Author's note: Hi everybody! In this chapter, we're heading back to the Valley of Peace, so it's mostly filled with travelling, but if you read closely, I've put in clues as to where I'm planning for the story to go... See if you can spot them!

~..~..~..~..

The next morning, Xi-Wong called a meeting to discuss the next move regarding the refugees.

The meeting was being held in the party clearing, where the guardians and leaders in the village had been called to attend. The only extra people present were Jia and Nuan, who were serving breakfast to everybody.

Po paced impatiently around the table, munching on a bean bun distractedly. Xi-Wong and Yue-Yan had arrived, along with Crane, Mantis, Monkey and Viper. Wen, being the most influential member of his village, had been elected as the spokesperson.

But Tigress and Li hadn't shown up yet.

Po was worried. It wasn't like Tigress to be late. Granted, she wasn't late, as the meeting hadn't started, but still… Where was she?

"What's worrying you, son?" Xi-Wong asked in concern.

Sighing, Po was about to reply when Tigress and Li came running into the clearing.

"Nothing dad," Po answered before rushing forward.

"Tigress!" Po greeted. "Uh…good morning…where have you been?"

"It was my fault," Li bowed in apology. "After the others left, my children cornered Master Tigress." A smile hovered around the corners of his mouth. "She barely escaped unscathed." Tigress shot him a look of warning.

"It's alright, Li, you're not late," Yue-Yan told the pair kindly. "Sit down and eat, we were just about to start."

Jia and Nuan bowed, excusing themselves before leaving.

As soon as the young pandas left, Wen stood up politely, adjusting his glasses. "Before we begin," he said formally. "On behalf of my village, I would like to thank you all for accepting us into your homes, and for your most gracious hospitality in our time of need."

"It is our pleasure, Wen," Xi-Wong assured him. "I hope you are all coping well."

"Oh, I have spoken to many of my companions, and we are all very grateful to you for your help," the red panda bowed low. "My son, Ming, was among those injured, and he is now on his way to making a full recovery, thanks to Yue-Yan's skill as a healer."

"I'm glad to hear he's doing better, Wen," Yue-Yan answered.

"But Wen," Po gained the refugee's attention. "What happened to your village?"

The red panda sighed, placing his hands behind his back.

"There was a great earthquake outside our village the other day," he began in a controlled voice. "The very ground beneath out homes cracked, causing the buildings to fall into the earth. Many of us lost our lives. All of us lost our homes. Those of us who were able to escape had little more than the clothes on our backs, and many of us were injured by the rockslides in the aftermath." Wen's ears drooped sadly, but he kept his head high and proud. "We were planning on travelling through the mountains to the next village, when your guardian," Wen gestured to Li, "came and found us, directing us to your village. Strange, to see a tiger," he added in a thoughtful whisper, "but it was truly a blessing for us." He bowed once more.

"An earthquake?" Xi-Wong noted with alarm, for in his meditations lately, he had seen images of moving rocks, among other things, but it had been too jumbled to make sense of.

"There was a slight tremor the other day," Yue-Yan realised. "Do you remember, Li?"

"Yes," The tiger guardian nodded. "It knocked a few of my tools off the wall, but nothing more than that."

"There could be a chance the earthquake may move towards here," Crane added. "Even if the earthquake itself doesn't spread, we'll be feeling the aftershocks, and they can cause worse damage."

"Like…rockslides?" Po asked fearfully.

Xi-Wong took a deep breath, "I believe," he began slowly, "that for everyone's safety, we should evacuate the village."

"What?" Yue-Yan asked. "But, the patients in the infirmary…they've just started their recovery, they can't leave now!

"What about the refugees?" Wen asked, concerned for his people. "We've just found a place to sleep after days of travel, many of us are still recovering. You can't ask them to move again."

"I'm sorry, Wen, but it looks like we'll have to," Li put forward his opinion. "For Xi-Wong and Master Crane are right. If an earthquake happened in these mountains, then it is no longer safe to stay here. If we do not move now, an aftershock may cause a rockslide that could leave us with no home." He turned to Yue-Yan seriously. "It's time to leave our life of isolation and rejoin the world once more."

"But," Yue-Yan put forward. "Where can we go? Many places have never seen pandas for years. What place will be able to accommodate or accept so many pandas?"

"The food shortages alone…" Mantis muttered under his breath, remembering how much food there had been last night. Thankfully, only Monkey heard him.

But Po had an idea…

"I know the perfect place," he announced to everyone. "It's pretty obvious, isn't it?" He looked around at his friends, sharing a smile. "You guys can all come to the Valley of Peace!"

"The Valley of Peace?" Xi-Wong repeated hopefully. "Where you grew up?"

