Cloudless Authors

Chapter A

"Master Shifu?!" Tigress exclaimed in shock.

"Tigress," the red panda demanded angrily. "What's going on here?!"

"She's trying to fight me," Tai Lung answered calmly. "What does it look like is going on here?"

"How long have you been in the valley?" Shifu demanded.

Tai Lung eyed him and then looked back at Tigress. "You didn't tell him?" he questioned curiously.

"Tell me what?!" Shifu snapped.

"I've been here for a few days, but I ran into Tigress yesterday on her patrol. I thought she was running to tell you about it."

Shifu glanced over at Tigress angrily. "You saw him on your patrol?!" he yelled.

Tigress swallowed, her face turning pale. "Y-yes..." she stammered.

"Why was I not informed of this?!"

"Uh...um...."

Tai Lung, who by now was on his feet and leaning against a swinging alligator limb, interrupted with a, "Should I leave and come back when you're done? Or..."

Shifu ignored him however and continued to rip into Tigress who by now was wishing that she had followed common sense and told everyone about Tai Lung earlier. It was too late for that now though.

"Tigress, I've never considered you to be beneath the idea of common sense!" Master Shifu scolded. "But this?! This is absolutely FOOLISH!"

"Master, I apologize!" Tigress protested. "I...I...."

"You what?!" Shifu demanded. "What possible explanation could you possibly invent that would rid you of all blame?! You know he's dangerous!"

"Um...I'm standing right here, you know," Tai Lung piped up, but he was simply ignored once again.

"I...he...I thought about it..." Tigress started. "I thought about telling you, but-"

"But what?!" Shifu snapped. "What, you just forgot to come to me and say that there's a huge threat lurking in the shadows of the valley?!"

"Still here," Tai Lung said again.

"I was in shock!" Tigress answered. "And he didn't seem like an immediate threat, so it didn't-"

"Not an immediate threat?!"

"He didn't seem in much of a rush to attack, sir!"

"Not to mention that I told you flat-out that I'm not here to attack you or steal anything," Tai Lung interjected, glancing over at her.

"Not now, Tai Lung!" Shifu snapped, casting the snow leopard a nasty look. "I'll deal with you later!"

Tai Lung grimaced and watched the grandmaster start scolding Tigress again, accusing her of being careless and letting her fears and doubts cloud her judgment. As Tigress explained that she was stunned and needed time to believe what she saw, Tai Lung glanced over at the door and then back at the ongoing lecture. He waited a moment before taking a few steps over towards the edge of the training hall. When neither Shifu nor Tigress acknowledged him nor saw him leave, he opted to just slowly walk along the edge of the building over towards the doors. He wasn't exactly eager to make a quick escape, but dealing with an argumentative conversation was definitely an uncomfortable situation and he didn't feel like being a third wheel in the middle of it. 

Tai Lung continued to casually make his way towards the training hall doors. Every couple of steps he would glance back over at Shifu and Tigress, but they still didn't notice him leaving, so he kept on. He finally reached the end and, seeing that neither Tigress or Shifu noticed, he simply opened the doors and left the training hall. The two masters were still in the middle of their argument , so Tai Lung opted to just come back another time when it was much less hectic. 

As the snow leopard walked away, he couldn't help but notice that Master Shifu had gotten unusually cranky since he'd been away. 

Boy, I must have really did  a number on his head, Tai Lung thought to himself as he walked across the training grounds.Though one would think he'd be at least a little calmer after so many decades. I wonder if I've become an old warning tale for newcomers or just completely forgotten about. That's what happened to Master Oogway's old student, Quai. Or said Shifu anyway. 

Tai Lung walked down the slope, listening to the silence surrounding the grounds. Though he wasn't able to see the barracks, the kitchen, or the other buildings hidden within the many paths, the continuing silence told him that no one else was awake. With that reassurance, he causally made his way to the arena by the Sacred Hall of Warriors and then proceeded to walk to the main gates. He felt bad about leaving Tigress to the mercy of his former master, but he already knew that he would have wound up standing there for who-knew-how-long listening to a lecture that involved insulting him every two seconds. Plus, he probably wouldn't have been in a great position to help the poor master anyway. Tai Lung reached the main gate and hesitated for a brief moment before leaving the Jade Palace and walking down the stairs. 

In the meantime, across the grounds of the Jade Palace, an angry Master Shifu yelled, "Where did he go?! Are you kidding me?!" 

Choose what happens next. Skip to chapter: 

a- Tai Lung returns the next night

b- Tai Lung is caught on his way out of the valley

c- Tai Lung helps a citizen