Dragon Princess

Wolves

Yuki was in the training room with Tigress. She was currently trying to teach the orange Warrior the proper position for the Wuxi Finger Hold.

"Like this?"

"No, no!" Yuki giggled and fixed Tigress' paw. "More like this." Yuki's tail shot up when she heard a gong. "Oh, Master Shifu! Sorry, Tigress, I have to go." She hurried towards the door.

Tigress watched her go with a smile on her face.

Yuki ran her way up to the springs Shifu was meditating at. When she got close, she slowed down enough as to not disturb him.

"Inner peace.." Shifu murmured.

"Master Shifu, I'm here." She flicked an ear when he did not respond. "Master? What are you doing?"

"One of Master Oogway's final teachings."

Yuki stood back and watched as Shifu made some slow movements, deep in concentration. He caught a dewdrop on his hand and began weaving it around his body.

Yuki's mouth dropped open in amazement. Shifu eventually released the drop onto a plant and then it dripped off into the pool of water.

Yuki gasped, "Whoa! That was awesome, Master! How did you do that?"

"Inner peace." Shifu stated. "It is the next phase of your training. Every Master must find her path to Inner peace."

Yuki hummed in thought. Tail swaying.

"Some choose to meditate for 50 years in a cave like this." Shifu did a flip into the water and balanced on his staff. "Without the slightest taste of food or water." He looked over at Yuki who grimaced.

"Or?"

"Some find it through pain and suffering as I did. Yuki, the day you were chosen as Dragon Warrior, was the worst day of my life by far."

Yuki frowned and flattened her ears.

"Nothing else came close. It was the worst, most painful, mind-destroying horrible moment.."

"Okay.."

"I have ever experienced." Shifu visibly shuddered, earning a sigh out of Yuki. "But once I realized the problem was not you, but within me, I found inner peace, and was able to harness the flow of the universe."

"So, you're saying that I just need Inner peace? I think I'm already super peacef-"

"Yuki!" Tigress leapt up onto a rock. Yuki let out a startled squeak and spun towards her. "Bandits!" Tigress continued and pointed. "Approaching the musicians' village."

"Bandits.." Yuki turned back to Shifu who raised a brow at her.

"Peaceful, huh?"

"I, uh..I'll be back later!" Yuki moved to Tigress' side and the two leapt off towards the village.

—

Yuki pelted faster when she heard the distress of a bell being rung.

I'm glad I changed out of my kimono earlier.

Yuki let out a loud roar when they entered the village, making the wolf bandits spin towards them in alarm. The six of them got into a fighting stance immediately.

"The Dragon Warrior!" A rabbit villager squeaked. The wolf held it up like it couldn't believe what it had said. "The white tigress? That's impossible."

"Put. The rabbit. Down." Yuki snarled.

The wolf growled and tossed the rabbit. "Get 'em!" The rest of the wolves lunged forward.

Yuki and the Five met them head on.

Yuki stayed at Tigress' side through the whole battle. Effectively covering her back.

"Help!" Yuki turned and saw a villager being hauled away up the mountain in a net of various metal objects.

"Crane!" She called.

"I'm on it!" Crane flew up after them and swiftly cut the rope. The villager shrieked as they fell.

Yuki leapt forward off of the cliff and caught the bundle. She felt Viper wrap herself around her leg and she was immediately thrown back up onto the land. She fumbled and dropped the bundle but Mantis stopped it.

Yuki rose and looked around at all the villagers. "Is everyone OK?"

The villagers cheered and surrounded her and the Five. Yuki's head whipped around at the sound of scrambling on the side of the cliff. It was a wolf.

"I got it." She moved protectively in front of everyone and held a fighting stance. The wolf snarled and lunged at her. Yuki froze when she saw the symbol on its armor.
—
It's okay, Yuki. You're going to be okay. I promise! Kori leaned in and kissed Yuki's head before he turned and hurried away.
—
"Yuki!" Tigress yelled. She shot in front of Yuki and blasted the wolf in the face with her hind paw.

The wolf scrambled away to the last remaining haul and latched onto it as it was pulled away up the mountain.

"Are you OK?"

"What happened?" Tigress put her paws on Yuki's shoulders and snapped her out of her trance.

"That..That symbol..it.." she shook her head. "I have to go." She turned and dashed off.

—

Yuki walked into her family's noodle shop. Waving awkwardly at a cheering crowd.

"The Dragon Warrior!"

"Yuki!" Ping hurried forward to meet his daughter. "You should have told me you were coming!"

Yuki gave him a quick hug, "Hi, Dad."

"I would have saved you some sweet tofu."

Yuki pulled back and glanced around, "Um.. Dad, can I talk to you?" She took some dirty bowls from him.

"Of course, my beautiful flower."

Yuki hurried inside with the dishes.

"In honor of my daughter, free tofu dessert for everybody!" Ping yelled, making the crowd cheer. "With purchases." He added quickly, making them whine.

Yuki held the door open for Ping and then closed it behind him.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Yuki. Let me get you some soup!"

Yuki sat on a stool. "No, that's OK, Dad. I'm not hungry."

"Not hungry?" He raised a brow at her. "Yuki, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah.." she looked away. "I'm fine. Earlier today, I was fighting these bandits."

"Uh-huh." Ping turned to cut vegetables.

"The strangest thing happened. I had this crazy vision. I think I saw my brother." Yuki's ears flattened. "He looked so young."

Ping set his knife down and turned to his daughter. "Oh, Yuki.. He was. Poor boy was no more than six years old." Ping turned and pulled a crate out from under the counter. "I still have your baby blanket."

Yuki's ears perked up and she immediately rose from the stool.

Ping pulled out a white blanket that was covered in cherry blossoms. "Oh, you were so small." He sniffled before turning and handing it to Yuki.

Coins clattered on the counter, "One dumpling, please! Dragon Warrior sized!" Ping turned away to assist the customer.

Yuki held the blanket up to her face with a small frown.

"Who am I?"