Author's note: Alrighty, back again with another chapter. As I've said last time, this one is going to be quite intense. And I mean, like... Intense. I hope you're ready for this.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KFP (Imagine they had something like this in there, yikes.)

Enjoy.

The Price of Loyalty

Shining over the undeniable majesty of the forbidden city, the moon's radiance towers over the night sky with not a single star in sight. This evangelical beacon serves as the only light within the unwavering blackness of the night, acting as a silent guardian to the dreams of the illustrious citizens of this marvel of a city. Its pale glow reflects within the still waters of the harbour, a natural spotlight highlighting the calming waves of the sea.

Yet, it also highlights something else. A black vulture, flying close to the sea and basking in the moon's haunting brightness. It had been a while since Kuangzao had properly stretched her wings and seeing that she had been waiting for her wolf commander for three days since speaking with Gongniu, she saw no better opportunity than now. She closes her eyes as she deeply breathes in the cool air, silently enjoying the tranquillity of the silent night.

For the past few days, she had been getting restless. No idea of what Zhongcheng was doing, no clue as to when they would attack next. No way of knowing how long she would have to wait. Pink eyes open back up to the world and look within the sea, seeing a reflection of herself slowly being rippled by wind hitting the waves. Her fragile sense of calm begins to falter as she stares within the watery mirror. Something stirs inside her at the sight of her weathered face, the throwing knives within her belt, and the obsidian crest only slightly visible thanks to the light of the moon.

A skull with two sai piercing its eyeholes makes up the symbol with 'Yinying*' inscribed below it, though part of the crest remains battered. Whether it is from the ravages of time or one of Kuangzao's manic episodes could be anyone's guess. Pink daggers stare at this symbol through the water's reflection as memories begin to flood back within the vulture's mind, drowning her in a suffocating darkness that bears no end.

Her initiation, a blood oath to prove her loyalty that she had given without hesitation. Undying loyalty towards the Yinying circle, a clan of assassins infamous for their elusiveness and cunning. For most they were just a rumour, for Kuangzao they were her life. Many of her assignments flash within her mind, whether she had poisoned a target with a miniscule throwing knife or viciously stabbed them whilst framing it on someone else, she had always been successful. The black vulture had proven to be their most loyal and impressive member. However, there was one thing she hadn't revealed to them. Her love.

Another black vulture by the name of Xisheng*. Whenever she could, Kuangzao would spend all of her time with him, masterfully keeping her true work hidden from him. Memories of his loving embrace, enthralling kiss and passionate nights go off like fireworks within her pink irises, however she doesn't smile, her expression only darkening further as one final memory takes centre stage.

A cobra, black jaguar and black owl stood in the centre of the abandoned warehouse with serious expressions on their faces. The leaders of the Yinying circle had gathered the other members within this room for a dire matter. They had been compromised. Kuangzao looked at her six comrades circling the three leaders, immediately dismissing the latter due to them founding the clan. To her right were the two cheetah sisters and a male python whilst to her left were a male grizzly bear, a female raven, and a male white rhino. Her blood boiled at the very idea that one of these pests could be an imperial spy, that they had the gall to pledge their allegiance and then stab them all in the back like its nothing.

"Since we have little idea of who the culprit could be, we will be conducting a test to see who is truly loyal to us. If any of you even dare to object or retreat, then you will be executed immediately. Is that understood?" All seven members nodded at the cobra's insidious command, his emotionless voice giving goosebumps to everyone as the black jaguar went to another room within the warehouse. "Kuangzao! You will go first." She stepped forward without a second thought as the black jaguar emerged from the opposing room, dragging out a bloodied and beaten black bird, their head concealed by a bag and their wings tied behind their back. Muffled yelps and screams for help emanated from the beak of the poor victim as he was placed directly in front of Kuangzao. Pink eyes gave the three leaders a questioning look before the cobra uttered, "Kill him."

