Zaber

The Battlefield

Tigress, Po, Lee, Mei, and Leo were ready for their departure into the battle zone. Miwa hugged Leo tight before he went. "Please come back safe," Miwa pleaded. Leo hugged back.

"I promise I'll come back alive," Leo assured. Meanwhile, Po was sharpening his katana when Tigra walked up to him.

"AH! Tigra! You scared me."

"Po... could I ask you some questions?" Tigra asked. Po nodded. "You and my daughter are dating?"

"I-I-I don't know what you mean," Po stuttered. Tigra silently looked at him. Po sighed, "Tigress and I are... dating now. We just confessed our feelings."

"And she returned them?" Po nodded. Tigra smiled warmly, just like Tigress. "Good. Another question. What do you plan to do when you face Wong-Hu?" Silence blanketed the air. Po's sword felt heavier than normal as he gently rested on the ground. He didn't speak. He folded his hands, stared off into the distance with a slight grunt, and blew a heavy sigh. "Whatever you do," Tigra spoke up, "I want you to remember that while you're the Dragon Warrior, you're also a Samurai. Samurai serve justice." She glared hard. He knew why. Hot rage hung around her. Po took a long breath and looked at the woman.

"I'll do what is right, Tigra." His eyes boldly stared up into hers. Tigra stood silent. There was no trace of fear, anger, or rage in his eyes. Life's heart still beat within, but Tigra couldn't explain what she saw.

"That's all I ask," She replied. She left the panda in peace while he and the others departed for the village at Mount Shang's bottom.

"So we have the troops coming behind us and the northern fleet, right?" Tigress asked.

"Well, yes on the troops behind us, no on the northern fleet. We can't wait anymore. We're just going to stop the attack and then wait for the reinforcements," Lee explained. Leo stopped in his tracks.

"That's...not a good strategy," Leo said.

"We have no choice," Lee sighed.

"Then we better hurry!" Leo darted off and the others ran after him. They reached the village in record time.

"That...was...very...tiring," Lee panted. Mei helped Lee up, giggling.

"Looks like you're out of shape," The orange cat laughed.

"I'm in shape. 'Tired' is a shape," Lee insisted.

"Um, guys? Can we focus on the mission here?" Leo said. The village was a little bleak and grey. Blackened brown houses in lonely stone streets were everywhere. The wind whistled loudly through the avenues, freezing anyone in its path, and Mount Shang stood proud, rugged, and tall behind the dismal town. The group just arrived when a loud roar sounded from the top of the mountain. Suddenly, people rushed to their houses and shut their doors and windows. "Well, looks like we're not going to be able to rest a little," Leo sighed. The group could see a mass of orange charging down the mountain.

"Lee, Tigress, you guys try and break some headway at the front. Leo, you go with them. Mei and I will stay down here and pick out any strays," Po instructed. The wolves and the tiger ran up the mountain into the snow. Leo jumped onto the first burly tiger he saw, speeding around the cat like a demon. Lee slashed through a heavily armored tiger almost with ease. Tigress pounced off from one soldier to another, punching them down into the snow. The mass of tigers was large, but Leo could faintly see someone distinct in the crowd.

"It's Wong-Hu!" Leo exclaimed pointing further back. Tigress could see Wong-Hu faintly. Po was right. She could hardly see him with all the snow. Lee's swords sliced through the shields. Leo slid and jumped over tigers, punching them out. Since he was a white wolf, he was hard to track for the soldiers. Tigress's strength was too much for any of the tigers. A horde of them charged her and she merely punched and kicked one after the others.