DISCLAIMER: Kung Fu Panda and its characters are owned by DreamWorks.

Chapter 2: Trust

"Is everything ready for our guests?" Asked a booming voice that echoed through the cave.

A scrawny snow leopard kneeled before the large figure, "Y-yes sir."

"Good, good now we wait." The creature said, "The first step to our plan is in place. Go ready my armor for battle."

"Yes General."

Smack! "Ouch, get up Tigress come on." She whispered to herself wiping the rain away from her eyes.

Next thing she knew the one person she hated more than anyone else in the world was hovering over her. Tigress tried to get up, but she couldn't the pain coursing through her body was too great.

The figure stared directly into her eyes, "When you wake up," the General said raising his fist against the lightning filled sky, "Crawl back to your friends."

"What do you mean when I wa-" Tigress stopped in mid-sentence as the General brought his fist down.

"Tigress wake up! You're having a nightmare again. Wake up!" Viper said shaking her gently; she was the only one brave enough to do that.

Tigress woke to a still dark forest and seven pairs of eyes all on her. Ok I am really tired of people having to wake me up from some sort of dream. Tigress thought slowly sitting up.

"You woke us all up when you punched Po while you were sleeping."

Embarrassed she tried to defend herself, with her gaze settling on Kabuto, "You see? This is why I want to get your brother, this is the hell I go though every night, and," she said looking directly into Kabuto's eyes, "You will take me too him."

After a long pause, "So you want me to betray my brother, my own flesh and blood," the wolf said matching Tigresses stare, seeing the campfire dance in her eyes. "All so you can kill him and get your revenge. You know I was there when you fought him, for a second I thought that you might beat him. Actually I was hoping you would."

Tigress and the others exchanged confused glances.

"You see, my brother when we were teens was a power hungry animal. He was always the aggressor taking and killing as he saw fit. But the one thing he wanted more than any amount of gold was to be the head of our father's army. But when I turned twenty, father appointed me to be the head honcho. Expecting it to be him Kaowski went into a blind rage. Killing whoever got in his way, legend has it that you guys had a problem like that a while back. But anyway he sought out me and our father, we were held up in our house awaiting the inevitable;"

With a sigh he continued, "He broke down the doors, and with pure rage in his eyes he attacked us. He went for me first, and I was no match, but luckily he spared me. The same cannot be said for father. He demanded that father take the army from me and give it to him. My father refused and as I sat in the corner unable to do anything, I watched my brother…" he paused almost as if it was too much for the large wolf to bear.

"Murder his father, my father… our father." Kabuto finished. He looked around and was surprised that everybody seemed to be interested in his story.

After a long silence, "So you want to take us to him?" Tigress said completing the puzzle.

"Yes I do, and I still haven't forgiven him. Sometimes I wish he had just killed me. Because now I have to live with myself knowing that I sat there and didn't do anything as he murdered him." Kabuto answered.

"Wait if you hate him why did you serve in his army?" Viper asked which seemed to be the question that was on everybody's mind.

"What choice did I have? I became his slave; if I tried to leave he would kill me, if I tried to attack him for my freedom he would kill me. He wanted me to suffer." He said back.

Tigress almost felt sorry for him, but she couldn't let that hinder her ability to finish the mission. She stood up from her bedroll, and walked away from the group.

Why am I getting so upset about this, I mean this is one of the guys that attacked our village. Tigress thought.

She walked for about a half a mile, then found a worthy redwood and climbed to the top. She sat on the highest branch, stared at the full moon, and reflected on her life.

The images of her childhood flashed through her mind, brought up by the wolf's story. She remembered the orphanage, how everybody feared her, called her a monster, she remembered how much it hurt. Tigress knew exactly how Kabuto was feeling. She knew how it felt most of her life. To make herself feel a little bit better Tigress started grooming her outer coat.

"Pretty moon," Crane said from underneath the tree, almost making Tigress jump out of her fur.

