Author's Note: Hi once again! Alright, I think I've found a new thing that I'll be updating every now and then because I really like doing these shorter, more descriptive kind of stories. So yeah, essentially whenever I get a new one of these I will put it here (think of it as a collection of sorts.) Will I do other characters?... Perhaps... We shall see. As for now, we continue with Tigress. I will warn you though, this is a bit more emotionally heart wrenching than the last one. [Pure fluff streak had to end sooner or later] One final note, when writing this I listened to a pretty obscure song from the no.1 band of all time Linkin Park. It is called "Chance of Rain", a beautifully sad song that I would say fits perfectly for this story so I would recommend listening to it while reading. Okay, enough of the long author's notes.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP (blah blah copyright blah blah)

Enjoy.

A Plea for Love

It is truly magical what a simple hug can do to a distressed soul. Yet, its absence is rarely spoken of, only felt in the part of us that needs it most. Our heart.

Shadows dance across paper walls, melding together to the silent music of a single candle's flame. With hands joined together, this family of darkness perform their nightly ritual with symbiotic synchronicity, their every movement gingerly caressing the auburn light painting the rice paper canvas. A tapestry of merriment fills these walls in a subdued yet present glory. Glory that only serves to mock the amber eyes watching from afar.

Tigress lies down on her cot, her body curled up with her arms wrapped around her form. She continues to study the shadows' lithe manoeuvres, yet there is no intrigue maintained in her stare. Still eyes lay themselves upon the obsidian tribe on her bedroom wall, aware of how they would dance the night away in a blissful splendour, maintaining such a wondrous ignorance that none could even try to match.

Every time her candle cast these shadows; they would reach out to her. A wordless invitation that she can't possibly accept. Even if she desperately wants to. If only those shadows could be real, if only they could be people. Then maybe she can participate in their bliss. Maybe she can smile with them amongst her candle's flame. Maybe she can feel their carefree touch. Yet, she refuses. Just as she always has.

In spite of her yearning heart, the tiger master rarely invites any physical contact. Not with anyone. She could never truly explain why, even when the answer seemed so easy in the past. Distractions like this are not meant for a kung fu master, only discipline and nothing more. Now however, this reason shatters like glass, any potential excuses being reduced to microscopic, see-through fragments. So why? Why does she push them away?

Her soul had lit up whenever the late master Oogway embraced her with his ancient gentleness. His soothing voice crushed the doubt digging into her mind, despite the riddles that would confound her soon after. Such boundless kindness, a millennium of care all contained within his archaic arms.

With each time Viper coiled around her body, Tigress had drunk in her sisterly comfort, taking just a bit longer to tell the serpent to release her. Then again, she had only gained the confidence to do this after a… certain incident involving a particular panda.

Oh, yes. Po. The very reason for the tiger's current indulgence in the flame's shadow puppets performing on her wall. Gongmen had been the first time she had initiated a hug. She had never even done so with Oogway regardless of the elderly turtle's encouragement. At the time she had a reason, to help him realise just how much she had felt his pain. Though now, she can see its unintended effects. She can see how she had given him silent permission to reciprocate her comforting gesture. Joy pierced the veil covering her heart as the warmth of the dragon warrior's embrace soared throughout her body. As he released her, the tiger struggled to keep her stone façade.

At this memory, her arms tighten their hold on her chest. She knew then that she had loved every second of his embrace and she wholly wishes that he could cuddle her now. Yet, she hadn't ever given him another invitation.

Why?

Amber orbs continue to spectate the shadow's tempting dance, those formless blobs soon turning to two familiar figures. A tiger and a panda. These figures pick up the performance left behind by their shapeless brethren and move together, paws interwoven and bodies melding into one. A simmering warmth radiates from these figments of Tigress' mind, invading her amber orbs until they put her waning heart on display to these obsidian performers.

Night upon night she has spent in this position, forced to watch the unfathomable happiness shared amongst the shadow family. For years she has had to resort to wrapping her arms around herself, a vain attempt to excuse her father's cold ignorance. Yet something had always been missing in her arms. Something that was present in Oogway, Po and Viper's embrace.

Silent pleas are whispered from her heart and exit through her hopelessly watching eyes, desperate for the same warmth displayed by her obsidian counterpart. Desperate for the love she had felt within his arms.

Love.

That is what was missing from her embrace. That is what had brought the overpowering warmth the panda had given her. After coming so close to losing her, he had given every ounce of his care into that single embrace and Gods does she wish that she could relive that moment every single night. But why can't she implore him to embrace her again? Why is this love missing from her own arms? She shuts her eyes tight as the answer to both of these questions ring clear in her mind, tears seeping out of her closed eyes as both of these answers reveal themselves to be one. A single fact that had cemented itself deep in her mind ever since she had been locked behind Bao Gu's unforgiving iron door.

She doesn't deserve it.

I know, sad ending here. For complex and difficult emotions like these, I just couldn't see it having a happy one. As for if this is a direct follow up from "An Ode to Freedom"? It is not. These stories will only be connected by their short length and their focus on setting plus emotions, that is all. As for what inspired this, well... I don't actually know. The idea just came to me at random while at uni today, so I needed to write it once I came home. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed and until next time :)