A/N: So here I am again with an update. Sorry that I was unable to update for a while, so I give you three new chapters as consolation. Hope you enjoy them. For those of you who like the parts with the original characters in them, fear not, I have a full chapter of them (18 I believe) and they will soon be in the story constantly. Remember, I do not own Kung Fu Panda, just everything else in this story. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
It was like Wi had an internal clock built into her, because just like she promised, they were up and ready to go early the next morning. Even with the rock walls stopping them from seeing the sun within the cave, she knew when to get up. "A habit you build," was all she said when ask how she did it. With the porcupine in the lead, her massive walking stick setting a slight rhythm in the snow, they traveled onwards, now with a purpose and a direction. The snow was no longer a real threat to their journey, already they could see that the porcupine was going to be invaluable. She showed them shortcuts that they would've never guessed where there. Only once did she have to look around, searching for the invisible landmarks that she claimed where there. Nobody else could see what she was searching for. They made incredible progress that day. The mountains from the infamous Zuzhou range were already starting to shrink in size. Vegetation was more abundant and the skies didn't have a chronic grey overture to them. It seemed that their spirits matched their surroundings. They felt joyous almost. Mei was bouncing around, unable to contain her bubbling joy. Wi looked back once and a while to see if they were still keeping up pace.
"We can't dawdle," she called back. "Lovely word, dawdle, don't you think?"
"It is interesting," huffed Shang.
Conversation was polite, but they wasn't any full fledged conversations. Phrases and segments of sentences were passed around. Wi started tapping on her stick to occupy herself, yet Shang asked politely if she could stop. She did; then promptly started banging her staff against every rock she saw. There were a lot of rocks. Mei giggled. It was amusing to see Shang annoyed. His ears always started twitching and he licked his teeth more; his tail didn't move at all, it just drug on the ground, like a furry, golden worm. Before Shang was about to ask if Wi could stop once again, she did. Shang sighed with relief and went back to staring at the ground. A sharp rap against the knees brought Shang to a painful stop.
"What was that for?" he howled.
"If you had gone any further, Shang, you would have fallen to your death," said Tai, speaking for Wi. The porcupine looked around. A rope bridge that had originally hung from both sides now only hung at one. The other side was now completely inaccessible. With Shang muttering curses under his breath, the three other's sought a way to get across. They couldn't think of one. Mei suddenly pointed up the ravine that they needed to cross. A sharp decline followed by a rocky path upwards interrupted the flow of the ravine. A dangerous staircase to the other side.
"If we slide down there, we can climb to the top. It's kinda crazy," said Mei.
"But it'll do!" Wi replied, fearlessly. Excited, the short porcupine made her way over the rocks that blocked her path to the detour. Still muttering curses, Shang followed the porcupine and the two others. Tai found Wi staring down at the steep drop off.
"We're going to have to go down as slow as we can," Wi said. Precarious ledges stuck out from it. They would be able to use those to get down safely. Tai went first, much to his disappointment. Wi followed, helping Mei down and letting Shang drop down. The Golden cat's military training made it a bit easier for him. Mei, being a natural climber didn't find this too hard – though it was still frightening. Tai, even though he climbed the vertical Mengyou City walls, was still scared out of his mind.
Don't look down, look at Wi and what she tells you to do. The inch wormed their way down, dropping from precipices sometimes, landing with a slight waver and then continuing on. Once, Tai did look down. On one edge, he could see a slight ledge. If one of them fell, it would stop them from going any further. The fall would kill them anyways, so it didn't matter. Sharp rocks were on the other side when he reached them. He was happy he had a firm grip on the rock. Fate didn't like his thinking though. When he reached the other drop off, the edge with the flat ledge at the bottom, his grip failed. His arms wind milled around as Tai tried to find his balance. Wi lunged out to grab his garments. They still wore the disguises that they were using from the time they reentered Mengyou City. The cheap fabric tore easily and he fell down.
"No!" cried Shang. A mist seemed to come from the depth and it embraced Tai and hid him. Shang pounded the rock wall. Damn it. "We have to move on, Tai would want that."
Under her breath, so the distressed Golden cat wouldn't hear it, Wi said,
"What an unoriginal sentence. Couldn't he thought of something different to say?"
Without any other words, they continued down. Mei looked over the edge as Shang and Wi continued forward. During one of the leaps down, she and Shang had switched positions so she could be at the back. A tear fell from her eye. Tai had been a good friend.
Tai let the weightlessness overtake him as he fell. He had felt this feeling before when Curo had tossed him into the air. He closed his eyes, and waited for the impact. It didn't come. He twisted in the air. The grey mist had turned white. A shadow came from below to met him. He was going to miss the ledge that jutted out. The tiger was just going to fall until he met the bottom of the ravine. He flew pasted the ledge when a sudden burst of wind pushed him up. He started moving upwards. Tai reached out and grabbed the ledge. The rock seemed to form to his paw. He still slipped. A paw, a tiger's paw, reached out to grab him. It pulled him safely up. He stood on the ledge, dumbfounded. There, standing in front of him, eyes closed, where his three ancestors that he had seen before. He bowed in thanks. They bowed back and disappeared. A serpentine shape replaced them. It was a brown dragon with green stripes running up and down it. A soft, feminine voice came from it. It had a slightly husky sound, yet it was warm and vivid.
"Your time to go to the Heavens isn't yet, Tai," said the voice.
"Are you a Dragon?" asked Tai, feeling just a bit foolish for saying that.
"I am. I am the Earth Dragon Diqiu. Senlin-Mu asked if I could do this for you and I could. I must go now, luck be with you."
The mist faded and Tai found himself safely on the ledge that he had spied from the ledge above. He swished his crooked tail with happiness. His friends and Wi would be so happy! A pebble fell from the edge. It landed a few feet away from him. He could make out a voice, no, voices from above. It was the three! He picked up the pebble and threw it back.
Shang threw the pebble over the side in anger. He had just lost a friend and the prince of Mengyou City. Twice now he had failed Lord Kun Zhu. Shame was the only thing he felt. Anger, too. Wi sat down on a rock next to Shang.
"It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself, cat," Wi said.
"Listen to her. And me, as your friend and lover!" exclaimed Mei.
Shang sighed heavily. He still felt guiltly. Even though it had been Wi that had grabbed out to catch Tai, he still felt responsible somehow.
