Chapter 24

The market was wide awake at the time of sun rise, and Po didn't go unnoticed.

Once he stepped foot into the markets, a merchant look straight at him, and chortled, almost choking on his tea; "It's the savior!" He cried, making Po jump right out of focus. "The Dragon Warrior!" Po stared at him in surprise, before being bombarded by pigs, geese, rabbits, and antelopes, who were calling out their thanks and praises;

"Eleven years on and we're forever grateful!"

"You continue being a magic miracle Master!" Po smiled and gave each new face his thanks and no biggies, before looking around for an escape. Usually this attention never bothered him, but after no sleep, or proper rest, he needed something to get out of this, but without being rude.

"Thanks everyone, for your lovely messages... but really, its you all who are still thriving after what occurred that has made my mission way back a real victory..." Everyone clapped, and just like that, everyone went back on their own little missions. Po exhaled as soft as possible. He had no idea what he just said, but it worked. Merchants were watching him intently as he moved along each stall. Some had hats, food (which he bought some dumplings), posters, toys, and spices... then he found the beans. The merchant gave them to him 25% off, which Po was reluctant about at first. Stuffing the jar into his satchel, he looked around some more... but there was no black honey.

"Excuse me? Where could I find black honey?" He asked one random merchant, who was polishing a vase. The rabbit stared at him with obvious confusion, which struck panic within Po.

"I've never heard, or seen, black honey in my life sir... are you sure its not plain honey you're looking for?" It was a stab to the heart, but Po managed to pull away with a mumbled 'nevermind'. He crawled along the path, made several turns, until he made it to another dead end.

Stumped, he glared up to the sky. How could they not have Black Honey? He thought angrily. Shang couldn't have said that he needed something that nobody knew... he's a doctor, he can't just make something up like that...

"Must you rest?" A voice spoke softly from his left side, louder than his inner thoughts. Po blinked as he brought his head to glare at the direction the voice was coming from, but noticing their distinct features, he almost had a double take.

"Soothsayer?" He gasped, jumping to his feet.

"Yes," she smiled at him gently. The same overalls, same smile, giant horns, gentle soothening voice... same gentle-man like beard. "And I know you are looking for something no one seems to have... I sense this isn't a happy return." Po's mouth stiffen into a emotionless line, but his eyes spoke for him; dull and dark, he could only nod in agreement. He knelt in front of her and her bowls, telling her everything she needed to know. The incident, the list, and what could be retrieved. The Soothsayer listened intently; but surely, she would know all this? "Here..." She reached into her sleeve, and drew out a purple vial. Leaning closer, she pressed it into his paws. "Black Honey," he gasped again. "Said to cleanse an ill body by attracting the demons within with its deathly sweetness..." She took a minute to catch her breath, and in that time, Po held the vial against his chest, and stare dumbfoundedly on the ground. His head was ready to explode with the relief to have the final ingredient in his grasp... "You've been blessed with two miracles." She said as their eyes met. "Two sons, you were saying?"

"Yes... expecting a third." He smiled at the feeling of his heart beating intensely with the very thought. That thought of coming home, making sure she never had to lift a finger through the rest of the pregnancy. The boys would all pamper the only girl in the family... that was, until he held her paw through the labor, eager to hold what could be a new woman to pamper, to fall in love with... a woman that Tigress surely wouldn't mind.

"The cause of the illness?" Po glared at the sentence was blackened his dream bubble. "I can't sugarcoat the truth Po..." Her head hung slightly, as she threw powder into the bowl. A puff of color exploded in front of him, but it didn't startle him. "This occurred after the birth of the sons... but now its caught up before birth..." Several images of the past few across him; her giving birth, holding their sons when the others came in slowly, Tai Lung holding Lotus... her bed-ridden then and now, and he had to restrain himself from reaching out to the silhouettes. "But you can save her... if you get home quickly, and thank those who will save her from another threat."

"What?" Po rose to his feet when the cloud of dust turned grey. He narrowed his eyes to see the shadow of a pack of... something, crawling along the open air, before being swiped away by a gust of wind. His heart dropped, and the vial was in his satchel in a flash. "I gotta warn Monkey and Viper-"

"Already did," Soothsayer pointed to the sky as she spoke reassuringly. "They are well on their way back. You do the same Po... they'll need assistance."

