To explain the names that I use in this chapter: "Kai" is Chinese for "victory", "Hui" means "intelligent" or "wise" and "Lang Qun" is simply "wolf pack". I believe that "Qun" is pronounced "chin", but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Chapter 2: The Lang Qun

"What do you mean they're busy?!"

It had been a few days since the Soothsayer's prediction and the two masters were feeling no better about it. As if they didn't have enough problems without something like this happening. They were in the middle of yet another spar when their messenger came back with a reply to the request for help that they sent. They thought that maybe something good would actually happen today until they heard what that reply was.

The poor antelope looked like he was fearing for his life as Master Ox loomed over him. "I-I got a response f-from one of the J-Jade Palace's servants. He s-said that the masters are all a-away on missions. T-They can't send anyone to help."

"All of them?!"

"Y-Yes, a-all of them."

Ox let out a large plume of air from his nostrils in typical bovine fashion. This was a good cue for the messenger to leave and he wasted no time in doing so. "I can't believe this!" Ox yelled. "How does that even happen? Are we just that unlucky?"

Croc had been silent ever since the messenger arrived. He now sat on the stairs, a claw to his forehead in thought. "Perhaps not. Do you think they could have planned this?"

"Who?"

"Whoever is trying to destroy the city. If they want to attack us at our weakest, then it would make sense for them to ensure that we can't get help from the greatest warriors in China. They could've kept an eye on the Jade Palace, waiting for a time when none could come to our aid."

Ox was skeptical. "Come on, it's wolves that are behind this, remember? They're not exactly known for their critical thinking skills."

"That's another thing that's bothering me," Croc said. "Given the circumstances, it's most likely Shen's wolves that we're dealing with. But most of them were either killed by Shen's weapons or arrested after the battle was over. Sure, a few might have escaped, but it couldn't possibly be enough to constitute a threat."

Now Ox was looking perplexed as well. "Yeah, you're right. Plus, how would they even get a hold of Shen's weapons anyway? We hunted down and destroyed every last one of those things after the battle."

The Soothsayer's prediction had seemed pretty clear at the time, but now the masters were left greatly confused over what this threat to their city really was. They weren't about to suggest that her prediction could have been wrong, as that would practically be suicide, but they were filled with questions as to how it could possibly be right.

They would be getting answers far sooner than they would have liked.

Master Storming Ox tossed and turned as he struggled to get some sleep, and not just because he was lying on an uncomfortable cot.

Their bedrooms in the Tower of Sacred Flame had been destroyed along with everything else, so they used the academy building as their sleeping quarters as well, ironically in the very same rooms that Shen had stuck them in. The jail cells had been student barracks before he modified them and now they were serving that purpose again, even though the two of them could hardly be called students anymore. They were more than used to these things by now. No, the cots were not the problem.

The problem was the overwhelming feeling of dread that he just couldn't escape now matter how hard he tried. If it wasn't bad enough that they had to deal with this new enemy all by themselves, they also had very little idea of who this enemy even was. He almost wished that these guys would just attack already so they could at least know what they were up against.

No sooner did this thought cross his mind when a shrill voice echoed through the building. "Masters, come quick! Bandits in the marketplace!"

Ox groaned and put both hooves to his face. Him and his big mouth.

"What time is it?" Croc asked groggily. He had actually gotten some sleep that night, but not a whole lot before the guard's cry woke him up. After grabbing the same axe and dao swords they had been using for practice lately, they rushed down the city streets towards the marketplace.

"About 3," Ox replied. "I should've known they would attack so early in the morning." He couldn't be too bitter about it. It wasn't like he was sleeping anyway. Besides, this meant that there were very few people out on the streets to get in their way, or get hurt.

"Right...though this could be a totally different group of bandits, you know." Something in Croc's voice told him that he really didn't believe that, but Ox stayed silent as they reached the marketplace. Any doubt that they had about their attackers vanished in an instant.

There were wolves here all right, but not quite the ones they were expecting. They were a small group of about seven, wielding various weapons. The few shopkeepers who were still doing business at this hour were easily tossed aside as the attackers dug through their goods. Their armor was similar to that worn by Shen's wolves, but pitch black in color, and every one of them wore a full facial mask. All except one.

This one particular wolf was standing right at the front of the group. It wasn't just his armor that made him stand out, as his looked almost the same as the other wolves minus the mask. Rather, it was his posture. Unlike most wolves, who were constantly hunched-over in a feral stance, this one stood up perfectly straight, both arms folded behind his back. Instead of the savage expressions that most wolves wore, his was calm and regal. His fur and claws were perfectly groomed as well. In short, he was the very definition of sophisticated, something they never thought they would see from a wolf.

