Hey guys welcome to the next chapter! I'm still trying to get the character's right in this making sure it's not too far out of their range. Also prepare for the return of a beloved character from Kung Fu Panda 2 - I won't spoil it but they will be here very soon! Po and Tigress have their supplies replenished but for how long? Find out! Also thanks for the reviews guys I do appreciate them when you drop em it helps me out quite a bit and do follow the story if you like the progress! Anyway, without further hesitation from me, the rest of this story!

The sky was turning a beautiful, fiery orange as it was almost dusk, while the two masters made their way along the dirt road. They had been traveling for nearly a week and the two were still quite far from their destination of Nanjing. Now, Po and Tigress had left the region of Xinyu and were approaching Nanchang, which bordered a large body of water, in the cool of the afternoon.

As they traveled along the dirt road the surroundings on the side began to change as bamboo trees and other plantation were now visible along with some large bolders. Po and Tigress were carrying on their usual conversations to pass the time when all of a sudden, Tigress's acute sense of hearing picked up on some rustling among the trees. Her ear twitched slightly before the tiger saw something out of the corner of her eye.

"Po, stop... wait." she said firmly as the two then came to a stop while her amber eyes searched the plantation, and large rocks for any signs of movement she saw before.

"What is it, Tigress?" he whispered quietly, knowing she was sensing that something was up.

"Shhh! I don't know but I..."

The tiger's amber irises widened when she realized that it was an ambush. Several bandits then jumped out from behind the bolders and trees and stood in front of the two warriors. There were about six bandits in all that consisted of leopards, boars, and a few wolves - all armed with daggers, short sabers, and hammers. The unruly collection of bandits appeared desperate and wore a smug expression on their face as they eyed the two masters.

Po and Tigress instantly dropped their packs and got in their stances ready for the attack.

"Looks like you got all your valuables with you like you knew we were gonna rob you!" the one boar said who was apparently their leader and Tigress growled under her breath ready to strike.

Po, on the other paw, exhausted as he was, adjusted his stance, "If you want them, come and get them!" he said dramatically ready for a good fight, despite his state.

The bandits then charged them with weapons in paw, running straight at the masters. The first one came directly at Po, screaming with a large hammer over his head. The panda reacted quickly, and threw a straight side kick directly into the bandits stomach, knocking him several feet back, and taking out the adjacent bandit behind him.

"Yahaaaa!"

Meanwhile, Tigress was fighting two leopard bandits while the others were waiting for the right time to jump in. The first leopard swung his saber directly at Tigress's head but she instantly and painfully weaved under the blade before precisely thrusting her double palm strike into his solar plexus, sending him flying back into a tree out cold.

The next bandit tried to stab her with his dagger but failed when she captured it, twisted his wrist to dislodge it, causing him to groan in pain before she struck his face with a ridge hand, and kicked his feet out from under him. As more bandits came at them, Tigress could feel the intense rush of pain all over her body but the tiger did her best to ignore it. After Po finished off two more bandits with a split kick, he noticed the tiger struggling after she kicked down one leopard with a sharp crescent kick.

"Tigress! You okay, buddy?" he said in a worried tone as she stood up, shaking a little.

The tiger nodded, "I'm fine - there's more." she growled quietly getting back into her stance.

Just then, three more bandits came at them, two at the masters and another one went towards their packs of supplies. The pain in Tigress's leg was excruciating but she fought through it as she took out the bandit coming towards her with a spinning tornado kick, dropping the boar instantly. Po finished off the leopard with his famous belly butt, but the masters were too distracted to notice a wolf bandit had snatched their supplies.

Tigress noticed and growled trying to claw at him but he was already running away. "No! W-we need our supplies!" she said desperately.

"Tigress, I can get him - throw me at him just like back in Gongmen City!" Po suggested and she nodded agreeing to his plan.

Tigress grabbed his paw, and swung him around her a few times, throwing the panda into the air, before running some ten feet back for distance. Po positioned himself and Tigress ran at him speedily on all fours, as Po came down, thrusting her signature double palm strike into his butt, the impact of which, sending him flying at enhanced speed, towards the escaping wolf.

"Wohoooooo yeah!" Po yelled excitedly as he flew at the wolf with his fist extended, closing the distance. "Get ready to feel the fist of JUSTICE!"