Without a second's hesitation, Kuangzao threw a knife directly at the tied-up bird's head. Their muffled screams died upon impact and after a brief moment, their lifeless body slumped down to the floor. As a crimson lake formed underneath the victim, the three leaders gave the vulture a satisfied look. Just as they had expected. Before she could head back to the circle, the owl leader spoke up, "That is the first part of the test completed." She turned around to face the leaders again, confused as to what else they had in store. "I am fairly certain you've met this man before." His deep voice reverberated around the room as the black jaguar once again walked to the corpse and began untying the bag around its head. They hadn't expected much from her, after all she had never disobeyed them before so why would she do so for a random acquaintance? Pink orbs widened as the bag was removed from the corpse's head.

"Xisheng?" A horrified whisper escaped Kuangzao's beak as she saw her lover's broken beak, his bruised face and a crimson wound right between his eyes. A wound she had caused… She killed him. All for them. She stepped closer towards the corpse as a hideous ache infected her heart, building on the cracks that were beginning to form in her mind. The leaders looked to each other with caution as tears had become visible within the vulture's pink orbs. Upon staring at the lifeless eyes of the man she had sought to have a future with, someone who had made her heart soar to the highest reaches of heaven, her soul had felt something she had never hoped to feel.

Betrayal. She had given her life to these cretins; she had done everything for them, and this was how they repaid her? By taking away the one man she would ever give her heart to. Many thoughts passed through her mind at once, trying to remind herself of the circumstances, the situation. But she didn't care. They had taken away her happiness. They made her kill him. A nightmarish rage poisoned Kuangzao's heart as she continued to stare at the corpse of what could have been her future. All members of the Yinying circle looked to her with frightened concern, none of them having ever seen the vulture like this before. As the tears that poured from Kuangzao's pink orbs only increased, the vulture subtly slid her wings towards her knives with only one thought taking over her damaged mind.

Kill.

Without warning, she launched five knives at the three leaders. One hit the cobra directly in the neck, killing him instantly. Two had pierced into the flesh of the owl, his beak foaming at the poison that coursed through his veins whilst the final two were effortlessly evaded by the black jaguar. Blinded by rage, Kuangzao charged towards the remaining leader whilst her six comrades took a second to recover from their shock and drew their weapons in the hopes of protecting their leader. Seeing the manic vulture diving at him, the jaguar drew his claws and repelled another swarm of knives aimed at his face. He swiped for her head, but the black avian ducked underneath him and stomped on his left foot with her sharp talons digging into his flesh. Letting out a pained scream, the injured jaguar swung again, hitting Kuangzao on her left side. He dug his claws into her chest and attempted another strike at her head only to be beaten by her slicing his throat with her free talon.

As the dead jaguar fell to the floor, vengeful eyes looked to see six combatants rushing towards her. She launched another barrage of throwing knives at them, with all members dodging them except for the grizzly bear who clutched at his blinded eyes in agony. As the five remaining assassins attacked, Kuangzao lithely evaded and blocked their attacks with relative ease. After exchanging blows, the rhino tried to smash her with his club only for his attack to be caught by her right talon and to be booted into a wall by her left. Before she could fully recover, the python propelled towards her with his fangs out. Unfortunately for the serpent, the avian managed to duck under him and unsheathed her dagger. She viciously struck his underbelly, slicing him in half. As the snake fell to the floor, Kuangzao gasped painfully at the feeling of an arrow piercing into her right wing and bore her eyes into the culprit, the raven assassin.

