Chapter 1

It was a pleasant night in the Valley of Peace, though normally it's usually always pleasant in the valley before the mountain where the Jade Palace was built, home of Grand Master Oogway and the kung fu warriors, protectors of the villagers, and to which a young teenage female tiger now called home.

A gentle breeze swept through the windows of Tigress's room rousing her from another blissful sleep. It had been so long since she had a pleasant night's rest that she scarcely recalled what it felt like. She knew of course that would all change the moment baba…Master Shifu, she thought with a slight chuckle pound the gong to announce time to being their training. A part of her still wondered why she had sought to learn kung fu or even wish to remain in a village this large. She had spent most of her life avoiding places like this. All those eyes pitted on her made parts of her fur stand on end, and it wasn't just the uneasy sensation that brought feelings of doubt and fear, her vast strength also made it difficult to live a normal life while growing up as it made those around her afraid and weary of having any interaction with her. Not here though, here her gift was seen as a means of ensuring the valley's safety and that if nothing else gave her hope for a better future…that and certain panda.

She glanced about her new room, not much had changed though, the walls were still pristine, though admittedly rather plain for her liking, one tall wardrobe for change of clothes, a small nightstand beside her bed where she kept three items which held the most value in her life, a small bag of dominos a dear friend by the name Kusa gave her, a small coin Shifu bestowed her which allowed her to trade for food or clothing whenever she needed, and a wooden doll carved in the likeness of her adoptive father made by Po, a panda of all thing who had quickly become one of her dearest friends, to which she felt certain was the one thing that kept her from leaving the valley in the first place.

The thought of the panda brought a stir in Tigress and looked about the room again in a manner of confusion. The sun was clearly showing over the horizon, a breeze blowing bringing with it the gentle warm of early summer, folks of simply minded birds chirping, yet no sign of Po or the other kung fu students, surely Mantis would have tried to make some creepy pass by her room around by now.

Where could they be?

Standing up, Tigress quickly got dressed, wearing the same sleeveless red vest and black slacks she wore during Oogway's announcement that she was to begin her training and made her way to the door, ears and muzzle twitching for any sign of movement. Though they had an understanding friendship, she did not want to take a chance that Monkey might be laying in wait to spring some sort of childish prank on her.

Upon reaching the door, the air grew colder, so deep that she could see her own breath and felt an uneasy sensation flowing from the other side. Pushing against her fears, Tigress slowly slid the door aside only to stumble back as she was confronted by a wall of fog. Before she knew what was going on, Tigress found herself flushed up against a stone all, riddled with narrow claw marks, she wore a plain light tan tunic covered in mud and sweat stains, sounds of children wailing in the distance ringed in her ears. Her eyes narrowed and she could feel her heart gripped in terror at the realization of where she was.

Bao Gu orphanage.

Tigress ran down the hallway in a mad attempt to escape, she knew full well that she was dreaming but this place held such a powerful grip on her that it felt far too real determine the difference. Finally she made her way to the court yard; the wailing grew louder as though bouncing off the walls and pounding against the side of her head dealing a vast amount of pain forcing her to her knees.

"You'll never really be one of them you know."

Tigress looked up, terrified by the sound of the voice, knowing that it could only be one person.

Bron.

He stood before her, looking just as he did the day she killed him. There was a bruise along the rim of his throat, most likely caused after she drove her fist against his face.

"You might have them fooled for now, but sooner or later, they'll see you for what you really are."

Tigress glanced over her shoulder, this time to see the caretaker Emily, several other children stood behind her huddled close together in a state of blind terror and staring at her with wide eyes.

"That you have been and will always be nothing more…"

Tigress looked forward once again, titling her head up to see Bane looming before her wielding the same red glowing hammer during the battle in the palace courtyard. A look of rage burned across his features and raised his weapon above him ready to bringing crashing down upon her and cried out in a loud booming voice. "…than a monster!"

Something had taken hold of Tigress's shoulders shaking her about, the action caused her eyes to snap open seeing nothing more than a large black figure standing before her and without thinking, struck out with her fist smacking something.

"Owww…geez," cried a familiar voice, "did you have to punch me so hard?"

Recognizing the voice, Tigress shook her head about to clear her vision and sat up to see Po sitting on the ground, a hand pressed against his muzzle where she had hit him.

"Oh my goodness Po!" She cried jumping from the bed, rushing to his side, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you."

A muffled chuckle slipped from behind Po's hand as he eyed Tigress with those radiant jade eyes. "I hope this doesn't become something of a habit with us."

Despite the level of grief coursing through her body, Tigress couldn't prevent from giggling along with Po. She didn't know when but she knew that she was beginning to form feeling toward the panda though also understood that their position and personal relationship made it difficult to explore such feeling, and there was the chance he did not carry the same feelings.

