Strong

A Death in the Family

Several weeks passed. Viper slithered into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes with the scaly tip of her tail. "Viper! What's wrong? You look... really bad. I mean, in a tired kind of way. Not that you're bad looking it's just-"

"Crane, I get it!" Viper sighed. The bird clammed up. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired."

"About the wolf?"

Viper sighed again. "Why Master Shifu is so strict about this? The wolf hasn't done anything but help Zeng. And Zeng is right. We ARE too busy watching the wolf AND protecting the village to help him out." The snake slithered sadly into a chair. "It's all so exhausting."

"I know. And it's not getting any easier with Po and Tigress at each others' throats."

"Really?" Viper perked up, "Because I just saw Tigress and Po talking to each other. They seemed fine."

"Oh. I guess things are turning up," Crane sighed. "That's a relief. Between the guy downstairs and Po and Tigress fighting, I didn't think the palace would stay in one piece."

"Hehehe, good point," Viper glanced through the kitchen windows as the sun cast its rays down the mountain. "I hope Shifu isn't too worried about this wolf. I'd hate to treat another person horribly just because we were paranoid."

Crane offered a reassuring smile, placing his feathered wing on her head, "This isn't going to become another Po story. I'm sure Master Shifu is just worried about keeping things in line. Although, I did notice that he grumbled about the Jade Palace work not being done."

"Poor Zeng. Shifu's going to run him down. You know I found him sleeping in the broom closet? He said he was up all night trying to finish his scroll duties."

Crane groaned, "Well, at the very least, Po and Tigress's feud is over."

"That's good," Viper smiled, sipping a small cup of tea. "Although, Tigress and Po seem to be closer than ever. I haven't seen them apart for more than three hours."

"Hm," Crane scoffed. "So much for a master has no love life." Viper tilted her head.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing. Tigress was talking to me and Po about love life. She thought it was a 'waste of time.' All about having earthly attachments and stuff," Crane huffed. He perched his head on his wings glaring simmering eyes into some random wooden plank in the floor. 

"And why does that bother you?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, you look like you took it personally," Viper mentioned.

"Well... uh... It's just...ah... I think I need to get going." Viper made a quick dash for the entrance and blocked the bird's way.

"Crane, tell me. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing really."

"Then why does it bother you?" Viper asked. Before the bird could speak, Zeng frantically rushed in.

"Master Crane, Master Viper, where is Master Po?"

"He should be sparring. Why?" Viper asked. Zeng's wide sad eyes caught Viper's gaze. His mouth slightly hung with gasps yet his beak tightened when Viper asked, "Zeng, what's wrong?"

Meanwhile, Po and Tigress sparred in the Training Hall. The panda jumped back as Tigress jabbed right. Po ducked a kick and ran forward. His punches struck Tigress's hand and forearm, and each one forced her back. The tiger smashed her fist into Po's center, but the panda blocked with his arms. Tigress swung her foot. Po jumped back again. "You're getting much better, Po," Tigress smirked. Po smiled and kept dodging Tigress's lightning punches. The panda threw a kick, but Tigress sprung back, barely clearing Po's swing. She stumbled back a bit and threw a punch. Po caught it in his hand and tossed her back. Tigress leaped back a bit with wide eyes. "And you've gotten much faster." Without thinking, Po charged forward and launched a full-weight punch at Tigress. The tiger bolstered, catching the panda's fist in her hand. Though she stood, the punch sent her feet skidding along the dirt floor, about three feet away. Tigress growled at the shock, though she didn't frown. "Ah, and stronger."