She stared at the cheetah twins approaching her, her eyes filled with a menacing lust for blood as she readied her offensive. The cheetahs swung their katanas at the vulture only to have them blocked by the sharp metal feathers in her left wing. Shifting the swords into the ground, Kuangzao hopped up and kicked the cheetah to her left in the face before clinging onto the feline with her talons, ignoring her agonising scream. Hoping to hit her again, the raven shot another arrow at the vulture. To her surprise however, Kuangzao caught it with her free talon and plunged it into the other cheetah's chest. Before the raven could even comprehend how she had caught it, Kuangzao threw three throwing knives at her. They all connected with the raven's wing, injecting her with a poison that caused the bird to drop dead instantly. Seeing her other opponents dead, Kuangzao pushed her weight onto the cheetah she clung onto, forcing her to the ground. She ignored the cheetah's attempts to pry her away as she quickly twisted her talon, snapping the poor feline's neck.

Pink orbs looked around the room to see the dead bodies of the clan she had dedicated her life to. An incomparable emptiness formed within her heart at the very sight of it. Yet, somewhere deep within, she could feel some sort of satisfaction from it that she could barely understand. Before she could think on this for too long, her ears picked up on the sound of the dazed rhino struggling to pick himself up from the floor. Knowing that he would certainly try and kill her for doing this, the vulture started to head towards him only to stop as her eyes found something on the floor beside him.

The golden badge with the imperial crest on it.

She looked to the rhino again, piecing together exactly who he was. The traitor. The very pest that had caused all of this. If it weren't for him, they would never have done the test. If it weren't for him, she never would've been forced to kill the love of her life. If it weren't for him, she would still have her clan and her future. Fiery magma surged within the vulture's blood as her mind shattered into a million pieces, as she approached the very thing that had ruined her life. In a failed attempt to pick himself up off the floor, the rhino rolled onto his back, his eyes widening at the sight of the enraged vulture. Before he could do anything, Kuangzao threw two knives into his hands, pinning him to the floor. Pink orbs stared at the rhino with a venomous darkness as he begged her for mercy. She did not hear his pleas however, her eyes only seeing red as they bore into the imperial spy. Her psychotic wrath finally consuming her mind, Kuangzao clawed at the rhino's body. Specks of blood flew onto her face as she ripped him apart whilst his dying screams echoed in her ears.

Pink orbs open up to look upon the water again, seeing the tears streaking down her face within the distorted mirror. She lets out a shaky breath as she pulls up from the water and flies back towards the secret base. On her way over to the cliff face entrance, she notices a figure in a black cloak standing on the stone pathway with arms crossed. Soon she notices a black demon mask concealing the figure's face and the dark, piercing blue eyes underneath. Dread sinks into her as she immediately recognises the figure's intense glare, Zhongcheng had returned and at the worst possible moment. Kuangzao lands in front of the cliff face with the cloaked wolf following in tandem.

"Any particular reason you were out at this time?" A scathing inquiry seeps from demon mask as the irritated wolf bangs his fist on the cliff face with considerable harshness.

Pink eyes look to the floor, the vulture hiding her own anger at her commander's secrecy. "I was clearing my head." Her answer rings hollow, all of her previous rage absent from her voice.

Zhongcheng looks closer at his lieutenant, noticing the dried tear streaks on her cheeks. I see. His eyes simmer in their intensity, cooled through understanding, not empathy. Though he wants to reprimand her further, it will probably further destabilise her mental state, something that he cannot afford to do. "You do understand the risks in doing this, don't you?"

Noticing his angry tone shifting to a colder one, she simply responds, "Yes. I do." Silence occupies the two as they wait for the rocky entrance to be opened from the other side, irritating the vulture greatly. They wait, and wait, and wait until… "I wouldn't feel the need to do this if I knew what is going on… I can't take it anymore." Her voice takes on a toxic timbre as she burns a hole into the unmoving cliff face with her eyes.

Knowing this would be coming, Zhongcheng swiftly responds with, "Just be patient Kuangzao. After all, good things come to those who wait, and luckily for you, you won't have to wait much longer."

Kuangzao's eyes widen at this statement, "What do you mean by that?" She asks, her fury fading away in almost an instant.

"I will tell you once we're with Gongniu, he needs to know this too." The wolf commander is given a nod in response as the giant boulder is finally moved aside, revealing an armoured wolf soldier standing at attention.

