Chapter 25 - The Vixen In The Cave

(In this chapter Shifu meets up with a young girl who has gone through as much hell as he has! I want your opinion of the name "Leona". Is that a good name for her?)

Oogway yawned. "Good morning Wu Lian, how did you sleep?"
Wu Lian narrowed her eyes. "How did I sleep? I have no idea if my friends are dead, I'm in a place where I have no idea where I am, and I slept on a log!! That's how I slept Master Oogway!!" She sobbed.
Oogway pulled her into a hug. "Alright, alright..shhhhh. Relax Wu Lian, we'll find them."
The young cub responded with another sob. "I-I hate this.."
The old tortoise sighed, and closed his eyes. "I know.........I do too."
Shifu groaned, he had a horrible night. Despite the fact that the blankets were warm, and he was fed well......he still couldn't sleep! It was to hard, he was in an unfamilliar place. The cub was used to waking up at the sound of the gong and greeting his master at the doorway, but all he greeted this morning was a water drenched village, a smelly hut and a cat. If it wasn't for the sweet comfort from Pong he probably would've never gotten through the night. The red panda yawned and went up to the bent fridge. He took out some apples and cheese. "Li, what do you want for breakfast?"
"Mew..."
"Milk? And what else?"
"Mew..."
"Chicken?........Oh okay, just a couple pieces because there isn't much."
Shifu bit into the apple and some cheese. "It's still very fresh!" He smiled. "I guess we should pack up some food and head back to the palace."
".....Mew?"
Shifu shook his head and chuckled dryly. "I don't really know either Li, lets try and find it together okay?"
"Mew!"
"Yay!" Shifu scooped up the kitten and limped up the hill. "Ugh! This leg....." He sighed and rubbed it. It was still crusty with dried blood. "Mmm.....maybe we can find some sort of pond or something to wash it out in.
Li cocked her head up at him. "Mew...?"
The cub laughed. "That's true...there is water all around us but it's way to dirty. We need to find clean water. Come on Li!"
Li gave a tiny amused meow.
Shifu carefully made his way up the hill and into a forest. Gasp. "Look a spring!!" He hollered joyfully. He half limped/half ran to the spring, eyes shinning. "It's so sparkly and clear!!" He squealed. The young cub threw off his tunic and slipped down into the warm clean water. The pain of his wounded leg dissipated immidiately. Shifu closed his eyes and smiled heavenly. The water felt so nice...
Li bent over to sniff the water, she leaned over to far and tumbled off the rocks and slipped under. The kitten gave a screech and clambered at the edge. She rocketed into the bushes.
Shifu slapped his uninjured knee laughing and pointing at Li. The cub shook himself dry and sat under the sun on the rocks.
"Shifuuuuuuuuu! Ming Yaaaaangg!" Oogway called, trying to find his beloved students.
"SHIFUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!! MING YAAAAAAAAAANNGGG!!!" Wu Lian screamed. The red panda and old tortoise had been searching since six that morning, but Shifu and Ming Yang were impossible to find. "Arghhhhhhh!!! Are we ever going to find them master?"
Oogway was quiet for a moment. "Of course Wu Lian, don't talk like that, we'll find them."
Wu Lian sighed, she wasn't convinced.
It took an hour for the cub and kitten to dry, then a few hours to get out of the forest. It was already beginning to get dark and it was only five. The evening was dark and dreary. The cub could scarcely see a thing in the darkness. He clutched Pong close to his chest, trembling. Masterrr......I really wish you were here right now. I don't want to be alone, I want to be back at the palace. Running from Ming trying to hug me, tearing at Wu Lian's face when she critisizes me of my size, meditating with my master-...............................................my master. Tears filled the cub's eyes. He missed Master Oogway more then anything. The man who had taken him into his home, cared for him, shared all his wisdom with him, and made sure he was always safe, happly healthy,.........and loved. Shifu sniffled and allowed the tears to trickle down his cheeks in full steady streams. He sighed and peered down at Li who was watching him curiously.
"Mew..." The young kitten purred and nuzzled his legs affectionately.
