to help those birds. What a pain Crane was not here. He could had manage to held them off. Now the enemies moved across the last but longest bridge.

If Mantis would had been here it would be great now. He was sneaky and mostly silent. His sharp claws and his speed were perfect to cut ropes. Though she tried her best to do the rest of her work and cut down the middle, already a bit broken bridge, few solder were just to enter but went back as they saw Viper on the other side but one brave solder who dashed forward.

It was a fragile dog with knifes on both hands. He did not look like an ordinary solder because of his clothes. He wore a dark cape and dark yellow clothes underneath Viper was not able to see clearly form that distance and his speed and her concentration on the bridge.

As she was half finished the wolf jumped on a rope on the other half of the bridge which was still fine. He seemed to have no big problems with balancing while dashing on the thin rope.

After the third rope being cut it was already too late and the dog jumped in front of her and prepared his daggers to attack. He more looked like a rogue, maybe an assassin or a body hunter than as a solder. He looked at her without fear and a bit of a crazy will to fight. Maybe he was not aware about who he is fighting against. His tree-bown fur and his brow eyes looked perfect to hide in the shadows in cities or even in forests so Viper wondered why he was wearing yellow cloths under his black cape.

The bride was nearly completely destroyed and just the last little rope was still connecting the two mountains on this side but nobody else tried his best to cross from this side, which was good. So technically Viper did what she was meant to do.

Tigress was still fighting against enemies. Though no one stood a real chance against her there were so many of them she did not yet defeat. Viper decided to help her after she was done with her foe over here.

Her enemy did not hesitate attacking her and she, quickly as she were, dodged his stab and used her opportunity to attack him back. She managed to hit his chest but he had not enough yet.

He again waved about his knifes and attacked her multiple times. Some of his attacks were actually close but no one was close enough to touch her.

Right as Viper wanted to attack he jumped over her, landed behind her and she barely managed to keep her head on her body after he attacked from his new position.

He realized how close it was and did no chance for Viper to turn to him.

Silent, quick and attacking alone. Viper was very wondering what kind of enemy she was facing. She knew solder would never work alone. They got their straight of their mass and ability to work together. But not this one.

He really looked like a rogue. Maybe someone hired him to fight for the alliance.

His face was focussed on her and seemed to be frozen. He did never moved his mimic, never moved his mouth or anything. Did he even breathe? It was hard to tell. He was not a solder, without any doubt. His quick attacks let Viper barely a chance to find an opportunity to strike back.

Front attacks always have been her weakness and maybe they always would be in the future.

Though this one is poking on her weakness this fight is less stressed than the last one.

It was a frontal fight without anyone talking so Viper had enough time to think about how she would beat him.

And after he shooed her to one frame of the bridge Viper got a good idea. Now this dog was jumping up and tried to hit her with his foots and after that he spun around and attacked with his knifes again. He did a good job letting Viper no chance to attack. He was a zealot of a dog, attacking with everything he got.

But that strategy just made one flaw Viper often saw on Tigress.

Tigress trained and learned how to avoid this flaw but in the past she, al well as this guy now, attacked without hesitating.

Back then Viper always managed to put Tigress in a painful spot like the fire ground in the training hall. This was not so different.

Disregarding this guy really wanted to hurt or maybe kill her and the ground was not on fire but many metres down the mountain.

Viper retreated to the rim of the slope which leaded don very very deep and steep.

Now the dog slowed down and seemed to think how he would better throw her down.

But Viper decided to not fall into the canyon rather pushing him into the canyon.

He struck out for a final and strong attack but Viper slithered underneath his legs behind him, looked at him and pushed him. He stumbled forward and seemed to hold his balance he slowly turned back to Viper but then fell down with a scared face. Viper did not bother looking after him and turned to Tigress. She did not manage to cut the last of the bridges and half of the alliance already crossed it. "Tigress!", Viper yelled.

"I am virtually done!", she answered and pushed a red panda back before a crocodile faced her. Viper first decided to help her but then she saw more and more enemies crossing the bridge and she was sure they had to deal with all of them before they could get rid of the bridge which would be senseless then.

Tigress fought bravely but that was not they were here for. They did not want to take any risks.

