Chapter Nineteen: Mei Ling, part II
Crane shifted under his bandaged chest. He was uncomfortable. His bruises ached. The sewer tunnels were cramped and claustrophobic, and above all, there was Mei Ling's unexpected presence. Crane felt a sour humor that the Universe would choose these circumstances to reunite the two. Creepy was an apt word.
Croc took the lead. His familiarity with the tunnels made him an obvious pick. Waltzing behind him was Mei Ling. Next was Crane. Then Po, and finally, Tigress. Auroral patterns bloomed on the brick walls, cast from Mei Ling's paper lantern. Abrupt junctions and wide chambers joined shallow curves. Crane became disoriented, even with his internal compass at the ready.
He sucked in a breath, grateful his nose wasn't as sensitive as the cats'. Echoes lasted far longer than they should. Damp bricks dripped a chorus, underscored by a chilling howl as a draft wound its way free. To top it off, they were headed toward an assuredly formidable encounter.
Overall, things weren't great.
"So, what was it like?" Po broke the stillness. Crane blinked and shook his feathers. The others seemed similarly stirred. They continued on with a new question to ponder.
"What was what like?" Crane questioned, but he knew what Po had meant.
"The Vale," Po said.
Croc halted. Mei Ling set her lantern down. Tigress and Po waited expectantly. Varied faces lit from below, which imparted a demonic look to them.
"Cover your ears," Crane said. They did so in their respective ways, and Crane was struck by the diversity. Like a dancer, he balanced himself on a foot, stretched his wings, and swept them downward.
A buffeting blast of wind enveloped the group. Crane could feel the pressure in his sinuses. The lantern sputtered, then went out.
All was blackness and silence.
Scratching sounds saw spindly sparks scatter along the slick, slimy ground. Again, sparks flew, and Mei Ling brought her lantern back to life. She stowed the flint in her shoulder-slung bag, and slipped a claw under the lamp's wire handle. The pink hue was a comfort against adversity.
"So dramatic," she said as she rose. Crane thought he saw Tigress crack a smile.
"You could've just asked me to put the lantern out." Mei Ling raised the lantern high.
"And miss the opportunity to do a sick move? No way!" Po said.
She chuckled. "I'll admit, it was pretty sick."
Crane chuffed a smirk. They regrouped and continued on at Master Croc's direction.
For many minutes they ventured in silence, vigilant for their quarry. Each little sensation could be a clue. Every so often, Croc would point to a gouged brick, or a spot of soot; possible indicators of The demon's direction. All the while, Crane stared at the back of Mei Ling's fluffy neck, glad for the silence.
Before them opened a chamber with welcomed room to stretch. A cross-shaped sluice gurgled where two streams met.
"Scarlet Robe, huh," Po said, voicing the concern on everyone's mind.
"Is it a real demon?"
"I don't know," Crane said, "I guess."
"So, they are real," Mei Ling said, "you hear about them in stories, but to see one right in front of your own eyes…"
"We gotta know more!" Po pressured Crane. "It's the first demon anyone's seen in centuries!"
Crane blinked. "I'm sorry, but—"
"Was there really a first soothsayer? Was it The River Witch? How did she control destiny? Why Gongmen City? Why is the demon a bird? Does any of this have to do with Shen!? We need answers, Crane!"
"I told you everything I heard, alright?" Crane shouted. He rubbed his beak between his feathers, reminding himself to stay calm.
Truth was, he hadn't told them everything. The Scarlet Robe said that he would lead her to the River Witch. He'd rather keep that troubling prediction private, lest his friends suspect him of treachery. He had enough to worry about without that, too, on his conscience.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know everything," he said. He felt useless.
Master Croc cleared his throat and nodded at the tunnel.
"I only hope this devil hasn't grown too powerful. All these myths and legends… I'm ready to be done with them."
"I'm not," Po said.
"Po, be quiet," Tigress hushed. Po pursed his lips. Their situation was grim, but one could always count on the panda's excitement.
