Author's note: I'm incredibly sorry for the long ass update. I have had stuff to do and that message will be taken down from this story. Also, I will have a new story posted tonight and it's one I'm already proud of even though I haven't posted it yet. But there is something I must get off my chest.

WHOEVER POSTS THEMSELVES AS 'THE FLAMES', SHOULD SERIOUSLY GET OFF THIS SITE. For those who don't know, I posted an important message to all my readers, and while most were supportive, I received a couple of messages from a guest account known as 'The Flames'. They are obviously just hate messages that describe me as 'pathetic' and that my readers 'don't give a f*** about my problems'. So, before I go on, here's my retaliation.

To The Flames: Shut the fuck up. You don't seem to understand that authors have fucking LIVES, not like you would know about that. Plus, this is FanFiction, and while it is an excellent starter site, that's what it is; a starter site. People like me want to get into some serious writing like poetry, or journalism, and other authors most likely think the same as me. Fan Fiction is an AMAZING website, but people will probably want to pursue writing as a career and FF is not the place to do that. I'm just thinking of my future, asshole. And also, you're such a wuss. You don't even use a REAL account so I can't PM you back. So man the fuck up, and make an account so we can keep this private you little asswipe.

You move, douche.

Chapter Nine - The Dark Knight

The Siberian feline walked casually down the large set of stairs with his paws laid in his pockets. The air was cold as he could see his breath turning into a light fog every time he exhaled.

There was something about the cold that he liked. Just something he couldn't figure out. Whenever it snowed or rained, Zayn would be outside, basking in it's freezing glory. But he found it incomprehensible as to why he did. The icy weather always seemed to be comforting and relaxing, like a hot bath would to others. Sure, he didn't mind the occasional hot springs or steaming bath, but the cold seemed to always comfort him most.

Zayn smiled to himself with closed eyes, slowing his pace as he heard more footsteps in front of him. He snapped his pupils open and glanced up ahead. His breath was blurring his vision a bit, but he could see three tall statures as well as a shorter one all chuckling up a storm. They could see the feline approaching and they quickly acknowledged.

"Zaaaaaayyyyynnn!" they all shouted slightly slurred. It was now that Zayn could tell it was the three wolves and the ape. They came and waved to their friend. Zayn looked at them, slightly irritated, but still a smile stuck to his lips.

"Are you all drunk, too?" the tiger asked, still resting his hands inside his pockets.

"We're a bit tipsy, yeah," Zhong answered while leaning on his brother's shoulder. "But not as bad as Yong! Did you see him?!"

"Yes, I saw the idiot. He's wasted," he replied.

"Like garbage cans!" Monkey joked. The five all pointed and laughed at each other while Zayn stood there trying not to become frustrated.

"You guys should probably get back to the palace and sleep." Zayn could see their expressions and he was judging their reaction to the simian's terrible joke. They weren't drunk, but they were definitely tired. They could have fallen asleep on a pile of rusty nails and it could have been an angel's hand to them.

"You-You're probably right. We got that big mission in Mongo tomorrow," Szen remembered.

"Yes, and plus we still need to make that stop in Black Water to see our old friend for some new supplies."

"Right!" Szen came to his sudden memory. "Man, I hope he has some new gear for us."

"Well maybe we can leave early in the morning if you all hit the sack now," Zayn stated firmly. "And Monkey, Mantis. You two have training in the morning, so I suggest you both sober up with some sleep as well."

"I hear ya," Mantis mumbled. "We're just gonna keep making our way back to the palace." Monkey nodded with him. The five tipsy friends strolled lazily back up the steps past the general before he stopped them once more.

"One more thing?" They all drew a bit closer with curved brows. "Where's my other lieutenant and the senator of the Pan region?" He said the last few words as if he knew what they were doing already. Probably because he did, he just wanted confirmation. All their faces turned tight with laughter being pent up inside.

"Ugh, that's all I needed to hear." Zayn's chilled attitude finally broke as he strolled down the steps once again without bidding farewell to the others.

It wasn't really a problem whether or not his men had romantic relationships, as a matter a fact he often encouraged them. But now? On an escort mission? With the escorted? Not exactly a recipe for success.

Zayn's frustration came up again, but then he remembered that it was probably around forty degrees outside. He smiled again.

The Siberian almost reached the final step of the massive flight, but something caught his eye. It was the figure of a person, obviously. It was standing firmly on the rooftop of a local stone home. However, this one was different. He seemed to be wearing a costume of some sort. It consisted of a tight set of armor that was pitch black and black cape flowing in the wind. He also wore a face mask that resembled very closely to a samurai death facemask. Judging by his body type, he was a marsupial of some kind, but his leg infrastructure was that of a canine's, but his tail was too long and it looked as if it belonged to a feline. This guy was real wild card.

