Chapter 2

Sying wasn't sure what led up to it, but upon entry to the Hall of Heroes, it was desolate. The door was pushed open wide enough for her to squeeze past, and she closed it back over again, while thunder rumbled in the far distance. It got cloudy on her unaccompanied walk, and fearing it was going to rain, so she quickened her pace once she got to the last ten steps of so.

"Hello?" She called out, rubbing her arms as she wandered down the aisle between the pillars. Scanning the spaces between the pillars, she had this uneasy feeling that someone was lingering behind each pillar, yet she was alone. Sying could hear whispers around her, but they were quiet enough so she couldn't locate them, but loud enough to be heard... maybe they were coming from that funny urn Tai Lung showed her...

Eventually she made it to the meditation pool, and in the long silence, she glanced down at her reflection in the still water. The angle she was staring down from was not flattering; her features weren't altered, but with her chin nearly to lying to her collar bone, she felt sluggish. Not that it was important, but how Tai Lung spoke with her- more so, how he acted earlier, made her feel worse then she already had. Sying kept telling herself not to worry; Tai lung was a Master for crying out loud! He read all the scrolls, he was loyal to his Master, his people... to her. So what he wasn't the Dragon Warrior? That made no difference to her, she still loved him, and if he came back here to find her, and ask for to marry him regardless, there would be no doubt she would say yes...

This thought made her want to go find him and talk to him again. To hold his paw and listen to how he felt; she couldn't have imagined how he felt, and maybe, just maybe, when she walked away, he finally found the words to explain...

"Sying?" A voice abruptly said, dangerously close. That made her jump and yelp slightly, before she noticed little Tigress running for her, with Shifu and Oogway not far behind. Sying's arms immediately opened and held the cub close to her hip. Another clap of thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Master Shifu-" Sying didn't get anything else out before Shifu cut her off.

"You need to leave." He said, ushering her and Tigress towards the door near the meditation pool.

"Why?" Sying couldn't think of anything more fitting to ask. "What's going on?"

"There's no time." Shifu spoke hastily, but before he could continue, the door was smashed apart. All four of their heads snapped to the sound of the wood breaking, flying out in all directions, and a roar echoed through the hall...

Tai Lung...

Sying could hear a soft whimpering sound, and noticing it was Tigress, still by her side once she felt her shivering, Sying started backing the two of them away, her eyes glued to Tai Lung as he raced down the aisle, eyes on a different prize... in a short moment, Sying averted her gaze quickly towards the Dragon Scroll, before there was swishing sound, and she turned back to see Shifu running into a leap, ready to collide with the leopard;

Crack.

It all happened so fast Sying's heart was ready to fall from her chest as Tigress cried out 'Master Shifu!' as Tai Lung's fatal swipe crack his hip, and a second move; this time a punch, sent the red panda flying back towards them, until he hit the ground, and rolled towards Oogway's feet. Tigress raced for him before Sying could stop her, and Tai Lung kept racing, and soon leapt towards the scroll, but Oogway soon jumped too. His claws traced over his torso in a swift manner she couldn't see, but he hit the ground with a heavy thud...

Everything was silent. Sying ran for Tai Lung, while Shifu propped himself up with his arms, grunting in pain as he told Tigress to step away gruffly. Sying knelt in front of the unconscious leopard, and hoisted his head on her lap. Her breathing was shallow and uneven as she caressed his cheeks with one paw. His mouth was a flat line, his breathing almost non existent... the only thing that proved Oogway didn't kill him was his heartbeat, which was scarily soft under her fingers. Shifu dragged himself towards them, his eyes heavy with the pain. Sying heard him move, and instantly pulled away, and stood up, coaxing Tigress to come to her. The little cub said nothing and just moved to her. Once in her hold, Tigress hid her face in Sying's chest, which igniting the leopard to hold her tighter, but she couldn't peel her eyes away from Shifu staring down as Tai Lung's form, before bowing his head in shame.

Sying, feeling defeated, did the same.


There was no words to explain... she wasn't sure what made her do it, but upon his arrest, she accompanied the guards on the journey to his placement. He was still unconscious through it all, and cooped up in a cell box, heavily chained, and carried by six rhino guards. At least six more guards were on stand-by in case something went wrong...

They refused her permission to come at first; but something in the Head Rhino told him to let her come, for her own sake, and she walked by his best man by request. Not that any of his men were going to try anything, but hearing their tongues run about him even allowing her come along, they mutually felt the need to make sure she was sheltered from what could be said about her. Not that she talked much, the second rhino, called Li, thought. When they hit the halfway point to their destination, she had said nothing, apart from thanking him for the cloak he provided for her when it got colder.

...

They finally had him placed in the cell, shackles by the arms and legs. "Will it hold him?" She asked coldly, and Li said nothing at first as she inspected their surroundings.

Chor Gom prison was unwelcoming; if the location of the prison wasn't cold enough; cooped up in the mountains, the rhinos that didn't come to the Valley were distant, and judged her as they entered the door. The cold temperature up here must of frozen any sympathy left in their hearts; side glances and obvious exhales to hide their snorts, which made her wrap the cloak tighter around her shoulders a little tighter.

