The Last Honor

32. Yin-Yu's Risk

The dusk had a calming effect with its last sunlight. Even Shen couldn't deny this feeling. He was standing in one of the many palace corridors and was looking thoughtfully out a window. His wing was bandaged and his eye was a little swollen. At least no one could see the bruises under his plumage, at most the bloodstain from the reopened surgical wound, which had only been poorly cleaned. Every muscle still ached that had caused Chiwa with her blows. Otherwise, he had no bad wounds. He was just exhausted, the doctor had diagnosed on his arrival and, to the relief of his family, it hadn't been long before the white peacock came to. It had been like a release for him to let go after he had used up his last strength.
A few steps behind the white ruler the five masters crouched, next to them also Master Storming Ox and Master Croc. Every now and then, they glanced at a door. Shen had accepted tentatively the ox's rebuke for setting everything on fire again with humor. In addition, after these events of the day, hardly anyone uttered a word. Everyone was at their limit and everyone would have loved to leave this place if it hadn't been for a big worry.
Shen's gaze wandered back to where Yin-Yu and the children were sitting. The three boys had pressed close to their mother and were sleeping. Shenmi had snuggled into her mother's lap, too. Everyone was pretty exhausted. Even Sheng and Xia occasionally escaped yawns.
Finally, the door opened. Everyone raised their heads at the same time. The former army doctor took off his white coat and looked around.
"How is he?" Tigress asked immediately.
The monkey massaged his fingers. "Well, he's got a... well, thick fur, it'll be fine. It could have been worse, but he'll be back on his feet soon."
Relief spread among the friends. Only Yin-Yu was worried about someone else.
"What about her?" she asked.
The army doctor folded his arms behind his back and leaned over to the lady. "She had more luck than everything. Even though he had pulled the knife out of her, the bleeding was still limited." He wrinkled his nose. "It really could have been worse. I always say, never take an object out of the body without a doctor."
"Can we see him?" Monkey asked impatiently.
The doctor shrugged. "He will still be a bit foggy from the narcotic. But you can try to contact him."
The friends entered the room quietly. The children followed them, too. Xia and Sheng looked questioningly at their mother. But she had no objections for looking after the Dragon Warrior. Only Shen stayed in the background.
There were two beds in the room. In one was the panda. He was still under anesthesia.
Shenmi jumped on the bed and looked at the panda with concern. "Po, are you in pain now, too?"
"I don't think, he can hear you," Mantis said and tapped Po's nose carefully.
Yin-Yu, who had come into the room now, too, looked over at Liu, who was accommodated in another bed. She was lying on her stomach, probably so as not to strain the wound in her back. Yin-Yu looked over her shoulder, but the younger peahen was still unconscious.
Suddenly, a murmur filled the room. The panda had started to blink. "Hey, guys," Po said in a tired voice.
"Po!"
His five friends leaned over him in concern. Even Xia and Sheng craned their necks. In the next moment, Master Ox pushed himself forward and pushed the others aside. "Dragon Warrior, if I should punish someone, then tell me!"
Po looked tiredly at the master. "Punishing? For whom... Where is Shen?"
"He's over there," Mantis replied, pointing to the background.
Carefully, Po looked at the white peacock. "You look pretty worn out. Are you still okay?"
Normally, Shen would have glared at him now, but the peacock smiled instead. "You don't look any better either."
Po smiled. "Don't worry. I have a... thick fur."
"Lucky for you that you weren't on a diet," Mantis joked.
"What happened?" Po wanted to know. "Mm... Where is that crazy aunt?"
"She is dead," Tigress answered for the others.
"Mm..." Po pricked up his ears. "Uh... and who did it?"
His gaze wandered to a white figure standing a little further away from his bed.
"No, it wasn't him," Viper corrected his gaze. "It was Xiang."
Po sat up with a jerk. "Wh... Ouch!"
"Po, you should stay lying down," Tigress warned worriedly and pressed the panda back onto the pillow.
Shen folded his wings and stepped closer to the bed next to the panda. "Yes, your... thick fur won't help you either."
Po looked at him in surprise. "You cracked a joke, didn't you?" He raised his paw and gave the bird a side nudge. "By the way. Your knives are really sharp. My compliment."
Shen wrinkled his beak, then he smiled. "You'd better stop being a target, Po."
Po smiled. "Hey, hey, yeah, you... Wait a minute! Did you say my name?"
Shen froze, then he lifted his head. "No, I didn't."
"Yes, yes!" the panda insisted. "You said my name!"
Shen turned away. "No, I didn't."
"You said my name...!"
Shen ignored the panda's further words and gave Yin-Yu an apologetic look that he wanted to leave anyway. The peahen nodded to him and the white peacock left the room, while Po rocked around in bed with enthusiasm, which, however, did not do so well for his fresh wounds. "HEY! He said my name! Did you hear that? He said my name... Ouch!"