Trying not to show that she was having a moment, Tigress tried to act casual and simply said "yeah."

Crane jumped in air and flew to the top of the tree with Tigress. "You shouldn't hide your feelings from everyone." He said landing next to her.

He knows me too well, Tigress thought. She shifted her weight to prevent her leg from falling asleep and said, "Ya I know but it's kind of hard when you're fighting back memories."

"Is it Kabuto?"

"Yes."

"Well just know that you're not alone, everybody here tonight even Po had a rough childhood, and think that's what made us who we are, hardened warriors. If we had it easy we wouldn't be here." Oddly enough Cranes speech had made her feel a little bit better.

"But what if this isn't what I want? Maybe I just want to live a normal life." Tigress said opening herself up a little bit.

"Because if you, Tigress, led a normal life, you would go crazy, it's just not who you are." Crane said, "I was living a normal life back at the Lee Da Academy, just a janitor… I absolutely despised it."

"But that's you, maybe I'm different maybe I'll enjoy it." Tigress said, looking at Crane.

"Tigress," Crane said looking rather stern, "I know you well enough to know that you would hate it. But if you really want to try it, when we get back to the palace go get a job and buy a house, heck start a family if you want too."

"Crane you're not helping." Tigress growled.

"Sorry I just… well just take my word for it." Crane apologized, "I'm headin back for the camp, try not to stay out too long you need more sleep." He stood, shook out his feathers, and flew off.

Tigress sat for a moment still looking at the moon. I just don't know… I really just don't know.

Tigress jumped down and slowly walked back to the camp. As she was walking back into the camp she noticed that most everybody had gone back to sleep, except for Po, who hadn't even noticed Tigress walking up. He was just entranced in the camp fire, staring at it with a blank face and not even blinking.

He finally noticed Tigress as she was lying down.

"You ok Po?" Tigress decided to ask.

"Yeah, It's just I want to know what happened. Ya know? When I was a cub." He replied.

"Was it because of Kabuto?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me about it." Tigress said knowing exactly how he felt.

"I mean I really have no clue, no memory of my childhood." Po said still staring at the fire, "I always knew that my dad wasn't my real dad, ya know cuz he was a goose." He opened up his paw and in it was a small emerald trinket. "This is all I have left."

How come I'm suddenly feeling bad for everyone? Tigress thought.

"Trust me Po I know what you're going though, I don't remember much either." Tigress said comfortingly. She wasn't good at this sort of thing but what she did know is what she picked up from Master Shifu.

"Po," She sighed, "Just think if you had a normal life you wouldn't be here today, with us."

Crane was still awake but just acting asleep, glad I got through to her. He thought and smiled.

"Yeah I guess so. Thanks Tigress." Po said feeling better.

"No problem." She smiled, lying down to go back to sleep.

Tigress was the first to wake up, which wasn't surprising considering she was always the first to wake up. She sat up and gave a long yawn, and stretching a bit. It was then she noticed that it had snowed last night after her moment, because she had to wipe snow off of her fur.

Tigress decided, while she had time, to walk down to the river and bathe. She took some soap and various other things. And set off towards the river fully knowing just how cold the river might be, but she really didn't want to smell or feel like Po.

It was about this time when Tigress was just out of sight when the rest of the team started waking up.

Viper was the first to notice Tigress empty bedroll. "Hey guys? Where's Tigress?" She asked.

"She's probably just off doing what girls do." Po said.

"And what might that be?" Viper asked sarcastically raising a scaly eyebrow.

"Oh um I don't know, pampering yourselves maybe. I mean how do you spend so long in the bathroom, you don't even have any hair. " Po said back.

Viper shot him a venomous glare. And Po submissively backed off.

"Po? What's with the sudden mean attitude?" Crane stepped in.

Po sighed "Sorry I guess I'm just nervous about our mission. Sorry Viper." he apologized.

