Those We Leave Behind

By: Commentaholic - Alpha 05

A/N: And... -looks at watch- I'm back. I was surprised at the feedback I got. Then again... it is a relatively active fandom...

Anyway, enough prattle from me, I'm sure you're more interested in Tigress, Mei and the others. Some of you expressed curiosity about the other masters. Worry not, such things will be explained in time.

Chapter One: The Arrival

"Ready yourselves!" Master Tigress commanded from where she sat, cross-legged on the floor, surveying her students.

Mei bowed to her master and turned to her opponent once more, getting into her combat stance, a knee bent beneath her center of mass while the other was placed out in front of her, one hand was extended towards her opponent, palm up, and the other arcing over her shoulder, coming to a stop behind her head.

Mei's opponent, a black-clad wolf from the north grinned, getting into his own stance.

Tigress looked at Mei's stance with a raised eyebrow. Now that was a stance she hadn't seen in years. This piqued the Master's interest, and so she leaned forward to observe more intently, fingers interlocked beneath her chin. This would be interesting.

Not many wolves were allowed into the Valley of Peace, even before it was ransacked by Tai Lung's forces, which was a testament to the latent abilities that the wolf possessed. The mere fact that he was here with the survivors of the Valley proved both the potential the pup had as well as his milder temperament. While most wolves flew off into a rage at the slightest inkling of either trouble or threat, this one seemed almost humble and pacifistic. Thus was the mistake that many of his opponents made. They were conflicted in their thoughts, unsure whether to prepare for either a berserk attack or nothing at all. As such, they didn't know what hit them until they woke up, laid out on a bed in the infirmary... two days later.

All was still for a moment.

"Begin!"

Mei-lung waited for the wolf to make the first move, keen eyes watching for any indication of his future movements and the wolf did the same. They stood there staring at each other. Thirty seconds passed before both blurred into motion. They collided, cracks filling the air as blows were thrown, blocked, returned, blocked. Neither was capable of gaining an advantage. Tigress looked on in approval as her daughter spun, twirled and struck with all the grace of a dancer.

The moment was ruined as the dojo's doors slammed open and there was a shout, "Tigress! He's back!"

Master Viper darted inside, unusually excited.

Tigress raised a hand, "Stop." she said to the sparring students, who had not halted, despite the interruption. Mei took a step back, breathing hard, as did the wolf. They both grinned at each other and bowed respectfully.

Kneeling to look Viper in the eyes, Tigress asked, "Who's back?"

"Crane!" Viper exclaimed. Tigress' eyes widened.

Turning to her students, "You are done for the day." she said before sprinting through the doors after Viper. Mei would have pursued, but she was too tired to chase the speeding Kung Fu Masters.

That evening, Master Crane joined Tigress, Viper and Mei for dinner.

To Mei, the tension in the air was nearly tangible. She wondered what had brought Crane back after seven years of traveling abroad. The Masters had discussed it, of course, but were keeping it a secret.

In the end, Mei couldn't restrain herself. "Master Crane, if you don't mind me asking..."

"He does." Tigress said, cutting Mei off with a stern look. "If you are finished eating, you may go to your room."

Mei's face burned with embarassment, but she obeyed without complaining. She finished what was left of her meal in moments and left the room.

"Do you think that perhaps you were a bit harsh on her?" Viper asked after Mei had departed, "It's only natural that she would be curious."

"Do not tell me how to raise my child," Tigress retorted.

"She's right," Crane said to Tigress, "Mei will find out eventually, and it's only natural that she be prepared."

Standing and sweeping the table clear with a swipe of her claws, "I will protect her from this if it's the last thing I do!" the feline said, narrowing her eyes at Crane.

"The prophesy cannot be denied. You know this." Crane said in a calm voice, "And if you try to stop it from happening..."

"I will not try. I will succeed. My daughter will not-"

"The Gongmen soothsayer," Crane said, sipping his tea, "has never been wrong. The prophesy was clear... And even you cannot protect her from fate..."

Crane stood and placed a wing on Tigress' back.

"Just as you could not protect Po from his."

Tigress' gaze dropped to the floor. "Very well... but I will tell her, not you."

Crane smiled, "I am not that foolish. She's inherited your brute strength, remember?"

After being exiled from the chambers where her mother and the masters dined and, still ashamed at being dismissed like a child, Mei snuck out of her bedroom window and disappeared into the night. She made her way across the darkened underground city, making her way to a small building on the outskirts, on a small outcropping near The Chasm.

The Chasm was a pit. But not just any pit. This pit seemed to go down forever and ever into the eternal darkness beneath the earth's surface. Only a fool would wander its edge without illumination, even at the best of times, but Mei's feline eyes cut through the shadows and showed her the safe path as she made her way to the hut on its brink.

She knocked on the door, which was answered by the wolf from earlier. "Hi Xing." she said.

"Mei?" he asked, surprised. He obviously hadn't been expecting visitors, much less her. "What are you doing here?"

Mei shrugged, "Trouble at home, can I come in?"

"Of course," Xing replied, opening the door wider and stepping side.

The furnishings were spartan and bland, but they accomplished their goals of maintaining a functioning living space. Mei entered the main room, walked a few feet in before pacing back and forth.

Xing sighed. This was a common occurrence as far as Mei was concerned. Whenever the young tigress wanted somewhere to think, she came to his house. He blamed that on the fact that he was a good listener and didn't want to force any guests to leave. He could never turn away his best friend, either.

"So... what's on your mind?" he asked, as expected.

"My mother's keeping secrets from me." Mei said, rather disgruntled, as she paced back and forth.

"Well, that is her privelege as a Master..." Xing said, gesturing airily with his paw, "and as your mother."

"But she should still tell me!" Mei snapped. She wasn't angry with Xing. She was just tired of being cooped up for so long. She yearned to see the sky and feel the cool breeze running through her fur.

"Well, Mei... Master Tigress knows what's best for you, I'm sure. She wouldn't do anything to harm you." Xing assured. "And don't even think about it." he added as he saw Mei stalk towards the door.

"Think about what!" Mei shouted.

"Leaving the cavern through the Forbidden Arch." Xing said, grabbing her arm, "I know that you want to leave the city. Anyone could see that, but you can't leave. It's too dangerous outside."

Mei tore her arm from his grasp, "I will do as I please, Xing. And you can't stop me." she said before bounding out the door and into the darkness. Xing sighed and followed her out the door, except that he followed the path towards Master Tigress' dwelling.

A/N: We'll be hearing more about this next time. I had to bring in one of my favorite masters: Crane. He's got that wit. Anyway... I hope you keep reading... I also hope to have the next chapter up soon.

-=Commentaholic - Alpha 05=-