"Don't worry, little birdie."

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     Hello everyone! I'd like to say that without counting this chapter, we have 9 more until this book reaches its end, and a 10th chapter when I give the results of the poll that's at the end of Kung Fu Panda 2! I will say I will try to finish this book by the end of the month, but I can't make that promise because that is a lot of writing! But if I can't finish the book by then, then I'll do the poll on the 31st at Noon (Eastern Standard Time).
     And as a second note! I'd like to add that I won't be adding an extra chapter like I did in the other books until after I watch KFP4!
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     It had been no more than a few days since Crane and Mantis had left the Jade Palace. The jade creatures have been long gone now, but the two were able to manage to follow what was left of their trail. Currently the two were flying over one of China's greatest rivers, the Tavern River Bed. Despite it being dry as a dessert, many years in the harsh sun hasn't done it any favor.
     With his head towards towards the sand, Crane looked around to make sure the trail didn't veer off track, "Wings of Surveillance!"
     Having been sitting on his hat, Mantis leaned over and raised a brow at the bird, "Why do you do that?"
     "Do what?"
     Mantis sat himself up as he continued, waving his forearm as he spoke, "Just because you saw Wings of - before something doesn't mean that you're doing a special move." Reaching down, he gripped onto Crane's hat as he flew to the side, "It's like me saying Antenna of Power or..." He thought for a moment before puffing out his chest, "Thorax of Making Sandwiches."
     Crane shook his head slightly, quietly muttering as if to annoy him, "Wings of Disagreement."
     Sighing, Mantis perked up as a streaking cloud of sand rose from the ground, "Woah, there!"
     As he pointed down, in the near distance was a large, abandoned ship with a broken hull resting against jagged rocks. Heading towards it was the streak of sandy cloud. Descending towards the ground, Crane flew faster before stopping at a steady pace when he realized what was leading the trail, "Master Bear, Master Chicken, Master Croc! What are you doing here?"
     While the other master kept their pace, Master Chicken looked back at the two, clucking every few seconds, "Jade creatures attacked our villages. We've tracked them here."
     Master Bear called out with a raised fist, "Stop!" With their paws pressed into the ground, he skid for a second before everyone eventually stopped, "They must be in there."
     Just ahead of them was the broken ship, the sun resting behind its broken sails giving of a dark red shadow. Crane landed on Master Croc's free side, waving his wing, "Master Shifu strongly advised us-" His eyes widened as Master Bear yelled out, waving his battle axes high as he ran into the broken hull. Master Croc was next to follow, yelling as he swung his blade and chased after his comrade, "-not to engage."
     Standing up on Crane's hat, Mantis leaned forward,, "We gotta get in there."
     Crane looked up at Mantis with wide eyes, lowering his voice trying to be reasonable, "But Master Shifu said-"
     Mantis quickly cut him off, waving his forearm as he motioned towards the final master, "You're seriously afraid? Even Master Chicken's going in there, and he's a chicken." Turning to Master Chicken, Crane and Mantis watched as he opened his bladed wings and ran towards the ship. As the chicken ran into the ship to help the others, a green flash shined through the ship, Master Chicken calling out as he was engulfed in the light.
     Mantis's jaw slacked as he gasped, quickly hopping to the sand and towards the ship, "That's it, I'm going in."
     Following after him, Crane shook his head, "Mantis, we have orders not to-"
     "They need our help! Come on." Turning his back to Crane, Mantis charged the ship scaling the outer walls, "I'll go high, you go low."
     Crane raised a brow and whisper yelled after him, not sure if Kai was hearing them, "No, wait!"
     "Fear the bug!" Jumping from the deck, Mantis fell through the cracks and landed on an old crate, "Alright, you little..." It was when he turned to face the being that he realized that he might have gotten in over his head, "Uh oh." The being did a movement, a flash of green forming in front of him.
     Gasping, Crane quickly opened his wings to help him, "Hold on, buddy, I'm coming!"
     Leaping from where he once was to avoid the attack, Mantis leaned forward as another flash of green covered his vision, "Antenna of Power!" Peaking his eyes opened, he gasped as he was blinded, raising his legs and arm to shield his eyes, "Ah, it didn't work!"
     From when the final light flashed, Mantis was suddenly gone. Crane's eyes widened as he called out in worry, "Mantis!" Sliding into the hull with a defensive stance, Crane was met with silence, the only sound being his breathing and the moving sand. "Mantis?" Lowering his posture, Crane leaned forward and squinted his eyes whispering, trying to spot his friend, "Mantis?"
     What he failed to notice was the massive bull, Kai, slowly standing up being him. His quiet presence, although not seen, made Crane tense up. His shadow had fallen over the bird, prompting him to turn and face him, a flash of fear showing in his eyes. Kai watched as the male tipped his hat down and whistled, smirking amused as he tried to walk away.
     Lunging his arm down, Kai swiftly pinned Crane on his stomach, only to grunt softly as the bird twisted his legs. Spinning, the male was slightly shocked as Crane managed to flip him, yet he turned in time to catch himself on his hooves. Separating from him, Kai let out a small huff as his eyes glowed, showing a bright aura around Crane, "Your chi is strong. Just like your friend." Reaching for his belt, Kai lifted up a pendant that showed Mantis with a fearful face, "The bug."
     Crane gasped softly, his eyes wide as his wings slacked some, "Mantis!" Charging forward, Crane raised his talons before being met with Kai's hooves in his face. In a snap, a flash of green sent Crane flying backwards into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. He yelled out in shock as he connected with the wall then the ground, wheezing softly for air as he shakily stood in a defensive stance.
     Chuckling softly, Kai slowly walked towards Crane through the shadows, his eyes glowing the brightest, "Don't worry, little birdie." Reaching behind him, the 'shing' of his blades sounded as h pulled them off his belt, "I'll put your chi to good use." Leaning forward, he gave Crane a dark grin, his eyes seeming to glow brighter as he spoke, "Destroying the Jade Palace and everyone in it."
     "No!" Quickly scanning his surroundings, Crane lifted a barrel and kicked it hard at Kai to distract him. He didn't bother to watch Kai's reaction as the bull merely turned his head and smirked back at him. Leaping into the air, Crane broke through the old rotting boards above him, flying as fast as he could into the air, "Wings of...-" Before he could continue, it was the familiar sound of his weapon that almost made his heart stop. The chains of the weapon wrapped tightly around him, yanking him back down towards Kai, "-Regret!"
     From below him, Kai was already making a reverse circular motion with his hooves, green light already emitting through the shadows, chuckling darkly at th fear in this warriors eyes. The last thing Crane saw was a blinding green light, and then darkness.

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