The Helm Trap


"They're attacking on Helms mountains in the south," Shifu muttered as he moved down the corridor. "Why Sho's there is still to be determined."

"He's trying to lure Wolf out," Tigress said, looking back at the canine's frown. "We'll have to play this smart."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Po interjected. "Sho already knows we have the wolf and that we're protecting him. The only way we're going to do any damage to him is having Wolfie around."

"Not if Platon's there," Tigress argued.

"Hrm," Wolf grunted, signaling his favor with Tigress's argument.

Po sighed, "So what do we do?"

"For now, focus on taking out Sho and his bandits. Po and Wolf will take on Sho," Shifu said. "If Platon is there... be careful. I believe there's a good reason why Wolf allowed himself to stay imprisoned." The three nodded and joined up with the Furious Five.

The Helms mountains lay in thick clouds of misty fog. Their gray rock only adds to the confusing terrain, and the thick fog often disappeared and reappeared at weird intervals. The mountains laid squished together with broad flat peeks, rising or descending closer to the grass plains at its foot. The village laid on top of the peaks, scattered amid the fog, and as Po and the others traveled up the mountain, the silence disturbed them.

"Something's not right. We should be hearing something by now," Crane mentioned.

"That's because we're walking into a trap," Tigress answered. Wolf nodded. "Let's do this carefully before-"

"Look out!" Po pushed Tigress out of the way of a falling boulder from the top ledge. They looked up and saw the unmistakable silhouette of boars against the mist. "Yep, it's a trap."

"GRRRRR," Wolf growled as he charged up the mountain.

"WAIT!" Tigress shouted. "Ugh, he's so stubborn."

"Sound familiar?" Po smirked. The tiger glared. "Just saying."

"Come on!" Tigress ordered them up the mountain peak where a row of bandits ambushed them. Amid flaming houses and rocky pathways, the team charged through the horde of bandits, trying to get all the people they could to safety. But they couldn't find anyone.

"Where is everyone? Whoa!" Po ducked a swing from a boar's sword and rammed his fist into his skull. The boar flew into a wooden house. Curious, Po took a look inside.

There was nothing. Not the smallest whiff of food, clothes, or even perfume. In fact, the place looked like it was hastily swept clean. While the fighting continued, Po stepped into the house where the groaning boar lay. On the table, there was a note. "This village is under immediate evacuation due to disease by order of the Emperor and Councilman Platon. Please move all of your possessions to Bai Wenling where there is ample room for you." Po crinkled up the paper in his hand. "They forced the villagers out for this trap."

"Po!" Crane shouted. "We need help!" Po rushed outside and saw Crane, Mantis, and Monkey fighting off the bandits higher up the mountain. The panda charged his way through every stray boar he could find and finally got to the others.

"Where's Tigress?"

"She went with Wolf and Viper to fight Sho."

"What! Dang it! I've got to get there!" Po shouted, but a wall of bandits barred his way. He clenched his fists. "Get out of my way."

Meanwhile, as the mist tightly clung around the dog's nose, Tigress, Viper, and Wolf looked around on a flat empty rock top devoid of any houses. Sniffing around, Wolf's growl alerted the two, but they couldn't see where the big bear was.

Then a figure arose from the fog, walking towards them. Light padded footsteps came closer and closer until the fog rolled and lifted. Tigress and Viper saw a cloaked figure standing with a demon mask on his face. "You are Master Tigress and Master Viper, correct?" Said the cloaked man in a grave voice. "I'm Tai Yang. I'll make this short. Give us Wolf and we will call off this whole attack. No one will be hurt and the Emperor doesn't need to know."

"And why should we trust you?" Tigress growled.

"Because kitten," Said a well-known voice coming up next to Tai Yang. "You shouldn't be protecting a criminal." The long smirk on Sho's face met the growls from Wolf and Tigress. "Plus, I'm eager to have a rematch with ya, kitten."

"Hrm?" Wolf mumbled, confused.

"Why?" Tai Yang asked vocally.

Sho's smirk disappeared. "Just to make sure of something."

"My pleasure. After we deal with your friend." Tigress and Viper charged towards Tai Yang, but Sho's hammer stood in their way.

"You're gonna have to get through me first!" Sho smirked. He forced them back. Tai Yang moved to fight, but stopped as Wolf jumped in-between them. The cloaked man's mask peered down at the wolf.

"We don't have to do this," He muttered.

The wolf actually laughed and readied himself, crouching low to the ground.

"Hmm. I guess you're right," Tai Yang sighed, but he stopped when he saw something attached to Wolf's hip. "You... where did you get that dagger?" He growled.

Wolf frowned but didn't snarl at him. Tai Yang sighed, "I guess it is with its rightful owner now." A small smirk came to the wolf's lips as they fought.

As they battled on, Po, Crane, Mantis, and Monkey were nearing them, but the bandits kept pressing on. Crane kicked one boar down the mountain side while he clutched the other's sword and whirled it around. "Dang, Crane! You're getting better," Monkey said. "What? Can't wait to get to your loooove?"

"MONKEY!"

"Wait what!?" The boars around them stopped and shouted. "You and Viper are dating?"

"Uh... uh... yeah," Crane blushed.

"HA! I knew it," Said one bandit to another bandit. "Pay up." The panda could only blink in confusion as a hand full of the bandits passed on their wagers. "Alright, chubby back to fighting."

"What just happened?" Po muttered.

"I lost my bet!" Mantis groused, "That's what happened."

Crane shook his head in a blush. "Never mind. Let's get these guys out of here! Then we'll help the others!"

