It had been three days already. Time wasn't really on the pair's side here. Especially because a certain panda couldn't keep up for most of the trip and kept taking breaks. It did frustrate the feline a bit but she knew she couldn't blame him. No matter how much personal training she could give him, there wasn't much to help with his lack of cardio. There were times where the tiger master even considered hanging a dumpling on a string and having her ursine partner pursuit it but went against her thoughts considering she knew it was cruel.
Didn't stop her from considering it though. Especially in this moment, where in the middle of the bamboo forest she had to deal with Lotus taking yet another break. She looked up at the sky and groaned. It was already close to sunset. "Lotus, come on, we're almost there!"
The panda heaved as he laid his whole form against a rock. "You... said that... ages ago, already!" He panted with every word.
Tigress, not the slightest amused, placed her paws on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Lotus. "You know, for someone who waited eighteen years to travel the outside world, you're sure one to complain."
"I-I didn't know that... travelling meant... whew.." He finally caved and slid down the rock to plop down on the dirt. "Walking."
"Did you expect everyone to have retractable wings they could summon at will?" Tigress smirked. Lotus shot her a deadpan expression in reply. "Apologies. I was trying to be funny."
"Emphasis on 'trying', I see." The panda at last smirked back, settling the feline's smirk into an endearing smile. She knelt down and gave Lotus her paw. "Come on. I know this bamboo forest very well. It means we're just outside the valley."
The bear smiled back, albeit a little relieved to hear such news. He reached out for her, but as soon as Tigress lifted him off the ground, they both instantly felt something wrong.
A rustle went by, causing Tigress to whip her head out in the air. Her pupils shrank into slits, her ears twitched, and she pulled her muzzle back in a small snarl. She instinctively went into a defense pose and her partner, now a little worried, followed suit.
"What was that?" He asked, his words filled with concern.
Tigress sighed bitterly. "I knew this trip wasn't going to go by smoothly." She muttered, quickly searching through her surroundings.
Suddenly, Lotus' questions were answered when six amateur vervet-monkey bandits slung down from the trees. They all surrounded the pair, chuckling and showing off their weapons menacingly.
"Well lookey what we got here..." The tallest vervet commented, licking his lips as he swung his two swords around. The shortest vervet, and clearly the most mentally unstable one, piped up in maniacal laughter. "The 'great, hardcore Master Tigress'!..." He mocked.
Another one of the bandits, a more lean vervet that was the closest to Lotus, finished the other's sentence by sticking his dagger up to the panda's chin. "And what seems to be her boy-toy..."
"Boy-toy!?" Tigress growled. She will not tolerate any disrespect shot at her pan—AHEM—Lotus.
The panda in question, on the other hand, was... surprisingly ecstatic. "oh my gosh is this my first bandit raid?"
"What do you say, boys? How do you think the others back home would feel if we settled a score from on of the most 'prestigious' kung fu masters and her fumbling sidekick?"
Lotus, somehow unbothered with the shots taken at him, squealed and bounced his stubby feet in excitement. "Oh my goodness it is my first bandit raid! EEEE! It's like I'm on one of the Furious Five's adventures!"
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Lotus
Fanfictionwhat would've happened if just before the carriage that carried the radish basket with Po in it was about to leave, Li Shan found his son and raised him alone? how would Po end up? and what happens when a gorgeous tiger is assigned to now protect th...