The wolf turned around to see the panda flying towards him and he gulped. Before he could get out of the way, the panda slammed into the canine, his fist colliding with his right jaw, knocking him some twenty-five feet back, leaving their stolen supplies behind.

Po landed chuckling a little, "Hehehe yeahhhh! That was awesome!" he rejoiced but it was short-lived as he heard a groan behind him, before looking to the side to see Tigress had landed on her face after the hit. Due to her weakened state, she wasn't able to do her usual graceful backflip to stand upright, so she had collapsed on the ground afterwards.

Po gasped, "Tigress!" he instantly ran back over towards his fallen feline friend on the ground.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry!" he said having now noticed she had fallen face down.

Once he came to her side he held her right paw, and began to help her up off the ground. She groaned slightly in pain but kept her paw locked with his for support.

"It's ok, Po. Thanks - much appreciated." she muttered quietly, now on her feet once more.

"Anytime. Now do you feel okay?" he asked concerned about her injuries, as he could see taking even the smallest of steps caused extreme pain for the tiger warrior.

"I... don't know." she grunted a bit as she limped forward with a painful jolt trying to adjust herself. "I don't think any of the wounds re-opened but walking is certainly going to be more of a chore - ah!" she grit her teeth momentarily as Po just looked at her worriedly.

Now, with their supply packs in paw, Po stood in front of her as an idea came to his mind, "I have an idea that can help..." he said sheepishly not knowing how she would respond to it and the tiger looked at him curiously.

"Oh... what would that be?" her tail curled up behind her a bit.

"How about I... well ah... carry you?" he said nervously rubbing the back of his head, as he felt odd asking this.

Tigress blinked, feeling heat rush to her cheeks, "Come again?..."

"Well ya know, I can carry you a little so you don't have to strain your injuries anymore - especially your leg." he pointed out a bit shyly before his tone changed. "Please... I just can't stand to watch you walk in pain like that anymore, Tigress!" he exclaimed with worry and she could feel the anxiety deep in his voice.

"But we need to keep-"

Tigress sighed and could see that he truly cared about her well-being. She took a moment after stopping herself in thought to consider such a request, as this seemed a bit strange. It was certainly odd, and as she pondered this, Tigress wasn't sure if it was befitting of a warrior to be carried when they could just walk. However, the state of her severe injuries said otherwise might be needed. Tigress trained her entire life to endure extreme pain and she had been through a great deal of it - physically and mentally but was this injury her limit?

Tigress then shook her head, "Thank you for the offer, Po. I appreciate that you care - really I do. But I'll have to decline for now; I think I can make it a little more further." she assured him gently to ease the worry the giant panda was no doubt feeling, for she could see it in his jade eyes.

Po slumped sadly but understood, "You sure?"

Tigress nodded, "Maybe another time but we should keep going." she said as her normal tone of voice returned. "We need to hurry up and find the others. We've lost a lot of time already." she said assertively, knowing that the mysterious figure was most likely near Nanjing already with the others.

Po nodded in agreement and after picking up their packs they began to resume walking back in the direction they were going. As they started walking, Po stayed close by her side to support her if she stumbled and as they made their way down the road, Po thought of something. Tigress was looking down at the map which showed them crossing Nanchang.

"Ti... I know what you said back in the village but... I been thinking..."

"Yeah?" she said causally as she took a drink of water.

"If you ever wanna talk about anything that happened in your past, or anything that might be on your heart... I'm always here." he smiled sincerely placing a paw on her back while they walked.

Tigress slightly smiled a bit and Po removed his paw, "Thanks - that helps but..." she said before her expression then became conflicted. "There's a reason why I don't like going into these kinds of things. I didn't want to get into it anymore before then because sometimes, honestly... it's too painful." she stated as a solemn expression came over her face while they walked.

Po frowned sharing her despair, "I understand that all too well but... it's okay to feel, Tigress. Even if you are hardcore warrior." the plushy panda spoke ever so caringly.

The tiger master understood that he had his own tragic memories but feeling and emotions was something she struggled with the most, "It's easier said then done... I'll think about it. It won't be easy..."

"It never is." he smiled sadly.

