Here's chapter 5 :D
(This chapter will start a little different) ;)
Somewhere in the high Xue Mountains a snow leopard, covered in grey fur with some dark spots and muscular arms, walked back and forth, staring at the window looking to the in snow covered landscapes waiting for is right hand to come and tell if his plans were working.
After a few minutes another snow leopard, he was a little smaller and had no spots, came running in and bowing while saying; "master".
"Ah, there you are Lin and how did the plan go?" he asked still walking around.
"Well, uhm… something… unexpected happened" Lin said a little scared of his boss.
"What!" the leader screamed while grasping Lin's throat and lifting him of the ground.
The poor little captain of the army could only look at the big yellow eyes of his boss, which were filled with rage, and the leader looking right into Lin's blue eyes, which were scared to the dead.
"What went wrong" the leader demanded saying the words slowly and threatening while putting the commander down again.
"W-we just discovered t-that not all the p-people of the Zhen village w-were eliminated" he managed to say while stuttering with many words.
The leader was shocked at that, "go! I need time to think" was the only thing he said. While stumbling over his own words Lin said one last 'thank you' and ran out of the room, almost falling over his own feet.
"So they are not all dead…Hmm... Shawn!" the leader called his messenger.
"Y-yes master Bao?" asked a cheetah, which had golden fur with brown spots under his arms.
"Send a message to the remainders of Shen's army and every dangerous group in the country and tell them that I need them for my own army." Bao said in a calmer voice.
"I'm already on my way" the cheetah answered running to deliver the message, which would take a while.
The leader, Bao, begin to walk again looking at the mountains, while thinking; no matter what, my plan will succeed.
Rue and the warriors walked towards the Hall of Warriors seeing master Shifu sitting and meditating at the moon pool with the candles on, although it was the middle of the day.
While they entered the hall Shifu's ears began to twitch.
"Uh… master Shifu? The mission went well but the bandits run away" Monkey said.
"That's not so bad at least they won't return but who did you brought with you?" he asked still having his back towards the warriors and Rue.
"Wow… how did you know that? Do you have some kind of grandmaster super power or do you-…" Po's words came out all at the same time in a lot of excitement.
"No Po, I just now none of you carries a staff with them when they walk."
"How did- Rue started but was interrupted by Shifu who knew the question already and answered; "I could here it when you walked".
The red panda now turned around, walking towards them and asking; "so as I asked before, who have you brought with you?"
"This is Rue, she helped us defeating the bandits and we wanted to ask if she could stay here a couple days" Viper answered for the tiger.
Then Shifu saw her eyes, "Is she-?" the master began to ask but was interrupted by al seven who were saying (all at the same time) –blind? Yeah."
After he cleared his throat he continued, "well, I suppose that question was asked more times in your live?"
"Yes, a lot" Rue answered.
"Well, then I have one question; can she be trusted?"
At this question the six warriors all exchanged not-knowing glances with each other until Rue answered for them.
"Well I just met them, so I don't think they fully trust me" she said while looking a little shy at the ground.
The grandmaster sighed one time before saying, "very well but if she makes one wrong move, she has to go".
"Yes master" the six warriors said while Rue thanked him.
"Well, let's go show you your room" Po said excited (he was almost the only one who trusted the tiger fully) and walking to the barracks.
"And watch out for that pole" Monkey said chuckling and making Mantis burst out in laughter while walked with Po and Rue.
"I can see that pole" Rue replied while growling.
While the master didn't understand what was going on, Crane, Tigress and Viper stayed behind.
"Do you really think we can trust her?" Tigress asked.
"Well, I think we can" Viper replied.
"Let's wait for a couple days before we decide a judgment" master Shifu suggested.
"I think I'll go with master, we just met her" Crane said while walking after them.
"Come Tigress" Viper said while slithering towards the barracks.
"Coming" the tiger muttered while walking after her, leaving master Shifu meditating again.
When the three warriors arrived at the barracks they saw that Po, Monkey and Mantis were already sitting in the kitchen eating Po's noodles.
"Where is Rue?" Viper asked.
"Looking around in her new room" Monkey answered.
"Who says that it is not just a temporary room" Tigress said under her breath.
"What's wrong Tigress?" Po asked seeing she was troubled.
"Nothing, I just don't know if we can trust this girl".
"Me to, I mean she just suddenly appears and asks if she can stay" Mantis said.