"Welcome back, Zhongcheng sir. I'm sorry about the gate, some of our men were asleep." Dark blue orbs stare at the baggy-eyed gorillas, paralysing them with fear as the wolf soldier explains in desperation. With an exasperated sigh, Zhongcheng and Kuangzao enter into the cave system, heading down the stone walkway littered with red torches until they reach the sprawling cavern once more.

Taking off his mask, the white wolf wipes the sweat off his face and takes a deep breath, "Ah, home sweet home." He muses to himself as the two head towards Gongniu's office.

With a quick knock on the door, the muscular bull steps out and bows at the sight of his two comrades. "Zhongcheng, good to see you back. I don't think I would've lasted much longer training our troops on my own." The raspy voiced lieutenant gives as hearty a chuckle as he can manage, which is returned to him by the white wolf.

"I'm sure you'd manage." The wolf commander pauses, allowing a tiny smile to briefly take hold of his face as he remembers his trip back to the underground cavern. "There is something I'd like to speak to both of you about. If you'd please." He motions towards his bull lieutenant's office, said lieutenant giving way for the wolf and vulture to enter.

Allowing Zhongcheng to sit behind the desk, Gongniu and Kuangzao sit in front of their commander, both of them eagerly awaiting whatever he has to say. "Well, are we finally going to find out about your little trip?" A hint of playfulness finds its way back into Kuangzao's voice, thankful that she will finally get some answers.

"Kuangzao." Gongniu mindfully warns the vulture, the bull being fully aware of the commander's intolerance towards insubordination.

"No, no. It's fine Gongniu. I understand how frustrated you are to be kept in the dark, I just wanted to be safe in case any trouble came knocking in at the wrong time." Zhongcheng explains whilst taking his cloak off, exposing the obsidian armour beneath. His eyes analyse those of his lieutenants', noting the hunger for information burning within them. "I am going to tell you about what I've been up to for the past six days, and then after, I will inform you of what I have planned for our dear emperor." A grin shoots up on Kuangzao's beak whilst Gongniu gives a satisfied hum to the wolf, signalling him to begin. "Have you heard of the name Taotie?"

With recognition sparking in his scarlet orbs, Gongniu immediately speaks up, "Is he that weapon manufacturer you were talking about?" Receiving a nod from his commander, the bull can only give him a baffled look, "But I don't understand. If you needed to meet him, why not bring him here instead of travelling all the way to the mountains?"

Zhongcheng places a finger up towards the bull with a somewhat sly grin on his face, "I'll explain in a minute, Gongniu." An obedient nod is given in response to his command whilst the intrigue contained in Kuangzao's eyes continues to grow. "So, I met with this inventor to check the progress of his weapon production, and might I say, it was beyond satisfactory. I swiftly left, making sure that no one had seen me come in or out aside from Taotie until I ran into…" A smirk finds its way onto the wolf commander's face as he recounts his return from the mountains, "unexpected company."

Hours after he had left the village of Fubai, he had found himself in the wake of a horrific blizzard, filling his sight with a coat of plain white. This had barely deterred him however, the wolf having previous experience with harsher weathers. He trudged through the snow on all fours, his pace never slowing down for even a second until his eyes managed to pick out a distant silhouette from behind his dark mask. As he went closer towards the silhouette, he managed to identify the figure's arms crossed in front of their chest, their swishing tail and the ninja garb that had covered the silhouette from head to toe. After gauging their potential hostility, Zhongcheng stopped himself a fair distance away from them and prepared himself for a battle until his sensitive ears twitched at the distinctive crunch of the snow over the howling wind. He looked to his sides, seeing two more figures that were dressed the same way as the first.

