Well, I told you I'd make a sequel ;) While it will deal with our favorite couple, I will also use my hopefully acceptable writing skills to try to involve a new kind of villain. Can't have our masters without enemies, can't we ^^

Jamesdude (if you read this): I can't write a Zootopia fanfic because I simply never watched that movie. And I don't really feel the desire to... KFP is more or less the only animated movie (series) that I watched in recent years.

Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

Shifu balanced on his staff, meditating and trying to achieve inner peace while at the same time watching his daughter and her... boyfriend. Almost a year had passed since they had gotten together and he still wasn't completely used to the fact that the ferocious Master Tigress had a significant other.

Currently, the two were meditating as well, in the specific way that had become unique to them. Both were sitting in the lotus position, their arms extended and paws connected, a glow emanating from and combining around them. Shifu sighed quietly at the sight. He had tried a few times to do the same with Tigress in an attempt to form a deeper relationship with her but all their combined efforts had met with dismal failure.

He realized that while he loved his daughter, it wasn't the kind of love that allowed that form of connection. He let his Chi sight roam and his eyes went wide at the image of their Chi combining between them. He noticed the Heroes Chi from Po mixing with Tigress' regular Chi, if such a word was possible to be used as description of the energy inside every living being.

He pondered the implications of what he was seeing. It looked as if the Heroes Chi was no longer only inside Po but was partially moving into Tigress as well. He remembered his conversation with Oogway when Po had taken him to the spirit realm and how the old turtle had told him about how Tigress and Po had connected together into an unbreakable bond that even he had not seen before.

Another thing Shifu could barely fathom was the fact that bis daughter was mating on a regular basis. Especially since they were doing it almost every evening. At least they tried to be as quiet as possible. His peace of mind was really tested in those weeks when Tigress was in heat because his daughter became rather insatiable, much to Shifu's chagrin.

"Po, what are you doing?" Shifu asked the panda as he was walking to take a nice, relaxing bath at the hot springs, seeing the Dragon Warrior crawl away from that area.

"Help me, master." Po begged.

"What happened?" Shifu demanded to know, getting into an alert stance to defend against possible attackers.

"It's Master Tig..."

"Po, where are you?" a female voice came from behind him, causing Shifu to look down and away in embarrassment.

"Please, master..." Po started but was interrupted by his mate grabbing his left foot.

"There you are." a very naked Tigress grinned as she started to pull him back towards the hot springs and what had pretty much become their private hut. "We're not done yet."

"Tigress, I'm begging you."

"We have only been at it for a few hours, stop whining." Tigress huffed while the panda tried to dig his short claws into the ground.

"Please master, you have to help me." Po begged again. "It's your fault too, you made me run up the stairs every day for months."

"Sorry, Po, I'm not involving myself in this." Shifu groaned and turned around, trying not to imagine what his daughter has already done and would still do to and with the panda, given her condition. As for himself, he would take his bath in the pool in the dragon grotto.

"Master!" the voice of his daughters snapped him out of his memory.

"Yes, what?" Shifu quickly covered up his momentary lapse.

"We're done, are you coming down with us?"

"No, I'll stay up here for a while more." Shifu said, smiling at her, hoping that he could now find his inner peace without them here, since he couldn't stop thinking about those two every time they were up here with him.

As much as it grated him, as it would any father, that his daughter was grown up, at least the two had kept their promise of limiting their displays of affection to privacy. According to the reports of Crane, they were nothing but professional during missions, giving no indication that they were mates other than smiles that any outsider who didn't know about them could never realize for what they actually meant.

Even in town they behaved, the only indication they gave there was always sitting next to each other at the restaurant of Po's father. The only other person outside the palace who knew was Mister Ping and the old goose had kept his promise of keeping it secret, knowing that it could have serious implications for his son if it became known.

Son. Shifu was well aware that Po could actually become his son-in-law even though none of them had showed any notion of actually becoming husband and wife. He was unsure about how he felt. On the one hand, he would be happy for his daughter but on the other hand, it was Po. The clumsy panda who became Dragon Warrior, the one person in all of China that every bad guy wanted to see dead.

At least he was more serious now. While he still managed to rile him up with his mannerisms, he took more things seriously, ever since he came back from tiger country. Possibly the fact that he had to kill and actually died had a sobering effect on him, showing that goofing off wasn't a good way to live your life, especially if you were the Dragon Warrior. With another sigh, Shifu tired once again to find his center and achieve inner peace.

"Do you think Shifu was somehow off?" Po asked as they walked down the path to the palace, paws connected.

"Yeah." Tigress nodded. "He seems to have a lot on his mind."

"Can't figure out what it might be." Po shrugged. "I mean, the valley is astoundingly save right now. Barely any thieves come here anymore and all those wanna-be villains like Temutai or the others are pretty quiet."

