Chapter 2

Meanwhile, on the far side of the valley, a pair of felines; one male, and one female, entered. After walking, they stopped at the wall beside the doors. Dumping his carry, the tallest of the the two, collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, and more dramatically as he felt something as light as a the seam of a dress, brush over his bare chest as his closed his eyes. "How far have we got left to go Saph?" He panted tiredly, as the female in the group stopped at least two feet away from him; strolling ahead, with nothing but a medium sized satchel on her back, and her instrument case by her side. She packed smartly.

"If we're following the map properly," Sapphire sat her satchel down by her feet, and then proceeded to sit on a rock, and take out her guitar. "We should be in the Valley of Peace. Come closer and take out our lunch; I'm starving."

Jun rolled over, and dragged himself over to her. "I could use a bit of help?" Jun pleaded innocently once he was closer to her. As for him, he was one to pack ridiculously; two art cases, parchment bag, food, and his bag of clothes."You know what they say; many paws make light work!"

Sapphire looked up from tuning the tool of melodies, and laughed. "True; but too many cooks spoil the broth."

Jun was about to retort, but he paused, and had to think about it. "Touché... wait what?!"

"Forget it." She looked up to the sky, and made an L shape with her index and thumb. "Besides, it's your fault for packing too much stuff." Jun stopped moving, and frowned. "So you carry your load, and I carry mine."

"But yours is small..."

"And there is where we have one major contrast; I pack lightly, and smartly, and if you follow my example as I lead it, the lesson would be learned, and life will continue on harmonically."

"Please help me?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

Sigh. "Fine." She flounced over and grabbed one of his cases, with Jun smiling all the while as she dragged it over. "Sometimes I wish I could punch you..." She growled lowly.

"I'll take that on the chin as a gesture of sibling affection... so I shall thank thee... little sister."

Sapphire shuddered. "Can't believe this is now my daily reality."

"What's that supposed to mean? You love me as a big brother!"

She raised an eye brow slowly, before scratching her head, and morphed her expression into a balance of cluelessness and pensive. "Do I?" She looked at the ground with wide, wandering eyes, unsure where to look next. Each shift fired her pupils dramatically, and she pretended to be afraid. Jun frowned again, pouting like an ignorant child as he stood up.

"Bully," he spat.

"My speciality." She closed her eyes, lips stretching out into a wicked smile, before returning to making the L shape with her fingers; this time with both paws. "We're only free for a short rest; we gotta get to the Palace asap."

Jun sighed tiredly. "Seriously? It's only noon! It'll still be there when we arrive; whether it be sundown or nighttime. I'd like to get there as soon as possible as well! We haven't seen Tigress and the Masters in over seven years! I'm just as excited as you are- but seriously, we need to rest and find the Jade Palace after... maybe unwind a little by walking around the market."

Sapphire looked around. "I can see it," she pointed up towards the large flight of stairs that was a bit of walk from where they were, "but how we get there is the thing, there isn't any clear paths."

"Yeah there is; just go through the market- we're taller then everyone else... and how do you know that's the Jade Palace?"

She thought about it for a moment mockingly. "Gee, I dunno! Maybe, just, maybe, palaces, or places of social importance tend to be at the top of hills or mountains?"

"So does that mean we passed a few places of social important on the way here?"

"One was the orphanage, and the other was a social hall... the one just outside the valley? I'm sure that's someone's house."

"Huh," Jun rubbed his nose to move his already figety paws and joints. "Must be of social importance to have a house like that."

"I'd say so..." Both their ears immediately picked up at the sound of music, playing in the centre of the market area. Despite the noise of the villagers, Sapphire was able to see the small moving figures of musicians, just finishing up their songs as the crowed clapped and cheered them on.

"You thinkin what I'm thinkin?" Jun asked with an elated smile.

One side of Sapphire's mouth twitched upwards, while her eyes narrowed in an almost mischiefious way, as the sun began to warm up the cold wet ground beneath their feet. "Yep."

"What if there are bandits ready to pounce?" Mei Mei stammered, nearly chewing her fingers off as she tried to controll her clattering jaw.

Tigress sighed heavily. "The boys will be fine." Tigress held Tigro against her nonetheless. He was closest to her; Po and Lotus were at the door by then. "They're fast leaners."

"I have no arguments against that... but what about you?"

Tigress started walking towards the door then. "What about me? I may be pregnant but I can still fight."

"But-"

"Nothing more." Tigress said it so fiercely Mei Mei took a step back slightly...

Some time later, long after the rain had stopped, Tigress was making her way down the thousand steps with Po and their sons. Much to Li, Viper, and Mei Mei's concern, Tigress was going down to the village.