"Something tells me we should be walking in the opposite direction," Crane said.
Tense moments bled by like tepid water through overhead grates. The sewer was a maze, but Crane could feel a gentle grade. Judging by the water's flow, they were heading uphill. The highest point of the city—even higher than Gongmen Palace—was The Aristocratic Quarter. That was where The Scarlet Robe claimed she was. That was where they'd meet the other Masters—assuming nothing went amiss. Croc strode confidently forward, unyielding.
To break the tedium, Mei Ling asked about the Kung Fu company's recent endeavors. Openly—and quite enthusiastically—Po took the opportunity to detail the his surprise at Master Rhino's demise, and the brutality of Lord Shen's tactics. As Po waxed epic, Crane had time to reflect on that week.
Lord Shen. While terrible—incredibly so—he couldn't find it in himself to hate the Lord… or, the Prince… as he once did. Something had changed, which was unsettling and gripping. Perhaps it was a morbid fascination. Or, perhaps, there was something even stranger at play.
He longed for a bath. And a nap.
"This Shen fella sounds pretty awful," Mei Ling said with a nervous chuckle, "glad you got him, though."
Oof.
"I still don't quite understand," the cat asked, "why was Shen so interested in you, Po?"
Po opened his mouth, but Tigress spoke first.
"Yes. Tell them why," she said.
"Tigress. Now is not the time," Po said with uncommon rigidity.
Crane could tell it was private. He respected those boundaries, but still had to wonder what happened between the peacock and the panda. What it might be, though, he couldn't fathom.
Backs against a slimy wall, the careful warriors sidestepped a narrow ledge. Crane got the feeling they were walking into a trap. Nonetheless, they had zero other leads. He wondered how the aboveground Masters fared—they must be at the Aristocratic Quarter by now. If the demon wasn't there, then, well…
"So, Mei Ling," Tigress asked, "how do you know Crane?"
The innocent question gave Crane a start. Firstly, it was quite a personal thing to ask, and secondly, Tigress was the one asking it.
"Oh, I know this one!" Po said, jumping with glee.
"So, you've told it?" Mei Ling gave Crane a side-eye. His throat felt a little dry.
"A few times, yeah," he said.
"I'd like to hear it from her," Tigress said, with less steel than usual.
What are you up to, Tigress? Crane wondered.
Mei Ling began her tale with Lee Da Kung Fu Academy, and her impressions of Crane's childhood home: Floating Reed Village. It was nice to hear her talk of such things, even if the memories weren't strictly pleasant.
"And then, I see this bird. Real long, skinny legs. He's cleaning the grounds quicker than anyone before. So, I decide to talk to him."
A sideways grin fixed Crane's beak. He knew that day well. It seemed so distant.
"I tell him that he should try out for the school, and he sort of… laughs at me?"
"I didn't laugh!" Crane hastily corrected, "um, it was just unexpected."
Mei Ling chuckled and stole a glance back at him. Her strange actions caught Crane's attention again, but he dismissed them with reluctance.
"Crane passed the entrance exam, and we studied together… for a time."
After that, only footfalls, drips, and a draft of air chased their ears.
"What next?" Tigress said.
"Well, it wasn't long before I had to leave… I graduated, see," Mei Ling cut, "I went to study Kung Fu in Gongmen City."
"That she did," Master Croc confirmed, "but it was less than a month, if memory serves."
"Odd," Tigress said with faux incredulity, "students don't usually switch Masters. I studied with Master Shifu until I achieved Master rank, as did Master Crane."
"I studied with Master Shifu too!" Po said, "…for like a week."
Tigress smiled at him. Again, Crane was nagged by a thread of insincerity behind her grin. He dared to think it felt devious.
"I enjoyed your story, Mei Ling," Tigress said, "Po seems to be a fan."
"Am I ever," Po smirked, giddy, "Mei Ling. The very name evokes intrigue. She's a mystery. A shade. Toppled cartel, crime bust, coup; doesn't matter. Mei Ling is bound to be spotted in the chaos. Real secret, shadow-organization stuff."