"Take him to the cell while he's still out. Master Oogway has immobilized him long enough to get the restraints."

"Yes sir."

...

The Head Rhino and his other men had left them to stand outside the large metal doors in the poorly light corridor, meanwhile they walked to where he will be placed. "It's for the time being," he replied softly, sitting his spear by the door. "Shifu requested for... extra protection, to ensure he doesn't escape, therefore, we have to prepare the equipment."

Silence floated over them. "His act was done blindly," she whispered, eyes tearing up. He was asleep, the real him wasn't there. Maybe the real Tai Lung was out there, in hiding after hearing the attack, or had gone on a walk, and some evil long lost brother of his came to rage war on the Valley in revenge for not getting the life the real Tai Lung had. He didn't cause all that destruction... "The Tai Lung I remember wouldn't have committed such an act."

"Miss... I honestly don't know what to say to you..."He wasn't like the others; it seemed he had the time to listen or make conversation with her. He was shorter then the rest, and leaner then most, but he had the muscle build required for the job. His right were dark brown, and wore the same armor that everyone else here had on their person, guarding the most vital parts of his iron colored body.

Sying glanced up at him and just smiled. "Maybe that's a good thing." Li wasn't sure if he was to smile back, and just nodded awkwardly, before they both looked towards the door. "No one ever wants to talk in case they upset someone..." her eyes met the floor. "He's here for life, right?"

"Yes." That made her heart pound, and he passed her a cloth to wipe the tears that were now leaving darkened lines on her cheeks. "I'm sorry miss... everyone understands your feelings."

"No they don't," she muttered. "It's not everyday someone they love goes insane and attacks the place they swear to protect."

"Well then... I can understand." Sying sniffled as she made eye contact again. "My dad is locked up somewhere for attacking some villagers... why do you think I left home? Like yourself."

"I didn't live in the Valley of Peace. I lived elsewhere."

"Lived?" Li raised a brow.

Sying just shook her head and placed her paw against the door. Her parents heard the news of everything, and who knows what they think or feel towards her, knowing she still loves Tai Lung regardless. Whispers on the streets can spread quicker then a wildfire in her hometown. Sying has seen rumors tarnishing reputations before, and when her relationship with Tai began, people already tried to paint her as a gold digger... she couldn't even fathom what will be said once her village catches wind of the situation...

"Here..." there was a rattling sound, and Sying found a key in her paws. "I can't let you set him free... but I'll give you a moment with him." He then bowed and walked down the hall.

Sying waited until he was out of sight before she slowly, with a rapidly beating heart, unlocking the door, and opened it slowly. Dragging out the creak, her eyes widened at the sight of Tai Lung, slumping against the wall, chains hugging his wrists, ankles, and biceps. His eyes were open, and staring at her.

"Did you have to lengthen that creak?" He grumbled. Inwardly gasping, she ran to him and collapsed by him, and finally sobbed into his chest. His legs were immobilized, but his arms had some strength to hold her. He said nothing, and just listened to her crying, until...

"Why did you do it?" She finally whispered. There was a stillness in the air that made her sentence linger.

Sying's head was resting on his chest, her ear lying flat by his throat; so she felt a vibration echo from his throat. "You know why." He growled. "I was denied what is rightfully mine." Her eyes shut tight as when she pulled away.

"I hate Shifu for that," she spat.

"Don't." Tai Lung used whatever strength he had left to cup her cheek. "Shifu is still useful."

"How?"

The snow leopards looked deep into each others eyes, before Sying leaned in for the kiss. Once it lifted, she walked over, and checked outside the cell; Li wasn't back yet, and she had a key...


Pulling apart, their foreheads touched. "I need him to shelter you." He said breathlessly as she pulled away. "You can't go back home... not after everything. Let him calm down, and he'll come round to his senses and let me come home..."

Sying leveled the layers of her dress, shivering slightly. Maybe he didn't remember the destruction that he created in the Valley. This time, she kept her mouth shut, and nodded, before hearing footsteps.

"Madam? Are you alright?" Li.

Turning back to Tai Lung, she cradled his face gently. "I love you." She whispered, kissing him quickly on the lips once more. "I don't know if I can come back..." Tai Lung just nodded, and watched her leave, and shut the door, locking it slowly.

Li watched Sying pull the key out of the lock, and handed it back to Li, and noticed a small, barely visible smile on her face. "I'm afraid you have to go. We have no accommodation, but I will escort you safely as far as I can."

They started walking, and Sying handed back his key. As he formed a fist around it, just sighed softly. "You have too good of a heart... why are you here?"

Li just shrugged, "no other job to really chase for as a Rhino... my brother's a guard, my uncles... my dad, before everything."

"You won't last." She said ominously. He shrugged again, with a sincere smile this time that made her feel safe.

"By then I hope to find my happiness before I leave."

They left, with Sying thanking the Head Rhino for letting her come. He just nodded wordlessly, and watched them leave, before he, and several other rhino's glanced at one another slowly.

...

And there's chapter 2! I'm flying to Germany tomorrow morning so I won't be on FF for the next week :)

I hope you like it so far! Please do leave a review and tell me what you think 3

And thank you so much to NootalyaSafari for taking the time to read the story! I'm so glad you like it!