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"There are few things as powerful as true love."

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Episode 2: The camping

Dusk, the part of the day where the sun begins to set in the west, signaling all in the land that the time of rest is at hand. These streams of yellow, red, and orange give a relaxing vibe to hard workers, who can take comfort in that fact that they have survived another day in this long game called life. The shop keepers and business owners begun to close their stores, leaving their work for the night. And in the middle of the village, a young wolf woman just finished her last sale of the day, and was in the middle of locking up her shop.

Shu closed her window's doors and put her earnings away safely under lock and key. As she finished any last tasks she heard a knock on her store's front door.

"I'm sorry but I just closed up, you'll have to come tomorrow." Shu yelled while sweeping the floor.

"Sorry, I'm just looking for a beautiful woman named Shu, her son is mighty hungry." Said the knocker from outside.

Shu immediately recognized the voice and quickly put her broom away so she could answer the door. And when she opened, she was greeted by her boyfriend, Zhong, and their foster son, Erdan. Both of them were sporting happy smiles and without hesitation she hugged them. The family of three greeted each other and Zhong wrapped his large arms around his mate and cub, surrounding them in a loving embrace.

After their greeting, the family of wolves got started on dinner together. Shu cooked the noodles while Zhong handled the soup, and Erdan chopped vegetables for a side dish. Working together, they finished their meal in no time.

As they sat and ate, enjoying the warm dinner, they began talking and chatting.

"So Erdan, how do you like training every day?" Shu asked her preteen son.

After swallowing the boy answered. "Oh it's great, I'm learning much more now. And I get see dad, Po and the five everyday!"

Shu was glad for her adopted son, seeing him get closer to his dream of becoming a kung fu master. But she noticed her boyfriend kept rubbing his right shoulder. So she asked "Zhong, are you alright?"

The one eyed wolf paused for a moment before saying "Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just sore from all the training Shifu gives us."

His tone made her question his reply, but she decided not to invade her boyfriend's matters. After finishing their meal, Shu said she wanted to get some business with her store done. So Erdan and Zhong decided to spend time together while the lady of the house finishes her work. Erdan got an idea, and the father and son went out to Shu's back garden and looked up at the night sky.

"Wow, every time I'm always just… blown away at this." Erdan said while laying on the soft, pleasant grass.

"Yeah, it is quite a sight." Zhong replied.

"We used to do this all the time, back in Gongmen." Erdan thought out loud.

"That's right, and now that I think about it, there's another thing we did often, when we lived together." Zhong said to the cub.

"What's that dad?" Erdan asked.

"This!" Zhong answered while grabbing Erdan and play fought with him. The father and son lupines roughhoused together, even taking their shirts off to wrestle. A few times Zhong overpowered Erdan. And a couple times the younger wolf outsmarted his father. The two played together, laughing and having fun. Just like how they did back when the two lived together in Gongmen City.

Zhong tossed Erdan, but when he landed the boy made sounds of pain and immediately the father wolf got worried. "Oh no, Erdan are you alright? I didn't mean to-" But as the wolf approached his son, Erdan jumped onto Zhong's chest, knocking the larger wolf down on his bare back.

"I have triumphed!" Erdan shouted.

"Okay, okay you won. Why do I always fall for that?" Zhong said with a mix of disappointment and relief.

"Are you boys having fun?" Shu said who joined the father and son.

Erdan then got off of his dad and Zhong got up while he replied "Y-yeah, we were just fooling around. It's a guy thing. You wouldn't know."

"Oh, really." Shu said before tackling Zhong down. Zhong was speechless but then his looked right into Shu's eyes and the two smiled and kissed each other's lips before getting back up and sitting on the grass with their son.

Erdan, who was surprised that Shu defeated his dad said "Wow, mom where did you learn that?"

"I grew up with three big brothers, they always went easy on me because I'm a girl, their mistake." Shu said with a sly smile.

After they all went back inside, Zhong and Erdan packed and planned for the weekend tomorrow. They have been wanting to go on a father/son camping trip for awhile, and now they were finally ready. They planned to head out first thing in the morning. After saying their goodnights to their son, Zhong and Shu took some time for eachother. The couple relaxed by a fireplace, cuddling together while chatting.

However, Zhong could tell his girlfriend wanted to ask him something, but was nervous about it. He asked "What is it Shu?"

With a nervous tone, the she wolf replied "Well, we've been dating for a few months now. And, did you ever want to… want to… you know… uhhh."

"Have sex?" Zhong clued in.

