Chapter 3: Missing Panda

When Po disappeared that night his disappearance did not go unnoticed. Tigress was outside his door knocking on it trying to get him up. It was early and they had to hurry and eat then have a training session and she wanted to play checkers with him. "Po get up" she called but there was no answer. Tigress decided to sneak attack him and opened his door silently and began to pounce but instead of landing on Po she landed on his bed. A look of shock came to her face when she realized Po was not in his room. In fact his bed looked like he hadn't been slept in all night. "Maybe he is in the kitchen?" Tigress thought and headed towards the kitchen. Yet all she found was her friends at the table but no Po in sight.

"Where is Po I am starving?" Mantis asked impatiently.

"You mean he is not in the kitchen?" Tigress asked in surprise.

"No he wasn't, is he still sleeping?" Viper asked.

"His bed was empty", Tigress said getting worried.

"Well he has to be somewhere", Crane said.

"Let's all go search for him", Monkey said and they all went off in separate directions. Monkey searched the training room but found no Po inside. Mantis searched the bottom floor while Crane searched from above the roof. Po always liked to climb on the roof and watched the stars at night. Viper searched around the top floor but they all didn't find Po. Tigress was running around outside searching the Pool of Sacred Tears to the Peach Tree but found no Po. They all returned to the kitchen and confirmed that Po was not in the Jade Palace so they went off towards the village. And Tigress went to see Po's dad but Mr. Ping said he hadn't seen Po since yesterday. They searched every nook and cranny even went into the woods till they reached the edge of the Valley but Po was nowhere to be found. Now Tigress and the others were now deeply worried. Where was Po? They all saw him go to bed last night but now he just disappeared today without a trace. All of his stuff was still here but he was not. When they told Shifu he told them to remain calm for Po may have gone for a walk outside the Valley and would return soon. Tigress thought so too and went off to train. But her mind was not on the dummy in front of her but her beloved Panda. Where was he? It was not like him to just disappear at least not without a note or telling someone where he was going. Was he mad at her did she do something wrong? No Po would not leave her like that he would talk to her and work things out but he would not just leave. Tigress began to punch the dummy as she fought back her worried thoughts. Still when night approached Po was still gone. They ate the leftovers Po made from last night for he cooked a lot of food. Yet, Tigress could not eat for her stomach was all knotted up as she wondered where Po was. Everyone was silent as they ate but they all were thinking the same thing. Where was Po? Even Shifu was getting upset. Yet, he remained silent and after dinner Tigress went into Po's room and looked all around his room searching for a clue. Yet, she found nothing but his bed and his action figures. She picked up the one of her and remembered when Po was worried that it got scratched and a tear fell from her face.

"Po where are you?" she asked out loud. She put the figurine down and went to her room but she couldn't sleep and she tossed and turned all night. Finally she woke up the next morning and was hoping Po would be in his room but her heart sank when she found it empty. She went downstairs and still no Po was in sight. She couldn't take it anymore she just had to know where he was. Tigress went in search of Master Shifu and said", Master, Po is still missing and I would like to go search for him".

"I understand take the others with you and I will stay here to keep the Valley safe but be careful my daughter", Shifu said softly.

"Yes father", Tigress said and told the others to get ready. Within an hour they were all set and standing outside the Valley as they searched for clues as to where Po had gone. But any footprints that were made before were gone.

"So, what is the plan Tigress we have no clue as to where he went?" Crane asked.

"There is a village not far from here we will go there", Tigress said and began to walk. The others followed her and Tigress was determined to find her panda. They made it to the first village and she talked to a local villager. Tigress described Po and the villager said she saw him.

"Yes he was here yesterday he came with a fox and a hawk. Then I saw them leave with our Blacksmith who was a wolf and they all left together", the villager said.

"Did they say where they were going?" Tigress asked.

"Uh something about getting another friend I think", the villager said.

"Are they any other villages close by?" Tigress asked.

"Yes, the next village is about two maybe three miles away good luck and hope you find your panda", the villager said. Tigress thanked the villager and they went to the next village. Another villager told them the same thing about Po only he and his group left with their school teacher who was a lynx. Tigress asked again if there were any villages close by and the villager said it was just a few miles away. So, they walked to the next village and another villager said the same thing. That the panda and his group walked up to a hyena who owned a local joke shop and when he saw them he ran inside his shop and closed it. Then came out with a pack and a staff like he knew they were coming. But they didn't know where Po and this mysterious group went. Tigress was saddened and wanted to keep searching but the others were tired and hungry so they camped under the stars. Tigress kept wondering where Po was and why was he with a fox, a hawk, a lynx, a wolf, and a hyena. It didn't make any sense did he know them from somewhere? Or were they forcing him to go with them? All these questions filled her head as she drifted off to sleep unaware that Po was just a mile away from their campsite sleeping under the very same stars.

Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter was short I will try to make the next one longer. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review.