"I don't think I can every forgive myself."
"For the love of Dragons," cried out Wi. "You didn't do anything! Just continue on so that his death wasn't dishonored!"
Another cliché line, the porcupine thought. I'm just as bad as he is.
Mei turned away, thinking of a way to convince Shang that it wasn't his fault and they needed to continue. A rock struck her head. She whirled around.
"Did you just throw that at me?" she demanded.
Shang pointed to the rock in his own paw.
"I haven't thrown this one. How could I have hit you? Wi didn't do it either, she hasn't picked up a single rock."
Another rock bounced off of Shang's head.
Wi ran to the edge.
"They are coming from down there!" she said. "Hello! Is someone down there?"
Unexpectedly, Tai's voice called back up.
"Yes! Can you guys get me up?"
Shang's ears perked up. Tai was alive? Incredible! He scurried over to the edge and looked down. He could barely spot the tiger within the mist. Whatever miracle had happened, he was happy it had happened. However he had been saved, he thanked the ancestors above. Maybe there was someone watching over them, like Tai and Mei claimed. Even with Tai being more educated than he, Tai still believed in those ancestors and dragons. Tai might be right yet again about them.
"Hey, Wi, do we have any rope?" asked Shang.
Wi looked through her own belongings.
"A bit. Mmmm, I'd say just enough. Tai will have to jump to it though. How good of a jumper is he?"
"He's pretty good. Able to climb trees with not much struggle."
Wi unraveled the rope and let it hang from the side of the rock loosely.
"Jump and catch it," said Shang down to Tai. Tai leapt up and was able to grasp the rope with his claws. He wrapped it crooked tail around it and his feet paws gripped the very end of the rope. He was going to be safe after all.
Tai felt the rope being pulled up. Slowly he was pulled up. Pulling a tiger vertically up must be a hard task, even for three. He spied the edge of the rock and clung to it with one paw. Helping the others, he hoisted himself over the ledge and lay flat on the rock. Three friendly faces stared down at him.
"Surprise," Tai said.
Mei laughed and Shang just shook his head. Wi peered at him curiously.
"You must be the luckiest tiger I have ever seen," the awed porcupine said. "Your ancestors must like you."
Tai nodded and got up. He was missing something though. The familiar weight on his back from the pack! That was what he was missing! They just lost a bunch of firewood and a good amount of provisions. He ran to the edge, hoping that he could see the bag that was now lost forever in the mists.
"I hope one of you knows how to forage, because we just lost a lot of food," he said, walking back over to the three who had been figuring out how to go about and climb the cliff to the other side.
"I know how to," Mei said absently. "I learned it during some travels I did in the past."
Mei still avoided the word parents. The loss still haunted her. She missed them dearly and didn't want to loose anyone else close to her in her life. That is why Shang was so special to her. Tai was also someone she considered family now.
Tai rocked back on his feet. They had taken it lighter than he had expected. Wi started climbing up the mountain. As the porcupine shimmied up, Shang followed suite. He had figured out where the other was heading. Turning to the other felines, he pointed out the direction that they were going to take.
"If we head up diagonally from here and hit that large outcropping, we will be able to make an almost vertical climb from there. Got it?"
Mei jumped right on the ledge behind Shang and started climbing. Tai moved a bit more cautious, but also started the journey upwards.
"Oh, and Tai," called back Shang. "Don't fall off again."
Tai hadn't planned on slipping again and he didn't much to his relief. The grey rock poking up greeted them as they got the other side. Finally back on the trail, they continued on their journey. It was almost a straight line from there and little happened. The quartet walked on until the sun dipped below the horizon. Wi called a sudden halt and they set up a makeshift campsite. They had a meager dinner and went straight to bed – after Wi retold the story about the Valley of Peace for Mei and Shang. Night flew by without any interruptions. The sun greeted them in the morning along with Wi. A quick breakfast was made and they were back on their way. Again, the landscape changed and they realized they were descending into a forest like area at the foot of the mountain range. The mountains continued on, veering in an opposite direction that they wanted to go. Two hours passed before they reached the base of the mountains. They truly were far away from home. It struck Tai as he first set foot in the strange forests. This was the farthest he had ever been away from home, yet the trees were still the same. The flowers and mosses were slightly different, but it still, it reminded him of home. He staggered as the vivid memories of his parents kneeling in defeat before the two wolves at the top of the Tower. He pushed them back to the farthest recesses of his mind. They wouldn't come back to haunt him again! No! He would rescue them and his home too! He looked back down at the ground, focusing on the footsteps that he followed. An acorn bounced off his head followed by laughter. He rubbed this head making his fur stand on end. A stifled giggle followed. Tai looked around wildly as another acorn bounced off his head.
"Up here!"
Tai looked up at the tree branches that sprouted out of the massive tree trunks. A Golden cat and a clouded leopard sat perched on it. Shang threw an acorn down. Tai moved out of the way – directly into an acorn thrown by Mei.
"What are you doing?" he asked. Their porcupine guide walked up next to Tai and punched him playfully on the shoulder. Wi was stronger than he had thought she was, or he was weaker, and he stumbled, catching himself on the tree trunk.
"They are having fun, something I don't think any of us have had in a while," said the energetic porcupine. "And don't worry. I'm on your side. They hit me with those things too. I say, we catch them and give 'em what for, eh?"
Tai shrugged. He had never heard of "what for" until now. The tiger bounded up, sinking his claws into the surprisingly soft bark. He moved steadily upwards. A branch was soon in reach and he reached out for it, remembering the techniques Shang had taught him a while back. Finally, he reached the branch where Mei and Shang were assailed the porcupine. Mei was preoccupied with Wi as she hurled rocks back up at them using a slingshot. Shang gave him a grin, flashing his fangs.
"Catch me."
The agile Golden cat bounded over Tai and threw a gentle punch at him. Shang was shocked as Tai just feebly put up his paws, not fighting back. The tiger was still terrified of fighting and violence. Just the notions seemed to cause him to stagger and tremble with fear.
"You okay?" he asked. Wi had noticed Tai fall back a bit on the lofty branch. At least Tai had a bit of balance on the branch. Mei stopped also to watch them, her training in kung fu allowing her to balance perfectly on the thin end of the branch with ease. Tai lowered his paws.
"I'm fine. You just surprised me."
