"Looks like this is it, Tigress."

"Yeah, this is where we go separate ways."

"Maybe...But I'll be back."

"Really?"

"Yup. I don't know when, or under what circumstances...but I'll be back."

"Well, I want you to know that I will miss you." Tigress then pulled Zayn into a warm embrace. Zayn felt something jolt inside him. It was a feeling. A familiar feeling. Something he hadn't felt since...he was fifteen. He remembered what Soon had told him in the afterlife. She is closer than you think. Was Tigress that she? Was it possible that he felt something more towards her? Maybe, he thought. He would have told her about that feeling right there, but then he remembered that he said he would be back. He just smiled, and returned her hug. They finally split and gave each other a final glance of happiness.

"You ready, Dax?"

"As I'll ever be."

Zayn began to transform into his Tianshian form. His wings sprouted, and he took off as soon as they did. He flew out and into the distance. The wind blew through his fur as he looked back at the masters heading back into the palace. He never took his eyes off Tigress. Not until she was completely out of sight.

One year later...

Chapter One - Bad Company

The sun was set high in the sky, people were all seated in neatly organized rows of chairs, flower decorations were hung delicately, and a robust looking goat stood with a diabolical smirk upon his face. He was sharply dressed, wearing black robes with a glorified hat resting on his round skull. A band consisting of calming instruments began to play a peaceful melody as a beautifully dressed leopardess walks down the aisle formed by the rows of chairs. Everyone went silent as she slowly strutted down the aisle with her head down, being escorted by an elderly looking leopard who wore a dark blue set of robes.

The wedding was taking place in the center of town and everyone in village was forced to watch by threat of execution. No one's face, except for the goat, was showing any sign of happiness. The leopardess was frowning sorrily as she continued to walk towards the goat. The elderly looking leopard wore the same frown, and looked at the girl to make sure she wouldn't try to escape, due to the death threats. The menacing rhino guards surrounding the perimeter made the situation even worse, giving off the vibe that this was a forced ceremony. Once the two felines reached the end and were met with the goat and minister, (who didn't appear to agree with how the wedding was taking place either) the elder leaned over to her the female and gingerly whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry..." his voice let out. It was filled with sadness and regret, as if he could have done something about. But he couldn't.

"It's okay, father. I won't let anyone get hurt," She responded, even more sorrow fled from her voice than her father's. The elder feline leaned in and kissed his daughter on her forehead, and took a seat as she came meet eyes with the goat. His devilish smirk grew larger.

No one seemed to know, however, that help was on the way. And it was closer than it appeared to be.

Up on a hill in the brush that overlooked the ceremony from a distance, three figures wearing hats to cover their facial features stood watching the entire event unfold. They all wore different colored robes; blue, black, and yellow, that covered their other physical features as well, with padded gloves to hide their paws. Yellow was lying on his stomach while holding a crossbow that was fitted with a telescope and cross-hairs, observing the wedding. Blue and black were kneeling down next to him, peering out without any form of tool to help like yellow did. Once the girl had stepped onto the platform with the goat, the silence was broken.

"What are the details?" blue asked, his voice hoarse and firm.

"Looks like...sixteen foot-mobiles on the ground," yellow replied. "Eight bowmen on the rooftops, and two tanks behind the everyone with heavy armor and hammers."

"Identify the target yet?"

"Yeah. Constable Shao-Kann. The goat with the big-ass horns and the black robes."

"Wait," black interrupted. "This guy is a constable? Won't the Chinese Counsel have an issue with that?" Yellow gaffed at his question.

"Who do you think ordered the hit?"

"Shao-Kann has been ruling over this province like a tyrant. The counsel wants him gone due to the image he's bringing upon them," blue said, still observing the landscape. "He does everything by force. This marriage is one of them. Ny-Li was the leader of the province, but he stepped in and is forcing her hand by threatening villagers."

"Well, I gotta say, at least this guy has good taste in women," black commented, taking another look at the leopardess.

"Maybe you can hit on her after this is over," yellow joked.

"Cut the chatter," blue ordered. "Let's do this one by the books." The other two nodded in agreement. Black and blue ran the edge of the hill and slowly slid down the slope, making sure to be as quiet as possible. They reached the bottom and swiftly hid behind a building. They climbed up swiftly and silently onto the rooftop to find two unsuspecting rhino archers facing away from them. Both of the assassins removed a dagger from within their robes and approached the guards. They tripped and stabbed them in their throats with one swift motion while covering their mouths to muffle their screams. They then jumped to the next roof and took out the next two guards as they did before. They peeked over the edge of the roof to see that the minister had begun the ceremony.