After a short pause she looked at him, "Much obliged, Po. Now let's keep moving quickly."

Po nodded with a warm smile as they continued down the road. He carried both of their packs this time to take some weight off her shoulders, and to help her walk if needed. Now the panda's eyes soon began to search the side of the road for anything to aid her walk.

"I need to make you a cane soon." he said searching intently, scanning the plantation for a wooden staff of some sort for her to lean on.

"That would certainly help."

After several minutes, coming up empty, Po remembered he had packed his bo staff on the side of his bag before they left the valley.

"Ooooh! I got it!" he exclaimed excitedly, momentarily startling the tiger causing her striped tail to flicker from side to side for a bit.

"What are you going on about?" Tigress asked him curiously but more so, confused.

Po then stopped, removed his bag and sure enough, his bo staff was strapped on the right side. The happy panda removed it and when Tigress saw this, she knew where he was going with this. Po then turned and handed the female tiger his staff with a smile.

"I forgot you even had that." she chuckled taking it in her right paw, holding it towards the top - leaning on it as the end was now on the ground.

"Does it work alright?" he cocked his head to one side.

Tigress nodded, "It does. Thanks, Po."

"Anytime, buddy. Now let's go!" he stated dramatically as they took off once again with Tigress shaking her head, amused by his enthusiasm. Now the master's were steadfast towards their destination, mentally preparing themselves for the evil that was to come.

About a hundred miles away, between the cities of Huangshi and Wuhu, a small battalion of the dark figure's army, held two certain masters captive while the others were in a separate location. It was masters Crane and Monkey, who were bound in chains and accupressure cuffs that even they could not escape. They are accompanied by two of unknown figures bodyguards and a few others, ensuring that they would not escape... again.

Not only were the two masters sore from battle but they were injured also - Crane's wing had been snapped by one of the assassins so that he wouldn't be able to fly away and escape again. Monkey sustained a dislocated shoulder when he made a rather foolish decision to take a swing at one of them. While they limped along, the avian and the primate conversed with one another while the dark, robed assassins walked ahead of them a ways, holding their chains.

"Do you think Po and Tigress made it out alive?" Monkey inquired of Crane quietly.

"I don't know either - I have my hopes that they may have but the others - I can't say."

Monkey slumped, "Shoot. Do you have any more plans?"

Crane shrugged, "I'm working on one but considering our last attempt didn't go so well, I'm running out of options at this point." he stated gravely before turning to his side, plucking out a feather from his shoulder with his beak, and letting it go behind him.

"Oh. What are you doing?"

The avian smirked slightly, "I'm leaving them a trail to follow so Po and Tigress can catch up with us." he remarked, thus explaining why he was removing feathers for a few days now.

Monkey, however, got a little too excited, "Oooh! That's perfect! Now they'll be able to find us and we can finally escape!"

"Shhh!" Crane shushed Monkey who instantly shut his mouth but it was too late. The dark, Arabian assassin in front of them heard.

The guard instantly stopped and turned around sharply. A cloth covered most of his face except his eyes and the two could see a menacing look in his gaze.

"Harab? 'ahmaq jahl!" he stated in a foreign tongue and a sinister tone that sent chills down the masters spines.

"Escape? Clueless fool!" the soulless warrior interpreted before he continued. "Your attempts of escape will be futile as before. The Master still wants you alive but your fate afterwards... is still to be decided." he concluded saying the last part slowly in a dark, ominous manner.

Monkey was shaking, as was Crane, both unnerved at this point not knowing what was about to happen. Before Monkey could react, the assassin swiftly did a three-sixty spin, coming back around with a hook kick to the pimate's right jaw. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground, hitting a rock on the left side his side of his jaw when he fell, groaning in excruciating pain. Monkey was holding his now, broken jaw while struggling to stand back up.

"Monkey!" Crane shouted seeing his friend go down with such a strike.

Meanwhile, Tigress and Po were making their way around the large body of water that boardered Nanchang. The air was cool, and crisp while the sun was setting ahead of them when suddenly, Tigress's keen eyesight and senses caught five figures moving quickly around the trees surrounding them. The tiger groaned knowing it was more troublesome bandits.

"Po, get ready - we got company." she said quietly and the panda sighed.

"Again!?"