"But she helped us and I think we really can trust her" Viper said, joining in the conversation.
"Yeah, I also think that guys" Po said in his, almost always, friendly tone.
Meanwhile Rue was looking around in her room, which was just like the others, she dropped her backpack and then heard the conversation between the masters, she looked down but then immediately up again whispering to herself; I will show them that I can be trusted.
With that she stood up, grabbed her staff and walked towards the barracks kitchen. When the others saw her standing in the door they immediately stopped the discussion and looked at her with a little shock.
Po, who couldn't feel the awkwardness in the situation, asked if she wanted some food.
"Yes, thank you" the tiger simply replied while sitting down at the table.
After a long silence Mantis tried to start an conversation.
"So, Rue, the bandits seemed to know you, how so?" He asked.
"I had met them when I was five and fifteen years old".
"And have you fought them?"
"Yes".
"Did you win?" Monkey asked now also interested.
"Well, not when I was five but when I was fifteen I did"
"So what happened when you was five?" Viper asked.
"I run away and hide myself in a cave where I lift for seven years and then started travelling when I was twelve".
"Wait! Why did you meet them when you where only five?" Po asked while placing a bole of soup in front of her.
"I run away from the orphan camp when I was four" Rue said, a little to fast for the others, while eating a little bit from her noodle soup. "This is great!"
"Thanks" Po said happy that his new friend liked his soup.
"But why did you run away?" Mantis asked turning to the point again.
"I-I was hated there I didn't w-want to stay there".
"And why did you meet them again when you was fifteen?" Viper asked seeing the tiger was stumbling over her words.
"They where attacking the orphan camp".
At that answer the others fell silent, Rue who noticed the sudden silence, quickly said; "but I defeated them and eventually became friends with the children and care takers."
"So you didn't even had a scratch?" Po asked excited.
"Well not exactly, they gave me a deep cut on my left side (twice). It's now healed into a scar that rans from my hip till the middle of my leg" she said.
Rue, who had now already finished her soup, looked at them asking herself what she said and then asked; "did I do something wrong?"
"It's that scar" Crane said.
"Let's say it sounds pretty painful" Monkey said.
"Well, it's not that bad" Rue replied.
"Guys it's getting late, I think we should go to bed" Viper suggested.
The seven warriors stood up and walked towards their rooms, closing the doors and going to sleep.
The next day the gong rang, as usual, and the five warriors were standing for their doors saying all at the same time; "good morning master".
While the master greeted them back, Po came stumbling out of his room saying the same thing, master Shifu was already used to the panda and for this time he shook it off.
"Po can you wake our guest?" the master asked while pointing at the room from Rue.
"Sure" Po replied while walking to her room opening the door, only to see that she was not there.
"Uhm, she is not here" he said unsure.
"What? Where did she go?" Viper asked.
After she asked that, Shifu's ears picked up sounds from the training hall.
"Come with me" he said walking towards the sound.
As the seven masters walked the sounds became louder and when they opened the doors of the training hall they good see Rue training on the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion avoiding the swinging clubs with her staff and holding her balance on the rotating bottom.
When she noticed the others she stopped and leaped of the machine greeting the masters with a bow.
"Good morning" she said but became unsure when she saw the shocked expressions of Monkey, Po and Mantis, "did I do something wrong?"
"No we just didn't expected you do be here" Viper answered.
"Where did you learn to train like that?" master Shifu asked, interested in her training.
"Well, actually I had read some scrolls about the defend tactics and so I started training myself."
"Well I would like to see that, do you mind to spar with the masters?"
"A-all of them? B-but master Shifu I'm not ready for that!" Rue replied a little panicking.
"Don't worry you only have to spar with them, let's begin" he said while walking to the Training Hall's courtyard and the six warriors (+ Rue) following him.
Rue's first opponent was Po, Viper could see she was really nervous about fighting the master and reassured her by yelling from the sideline that she would be okay.
As soon as Shifu yelled 'start' Po charged at her aiming a punch at her face, his first mistake, Rue put two fingers on the ground at with lightning speed she blocked his fist with her staff while kicking him in the abdomen.
Po fell on his back but stood up again jumping over her and punching her in the back, Rue stumbled a bit but managed to regain balance and swipe his under him with her staff.
When Po stumbled to get up, Rue rushed forward pinning him to the ground, she had won.
She helped him getting up while saying; "sorry are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine you have won well" Po said in a happy tone.
