Chapter 5: The Monk of the Mountains

AN: I'm shocked with all the positive response to this story. I feel like I shouldn't be, but I am. Thank you to those who have favored/followed, and left reviews. You are all so sweet! Also, thank you all for your patience.

Kei Li led them on the path towards the mountains. There was a thick fog as they approached what looked like an abandoned cabin. Zhen ran ahead to check it out.

"I'm not sure if someone lives there or not…" She reported back to Po. "It has some supplies, but there's no bed."

"Let's wait and see if this sorcerer comes back." Tai Lung suggested. "Kei Li, are you sure he lives here?"

"I think so." Kei Li replied. "My dad said he saw this cabin."

"Right…" Tai Lung knelt down and grabbed a stick. "I have an idea. Kei Li mentioned he's rumored to have a staff, so…he might be weaker if we grab it and break it. The second he sets it down; we have to act fast." He began to draw a map on the ground. "Po and I will distract him, while the fox runs and grabs the staff. She'll then bring it back here and we can break it. Kei Li, you stay behind this rock and yowl if someone you don't know tries to grab you- otherwise, stay quiet as possible."

Kei Li looked at the ground and noticed he had drawn her as a dot. "Oh! I wanna be a heart! Can I be a heart?"

"Sure," Tai Lung shrugged and adjusted his drawing.

"If she's a heart, can I be a triangle?" Zhen asked.

"Ugh, fine." Tai Lung adjusted the drawing again. "Po, you're the circle, I'm the square."

"Okay…" Po nodded before sneezing towards the ground, kicking up the dirt.

"Good job, panda," Tai Lung said curtly. "You just sneezed the plan away."

"I remember!" Kei Li cheered. "I have to stay behind this rock and keep quiet unless a stranger grabs me."

"At least one of us here is competent." Tai Lung complimented.

"What does combident mean?"

"Oh yeah, you're six-"

"Six and a half!"

"Right, it means you're the smartest one here."

Kei Li smiled at the comment before her ears twitched. She quickly hid behind the rock. The three masters stayed back, watching as a new figure approached the cabin. He set his staff down by the door, just as Tai Lung predicted.

Po and Tai Lung moved around the clearing, while Zhen moved in the opposite direction towards the cabin. She had almost grabbed the staff when the sorcerer turned towards it, as though ready to pick it back up.

Tai Lung threw some rocks towards the cabin, distracting the sorcerer. Zhen grabbed the staff and rushed back towards Kei Li.

Po and Tai Lung silently headed back.

Zhen handed the staff back to Po.

"Now's your chance, Dragon Warrior." Tai Lung whispered. "Break the staff."

"Did you say 'Dragon Warrior?'" A sweet voice said behind Po. The panda yelped and jumped back, pointing the staff at the sorcerer, who held his paws up. In the fog, they could barely make him out, and he was wearing a hat.

Tai Lung was quick to jump over Po, and knock the sorcerer back. The stranger began to fight back, swinging his paws.

The battle started out normal enough, as the sorcerer seemed to be adequately trained in Kung Fu. Tai Lung decided to rush forward and attempt to hit his opponent with the nerve attack. The sorcerer narrowly dodged him, and that's when Tai Lung finally caught a glimpse of his face…

Or…her face.

She was a snow leopard like him, with jade-green eyes. She twisted away from him and used her chi to summon water from a nearby pond, then used it like a whip to slap him in the face.

"Oooo…" Po and Zhen winced.

"Okay then." Tai Lung growled, his paws catching on fire. He shot the blue flames towards her, but she used her water to block them. She summoned a strong gust of wind and knocked Tai Lung back into a pile of rocks. He quickly used his chi to grab two boulders and fling them towards the foe. She jumped up, dodging one, and splitting the other. She flung the two pieces at Tai Lung, who blocked them with his paws. She once again began to use water, covering her fist in an ominous, blue light. Tai Lung did the same, covering a fist with raging blue flames and the two snow leopards charged at each other. Once their fists connected, there was a blinding light. Thankfully, Po had seen it coming, and grabbed Zhen and Kei Li. There was a wave of powerful energy-enough to blow away the fog. Once the dust settled, Po released Zhen and Kei Li, and peered over the rocks.

Tai Lung and the other snow leopard where both lying on their backs, winded and coughing up dust. Tai Lung sat up slightly, looking dazed. The other snow leopard stood and approached him, paws up in surrender.

"Forgive me…I'm usually better at introductions." She said, holding a paw out to Tai Lung. He hesitantly took her paw, and she helped him to his feet. "My name is Jialin. I'm the Monk of the Mountain pass."

"My dad saw you!" Kei Li spoke up.

"Wait…so you're a monk after all?" Po asked.

"Yep."

"You're not a sorcerer?"

"A sorcerer?" Jialin tilted her head.

"We ran into a crow." Tai Lung explained. "He told us that a sorcerer around this area attacked him."

"That was me." Jialin replied. "But I'm no sorcerer. And that crow was most likely sent by the Wu Sisters."

"Wait…the Wu Sisters?!" Po gasped.

"Yes. They've been after me for ten years." Jialin explained. "Can I have my staff back now?"

"Oh…yeah…" Po replied, handing back the staff. Upon closer inspection, everyone could tell it was just an ordinary bamboo staff.

"But…crows attacked the Dragon Li Village…" Tai Lung said. "Did they think you were hiding there?"

"They did?!" Jialin gasped. "They might have…are the villagers all right?"

The group didn't answer, but Tai Lung made a small gesture towards Kei Li.

"Oh no…" Jialin gasped again. "I should've known this would've happened…"

"Hey, it's not your fault." Po said.

"It might as well be." Jialin replied. "If they've tracked me down to the Dragon Li Village, then it's no longer safe for me to stay here."

"You were staying here?" Zhen asked, pointed towards the cabin. "No bed? No belongings?"

"It's a long story." Jialin replied, grabbing a small bag from inside the cabin. "But long story short; I spent ten years with monks, then ten years in isolation. I myself am a monk, and I travel lightly."

"Is that how you mastered chi?" Po asked.

"Yes." Jialin nodded.

"Why don't you travel with us?" Tai Lung suggested.

"That depends…where are you headed?" Jialin asked.

"To the Valley of Peace. We're trying to find a way to send me back to the spirit realm." Tai Lung explained.

"Ah…never thought I'd be talking to a ghost." Jialin mused. "Nor I thought I'd be fighting one…"

"My apologies. I was acting on instinct." Tai Lung admitted. "We were deceived by one of those crows…and the Dragon Warrior needs to start learning how to master the elements. I think we could use someone with your talents."

"You don't need to use flattery to convince me." Jialin rolled her eyes. "But you also seem like a useful person to know. I will join your group."

"What is happening?" Zhen asked Po.

"I don't know, I sneezed the plan away." Po answered.

"Well, shall we head out?" Jialin turned to the rest of the group.