One year. It had been one year since the defeat of the evil Dragon Master Jindiao. In that time, the Panda Village had been repaired with the aid of the Poison Clan, a group of female water deer who had once been obedient to the tyrant reptile. Now, under the leadership of their new commander, Jade Tusk, along with her lieutenant and girlfriend Huifang, the does where now a part of everyday life in the village.

In fact, the village had been renamed after having it brought to the attention of the inhabitants that it was no longer just pandas living in the area. It had been decided that the village be named the Sacred Sanctuary of the Four Constellations, after the panda children who had acquired the thousand year old chi that the universe bestowed upon them. With the protection of the Four Constellations, and the absence of the long defeated Jindiao, the village was at peace, and larger, with new huts to accommodate the growing population.

Jade Tusk, who had be going by just Jade for the past year, was walking, hoof in hoof, with her girlfriend Huifang, the boisterous, although ditzy, member of the clan. The latter of the pair was walking with her right side pressed tightly against her lovers left, sighing with contentment as she laid her head on the emerald tusked does shoulder, with said doe bringing her head to rest on the other's.

As they walked, the pair noticed a few other couples in the area. One couple, consisting of a jovial panda and laughing water deer, where walking through the village with the latter on top of the former's shoulders, with the doe having a fun time while also holding on for her life. The two water deer also noticed another pair of their clan sisters, a bit uneasy at the graphic scene of one of the doe's back pressed against a stalk of bamboo as the other viciously assaulted her mouth with her own, both not caring about the uncomfortable stares they were getting for their public display of affection. Moving on, Jade and Huifang smiled at the tender sight that befell them next; Fa Jun and Nan Hai, the latter with his head on the former's swollen stomach.

It had been a month after the whole Huifang-Jun fiasco at Mr. Pings temporary noodle shop when Nan had asked Jun to marry him, to which she tearfully said yes. The wedding, which was held later that week, was simple, but the happiness felt was boundless. It was only about four months after the wedding that Jun announced, to everyone's surprise, that she was expecting. Now, Jun was due any day, and everyone was curious to see the new addition to the village.

While Jade was happy for the soon to be parents, she couldn't keep the wedding out of her mind. Both she and Huifang had known each other far longer than Jun and Nan, but it unsettled her that the young lovers had married first. After learning of her clan sister's pregnancy, Jade had decided that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with the doe beside her. Every so often, Jade would sneak off by herself to a small meadow near the village, where a very special type of flora grew, and would pick them until she had a sizable bundle. The purpose of the flowers would become apparent in the coming months. But, for now, back to the present.

The day was peaceful as the two does walked through the village. It was a day of rest for all local business owners, so Huifang was free from her job as a daycare owner. Jade was also free from the job she acquired as a Kung Fu teacher, training young students alongside Dragon Master Po and his students, the new Four Constellations, the quintet and Poison Clan having just returned from the Forbidden City after thwarting a coup against the Empress Xiao after her father's death at the hands of his Royal Advisor, Shi long. Before returning to the village, Jade had gifted the Empress with her jade prosthetic tusk, which the young lynx had had crafted into a dagger.

As Jade and Huifang walked, they approached the soon to be parents, both sitting on a grassy knoll with Jun's back now pressed against Nan's stomach, as both cradled the very noticeable baby bulge peaking under her violet silk tunic. Noticing the doe couple approaching them, Jun beamed brightly at her friends.

"Hi Jade, Hey Hui," she greeted happily, light gleaming in her one visible eye that wasn't covered by the long tuft of fur concealing the other, "how are you doing?" Nan only offered a meek wave, as he was always a bit shy around others except Jun, which, as Jun pointed out, made him all the more cute. Both does smiled at their "little sister," as she was practically glowing in the aura of her pregnancy.

"We are fine Jun," responded Jade, "but what are you doing out?" she inquired with a bit of a worried expression, "you should be inside resting." Jun just rolled her eyes and smiled; she loved her surrogate sister, but ever since the fiasco at Ping's, she was a bit overprotective of her "little sister".

"It's fine, Jade," Jun reassured, "the baby isn't due for at least another week." She explained gently taking Jades hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. Even though Huifang had come to terms that there was nothing romantic between the two does, that still didn't stop her from glaring at the scene.

