((()-()))
"Forgiveness may be difficult but not impossible."
((()-()))
Episode 4: Break out
Erdan walked up the stone mountain stairs once again, trudging up for his afternoon training. Although he enjoyed the view from the top, he realized that this new routine was becoming somewhat of a hassle. Still, the fourteen old wolf boy knew that all this struggle would in the end make him stronger. After twenty minutes passed, he finally made it to the Jade Palace. He proceeded to the training hall where he would meet Master Shifu like before. But as he opened the doors, he found no one was inside. Not Po, Zhong or even the five. Erdan then proceeded to look for his teacher elsewhere.
The wolf cub searched the barracks, but nothing. He looked around the peach tree but still nothing. It wasn't like his friends to just leave or cancel training without telling him. Erdan then went to search the Hall of Heroes, where he found Shifu and Tigress looking at some maps on a table in Shifu's room.
The two masters looked back and saw the wolf boy arrived. Shifu then said "Erdan you're here."
The boy then replied "Yes master I'm ready for training, but where is everyone?"
"I've sent them to deliver messages to the other palaces and kung fu schools." Shifu answered.
Erdan then joined the red panda and tiger at the table, looking at the maps and locations that the other warriors have gone to. "They each went a different way?" Erdan asked.
"No, since the roads can be filled with bandits and gangs of thieves, I've sent them all in pairs." Shifu explained before showing Erdan key spots on the map while continuing. "I've sent Po and Zhong to the Jinchong Palace. Crane and Mantis to the Lida kung fu school. And Monkey and Viper to deliver a message to the other kung fu counsel members."
Erdan examined the map, seeing that Shifu told his students to stick with the buddy system so they wouldn't face threats alone. He guessed it was more useful then just keeping little kids safe. Shifu then got off his chair and pulled a scroll from a nearby cabinet and begun writing out with ink and a feathered pen.
Meanwhile Tigress greeted the boy with a small smile and said "How are you doing today Erdan?"
Erdan, who had put his paws together and bowed (As a sign of respect) before saying "Oh, I-I'm very well Master Tigress. H-how are you?"
"I'm fine." Tigress simply answered.
Shifu then finished his writing and placed the scroll in a protective tube. Then went to Tigress and said "Alright Tigress, now bring this message to Chor-Gom Prison and be back by sunset."
The striped master took the scroll, bowed in respect and replied "Yes master."
But before she could walk out of the room, Erdan said "Wait, you're going alone?"
"There's no one else to go with, besides I can handle myself." Tigress said.
"But all the others traveled with a partner." Erdan said while making a puzzled face.
Shifu then walked to the boy and said "I wish someone could go with Tigress, with all the dangers on the road. But everyone else is out performing their duties. So she'll have to go alone."
But as the striped master was about to leave, Erdan asked "What if I went with Tigress?"
The female master immediately stopped, turned and said with Shifu "What?"
Erdan then said "Master If you're so worried about tigress being alone, why don't you send me with her?"
But Shifu suddenly said "Erdan no. I sent the others with a partner for a reason. I won't put you in that kind of mission so soon, let alone the danger."
"But master, Chor-Gom is much closer then the other places the others have gone to, and I've been there before."
"What? When was that?" Shifu questioned while tigress crossed her arms.
Erdan then felt nervous and answered "Well, that was back in last winter. When Po and my dad had that bet, the one that involved a crazed rhino."
Shifu then sighed while waving his head down, thinking of how those two men could be like children sometimes. Before the master could say something, his youngest pupil said "Since the journey would be short, I'd be back in time for dinner with my mom. I've been to that prison before so It's a place I'm familiar with. And didn't you say once that experience it the best teacher of all? This could be my chance to get some."
Shifu only stayed quiet for a minute, thinking of what to say or do. As much as he hated to admit it, Erdan did make some valid points. The old master old master looked at Erdan, then Tigress. And after some for thinking he made up his mind.
"Are you sure you want to go?" Shifu asked the boy.
Erdan just nodded and said "Well, that is if Tigress wouldn't mind?"
The feline master looked at Erdan and said "I guess it's alright with me."
Shifu then said "Alright, you can go. But be careful, and don't do anything risky, understand?"
"Yes master, and thank you." Erdan replied.