Her next opponent was Viper who was surprised, like everyone else, she had won from Po so easily.
When Shifu yelled 'start' Viper first waited for a few seconds and then suddenly aimed a strike at her legs making Rue trip.
The tiger stood up deflecting another strike from her and aiming a punch herself but Viper saw this coming and blocked it with tail, then rolled herself around her arm and tried to let Rue punch herself in the face.
Rue managed to hold her own arm in control, then shaking the snake off and giving her a knock with her staff, taking Viper by surprise she managed to send her back a few steps from herself. Viper got up and was about to strike her when Rue already had put her hand on the ground and blocked her attack. Then she punched the snake and won the match.
"Well, done Rue" Viper said with a huge smile on her face, happy for her new friend.
"T-thank you master Viper" she replied.
"You don't have to call me master" the snake whispered while slithering towards the sideline.
The third one was Mantis this fight was hard to follow, even for a trained eye.
Mantis was one green blur and Rue an orange one, they were both very fast aiming punches and kicks at each other while also defending their selves. The sparring match ended with Mantis kicking the tiger at the ribs and then swung her legs under her letting her fall on her back, Mantis had won.
Mantis stood on her shoulder saying; "Good match".
Next was Monkey, the primate also used his staff in the battle.
'Start', when the word was said Monkey swung at Rue with his staff aiming for her face, he hit her knocking her over but the stood up again and now swung at Monkey's legs knocking them from under him.
The primate charged at her aiming a punch to her abdomen, Rue knew this was coming and blocked his attack, put her hand on the ground and then jumped high in the air.
While everybody was shocked about the height of the jump, Rue landed on the ground, knocked him down with her staff and had won this match to.
While Rue helped him up they heard an excited gasp from Po; "she just almost jumped as high as the palace… Awesome!"
Now it was Crane's turn, the master said 'start' again and the match began. The avian immediately gave a huge blow with his wings knocking the tiger into a tree, luckily she regained fast and charged towards him delivering a knock with her staff to his legs.
This caught him of guard so he stumbled a bit.
Before Rue could deliver another punch he flew up in the air.
The tiger looked around, hopeless searching for the master and after putting her fingers on the ground because she couldn't feel him with her staff she new he was no longer on the ground.
She looked up to the sky (of course seeing nothing) but felt something like a storm coming towards her, Crane knocked the tiger over with his 'wings of justice' technique sending flying into a nearby tree and won the sparring match.
Rue put two fingers on the ground and stood up, while he grabbed her staff and gave it to her "good air attack" the tiger complimented him.
"Good, Rue now if you don't mind you have to fight the next match without your staff" Shifu said interested about how she could fight without it. While Po, Viper, Monkey, Crane and Mantis exchanged worried glances and Tigress thought this is going to be fun, Rue managed to stutter, "o-okay m-master".
Her last opponent was Tigress when 'start' was heard Tigress rushed forward ready to deliver a punch to her jaw, unfortunately for Tigress, Rue had been practicing to feel vibrations with her feet too, so as soon as Tigress was a few steps away, Rue jumped and delivered a round-house kick to her chest. Tigress soon recovered and charged at her again.
"Are you sure about this master?" Viper asked (whispering) worried about her two friends.
"Yes I am" Shifu replied.
Meanwhile the match was still going on the two delivering punches and kicks and avoiding from on another, Tigress was a little stronger but Rue was a little faster, unfortunately for Rue, Tigress remembered that she didn't know all the fighting tactics and charged at her opponent aiming right for her face.
After the kick connected, Rue was send flying into a rock, missing her staff she had to put her hand on the ground but was to late because Tigress already kicked her in the chest.
"What's you problem?" Rue whispered knowing she was now really fighting her.
"You!" Tigress replied delivering a round-house to her jaw.
"Why?"
"I don't even now if we can trust you!"
"I'm telling you I'm on you're side!"
Rue, who was now trying to fight back, recovered and kicked her feet from under her, then waited until she stood up again and punched her in the face.
Soon Tigress stood again, running into a tree, Rue looked around trying to hear her but when she failed with that she put her two fingers on the ground.
"I can still feel you when you're in a tree" she said in a teasing tone, now knowing where Tigress was.
The tiger jumped out knocking Rue into a tree, "You're just a stupid little blind girl".
At that comment something snapped in Rue, "I'm… not… STUPID!" she screamed jumping from the tree while deliver a series of punches to Tigress jaw and chest.