"Yeah!" Po cheered. "It's far enough away from the mountains to be safe, you can meet my dad, everyone can find lodgings in the valley until they find their feet- it's perfect!"

"I think it's an excellent idea," Li granted. "But we can't just show up."

"I'll send a letter to Shifu right now!" Po raced off in excitement. "This is gonna be awesome!"

"Well," Xi-Wong turned back to those gathered. "It appears that we have quite the journey ahead of us." The panda mystic bowed to the Furious Five. "I hope I would not be asking too much, if-"

"We would be happy to help everyone evacuate," Tigress put in quickly, and the Five Masters bowed together.

Yue-Yan stood up slowly.

"I will inform Nuan of the decision, and begin preparations for departure," she announced, feeling a little overwhelmed at the task and journey ahead. Not to mention what lay at the end of that journey…

'Shifu.' She didn't even have the courage to say his name aloud. What would it be like, to see him again?

"Would you like some help organising the patients in the infirmary, Yue-Yan?"

Crane asked, offering his assistance.

Yue-Yan bowed gratefully. "Yes, thank you, Master Crane."

As the meeting broke up, with each member going to make preparations for leaving, Po was back in his room at Xi-Wong's, excitedly writing a letter to Shifu, explaining everything.

As he posted it, while he felt sad that the people here had to leave their homes, he couldn't deny feeling a shiver of excitement.

Master Bunny had said that it would be Po's job to bring the pandas back, now that the threat of Lord Shen was over.

And bring them back he will.

~..~..~..~

Back at the Jade Palace, Master Bunny was once again paying a visit, and Shifu was serving tea, the pair having just completed a friendly sparring match.

"I'm always impressed with how fast you are, Shifu," Master Bunny commented as the tea was poured.

"Oh come now, Shu," as they were alone, Shifu took the liberty of calling his friend by her given name, rather than her title, "I could barely keep pace with you."

"Have you heard from your students yet?" she asked, taking a sip of the hot tea.

Shifu shook his head.

"Not yet," he answered, picking up his own cup, "but I expect there will be news soon."

"Master Shifu!" Zang came rushing into the room, waving a scroll. "A message from the Dragon Warrior!"

"Wow, that was soon," Shifu commented drily as he accepted the message. "I hope you don't mind, Shu, if I read it now?"

"Oh no, you go ahead, Shifu," The Master of the Bunny style of Kung Fu took another sip of her tea.

Bowing in gratitude, Shifu unscrolled the letter.

Dear Master Shifu,

We found the panda village in the Mysterious Mountains. It is seriously the most awesome thing I've ever seen- the whole place is full of pandas, except one family of tigers: Li and his five kids. I've even met my birth father, Xi-Wong, and my cousin, Jia.

There's a bit of a problem here though. Some refugees from a neighbouring village turned up, 'cause their homes were destroyed by an earthquake. Li and Yue-Yan say that they've been feeling tremors lately as well, so we've decided it's not safe for everyone to stay here.

So, we're bringing everyone to the Valley of Peace, as it's far enough away from the mountains to be safe from any aftershocks, but I thought it best to give you a heads up so that you can arrange for some kind of temporary housing for these people, until they decide where they want to go.

Some are injured and most don't have anything other than what they were wearing on the day of the earthquake. We need to give these people a safe, fresh start, Shifu. Please let the Valley know how much these people need our help.

We should be there in a few days, see you then,

Po.

Master Bunny watched her friend's face change as he read the scroll, until he was frowning with worry.

"Shifu?"

The master of the Jade Palace straightened up, thinking.

"Master Bunny," he began, "I believe I'm going to need your help. For while Po and the Five were successful in finding the Panda Village, it appears earthquakes in the area have made it unsafe."

"Earthquakes?" Master Bunny repeated warily, thinking. "There have been lots of reports of natural disasters occurring in other villages around the mountains too," she put forward. "Fires and flash floods…"

"And the survivors need a place to stay," Shifu nodded. "We need to prepare the Valley."

~..~..~..~..

Li worked outside his house, loading a cart securely with as many things from their home as possible, including tools from his shop, so as to begin his trade once more in their new home.

"I'm sorry, Maylin," he told his youngest daughter as he turned around. "But your bed is too big to take with us. Everything we take, we have to be able to carry, so only pack your bag with your most precious possessions- things that you can't replace. Anything you can't carry will go on the cart, but nothing too big or heavy."

Glumly, Maylin turned and went back to her room, wondering how many of her things she could fit in her one bag.

Hearing his father's words, Wei soon took his sister's place, weaving through Da-Xia and the other kids, as well as Master Tigress as he came to stand before his father.