Lowering his hand, Po looked down his muzzle shifting it from side to side, taking a few quick sniffs before turning to Tigress with a boyish grin saying, "There see no harm done. Well now that everything's okay I'll head back to my room and I suggest you get some sleep. It's going to be a busy day in the morning."

That was an understatement seeing how it was to be the day she began to actual training in kung fu and though Po had helped her learn a few moves in an attempt to ease her emotions and even stood watch as the others trained she never tried to master any genuine style, and according to Tai Lung, tiger style was the hardest of them all because it required the warrior to be at their fiercest and she held doubts that she could do such a thing.

Po gave her another warm smile and slowly rose to his feet, though before he could leave, Tigress shot out a hand, her claws digging deep into the folds of his fur. If she caused the panda any harm he didn't let it show as he turned to gaze down at her with a confused expression.

"Please don't go," she said in a shallow voice, "at least for a while. This is still all new to me and somehow knowing you're here makes me feel safe."

Po narrowed his eyes though his expression remained passive. "Alright," he said calmly, "though only for tonight. I don't think Tai Lung would approve of making a habit of this either."

Tigress suppressed a slight chuckle. "I can handle my big brother."

"Oh I have no doubt," Po said sitting down in a lotus position, "I'm just not sure that I can."

Tigress smile again, as though the very realization that Po was in the same room was enough to melt the drama brought about by her dream. Laying back down, she shifted to the side, brought a hand up to rest under her face, gazing at the panda as he sat there just returning the gesture with a simple smile. Soon enough she could feel her breathing becoming steadier, falling in rhythmic ins and outs, her eyelids growing heavy, vision blurring and it took all she could to focus on the panda one last time before finally drifting off to sleep.

Po waited a few moments after Tigress eyes closed fully. His chest felt tight being in the same room with her. Worried what might happen were someone come by…even more so if that someone happened to be either Shifu or Tai Lung. As the sounds of her gentle snores and purrs filled the air, Po allowed the breath he held since agreeing to stay to slip between his lips and slowly and quietly rose to his feet and turned to leave.

Only to nearly bump into Grand Master Oogway.

Po released a silent gasp too afraid of waking Tigress, and simply mouth the words, Sorry, to the ancient turtle.

Oogway for his part simply stood there eyeing the young giant panda with a friendly smile the merely turned to the side to leave giving Po a pat along the shoulder and whispered, "Fear not young one, I will not tell a soul."

Po released a deep sigh as Oogway made his way down the hall. Smiling to know that he had managed to escape certain dread and quickly made his way back to his room, though somehow he doubted he get much sleep.

Tigress still felt somewhat awful about punching Po as she stood alongside the others in the barracks, and fought to keep from meeting his gaze. Though he made it clear that he held no grudge against her, she could not bring herself yet to look him in the eye knowing it would only cause to feel more ashamed by her action.

"Today my students," Shifu said thankfully drawing her attention, "we will focus on mastering balance and…uh…" he paused as he came before Po and a shudder rolled down Tigress's back as his gaze tilted up toward the panda. "Po what happened to your face?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Tigress snapped before could stop herself, a look of panic forming.

"What was that?" Tai Lung asked shifting his gaze her way.

"Uh…I…uh," she stammered.

"No Tigress, there's no real need for you to explain," Po said in a hush tone, "it's completely my fault. I was working on getting breakfast ready and she crept in mention something to eat, and well I must not have heard her coming because I got startled and wound up getting hit in the face with a heavy pot. No real harm done. I'm good to do my usual training Master Shifu."

Shifu arched an eyebrow shifting his gaze between the two of them. "Is this true Tigress?"

Tigress bit her lower lip. She could not possible lie to her father, but at the same time Po had forced her into this predicament by covering for her. "Yes baba…" she paused releasing a sharp gasp followed by narrowing her eyes toward Monkey as she caught him giggling a bit, "I mean Master Shifu," she resume with a bit more force behind her voice, "just as the panda said."

"Very well," Shifu said, "well as I said today is about balance and control, which I feel will benefit most of you here."

Yeah like me.

"Except for you Po," Shifu went on to say, "you're needed in the Great Hall."

"Oh, more training to become the legendary Dragon Warrior."

"There is that yes, but I've received word that someone of great importance is here to see you."

A look of confusion formed on Po's face. "Who would be coming to see me?" he then elbow Crane adding, "The Emperor himself."

"There is no way of knowing, but it would be best for you to move along and not keep Oogway waiting."

"Of course Master Shifu," Po said with a fist palm bow and made his way down the hall, though not before giving Tigress a friendly smile and wink.

Tigress found her cheeks feeling a bit warm by the gesture, though her mood changed as she heard the deep grunt coming from the red panda clearing his throat.

"Now then as for the rest of you, head on to the training hall."

Crane and the others replied with a solid comment, where as Tigress found herself stumbling with the phrase. This is really going to take a while to get use to.