"Shadow-organization?" Crane said, "where are you getting this, exactly?"
"Lots of people visit my dad's noodle shop. You hear stuff," Po said.
Mei Ling kept walking without a word.
"I assume she was in The Winter Feast registry," Tigress said, "it lists all of the Kung Fu Masters in China."
"Now that you mention it, no. She wasn't. That's weird," Po said, counting his fingers, "I looked over that list a thousand times. I guess I didn't notice at the time."
Tigress made a noise like a satisfied hum.
"Where did you end up earning the title of Master, Mei Ling?" The tiger said.
"I studied independently," the golden cat replied without turning. Her gait was tense.
"And who certified your rank, Master Mei Ling?" Tigress drilled.
Mei Ling spread her arms wide.
"The thing you have to understand about that is—"
"Shh!" Croc barricaded the way with his brutal sword. For a good minute the party stilled, listening down the corridor with apprehension. Croc finally relaxed, and so did the others.
"Her?" Po said, hushed.
"I don't think so. Criminals, maybe. Be on your guard."
"That's reassuring," Crane grumbled.
Even more careful now, they crept onward.
Po whispered "Crime really doesn't seem so bad here. Minus the whole Shen thing."
"Heh. He says 'not so bad.' The most we can do is keep crime manageable."
Mei Ling scoffed. "Yeah. Like out of the wealthy neighborhoods."
"That's not exactly what I meant…"
"I get it. There's a status quo to uphold. That's our job as Masters, ain't it?"
"We keep people safe," Crane said, "from the bad guys."
"I'm curious just who that is to you," Mei Ling said.
"Wolves," Crane said plainly. Just the word on his tongue felt viscous.
"Unbelievable. And I thought I knew you, Crane," Mei Ling said. Contempt clouded her amber eyes. Crane was startled by how upsetting her disapproval was.
"The cat is right," Tigress said with impersonal agreement, "prejudice is the enemy of peace."
"Thank you. At least someone gets it," Mei Ling said with a twirl of her staff.
"Prejudice is the enemy of peace. That's good! I gotta write that down," Po said, "Crane! Gimme a feather!"
Awoo!
A short, distant howl interrupted Po. They froze in place; both of the cats' ears swiveled wildly. Yips echoed down the tunnel. There was no doubt about what it originated from.
Wolves. Crane ducked as a hollow boom echoed deep within the hall, followed by a whisper of heat.
"It's here," Tigress said, "hurry."
Her calm voice betrayed her urgency. She sped up the tunnel, overtaking Croc. Each followed. Crane had to fight the urge to open his wings and fly. The tunnel was too tight, so he plodded down the slippery walkway on his wiry stilt-legs.
Though fast, he was no sprinter. Receding light marked the focus of Mei Ling's lantern. Crane chased it through corridors and halls—a mere glow in this deep, cold place. The bird tried to center himself. This was it. Back into battle. There would be precious little time for mental preparation then.
The tunnel transitioned into a subterranean room, but Crane was hardly aware. Like his bound torso, his mind was wrapped in thoughts. He snapped from his brooding when a steady stream pelted his hat. Recoiling, he brushed the droplets from the straw. Ankle deep in cold, clear water, Crane lifted a dripping foot, and looked around.
From above—and not too far away—a blade of moonlight pierced the gentle water. Intricate carvings scored the swooping ceiling, which was a few stories high. Pillars of moss and decaying stone measured the broad arcade. Skeletal water streams mimicked their uniformity, albeit thin and intangible in comparison. Low rumbles rang all about, like a hidden, rushing waterfall.
"Psst!" Mei Ling waved her staff from behind a pillar. Crane joined her; the others had their own hiding spots. Mei Ling folded her lantern and stuffed it inside her bag. The group of warriors watched the sliver of light in the distance, ready.
"This is a cistern," Crane whispered, "it distributes water. We must be near the highest point in the city."