This anomaly of nature just stood there with his back to them, watching the other wolves at work. Since this was obviously their Alpha, they started forward to rush him, when he suddenly spoke. "Master Storming Ox and Master Croc I presume?" Somehow, it didn't surprise them that he knew they were there. Something about this guy just seemed...focused. The other wolves were surprised though, and some stopped to look at them before the Alpha gave a shooing motion with his paw and they went back to their pillaging.

"Who are you?" Ox demanded.

The Alpha finally turned around, fixing both of them with cold, blue eyes. "I am Kai Hui, one of the highest-ranking commanders of the late Lord Shen. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"So you are Shen's goons. Can't say I've ever heard of you, though."

He didn't seem particularly shocked. "Really?"

Croc scratched his head. "Yeah, we never saw you at all during Shen's attempted conquest."

"Did you honestly think that Shen would gather his entire army in one place?" Hui asked, somewhat mockingly. "The majority of his forces were in Gongmen City, yes, but he had another, smaller faction that served as strategic reinforcement. His 'special forces', if you will. I was put in command of that faction. Shame he never got the chance to use us."

"So that's where all these wolves came from," Croc noted. At least one question was answered, though he couldn't say the answer was reassuring.

"What are you after?" asked Ox. "Planning to avenge Shen?"

Hui raised an eyebrow. "Avenge a dead bird? Now what would be the point of that? Our last Alpha was loyal to Shen and look where that got him. Shen has already proven that he doesn't care about us. Why should we care about him?" His arms stretched apart in pride. "We are not Shen's soldiers anymore. We are the Lang Qun and we shall reign supreme!"

Only now did they realize something else that was different about the wolves' armor. The red insignia, Shen's insignia, was missing. They were serious.

Ox stepped forward and stomped the ground hard, cracking it. "Enough of this! Surrender now, or we're taking you down!"

"Is that so?" Hui raised two fingers up to his mouth and gave a sharp whistle. Instantly, the six wolves raiding the marketplace stopped what they were doing and rushed over to him. They stood behind him in an orderly formation, creating an even row. "I have trained them quite well, as you can see. Now boys, show these 'masters' what the Lang Qun can do." He whistled again and the wolves moved slightly apart, forming a gap in the formation. Hui turned on his heel and walked calmly through the gap, as if he were taking a casual stroll.

"You're not going anywhere!" Ox yelled, attempting to chase after him. He was quickly blocked by the other wolves, who closed the gap again and stood in his way. He could only glare at Hui's back as he turned a corner and disappeared.

"Uh...I think we have a bigger problem," Croc said, readying himself. Ox did the same. There may have been only a half-dozen wolves standing in front of them, but they had a feeling Hui's training involved more than just standing in formation.

As if by some invisible signal, the Lang Qun suddenly charged forward at surprising speed, quickly surrounding the masters. Ox and Croc stood back-to-back, then struck out with their weapons as two of them attacked. One of the wolves swiftly dodged Ox's axe and the other caught Croc's dao swords with a pair of his own.

Just as they feared, these wolves were way better fighters than Shen's.

As the rest of them started to close in, Croc pushed the wolf with the swords back a bit. "Ox, give me a toss!" he yelled, jumping towards his teammate. Ox landed a punch on the axe-dodger and quickly turned around, cupping his hooves together. He caught Croc's feet in his hooves and threw him over his head. Croc landed on the outside of the circle and swung his giant tail at the wolves from behind. The one that Ox had punched was hit and knocked out while the other two skillfully flipped over the tail and attacked with their swords. They were clearly skilled with the weapons and Croc struggled to fend them both off, getting a few small cuts in the process. Just as his back was about to be forced against the wall, he shoved his swords in between the two wolves and pushed them apart. He then rolled into the opening and performed his signature split-kick, taking them both out.

On the other side, Ox was contending with the other three wolves. One back-flipped away to avoid his axe as another stabbed at him with a spear. Just as he sidestepped the spear, one more swung a sword at his head. He ducked the sword, scooped the wolf up in his horns, and flung him into a wall. The one with the spear attacked again, this time nicking him in the side a little. The first wolf then leapt back in and kicked him in the face, knocking him to his back. He rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the spear stabbing into the ground, then grabbed the wolf by the throat and threw him into his companion. They tumbled into one of the market's stalls, which collapsed on top of them.

After all of the wolves were beaten, Ox and Croc just stood there for a while, both of them breathing heavily. They may have won, but it was a shallow victory. They could barely handle a half-dozen of these new and improved wolf warriors, and they knew Kai Hui had many more waiting in the wings. They both looked at each other and away again as they tried to put words to what they were thinking. Eventually, Ox found some.

"What the hell are we going to do?"