The tiger warrior nodded, looking at him as he put down their packs ready to fight once again. Tigress stood still, quietly listening for their movements when suddenly, the bandits jumped out from behind the trees, charging them all at once from all directions.

"We'll be taking your things now; you're no match for us!" one boar bandit stated charging at Po.

"I don't think you runts will be taking anything." Tigress stated firmly getting in her stance.

Po quickly kneed the charging boar, dropping him instantly, before he spun around, blocked a club swung at his head and knocked out the leopard with a sharp backfist. After Po finished these two and one more; he turned around to see Tigress was struggling with the three other bandits. At first she was doing well, but soon she began to falter and make costly mistakes she normally wouldn't have.

She handled the first one decently, disarming him and knocking him down, however in her weakened state, Tigress could not take him out of the fight as quickly as she normally would have, so he soon jumped back up. The tiger would soon pay severely for her poorly-timed strikes and slower blocks. One wolf swung at her head with a wooden baton and due to her slow reaction, the weapon collided with the side of her head.

crack!

"Aghhh!"

The force of the blow to her skull knocked her sideways, dazed but not out just yet. Po ran over towards her as quick as he could to try to save her. Before Tigress could stand back up straight, an adjacent wolf charged her throwing a strong, hard uppercut to her stomach where a particular wound was, causing her to growl loudly in pain. The bandit smirked seeing this and Tigress buckled bending over and as she did, a wolf struck the back of her right leg bringing her down to the ground.

Twack!

The tiger howled in pain as this was the leg that was injured the most. "Noooooo!" Po shouted in worry before he became enraged. "Arghhhh!" he yelled leaping through the air with a flying side kick, slamming into the wolf that was about to hit her on the head to take her out.

The shear force of the kick drove the wolf into the ground, completely out of the fight. Two bandits then charged the panda from behind and he angrily turned around, punched one in the head and elbowed the other across the face hard, instantly putting them down. Tigress was rather impressed and in awe of the raw strength and power she had just witnessed from the panda bear.

Po then grit his teeth, "Those who hurt my friends or the people I care about... don't get away so easily." he said in sternly in a tone that surprised Tigress, who was on a knee trying to stand. She was however, touched by hearing this, seeing how much Po was willing to defend the ones he cared for.

Another bandit, who was now more timid after seeing this, tried to attack him from the rear, but the burly panda simply threw up his elbow horizontally and dropped him back - groaning in pain. Po sighed, releasing his rage and remembering Tigress, he turned around and a look of worry replacing the one of anger that was once on his face.

"Oh my gosh, Tigress - I'm so sorry I didn't come to save you sooner!" he said sorrowfully. "Are you alright?"

"It's okay - things happen ugh... P-po, behind you!" Tigress warned pointing to a bandit running up behind Po with a large hammer over his head.

Po reached for his staff, turned around and swung it horizontally across the wolf's stomach, causing him to instantly drop the hammer, and bend over in pain. The panda then twirled the staff and brought it down on top of the canine's head, knocking him down, but as he did, the staff shattered - breaking completely in half.

crack!

Po gasped seeing his favorite bamboo staff break and a look of sadness came over his face. The staff was a gift to him from his adoptive father Mr. Ping after he became the Dragon Warrior and it crushed him to see it in two pieces on the ground. Tigress saw the depressed look on his face and knew his staff had much sentimental value to him.

"Oh... you broke your staff - I'm sorry." She said as gently as she could, putting a paw on his shoulder after seeing the look on his face. But the panda's expression didn't change.

"I will personally make you a new one when we make it out of this mess, okay?"

Po finally sighed and managed to turn around to face her - he smiled a little bit and nodded, "Thanks, Ti. I would actually really like that - I know it will be awesome coming from you." he beamed.

The tiger smiled back but painfully as she tried to stand up, "Great then, now let's go - we don't have much tim-" Tigress said before her leg gave out due to the throbbing pain and she fell face towards the ground. Po, however, saw Tigress fall and as if by a reflex, he caught her before the tiger's face hit the dirt.

"Gotcha!" he said as he held up Tigress's shoulders so she could sit up.

"Uhh, thanks." she muttered quietly gritting her teeth while she tried to stand. Tigress's leg was shaking as it appeared that the pain in her leg intensified after that one bandit hit the back of it.