"Given that we usually kick their asses when they show up, it's not so far fetched that they want to stay away." Tigress smiled.

"Do you think he's sick?" Po suggested.

"I hope not."

"Same here." Po shrugged. "The last thing I can take now is the mantle of Grandmaster."

"Do you think you would become Grandmaster of the Jade Palace should Shifu pass away?" Tigress wondered, no accusation in her question.

"He already made me the teacher, even though, in my opinion, every single one of you would be better suited since you are doing this a lot longer. You especially, my dear, would be a great teacher."

"You really think so?" Tigress asked with a smile.

"Yeah, you're very bossy." Po grinned. "You like to tell people what to do."

"Shut up." he moped.

"See what I mean?" he laughed. "It's really bad in certain days of the month."

"You can easily avoid my ire if you just do what I say." Tigress poked out her tongue.

"You're playful today." Po poked her side.

"I know." Tigress smiled. "But if you tell that to anyone, I will hurt you."

"I know." Po winced, remembering one instance when he had tickled Tigress in Viper's presence, causing his girlfriend to giggle which had led to her beating the living crap out of him during sparring.

"Then act like you do."

"I'll make dinner." Po announced, letting go of her paw and walking into the kitchen.

Tigress followed him and watched him work, seeing him in his element as he moved to and fro, making noodles and cutting vegetables into slices. As he cooked, the other masters joined them and Tigress was surprised to see Viper's tail wrapped gently around Crane's body, making her smile and determined to question her sister like Viper had questioned her.

Mantis and Monkey were joking around as usual, making fun of the other two masters who couldn't care less. Tigress felt a moment of sadness for the two, since their relationship would never be as carnal as hers was with Po, them being two races who didn't mate directly but laid eggs. On the other hand, their relationship was only about their emotions and they expressed them in very sweet gestures.

"Po, amazing as always." Mantis commented the soup after Po had placed the bowls on the table.

"Yeah, I agree." Monkey nodded.

The masters ate their dinner while doing idle chit chat. After a few minutes, Shifu joined them, something that had increased in frequency ever since Po and Tigress became a couple.

"Master, did one of the palace staff call in sick?" Mantis asked Shifu.

"Not that I know of, why do you ask?" Shifu returned.

"Well, I know every single one of them and one has been missing for several days now."

"You would have to ask Zheng, he's responsible for them." Shifu shrugged. "Maybe one of them wanted to visit relatives for the winter festival."

"Alright, possible." Mantis shrugged. "It's just strange, since all of them usually celebrated here all these years."

"There aren't nefarious reasons in everything." Shifu counseled.

"Master, will you leave for another palace during the winter festival again?" Viper asked.

"No, this year I will also stay here. This year, the festival is hosted by Master Frog of the Ranae Palace." Shifu replied.

"And you're not going because..." Po prompted.

"I... uh... really don't like Master Frog."

"And here I thought a Kung Fu Master was above petty emotions." Po grinned.

"I am. But Master Frog... Po, compared to him, your table manners are impeccable and suited for the emperor's table."

"Are you saying that the way I eat is..."

"Yes." Shifu nodded.

"I resent that." Po moped and slurped down the rest of his soup to the laughter of the other masters.

"Will your father be hosting the feast again?" Monkey asked Po.

"Of course." Po nodded. "And I will help him as usual. And you are invited as usual."

"Thank you Po, we will attend of course." Crane nodded.

"Only if I get a seat close to a heat source." Viper smiled.

"One seat closest to the kitchen window it is." Po chuckled.

"Well, if you excuse me now, I will head back to my meditations." Shifu announced, standing up from his chair.

"Master, might I have a word?" Tigress asked, the use of the word master telling him that it was official Kung Fu business.

"Of course." Shifu nodded. "Walk with me."

The two exited of the kitchen, neither talking as they walked down the hallway towards the hall of heroes. Shifu wondered what his daughter needed to talk to him about that she couldn't mention in front of the other masters but he decided not to push her. After a few minutes of collecting her thoughts, Tigress finally spoke up.

"Master, do you plan on stepping down as Grandmaster?"

"Why do you ask?" Shifu returned.

"Are you planning on making Po your successor?"

"Ah, so that's what this is about." Shifu smiled.

"Are you?"

"Daughter, I have no intention of steeping down as Grandmaster. And when it comes to choosing a successor, you do have to admit that Po has a lot of the qualifications needed to be Grandmaster. What he lacks is seriousness, although he already has gained a lot ever since he defeated Kai."

"Okay." Tigress nodded.

"Master Tigress, wouldn't you be happy for Po if he became my successor?"

"Of course I would. I love him."

"Then why are you asking me this?"