Elsewhere...

A pack of wolves were just nearing the Valley's entrance, before the alpha stopped them with the rise of a paw. "Do we all know what we're doing?" He asked, raising both arms invitingly. All the wolves nodded, but some looks on their faces aid otherwise. "Pop quiz- what are we doing?" He suggested with a slight glare.

One wolf rose his paw in question. "Attacking the Jade Palace?" He stated with a toothy grin.

"Not quiet good fellow." The Alpha rubbed his paws together. "We attack the villagers first, which raises the alarm... and causes the Masters to come to their rescue, and she's left unaccompanied... or at least with someone who doesn't know fluff about self defense..."

"Who will accompany you to the Palace, while the rest raid the Valley?" The alpha picked the questioning wolf, who could almost blush with pride and honor, and a few more lucky volunteers. Quickly the pack spread out in the bamboo forest, leaving the Alpha and the chosen ones to walk straight through the entrance. None of the villagers gave them a second glance, until the alpha howled...

Jasmine smiled softly when Tigress' opened her eyes at the sensation of the cold, rough cloth sank into her forehead. A small, groggy groan escaped her lips when her eyes focused on Jasmine heavily. "How are you feeling darling?" She asked, lightly dabbing the heated area. Tigress mumbled something in response, before sitting up slowly. Jasmine laughed softly, before reeling her paw back to soak the rag again.

"Everything's a blur..." Her head lolled to one side, so she could look towards the window. It was open, and the cool, gentle breeze that swept across her cheeks made her feel a little bit better. The locket Woo gave her settled on the window sill, acting as a paper weight for the picture her sons brought home from school... "Where are the boys?" She asked worriedly.

Jasmine paused mid-squeeze to look at her. "They're in the courtyard, meditating with Shifu I think." She replied, looking towards the window to make sure her statement was correct, before she gave a surprised 'oh!' when she saw the necklace. "Where did you get that?" She looked back at Tigress invitingly, and with an approving nod from the expectant mother, Jasmine scooped it up in a single swipe... once her paws were dry. "It's beautiful..."

"Woo gave it to me."

Jasmine blinked in surprise, and had her eye back on Tigress when her eyes reopened. "Really?" She laughed, pulling the picture off the surface before it flew out of the window. "Who would've thought that old man would be so... giving?" Tigress' facade scrunched up on one side, obviously not agreeing with Jasmine's choice of words. "I'm a midwife, not a writer, alright?" She giggled, causing Tigress to smile softly. "What's the reason for giving you something like this?"

"It was a present to congratulate on the pregnancy. If I have a girl, she'll get one too."

"That's... not like him?"

Tigress shrugged, "it was thoughtful of him..." letting her head lean against the wall and she twisted her body, letting her legs swing over the side of the bed, she sighed. "Is Tai Lung alright?" She asked with a hint of concern.

"Yes... he's was still a little red eyed when he finished up... but I'm sure it was from lack of sleep." Tigress knew the real reason, but kept her mouth shut. "I told him to get something to eat and get some rest. Everyone may be skeptical, but I don't see what they see, so my judgement is nothing..." Jasmine's head jerked as if to remember something, and spun around towards the table on the other side of the room. "Speaking of, you better get some food into your tummy, and the baby's!" Before Tigress could decline, Jasmine stood up and moved towards the table, with a little tune streaming out from her mouth the whole journey.

When she turned around after picking up the bowl of food, Tigress realized something was up; Jasmine looked... different. She had this.. glow on her, and she walked a lot slower...

And there it was. "Jasmine?"

"Mm?" Tigress patted a spot on the bed beside her, where Jasmine took her eventual place. Jasmine kept a soft smile on her face, until it turned to a facade of confusion when Tigress held her paw. "Tigress..."

"I need you to answer honestly..." The ill tiger took a deep breath, and asked. "How long are you?" Jasmine looked confused for a moment... that, was until Tigress placed a paw on her stomach. "How long?" Her eyes shrunk in shock, before standing up, and backing away from her. Tigress saw it in the woman's form; she was shaking as her paws wrapped around a tiny, but visible bump.