"The Aristocratic Quarter," Po said. The panda must be right.
"So, the demon must be here somewhere. Right, Crane?" Mei Ling whispered. Everyone waited.
"Probably."
"But you said that—"
"Look…" He felt very tired.
"I'm just as confused as you are. Probably more. I don't know what's happening, or why, and I'm not hiding anything from you, okay?" Crane said, raising his voice higher than intended.
"No one said you were hiding anything," Tigress said softly. Crane bit his tongue, but there wasn't time to dwell on it.
"Ahh!"
Suddenly, a wolf splashed into the arcade, followed by another two. The masters scrunched behind the pillars as the wolves gathered by the moonlit strip. Silver speckles cast on their coats like flecks of mercury. Crane prepared to engage, but Tigress raised a clenched fist.
"Where's your helmet?" a wolf started.
"It almost had at me!" another replied.
"Damn it, Chu. You're a goner if it looks at you."
"I think we're safe here."
"Are you kidding? We're in Gongmen City! Of course we ain't!"
"Lord Shen said it was just a myth, and now, the Yellow-eyed Demon has come for us."
"We should've left with the pack when we had the chance!"
"Keep it together, for damn's sake! There's got to be a another way out."
"The tubes! They'll take us right to the harbor. Come on!"
Slapping steps saw the wolves out. In a few yelps, they were gone. Tigress motioned for the center of the room.
"Well, now what?" Po said.
Crane saw evenly-spaced tubes ensconced along the wall.
"That must be where they went." He pointed with a wingtip.
Tigress looked to the ceiling, where a cavernous opening fostered that single beam of moonlight. It pierced through the cracks of a wooden circle.
"Crane. Fly up there and—"
BOOM!
Splinters flew as the zenith blast into tiny fragments. A fireball expanded furiously downward from the midst of the blinding cloud. Savage rubble and crackling smoke trailed a screaming rocket.
"Move!" Tigress somersaulted away. Crane was left alone in the center.
I could deflect that, he thought, lifting a wing as the rocket flew tantalizingly close. Before it reached his outstretched appendage, he was tackled to the ground by a furred body. Moments later, fiery heat enveloped his partially submerged body. Unharmed, he rose from the rushing water. Copious volumes tugged at his ankles from the banks of a new hole in the floor. Water rushed into the pit at a ludicrous rate.
Crane faced his assailant and jammed his hat on. "I had that!"
Mei Ling scrunched her nose at him, then pushed herself up with her staff. The ground below listed. Another crack made them lurch forward. Her bag swung and tail twitched as she maintained balance.
"Up, you fools!" Croc said from the crater's rim. Quickly, Crane took off. He hovered so Mei Ling could grab his legs. She lifted a paw skyward, but before she could grab hold, a chunk of rock came loose beneath her. Mei Ling fell.
"Croc, go!" Tigress shouted.
"No! I got this," Crane said. He made a dive, intending to catch Mei Ling on his back. He misjudged the space, and clipped his wing on an exposed boulder. Spiraling, he lost control, and missed.
Mei Ling was swept away into the churning mass below. Roiling water stared Crane down. He could have pulled up; there was enough time.
But he didn't.
Foam surrounded him, bubbling in his ears.
All was froth and white.
He tucked his wings and sheltered his bare head, trying to keep the inundation at bay. He feared he may drown. Before he could panic, he was pushed into open air again. He sucked in a breath, still propelled by the torrent in the steep stone pipe. The current was too strong, the pipe too narrow, and his wings too wet to take off.
"Crane!" He heard Mei Ling's voice over the rapids. Around a bend, he saw her, hanging from her staff. Before her was a drop-off into empty space. The threshold glowed an ominous red.
"Oh crap!" Crane said. He couldn't veer away. His ungainly body smashed into hers, and they burst into a spacious rotunda. Mei Ling grabbed his torso, and he opened his wings.