Shifu rubbed her back, smiling lightly.
C-R-A-C-K!
Thunder sounded the air and lightning split the sky.
B-O-O-M!
"Aughhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" Shifu gave a bloodcurdling scream and flew up the hill. "Li we have to hurry!!" He grabbed Li and scurried up to the very top.It was very rocky. Was he on some sort of mountain? The cub hardly had a moment to think as another thunderous boom ripped through the air. Shifu quickly pulled Li into a crevice in the rocks, and hurried to the back of it. "Whew.....that was close!" He gave a tight nervous giggle. "Lucky I'm so small.or else I wouldn't have fit in here!" He smiled. Being small does have it's advantages! The young cub sat on a rock with the kitten, waiting for the storm to pass. ".....?" He perked up his ears. Did he hear crying? Shifu turned over to glance at the back of the cave. There was a little curled up ball hunched over a rock, sobbing. The cub walked up to the crying furball. "H-hey there.."
The creature uncurled her tail and blinked up with tear filled eyes. She was a silver vixen with green eyes, her kimono was violet with a light purple seam down holding together the outfit. She had an indigo rose print on the side of the fabric, and white beaded sandals. She also had little hair beads sticking out the top of her head, with two swirly ponytails attatched together.
Shifu took a step toward her, her bright green eyes filled with tears to the brim. She cringed back.
"N-no! It's okay little...errr........fox girl. I won't hurt you..." That's when Shifu realized that the vixen was staring over his shoulder, out the mouth of the cave. "They're coming..." She whispered.
Shifu's eyes widened, his ears perked up. "Huh..? Who's coming?"
"They're coming!" She exclaimed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The cub was really starting to get freaked out now. "Who's coming?" He demanded softly. "Someone you know?"
The vixen's eyes were wide with fright, voices could be heard outside the mouth of the cave. She grabbed Shifu's arm and began pulling him through the cave.
Shifu stumbled on a rock trying to keep up with the girl. Li did as well. Shifu looked back, he saw lights flashing at the mouth of the cave.
"HEY!" A loud angry voice shouted. "There she is! Get her!!"
The young fox gave a horrorified scream and began running faster. It was all poor Shifu could do to keep up with her. "H-hey! What's going on?! Who is that?!"
The vixen ignored him and continued pulling them through the cave.
There was loud stomping behind him. Shifu's eyes buldged out. They were tigers! The same ones that had chased him and his friends through the valley before! "Oh my gosh, it's them!"
The young fox finally looked back at him. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
A loud gasp was heard from behind them. "Holy-!! It's that little brat we were chasing before!"
"You mean the little runt Giao Xun wanted us to catch?!"
"Of course him stupid! Who else?!"
The tigers picked up speed and was hot on the children's tails. One of the tigers reached out and tore Shifu out of the vixen's grip. The other one yanked on the fox's tail. She gave a loud yelp of pain.
Shifu's eyes widened. "Hey!!" He delivered a hard punch to the tiger's face. "You don't assault a girl like that you striped orange...pumpkins!" He spat angrilly. The cub stepped in front of the girl and held out his arms protectively. "Leave her alone!!"
The fox looked up at him greatfully, tears shinning in her eyes.
The tiger uttered a low menacing growl and leapt at the cub, Shifu dodged it easily. He pounced on the tiger's back and forced him to the ground, the cub then kicked the three tigers into a heap slammed against the hard stones. He turned towards the vixen. "Come on!" He pressed urgently. Shifu grabbed her hand and they ran out into the storm. When the children were a save distance away from the cave and under some sheltering trees, the finally sat down to take a breather.
The young fox peered up at him, breathing heavily. "........................Thank you..."
Shifu turned and looked at her in surprise. She actually spoke! "Errrr....hehe...no problem fox girl!"
The vixen was quiet for a moment. ".......Did you know the tigers too?"