"How did Shang know?" She whispered fearfully.

Tigress blinked at her dumbfoundedly as she followed suit. "You haven't told him?" Jasmine shook her head, before holding her head in her paws. "Why?"

She whispered, almost relieved that her husband obliviousness, much to the tiger's confusion. "I just found out myself... I'm only a few weeks... I guess miracles happen... like I've seen before." She smiled at Tigress again, but she was such a bad actress; Jasmine's paws shook at her words, and clamping them together made it more obvious the situation scared her. "He wouldn't want to know... not yet."

"Whatever makes you think he wouldn't want to know that your with child?" Jasmine swept towards her, knelling on the floor, and clasping Tigress' paws into her own. They were warm and soft, like they were made for the ideal mother. Tigress' paws weren't soft; they were hard and stone like, thanks to her chosen training style for twenty years... and they can almost melt in her hold.

"It's just... his mind is focused on you." Tigress' ears dropped almost immediately, which Jasmine noticed at the drop of a coin. She gasped as Tigress pulled her paws away, attempted to stand up straight, but instead, moved towards the door, hunched over. "Wait don't go!" Jasmine gabbled as she sprang to her feet, and going after Tigress. Just as the tiger had her paw on the door; Jasmine, out of desperation, grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back. Tigress shouted out in discomfort, and then continued to express her discomfort with sharp inhales through the nose, and rocking back and forth as she pushed herself against the wall for balance, while Jasmine held her paws over her mouth, visibly shaken. "I'm sorry..." She whispered. "I didn't mean to-"

"What... do you mean... by what you said?" She asked lowly, eyes elevated to Jasmine while her head faced the ground.

Jasmine closed her eyes, as she held herself up by the elbows. "He's been so worried about losing you, before Monkey, Viper and Po get back. And after what happened to you while we were in the markets... it pained him to see you so ill. It still does... I don't... I don't want to cause him anymore stress... by worrying about me too." Tigress asked why the news of their first child would cause him stress. "He has a lot on his plate... with you, and the pressure to get you better. We were planning to start a family of our own... but we didn't think it would come by so soon... or so naturally. But I will tell him... once your okay."

Tigress could see the sincerity in her eyes, before sighing. "He could use some good news by the way you talk about him..." Jasmine said it would be worth the wait. "Promise?" Jasmine nodded enthusiastically. "Alright... I won't tell him," Tigress grimaced at a slight headache growing again, but not as intense as earlier. Jasmine could of cried on the spot, and thanked her profusely as Tigress pulled herself towards the bed. "But you need to promise me something." She added when she sat down.

"What?" Jasmine asked eagerly. Tigress held out her paw slowly, waiting for Jasmine to take it gently, and slowly urge her to sit with her.

"When you're with me, you just sit and relax. Occupy yourself in any other way than being a maid."

"But I'm your midwife-"

"But I'm not in labor." Tigress brought a paw up to her tightened chest, while the other was still occupied with Jasmine's fingers. "I'm not having you running around for me, especially in your state. You're pregnant, as am I, so you're entitled to the same luxury." Jasmine bit her lip slightly at the thought, but nodded firmly when she pulled her paw away from Tigress.

"Alright... I promise." Both felines shared a hug, both heads bury into one another's shoulders. "I guess we can discuss baby names together, to avoid future mishaps." Jasmine added softly, which Tigress chuckled at, her cheeks wedged between Jasmine's shoulder and neck, before feeling her face weigh down at grim thoughts of not making it, and Jasmine must of sensed something, because her hold became a little tighter.

Suddenly, the door burst open, before Sapphire, Yuki, Yumi, Lok, Jun, Shifu, Shang, Woo, Li, Mr. Ping, her sons, Chang, and Tai Lung came running into the room, giving Jasmine such a fright she leapt right off of the bed. "What's going on?" Tigress inquired worried when the boys came running to her, latching on either sides of her. Their faces said it all; fear.

"Bandits are attacking the Valley... and are making their way up here. We need to get you, the boys, and the girls somewhere safe." Shang instructed, rushing for Jasmine, and pulling her along by the wrist.

"But what about you?" Jasmine asked.