With a yell, the two haphazardly flew onto the central platform. Crane bruised his tailbone as they skid on the old stone, scattering the remains of scrolls and shattered wood. Mei Ling's staff clattered on ancient bricks. They stopped just before the edge, which stood a few meters above a channel of rushing foam. Crane's hat slid off, but he caught it with a foot—just in time.
Dripping and panting, they held each other tightly while the shock wore off. It soon did, and Crane realized their embrace. He let go, and reseated his hat.
"I think we're okay," he said.
Mei Ling loosened her grip on his soft, wet feathers. Crane rose, and helped her up with a foot. Fanning his wings, he shook the water from his body. Mei Ling wrung out an ear and adjusted her woolen bag.
"Darn it. My lantern," she said, snatching the torn thing from a pile of damp, singed paper.
"What is all this?" She shuffled a paw through the debris. Crane touched a piece with his claw.
"Bunch of scrolls," he said, "smells freshly burnt."
"But who would…" She trailed off and gazed at the ceiling.
Crane spotted something amongst the paper. A round, black circle shone with red reflections. He brushed it off to reveal a pair of quartz spectacles, still intact. He brought them near his face to inspect them.
"Uhh, Crane? Where are we?" Mei Ling said.
Crane grumbled, slipping the glasses into his sash.
"I already told you, I don't know everything… woah…"
They were inside a large underground atrium. Rotting walkways spanned lichen-covered walls. Red paint wore from age, and several sections were missing entirely. Four culverts gurgled—one for each cardinal direction. Mei Ling and Crane stood on a raised cylindrical platform in the center. Water trickled into the circular channel around them.
A broad stone staircase might've led to an exit, if it weren't blasted shut. Directly above the two, a bouquet of lanterns coated the rotunda in wonderful pinks and scarlets. Moss was the dominant smell, along with the familiar scent of rotting wood. Crane stepped forward, and his lanky foot fell upon a singed board. The scene was uncomfortably familiar.
"We have to get back," he said, filled with anxiety. Sleep deprived and emotionally torn, he was unable to articulate any of the feelings past the lump in his lengthy throat.
"You're shaking," Mei Ling said.
"I'm cold," he replied.
"Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong," he said.
"Well, maybe I can—"
"Why are you here?" Crane repeated his question from the courtyard earlier.
"I… I came looking for you," she said. Crane listened.
"I wanted to help. When I found Shifu's scroll, I thought, maybe it was as good a time as any. Maybe you were still the Ding I knew. But now, I'm just confused."
"You're confused? What about me!" Crane shouted, "you show up after almost twenty years and act like we can just, what. Pick up where we left off?"
"No! I just thought maybe we could… resolve things. But seeing who you are, how you've changed… I'm not sure anymore."
"I have changed. I had to. Things have always been hard, so I hardened up too, I guess. It doesn't matter. I have no idea what's going on. I feel lost all the time, and now you're here to remind me just how unsure I really am."
"Crane. Trust me when I say, we all feel that way," Mei Ling said.
"Not you," Crane said with a longing gaze, "you're confident. Fearless. The best of the best."
"Me?" she said, "it's you I've been jealous of all this time."
"What?"
"Look at everything you've done! You stopped The Unstoppable Boar, trounced Weeping River, faced off with Tai Lung—you're part of the legendary Furious Five!"
"You're one to talk! So many adventures way above anything I've ever done. I hadn't even heard of them, they're so secret and important."
"You don't understand."
"What is there not to understand? You're an incredible Kung Fu Master, and I'm nothing."
"I'm not a Master!" she said. Crane blinked in delayed shock.
"I'm not a Master," she repeated, "I'm the one who's nothing."
Mei Ling sat down with a puff. Crane joined her on his belly. They sat together in the tumble of fluffy paper, like a strange couple in a strange nest. Water continued to flow around their platform, unknowing.
"When I graduated Lee Da, I found my way to Gongmen City. The Master's Council was supposed to train me, but I was afraid." She grabbed her knees.
"Afraid I would fail."
"You'd never fail, you're Mei Ling," Crane said.