"OH!" exclaimed Jun as she suddenly lurched forward, eyes wide. The doe couple jumped, thinking that perhaps she was going into labor, but that thought was quelled when Jun said, "that was a pretty big kick, wasn't it hon."

"Sure was," Nan responded in a light low tenor, a broad smile on his face, "looks like our kid's gonna be a fighter like his mamma." This earned a round of chuckles from the others, save for a very intrigued Huifang. Noticing Huifang's curious expression, Jun took the former's hand and placed it onto her stomach. Huifang then decided to deepen the experience by bringing her head down so that her ear rested on Jun's baby bump. Almost immediately, she heard, as well as felt, a hard thump.

"Wow," she whispered in awe, eyes wide as she felt the unborn child kick up a storm. Looking up to Jade, she took her lovers hand and placed it near the same spot. Jade's breath hitched as she felt the small life form kick in the obviously confined space. The moment to Jade felt so beautiful, that she couldn't help but let a few tears fall as she smiled sweetly at the feeling.

Without thinking, she brought her head down and gently kissed the pregnant doe's stomach, which elicited tears from both Jun and Huifang at this display of tenderness from their usually impassive leader. Even Nan wiped a tear that had threatened to run down his cheek. After the small peck, Jade laid her head on Jun's stomach, gazing into Huifang's eyes as they listened to the thrum of the baby's kicks. Jade then made up her mind; she wanted this to be her and Huifang.

She WAS going to ask Huifang to marry her.

Her thoughts were soon broken as Jun let out a soft yawn, indicating that she was tired. Taking the hint, Jade and Huifang stood from their spot, helping Nan to bring Jun to her feet. Nan then proceeded to lift Jun so that he was carrying her bridal style, much to the fruitless protests from his wife that she was fully capable of walking on her own. After the expecting couple had left, both water deer continued their walk. Thinking of how she might propose to her lover, Jade was met with a brilliant idea. Pulling gently on Huifang's hand, Jade redirected them toward the entrance of the village. Upon arriving, Huifang felt a bit confused as to why they were there.

"Hey Jade," she inquired, "What's the big idea, I mean why did we come here?" Jade could understand her girlfriend's confusion; it was somewhat unusual to be taken to the least exciting place in the village. Smiling at her lovers innocence, Jade took both Huifang's hands in her own and whispered,

"Because I want this to be perfect." Still confused, Huifang looked around, until she noticed an all too familiar rock, bathed in the early evening sunset. Before she had time to think, Huifang was pulled to the rock by Jade, who then proceeded to sit both of them on it. Huifang finally grasped the reality of what was happening.

"Jade," she began, "why are we at our spot?" Jade just smiled, and soon leaned in to steal a quick kiss, which didn't appease her partner's curiosity, who let out a muffled laugh at the sudden act of affection. Finally deciding that Huifang had had enough teasing, Jade spoke.

"Because this is where it all started," she explained, "where WE started." Taking a deep breath, Jade continued.

"Huifang, when I first met you, I instantly took you as a bumbling and annoying doe who had no place among my clan." Huifang's ears lowered as she heard this blunt statement, casting her gaze down in a dejected manner.

"But..." Jade continued, as Huifang caught on to the inflection of that word, "...as time went on, I began to see you as loving, compassionate, and more beautiful than anything I had ever witnessed." Taking another deep breath, Jade decided to cut to the chase.

"What I am trying to say, is that I love you so much, that after seeing how happy Jun and Nan are, and seeing the great parents they will be, I wanted our lives to be like that." Reaching into a small pocket in her tunic, Jade pulled out a bracelet made of an arrangement of small, violet lilies native only to that region, weaved together. To most, it would just appear as a simple bracelet, but to a water deer, especially Huifang, it was recognized as a betrothal gift. Looking from the bracelet back to Jade, Huifang began to tear up as Jade asked the question she had been dying to ask for some time.

"Huifang, will you marry me?"

Before Jade could react, she was tackled to the ground as Huifang proceeded to pepper Jade's face with passionate kisses. "I take that as a yes," Jade laughingly asked.

"IT'S A MILLION YESES!" Huifang exclaimed, tears streaming down her cheeks. After everything had settled down, Jade fastened the bracelet to her new fiancés left wrist. Gazing into each other's eyes, both does leaned in for a long and passionate kiss. Not ten seconds into the kiss, Jade's eyes widened as Huifang made bold, and surprisingly new move. Well, new for Huifang at least.

