First of all. Many deep apologies. It has been forever, I know... But exams have just finished and even then assignments keep coming even though I have no idea what I am doing. I didn't do that well in my mid-years too, and my mom beat me. Ha ha ha, I still have the bruises too. But, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER!
"Ha ha! Sure fun scufflin' with them peasants, ay Chao?"
"Ye get that right, Dong. Can't wait tah git my paws on some of them valuables again, eh?"
A lone black wolf stood on top of a large rock while laughter erupted from a group of wolves a few feet from him beneath the night sky. A sign of a crescent moon with a vertical cut across it was etched on his shoulder plate. He wore a slightly armoured cloak, its black cape fluttering slightly in the evening wind. The suit was made for free movement, allowing the wearer to be agile and silent, yet reinforced enough with dark steel to guard from skilled attacks. The uniform of the feared Night Shadow Clan.
Ever since the disappearance of the protector of the Valley of Change, they had acted quickly. Taking advantage of the situation, the clan had assigned him to carry out this mission. Find it, and bring it to the clan. To their Master. The wolf growled as the group of wolves he was unfortunately assigned with exploded once more in guffaws and hollers. Of all the wolf classes in their clan, why was he assigned with the omijia class? He was chosen because he was the Bei ta. Smart. Quick. He understood why they gave him the omijias, higher classed wolves were much more within the clan, but why did the omijia have to be such imbeciles? Having enough, he turned his head around to glare at the guffawing expressions of the lower classed wolves.
"I understand you are all tired and hate to be out here in the cold," The Bei ta drawled lowly yet loud enough for everyone to hear. "But I swear that if I hear so much as a peep from any of you, I promise this will be the last night you'll ever have to endure!"
The whole group fell deathly. They were foolhardy and impudent, but they feared their leader. They knew better than to give him any more reason to have them all slaughtered that very night, as he very much could. Especially since things had been progressing less than well enough. He may not speak much, but it's always the quiet ones that one had to look for.
Dong, a light brown wolf, chuckled nervously. "Well, we have managed to do well, boss. I mean, we even caught a few exotics, right?" A small series of chuckles dispersed around the group.
The Bei ta growled at the wolf, immediately silencing him. "Managed well?" Dong audibly gulped. "As long as we don't have that relic, we are nowhere near managing well!" Roaring out the final words, the Bei ta snatched a dagger from his belt and forcefully threw it at the wolf that had spoken up. The knife closely grazed his cheek as it stuck onto the tree right behind him.
Dong swore that he saw his reflection and life flash before his eyes on the steel of that dagger.
Now all the wolves whimpered fearfully, most of them shuffling at least a couple of feet away from the angered Bei ta. Chao, a wolf with darker brown fur glared rebelliously toward their leader before smirking fiendishly. "The boss seems very frustrated, maybe we should give that girl we caught to help him vent, eh?" Chao suggested to one wolf, purposely making sure he was loud enough for everyone, including their leader, to hear, even as he pretended to be whispering. The wolf laughed with mirth until he saw the look their Bei ta was giving them. The black wolf continued to scowl at the two before turning around, his back facing them.
"Do whatever you want with the captives. I expect you all back at the camp before the midnight hour, is that understood?" When all he received was grumbling and muttering, he snarled loudly snapping his jaws viciously to get their attention. "Is that understood?" When he glanced back to see them all bobbing their head up and down and whimpering in affirmative and fear, he bared his teeth one more time before disappearing into the trees and vegetation, the night making him appear invisible in the shadows.
Chao groaned exasperatedly as he leaned back against a large boulder, closing his eyes. "What's his problem? He thinks just cos he's the Bei ta that he can boss us around… I'll show him," he grumbled. The wolf across him smirked. "Oh? And when will ya get to showing him anything at all?" Chao harrumphed with a confident air. "Well, let's just say that he best not show himself back hea' any time soon..."
"That's too bad, you may want to have your mind changed about that."
Chao's eyes snapped open. He didn't know anyone within the clan with that voice. Chao scrambled up and away just in time for the boulder he had been leaning against to be burst into dust and pebbles as a figure forcefully destroyed with an outstretched leg. The omijias all backed up nervously as the dust from the destroyed rock started to settle, revealing a rather large individual, clad in a dark cloak. Chao tried to keep himself together as he stared dumbfounded at the shattered rock pieces where he once sat. "W-who do you think you are?" he said, having recovered from his shock as he now stood at the offensive, baring his teeth at the stranger.
Tai Lung observed the wolves before him. They were dirty and unkempt. Most of them had tattered ears and stunk horribly. From experience, he could tell these wolves were of low ranking, most likely omijias. He couldn't help but scowl a bit. These imbeciles were the ones responsible for the damage in the valley? Tai Lung began to chuckle lowly, causing some of the wolves to grow nervous. Chao gulped before baring his teeth threateningly. "Hey, wha'chu laughing for, eh? Somethin' funny?" he growled.
Tai Lung stood loosely as he laughed quietly, his shoulders visibly trembling with a sort of eagerness. "Ah, nothing. Simply wondering what a group of dirty pups were doing out here so late and past their beauty sleep." Tai Lung's eyes glowed with a vile mirth.