"That's just it. Everyone looked up to me. Like you, Crane. Rhino expected so much, but when it came down to it, I was afraid."
"I'm afraid too," Crane said, "maybe it's okay to be afraid."
"Maybe."
A time passed where the only sound was that of trickling water.
"Why lie?" Crane asked.
"I thought it was the best way to help," Mei Ling said with a labored chuckle.
"Then where did all those stories come from? You know, the shadow organization stuff."
"I've done a lot of things. Some I'm proud of, and others I'm not. I helped the world in what ways I could, and sometimes that involved working with your 'so-called' criminals."
"That's… wow." Crane didn't understand how helping criminals did any good. Mei Ling sensed his mood, and continued.
"They don't steal because they want to. Most have families. They only want a good life, like you."
"Even the wolves?"
"Bless your heart. You know, wolves are real nice. You only need to give them the time of day. I've known a few casanovas, too. You were always fond of romance. Isn't that right?"
"No, that's not true at all," Crane's feathers puffed up.
Mei Ling laughed. Soon after, her stare became scrutinizing.
"You have to let go of this 'black-and-white' morality of yours."
Crane nodded slowly. He knew Mei Ling was right, hard as it was to admit. Her satisfaction was apparent, if minimal.
"I think I'm starting to get it," Crane said.
"Hmm?"
"The demon… The Scarlet Robe. When she had me, she seemed almost… scared," Crane said, going serious.
"She seemed trapped and confused, just like me."
Mei Ling blinked, allowing Crane to continue.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… I felt bad for her," he said.
"Sympathy," Mei Ling chuckled, "there's the Ding I know."
"That doesn't bother you? I feel bad for someone who's done all these horrible things."
"You feel bad because she did those things. You wish you could help her be good. To change."
"You think so?" Crane said, sheepishly.
"It's who you are." Mei Ling put a soft paw on his shoulder. "Heart so big, you don't know what to do with all of it."
"Maybe a heart can be too big," Crane said.
"You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your wings," she said with eyes like a harvest moon.
Crane sighed. "I just don't want anything to change."
"You're part of a team for a reason. Look to your friends," Mei Ling smiled.
"Like you?" Crane asked, hopeful.
"Like me," she confirmed.
Featherlight emotions seemed to lift his fluffy chest.
I am going to tell Mei Ling about Prince Shen, he decided. Even so, the thought still filled him with dread. But if anyone were to understand, it would be her.
He really, really wished he could spend a moment longer there, but they had dawdled far too long. Mei Ling sensed the urgency too, and smoothed the front of her green tunic.
"So," she said, clearing her throat, "how do we get out?" Something about her voice seemed lighter than before.
"And seriously, where are we?"
Crane thought for a moment.
"No clue. One of those drains has to lead to the surface." The bird pointed his beak at a steadily-dripping, half-rusted spout. He stretched, readying his wings.
Mei Ling kicked a singed pile of paper. "Whatever all this was, The Scarlet Robe didn't want anyone finding it. Hey, what's this?"
The cat pulled out a gleaming green tube, seemingly carved from pure jade. She tried to open it, but failed.
"Look at this seal." Mei Ling pointed to the casing, where two creatures entwined: a tortoise, and a bull of some kind.
"That's weird," Crane said, "the only tortoise I know is—"
"What in the hell are you two doing?" a reptilian voice shouted from the drain. Looking down on them was a hunched Master Croc. Many-toothed sword bared, he held the remains of a corroded grate.
"Master Croc! Thank goodness," Crane stammered. He raised a brow at Mei Ling, who shrugged and slipped the scroll into her bag. The crocodile's brusqueness had caught Crane off guard.
"We fell down here, and my wings were wet, so—"
"Just get up here." Croc disappeared into the tunnel. Timid, Crane offered a leg to Mei Ling. He was happy to carry someone lighter than Po for once. With gentle force, he flung her into the tunnel, with his own self entering soon after.