Tai moved to go back to the ground, but Shang stopped him.
"I hate to say this Tai, but you have to learn to fight."
Before he could protest, Shang put up paw to stop him.
"Or at least defend yourself. Defense is sometimes the strongest offense. I'll punch at you again, try to block it. I'll do it slowly too."
Tai nodded, looking at Shang's paw. The Golden cat Guard had training, he didn't. He just knew what the masters at Mengyou City had taught him and that was mostly the mental portion of kung fu. Tai knew the moves they had tried to teach him, yet he couldn't do them, it was like he was incapable of even the easiest moves. The punch came from Shang without warning. Tai thought as fast as he could, trying desperately remember the certain block that would help him. Finally it came to him. He brought out his own arm to grasp Shang and pull him forward so he could bring his other arm around and push him down. The idea was right, but the timing was off. He felt Shang's paw connect with his face. The Golden cat stopped before it followed through and knock him down.
"Forget it," Tai said, discouraged. "I'm not a fighter or a warrior. I can jump from tree to tree and run, that's about it."
Shang nodded slowly. He wouldn't give up on Tai.
"Alright then, shall we get a move on?" called Wi from below. Mei did a back flip off the branch, caught another branch to slow herself and landed perfectly in front of Wi. Shang dove head first toward a spot on the trunk thirty feet down. He rebounded off of that onto a thick branch and twirled the remaining ten feet. Tai, impressed by the acrobatics displayed, moved methodically downwards as fast as he could, jumping from branch to branch. He reached the bottom.
"You forgot to add climbing and descending trees," said Mei. "Style comes with time, trust me. How do you think I got to look this way?"
Mei did a pompous twirl, swishing her tail suggestively in the air. She laughed at her joke. Tai didn't get it, but laughed anyways.
"A display of beauty is just what we need before we get on our way," exclaimed Wi.
The porcupine continued on with their journey, following a beaten trail.
The sunlight filtered its way through the trees, casting everything in a slight shade of green. Tai stopped once to study a flower, intrigued by its patterns, before they continued uninterrupted on their journey forward. It was surprisingly easy going. No longer did they have to hike up the immense slopes of the mountains or struggle to find their footing on the steep declines. Instead, a smooth, though a bit rocky, path meandered its way lazily through the forest. Occasionally they were met by a shallow stream or a dead log in the way, but they surmounted the obstacles with the help of Wi. Clouds drifted slowly above, at times obscuring the sun, casting a cool shadow on the forest. A squirrel chattered rapidly to his friend above and birds called out to each other in their singsong voice, yet no one took notice of the four travelers that past within their domain.
"Some interesting folk here, don't you agree?" said Wi.
"Not so much," replied Mei. "I've seen weirder on my other travels. Once me and my...family…ran into a group of monkey's who fried their bananas over their fire while doing some sort of headstand and clapping their feet together. It was quite entertaining to watch."
Shang snickered at the thought. Wi just nodded like it wasn't out of the ordinary at all. Not one of the inhabitants of the forest said hello, they just ran along the tops of the trees and fluttered from branch to branch. The deer and antelope that they saw hid from their view. They had never seen three felines with such power in front of them.
If only they knew that I was harmless, thought Tai. I bet one of these children could beat me at whatever physical challenge they lay before me.
A sudden pagoda style building appeared between two massive trees. The building was slightly rustic, yet still had a homey appearance. It was three stories tall, yet it seemed short compared to the colossal trees that loomed over it. A female rabbit stood on the open verandah that looked as if it had been recently built. The porch looked odd sitting in front of the pagoda, but it gave it a unique quality. The rabbit looked up.
"Ah, four weary travelers perhaps?"
Wi shook her head.
"Not weary yet but ready for a place to stay for the night. Do you know any place we can sleep?"
The rabbit motioned the building.
"Actually, this is a hotel and you are welcome to stay here. My father's rate is reasonable if that is what you are worried about."
Wi started to turn her down but Shang took out a gold coin.
"Will this be good?"
The rabbit looked at the gold coin greedily.
"Yes," she almost gasped. "For a week though. How did you get that much money? We rarely see gold in this area!"
"I had a good friend give it to me."
Tai spoke up,
"It's not all for the rooms though, we need some more food. If you could get that for us too, that would be wonderful."
"I'm happy you said that," said Wi. "I almost forgot."
The rabbit scurried inside and the four followed. The sun seemed to sink faster as they entered the hotel, it wanted to go to sleep but wanted to give light to the travelers. They paid the rabbit's father who took the gold without question and led them to the top rooms.
"These are the best we have," he stated proudly, ushering them into the grand room. "Have a good stay at the Ludong Village Inn!" The rabbits bowed and closed the door upon exiting. The red and pink sky was visible from the shutters that had been open to let the slight breeze find its way into the room. Two large beds, some of the biggest Tai had ever seen in an inn, were nestled at the back of the room. A small dragon chandelier hung from the room, giving barely enough light. Two wash basins sat on the floor at the far left end with a single mirror to share it with. A bamboo screen was at the back of the room, providing privacy when a person was changing clothes. Tai walked over to one of the bed's edge, his feet paws sinking into the plush rug that lay snugly at the foot of the bed. He dumped his bag over and stretched, relieved that he no longer had to carry the weight of the pack anymore. Shang put his pack down next to Tai's. Mei no longer had to carry a pack because they had lost one and Tai felt as if he needed to carry one as atonement for the loss.
"Let's go and watch the sunset," suggested Mei. "It's always beautiful. I've seen them many times, yet they still leave me awed."
"I'll bring the cookies," said Wi. "Cookies are good anywhere and a sunset makes the cookies taste best."
The odd porcupine and lithe clouded leopard walked out together, without taking no for an answer from Shang and Tai.
"I guess we follow them," said Shag. They hurried after the two females, closing the door behind them. Mei acknowledged Tai's presence yet went straight to Shang's side. Wi looked wryly at Tai.
"Would you like me to be your sweetheart for the night?" she said, her face straight.
Tai shook his head.
"I think one couple on this journey is enough."
Wi blinked and didn't continue on the jab. Instead, she moved to Tai's said and pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear.
"Don't tell them, but I've got something better 'an cookies! They don't need it, they've got all the sweetness right there." Wi started cackling at the end, amused by her newest joke. "Nothin' better than cinnamon dumplings. Trust old Wi, you'll like them."
