Chapter 2 An Unlikely Bond Formed

Mirabel marveled at the speed at which Tigress had moved. Even with Mirabel hanging on her back, and nearly choking the tiger because she didn't didn't want to be dropped, she only took about five minutes to get doen the steps. Mirabel was in a fits of giggles. The eind had blown her already curly hair into a wild untangled mess.Once she had stopped laughing she looked around. It was the first time since she started staying at the Jade Palace that she had seen the outside of it.

"Wow...Tigress is this really the village?" She asked.

"Yes." Tigress answered.She stretched and looked around. already a few of the villager were already starting to stop and stare."I know you haven't seen anything outside the palace but I honestly don't know what we're going to do. I really think I should take you back up the stairs. I don't think we'll find anything of interest here. I could show you some more Kung Fu moves. You seem to be getting good at the ones I have shown you.

"I want to see some of the village." Mirabel said innocently. Waving at some of the rabbits, ducks, geese, and pigs."I would like meet some of the people here. And this village is much bigger than my home village. I like to see some of the things this village has to offer...please?"

"Very well. but it's best you get back onto my back." Tigress saw the confused look on Mirabel's face, so she explained."As you say, this is a large area. It would be easy to get lost. Come on, let's go."

Once again, Mirabel was on Tigress's back. None of the villagers said anything out loud, but Tigress could tell by the look of the villagers that Master Oogway would have a lot of explaining to do.

They looked at a few still stalls and watched merchants selling their wares. After awhile both their stomachs growled.It was lunchtime. They decided that though they had no money so they

decided to try to ask a food seller if they could either work off what was owed for food or offer to bring back the money tomorrow. They didn't know what they wanted to eat much less where they were going to eat, when they turned a corner and smelled some thing delicious. Noodle soup! Tigress had noodle soup before, but this smelled especially good. Mirabel had soup before, but she knew this one was different. It like nothing she had ever smelled before. Maybe even better than her mother's.

"This is definitely an excellent smelling place." Mirabel said getting down."Can we try this place for lunch Tigress please?"

Tigress read the sign 'Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop.' She never eaten there, but heard talk from the servants of the Jade Palace say that it had the best Noodles Soup in the village, possibly all of China, because of a Secret Ingredient in the soup. But Mr. Ping was a stickler for getting his yuan's worth when it came to his food. It was likely there would be no free hand outs. Still the look of wanting in Mirabel's eyes were asking her to least try.

They were about to go in,. when they heard a disturbance on the right side of the alley next to the restaurant. They decided to see what was going on. They saw a pig and a goose around their age picking on a young panda who was again, their own age, but obviously scared of the other two creatures although he was bigger than his two bullies, but was not wanting to fight.

Tigress knowing what it was like to be bullied for being different decided to step in. She left Mirabel by some delivery boxes and stepped into view. She hit the wall with her paw to get the others attention. The bullies didn't look happy to have their fun interrupted, but became nervous when they realized it was Tigress. Every creature in the village knew about the young tiger Master Shifu took in. All the parents were afraid that this young tigress would prove to be another Tai-lung, who would go on a rampage the second things didn't go her way. They instilled this fear in their own children. Of course, it had been five years since Shifu adopted Tigress and some of the villagers were beginning to change their minds because of the few small bandit attacks she helped Shifu with. She was obedient to Shifu too, more than Tai-lung had been. Still creatures were scared of her. These kids were children of the unafraid creatures.

"What do you want monster? You going to try to use your Kung Fu on us?" The goose asked.

"I'm not a monster!" Tigress shouted."And you shouldn't pick on someone different than you!"

"Like anyone is going to believe you, or tubby over here?" The pig enquired."Creatures like you two are the rejects, who have to fight to get approval of others, like creatures like us," he said pointing to himself and his companion."are believed without question."

Mirabel was tired of their kind of talk. She rushed out of her hiding place and shoved the unexpected pig into his goose companion. Tigress was shocked that her young friend had such strength. But she quickly recovered and put herself between Mirabel and the two bullies, while berating her young charge a bit like an older sister to a younger sister.

"Mirabel what are you doing?! You could have been hurt!" She said anger and concern obvious in her voice.

"They have no right to talk like that!" Mirabel shouted."Their meanies! They deserved to be punished!"

"Maybe. But it's not your place to do so." Tigress said trying to calm down the upset child. It was a switch from how she was usually the upset child needing the reassurance that things would be alright.

"Whatever is going on, I'm glad you two came when you did." The panda said grateful for their presence."I was afraid those two were really going to hurt me."

"I'm getting tired of this let's go home Yongqi." the goose said.

"Xiongmeng, you're right. our parents will want to know about this new development." The pig said in agreement. And in a few moments they were gone.

Tigress had a funny feeling life was getting ready to get vrery interesting.

A/n sorry for the cliffhanger ending, but there are a few more things I am perfecting.And the next part of what happens fits the next chapter better. I will update soon because there is something REALLY big going to happen. Chinese Translations Yongqi means courage and Oxionmeng means ferocious. stay safe everyone