"Can you stand?"

The tiger shook her head while holding onto his arm for support, "Not sure - ah! We'll have to see..." the tiger warrior said as she finally made it back onto her feet, with Po's help of course.

Po looked at her worriedly seeing her in such agony but still trying to endure it. "You're incredibly strong, Ti - I admire that. But you need rest too." he thought to himself, looking at her.

"It's too bad the staff broke - we're even more behind now."

Po timidly twiddled his fingers together, "Tigress... I have an idea that can really help at this point."

"What's that?"

His expression became more anxious and worried than before.

"Let me carry you, please Tigress!"

Tigress understood that he cared but this was still a strange suggestion. The female feline scoffed, folding her arms as one of her ears twitched, "Rediculous. Po, this is kind of strange for us to..."

He cut her off anxiously, "C'mon, I'll carry you on my back. That way you can let your injuries heal - you can barely stand anymore as it is!" Po pointed out sadly.

"I appreciate your concern, dragon warrior - I do but I can-"

It was as if the panda read her thoughts as he continued, "No, you can't keep going like this! I know this sounds a bit strange but hear me out." he begged and she could see the worry in his eyes, "I... just don't want to lose you out here, Ti." he whispered grievously, turning his head to the side as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Tigress gasped quietly when she saw that and her ears perked up a bit. She rarely saw him cry out of sorrow and it distressed her much to see it. As the two soon locked eyes, she found she couldn't say anything more to argue with the look in Po's eyes - a look of understanding and concern. After a few moments in thought, the tiger finally gave in, seeing that her injuries were slowing them down quite a bit and not to mention how much it worried Po that she might not make it

Tigress then sighed and looked at him, "And you won't - not anytime soon." she assured him before a small smile came across her face. "You have a point, dragon warrior and because I can see this truly worries you, and it would be nice to stay off my wounds for a while... you can carry me if you wish."

Po grinned, "Oh my gosh thank you - this is gonna be so awesome!" he said excitedly fist pumping the air while Tigress just shook her head, rolling her eyes.

Tigress then picked up their packs of supplies, "You're welcome. Now we don't have anymore time to lose - let's go quickly... before I change my mind at least." she smirked slightly at him.

Po, knowing what she was saying, instantly got down on a knee in front of the tiger exposing his back. Tigress, with their supplies on her back, then made her way towards the panda and climbed onto his back - resting her paws on his shoulders, and her legs on either side of his waist and Po held them for support. Surprisingly, the female managed to get comfortable and soon he stood up with the injured tiger on his back.

"This is actually... kind of... okay. Thanks." she smiled contently, adjusting herself a little while letting her striped, tail curl up behind her.

Po nodded returning her expression, and Tigress pointed in the direction they were following on the map and without hesitation, the panda took off at a swift speed down the road into the sunset. The two masters had no idea what lay ahead of them but at least they had each other and friendship. But little did they know, the fires had just began to intensify.

About five miles past Hefei, approaching Nanjing, the dark figure himself was leading a battalion of his army towards the capital city with the captured grandmaster himself: Shifu. The red panda was bound in chains and accupressure cuffs while being pulled in a caged cart by two of the figures bodyguards. The red panda was meditating when all of a sudden they seemed to be coming to a stop.

He rose up in his iron cage and saw the unknown figure and his bodyguards talking to one another in a foreign tongue that he couldn't quite understand. As Shifu looked to his left, he saw in a similar-sized caged cart, a young female leopard looking at him. The leopard had a black muzzle around her face to prevent her from speaking and she was looking directly at him, tapping something on the iron bars.

At first, Shifu was confused, but quickly realized she was trying to tell him something in some form of code. She hit thr shakle on the bar a few times, shakily and Shifu began to quickly write on the dusty floor of his cell with his finger.

As she tapped, he wrote, "I - am - Su - there's - no - escap-" he wrote on the floor. Soon Shifu stopped when he saw from the corner of his eye, the robed figure turn around and growl slowly.

The cage was some twenty feet away, but after the figure's eyes glowed red - he ran that distance in less than a second, stopping just in front of the cage, glaring at him. Shifu jumped back startled, and he saw what looked like red lighting bolts, bordered with black, crackle and zoom around his head and body.

