Strong

Getting Better

"I told you. I can't tell you right now," Po said to his canine friend. Wolf had been 'asking' what the panda meant at their little meeting with Sho and Tai Yang. "Listen, just trust me. Please." The dog rose his eyebrow. "Hey! You trusted me with this major secret! Give me some slack, alright? It's not like I have the entire weight of a secret clan's existence on my shoulders or something."

The wolf fell into a deeper silence as they trudged up the steps. There was a sting of Po's voice. It fell on the panda like a large five-pound bag on his head. He usually wasn't like this: frustrated, irritated, and sad. Even with most of the secrets out of the bag, Po still held a lot on his own chest. As they finally got to the top, Po panted.

That was new. Ever since he had exercised more rigorously, the stairs became easier. Except for this time. He felt Wolf's hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine," Po answered, straightening back up. "Just... stressed?" Though unsure, the panda couldn't have said truer words. As the two walked back to their home, Po saw Wolf off to sleep. He slept next to Zeng's small servant house on the floor, even though the wolf had insisted on staying down in the dungeon.

You're staying up here and that's final!

Po remembered Tigress practically growling Wolf out of his home in the dungeon to Zeng's place, though the duck didn't mind. But the fact that Tigress, the person who was previously the most against Wolf even moving around in the dungeon, was going all out to make sure he was cared for, still surprised all of them.

Wolf's yawn pried Po from his thoughts as they got to Zeng's small house. "I'll get you in the morning. I'll see what I can figure out tomorrow," Po sighed in-between his words, "Anyway goodnight."

The wolf's stare made him stop. "Nothing nothing," Po said. "It's just... after tonight, I don't know if I'm going to be strong enough to take Sho and Platon on. I mean, Tai Yang." Po rolled his eyes. "Why did he choose that name? We all know who he is." Wolf shook his head and pointed to Po. "Right, right. He doesn't know I know. Right." Po sighed loudly. "This is too much. How am I supposed to be strong enough to take them on? I can barely handle Sho!"

Wolf smiled and patted Po's bare chest, resting his hand over his heart. Po looked at Wolf's red eyes. They seemed hopeful, not without doubt, like a sunset about to descend into the night. Po looked back and saw the sun about to break the darkness, and he yawned. "Alright, I guess I'll just have to keep working hard, huh?" Wolf nodded. "Thanks, Wolfie."

"Heheh," The wolf chuckled and waved Po goodnight. The panda yawned and walked over small dusty, rocky trails to the barracks, feeling the ache in his feet. The wooden sleeping quarters had no lights or candles shining through its silk open windows. So no one was up. Po took a sigh. It would be hard to explain to Tigress why he was up all night and tired, but that was a problem for later, he thought. Po yawned again and stretched his back passing the kitchen when he heard the scariest sound he could hear.

"Po."

"YIPE!"

And it sounded very very familiar.

The panda backtracked his body, standing straight, and faced the menacing, glaring tiger sitting at the other end of the kitchen. Hands folded in front of her while her amber eyes pierced through his chubby body like a hot knife through a lung, Tigress slowly stood up from her seat and walked over to Po.

"Nope," Po said and began walking away.

"Po, get back here," Tigress said, not loud, but firm enough to stop the panda in his tracks. "Where were you?"

"I was-"

"Po," Tigress stopped, "Please, no more secrets."

He looked at her eyes. Though threatening, they were also pleading. Her frown was enough to pull at his heartstrings, roping out a sigh from his throat.