The Untold Mission

MaSha

Though mature for her age, MaSha sat with Princess Xiao playing with her toys. MaSha found it pointless but she was having fun nonetheless. Maybe if she kept doing what the adults wanted, they'd let her leave.

"I'm still unsure how this will help her tell us anything." Crane asked.

"She's a child." Viper pointed out the obvious. "The Princess is about her age so she'll be able to get more confident about speaking with her rather than with us."

"She still hasn't even told us her name!" Mantis chipped in. "How are we supposed to help her if we don't even know her name?" Tigress kept looking at MaSha with curiosity. She had never seen a tiger before. Last she could think of was when her parents left her at the orphanage and even then she couldn't remember their faces.

"You doing okay Tigress?" Viper asked. Tigress nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat she didn't know she had.

"Yeah." Tigress's sight never left the small tiger. Viper noticed that she was nearly identical to her. Aside from the age difference, height and the little girl's red mark underneath her right eye.

"You've never seen another tiger?" Mantis suddenly butted in. Viper hissed at him from asking. "It's a genuine question!" Mantis defended himself. Tigress didn't say anything. Just merely shaking her head in response. The four warriors were surprised at that. They had been around others of their own species before for most of their lives. They couldn't imagine what Tigress was feeling right now.

MaSha could feel the five warriors stare at her. She ignored them trying to figure out how to play with the toy the princess had given her. MaSha had lived in Beijing for her whole life but never once saw the Princess. She was nice, as far as she could tell. Suddenly she felt a presence looming over her. Turning around she found Tigress kneeling down to be at her eye level.

"Mind if I join you?" Tigress smiled softly. The Princess cheered and got Tigress a doll. MaSha, not really feeling comfortable, moved away from her closer to Xiao.

Tigress didn't seem to take it personally but she managed to sit in a lotus position. Viper came over to join them as well while the boys went out to search once again, leaving the girls to talk with MaSha and Xiao.

"MaSha." MaSha finally spoke. Tigress and Viper looked at her. Little Xiao was busy playing with her dolls. "My name is MaSha." She admitted.

"That's a beautiful name." Viper smiled.

"MaSha." Tigress smiled. "Meaning willpower. Star of the sea."

"H-how did you know that?" MaSha looked up at her.

"I read. A lot." Tigress gave her a warm smile. "You have a very beautiful name." MaSha looked down at her doll. The doll was a little worn from the young Princess's use but it was a good doll to pretend with.

"I know what you want from me." MaSha frowned. She didn't look at them, her ears falling flat.

"We don't have to talk about that right now." Tigress offered. "Play with the doll. Pretend you're going on a great adventure with it."

"Honestly, I don't know how to." MaSha admitted. "I've never had toys." Tigress and Viper looked at her surprised. Even Tigress had toys growing up. "Mother says they're a waste of time and space."

The two quickly noticed how MaSha's tone had changed when she mentioned her mother. Even though she was only 6 years old, she was very mature. Like she didn't even have a childhood and had to grow up super fast.

"Master Tigress." A third voice joined the conversation. Tigress turned around, seeing a guard calling her over. She put the doll she held and went over. Viper noticed MaSha's expression change again. Her ears had fallen, her eyes seemed to want to cry and her whole body tensed up. Viper had never seen a child so on edge. What did she know that they didn't?