The grandmaster didn't scare easy but the sight before him was utterly terrifying. "But... no one can move that fast! What is this?" he thought to himself before the figure turned to the side to look to the female snow leopard.

"Don't... talk to him again." he said slowly in a dark tone. His voice was disguised by an unseen mask around his muzzle and it sounded deep, rough and unnerving.

The leopard simply shook her head in despair and crawled back into a corner of her cage just in case he would attack. The figure slowly turned his head back towards Shifu and his eyes flashed red. Suddenly, a crimson mist covered the cloaked figure as he began to step closer to the iron bars and then he phased through the bars - now standing on the inside. Shifu was utterly dumbfounded but more so unnerved. The mist vanished, then the red and black bolts reappeared around his entire body once more as he stepped closer to the defenseless grandmaster.

In a split second, the figure reached out with his demonic-like claws and grabbed Shifu by the throat - lifting him up with a single arm, before slamming him up against the top of the cell. He choked and groaned painfully as the figures eyes locked with his in an eerie manner. It was as if he looked into his very soul.

"The five will escape; I'm going to get out of here and the Dragon Warrior will defeat you!" he stated, showing no fear however this provoked the figure to anger.

He growled loudly and tightened his grip around the red pandas throat. "Fool! The only thing I need from all of you masters is your power to conquer China! And you only need to be just barely alive for me to use it." he stated in a slow, ominous manner through his mask.

"You'll never do it!" Shifu insisted but without warning the figure threw an uppercut at an unnaturally enhanced speed at his stomach.

Shifu grunted and then he continued at speeds that were like a blur and every hit was worse than the last. He next threw a hard right hook at Shifu's jaw, then doubled down to a punch and a knee to his stomach. Red lighting crackled around the figures arm and every hit began to burn Shifu a bit.

The figure threw a lightning-fast sharp elbow across his forehead before throwing an equally as fast right and left hook at Shifu's jaw - knocking him to the ground, groaning in pain. The red panda was now severely bruised and his left eye was now swollen shut. The unknown figure hit him with a ferocity and strength that surpassed that of Tai Lung's. As Shifu lay there in pain trying to stand, the figure said something.

"'Ahmaq, taerif makanik!" he said coldly in a foreign tongue that Shifu didn't quite recognize.

"Fool, know your place!" he repeated, translating his previous sentence and the unknown figure then turned around and phased through the bars once again.

The figure then said something in a foreign tongue to one of the bodyguards, who nodded silently before the battalion started moving again. Meanwhile, a look of hopelessness came over Shifu's face while he sat up against the iron bars of the cage. He couldn't quite figure out why the figure emitted that strange, red aura and his eyes, were unforgettable.

Every blow burned as it made contact and it wasn't like Chi at all. Shifu sat pondering what this could possibly mean but he came up empty. The female snow looked back at him with sympathy as they were being pulled along. Little did they know however, great evil was upon them, as a shadow was beginning to grow over all of China - a shadow with blood red eyes, whose heart was one without mercy.

Heyyyyy guys the chapter is done finally! I'm sorry it took me so long but I've been really busy at work and stuff like that. After I'm done at the end of the day I'm usually too tired or too lazy to do anything haha. I'm a welder at an industrial place so I work really hard and sweat a lot lol! Anyway I apologize if this ending sucked for some of you guys - it's just what I came up with. Also, thank you FFN for finally adding that horizontal line feature for us mobile users! Made me sooo happy!

Also, I've recently been able to get in contact with hellokittyemolove who has written some very good Kung Fu Panda stories! She is among one of my favorite authors in this fandom and her stories - I will always love. I was given permission by her that if I wanted to I could continue some of her stories! Soooo that's what I'm going to do! I loved her story the power of love and I'm going to try to continue it in the coming year after I finish this one. So look out for that story!

I can imagine Tobin Bell would have done pretty well with the villains lines and I know you guys are tired of hearing me refer to the villain as the "figure" but just hang in there his identity will be revealed in due time.

I do appreciate the reviews and follows keep them coming! The Five and Shifu are in some serious trouble; will they make it out alive or will this be the end for our heroes? Stay tuned and find out!

- Tipo-fan-4-life