"Oh no" Viper whispered while looking at the fight.
Tigress fought back giving a strong blow to her head knocking her on her back, while walking towards her thinking she was down, Rue suddenly jumped up and kicked her in the chest again sending her backwards, the two were about to hit each other again when they heard master Shifu's voice; "enough!"
"This is a sparring match, not a fight! Tigress I expect from you that you know that and you Rue, one more mistake and you have to leave!" he said while walking away again.
After they watched there master walk away the others turned towards the wounded felines.
"Are you guys okay?" Viper asked worried.
"I'm perfectly fine", both the felines muttered at the same, when they noticed they had said it at the same time they growled at each other and then looked away.
"Are you sure?" Po asked.
"I'm fine!" they both screamed at the same time, growled again and then looked away.
"Maybe we need to check on you?" Viper said.
"No, you don't have to" Tigress replied while wiping some blood away from the corner of her mound.
"But Tigress, look at your face! It's full of bruises and you even have a blue eye!" Monkey yelled, never had seeing his friend so beaten up.
"And Rue you have to look at you left leg" Crane said.
"Why?" Rue asked but when she looked at her leg she saw it, her bone was coming out.
"Ow, it's probably broken" she said in a calm voice. Hm... That's why I felt so much pain she thought.
"How can you stay so calm! It looks so painful" Po screamed, while couldn't even look at her leg without feeling the pain.
"You have to go to the medical room" Viper said again worried about her friends.
"Fine" the two muttered.
"Can you guys read minds or something?" Mantis asked.
"What!" both screamed.
"Well, you're constantly saying things at the same time".
"No I can't read minds" the two said again while growling at each other.
"Will you go to the medical room now!" Viper said losing her patience.
"I'm going!" the felines said again.
Tigress stood up while grasping her side in pain and walking towards the room with a bleeding face, Rue then tried to stand up but her bone only came more out of her leg. While the others looked away, feeling her pain which you could read on their faces, Rue sat down again.
"Do you need help?" Viper asked, looking back again, when she saw the tiger wanted to push the bone back again she screamed; "Are you crazy!"
"What?" the tiger replied shocked.
"You can't push it back in there, you have to go to the medical room!"
"But I can't walk!"
"Then I'll carry you" Po suggested
"No way!"
After she screamed that she tried to stand up but fell down again. Next try she grabbed her staff and tried to push herself up with it but failed again.
After a long sigh she gave in; "fine, I need help".
After Po had picked her up, with some help of monkey and crane, they walked to the medical room (followed by the others).
When they arrived at the medical room they could see Tigress, who had bandages around her middle, one or two bruised ribs and a blue eye.
And after they layed down then Rue, who had to grab something or else she would have cried it out when they fixed her bone, the could see she had a broken leg, a bruised wrist and also a blue eye.
"You guys look horrible" Mantis said, only to deserve angry glances from the felines and a knock on the head from Viper.
While the insect rubbed his sore head, the others asked when the tigers could go back to their rooms in the barracks.
"They have to stay here for one night but then can go home" the nurse said.
"Thank you" Viper replied.
"Well it's getting late and we should go, see you guys tomorrow" Crane said while walking away followed by the others.
After a few minutes of silence the two eventually looked at each other but soon looked away again, even when it was turning dark outside they still didn't look at each other.
"Why don't you trust me?" Rue finally managed to say.
"I just don't trust you" Tigress replied flatly
"Give me one good reason".
"I don't have to".
"Yes, you do".
"No I don't".
"Yes you do! You're the one that attacked me".
"I could have not fight back".
"Just tell me!"
"I don't know!"
"What did you say?"
"I-I don't know why I don't trust you, you just suddenly appears and it's all kind of weird".
"But do you trust me now?"
Tigress sighed before saying; "yes, I think so".
"Thank you! Finally, now couldn't you have decided that before the sparring match?" Rue asked in a little teasing tone.
Tigress growled at her; "don't push your luck, girl."
"Okay, okay."
"And I'm sorry for your leg."
"Y-you're sorry?"
"Yes".
"O-okay, I-I just didn't r-really expected that".
The two tigers talked a little longer, finally starting to know each other, and after the nurse checked one last time at them they fell asleep.
Well a least the two tigers are friends now ;)
And we've met the bad guy (pretty short introduce, I know)
P.S. Check out my deviantArt account, I've posted a drawing of Rue. (The link of my account is on my profile)