Cinnamon dumplings did sound very good and he already trusted Wi. Tai imagined what the flavor might be. No doubt it would be anything less than what Wi had promised him.
The trees blocked the quartet's view of the sunset. They were forced upwards. With the porcupine being not the best tree climber, they spent a good amount of time helping her up. It was a difficult task. Her quills on her tail and rear made it hard to push her up without pricking their own paws. Pulling her up branch by branch was just as hard. At last, they were sitting on the tallest branch they could. Looking down made brought vertigo to Tai. Pushing down his nausea, he just focused on the sunset.
It was magnificent – both the dumplings and the sunset. The twilight sky faded to black as the sun disappeared completely and the moon stretched itself up into the night. The cinnamon dumplings were sticky, yet completely worth the matted fur. Stickiness, thought Tai wryly, also helped with the task of climbing down. Grip wasn't a concern for any of them and they made their way down smoothly. The townsfolk of Ludong had lit the path that ran through their cozy village. An occasional lantern hung from a reclusive branch. On and on the trail of paper lanterns went. Each one varied in size. Some where the size of Tai's head, other's were even larger than Tai. One that caught the tiger prince's attention was a rectangular wire frame. The craftsman had spokes sticking out the wire frame, pointing inward to hold numbers of even smaller lanterns. The entire thing was very exquisite. Shang tugged at Tai's arm, pulling him forward. They had to get back to the hotel. Regretfully, Tai turned away from the piece of art. A split in the trees let Tai finally see the night sky on the ground. He paused and just stared at the cluster of stars that were seemingly crammed into that one spot.
"I'll catch up with you guys later."
Tai was shocked to hear his own voice. Nothing about the inn or the town seemed to matter now. Only the stars. They twinkled back at him urgently. He heard the footsteps as they faded away and Wi's voice calling back, "Don't take too long."
Are they trying to send me a message, he thought as he studied the stars.
"Hello?" he called up.
No answer. Not that he had been anticipating one. Three shooting stars flashed across the little patch of sky. Maybe they were coming. He looked down. Sure enough, the three phantasms were standing right in front of him, eyes closed, paws concealed in the massive folds of their robes. They bowed low to him. He returned the bow.
"Why are you here?" he asked. He cleared his voice and said it again. "Why are you here?"
That you may know what might possibly lie ahead of you.
"What?" he asked, his voice fervent. Finally, an answer!
You must learn to fear yourself. You must not change, but you must fight yourself and your enemies.
"What?" repeated Tai. This time, he was flustered. They were speaking in riddles now. Without any other context, Tai had no time to figure this out. The oldest tiger took a step forward and showed him his palm. A tattoo on his hand glowed for the briefest moment.
Gu-Yi will attack. It always has. You must fight yourself and overcome the beast that is buried within.
"Gu-Yi?"
The lead tiger smiled softly. The other's bent their heads down in what seemed like pity.
Fight.
Tai looked around wildly.
"I don't fight! I have never fought."
Then you will succumb.
The final word reverberated throughout Tai's skull. It grew in volume and in intensity. He clawed at his ears, hoping that the mind numbing sound would go away. He closed his eyes tightly and curled into a ball. A burning sensation started to grow in his mind – it was white hot. He howled and it continued to consume him. A gentle hand lay over his shoulder and it vanished, snapping angrily at him as it did so. He lay on the ground, panting, drenched in sweat. He averted his face as soon has he saw who it was. The ghost of the oldest of the elderly was the only one that stood by him, the other's had vanished. The tiger smiled sadly.
Oh, Tai. You do not know yet are cursed with it.
He held out his glowing paw.
Tai took it. A sharp pinch made him gasp. He pulled away and looked at his paw. Imprinted in red ink on his paw was the same symbol the tiger had shown him.
You will become lost but you will be found. Do not worry Mishi, peace will come and the puzzle solved.
Tai's ancestor vanished leaving him alone in the woods. He didn't know what happened. He brought his paw up to the moonlight that snuck in between the dense leaves. The red ink glowed. He rubbed his paw in the dirt but the dirt didn't stick to it. His disguise that he had worn when going in to Mengyou City had gloves. He would wear those to stop any questions. Only when he found out what the hell that ghost tiger had been talking about would he show them. Tai made his way to the Ludong Village Inn without further incident. He ran into Shang on his way in.
"There you are!" he exclaimed. "Mei got a little worried. I told her you were fine, but, you know girls."
"I don't know girls, sorry," said Tai truthfully.
Shang gave Tai a deadpan stare.
"Of course you don't," he said and winked at Tai. "Though I'm sure that Master Tigress will change your mind."
Tai snorted.
"You are funny."
"I am, aren't I? Great, now I am starting to sound like Mei."
"I'm not surprised. You spend a lot of time with her."
Shang stopped abruptly.
"Tai, I have a serious question to ask you."
Tai recognized the look on Shang's face. It was going to be about Mei.
"What is it about Mei? You don't like her anymore?"
"No!" Shang practically shouted. He blinked. "I love her more than I ever thought I could love a single being. So. Do you think that I – after all this is done, this being the journey and all that – should ask for her hand in marriage?"
Tai's mouth almost dropped, but he stopped it from hanging loose on its hinges.
"I don't know. I'd think about it. You obviously love her and she loves you back. We will probably finish this in another month or so. By then you will have decided your final answer for sure."
Shang resumed walking, relaxed.
"Good. I was hoping for that answer."
Tai said nothing and they walked back to the room in silence. Shang knocked on the door and it opened immediately. The sleeping arrangements were made quickly and they fell asleep promptly. All that is, except for Tai. He contented himself with looking at the stars, hoping to squeeze an answer out of them. He hopped into one of the beds. To his surprise, Shang had volunteered to sleep on the floor. "Ground is one thing with her. The bed is an entirely different world," he had told Tai in private. So Mei and Wi shared the bed, a massive pillow dividing them both. Tai was told to take the bed, almost commanded to do so. He had no complaints. It had been a while since he been in a bed and he was loving every moment of it, savoring the firm, yet slightly plush mattress. He sighed with content and fell asleep dreaming of the tattoo that now permanently marked him.
Tai was roughly shaken awake.
"Just a bit longer," he muttered.