"Can we take mum with us?" He asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer.

Li looked at his son, surprised.

"Of course we're taking your mother with us," Li confirmed to his son's relief. "I thought you were inside, getting her ready to travel."

"I can't do it on my own," Wei admitted reluctantly.

"Why don't you introduce your mother to your new Aunt," Li suggested as he tightened a rope.

Grinning, Wei ran over to Master Tigress.

"Auntie Lin!" He greeted. "I need your help with something."

Tigress followed the boy through the house, until they came to a room she had never been in before. Opening the door, Tigress' eyes widened as the place was practically empty, save for a painting of a beautiful white tiger hanging on a wall. A woven mat, a small gong, candles and incense sticks were laid on the floor beneath it.

"Auntie Lin," Wei told the visiting Master proudly, "I'd like you to meet my mother, Mei."

Tigress beheld the magnificently detailed painting. Mei had been beautiful indeed. She was portrayed performing Tai Chi in the grove of trees outside Li's home.

"This is a beautiful painting, Wei," Tigress told the boy. "A fitting tribute to your mother."

"Thank you," Wei smiled proudly. "I thought of painting her during winter, as that was when she died, but mum so loved the cherry blossoms in the spring, so that's what I chose instead."

Tigress turned to Li's second born in surprise.

"You painted this Wei?"

"Yeah, I know," the young tiger nodded, a little embarrassed. "Not exactly the type of thing you'd expect from a tiger, right?"

"No, that's not it," Tigress was quick to assure her nephew. "I think it's amazing, especially as you're so young."

Wei shrugged modestly. "Well, mum and dad have always said that it's good to have a balance. Power and gentleness, yin and yang..."

"Fire and Water," Tigress added softly.

Wei nodded. "So, as well as learning to fight, each of us had to pick some kind of 'gentle' art form to master as well, to maintain our personal balance. I chose painting." The young tiger looked up at the picture of his mother. "I wanted mother's portrait to be my best work. We all come in here now, to light a candle, or simply to talk to her. It still helps, even though it's been months now..."

Tigress nodded in understanding. As she took a moment to look at the picture, she wondered what her own mother had looked like. "Perhaps I can ask Li,' she thought to herself.

Together, Tigress and Wei carefully lowered Mei's portrait from the wall, rolled it up and placed it in a long, bamboo carrying case for travel.

"Is that mum's painting?" Cheng came running up as the pair made their way outside as Li tied the last few items onto the cart.

"Yes, it is," Wei held on to the bamboo case protectively as Cheng reached for it.

"Can I carry it?" He asked. "Please?"

"No." Wei told his little brother firmly. "I painted this for our mother, so I'm the one who's going to protect it on our journey to the Valley of Peace."

"Awww!" Cheng whined. "Dad!"

"The artist has the right to decide what to do with his own work, Cheng," Li told his youngest son wearily before looking up. "But, as Mei was precious to us all, perhaps we can take turns protecting her portrait?"

Wei thought for a moment before nodding.

"I'm going first," he announced as his father took hold of the cart, ready to leave.

"Me next!" Cheng put in quickly as he climbed on top of the cart, only to have his father place him once more on the ground.

"You're perfectly capable of walking out of the village, Cheng," his father told him. "But yes, you can carry your mother's picture after Wei."

"Can I help pull the cart, dad?" Da-Xia came forward, but Li shook his head in the negative.

"No, I've got it, sweetheart. Just keep your siblings in line as much as possible as we leave.

"Bye house," Maylin waved to their home as the family moved away. "We'll miss you, but we're gonna make a new home, so it won't be so bad."

Tigress walked alongside her brother as they moved to join the other inhabitants of the village as they began to evacuate.

"Your son Wei is quite an artist," she put forward carefully, unsure of how to ask what she wanted.

"Yes, he is," Li nodded, proud of his son's talent. "He definitely did not get it from me, I can tell you that. Which reminds me…" Reaching into a pocket, Li drew out something which he kept tightly in his fist.

"I found this while I was packing," he told his sister slowly, holding it out to her. "It belonged to our mother. I thought you might like it."

It was a golden locket. A large stone of Jade in the centre was the only ornamentation.

"Open it, Lin," Li instructed.

Cautiously, Tigress opened the oval locket to find two small portraits staring back up at her. Two tigers.

"Are these…" Tigress couldn't even finish the question.

"Our parents," Li confirmed gently.

Tigress stared down at the small portraits, seeing what her parents looked like for the first time in her life.

"Our father's name was Rong," Li supplied. "Our mother's name was Min."

"Rong," Tigress whispered, tracing the features of her father. He and Li shared many of the same strong features. Tigress could see that while she had the same shaped face as her father, she shared her features more with her mother.