The cub grimaced. "Unfortunately....yes. Why were they after you....uhhh...."
The girl looked up at him. "Leona, my name is Leona."
Shifu smiled. "Oh....why were they after you Leona?"
Leona was quiet for a moment. ".........To kill me.." She whispered.
"What?!!"
She sighed. "To kill me." The vixen repeated. Her face twisted in pain, and she sobbed. "Just like they did to my family!"
The red panda's eyes were as wide as saucers. "What, they killed your family?!" His face became symapthetic. "Wh-when did this happen Leona?"
Leona sighed. "two days ago..." She murmured.
Shifu's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "T-two-?! Why?!"
The vixen peered up at him. "How do the tigers know you?"
Shifu sighed. He could tell the fox was avoiding the question, but decided to answer her's anyways. "Yes...Giao Xun killed my family too.."
Leona stared at him. "When?"
Shifu looked thoughtful. "About a year and a half ago...I've been under the care of my godfather since then."
The fox looked thoughtful for a moment, she seemed to be thinking hard at something. "My father had something Giao Xun wanted, but he wouldn't give it up......so they killed him and the rest of my family. .....Except for me."
Shifu frowned. "How come they spared you?"
Leona sighed. "They didn't.......I got away. My father told me to get to the Jade Palace, and for Master Oogway to train me to be a strong Kung Fu warrior."
Shifu's eyes went wide with shock. "Wow! ......What did your father have that the stupid jaguar wanted?"
The vixen was silent for a minute. "Some sort of foregin stone, that was given to him by an aged Geisha, that's where my father trained. In Japan. He found Karate to be the strongest form of martial arts..untill Giao Xun delivered the fatal blow, he figured that it was the martial arts that had failed him.......so he wanted tme to be the strong one of the family. He wants me to fight Giao Xun when I'm older, but...I-I-I don't know what to do! I hardly know any martial arts what-so-ever! ...I hate that old jaguar. He ruined my life, now I have to move in with someone......who probably wouldn't even accept a weak cry baby like me... My father's last words were for me to find my way to the palace. .....But I got really lost, I've bee in this cave since."
The cub was sympathetic. "Wow......you poor thing! You've really been through alot haven't you?"
Leona nodded quietly.
"......Hey!!"
Startled, the fox turned towards Shifu, he had a big grin on his face. "We can find our way to the Jade Palace together! You can live with me and my godfather!"
Leona blinked, she hesitated. "Well....umm I need to find Master Oogway, if he'll let me live with him..."
The red panda's eyes were sparkling. "That's what I mean! Come live with me and Master Oogway!!"
The vixen's squinted her eyes at him curiously, not getting what he was saying yet. Then her eyes nearly popped out. "Wait......your godfather is Grand Master Oogway?"
"Exactly!" Shifu said happily.
Leona clasped her hands to her mouth, her eyes were wide. "Wow..! You'e really lucky. I'd like to come with you. ...You did save my life in there. I'm indebted to you."
Shifu blushed. "Heehee....it was nothing! I just did what anyone else would've done..." He smiled and stood up. "Plus, it'll be fun not having to travel with only a cat. ......No offence Li." He added, looking down at the kitten. She gave a small offended mew and turned her back to him.
The young fox stood up as well and looked over at him. "Thank you very much red panda."
Shifu turned towards her, grinning. "Shifu, my name is Shifu."
Leona looked thoughtful. "Shifu..." She whispered. Then she smiled.

(Daaaaaaaaawww! Little Shifu found a friend! Hehehe! Will Oogway accept her..?)

Chappppppppiiiiieeeeee!

"Shifu...."
"Wh-wha..? Wh-who-?!"
"Shifu...over the hill.."
The cub's eyes widened. "....Ma ma? B-baba..?"
"Shifu..."
"Ma ma!" Shifu looked around. "Ma ma, where are you?!"
"Shifu...........over the hill..."
"W-what?"
"Come over the hill..."
Shifu got to his feet, and ran as fast as he could, he hurried up the soft dew covered grass, and down the hill. He gave a sharp gasp. The young cub clapped his hands to his mouth, tears in his eyes. "O-oh my gosh..."

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