Shu silently nodded and after a minute Zhong replied "I… I don't think we're ready for that now. I just think it's something… special. Something you only save for when the time is right in a relationship."

"Oh ok, I was only asking if you wanted too." Shu said.

"Thanks for understanding." Zhong thankfully replied.

They started chatting again, and Shu talked about how Zhong was like a guy in a romance story she would make up. Handsome, muscular, and loving. Upon hearing this, Zhong took off his shirt in front of her and said "Hang on, I think… I can still do it."

"Do what?" Shu asked right when she saw her boy friend's chest move, and Zhong saw that he could still bounce his pectorals.

He continued flexing his chest and arm muscles and smoothly said "Wanna sail with me to the sunset?" like a hero in a romance story.

"Well I'd love to, but it's late so I'll take a kiss for now." Shu answered enjoying her boyfriend being all romantic and showy.

Afterwards they kissed each other goodnight and she went into her room for her bed. Zhong resided in a guest room Shu and Erdan made for him, since now Shifu allowed the wolf to spend the weekends off and with his mate and kid, he is a family man after all. Zhong laid in his bed, got under the blankets and dozed off for the night.

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In the morning, Zhong and Erdan packed their backpacks, making sure to bring all the things a campout needs, and said their goodbyes to Shu before heading out. Together the father and son walked east from the valley and after a few hours, arrived at the forest that Zhong visited every month.

The one eyed wolf looked at his son and said "You excited?"

Erdan looked up at his dad and replied "Of course, just the two of us, and a fun weekend."

They both smiled at each other and begun their hike in the forest. It was very peaceful, with the sounds and sights of nature that Erdan loved so much. Suddenly a thought popped in the boy's head and he asked his father "Hey dad, how did you find this place?"

Zhong, who was in front of the young lupine answered "Once I had to pick up some supplies for the Jade Palace, I took a break here and decided to run wild for a bit. It was so refreshing the first time."

As wolves, Erdan and Zhong often had to keep their pace with their slower friends, so having a place to let out all that urge was very useful for them. After hiking some more, they found a nice place next to a lake. The two emptied their bags, set up the tent and campground and had lunch before enjoying some fun.

First they ran together through the woods, once again being who they were, wolves. Running on all fours, freely dashing without any worries. Later they decided to rest up and practice their meditation, Erdan noticed that having a family member meditate with him was a very nice experience. Later they removed their shirts to go swimming. Diving, splashing, and playing together, just like they did in the past.

It was now dark and the father and son sat on a log by the campfire. While eating dinner, Erdan talked with his dad about what they might do tomorrow before they head back.

"Well, we could do some more running, or swimming, whatever you want kid." Zhong said with a smile.

"Hmm, I think we could-" Erdan's reply was interrupted when he thought he heard something in the distance.

"What's the matter son?" Zhong asked curiously.

After a minute of silence, Erdan replied "I- it's nothing, probably just my mind playing tricks."

After awhile the two lupines decided to call it a night, and they retired in their tent. They snuggled in their blankets and pillows and wished each other goodnight.

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Erdan woke up feeling a bit drowsy and he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. He saw his father, still sleeping on his back. The cub decided to head out for a minute to stretch. As his walked out he noticed it became a bit foggy this morning, and then he felt the wind flow though the fur on his bare torso. He took a deep breath and released while extending his arms out. After finishing his morning wake up routine he suddenly heard rustling in the fog. He thought it was just his mind again, so he went inside to wake up Zhong.

The wolf boy walked in the tent and noticed his old man was still sleeping. He thought ("Man, what kind of training did Shifu make you do?") Erdan then gently woke up his father.

"Dad, dad, it's time to wake up." Erdan said as Zhong regained awareness.

After Zhong realized what was going on, he said "Okay Erdan, I'm up I'm up."

But as he was waking up, a large, slender, pitch dark hand slowly reached through the tent's entrance. It slowly made it way to the boy's leg… and then.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGG!" Screamed Erdan as he was suddenly and rapidly pulled out of the tent.

"Erdan! ERDAN!" Yelled Zhong, as he ran out only to see his son be dragged into the fog.

The wolf father then grabbed his war hammer and followed, tracking Erdan's scent as he ran in the fog. Filled with fear, Zhong continued to shout Erdan's name, but he only heard his boy's voice from the distance every time. He rushed through the woods, trying not to fear the worst for his son.

Erdan was being dragged on his back, quickly rushing through the woods, He tried to claw the… thing… that grabbed in, but nothing worked. It's skin was… squishy and rough. But out of know where Erdan and his kidnapper fell and the cub hit his head and passed out.