"Absolutely not," said Wi, continuing to shake him relentlessly. "We've gotta go! The Valley of Peace is waiting!"
Tai rubbed his eyes. He could see Mei's outline from behind the thin screen. Her outline stooped downwards, dragging her pants with her. Tai blushed as he imagined what Mei must look like. He looked back at Wi. Apparently she wasn't happy with the speed Tai was getting up at. She tugged on Tai's shoulder, pulling him out of bed. He hit the wooden floor with a slight oof. He got up slowly and stretched. His fangs showed as he yawned widely.
"Up finally?" said Shang, walking in the door with bowls of rice and a bag of tea leaves. Shang set the bowl down on the small stand that nestled between the two beds. A kettle whistled and Wi scurried off to get the boiling water. She poured three fourths of a cup for each person. Utensils were passed out to Shang and Tai from Wi. The three of them used the beds for seats, eating their breakfast. Mei stepped out from behind the curtain, dressed in the disguise they had worn at the beginning of their journey. Each had worn this throughout their trek, not wasting money or space for extra clothes besides one other change. The clouded leopard grabbed a rice bowl and ate it hurriedly. Tea was followed after the rice and Wi brought out four apples with a flourish. As they munched on the fresh, juicy apples, the luggage was readied and the four were out the door. A small rabbit waved them goodbye and wished them luck. Mei thanked him and she turned back to what lay ahead of them.
Tai focused on the beat of their feet striking the compacted dirt. A low curse broke the regularity as Shang tripped over an exposed root.
"Watch your step," warned Shang.
Tai did so, stepping over the root as if it were poisonous. Tai glanced up at the dense foliage. He wondered if Senlin-Mu was watching him, after all, he was the Dragon of the Woods. A wind blew gently, rustling the leaves. A bird tweeted randomly and again the forest was silent. At odd intervals, the wind would pick up again. It seemed to whistle happily, without a care, going where it pleased. Bright colors flowers caught Tai's attention. A small patch of magnolia's lay slightly off the trail and a bee busied itself collecting the nectar. The tiger turned around to face the back of his friends. Shang's golden fur moved with the wind as the soldier moved forward, matching the pace of Mei who, in turn, matched the pace of Wi, their guide.
The next step we take, takes us closer to our goal, thought Tai. He was anxious to get to the Valley of Peace in time. He didn't want the citizens of the Valley to suffer the same fate as his people. Their warning could save hundreds and could prepare the Furious Five, and who ever else fought, for battle. For this purpose, he was not lost. Yet the ghostly tiger had called him by his nickname, Mishi. Lost. Why? Tai didn't feel completely lost right now. He had found friends and another acquaintance. People here didn't know him as their prince or the son of their ruler, so they treated him as equal. Equality was something he had lost out on during his stay. No friends until Shang and later Mei. Yet now they were together, closer than he could have ever imagined. Was that what his ancestor – he really needed to find out his name – was trying to tell him? Did he need to find love? A mirthless laugher escaped from his mouth. He was fooling himself. Mei turned around, a concerned expression on her face.
"What was that?" she asked.
Tai composed himself.
"Nothing."
Mei was clearly unconvinced.
"Really? Because I don't think it was 'nothing.'"
Tai couldn't meet the clouded leopards piercing gaze.
"I'll tell you later. Maybe." Tai didn't want to have Mei worrying about him. It wasn't fair to her. This was something Tai wanted to figure out by himself. Wi broke out in song suddenly. Shang joined her, knowing the song as it was widely used throughout the military of any sort. Both weren't the best singers, so their raucous voices drowned out any serenity the forest previously had. The chorus was catchy though, and Tai found himself calling out the echo. It was a rowdy song about the life of a foot soldier during a siege, filled with curse words and questionable phrases. A song meant for the barracks.
"I can't believe my father knew you sung that," said Tai as soon as it finished.
Shang glanced back, winking at Tai.
"I can. He sung it with us too!"
"No he didn't. He wasn't like that."
"You would be surprised. He is a good ruler, your father. I hope we can get him back."
Tai solemnly agreed. Mei spoke up also.
"Did the women soldiers sing it as well?"
"Louder than any of the guys. We had a hell of a time in those barracks."
The porcupine cut in.
"Sorry to end your army flashbacks, but currently, we've got a much larger problem at hand."
Just as quickly as the conversation had started, it stopped. They were met with a fork in the road.
"Classic," said Tai. "A group of travelers met with a fork in the road. Which path do they choose to follow? One will lead them astray, the other in the right direction."
"Seems to happen a lot in books," said Mei. "And they always seem to choose the wrong one. Gives the book spice."
Shang was bewildered. All he ever had read in the short period of time he had been in library with Tai was text books.
"Stories? On paper?"
"Yes. Instead of your buddy telling you it, you would just read it from the book."
Shang shook his head in disbelief.
"Never would have thought about doing that. Is that why people write journals?"
Tai was studying the roads, so Mei answered for him.
"In a sense, yes."
The porcupine rubbed her chin. She was the guide and she was supposed to know where to go but she had never run into this when she had come through here before. It looks fairly new.
"I remember going left, but there was no left. A single road was all there was. Somebody's split the road."
"When you reached here, what direction do you remember traveling?" asked Mei. As a fellow traveler, she knew a good deal about direction and location.
Wi pointed toward the road on the left, they she had said before.
"Then let's go that way."
With no arguments they started forward.
"I'm afraid y' can't go that way."
A tall crocodile stepped out behind a tree. He held a wicked looking sword in one hand.
Shang took the lead this time, his military training kicking in. Tai noticed Mei take a ready stance.
Such irony that the two who are in love are the ones who can truly fight, thought Tai. I'm not sure about Wi's fighting capabilities.
"Why not?" Shang said, his voice low, coming out almost as a growl.
The crocodile leaned the against the tree.
"'Cause I says so. Now, drop yo'r weapons like a good kitty and put your paws in th' air."
"Make me." This time, it was a growl. Shang moved his knives into a ready stance. Robbers, bandits, mercenaries, it didn't matter to Shang. Nothing would stop him.
"Tut tut. I think we'll have t' teach y' a lesson. Boys?"