Feeling her girlfriend gently rub her tongue against her lips and teeth, Jade soon found that a fire had been lit in her core as she felt her eyes flutter closed, finally granting her girlfriend access to her mouth, her own tongue meeting Huifang's in a dance of love and passion. The two does had made out before, but this was a whole new level in their relationship. For thirty seconds the two does moaned as they were locked in their passionate make-out session.

However, the kiss was soon interrupted by the all too familiar wheezing of an out of breath panda. Reluctantly pulling away from each other, a noticeable strand of saliva connecting their bottom lips, Jade and Huifang looked in the direction of the noise, the water deer noticed the holder of Black Tortoise's qi, Bao, accompanied by the significantly less winded Nu Hai, the holder of Blue Dragon's qi. "Oh, hey guys," Huifang greeted nonchalantly, as if her make-out session with Jade had never happened, "what's up?"

"J-juooh, B-bayee, Nooouuu," Bao slurred out, earning confused stares from the does as they observed the panda who looked like he was about ready to pass out. Which he did as he fell flat on his back. Getting impatient, Nu Hai just blurted out the obviously important message.

"It's Jun," she stressed in between breaths, quickly causing worried looks to cross the two doe's faces. But, as she spoke, Nu Hai allowed a smile to grace her lips. "It's time." Bao's paw quickly shot up as he pointed to his sister, conforming that she was correct, before letting his paw flop down onto his gut. Looking at each other, both does realized that the strong kick Jun felt earlier, must have actually been the first contraction as she went into labor.

Nu Hai had to quickly move out of the way in order to avoid being trampled by the overly excited couple. Running through the village, the two arrived at the healer's hut, which was surrounded by a crowd of excited and curious bystanders. Forcing their way through the crowd, they made it to the first step of the hut, where they were greeted by Li Shan, who barred them from entering as only the father was allowed access at the time.

As both does looked at each other nervously, they heard a loud scream coming from the hut, more than likely from Jun, followed by a sound that many recognized all too well; the wail of a newborn baby. Everyone froze in their tracks as all attention was now focused on the hut. After a few minutes, the door slowly, opened, revealing Nan. Seeing Jade and Huifang standing at the foot of the steps to the hut, he smiled brightly, tears in his eyes.

"There's someone we want you two to meet," he softly said, beckoning them into the hut. Upon entering the hut, they were met with the sight of the panda and water deer healers as they were gathered around the bed, occupied by the now very tired Jun, who held a small form, wrapped in white silk clothe, in her arms. Upon seeing her too clan sister's in the doorway, she smiled. Beckoning them closer, the does were met with an extraordinary sight; a beautiful baby girl.

Upon closer inspection, the fawn looked just like any other, with white spots along her back. Her eyes, however, where breathe taking. The cub actually had both of her parents eyes, with her right being her mother's beautiful violet, with her father's stunning teal making up her left.

Kneeling beside the bed, Huifang brought her hand forward to gently caress the baby's cheek, smiling with tears flowing from her eyes.

"She's beautiful," Huifang managed to choke out. The cub giggled as she flashed a tusk less smile at her "aunt". Jade's heart melted as she wrapped her arms around her lover's shoulder's, bringing her head to rest beside the other's, smiling sweetly at her new "niece" as her own tears fell. Jun smiled at the scene, but soon took on a look of surprise as she noticed the fairly new accessory around Huifang's wrist.

"Huifang," she inquired, catching the doe's attention, "is that what I think it is?" she asked, even though she knew the answer as she herself had one on her wrist. Smiling brightly, Huifang nodded, as Jade placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, tasting a bit of the salt from her fiancé's tears. Jun beamed ear to ear as she took in the sight of the engaged couple. "I'm so happy for you two," she whispered.

"As we are for you," said Jade, smiling at the new mother as her husband enveloped his wife and their daughter in a loving embrace.

"So, what are you gonna name her?" Huifang asked, curious as to the name of the little calf.

"We thought about it," Said Jun, "And we were going to name her Jiao" (Beauty).

"That is a perfect name," agreed Jade. Lovingly gazing at the calf, Jade reminisced about all the events that brought her here. Too think, she was a stone cold follower of one of the most feared beasts in China. Now, she was an "aunt", soon to be married to the love of her life, as she walked down the path that she realized was right in front of her the whole time. A path she would never stray from, as long as she had the people she loved so dearly.