"Why? We beat him once, the only reason he got away was, well because of you, but he ran away. By the way didn't even get one hit on us." Crane said who seemed to be the person to cheer everyone up on this trip.

"I know, but I just have a weird feeling. Like something's about to go wrong." Po said getting up to stretch and change out of his night clothes.

Kabuto who remained silent this whole time sat up and chimed in. "Well I don't think we will have a problem, I'll be there along with the combined force of the Furious Five and you, the Dragon Warrior. He will have no chance"

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Po said still not convinced.

Crane turned to address everybody, "Well will have a battle today, lets prepare for it."

Everyone nodded and got to work packing up their camp and readying themselves for battle.

Tigress had just finished bathing, and grooming her fur, when she heard somebody walking up. The Master saw a figure through the fog; it was the figure of a large wolf. She threw on her clothes, and hid behind a tree. Tigress looked out from behind her tree, and saw the wolf. It was dressed in large armor, resembling the General's. She still couldn't see the canine very well, but convinced it was the General, she attacked.

The master of Tiger style ran out from behind the tree, up to the wolf.

"Oh there y-." he said

Tigress grabbed his shoulders, pulled him towards her, twisted, and flipped him over her hip. She followed up with a punch to the eye while he was down. She hovered over him about to punch him again when she realized, that the wolf she was attacking was not General Kaowski, it was Kabuto.

"What? What are you doing here?" Tigress asked, getting up and shaking because of the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

"Well the team told me to come down here and tell you that we are ready to set out. None of them wanted to do it, it can see why now." Kabuto replied picking himself off the ground.

"Sorry you just looked… I thought you were your brother." Tigress apologized. Now she was beginning to calm down, not panting as much. She really didn't feel bad, he did, after all, attack their village.

"Well whatever, let's get back to the camp." The wolf sighed, understandably a little angry that he just got man-handled by a woman. Stone-faced he turned and started to walk back to the camp.

"Ok," Tigress smirked picking up her things, and walked behind him.

They walked silent for a bit, before Tigress had to ask "Are you sure he is near?"

Kabuto turned his head slightly looking behind him, "Yes he gave me a map before I went on a raiding party." Kabuto replied.

"Raiding party huh, you not giving me the best reasons to trust you." Tigress said scratching her head.

"What choice do you have?" Kabuto asked

"I could beat you up again and take the map from you, and go without you." Tigress said fully aware that this was an option.

Kabuto knew this too; he suddenly stopped walking, and turned to Tigress, almost making her run into the back of him. "Then why don't you? You know dang well you could without beating a sweat."

"Well it's complicated, part of me knows we need all the help we can get, and the other part wants to help you get back at your brother." Tigress sighed, "I know how you feel I watched both of my parents be murdered."

"So your setting out for revenge and helping me get revenge? Didn't your master tell you about revenge? How if you set out for revenge on someone you better be ready to dig two graves.
' Before I left for the attack on your valley, father told me not to try and get revenge on brother." Kabuto said back.

"Yeah well master Shi- Your father told you what?" Tigress growled backing up slowly.

"Uh step f-father, mom remarried." Kabuto said and walked away.

Tigress stood there watching him walk away for a moment and whispered "Step dad huh? Something's not right; just don't let him behind your back Tigress." Then she slowly started to walk behind him.

When the two walked back into the camp, the team had everything packed and ready to go.

"Hey let's leave everything hidden somewhere around here, we don't want anything slowing us down as we get close to him." Tigress ordered, and with her word everybody got to work finding a suitable place to hide their supplies.

With nothing weighing them down, they set off on what would hopefully be the final leg of their journey.

They walked for a mile or so through the forest and unbeaten trails until they reached the edge of a cliff with a small and rickety bridge that resembled the one where the team first met Tai lung. Tigress traced the bridge to a cave in the side of a large mountain that was mostly rock, which itself rose into the clouds.

Tigress let a low growl escape her throat, as the cool wind pierced her fur.

