Strong

The Cost of Being in the Room Where it Happens

Wolf's ears perked up at heavy footsteps, familiar footsteps. "Hey, Blackie!" Mr. Three beamed. Wolf jumped up and grinned wide; his tail wagged carefree. "It's good to see you too." 

"Of course, since you're here, that means that-" 

"Please, Mr. Four, something less doom and gloom," Mr. Three said. Mr. Four simply blinked. 

"It's... nice to see you again."

Mr. Three sighed and shook his head. "Like asking a stone to give water."

"Why did you guys want me to come here?" Po finally asked. The two rhinos looked at each other then they looked at Wolf. Through the bars of his prison, they could see his questioning face glancing between them.

Mr. Three spoke first, heavy and slow. "So what happened?"

"Uh... w-what do you mean?" Po asked. 

"Cut the crud, panda," Mr. Four said. "We know for a fact that you didn't defeat Sho. He's way too strong for you."

"Wow, thanks for the confidence boost," Po grumbled. 

"So... what happened?" Mr. Three repeated. The panda sighed. He looked at Wolf, who gave him permission to talk with a nod. Po sagged his shoulders and spoke.

"Sho attacked and... made quick work of me and Monkey. I mean, you should have been there! The guy is freakin' huge! And strong! I don't even think Tigress could-"

"We know of Sho's strength. What happened after he attacked you?" Mr. Four asked. 

Po sighed again. "He hurt Monkey bad and was going clobber me when Wolf stopped him... with one hand! I mean how did you do that?! Was it some crazy training you did or-"

"Po, focus," Mr. Three thundered. "And no one else saw you?" 

Po shook his head. "All the guards were knocked out when Sho swung that hammer of his." 

"Hmm," Mr. Three hummed, "This is good and bad. No one knows that he's up here, but if we move him to Chor-Gom, Sho WILL break him out just to make his life more miserable. The overgrown wimp."

"Uh my broken bones say he's not a wimp," Po said. The rhinos simply sighed. 

"We can't let him leave this mountain," Mr. Four said. "Sho doesn't know where he is now. For all he knows, the wolf is already in some secret place." 

"Is that why Wolf was in the cave in the first place?" Po asked. The rhino nodded. 

"And if anyone knows he's here," Mr. Three added on thoughtfully, "Sho will rip this valley apart just to lure him out." The rapid thump of Po's fearful heart echoed in his ears as the rhinos methodically tried to figure out what to do next. "We have to leave him here for the time being. What Sho doesn't know about, he doesn't see." 

"And he won't make our lives miserable... again," Mr. Four muttered. The wolf nodded along with Mr. Three, but the rhino looked at Po. The panda's eyes were wide, wider than the dumplings he ate. He was frozen. Po could feel the familiar flames of a nightmare licking his body, but now shouts and screams rang out in the fire. Mr. Three turned to his counterpart again, snatching Po out of his daze. 

"If that's the case, Po needs to know about Blackie. Well, know enough." Mr. Four frowned harder but gave a stately nod as he stood at attention. 

"I just want to know if he's really a criminal. I mean, he hasn't done anything but save us," Po said. "He's just been quiet."

"I can tell," Mr. Three smiled a bit, looking through the sunlit barred window letting fresh air fly around the dry stony dungeon. The rhino noticed the chains clinging around the dog's waist. "You know those wouldn't really stop-"