The Lion and the Ox

Fighting As One

Hey everyone! Here's the next part of the battle! Hope you guys are ready :D

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Klara

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When Klara kicked her firework into Master Bear's mouth, she felt a rush of exhilaration. When the firework exploded, causing the bear to stumble away to find a new opponent, Klara cheered.

She never thought she would be able to master her kicks, as balance was never her strong suit. But as she kicked firecrackers and poppers into the faces of the Jombies, her determination and resolution had never been stronger.

She could do it!

In fact, when she didn't think about Kai or the fate of the world or any of that business, it was actually kind of fun! She, Ku Ku, Meng Meng, and Shuai Shuai would try and see who could get in the most firecrackers in the eyes or the mouths of the Jombies.

Sometimes they would hold onto the firecrackers until the very last second in a rather dangerous game of 'Chicken', and- just moments before the gunpowder would ignite, they would have to kick it into the face of the nearest Jombie.

Klara suggested they go for a distance shot at one point. She pointed at Master Croc, who was several buildings over trying to face Mei Mei and her ribbons and nun-chucks. Klara tossed her firecracker in the air and kicked it with all her might.

The firecracker landed on the reptile's back and began exploding and popping loudly. Mei Mei looked over to Klara and cast a wink at her, "Nice work, superstar," She seemed to say. Croc, confused, whipped from left to right, searching for who was causing the loud popping sound on his back.

"Nice shot, Klara!" Ku Ku congratulated.

The other two triplets followed suit and began aiming for farther Jombies, such as Masters Boar, Komodo, and Porcupine.

While Klara was busy lighting up the face of Master Ox, she turned and reached for a new firecracker.

Her hooves were met with empty air.

Klara turned and looked, and saw that their arsenal was empty. There were no firecrackers, poppers, fireworks, or incendiaries of any kind left.

"Umm, guys..." She whispered, the uncertainty heavy in her voice.

The triplets turned and stared at the empty box. Their eyes widened collectively. Despite the battle all around them, they all fell quiet.

"What do we do now?" Klara asked.

She was met with dead silence from the three pandas. Klara's heart sank to her feet. In front of her, Master Ox caught onto their silence. Without even speaking, he reached up and grabbed Klara's feet, yanking her down from the rooftop and pulling her to the ground. The wapiti fawn smacked her head against the stone roads.

"Ow! Stop! Let me go!" Klara hit her hooves against Master Ox, but the jade hurt her more than her punches hurt him.

"Yeah! Let her go!" Meng Meng shouted. With all the power in her little panda legs, she leaped at Master Ox's face, aiming for his eyes. But Master Ox was just that- a master. He grabbed Meng Meng by the fabric of her tunic and tossed her to the ground.

Ku Ku and Shuai Shuai didn't just stand by either. They let out battle cries of their own and charged at Master Ox. But the untrained panda cubs were no match for the ox.

Master Ox stared at the four children before him. He grabbed Ku Ku and Meng Meng by their legs, and Klara and Shuai Shuai by their legs as well.

"Ow! That hurts! Let go! Please!" Each of the children began objecting as Master Ox turned and began dragging them towards the village entrance.