"What are we gonna do in the village Mama?" Lotus asked excitedly, a few steps ahead, waiting until they got close enough for his brother to catch up, and then they both began the routine again. They jumped down the steps, shouting various things that they could do. "We could go to the markets... or the musicians village... or the village square! We could visit Grandpa Ping!" He hadn't seen his grandkids in a while, and Po and Tigress definitely haven't had a chance to go see him down in the noodle shop, and a certain someone was craving a bowl of his delicious noodle soup; not for the sake of her unborn, she just wanted it to eat it for herself, while having something less... well, Tigress couldn't describe it as greasy, but she was in need of eating healthier stuff for the baby's benefit.

"That sounds like a great idea." Po praised, scooping both twins up and spinning them around once they landed on leveled ground, each over his shoulder like he was carring two bundles of hay. Both squealed and laughed, making Tigress stop at the fourth-last step, smiling at their individual sounds. "Grandpa Ping hasn't been able to visit us, so why not visit him?"

"Yay!" They ended up staying on their Father's shoulders a little while more, watching their Mom follow behind at her own pace. "Hey Dad hold up! Wait for Mom!" Lotus ordered concerningly. This made Po turn around, and realise his wife was a bit behind, nodding at the one or two villagers who bowed to her.

"Feeling slow again today Ti?" Po laughed. He put the twins down, and then placed an arm around his beloved.

"I do actually. Little junior is getting heavier."

"Well to be fair and frank with you dearest," Po placed a paw on her stomach. "It certainly doesn't show!" She smiled up at him after his kissed her on the cheek, much to the boys' disgust at the small gesture of affection.

"I think all can agree with that son!" They all turned to face a familiar face, wiping his wings in his aprons, just as customers came and left the establishment.

Lotus and Tigro immediately ran for him. "Grandpa Ping!" He opened his wings quickly, and caught them with mighty strength, hugging them tightly against his small body.

"My little boys! Hello, hello! How are you!? It's been some time! Let me have a proper look at you; my goodness! How big you both have gotten! Two warriors we'll have in no time!" He looked up at his son and daughter-in-law. "Hello strangers! Fancy see you here, not an order of noodle without meeting you two in sight!"

Po unlocked his arm from his wife, and knelt down in front his dad to give him a hug once the twins got off him. "That can be fixed up now Dad... great to see you."

"And you too my son..." Once Mr. Ping was done with Po, he waddled over to Tigress, and took hold of her paws gently. "I would ask for a hug my dear, but I think you should sit down beforehand; you look exhausted."

"Carrying the weight of two can be," Tigress exhaled with a shaky laugh.

"Would you stop! Your as small as any pregnant female I've ever seen! I guess this definitely isn't a set of twins, huh?"

Tigress laughed. "Let's hope that..." Tigress' paws curled around Mr. Ping's wings a little more firmly. "It's great seeing you again Mr. Ping."

"No need for the formalities child!You've been part of my family for seven years! You should know that by now, there is no more of this 'Mr. Ping' nonsense! It's either 'Dad' or Josef!" He proceeded to pull her inside the shop, with her husband and off-spring not far behind. "Come, come! We must sit you down!"

The customers immediately cheered and bowed to the Masters upon their unexpected entry; many ran up to Po, and started asking his questions and trying to start a conversation, but he politely excused himself, to make sure once Tigress had a seat, he and the boys were beside her. However, after Po gave his Father their orders, no one tamed the tide of people who swarmed around the table, heckling them once Mr. Ping was out of sight. Po was feeling bothered personally; but he could see it in Tigress; she was physically, and emotionally drained. She was unable to sleep well at night, and having everyone talking to her all at once, and on one topic was making her even more tiresome. "Hey, give us some space please! We're here for a family meal." He asked sternly. It took a few tries, but he had the patience of a saint; they all finally got the message, and backed off, saying that they'll talk again. After that, he got Tigress' attention by holding her paw, which rested silently on the table. "You alright Ti?"

"Of course."

He tugged her paw closer to him, and she looked at him properly. "Are you really?"

"I was just... thinking."

"Of?"

"Jun, Sapphire, Lok, Yuki, Yumi... will we see them again?"

"I sure we will we see them again soon..." Po gulped a bit too loud, and the two boys turned to look at him, before looking out the entrance of the Restaurant, where they were sitting close by. "Tigress..."

"Yes?"

"Do we have to get... it?"

"Yes... as soon as we see them again, we must notify... it's all for a good cause... right?"

Po nodded obediently. "Yeah, I guess..." He looked away to shield the inner worries from Tigress, and noticed the boys. "Lotus? Tigro?" They stood to attention immediately. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Lotus pointed. "Look. It's them."

Finally! Chapter 2 is up!

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