More crocodiles stepped out from behind the trees. They were surrounded! Shang lowered himself, ready to pounce. Mei had drawn the silver dagger. Wi, to Tai's surprised, put the staff out in front of her and looked around coolly at the thugs. Tai was frozen in fear, the only part of his body moving was his crooked tail. The leader of the crocodile made a slight nod and one crocodile moved into with a spear. Mei was a blur and she landed on the spear head, driving it into the ground. She flew through the air, twisted once and landed facing forward on the crocodile's shoulders. The bandit collapsed from the sudden weight. As he fell forward, Mei lashed out with her palm. The crocodile's head snapped backwards and the spinal cord was broken. Mei took a deep breath to calm herself from the kill. A shout of rage emanated from the leader's throat. A full onslaught was next. From every direction, attackers came at them. They couldn't let any of them reach Tai, if they didn't, the pacifist tiger wouldn't fight back and they could use him as a hostage.
"Form on Tai," he shouted, rushing to Tai's side. He was a bit too slow and a bear bulled him over. Shang wasted no time with finesse and let his knife blade introduce itself to the bear's throat. A spray of warm blood blasted itself on Shang's face. He wiped way the gore with his paw and started to run again to Tai. He could see the brown-orange eyes, the pupils wide, and the tiger's body trembling. Again Shang was slowed. Two pigs came from the sides. They dodged the swipes of Shang's knife with agility Shang didn't think pigs had. A roundhouse kick connected with the Golden cat's jaw. He caught a glimpse of Wi working wonders with her staff, batting animals on the head left and right. Mei was like a deadly ballerina, moving effortlessly, making the cleanest kills using her kung fu. Shang was rudimentary in the martial art, but he knew enough to let him survive long enough with a master before backup came. The pigs attacked again. He really did not have time for this. The swine worked well together, making it difficult for Shang to fight efficiently. At last an opening came, and Shang lunged with his knife. The pig had an evil glint in its eye. It clasped the flat ends of the blade and pulled Shang forward. It head butted Shang as he was throw forward. Stars appeared in his vision, but he shook them away. A cry of surprise burst from Mei as she was tackled from above. The heavy weight of the ox restrained her. A leopard rushed over to help hold her down. A stunning blow was given to Mei. They wanted them alive! With Mei out, they came at Shang. Four against one were not good odds. Shang called for Wi desperately. The porcupine didn't answer. He cast a glance at Tai. He was just in time to see the crocodile leader pounce on Tai, knocking him to the ground. The crocodile sat on Tai, holding the sword up.
"I'd stop if I were y'," he said smugly. He knew he had won.
The sight of an enemy sword made Tai freeze. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. He saw Mei kill the other crocodile. He saw the spray of blood from the bear and almost vomited. He witnessed Wi fending for herself spectacularly. And, to Tai's growing horror, he saw the leader advancing on him slowly. His gaze was locked onto the crocodile, still unable to move. He no long saw what was around him, just this new, imposing enemy. A slight burn at the back of Tai's mind began to bug him. Finally, the bandit leader knocked him down and he found himself staring up at the self-satisfied reptilian face. He twisted his head. He saw Wi being beat down. Again, the burning sensation grew. He ignored it. He looked over at Mei, her limp body lay on the ground. Had they killed her? The burning sensation became like fire. He felt himself slowly being pulled toward it. He felt his sight getting sharper, but he didn't see clearly. His senses heightened, but he couldn't seem to use them. A quiet shout seemed to grow from the back of his mind within the smoldering feeling. Tai was very conscious about this right now. Now, a groan from Shang as he was beat down. The butts of swords and spears bruised the Golden cat's body, bringing him to the ground. Even when he was clearly subdued, they continued on. A sudden feeling of molten iron coursing through his veins rocked Tai. A quiet shout turned into a thunderous roar, from his own mouth. Everybody froze. The crocodile sneered and brought the blade own. It was like Tai wasn't controlling his body. His paw came up with a strength he had never felt before, yet he wasn't in control. He fought against whatever controlled him now. It welcomed him though, pulling him closer. He remembered how his ancestor told him to fight. He didn't know how to fight so he stopped. He stood his ground. The temptation was great, to delve into this, but he couldn't. A voice of fire howled through his mind.
Why do you stop yourself? They have hurt your only friends, do something.
Tai was taken aback. It was his own voice that spoke to him. Would he really argue against himself? Tai felt his arm start to weaken. The sword descended slowly toward his throat. Was the bandit leader really going to win?
No!
Tai felt like he had lost all connection with himself and his pupils narrowed. His mouth split in a toothy grin. Instincts of killing seemed to lodge themselves in his mind. He wasn't weak like his prey in front of him. He was a predator!
With an unearthly roar, Tai freed his other hand and gripped the elbow the leader. He pulled with one arm while pushing the crocodile's wrist back in the other direction. The arm snapped like a twig. The jagged end of the now broken bone appeared from the now useless arm. A scream erupted from the jaws of the crocodile. Anger and pain twisted his face. The goons of the crocodile were still frozen; no one had ever done that to their boss.
"I'm gonna kill y'," spat the crocodile through clenched teeth.
Nothing but a growl came from Tai. He lurched upward and bit deeply into the throat of crocodile. He pulled, letting the flesh and windpipe stay in his mouth. A small piece of Tai was horrified that he had just done that. He swallowed the grisly meat, leaving his mouth ruby red. Revulsion suddenly ran through his mind. A shell of himself still was there, yet the feeling lost itself in the lust of battle. Tai, in his predator like state, kept on his four legs. He snarled at the seven who now still surround them. They blanched and started to run. But Tai was too fast for them. He jumped up and grabbed the chin of one, pulling it back with such force, it almost was ripped off. An unfortunate leopard got within his grasp. He grabbed the flailing limbs of the leopard. The leopard gave off a scream before the teeth and claws even cut his skin. Tai clawed his face and turned to the bear that had dared to grab a weapon. The rest had fled like the cowards they were and here was the final kill. Tai grinned, blood dripping from his now crimson fangs. The bear swung with his fallen leader's sword. The bear swung slowly. His last mistake. Tai crouched low so the blade whooshed safely over his head. He jumped on the bear, knocking him to the ground. He bit down onto the face of the bear, ripping off its nose, exposing the bone. Blood oozed out and down into the opening the tear had left. The lifeblood trickled down the throat and started congealing, effectively choking the bear also. Tai bit down once more and twisted his head. As he did so, he saw Shang's frightened stare. The feeling of being clubbed on the head made Tai clench his teeth. The piece of Tai that still cowered in the back ventured out. It pushed back the molten iron like feeling, sweeping it away like an autumn storm does to loose leaves. Yet it didn't go easily, it fought back and another splitting headache made him bring his right paw up to his head. He saw the tattoo on his hand. A blinding flash seemingly came from the tattoo and his head was cleared. No longer did the burning sensation that made him go berserk have control. He collapsed to the ground panting. He saw the blood stained grass and the macabre corpses.
