Dragon Princess

Fear

Yuki had decided to go back after her encounter. Her stomach was growling profusely. She entered the kitchen and set herself to cooking some soup for the Five.

They wandered in a few minutes later.

"What is that amazing smell?" Crane asked, eyeing Yuki.

Yuki just shrugged, "Soup."

Viper made her way over to Yuki and slithered up her body. Yuki giggled.

"Hey, that tickles!"

Viper chuckled and rested on her shoulders, "My apologies." She peered down at the soup.

"I hope you made enough for seconds!" Mantis piped in. "Monkey is a glutt."

Monkey scoffed, "How rude."

Viper looked over at Tigress before making her way to the table with the others. Tigress hovered in the doorway for a moment, before hesitantly going over to Yuki. Yuki didn't even spare her a glance.

"I..just wanted to apologize. For earlier."

Yuki paused in her cooking and looked at Tigress. "It's okay. I understand."

Tigress gave a sheepish nod before going to the table.

—

Yuki sat next to Tigress to eat her soup. Everyone had gotten some except for her.

"I hope you guys like it." Yuki glanced at the ever brooding, Tigress.

"This is really good!" Mantis was the first to speak up.

"Yes, it's amazing!" Viper added.

Crane finally tried his and his eyes widened, "Wow, you're a really good cook."

"I wish my mouth was bigger.." Mantis muttered, making Yuki chuckle.

Monkey looked at Tigress, "Tigress, you've got to try this."

Tigress rolled her eyes, "It is said that the Dragon Warrior can survive for months on nothing but the dew of a single ginkgo leaf and the energy of the universe." She shot Yuki a look as she ate her tiny meal.

Yuki bristled, "Oh, come on!" She nudged Tigress playfully. "Just a small taste!" She held a spoonful out to Tigress who simply stared at it.

The Five watched, holding their breaths. Finally, with a sigh, Tigress leaned forward and sipped the soup from the spoon.

Monkey gasped and was immediately smacked by Viper.

Tigress closed her eyes and swallowed. She hummed in thought. "It's okay, I suppose." She opened her eyes and gave Yuki a look before she quickly stole the white tigress' bowl.

Yuki gasped before giggling, "Hey! I could've just gotten some for you!"

Tigress just smirked while the rest of the Five laughed.

Shifu appeared in the doorway, looking annoyed from the laughter.

"Tai Lung has escaped from prison and you all are acting like children!"

Yuki tensed up, "What?" She rose from her seat.

"He is coming for the Dragon Scroll, and you are the only one who can stop him." He gestured to Yuki.

Yuki gasped before shaking her head, "I-I'm not ready! What about Master Oogway? He stopped him before! He'll do it again!"

Shifu glared, "Oogway cannot!" He looked away, ears drooping. "Not anymore."

The Five gasped in unison.

Shifu stared at the staff in his hands, "Our only hope is the Dragon Warrior."

"The white tigress?" Tigress asked, exasperated.

"Yes, the white tigress!" Shifu snapped.

"Master, please," Tigress scooted out of her chair and stood, "Let us stop Tai Lung. This is what you've trained us for!"

Shifu flattened his ears, "No! It is not your destiny to defeat Tai Lung. It is hers!" He pointed to an empty spot with his staff. "Where'd she go?"

—

Yuki ran, fleeing from the Jade Palace on all fours, eyes widened in fear. Shifu was suddenly in front of her. She skidded to a halt, almost colliding with him.

"You cannot leave!" Shifu pointed his staff at her, "A real warrior never quits."

"Watch me!" She hissed and went to leap over his head. Shifu grabbed her hind paw and threw her back down.

"Come on.." she sighed, sitting up. "How am I supposed to beat Tai Lung? I can't even beat you to the stairs."

Shifu glared, "You will beat him because you are the Dragon Warrior." He jabbed her in the shoulder with his staff.

"Ow!" She growled. "You don't believe that!" She lashed her tail. "You never believed that. From the first moment I got here, you've been trying to get rid of me." She tried to leave but was tripped by Shifu.

"Yes! I was." He shoved his staff in her face. "But now I ask you to trust in your master as I have come to trust in mine."

Yuki bristled and bared her fangs at Shifu, "You're not my master. And I'm not the Dragon Warrior." She shoved his staff away.

"Then why didn't you quit?! You knew I was trying to get rid if you, yet you stayed!"

Yuki scoffed, "Yeah, I stayed. I stayed because I didn't want to be a disappointment. Sure, everything you said to me hurt, but it could never hurt more than it did every day of my life just being me. I stayed because I thought, if anyone could change me..could make me..not me..it was you. The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China!" Yuki's eyes welled with tears.

"But I can change you!" Shifu stepped forward, "I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I will!"

Yuki shook her head, "Tai Lung is on his way here right now. Even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are you going to change this" she gestured to herself, "into the Dragon Warrior, huh?" Her tail was lashing furiously.

"I..I don't know!" Shifu sounded scared. "I don't know.." he lowered his head.

Yuki sighed, "That's what I thought..

Unknown to them, Tigress had been watching from the rooftop. She frowned at the altercation.

"Don't worry, Yuki. You won't have to." She whispered quietly before turning and racing off.