A/N: You saw that right! A chapter a day early! Celebrating a little because my view count reached over 3,000. I know that doesn't sound like much, but to someone who has never EVER been praised for writing, that makes me super happy.
We are getting to the end of this little story. Probably will finish it up over the next week or so. The idea of a sequel is already kind of at the back of my mind, but I will only write a sequel if you guys want one.
Thanks for the love and the support! You guys are fantastic!
The night was silent. The moon shone over the snow covered landscape, providing a path for them as they rode. The wind was bitter, and Tigress could feel her knuckles going numb against the reigns of her horse.
The Emperor has agreed to let them travel to Xionxang. The small group slept through the afternoon and into late evening, and left once the moon was high enough in the sky to provide them light. Why they left at night, Tigress didn't realize until she and Po were riding side by side and he told her his theory.
"It might be because she wants to attack at dawn." He murmured, barely audible over the pounding of the horses' hooves. "At least this way we have time to stop this."
She nodded rather than trying to reply. In all truth, she was exhausted. Despite sleeping for several hours, the constant movement and the discoveries of the last several days kept her brain reeling. Added to that the pain she was still experiencing, and she was tired. The medic had told her earlier in the day that she had torn right through her stitches when she tackled Ni Chang.
She kept her eyes on the horizon until they neared the city gates, where the group slowed to a stop. Before clearing the forest, they released their horses and hovered at the edge of the tree line.
"Do you hear anything?" Viper asked. Shifu frowned.
"No, Viper. They must have evacuated. Usually they have night guards." Shifu peered further out. "No one's here."
He pulled up the hood on his traveling cloak and made his way into open space. The others followed behind cautiously, doing the same.
When they got to the city gates and found that no one stood there, they relaxed a bit. "Po, go around to the left, Crane the middle, Viper the right. Make sure we are alone." The three of them nodded and took off in their respective directions.
"What about me, Master?" Tigress stepped forward.
"I want you here." She frowned at his response. When he saw her reaction, he sighed. "Tigress, you are injured." She made to protest, but he held up a hand to stop her from doing so. "Try as you may to deny it, you need rest. You have done an excellent job of remaining focused on your task, but emotions and feelings are not something so easily hidden. It is exhausting work to conceal them." Her eyes widened, but there was no reply. He was right. Not only was she injured physically, but part of her remained back in that imperial city with Liang. He had lost his brother, and his best friend, in a matter of days. Couple that with lack of sleep, and she was not prepared for this.
"Go find someplace to sleep. We will wake you if anything happens." She hesitated, but nodded at his orders. As much as it pained her to admit it, he was right. Maybe the old guy really did care.
She left the square and headed into what she assumed was the inn, past the empty desk and straight up the stairs. She turned into the first room she could get to, and passed out almost instantly on the bed.
"Nothing master." Viper called, still slightly out of breath, as she neared the square. Po and Crane entered at the same time, both also shaking their heads.
'Where's Tigress?" Po asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"I sent her to get some rest. I am asking the same of you, with one exception. I will be going across the border." The others looked to one another in surprise, but he held up his hand to keep them from interrupting. "I need the four of you to remain here. Too many of us will make it seem as though we have ill intent. Set up guard duty and rotate. Get some rest. "
"Master, what will you do?" Viper asked quietly.
"I do not yet know." Was all he replied with. He moved past them to return to his horse.
"I'll take the first watch." Viper said once he had gone. "You boys go get some sleep." She gestured with her head towards the inn.
They nodded wordlessly and entered the empty inn. Crane immediately entered a room midway down the hallway, but Po hesitated. As irrational and improbable as it was, he really wanted to be with Tigress. Over the course of the last few days, they hadn't had any opportunity to talk just the two of them, and they definitely had stuff to talk about. Now, though, wasn't the time.
"Hey." Murmured a quiet voice behind him. Tigress, looking sleepy and disheveled, stood in the hallway, holding a glass of water. "You alright?"
"Yeah. How are you?"
She shrugged. "I'm okay." They stood there awkwardly for a moment, neither making a sound. "Hey." His head jerked up and her eyes met his. She held out a hand with a small smile. "Come on." He took her hand and followed her inside.
After setting the glass on the bedside table, she crawled back under the covers and patted the space next to her. He laid down happily on his back, and she curled up to his side contently.
"Ti," he said daringly after a few moments, voice barely above a whisper. She glanced up at him from where her head lay on his shoulder. "What are we?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Do we need to put a label on it just yet?" She asked. At first he was hurt, but then he realized it was probably for the best. Who knew how things would change when they got back.
"I guess not." He looked up to the ceiling. Her hand reached out and cupped his cheek, gently pulling his face to hers so she could kiss him lightly.
After a few moments of silence, just as Po was beginning to fall asleep, he heard her murmur "I love you." When he glanced down, surprised, he found her sound asleep.
And who knows if he actually heard it or not.
N/A: I know this didn't really help anything plot-wise, but sometimes you just gotta have a little fluff.