"We got two minutes," black informed blue. "Let's tag 'em and drag 'em."

"Right," blue responded as he ascended down the ladder of the building. He removed a cylinder looking explosive device on the front wall, remaining noticed by no one. "Flash one is set. Go plant flash two."

"Got it." Black removed the same device from his robes and silently made his way to a building on the opposite side of the plaza, evading enemy detection. He placed it on the same place blue had and gave him a thumbs up. Blue nodded and held up a paw and began to count down from three.

...3...2...1 BANG

The loud explosion followed by the bright flash of light that blinded everyone in the vicinity, except for blue and black who covered their eyes, caused the guards to wander around dizzily. Shao-Kann did the same, as did Ny-Li. She had no clue as to what was happening, and became worried that Shao had attacked the villagers. Her vision began to clear as she saw that the constable had been blinded as well, so he was not to blame.

Blue and black positioned themselves on the roof and unfolded a specially made bow they had concealed with them. They took arrows from the dead archers and began shooting down the guards. They soon noticed the two assailants firing from the roofs, and began to attack them by throwing weapons and arrows at them. Once the guards began to corner the two, they started climbing to the building tops. One guard began to approach Ny-Li and was about to attack her. She braced for impact, but it never came. The guard fell over with an arrow to back of his neck, bleeding. Yellow loaded another bolt onto his crossbow and began to pick off more guards. Shao-Kann tried to make a run for it by sprinting straight down the main street. Black saw the constable try to escape and warned blue.

"He's trying to make a run for it!" black yelled across the street to his partner. Blue looked over and saw the goat sprinting towards the main exit.

"I'll take care of him! Get the girl to safety!" Black gave blue a quick nod and darted off the roof before it was overrun with rhinos. He landed firmly on the ground and made a dash towards Ny-Li.

"Who are you?!" she asked, desperately wanting to know the soldier's name.

"Not important," he responded quickly. "What is important is keeping you safe!" he said as he picked her up bridal-style and leaped onto a different rooftop that wasn't crowded with guards.

Meanwhile, blue prepped himself for a running leap as he watched the constable try to make an escape. He took a few steps back, and dashed off the building and towards the fleeing goat. His monstrous jump was just enough for him catch Shao-Kann before he reached his escape. Blue lifted his left arm up, unsheathed a retractable blade from under his sleeve, and landed on the constable with great force while thrusting his blade into his back. The goat yelled in agonizing pain before rolling over motionless.

Blue regained himself and saw the multiple guards closing in on him. He waved his arms up to yellow, who put away his crossbow and rushed over to what appeared to be a large shrub. He ripped of the foliage to reveal a winged glider capable of carry multiple passengers. Yellow pushed the glider over to the edge, and with one final shove, launched off with it down to the village. Black and blue saw the incoming glider and quickly got ready for evacuation. Black managed to get on first with the girl by holding onto her with one arm and extending to the glider with the other. Ny-Li held on tight to the black soldier's chest as he gripped the handle of the glider at the right time, taking both of them with it. It slowed them down a bit, but they still had enough speed to escape. Yellow looked down and saw blue being cornered by the rhinos, and lowered down the makeshift bird in order for him to have a better chance of grabbing on.

"Jump for it!" yellow screamed down to blue. Blue waited for the first guard to strike, and in one quick movement, foot planted on his head and launched himself into the air, just barely making the catch. The sudden gust of wind blew on them, tossing of the straw hats they wore, revealing their facial identities.

Yellow turned out to be a cheetah who had a sparkling pair of forest green eyes. Black was revealed to be a panther with fur dark as night, and eyes of amber yellow and a scar crossed over his left eyes. Blue was a tiger with fur white as snow, eyes of cobalt, and a feathered earring fashioned his left ear. Ny-Li was left astonished by her saviors.

"Who are you guys?!" she asked through the roaring sound of the wind clashing with her ears. The tiger simply looked down to her and spoke.

"Bad Company." She kept that confusing response in mind as the glider flew the felines to mountains clear in the distance.

This is it...the beginning of Horizon, my second story and sequel to Rising Sun. I hope you enjoy. R&R