Shifu instructed Erdan to pack his backpack for the trip. While he was doing that, Shifu told Tigress to keep Erdan safe above all else. Esspecially for Zhong and Shu. Tigress agreed and in a half an hour, the tiger and wolf cub raced off of all fours together. On a mission to deliver an important message to Chor Gom prison.
((()-()))
After a few hours of travel, Tigress and Erdan finally reached Chor-Gom. A huge prison that was built from inside a massive cave, that holds the most dangerous of criminals. Once for twenty years, it even held the infamous Tai Lung, until the day he escaped and was defeated by the Dragon Warrior. As Tigress and Erdan entered the prison they were greeted by a large rhino who was in charge of the guards and security.
"Ah about time you arrived." The commander guard said.
"Here's the schedule for the shipments of rations commander." Tigress said while handing the scroll.
"Good, very good." The rhino said, but he immediately noticed the wolf boy who accompanied the master.
"And who are you supposed to be?" The rhino asked while looking down at the boy.
"I'm Erdan, the newest student at the Jade Palace." Erdan replied.
"Right, cause the first time Shifu trained a boy went soo well." The rhino said.
Tigress became a little angry by the commander's comment, but she kept her feelings under control. But the rhino noticed that Erdan kept staring at him.
"What you looking at?" the commander asked.
Erdan then said "Aren't you cold?"
The commander wore armor just like his men. But unlike them he was shirtless, like the last head guard. He had a gut like belly but he also possessed good sized pectorals, showing his strong chest and nipples always. But this was a cold, snowy cave. Shouldn't he be wearing something warm?
The commander said "Hey, it's tradition with us rhinos. Plus I don't need fur when I got muscle."
Erdan just rolled his eyes deciding that to let the guy be macho and cold all he liked. With their mission finished tigress said "Alright Erdan, let's return home."
But suddenly yells sounded from below and one of the guards shouted "Prison riot! Prison riot! Close the doors! close the doors!"
Immediately the guards shut the gates tight. Keeping the two warriors form returning home. A group of rhino guards rushed to stop the chaos, but during the rush Erdan back up form their way and he fell off backwards from the walkway. Erdan luckily was able to grab the ledge of lower level and climb up onto stone ground. But he saw a huge battle between prisoners and guards. A group of bulls and boars approached Erdan, but the wolf cub was faster. But he looked back and without knowing, he ran into a cell. But the bar gate was closed by a croc bandit before the boy could escape.
"Well, well, well look who we got here gang." A familiar voice said from behind.
Erdan turned and was surprised to see a familiar face. And all the cub said was "Fung"
((()-()))
Tigress rushed along the rhino guards, in search of Erdan. She stopped and talked with the commander.
"Tell your men to keep an eye out for a wolf boy, fourteen, and wearing a red bandana." Tigress said urgently.
The commander nodded and gave his orders to his men. But Tigress was standing in front of a cell, one that had a tiger woman who was looking at the other striped feline on the other side of the bars. She walked up to the bars and tapped Tigress on the shoulder. She turned and saw a woman in the cell, one that wore a black and brown robe.
"Is something wrong?" Tigress asked urgently.
But all the woman did was stare at her. Then she noticed Tigress's eyes and she asked "What's your name?"
"I don't have time, a boy I'm responsible for is in trouble." Tigress said before starting to run off.
"Wait!" The woman pleaded.
"What do you want?" Tigress said coming back after a second.
"Where were you born?" the woman asked.
"I don't know? When I was a baby I was left at the Baiogoo orphanage." Tigress said before rushing off.
The tiger woman gasped upon hearing that. Between that fact and her eyes, there was no doubt about it. A guard fell dead in front of the cell and the woman was able to grab a cell key. She opened the cell and rushed to wear the other tiger ran to.
((()-()))
Erdan was now trapped in a cell with a gang of crocodile bandits, who would like nothing more then to give the wolf boy a good beating for all the trouble he put them through.
"Hey there Erdan, been awhile." Fung said while cracking his knuckles.
"Yeah, it has been some time. Enjoying your new home?" Erdan replied while the crocs surrounded him.
"Terrible, thanks to you and your dad." Fung answered.
