Grr...need...more...ways...to...transition the story...

Chapter 12

Tigress felt soft fur brushing in her face and she smiled a little, snuggling deeper into the source. Slowly, she started to be more aware of what was going on. She was being carried by someone…on their back. Seemed like a male judging from the broad shoulders under her arms. They were tired, possibly from long travel judging from the panting. There was a soft breeze that she felt hit her leg. Her clothing was torn…did she fall? Yes…she remembered now…she was pushed off the cliff by that female cheetah at the Tread of Hope. So was she dead? No…the humid climate said that this was no heaven, and hell would be so much more torturous.

Tigress slowly opened her eyes and saw a mass of white and black fur in her face. She pushed herself up slightly and Felix came into her line of sight.

"You're awake I see…" Felix said, looking back at Tigress.

"What happened…?" Tigress asked, shaking her head clear slightly.

"Xue Hu's little friend knocked us off the Tread of Hope. Luckily we survived…somehow…"

"And we came out of it unscathed?" Tigress asked, a little surprised.

"I said we survived…I didn't say we didn't get hurt…" Felix jerked his head to Tigress' foot. Tigress looked to see it wrapped in what seemed to be Felix's sash. "You must've hit something on the way down…what ever it was broke your ankle…pretty badly too…but it'll heal and you'll be back to normal after a while…" Tigress watched him panting heavily.

"How long have you been walking?" Tigress asked him.

"Judging from the sun…I'd say…about close to three hours maybe?" Felix shrugged as best he could with Tigress on his back.

"Three hours?! Have you stopped at all?!"

Felix shook his head. "Not really…"

"You got to rest!" Tigress leaned back and tugged on Felix's shoulders, causing him to tilt back and fall on his butt.

"H-hey!" Felix scrambled to his feet. "We have to keep moving…we have no idea where we are and Xue Hu's still out there…We have to get back to the temple as soon as we can!"

Tigress yanked him down next to her by his tail. "You're not going anywhere until you rest!"

"Fine…!" Felix sighed. "At least let me carry you to the water to cool off…"

Tigress looked around and saw a river not too far away. "Deal…"

Felix got up and lifted Tigress up in a bridal style and walked off towards the water. Felix set Tigress at the edge of the river, allowing her to put her feet into the cool water. It wasn't until then did Tigress realize how sore her leg was and how relaxing the water felt. Tigress gave a sigh and leaned against Felix, who sat next to her.

"…Do you think the others are ok?" Tigress asked quietly. "They were badly hurt…"

"They'll be fine…They'll have the valley people looking after them…and besides…they're not going to be taken down by something like that…" Felix reassured her.

"Yeah…" Tigress said after a while, "I guess you're right…"

Felix smiled and wrapped an arm around Tigress.

Up on the edge of the Tread of Hope, Xue Hu stood at the edge looking out into nothing.

"We can't find anything…No body…and thankfully no limb…" Lie Bao said with a grimace at the thought as she walked up to Xue Hu.

"If there's no body…that means that she's still alive…so either find her body…or find her and kill her…then bring me her body…" Xue Hu growled.

Lie Bao moaned. "Come on, Kitty…even if she's still alive she's not getting back out…do you know how long and far I had to go to find a safe way down and get back up?!"

"You weren't gone more than two hours…"

"Yeah…would've been longer if I hadn't marked where I went down…"

Xue Hu snarled. "If you could get up, then so could they…you will find them or I will myself and when I find them…I'll kill my mother and you along with her…"

Lie Bao sighed and trudged off.

"Come on, Xue Hu…why not be a little nicer to her? She's been searching for hours for you…" Mei Hu came up with Lang from Xue Hu's other side.

"My only mission is to kill my mother and seek my revenge…" Xue Hu eyed the two of them. "And where have you two been…you better not have been committing incestuous ac-"

"DON'T…even try that…" Mei Hu snarled, grabbing Xue Hu by the throat. "You know full well that we were searching for you…"

"We're thankful that you got us out of jail…and we're paying you back…but insult us like that again…" Lang snarled, standing next to his sister.

"Then get back to work…" Xue Hu snarled, swatting Mei Hu's hand away and walking off after Lie Bao.

Mei Hu glared after them Xue Hu and Lang sighed. "When is he going figure out we're not blood related…so technically we coul-"

"Lang…I love you like a brother…" Mei Hu started off calm but then she grabbed Lang by the neck and held him off the ground. "But that won't stop me from killing you if you annoy me too much…"

Lang rolled his eyes and kicked Mei Hu's foot, causing them to flip over and he landed so that he was straddling her waist. "You know I can over power you easily, sister…I just let you have your fun…"

Mei Hu blushed slightly but snapped at him in retort. "Get off me…"

Lang smirked and stood up, pulling Mei Hu to her feet. "Now let's go find the two tigers…"

"Fine…but if you try anything like you did last time…"

"You won't do anything…" Lang smirked and walked off.

Mei Hu snarled and ran after him.