"Hey Tigress, can I talk to you in private?" Po asked. They walked just out of earshot, "Are you sure we can trust him, I mean he did attack our village after all, slave or not that throws a red flag to me."

"What else are we supposed to do Po? We have no other choice but to trust him." Tigress growled, "And if you must know, no I don't want to trust him for one second. Especially with what happened earlier. "

"Alright I guess you're right. Wait what happened earlier?" Po asked.

"Oh nothing, just be careful with him." Tigress finished.

"Alright?" Po said and walked back to the team still standing at the foot of the bridge, leaving Tigress behind.

Please let him be trust worthy, after all the only reason I trust him in the first place is that a feel a bit sorry for him. Tigress thought walking to join the crew.

"Ok are you sure this is the right place?" Crane asked.

"Yes, well at least that's what the map says." Kabuto said.

Po and monkey exchanged worried looks.

"Well we won't know if we don't try so shall we?" The wolf said leading the way.

Po was taking up the rear, and as soon as he got on the bridge it started sagging under his weight. Ok when I get home I'm going on a kung-fu diet. Po thought as the others were regaining their balance. The team cursed under their breath and continued.

Po reached the half way point, and the bridge was groaning under his enormous mass. By then the rest of the group had hurried across the bridge and where waiting for Po at the entrance to the cave.

Now the sun was climbing high in the sky, and because of this they couldn't see very deep in the cave. Once Po had joined them they cautiously entered the giant cavern, with the wolf still leading the way.

Suddenly the door slammed shut behind them, leaving them in complete darkness and silence.

Evil chuckling interrupted their silence, "I would have thought that the masters of Kung Fu wouldn't be fooled so easily if it weren't for the fact I've fooled you before." Said a familiar voice.

Tigress looked around in the darkness before once again the only thing she could see where two big green eyes deep in the cave.

"Well that's too bad, because you haven't fooled anybody; we came here seeking you out." Tigress growled.

"Oh really?"

Suddenly Tigress heard movement and grunts around her. But she remained focused on the General.

"Well you want to fight fair and get some fire in this cave? I will go ahead and warn you, you won't beat me this time" She spat.

"Right, well let's find out." The General closed his eyes, so Tigress couldn't see anything.

"Let there be light."

Next thing Tigress knew fires lit up on the cave walls, only to find the General standing right in front of her, and when she looked around the rest of the five and the Dragon Warrior were gone. The only person standing next to her was Kabuto.

"Wha? What have you done with them?" Tigress asked flabbergasted.

"All in good time my dear, but first let's deal with the matter at hand." The General said all to calmly, "Kabuto thank you, you won't be needed anymore."

Kabuto bowed, smirked at Tigress, and turned to leave. Only to have a tiger fist shoved in the back of his head knocking him flat out.

The General only laughed.

To think I actually felt bad for him. Tigress thought spitting at him.

"You catch on quick, and no he's not my brother just a soldier." The General chuckled.

Tigress not wasting any time snap kicked the General in the side, and following up with an elbow to the side of the head, knocking the wolf on the ground.

Not about to let him get up, Tigress mounted on top of him and attacked him with all her might. She must have punched him in the face forty times before getting up and staring at his lifeless body.

"Good now you won't be hurting anybody else. Now where is the team?" Tigress said to herself, or so she thought. She turned to search the cave, when "where are you going, were not done here." Said the general's deep voice.

How is he still alive? Son of a b-, "Ok let's finish this." Tigress thought and said.

She took her Tiger style fighting stance, as the General just stood there. Tigress ran at him as fast as her legs would take her and plowed into the General, who effortlessly used her momentum against her by twisting, and flipping her over his hip.

"Hurts don't it?" Kabuto said who was now awake and standing up.

Tigress ignored Kabuto and mustered up her energy, she remembered how in her first confrontation with the General when she got in close that is when he is weak. So that's what she did.