"We're going to fend them off as much as we can." Shifu said, as Tai Lung hoisted Tigress up onto her feet, placing a paw on her back as he guided her out, the children not far behind them. "Follow Tai Lung, he'll take you somewhere safe. Boys, stay close." This made Shang growl lowly, but he then mentally slapped himself while Jasmine wrapped her arms around his forearms; now wasn't the time. Shifu turned to Lok and Jun so quickly they nearly leapt back in surprise. "Can you two fight?" He asked while pointing a finger at them.

"Er..." The two glanced at one another in a panic, before Jun replying sheepishly, "if... brushes and knowledge count as out weapon of choice?" Shifu face palmed, before telling them to think of another tactic, and that now wasn't the time to give witty responses.

"What about us?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah," emphasized Yumi. "What can we do?"

"You three will be with Tigress, Jasmine, Li Zhan, Mr. Ping and the boys."

Sapphire glared at Shifu, offended by his choice of words. "Are you serious? You need all the help you need! We are quite capable of helping out in the fight." She spat in defense. The red panda was about to attempt fate with his art of truthful persuasion; he needed them to be with Tigress above all, in case if the plan back fired, and the wolves made their way into the hiding spot. They had to protect her there, not in the hall of heroes...

"Let me guess, your father taught you his secrets? Or if you knew long before, can you fight in a dress then?" Woo mocked as they moved out of the room after Tai Lung. Sapphire was about to mock him back, but looked down to realize what he said was true; her indigo dress flowed all the way to the floor with a slight trail at the back, as were Yuki and Yumi's dresses in their own signature colors... but she had pants underneath that stopped at the base of the calf. Not usual, but it was a mechanism she kept up during a duration back in Bao Gu when the 'tough' kids pulled up girls dresses. Idiotic and creepy, she knew not to fall victim, and made a fabric defense from the embarrassment... But damn, she had to admit to defeat; now wasn't the time to argue, but seeing Shifu shove the old fool along made it better.

They made the split at some point outside, not like Tigress was paying any attention. One minute she was in the Medical Wing, where Jasmine had confided in her that she was in fact pregnant... and the next minute, she was in this dank, gloomy place that was unrecognizable. They moved down a deep divide in the ground, where Sapphire, Yuki and Yumi stalked the higher platforms, caked in moss with a heavy sewage smell that made her fell more sick than she already was.

"What is this place?" Mr. Ping asked curiously, while the boys mouthed 'yuck' while pinching their noses dramatically.

"It's the old palace sewage system. Something went wrong a while back, and this was where any visitors were placed during attacks on the palace."

Tigress now remembered where she was. "When you laid waste to the Valley, Luna took me here." She stated softly, making Tai Lng glance at her almost blankly.

That was right; Luna told him that she picked up Tigress and made a bolt for this place for both their safety. Call it an accidental stumble upon such a place, but Luna kept her close at all times, and refused to tell her what was happening at the time, assuring her that everything was fine, despite the tears that ran down her cheeks like a river with a burst bank, and didn't move until Oogway came looking for them. That girl couldn't tell lies for her life, and if what Shifu told him about lying as a cub were true, her tongue would've been as black as ash.

Moving along quickly, Shang hoisted Tigress up onto the platform where he, Jasmine, and Sapphire stood. Jasmine just watched, wrapping her arms around herself, low enough to hide her belly. Tigress exhaled heavily once she sat down against the wall, the moss acting like a cushion. Tai Lung passed the children up to Shang one by one, while Li and Mr. Ping caught up with everyone on the populated side. "Are you sure we'll be alright down here?" Li Zhan eyed to large opening they came through, his voice fueled with concern.

"You will, don't worry." Shang replied, before he stared at Jasmine intensely. She held her breath, but he spoke different words than what she expected. "Just stay close." He wrapped his arms around his wife, inhaling shakily. Once they parted, he made a run for the opening, and Tai Lung wasn't far behind. They were side by side as they ran, and the whole time, Shang glanced at Tai Lung for a bit; his eyes flared with anger, determination, motivation...

When the snow cat glanced his way, Shang was looking straight ahead as they both quickened their pace. His studied him for a second; his eyes blossomed with uncertainty, focused...

Its been a while guys! Hope you like this!

Please review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 25 coming asap!