Dark blue orbs shifted their sight between the three ninjas as they slowly approached him, noting the wrappings on their feet and the spotted pattern on each of their tails. His suspicions aroused, the wolf focused on the wrappings around each of their faces, their proximity finally allowing him to see their sinister yet playful yellow orbs. Although the ninja in front of him had a particular distinction, their left eye was faded in colour, clearly blinded. "You plan to take down the dragon warrior?" A smooth, feminine voice bellowed from the lead ninja as her eyes narrowed at the wolf.

Hidden behind his demon mask, a confident smirk crawled its way onto Zhongcheng's face as he answered, "Now what on earth could you be talking about?"

"Your meeting with Taotie." To his left side emanated a more seductive, husky tone yet brimmed with an uncanny insidiousness.

"The weapons he's been making for you." Practically a whisper sailed through the roaring wind but still managed to reach the observant commander as he shifted his eyes towards the ninja on the right.

With his smirk growing in size, Zhongcheng commented, "Well, well. Last I checked it's rude to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation." He noticed the interested glint within the leader's good eye, leading him to continue, "And I assume you want in."

A relative silence seeped its way within the tumultuous blizzard, the three ninjas staring at the wolf with caution, "Quite the assumption to make." The ninja leader finally answered, though her timbre suggested little hostility, "What makes you so certain?"

Zhongcheng's smirk grew to a sly smile as he firmly grabbed his demon mask and pulled it off his face. Widened eyes were the only response to his reveal, "Because you're the only one smart enough to even consider it… Su Wu." All three ninjas' eyes paled to the colour of the very snow itself, beyond shocked that he had been able to find them out like that.

At his statement, the lead ninja pulled down her facial wrappings, exposing the snow leopard's befuddled features, "How? -

"I have heard of your many exploits, your attempts at unifying all criminals and bandits into a single syndicate. Truly remarkable." He glanced to the two snow leopards on his sides with a subdued curiosity, "And these must be your sisters, a pleasure." Whilst the leopard on his right, Wing Wu, glared at the wolf in disbelief, the snow leopard on his left, Wan Wu, pulled down her facial wrappings and winked at him. Seeing the shock had faded from her good eye, the wolf commander looked back to Su Wu before inquiring, "I take it that you know who I am."

She nodded with a sly grin on her face, "Zhongcheng. Last I checked, you were a war criminal."

After letting out a quiet humph, Zhongcheng noted, "And last I checked, one of your sisters were attending to a certain buffalo in room 57." He turned his head to the left, noticing the light embarrassment plastered on Wan Wu's face. As expected, how else would they have been able to get so close. His suspicions confirmed, the wolf commander gazed at Su Wu with a confident countenance before inquiring, "Now back to my assumption. Do you want in?"

"Well, hearing you mention your colleagues," Su Wu started, her face coated with a mischievous smile.

"And knowing of your reputation," Her face still covered by her facial wrappings, Wing Wu continued her sister's statement as if she could read what she was thinking.

"How could we not want to join in? Handsome." Adding in that last, amorous compliment, Wan Wu finished, making the snow leopard siblings look like some kind of hive mind. At this agreement, a clear yet subdued smile crawled onto Zhongcheng's face as his plan formed even further in his mind.

Finishing his retelling of his encounter, the commander immediately identifies the welcome surprise within his lieutenant's eyes. In particular, he notes the excited grin on Kuangzao's beak, "So, we've got the Wu sisters' assistance? That's interesting, but how do they factor into all of this?" Gongniu inquires, not entirely sure of how they could benefit their cause.

The vulture's excitement spreads to her wolf commander as he gives a wicked smile at the bull's question, "Well, I'd say this would be the perfect time to reveal what we'll do once those kung fu masters arrive."

1* Yinying = Shadow in Chinese

2* Xisheng = Sacrifice in Chinese

Well, well. Now the Wu sisters are teaming up with them, Po and the five aren't gonna have a good time, I'll tell you that much. As for Kuangzao, yeah... That poor bird. Granted she was an assassin, but that is just rough. Anyways, hope you've enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you in the next one :)