The wolves snarled angrily at the stranger, all of them now taking offensive stances. Dong started making his way to Tai Lung. Gripping the knife he was nearly killed with that night, the wolf pointed the sharp tip at Tai Lung's chest menacingly. "Do you know who you're dealing with? Eh? We're the wolves of the Night Shadow Clan, so ya better start shoving back those words before we make ya."
Tai Lung narrowed his eyes at the knife then at the wolf holding it. The canine wasn't at all intimidating. Tai Lung was more than a head taller than the wolf, or any of the omijias. "Really? I was starting to thinking that you must have been some filthy dog missing his mother's milk."
The wolf's pupils turned into slits as he snarled loudly in anger. With a bark, he thrust the dagger forward. Tai Lung moved swiftly to side as the weapon went past him. He grabbed the blade's edge and quickly jabbed it backwards, right back into the wolf's face, knocking him unconscious. The rest of the wolves suddenly began moving in action as they started attacking Tai Lung all at once.
Smirking, Tai Lung dodged downwards as a wolf swung a club at him, only to hit his fellow wolf right in the face. Tai Lung gave a hard kick at a wolf's head. Hitting another with the back of his fist. Catching two fists coming either side of his face, Tai Lung pulled onto their arms and threw the punches right into the other's faces, knocking them both out. Tai Lung jumped back and did a backward flip as four wolves tried attacking him at once, injuring themselves instead. As he landed back onto the ground, Chao charged towards him, a sword raised as he roared in rage. Sidestepping out the weapon's way and momentarily blinding the wolf with his cloak, Tai Lung snatched the weapon out of the wolf's paws and then proceeded to use the hilt to knock the wolf right out of consciousness.
When Tai Lung no longer sensed anymore approaching enemies, he straightened himself up, letting the blade in his paw drop down to the ground. He turned around to see one more wolf, Dong, whimpering on the ground while looking up at him in fear. When Tai Lung started to move towards him, Dong yelped. "P-please, c'mon man, I give up!" he whined, his tail between his legs. When the stranger's eyes, which was the only thing he could make out underneath that hood, did not change their cold expression and kept stalking towards him, he whimpered more and started backing away. Not long, the distance ran out and his back met the base of a tree. He panicked as he looked at the cloaked figure now towering right in front of him. Bending down on one knee, Tai Lung glowered at the cowering canine.
Extracting his claws and holding one up Dong's chin, in which the wolf responded by swallowing hard in dread, Tai Lung made sure that the wolf understood the situation.
"Tell your Night Shadow Clan that if I ever see, hear or even smell you fleabags in the Valley of Change ever again," Tai Lung drawled, darkly lacing his words with a warning. "Well." Suddenly, Tai Lung snarled as he pulled his claw back and swiped them towards Dong. The wolf yelped and ducked just in time for the tree behind him to be ultimately destroyed instead of him, with now only a stump remaining as the top of the tree collapsed on the other side.
Scrambling to the side away from Tai Lung in utter fear, the wolf dared one more glance at the stranger. Tai Lung stood back up and chuckled darkly, before his voice became cold as his back faced the canine. "Go before I change my mind about your worth to live."
Whining in terror, the wolf scrambled to get on all fours as he started running away as fast as he could. The other wolves had regained their consciousness and needed only to look around themselves to get the point, following Dong with just as much urgency, carrying their faint companions with them as they called a retreat.
Tai Lung snarled at the backs of the retreating dogs. He tried to regain control over his breathing as he attempted to calm himself, unclenching his fists when his paws started to bleed. He had to force himself not to go after them and finish what he had originally planned to do. But this place held too many memories, with one in particular responsible for his change in plans.
Shaking his head from side to side and finally getting his breathing under control, Tai Lung straightened himself out before he turned around and started making his way back to the village. All of a sudden, he heard a sound coming from a way behind him. Walking back, his ears perked when he heard once again what sounded like a whimper coming from the ground near next to him. He looked down to see a box shaped object lying there. Bending down on one knee, he examined it. It was a cage. A sheet covered it, but he knew there was something in it. A cry rang out again before it was stifled. Lifting the sheet off, he was surprised to see two cubs huddled inside.
A small kitten and a pup sat inside, holding onto each other as they looked back at him with widened eyes. They both looked filthy and scrawny, as if they had not eaten for days. Their dirty clothes were tattered and torn. Bruises and marks were apparent on their skins. Tai Lung grimaced.
They were beaten.
Growling with a renewed hatred, Tai Lung swore that the next time he saw those dogs, they would pay.
A frightened whimper snapped Tai Lung out of his darkening thoughts. He looked back at the two cubs. The smaller kitten was now crying weakly as she buried her face in the pup's chest, who was still looking up at him in dread. Realizing he had to do something presently, Tai Lung easily broke the bolt that kept the cage locked and opened the door. Even as the door swung open, the cubs hesitated as they looked up at him cautiously. Sighing, Tai Lung stood back up and walked a small distance from the cage. "They are gone. They won't hurt you anymore." Looking back at the two, he asked, "Where are your parents?" When all he received were diverted eyes and depressed expressions, he turned his head away and growled quietly. They did not say a word but their eyes spoke more volumes than words ever could. Their parents are dead.