"Because I'm afraid that Po being both Grandmaster and Dragon Warrior could mean the death of our relationship. He is already scrutinized by the public to some degree but as a Grandmaster, that could double."

"So far, the public has left us comparatively alone. Sure, he's always greeted warmly in the village but that's just who he is. The people like him for his compassion." Shifu said. "You shouldn't worry. Enjoy your time with him. Don't waste it by thinking about what could go wrong, that way you will both be miserable."

"Thanks Master." Tigress smiled and turned around to get back to the kitchen.

When she arrived, she found it empty except for Po, who was busy cleaning the bowls and the stove, the other masters having already retreated to their rooms to meditate. Seeing him move around, she smiled to herself and after checking that no palace servant was close by, she grabbed under her robe and removed the wraps that covered her lady parts before stepping into the kitchen.

"Po." she hummed, getting his attention.

"Oh, hey Ti, what's up?" he asked after turning around.

"Well, I was thinking that we should... take a bath." she grinned, slowly and enticingly swinging the wraps around her paws.

"Lets go." he breathed and grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder and running towards the hot springs, a tiger's laugh reverberating through the evening air.

"And it seems that tigers are crossing the border into China." the general told his lord.

"How many?" the emperor asked.

"Unknown. The information we have is weeks old. We have dispatched scouts into the region with scrying crystals so we can get accurate information."

"Very well." the emperor nodded. "You are dismissed."

"Yes, my lord." the general bowed and left the throne room.

"My lord." the chancellor said to his emperor, who sat on his throne, looking ahead at all those flunkies who tried to get his attention or, in some cases, were trying to avoid it.

"What is it." the red crane demanded to know.

"One of our informants from the Valley of Peace is back with an important message regarding the Dragon Warrior." the chancellor, a pangolin, told him.

"Clear the room!" the emperor commanded and the other animals leaped to obey, almost climbing over each other to be the first out as if that would curry favor with the emperor. "Sycophants." the crane sighed after the room had cleared of everyone but his personal guard and the chancellor.

"My lord?" the chancellor asked.

"Nothing." the emperor waved him off. "What has the Dragon Warrior done that warrants one of our informants to come here?"

"Apparently, he left for weeks on a secret mission and upon his return, he seems to have started a romantic relationship with another master, which violates the old rule that the Dragon Warrior needs to stay unattached."

"Call him in."

"Bring in the informant." the chancellor told the guards at the door who opened it and revealed a nondescript goose, that waddled into the throne room.

"My lord emperor." the goose bowed.

"You claim that the Dragon Warrior violated the ancient rules of Kung Fu?"

"Yes." the goose nodded vigorously. "The Dragon Warrior has begun a relationship with Master Tigress, one of his fellow masters at the Jade Palace."

"Leave." the emperor commanded again, pondering what he learned as the goose stepped backwards out of the throne room, bowing all the way.

"Should I prepare a message to the Jade Palace for you to sign with your seal?" the pangolin asked his lord.

"Are you going to create another evil Dragon Warrior, my love?" a female red crane asked as she stepped into the room through a side door.

"My empress." the pangolin bowed deep.

"Leave us." the emperor commanded his chancellor who quickly got out of the throne room. "What do you mean, create another evil Dragon Warrior?"

"The Dragon Warrior has defended China from serious threats on several occasions. Remember Lord Shen or the spirit warrior Kai? The demon Ke-Pa? Not to mention thwarting the plans of several villains on a more local level."

"My love..."

"And now you are attempting to force apart two people who might be in love. How do you think that will go over with both of them? Doesn't even the Dragon Warrior deserve happiness in his life?"

"The Dragon Warrior is a symbol for China." the emperor argued.

"The Dragon Warrior is a living being, with emotions, not a statue." his wife countered.

"There are rules in place."

"Do you even know who made those rules in the first place?" the empress asked, receiving no answer. "And you also know that you could change those rules, you're the emperor."

"I can't simply make a decision like that without more information."

"Then might I suggest getting them?"

"What are you suggesting?" the crane asked his wife.

"We could go to the Valley of Peace under the pretense of celebrating the upcoming winter festival with the Dragon Warrior." the empress replied.

"We would need to prepare a message for the people why I won't celebrate it here this year."

"I can do that."

"CHANCELLOR!" the crane shouted after a few seconds of though, causing the pangolin to hurry back into the throne room.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Prepare the royal transport." the emperor commanded, getting up from his throne.

"I will obey, my lord." the pangolin bowed. "Might I ask, where are we going?"

"To the Jade Palace." the emperor replied. "It is time that I met the Dragon Warrior in person."

"Bring the surviving breeders." a squeaky voice commanded and his underlings moved to follow the order.