Mei Ling brought up the rear, but there was no lantern to illuminate their journey. Shy moonlight limped into the sewer from intermittent grates. Crane glowed with a much-welcomed sense of purpose—one he had lost since entering Gongmen City a fortnight or so ago. Croc's pace was far too calm for anything to be wrong, so urgency diminished. Something was off about the Master's stride, though. Mei Ling took the initiative, and asked.
"We were attacked, that's what," Master Croc said with a biting tone. Crane's heart sank.
"No one was hurt, by grace. The scuffle was short, and the demon has fled into the night."
Crane was relieved, but he felt guilty not having been there. Nevertheless, he felt he made the right choice in pursuing Mei Ling. After a minute of walking, Croc led the two up a ladder and into a silent street. Crane breathed a hefty sigh of relief. Finally, he could see the sky again.
Fancy lanterns spanned between the lush buildings of the Aristocratic Quarter. Crane glanced to Mei Ling and saw where they had come from. Four square towers stood among a hummock of rubble; the remains of Gongmen Palace.
"That room we were in. What was it?" Crane asked.
"Palace basement," Croc said. "I've been all over these sewers, but never known of it. The hole the demon made lead us right to it."
A secret chamber beneath Prince Shen's palace… Pieces in Crane's mind began to intermingle.
Does Shen have something to do with all this?
"It's Crane! He's alright!" Viper exclaimed.
Crane shook himself. He hadn't noticed that Master Croc had led them to a waiting tribunal of every Master in Gongmen. They chattered their relieved and inquisitive words to him; all except one.
"You."
The greetings halted. Tigress stepped forward. She stared down Crane's beak; one very angry tiger.
"Tigress!" Crane said awkwardly, trying to sound negotiable. She jabbed a clawed finger at him.
"YOU are acting reckless."
"But, I was just trying to—"
"Stop!" Tigress clenched her fists, and leaned forward.
"Stop trying. You'll only make things worse." Tigress turned away, fuming.
Crane let his wings fall to his sides. "What are you saying?"
"You're grounded. Go wait at the inn."
Crane was far too exhausted to argue. Instead, he met eyes with the other Masters, and saw shades of curiosity. Viper opened her mouth to speak, but held her tongue. Mei Ling's eyes shone with understanding.
Tigress crossed her arms, and addressed the other cat.
"Mei Ling, we need to talk."
The spotted feline huffed with half-hearted humor, like she expected those words. She smiled a warm, bashful smile. Verbiage was unneeded. Crane knew she'd be alright. So, without any more to do, he took to the air. A strip of his bandage had come loose; it trailed him like a perturbed spirit in the waning night.
Sleep was out of the question. Crane paced in his room—he never paced. His body and mind yearned for rest, but there was too much to think about. Too much to do, and too much to feel. The stars began to fade beyond his small window. Nothing more than a barely-detectable tinge of orange against the pale dark. Crane stopped for a moment and watched the cloudless twilight.
Reckless.
Without so much as a second thought, Crane filled his bag with supplies, slammed on his hat, and threw himself into the fateful sky.
A/N
I must apologize for the massive hiatus. I started school again, blah blah. Point is, I'm glad I spent the time on this one to get it in good shape. It was looking very rough a few drafts ago. I think I restarted it three times.
The most important note here is Mei Ling and Crane's relationship, hence the chapter title. I wanted to establish them as friends, even if their relationship was left on a rocky ledge. Mei Ling knows people. I hope she helped Crane understand himself, and his choices, a little better.
Additionally, she acts as a foil for Crane, challenging his notions of good & evil, and his prejudice toward wolves. While not fully resolved, Crane is on the right path.
Writing Crane's sympathy for The Scarlet Robe as a mirror to his for Shen is something I am proud of. He's made his choice; he's telling her. When, though? He needs to be brave. Time is running out.
And in it all, The Scarlet Robe's actions lie. It was really cool to write her activities as a backdrop to this chapter. She doesn't appear once, and yet all the action is caused by her, behind-the-scenes.
Thank you for sticking with me this far.