Swallowing back a growing anger, he forced his voice to be as calm as possible. "You cannot stay here forever." Turning back towards them, he nodded as he silently urged them to come out. When they hesitated once more, he chuffed to let them know he was becoming impatient. "Hurry. The wolves may return."
Finally, at the mentioning of the wolves, the pup slowly crawled out first as the kitten followed closely behind. When they hesitated to move any closer, Tai Lung turned towards the direction of the village and started moving. Knowing that without a choice, they would follow, he walked slowly as the cubs staggered from behind.
When he heard a faint cry, he looked back to see the kitten had collapsed, and the pup was trying his best to help her up. But days without food or energy drained at their strength and abilities. Breathing out through his snout, he walked back up and kneeled next to the small cubs. Ignoring their hesitance and trembling frames, he picked them both up and continued back on the trail, now with them in his arms.
They truly have been weary, for the next he checked on them, they had both fallen fast asleep. Their soft snores indicated a relief from pain and a past length of time without rest.
Po stared expectantly at the leopard across him. His head was propped up with his paws, his elbows on the table, mouth gaping a bit as he stared wide eyed in amazement.
Tai Lung had finished his meal and was now examining his claws, rubbing them against his chest after a while as he sat casually, one leg crossed over the other in relaxation as if he had not just described what most would call a dark and distraught memory.
"That's it?" Po asked flabbergasted. "That can't be it. There's gotta be more!" Tai Lung stopped examining his claws and looked up at Po indifferently. "What more are you expecting?"
"I don't know," Po replied intently. "I mean, that's how you met them, but what about after that?" Po went on before Tai Lung could even think of a reply. "And what about those wolves? Did you meet them? What happened to the kids before you rescued them? And master Boa? What happened to her? I've heard about her, but only vaguely. And-"
"Panda."
Po reluctantly stopped, though obviously still eager to hear more. But underneath Tai Lung's annoyed glare, he slowly shut his mouth and sat back down, having stood up from his chair during his rambling.
Sighing, Tai Lung shook his head in disbelief before speaking. "That, is a story for another time." Feigning a yawn, Tai Lung stretched before standing. "What do you have in this place for training anyway, by the way?" he asked, looking around.
"B-but," Po stammered in disbelief that the leopard really was just going to end a story like that. "Not now, panda," Tai Lung said, cutting him off. "Just tell me, where do you train? It's been a while since I trained, and I don't like being…" A glance at Po's belly. "…out of it, you know…"
Snapping out of his disappointed thoughts that Tai Lung was defiantly not going to finish what happened anytime soon, Po brightened up at the idea of learning how the leopard trained. "Oh yeah!" Motioning the leopard to follow him, he continued. "Back then I would try *cough* *cough* to train in here," Po opened a door that lead within a spacious room that Tai Lung had not noticed before. Looking around, Tai Lung noticed throwing stars scattered on the floor, dents on the wall above them an indication that whoever threw them was not that good at aiming. He noticed a pathetic looking punching bag in the middle of the room, hanging from the ceiling with only a thread of a robe holding it up. A few sticks lay on the ground, but that was all.
Looking around with slight disappointment, he noticed the panda staring at him expectantly, waiting for his reaction. Feeling a bit sympathetic for the bear, Tai Lung tried to give an honest opinion.
"Well, it's…" Hesitation. "Orthodox." Po took it in stride. "I have no idea what that means- but I guess it's settled then!" Grinning, Po poked his head out the door. "Dad!" Po called. "You don't mind Tai Lung using the backroom where I used to practise? He asked if he could train!"
"Of course, of course. Just don't hurt yourselves… Again!" Po chuckled nervously when Tai Lung gave him a questioning look. They were about head in when they heard the quick padding of a pair of feet coming closer. "TAAAAAAAAAIIII!"
Tai Lung moaned as he prepared for what he knew would be coming. "Ohhhh…" "TAI!"
Tai Lung groaned as he was suddenly tackled by two clumps of fur. "Tai! Its training! Training!" Xue and Fang exclaimed together as they laid on top of Tai Lung, the cat beneath them lamenting.
Po gave a Tai Lung a look in which Tai Lung returned with a glare when he noticed. "This happens too often…" "Come on, Tai! Time to train! Train!" When Po still looked at him expectantly, Tai Lung sighed. "Okay, let's get it over with already… I already feel fat." Tai Lung dragged his way within the room with the two cubs still hanging onto him. The two giggled as they still held on.
Po smirked as he watched the trio. His smirked disappeared, however, when Tai Lung's words finally registered into his mind. "Wait… what's wrong with feeling fat?" Po yelled, running after the triad. "I take offense in that statement!"
Well, there you go. I know I'm not that good at drawing fight scenes, but use all that imaginative powers you guys have and I'm sure you'll have absolute no trouble. Ha ha ha. Thanks and please review. Any advice is criticism is welcome.