Two large forms were dragged forward, one with a limp caused by an arrow wound in her left thigh, bags over their heads to blind them as the smaller figures pushed and prodded them. Two quick yanks removed the blindfolds, the two females squinting their eyes in the sudden firelight until they had gotten used to it. At the sight of their captors, both growled, their innate hatred for them coming to the fore.

"Rats." Lyanna growled.

"Are you alright?" Tigara asked her companion.

"As well as I can be." Lyanna winced in reply, blood still seeping out of her thigh wound, before one of their guards slapped them over the head to shut them up.

"Well well, you two are fine specimens." the supposed leader giggled in a high-pitched and somewhat maniacal voice. "You're males will surely do everything to keep you alive."

"You don't know our males." Lyanna scoffed.

"I didn't allow you to speak!" the leader rat shrieked and whacked Lyanna on the nose with his scepter, causing the larger tiger to growl and strain against her chains.

"You will pay for that." Lyanna growled.

"What do you want?" Tigara asked.

"Information. How many of your tribes are there? How many males are soldiers?"

"Hundreds of tribes. And soldiers numbering in the hundreds of thousands." Lyanna spat back, trying to dissuade the rat from continuing their apparent plan of conquest.

"Impressive." the rat nodded but waved them off. "I may delay us for a while but ultimately, my people will prevail as they usual do."

"Why are you doing this?" Tigara asked.

"Because my people need space to live."

"Then why fight us? In our country, numerous species live side by side. You can live there too without having to kill anyone." Lyanna argued.

"That won't work." the rat shook its head.

"Why not?"

"You might be able to live in peace with each other but we really don't coexist well with others." the rat sighed and turned to his men. "Take them to the cells!"

"There's one thing you should also know about tigers." Lyanna growled.

"And that is what?" the rat leader asked.

"Our claws are pretty good lock picks." Lyanna grinned and suddenly her chains fell to the floor.

She grabbed a sword from a nearby guard and used the hilt to accurately smash Tigara's left shackle open before using it to quickly kill two more guards. Tigara used the chain still connected to her right shackle like a morning star, bashing the heads of several rats around them while trying to find another hard object to break the other shackle.

Unfortunately, her attempt was slowly but surely separating her from her compatriot, who was fighting hard and disemboweling any rat that came close to her. Yet Tigara saw that Lyanna was faltering, the wound in her thigh slowing her down while the accumulated blood loss weakened her more and more.

Tigara swung her right arm at a rat who had the foresight to duck. Her arm hit the stone wall, the impact reverberating through her body but on the plus side, the remaining shackle finally broke free. Using her claws, she slit the throat of another attacker and grabbed his weapon, a short sword with a spiked tip, very useful for hacking.

She used it as it was intended, hammering it into skulls and using the claws on her left paw to slit open throats and other parts of bodies. The smell of blood and entrails permeated the air in the cave, making Tigara's hairs stand up as her aggression rose higher from the scent of her enemy's blood. She turned her head and saw Lyanna fighting with her back to the wall, four rats against her and more waiting to join the fray.

"Lyanna!" Tigara shouted while she tried to battle her way to her sister in arms.

"Run, Tigara!" the larger tiger shouted back as she skewered another rat with the spear. "Warn China!"

"I won't leave you!"

"Run!" Lyanna shouted again before her voice turned into a scream as the leftmost of her attackers rammed a spear through her shoulder.

Tigara growled in frustration and sorrow as she turned around and started running, trying to shut out the sound of her friend fighting and dying. Even with her last breath, Lyanna killed another of her attackers, sinking her teeth into the rat's throat and not letting go until the life had left her. But her desperate last stand gave her sister in arms the time she needed to flee the complex of underground chambers she was in.

Tigara burst into the open, surprising the rats that were milling around with her sudden appearance. She didn't give them any time to think and ran past them, all the way to the cliff face she had seen earlier. Using her innate ability to climb steep angles, she practically jumped up, from stone to stone, using hanging roots as leverage.

When she reached the top, she turned around to look at the camp she had just fled, causing her eyes to go wide in both horror and wonder. As far as she could see, rats were going to and fro, some trying to climb up after her while others shot arrows her way, the height making them fall short and even hitting some of the climbing rats, knocking them off the cliff face. It looked like hundreds of thousands, or even millions of rats were down there, given that there was also a vast underground complex below the surface.

This wasn't just an army of conquest. This was a migration.

Tigara turned again and ran. She ran towards the only place she knew people would listen to her. And even though the trip would take at least a week at high speed with minimal rest, she knew that she had to make it.

And so she ran. To the only place she knew where someone would trust her. Towards the Jade Palace.

Hope you liked the opener. I'm kind of afraid that I bit off more than I could chew. ^^

Review please :)