Chapter 18: Kai

After two full pots of herbal tea and a six-hour nap, Dai felt good enough to make the journey. She packed some provisions and started sniffing out where Po and the stranger went. She was easily able to catch the scent and was surprised to note that Mr. Ping's scent was soon added to the others. What sort of mission is this? Thought Dai.

Dai kept following the scent until she came to a steep ice cliff. She smelled out an elevator beneath the snow and decided to use it. It would be a waste to use up all her needed fighting energy on scaling an incline so steep.

When she arrived at the top, many new smells and familiar ones came to her senses. This wasn't just a small sanctuary, there were a good number of others here too. Of course, upon passing the fog, Dai noticed that sanctuary would have still been a fitting word. It was a beautiful, green oasis in the middle of a frozen, mountainous nowhere. Dai smelled a feast being made and heard many sounds of laughter and talking.

Dai stood on two feet and began walking in, hoping to spot Po easily. It struck her how she had never seen so many pandas in one place. Of course, when Shen killed all those pandas so long ago, it left the population near extinct. Dai forgot, after spending so much time in the valley where others accepted her, how the rest of the world saw her. The pandas around her began walking away warily and mothers took their children up into their arms. Some ran and screamed that there was a wolf in the village. Dai sighed. Here we go again, she thought.

It wasn't long before two familiar scents came her way: Po and the stranger that had taken him away. "Dai! What are you doing here? When I left you were sick," said Po.

"Well, I got a lot better. It was good that I did too, Po," said Dai.

"Lotus, you know this wolf?" asked the other panda.

"Yeah, Dad, this is Daiyu, my girlfriend," said Po.

"Girlfriend?! Lotus, what are you thinking? This is a wolf. Wolves killed our kind and forced us into hiding. Wolves killed your mother," said the other panda.

"This is your father?" asked Dai, amazed. Out of all the pandas that survived, the odds that any of Po's family made it were slim. It was miraculous. The reunion may have been greater, however, if Dai was any other creature besides a wolf.

"Yes, and I don't know why you came here, but you can go back to where you came from. I won't let you near my people," said Po's dad.

"I came here because I had a dream that Po died at the hands of Kai. I wanted to- I was hoping to try to stop it," said Dai. To Po, she said, "Please, come back home."

"I can't, Dai. Masters of kung fu all over China are disappearing. The only way to get them back is if I master chi and face off against Kai," said Po.

"How do you know you'll win?"

"How do you know I'll lose? As the Dragon Warrior, it is my duty to protect the people and kung fu and right now, both are in danger."

"I understand, Po." Dai's ears fell to the sides of her head. "I just don't want to lose you, that's all."

Po approached her and put his paw on the side of her face. "You won't lose me." Dai started crying and Po hugged her close. "It's okay, you won't lose me. You're okay."

"Po-" said Po's dad.

"I'm not sending her away, Dad. I love her. Other wolves killed Mom and the rest of our people. Dai is not responsible for that. It's not fair to judge her for something her species did, especially when she's different from them. Yes, Dai's a wolf, but she's also a good person with a good heart."

"If she is as good as you say, then she may stay, but only under supervision," said Po's dad.

"Whatever it takes," said Po. He put his arm around her shoulders and started walking with her. "Come on, Dad's making lunch."

"I've been meaning to ask what brought Mr. Ping on this journey," said Dai with a small smile.

"Ah, you know, he was just worried about me," said Po.

"I think they both are. You bring so much light to others, Po. If it came down to it, I would gladly take your place."

They stopped. "Dai, don't say that. You're worth just as much as me."

Dai blushed and said nothing. I think you're worth way more. My point still stands. If Kai tries to kill you, I'll take the blow. If he succeeds in doing so, I will follow.

They went into the kitchen where Mr. Ping was cooking and coddling a dozen panda cubs. "Daiyu! Po said you were sick! Whatever made you make the long journey out here?" he asked.

"Oh, probably the same reason you're out here," said Dai nodding toward Po.

"Yes, I guess you're right. Well! I didn't go with Po when he faced off against that peacock and look where that brought him. He nearly… nearly…" Mr. Ping trailed off.

"Well, I guess Po's lucky to have so many people watching out for him. Po's other dad was giving a dad speech to Po against me."

"Whatever for?"

"Why do you think?" Dai asked bitterly. She looked at her paws. "Someone will always see a monster in me." Dai sat at the table, crossed her arms on it, and put her head down.

"Oh, come on, Daiyu. Why do you still care so much about what others think about you? Those who count still like you as you are."

"Thanks, Mr. Ping." The tone of the moment changed when Dai's stomach rumbled. "Uh… you were making lunch, Mr. Ping?"

"Anything for the girl my son loves."

It was a simple, lighthearted statement that got Po and Dai blushing. The three ate together. Po left only for "panda training" with his other dad. Dai decided to keep Mr. Ping company as he was the only other one in the village that was okay with Dai.

Evening came and Po brought Dai to the small hut where he and Mr. Ping had been staying since entering the village. There were two rooms, so Mr. Ping moved his things to one room, leaving Po and Dai in a room together. There were two beds in this room, of course, but this somehow felt more intimate than it had back at the Jade Palace… even though the room was bigger. In their room was also a small kitchen area, a few chairs, and a cupboard.

"How was training today?" asked Dai. Mr. Ping had informed her of what Po had been doing since they got there.

"Oh, it was great! I loved spending time with my dad back in the valley, but now I get to spend time with my dad training to become a chi master," said Po.

"What exactly goes into learning chi?" asked Dai.

"Well, so far, Dad has been trying to help me find myself. I've never really known what pandas do or what they're actually like before coming here. Is this what it's like when you're with your pack?"

"I would imagine being a panda is far better than being a wolf. I will admit, there were some good moments growing up… but that was before Mom died."

"What was she like?"

"I'm told she was a lot like me. She wanted wolves to redeem themselves in society and be respected. She was kind, gentle, loving, nurturing… of course, when she died, Dad seemed to do everything in his power to wipe her memory from our minds. The further he pushed us in the opposite direction though, the more I want to run back to her. It's hard to let go of those memories."

"Then don't. I wish I could remember my mom. All I know about her is that she risked her life to save me by putting me in a radish basket."

Dai thought back to her last memory of her mother. "Well, that sounds like a happy memory to me." They were quiet a moment. "So, tell me more about the village. I've never seen so many pandas in one place."

"Well, I guess I should tell my dad that. It might put you in his favor."

"Who knows?" Dai shrugged. "All I know is: I'm happy to be here with you."

"And I'm happy you're here with me." They smiled as their hands touched. They continued to talk until the evening.

That's all for now! I hope you are enjoying the update schedule so far. Here's hoping I can keep it up! Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)