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When Erdan awoke he found he was in someplace dark, with only a hole in the ceiling to provide light. He rubbed a sore spot on his forehead, and then remembered what happened earlier. He looked around and realized he was in a cave, but he turned and was shocked to find a pile of skulls and bones, with torn flesh and dried blood on all of them. Erdan screamed and immediately the cub's nerves were going in overdrive, and his heart began beating rapidly in fear. He tried to climb out but couldn't, there wasn't a way to get out from the hole in the ceiling.

Suddenly "Erdan!" a voice shouted.

Erdan jumped and screamed, but he looked up and saw Zhong, his father. "Oh thank God Erdan!"

"Dad!" Erdan yelled, happy to see his father had come.

"Hang on I'll get you out." Zhong said before wrapping some rope around a tree so they could climb out.

But Erdan heard snarling, and looked back, and from the cave's tunnel emerged a monster. One with black gooey skin and red eyes without pupils. It had the legs of a tiger, arms of a gorilla, slender, thin hands, a tail, the face of a goat, and the horns of a bull. It's black as dark skin down to it's bones, like it was starved for years.

Erdan screamed and the monster roared and dashed at the wolf cub! "Ahhh, Help me dad HELP!" The boy screamed as he tried to climb the wall again while the beast ran towards the boy. Zhong ran and jump in the cave to protect his cub. He jumped in and met his hammer with the monster's head. Then he ran over to cover Erdan. The beast approached and Zhong gave a mighty war cry, showing his face filled with anger and revealing all his teeth to look threatening. He attacked the monster with his hammer striking the beast's hand. It roared in pain and then swiped its arm against Zhong, throwing the one eyed wolf across the cave, slamming his whole body on the stone wall.

Then the beast dashed at Erdan, but the boy dodged out of the way in time, and the monster smashed head first into the cave wall. The impact caused the rock above to fall down and when they met the stones on the bottom, they ignited sparks that created fire on the wood boards in the old cave.

As Zhong got up in pain, he saw in horror as the beast grabbed Erdan, ready to kill Zhong's precious son. Erdan screamed and clawed the monster the best he could, but he was just a thirteen old boy who was no match for a best of this size.

Zhong grabbed his hammer and rushed while screaming "Get away from my son you bastard!"

And his attacked one of the beast's legs and it fell. While Erdan was still in its grip, he was able to grab a hold of one of the wood boards that caught on fire. Erdan took the burning wood, and rammed it into the beast's mouth. Immediately the monster let go of Erdan and it backed off while screaming in agonizing pain as the fire spread though out its insides. Zhong quickly grabbed his son holding Erdan on his left arm while hold his hammer in the other. The monster continued to scream as flames bursted out of its mouth and eyes. Its skin melted into black liqid that evaporated into thick steam. The entire thing melted away until nothing remained but a bunch of bones from various animals.

"Oh my god, oh my god Erdan are you ok?" Zhong said while holding his son.

But all erdan could do was hug his father and cry. "Dad,dad,dad." Was all the boy could say.

Zhong then rubbed his son's back and did his best to calm his boy. "It's ok Erdan, it's ok. I'm here, your dad's here, and it's over. It's over."

They continued hugging for five minutes, and later Erdan was finally calm enough to think again. The two wolves got out of the cave, made their way back to camp, and packed their things to make and early exit and hike back home. After a long two hours they made their way back to the valley of peace and the village and Jade Palace was in their sights.

Zhong would need medical help after the fight with that beast. The middle aged wolf looked at his son and asked "Are you ok Erdan?"

The cub looked at his father, who kneeled down face to face and replied "Y-yeah, I'm fine, But I'm gonna have nightmares about it for weeks. You seemed so brave when against that …thing."

"Truth is, I was horrified. Horrified that I might lose you, and for a moment I thought I would." Zhong said before hugging his son again. "I'm gonna stay with you and Shu for a few more days. So I can be with you after that nightmare, and any others."

"Won't Shifu be mad?" Erdan asked while still in his father's arms.

"I'll explain it to him, I think he might understand. What matters most to me now his my son." Zhong answered.

Erdan gave a thankful smile and already he was starting to feel better. And the two made their way to home, to safety.

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Within the cave where the beast's bones laid, a goat wearing a black robe climbed down. He noticed the remains of the monster and he said to himself "Such a pity… oh well… we can always… try again." And he took the beast's skull, climbed out of the cave and walked off with it.