The next morning Tigress woke up to see Po gone. She glanced around the room to see a tray of food next to the bed. She sat up a bit cringing as the pain shot through her. She looked at herself seeing her all cleaned up, stitched the wound and re-bandaged. The nurse must've come by last night after I fell asleep. She thought. She took her food eating it hungrily. She then forced herself to get up walking out of her room with one paw against the walls to help her stand up. She checked all the rooms to see them empty and so was the kitchen. Even the kids were gone. She headed for the training hall pushing the doors open which hurt more than walking itself. She saw the others in the training with Shifu watching them and her kids. She walked down the stairs stumbling over her own feet. Po stopped fighting Crane and ran over to her holding her up. He put one arm over his shoulder as he held her waist. "You should be in bed." Shifu said walking over. "I just woke up and wondered where Po was." She said softly holding Po's other upper arm to stop herself from falling. Po smiled nuzzling her face gently. "C'mon. You stay here while we train." He said putting her on a bed he had already set up. "I thought you'd try to find me so I've got one in every room just for you." Tigress smiled kissing him gently as he lay her down. Shifu put her kids up next to her sitting by her while the others went back to training.
After training the others went off to clean while Crane sat down to talk with Tigress and Po about what they wanted for their wedding ceremony. "I want something nice. You know, have the lattice like we had with Lu Shi but I want white Tiger Lilies. The ones with pink in the middle on the lattice." Po said looking at Tigress who was smiling at him. "They're my favorite flowers." She said softly. "I told you I knew everything about the Furious Five." Tigress sighed softly rather impressed. "I'll get my dad to do the cake so don't worry about that." Po added. "What about the bunting?" Crane asked. "Do orange and white." Tigress whispered leaning on Po. Crane nodded making notes. "I'll organize the seating arrangements for the villagers and the families." Crane said and then paused. "Family." He corrected. Tigress just shrugged leaning into Po more. He rubbed her back gently. "And do you want more music there since the Dragon Warrior getting married and keeping the title is a big thing?" Crane asked. "Oh yes! That would be awesome!" Po said grinning almost jumping up and down in his seat but didn't because Tigress was still leaning on him. Crane rolled his eyes watching the panda. Tigress looked up at Po. "You are alright with that aren't you?" Po asked. Tigress smiled softly. "I'm happy with whatever you want. You almost had a wedding till it was ruined. I'll let you do whatever you want for this one." She said softly. Po smiled lying her down gently. "You rest. I'll sort the rest with Crane." He said. She nodded closing her eyes.
"You're pathetic Tigress! Our parents should've killed you when you started to become dangerous! And because they didn't, I will!" Bao hissed. Tigress whimpered hiding in the corner of the room in the prison. She was holding her side which had been cut open. "Bao please! Don't hurt me!" she sobbed tears running down her cheeks. "Oh shut up you bitch!" Bao growled slapping her across the face. Tigress sobbed into her lap. She felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her. "Tigress? Tigress!" Po shouted shaking her but she kept crying. "Tigress! Wake up!" Tigress snapped awake in pain. She looked at Po to see him and the others around her. Tigress broke down into tears as Po held her against him. "It's okay. I'm right here." He whispered. "I'll get the nurse. She's ripped open her stitches." Monkey said running off. Crane put a towel over her wound to keep the bleeding to a minimum till the nurse arrived.
The nurse and Monkey came back a few minutes later. The nurse numbed the area around the wound stitching it up again. Tigress clung to Po never wanting to let go. Po rubbed her back gently sitting the three kids next to them. Lei crawled up against her mother lying her tail across Tigress. Jian just lay on Tigress's lap staring at both is parents. Suyin was curled up on Tigress's chest sleeping. Po lifted up the tiny tiger lying her next to her sister before putting Jian with them who cuddled up to them. Suyin cuddled into Jian's black and white fur purring softly. Tigress held her kids close to her feeling Po holding them all. "You feeling better now?" He asked. "A bit." She whispered sniffing. He pulled out some papers handing them to her. "These are the drawings of what Crane thinks the wedding should look like." He said as Tigress looked at them. Her face lit up seeing the plans. Po smiled. "You're impressed?" he asked. "Very impressed." She said kissing his cheek. Po smiled nuzzling her face gently. "Once you start healing, Viper said she'll help you figure out your stuff." He said. She nodded slowly. "I wish you could come with me." Po smiled at her. "I know but it's not tradition." She sighed snuggling close to him and their kids.
The next few days went by and Tigress rested….for most of it. Sometimes at night she'd sneak out to meditate or train. She would go into the garden were it was quietest and train there. Viper had been going with her after finding out late one night. She then started to try and teach Tigress how to dance. It had come to her realization that Tigress was good at most things but she'd never danced in her life and she needed to for the wedding. Tigress spent most nights trying to learn dancing through the pain but it wasn't getting too far. Tigress groaned in frustration throwing a broom away from her. "This is useless Viper. Thanks for the help but there is no way I can learn to dance." She said softly sitting down. Viper slithered over making sure the bandages were still in place. "Look, Shifu and the boys are going into the village for the day tomorrow. I'm staying to help look after you. We can try more in the palace while they're gone." Viper said. Tigress looked at her friend closely. "You're never gonna give up are you?" Viper smiled sweetly at her. "Not a chance. Now you should get back to your room and have some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow." Tigress nodded getting up carefully. They both headed back to their own rooms. Tigress opened the door to Po and her room walking in. Po was sound asleep snoring away. She smiled lying down next to him. Po rolled over wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Goodnight my sweet panda." She whispered kissing his nose. She closed her eyes snuggling into his fur falling asleep feeling quite safe in the panda's arms.