"Min."

Looking up at her brother, Tigress could barely breathe.

"It's yours, Lin." Li told her. "I know our mother would've wanted you to have it."

"Thank you," she told him, placing the gold chain over her head so that the locket hung over her heart.

Together, everyone in the village left through the tunnel in the Mysterious Mountains, helping to carry each other's bulkier possessions, or to help move a cart that got caught in the rocks.

~..~..~..~..

"Hey Li," Po approached the tiger as the travelers stopped for a break later that morning. "Can I ask you something?"

"You may, Dragon Warrior," Li granted, turning to face the panda.

Po hesitated slightly under the strong gaze of the large male tiger. However, he was the Dragon Warrior, and he wasn't going to let Li's strong stature intimidate him.

"Did you give Tigress that locket she's wearing?" He asked him bluntly.

"Yes, I did," the tiger answered calmly.

Po swallowed.

"Why?"

Li lowered his eyes thoughtfully.

"I thought she'd like it," he answered softly.

Po frowned as the tiger's stoic expression softened.

"Alright!" Po cried out in exasperation, "enough with all the vague answers! What is going on with you and Tigress? She's been acting weird since you two met."

Li raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"She hasn't told you yet?" He asked.

"What?" Po asked. "Told us what?"

Li sighed. "If she hasn't told you yet," he began slowly, "it must be because she's not ready to tell you. I'll respect her wishes, and I suggest you do the same, Dragon Warrior," he told the panda. "Master Tigress will tell you all when she is ready."

~..~..~..~..

As the large group travelled, bandits would sometimes try to attack, in which case Po and the Five would fend them off. However, the group was so large that the six masters could not be everywhere at once, and it was in one such circumstance that Po and the Five were able to see just how well Yue-Yan and Li had taught their fellow villagers.

A group of masked bandits attempted to attack a panda family while the Five and Po were distracted elsewhere in the group. Word spread quickly, however, but by the time the friends got there, they were brought to a halt in shock as they watched the bandits fly through the air as the pandas plushy bodies absorbed any attack, no matter how powerful or ferocious, before using tai chi to use the bandits' own energy against them, sending them flying.

The Jade Palace Masters watched, impressed as the bandits ran off.

"Wow," Mantis was impressed. "You guys are pretty good with that Tai Chi stuff."

"Yue-Yan taught us all well," one of the pandas answered as she gathered the possessions which had become scattered during the fight.

"Why Tai Chi though?" Crane asked curiously, picking up a stray pot and returning it to its owner.

"Well, Tai Chi is probably the best martial art for a panda to learn," came the answer from behind them, and the six masters turned to see Nuan.

"Why?" Viper asked.

"Well, I'm not sure if you've noticed from sparring Po," Nuan began, "but 'hard core' doesn't have much impact on pandas."

"We've noticed," Monkey confirmed with a chuckle, nudging the Dragon Warrior in the stomach.

"Now Tai Chi, on the other hand," Nuan continued, "is absolutely perfect. Because, while you're being attacked by these hard strikes, you're not only able to absorb that energy, but you can deflect your opponent at the same time. Pandas are naturals at it."

"I noticed that while training with Li the other day," Tigress granted. "I could barely touch him."

"Exactly," Nuan nodded. "He's been training with us, so he knows how to fight like us. You came at him 'hard core' and all he had to do was absorb and deflect." Nuan did a couple of moves as she spoke, to demonstrate.

"That's cool," Po commented before turning to Tigress.

"So what's with you and Li?" He asked.

Growling slightly, Tigress simply walked away.

"Not yet," she answered firmly.

~..~..~..~..

As they continued to travel, many of the members of Wen's village decided to remain in villages they'd passed throughout their journey, so their party was slightly smaller than it had been when they started.

But eventually, they made it to the boundaries of the Valley of Peace.

"So this is it," Jia commented as she came to stand beside her cousin, "your home."

"It's our home now, Jia," Po told her before turning back to their large party.

"Come on everybody!" he cheered. "You're gonna have a warm bed and a bowl of noodles before the day is out!"

Cheering as their new home was now in sight, the group began making their way to the Valley.

Li and Yue Yan gazed steadily up at the Jade palace where it sat atop the mountain overlooking the Valley, before sharing a look. Each of them had questions for the master of the Jade Palace.

But what answers would await them?

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, what do you think? I was planning for everyone to actually arrive in the Valley of Peace at the end of this chapter, but I thought we should save Shifu and Mr Ping reuniting and meeting everyone for the next chapter, where we'll also see more of what Long's been up to.

Did you spot my clues?

Let the theorizing begin!