"I did this," he whispered, terrified at his own deeds. He had massacred fellow animals. Big, fat tears blurred his vision. He let them fall freely. Shang inched closer to Tai, but decided to help the others first. Tai needed to let this get out. A broken cry of anguish tore from Tai and he screamed up at the sky.
"Is this what you had in store for me, Senlin-Mu? To learn that I am a monster?"
Shang had made his way to Mei. Raindrops hit his head. Dark, ominous clouds had rolled in. Lightning flashed within the clouds. Thunder reported back, its deep bass sound reaching everybody. Mei stirred. Shang was thankful. Whoever hit her didn't hit her hard enough. He helped her up. Mei finally got out of her stupor and looked around with wide eyes.
"What happened?" she asked, afraid of the answer.
"Something happened to Tai," he said back, quietly so the tiger wouldn't hear them.
She leaned in Shang's shoulder to hide herself from the scene. For the first time, these words escaped her mouth.
"I'm scared."
Shang let his head rest on hers.
"Why?"
"I'm scared for Tai. He truly is as his name says: mishi. I am scared that he doesn't find the answer and is lost forever, a shell of what we used to know."
Tai let himself curl up into a ball. For the first time, he cursed aloud.
"To hell with you, Dragons. You haven't helped me."
A voice echoed through Tai's mind.
"Peace cub! You do not know what still lies ahead. Senlin-Mu did not plan for this to happen. An ancient curse has reared its ugly head, young one."
"Who are you…?"
"You may call me Xiaofang, Dragon of Fire. Our condolences to you. You have just dealt with a most horrific of a curse, set back long ago. My advice to you, young one, is to talk to Wi. Show her your tattooed paw. I think she will have to answer. Do not doubt us, cub. You are not truly lost, just need to be found."
Then, Xiaofang did something Tai didn't think anybody could do. A warmth blossomed inside his chest and he felt peace. How could peace come from the Dragon of Fire? Yet here it was.
"I am sorry."
"It is wrong what you said, but understandable. Young one, if you ever feel the ancient curse coming on again, look at the tattoo Li gave you."
"Li?"
"His name shall be made known to you when you talk to Wi. Luck be with you. And let your mind be at peace!"
With the final word of peace, a fire went through Tai's mind. Yet it was a cleansing fire. It calmed him, steadied his limbs, and swept away the haunting remains of the curse back into the farthest recesses of his mind. He took a deep breath and got up.
"Thank you, Xiaofang. Thank you, Senlin-Mu."
Tai sat at a small campfire, his cloak pulled over his head to stop the stray raindrops from getting his head wet. The flames sputtered and flickered in and out, yet Mei kept them alive. Wi rubbed her head, a slight headache had blossomed and refused to go away. They had erected a makeshift shelter for the night. Nobody had wanted to move from that position. Undertaking the gruesome task alone, Tai had moved each of the bodies to the river. He felt a certain responsibility to do it. He didn't know why. He wrapped the cloak around his body tighter. He shivered as he caught sight of his paws. Dried blood caked his fur. Tai still hadn't been able to wash off the blood. He could still taste the metallic flavor of blood that now stained his fangs and teeth. He hated himself for what he had done. To let whatever that was that had overtaken him to do so. He vowed to never let it happen again, but both that one ancestor, Xiaofang, and Senlin-Mu both seemed to doubt it. He looked over at Mei, then at Shang. Neither of them had spoken to him since. Were they afraid of him now? He didn't want that. It would be like going back to isolation again. A flash of lightning struck the earth somewhere and it lit up the forest like the sun. The thunder followed shortly afterward, seeming to shake the forest. Tai had yet to talk to Wi. He risked a glance at his right paw. The red tattoo glimmered. He hoped that this would truly help him keep the curse at bay. Soon or later, hopefully never, it would consume him and he would be lost in it forever.
"So, what happened?" ask Wi. "I seem to have missed it. The blasted thugs knocked me hard."
Nobody spoke. Wi glared at them each, trying to get one of them to break and tell her. An answer was still to be said. Wi noticed the red splotches on Tai's paws.
"You could've have fought them! From what Mei told me, you don't fight."
Tai looked sadly up, his face downcast.
"I did," he said simply.
"What happened?"
Mei and Shang looked up sharply, they too wanted this answer. What had happened?
Tai took a deep breath and let it out with an exaggerated sigh. He wrung his paws together.
"What happened?" repeated Wi.
Tai bit his lip. What would they think of him when he told them? Would they think him a monster? They wouldn't, would they? They were his friends and knew who he truly was. But still…it was better to tell them slowly.
Show them your paw.
The voice of Senlin-Mu blew away all other thoughts. Involuntarily, Tai lifted his tattooed paw. Shang squinted his eyes and Mei leaned in to see what Tai was trying to show them. The red ink reflected the firelight, giving it a halo.
"What is it?" asked Mei. "Never saw that on you before? When did you get it?"
Tai withdrew his paw from their view. Wi looked thoughtfully up at the sky. Tai rubbed it consciously, a bit ashamed for showing it to them.
"About a night or two ago. Remember when I said I was going to watch the stars, well, I did and this happened. Ancestors and stuff."
"Why do you have the mark of Gu-Yi on your paw?" asked Wi, her voice was grave with no trace of the usual mischief. "You do know what Gu-Yi is, right?"
Tai shook his head.
"I can't say I do."
"Then why is it tattooed on your paw?"
"I met an old tiger ghost and he helped me up. I felt a sharp sting on my paw and this is what I saw. I have yet to figure out what it means and how is has any correlation to what happened with the bandits!"
Tai's voice had elevated near the end of his sentence. He was stressed out about this suddenly.
"Gu-Yi means Ancient One. They were the first of our kind and were entirely different. I think now I know how you did what you did. I'm afraid Tai you have been cursed with it."