Meanwhile, Viper and Tigress fought the big brown bear with all their might. Tigress launched herself to the top of Sho's hammer. Sho pushed and swung back. Viper slithered up the bear's body. "EEEHGGGGHH! Get off, get off, get off!" Sho dropped his hammer, grabbed Viper, and tossed her off. "UGH! That was weird."

"Hiya!" Tigress struck Sho hard in the chest, making the bear tumble back. Sho grabbed his hammer again, blocking the tiger's next kick. Viper wrapped around Sho's hammer and slithered onto his arms.

"Alright! That's enough from you!" Sho grabbed Viper again, pulled her off, and whacked her with the blunt of his hammer. The snake tumbled over to the side like a forlorn broken rope.

"VIPER!" Crane shouted from the higher mountain top. Sho caught the bird's glare. Only one eye stared back at the bear; the other covered by the shadow of his hat. Sho gripped his hammer, but Crane soared into the clouds, disappearing in the mist.

"Where are you?"

"HEY!" Tigress struck Sho back. The bear tumbled and regained his footing. "You're fighting me."

"Hehe, impatient, aren't we?" His sneer only irritated the tiger. She released her growl, launching again at the bear. His hammer swung, but Tigress rolled over it, striking the bear across his face. "HA! You're definitely stronger than most of the warriors I've come across."

"Hmph," was her only reply as Tigress nearly missed Sho's hammer.

"But that doesn't mean you're the strongest I've fought," Sho smirked, rolling his shoulders back.

"That goes to your friend?"

"Huh? Oh no. His strength pales to the person I know. But enough about her," Sho grinned. "Let's finish you off." But Tigress smirked. "Huh? What are you smirking a-"

Sling!

"GAAAAAHHHH!" Sho fell onto his back, gripping his bleeding bare chest. He looked at the deep redness on his hand and then saw the glaring bird, standing with blood on his talons. "GAHHH Hahhh. What the," Sho grunted as he used his hammer to get back up. "Masters aren't supposed to go for blood."

"We can make an exception for you," Crane said. The air around him chilled into an icy vacuum as he uttered the words. Crane darted at Sho, who instantly blocked his attack. The bird, rolled over his hammer and scratched the bear's shoulder.

"DAHH!" Sho grunted, gripping the torn flesh. Not as deep, but the way that Crane was going, it wouldn't take much for the bird to reach his heart. Crane zoomed towards Sho again.

"That's enough." A large gloved hand caught Crane's neck, stopping him in his tracks. Crane gulped for breath as the demon-faced man stared at him. "You're proving to be stronger than you let on."

"CRANE!" Tigress shouted.

"But you're a danger to this mission," Tai Yang threw his arm back, aimed to punch Crane.

"GRAAHHH!" Wolf jumped from behind Tai Yang and tackled him to the ground. The hard landing knocked Crane out cold. Tai Yang wrestled Wolf off of him and shoved him across the rocky plain.

"Wolf!"

"Batter up!" Tigress didn't have time to react. A sharp pain tore into her back as she flew into the mountainside. She struck the rock hard but slowly crawled to her hands and knees. Sho laughed and stood over her. "I'll admit this, you've got more strength than I thought. But it wasn't enough," Sho sniggered. "I'm undefeatable, kitten."

"SHO!"

Sho and Tai Yang looked to the upper peek where a black and white panda stood with two knocked-out bandits in his arms. Po dropped them and jumped down to the peak below. "You're fighting me."

"HAHAHAHA!" Sho laughed, slinging the large hammer across his shoulders. "And why should I even bother with you. Why don't I just crush the kitten first?"

"Because you don't want to."

"Eh?"

"You don't want to and we both know it," Po said. His serious tone sounded foreign to everyone, including himself. "And I want to fight you."

"And why should I even bother with you."

Po smirked, "Because I want to fight you for your Bear Title. I want to be the next Bear of the Jai-Yin." Sho's eyes screamed open while Tai Yang held his peace.

"How do you know about that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"That's why I asked."

"Nope," Po grinned, "Not telling you until we fight." Sho groaned and shook his head. Then he laughed.

"Hehe, alright. I accept." His foot kicked Tigress over, tossing her closer to the panda. Wolf immediately sprinted over to her and pulled her out of the way. The big bear turned to Tai Yang. "You stay out of this, alright. No interfering until I win."

"This is ridiculous," Tai Yang grunted. "Our job is just to get the wolf."

"Just shut up you!" Sho shouted. Po's eyes grew wide. Even Wolf looked shocked. "I'm sick and tired of being your fetch-it boy. Let me live. I wanna fight him."

"Why?"

Sho's frown stood for a while in the silence. He looked at the hammer in his hands and sighed, "Just let me fight. Put this hammer to good use." Tai Yang sighed and sat over on a boulder to watch. Wolf grabbed Crane and Viper and retreated over to Mantis and Monkey so they could be taken care of.

Po and Sho scowled each other. Po's arms tensed and relaxed as he took deep breaths. Sho gripped his hammer firmly, spinning it around in his hands. They were about six feet apart; all the world seemed to be so close between them. And yet so far. Even the slight sting in Sho's chest didn't bother him. Somewhere between worry and excitement bent his lips into a smile. "Alright, say your prayers!" Sho charged at Po, moving his hammer back. He swung right at Po's side.

The hammer stopped with a clang. Sho's smirk turned to a horrified dropped jaw.

Po had caught his hammer with only one hand.

And he didn't move an inch.

Po pushed Sho back, making the bear stumble right onto his butt. "That's... that's impossible!"

"Oh ho ho ho I'm a chunky fun bear of impossible," Po laughed, falling into his ready pose. "Get ready for the Thunda!"

Continued...