Tigress ran at the General jumping over him, and landing behind him. Before he could react Tigress punched him twice in the back of the head. Dodging a spinning elbow thrown by the wolf, the master of tiger style grabbed his arm, threw it over her shoulder, grabbed him by the neck, moved behind him, and swept his legs out from under him.

Once he was down she unsheathed her claws, Tigress brought hell down upon the wolf. A red haze fell over her vision, she didn't stop when she heard his nose break, not stopping when a tooth came flying out, not stopping when the wolf stopped breathing.

She only stopped when she couldn't punch or scratch anymore. Now the red cloud had lifted from her vision, and she realized what she had done. She had gotten her revenge, she had completed her mission, yet she didn't feel any better.

What everybody had said about revenge, was right, now she was stuck with a lifeless body under her, with an unrecognizable face. Tigress panting looked at her paws, her blood stained claws, her knuckles which she couldn't tell whose blood was on them. She stood up shaking from adrenaline and regret.

Then she noticed a piece of paper, labeled Tigress partially under his armor. She grabbed it after wiping her paws on her slacks as not to get it blood stained. The parchment read,

Dear Tigress,

If you are reading this you have completed your mission, gotten your revenge and killed me. I hope you are happy now. Now you get to live with yourself knowing that you took someone's life. Now because you focused on killing me instead of getting your friends back, I want to play a game. Your friends are locked deep inside the cave, and you have thirty seconds to find them before a rock falls and crushes them all. Let's see just how fast you are Tigress…

OXOX, General Kaowski.

Tigress dropped the paper and ran for the nearest passage into the cave. She followed her nose to another big room. At the end of this coliseum-sized room she could see the team locked in a cage where the roof was a large boulder, and through a system of pulleys and ropes was attached to the ground. And standing next to the rope with an ax was Kabuto. She ran at him with all her might, but the wolf was raising the ax.

"NOOOO!" Tigress roared. Then with a smile Kabuto started to bring the ax down. Just before the ax was about to make contact with the rope, Tigress jumped in front of the weapon. Letting in strike her instead of the rope. She screeched in pain and fell to the ground. With pain coursing through her body, and with the drive to save her friends, her only family Tigress stood up holding her side, feeling the blood run through her paw.

"Put down the ax before I kill you too." Tigress sighed.

"You know it's not going to be that easy." Kabuto said back.

"Good, wouldn't want it any other way." Tigress hissed, and attacked.

Tigress, with the team cheering her on behind her, ran and drop kicked the wolf, landing next to him. To finish him, but not to kill him, she raised and ironically, landed an ax kick on the wolfs head, knocking him out again.

"Tigress search his pockets for the key to this cage!" Viper yelled, and Tigress did as she was told. She found the key and proceeded to open the cage. She was met with a hug from everybody, carefully avoiding her injury.

"We were so worried that he would kill you." Crane said.

"Well we are all here now so let's get out of this hell cave." Po said looking around nervously.

"No first let me look at this cut," Mantis said examining Tigress wound. "Doesn't look too deep, yeah let's get out of here."

And with that the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior, started walking for the entrance, past the generals body, and found how to open the door, and walked out of the mouth of the cave. Everyone was feeling glad that this ordeal was over. But the only person who was questioning their mission was Tigress. She was unsure on how this would affect her in later days, but she didn't let that bother her now, she simply shrugged it off and laughed and joked with the team.

As the warriors walked back into the Jade Palace, they all sighed a breath of relief.

"Well done students, you have made me proud." Master Shifu said.

They bowed to their master, and retired to their rooms for a night of well deserved sleep. Tigress climbed into her bed after tending to her wound, which by now was healing up nicely.

I really shouldn't let this bother me, he got what he deserved, death. Tigress thought, if you hadn't of killed him think about how many more people would have been murdered, you did the right thing Tigress. She sighed and turned over for a good night's sleep.

(A/N) Well there it is only two chapters long, but I think it's not half bad. Please review.

"He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself" - Confucius