It took Zayn a moment to realize that the man was staring at him directly, dagger-eyed. Zayn stared back with just as much ferociousness.

The figure suddenly jumped forward and landed perfectly about twenty feet away from the tiger. He brought his pupils back to stare at Zayn again. His face was inconclusive thanks to his mask as only his grey spectacles could be seen.

Zayn's facial expression suddenly changed from menacing, to utter shock. It was his chi. He could feel it. This man's chi energy was so strong that it practically radiated from him. He hadn't felt this kind of energy since his battle Vaas, and needless to say, it scared him.

The feline hid his right paw behind his back in the form of a claw and began to generate black static into his palm.

Several silent moments passed before the masked figure spoke his first words to the defensive white tiger.

"General Zayn of the Baohu, am I correct?" His voice was deep and firm, and Zayn became even more shocked as to how this guy knew who he was, or who the Baohu was! It's a secret organization that no one except for the counsel should know about, and the fact that this guy already knew that Zayn was in charge of it all made him even more dangerous to be around.

"How the hell do you know that?" Zayn asked, suspiciously on his toes. The energy growing in his claw began to grow.

"It's my duty," he replied.

"Well, you know my name. What's yours?" Zayn demanded to know.

"I am know simply to most that I encounter as...the Midnight Stranger."

"Sounds like something noble," Zayn replied, still trying hard to maintain his level-head. The Stranger looked at him with a bit of surprise.

"You have not heard of the legend?"

"What legend?"

"Forget about it." Zayn's paw was now surging with energy, enough to kill. The mysterious man could see the tiger's expression of extreme caution, as well as the paw hidden behind his back. He could see flickering bolts of electricity that were neon black. "Please don't use your Moguian or Tianshan abilities. We don't want to attract attention to ourselves."

Zayn's eyes widened the largest they had been that night. Not only had this man known about the Baohu, and that he was in charge of it, but he knew what Zayn could do. If he knew that he had those abilities, then he must know even more about him that expected. Zayn had never been on his guard this high in a while, and with good reason.

"How do you-"

"Please, let us avoid violence. I have information that you will do well to heed," the masked figure told the general. Zayn growled to himself in frustration.

"If you want to avoid violence, you better spit out that info."

"In short time..." The stranger looked over his shoulder at the rooftops of the seemingly quiet village. He glanced back over to Zayn who had finally lowered his defenses and de-energized his palm. "Follow."

The stranger quickly flipped backwards onto the rooftop again and dashed off. Zayn quickly pursued and jumped onto the building even quicker, thinking he had been right on his tail. But when the tiger reached the top, he was already another fifty yards ahead on the roofs. Zayn became amazed by his sudden speed and agility, almost phenomenal compared to his own. Although he was incredibly fast, Zayn was able to keep up while scaling up and down the varying height buildings. The tiger finally followed him to the top of an average sized house, perched on ledge looking over the main road of the town. Zayn crouched on the ledge with him, still debating on whether or not he should trust this guy.

"So, what exactly is so important about this information you possess, Midnight Stranger? I'm dying to know," Zayn said with a large amount of sarcasm.

"General, you are moving out for an attack on the Northern border tomorrow, correct?" At this point Zayn wasn't surprised that he knew this.

"Man what don't you know?" he replied, but Stranger just ignored and continued on.

"I recommend you delay the attack."

"What? Why?" Zayn firmly questioned. The masked man just looked at him thoroughly.

"It appears that you have bigger problems to concern yourself with than the Mongolians." Zayn now became worried.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one, a canine had been following us since we met at the bottom of the steps." Zayn glanced over his shoulder to reveal that he was correct. A dog of some sort was following them for a long time. The tiger acted like he hadn't noticed him in order to keep the follower's suspicions low. "And two, the Mongolians have been preparing for an attack for months now. It will be much more difficult for your men to break through their defenses. It's best to wait and prepare for the attack more than you have."

"How do you know that for sure?" Zayn asked, still frightened of how much this guy knew already.

"It's because of the prisoner they have with them." Zayn suddenly reminded himself of the prisoner that had been a topic of discussion during the meeting.

"The same one that Chengshi said the Romans want?"

"Yes, and speaking of your friend, Cheng..." he mentioned as he pointed over to a thin alley. Zayn looked over and saw the mentioned panther and a leopard as well, pressed up against the wall. They were practically eating each other alive by how they were kissing, making Zayn want to flinch in horror.

"Well, that'll leave me blind in one eye for a while," he grunted as he tried to look away. The stranger continued to look, and pointed to a figure that was creeping above the two lovers.

"That's not all, Zayn." The tiger looked at the figure that had crept up on them. His eyes widened as the black figure jumped down and prepared to attack.