"What is Gu-Yi?" asked Shang, curious. Shang was interested in this, but he was also wary. He had witnessed first had what had happened when Tai had "succumbed" to this thing; Gu-Yi or whatever it was called.
"It's best told in story and that will tell you everything you need to know and I will enlighten you on the rest," said Wi. "This is not a light topic, so please pay attention."
"Long ago, and I mean long ago, the dragons and the Jade Emperor reigned in the Heavens - they still do. The dragons played amongst themselves and the Emperor sat on his throne and watched everything. All was well. One day, a certain adventurous dragon ventured down below the mist. She discovered a flat, dark, shapeless land. Her name was Diqiu. Immediately she called her friends down to see the land for themselves. The other dragons above didn't follow. They were too busy playing among the mists and the large oceans that encompassed the Heavens. Down these five dragons went. It was very boring, but they wanted to make this a new place. It was like their sandbox and they could do whatever they wanted. The Jade Emperor found about their desires and acknowledged it. He allowed them to do it and granted each of them a Gift. With these, they flew back to the new land. The first dragon, his name was Xiaofang, opened the Gift. His scales suddenly turned a fiery red and a burning yellow. Light flooded into the land. They could see just black and white shapes floating in the nothing. The second dragon opened her gift. This was Diqiu and she was changed to a lush green and an earthly brown. She made land and gave it shape. The third dragon opened its gift. His body was turned obsidian black and dull silver. He placed metal's throughout the new land. The new dragon of metal called himself Jinshu. The last two dragons, Senlin-Mu and Shui opened their Gifts together and they were intertwined. Senlin-Mu created life, vegetation on the new land and Shui watered the plants, giving them life. Without one, there is none. Without the other, it is meaningless. The new place was a good land. It was paradise. Mountains and valleys, hills and plains stretched from end to end. Trees, grass, and flowers flourished. They began to tweak with the land. Weather was introduced and night and day. Xiaofang brought fire and Jinshu brought great statues of metal. It was perfect, but for whom? Certainly not them. They ruled over this place and what fun was it to live in a place no one else could enjoy. The next century, they planned what to do next. Finally, they did so. Our species and many others erupted from the ground, the waters, the metals, and the trees. The new creatures explored the land. They liked it and it was perfect. But, a major mistake had been made when they were creating these. Some were made differently and these attacked others. It became a predator and prey world. No civilization flourished. Violence and the need to kill and survive was all that was left. They disregarded ideas and soon became completely wild, void of all thoughts except from the very basic. The Five Dragons did not like this, but they loved their creation. They decided to fix this. They again implanted ideas, but firmly into the minds of these wild ancestors. A generation passed and small civilizations arose. Animals began to experiment and our lives grew to be great. We lived in harmony and the old ways had been forgotten, or so it seemed.
"It was a while before these past thoughts came back to haunt these new animals. One time, a royal caravan was walking through the mountains. Guards were few because no real threat was there. Suddenly, out bounded many wild beasts. The animals among the caravan recognized a few and cried out in alarm. They killed without mercy. Shouts of despair reached the Dragons and they cast a watchful eye over to them. They were shocked. The past thoughts had come back to control their creation again. They could do nothing but kill them. Slowly, they died. All but one. They spared the tiger for one reason alone. As he was about to crush its next victim, the female tiger, she called out his name. Li. He froze. Something was triggered in his mind. He fell back in horror. His face was contorted with pain and agony. Sweat beaded on his brow and finally he collapsed on the ground. The Dragons saw his defiance to the old thoughts and watch him. When he awoke, he was ashamed of his dreadful deeds. Yet when he told of what happened, they forgave him. That night, the Dragons visited him. He had done wrong, even if he had been under the influence of the old ways. They marked him, the symbol of Gu-Yi on his paw in blood red ink. A reminder of the atrocities he had committed. They also placed a blessing on it. If he should succumb again, he would just have to look at that and it would heal him. Again, the Dragons forgot one thing though. His descendants, they would be cursed with this too. He had children and he called his clan the Shandian clan or lightning for how Gu-Yi descends like lightning among them and how they must be like lightning to fight back. Most children in the Shandian clan received the curse and in the year Li felt right, he would come down and give them the blessing of the Gu-Yi tattoo, or the Peace mark."
The three felines were silent. Tai was part of the Shandian clan and he had just experienced the awful curse of Gu-Yi. Mei felt even more pity for Tai. Shang grimaced. Tai needed to be taught to somehow control this. He knew Tai didn't like killing or any form of violence, but if something like that made his snap, he would wreak havoc. Tai didn't think or say anything. He just stared at the Peace mark. Was this the surprise Senlin-Mu had been talking about? That he had the tattoo that would help him? His orange-brown eyes shone in the dark as he looked up at the stars. Tai was sure they were twinkling back at him in sadness.
"My father never mentioned anything like this to me," said Tai after a long moment of silence. "Do you think he has it? The tattoo and Gu-Yi?"
Wi looked up.
"No doubt. He must have hidden the mark well for no one to notice."
"Why do you think he didn't tell me?"
"That's a question you'll have to ask him yourself. How could I know?"
"I don't know. I just hoped you might have had an idea."
Wi clapped her paws together.
"I say its time to get some sleep. We need to have watches tonight, who knows what can happen."
"I'll take first watch," said Shang.
"If you don't mind, Shang, I would like to take it," said Tai quietly.
"Oh, sure. Go ahead."
"Thanks."
Shang nodded and lay down. The fire popped and crackled happily as the porcupine put in another log. She lay down and covered herself with a blanket. Wi caught sight of Mei and Shang together.
"Can you believe that," she muttered and was out like a rock. Soon, both the clouded leopard and Golden cat were asleep, dreaming of each other, leaving Tai to his own devices. He washed off the blood finally with water and scrubbed his teeth with a piece of bark. The taste of blood was faint now, but manageable. The faces of the animals he had killed flashed in front of his eyes. He focused on the flames, trying to rid himself of the cries of agony that burst from their mouths. The fire danced in front of him still, mesmerizing him at last. The dark memories retreated and left Tai to stare at the fire. A twig snapped in the bush behind him. Tai whirled. He was met with a massive figured swinging a club. The firelight was suddenly extinguished and stars exploded in front of his eyes. He felt dizzy and collapsed. Darkness enveloped him and the last thing he saw was the studded boots of the bandits that had escaped.