The crocs got ready to attack when Erdan got into a fighting stance and showed his claws. "Back off."
"Oh why so hostile? What have we ever done to you?" Fung asked.
But a smaller, thinner croc next to Fung said "Well we did kidnap his dad, and threaten him and his family."
Fung immediately became angry and threw his helmet down while yelling "Darnit Gary! I was being sarcastic!"
But Erdan rushed and grabbed Fung's helmet and bashed it in Fung's face. He then did the same with Gary, and with his kung fu and claws he fought off the crocs. But what they lacked in brains, they made up for in muscle, dumb muscle. No matter how much he tried erdan was overpowered and held by four crocs against the wall.
Fung grabbed his helmet, and said "Alright kid, time to pay for all the misery you caused me."
"Don't you mean us?" Gary added.
Annoyed, Fung yelled "Whatever!"
He then made a fist and got read to punch Erdan in the face over and over again. But they heard a growl and rushing in came Tigress who had burst through the cell door ready to save Erdan.
"Ah darnit." Fung said before getting his face kicked. The rest of the crocs were knocked out cold.
"Erdan you alright?" Tigress said with a worried tone.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just a little shaken up." The boy said while agausting his bandana.
Tigress was glad the boy was ok. But before they could leave the entrance was blocked by that tiger woman.
"Ahhhggg woman please get out of my way-" Tigress said before being interrupted.
"Twenty five years ago." The tiger woman said.
"What?" tigress said in a confused manor. While Erdan was just as puzzled as her.
"Twenty five years ago, was when I left you on that door step." The woman continued. "I thought I would never live this day."
Tigress, who was now putting it together in her mind said "Wait are, are you my… my-"
"Yes, yes yes I am your mother." The tiger woman said while crying and hugging her now grown up daughter.
Tigress only bore a blank face and kept her arms down. She then said "Why, why did you leave me."
The woman stopped her hug and said "Oh sweety I-"
"Don't call me that, why did you leave me, leave me at a place where everyone feared and hated me?"
The woman only stayed silent.
"I-I didn't want to, but I-" She tried to explain before being interrupted.
"And what about my father, where is he?" Tigress asked.
The woman made a disturbed face before answering. "Years ago, I… I was assaulted. He threatened me and I… I had no choice. I wanted to live, but later I had you, and I… I-"
Tigress, who was now shocked said "You, your saying that I'm some leach's bastard child?!"
"Please, please forgive me forgive me." The woman cried.
"Tigress became angry and yelled "Forgive you? After leaving me alone and afraid. For never trying to find or care for me?"
The woman made a face of tears and just stared at her daughter.
Tigress then yelled "I will never forgive you, never!"
She then grabbed Erdan and left, leaving the woman alone and crying.
((()-()))
The battle inside the prison walls continued as rhino guards and prisoners battle each other in what has become the biggest riot in Chor-Gom's history. Meanwhile in a lower cell, a group of bandits plotted their escape.
"We charge through and force our way out who's with me?" A large boar said.
Everyone agreed except for one prisoner. "There's no way we can make it, let alone get passed the guards." Said a fox.
"We'll get through no problem." The big boar shouted.
"And what make you say that?" The fox questioned.
"Because it's my plan, got it." The boar said to the fox's face.
"Sure, cause your last plan to rob the Jade Palace went so well." The fox protested.
"Shut up and move." The boar yelled while knocking the fox over.
The group of goons headed to the entrance, deciding to fight their way to freedom. But as soon as they reached the door they were assaulted by rhino guards. During the chaos, the fox was able to slip away and hid himself in a crate on a wagon that was ready to pick up food for the prison, while the bone headed boar and his idiot followers got their asses beaten.
((()-()))
Tigress and Erdan stopped running to catch their breaths and Erdan asked "Weren't you a little hard on her Tigress? I mean, she must be your mother right?"
Tigress didn't even look at Erdan when she replied "I don't care about her. IF she loved me, she wouldn't have abandoned me."
That then struck something familiar in Erdan and he said "Maybe she thought it was the best thing for you? But that dosn-"
Suddenly a group of ox charged at them. Tigress unsheathed her claws while Erdan pulled out his bow and arrows. The two them battled the escaped criminals, pulling out punches, swipes, and projectiles at their opponents. The tiger woman watch in horror from a distance and saw her daughter fight them off. But she also noticed a goat had gotten a hold of a crossbow and pointed it at Tigress. She rushed to stop him.