"We have to go!", Viper said and looked to all of the enemies. No one was engaging her or tried to ambush her. But that was just a question of time until it would happen.

"No! I won't give up! We can do this!"

Viper shook her head though Tigress was not able to see it. "Please! We must group up with the others, as planned! Don't overdo it!", she tried to argue against her.

"Viper please! We cannot do this!", she resisted mulishly.

"Every single one of us retreated, Tigress! You said you won't be much better than we were! We must not take a fight alone! The bridge is lost!", she desperately tried to persuade her friend. "I do not want to give up either but we must not take any unnecessarily risk here!"

Tigress fought on for few moments and Viper took a breath to sigh until Tigress finally jumped back and went to Viper. "Okay.", she said: "If we want to go we should do it now. Let's team up with the rest and then push them all back." Viper nodded.

"Yes. We will come back.", she answered with pride and both of them retreated quickly while Tigress destroyed a gate to slow down the attackers.

Shiren was not aware of how much time passed after he was allowed to join the others again.

To join them in order he can make his way into the alliances fortress again and into its cages of course.

Yong was called to bring him to the rest of the squad again since the battles were won.

They left him in the hut while fighting Tigress and Viper so he was not able to sabotage anything.

Yong sceptically looked at the rotten door and it's rusty lock. She did not even bothered herself using the key to open the door.

She easily locked it up with her prestidigitation and threw the lock away.

Slowly and a little groan the door opened and Yong entered the room.

The fire was down already and the temperature was nearly as cold as outside.

Shiren laid at the wall where the room was most dark and seemed to sleep and surprisingly he did not ate his food and rather left it untouched, which was scary.

Specially if it's cold he did never refuse to eat. His only reason to not eat is if he is stressed.

She took a breath and shook her head.

Jil did not tell any details. She only said he should better stay here and everything would be fine.

Firstly as Shiren was arrested she thought Quántóu was getting crazy again but after Jil, her reasonable master, agreed him she grew more curious what exactly happened and she was up to ask Shiren but seeing him here and in that circumstances made her thinking twice.

Maybe it was better to not push him too hard now and try asking Jil again. Because that what she saw right now was everything but fine.

While moving towards him she moved slowly and cautiously because if Shiren was stressed the last thing she wanted to do was making quickly movements.

In order to wake him up she stretched her arm above his head and prodded on his neck.

Since she was not sure how he was feeling currently it was more save to do it that way so if he is thinking the nudge was a threat he won't attack at her side.

But it seemed like he was calm enough to fist investigate what happened.

He firstly looked backwards and then to Yong.

He took a breath and went up. "What's wrong?", he asked wearily.

"I am just looking for you and want to ask you if you want to come to us. Eh... Actually I prefer to not even ask you. You look miserably here."

While she stood up again she reported what happened: "So we basically are done with our battles now. One little fight at the last bridges and now it's just the Sacred pool of tears towards us. Well, actually things got complicated… please, eat this here. I will summarize what happened."

Shiren looked at the cold food laying before him and because he now was really hungry he ate the cold, little meal while Yong explained:

"Firstly Jil wanted you to come here, than the commanders insisted to expect another fight at the sea but she was not ready to settle down. She even said: If you don't want him to come I will bring him here myself and you can fight without us!. Crazy, huh? I never saw her with that much tense. Finally the fox-commander gave in and let her send someone out to get you there while they are planning their attack and scout and stuff, you know. Things. Preparations."

Shiren was silent the whole time and just listened. Yong saw him in the eyes and saw he was not comfortable with the situation. Then she said: "Look, I don't want to know what happened with you or the commander or whatever. I do not know and I do not want to hear it now. Just… just come with me. This is a disgusting place to be.

Shiren nodded and they together went they way trough the now only one bridge and one rope and a barely rectify gate where only the most important and biggest threats were put away to make it possible to cross this destroyed gate. Shiren did not ask what happened or who they were facing against and Yong did not tell anything from her own.

The first persons they entered were Jil and Panggui discussing something. As they saw Yong and Shiren Panggui greeted to Jil and went away.

Jil looked at them without big emotions. She looked like always when she saw her students except she did not react in any emotional way like they would had been strangers and said: "Good news. The sea is not protected."