Tigress knocked another goon out before seeing the woman struggle with the criminal. But she saw more approaching her so she rushed to the woman to protect her. Tigress rushed up and knocked the goat away and the delivered her kung fu skills to the other prisoners.
After the deed was done the woman said "Th-thank you-"
But she saw that the goat aimed right at Tigress and then fired. She pushed Tigress out of the way but received the arrow in her stomach and fell to the ground on her back. Tigress, who's brain just processed what happened saw the tiger woman on the ground in pain.
"It's time to die cat!" The bloodthirsty goat said while pointing another arrow at Tigress.
Suddenly another arrow few by and struck the goat on the shoulder. Giving the feline master time to disarm and take the goat out. She looked back and saw Erdan with bow in his paws. But she ran to the woman on the ground, blood spilled out and her face started becoming pale.
"You, you saved my life." Tigress said to the woman.
"Of…course… I'm you-" She said before coughing up red.
"You, you risked your life for me and I… I was a-" Tigress said with tears in her eyes.
Her mother interrupted her and said "It's… it's ok. Listen."
"Yes." Tigress said while holding her mother's hand.
"Th-there is something in the, in the place, where the guards keep the… the things prisoners had. There is a bag with in my bin. My…my name is Ling Shi. And, and… there is something in that b-bag… I… I want you to have…"
"I-I'm sorry I'm so sorry. I treated you like crap and I..I-" Tigress pleaded before her mother put her paw on her daughter's cheek.
"It's ok. I'm, I'm happy that, that my little girl became so… so beautiful… and strong. And that I got to see… her just one… time." Ling said before coughing more blood from her mouth.
"Please, please… do, do something… for me, right now." Ling pleaded.
"What? what?" Tigress said tearfully.
"C-call…me…mother." Ling said before her paw and head fell.
"NO...NOOO…M-MOTHER!." Tigress said while holding her mother's body in her arms.
The whole time Erdan watched from a distance. And memories of loss and pain came coming back to him. Tigress cried as she was with the woman who loved her, the woman who was her parent.
((()-()))
Soon after the crisis was resolved, and once again order returned. Tigress decided to bury her mother on the mountain and stay by her grave to pay her respects. Afterwards, she found the bag with her mother's name on it, and she and Erdan left to return to the valley. Half way they rested at a river and Tigress just sat by it, holding the bag that belonged to her mother. Erdan decided to join her and sit by the water too.
Tigress looked at Erdan and said "How, how did you get through it, though this?"
Erdan thought about it, but instead of saying anything, he answered by wrapping his arm around Tigress' waist and gave her a hug. But she couldn't help it when she hugged back.
"This, this is how I got through it." Erdan said to her, and the two hugged for twenty minutes.
Erdan then said "You know this bandana I wear everyday?"
Tigress nodded.
"It's the last thing I have of my parents. My Mom gave me it the day before I lost them. Whenever I wear it, I feel their with me in spirit." Erdan explained as he comforted his feline friend.
Later, they finally arrived at the Valley. But before they entered Tigress asked "Erdan, why did you want to come with me so badly?"
After a moment to think, Erdan answered "I guess, I just wanted to earn your respect, or … something like that."
Tigress kneeled down, smiled at the boy and replied "Kid, you traveled half way through a whole country, alone and hated by hundreds. And you did that all so you could fulfill a friend's final wishes. You had my respect from day one."
Erdan just smiled and together they bowed to each other, then Erdan hugged her again. But surprisingly she hugged back. She truly had a soft spot for this boy. Tigress let go of her grip, and after saying their goodbyes, Erdan rushed home.
Later that night, Tigress sat on her bed and opened the bag that belonged to her mother. She found a beautiful gold colored robe, similar to her red vest, but it had sleeves and a sash between the legs. It also had dark red decals on it and black trim. She changed into it, and it felt nice and warm. But she also felt something else, like what Erdan said about his bandana. Tigress then looked at herself in a mirror and said "Thank you mother, thank you."
From that day she swore to treasure that robe. And to wear it always for the woman she called… mother.
