The Lion and the Leopard

Making of a Warrior

"You are correct, Master. I would like to see what you have planned." Shifu smiled and filled up several bowls. Shifu would not tell Leo any more, but Leo was eager to see what the older animal had in mind.

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The three animals began to hike up to a mountain top. Po got a little winded around halfway to the top, but he was still enthusiastic to begin. As the three animals reached the peak of the mountain, Shifu spoke to Po, "You have three bowls this time. You a-"

"Aww that is awesome. I could go for something to eat right now!" Po said, relief in his voice as he huffed.

"Not quite yet, Po." Leo reassured the panda. Po looked confused to a moment. Shifu then spoke, "You must learn to balance before you can stand."

So, for the rest of the evening, Po balanced one bowl of hot soup on his head, and two in each of his large paws. He held his arms out to his sides and stood on one leg. Leo stood in a rigid sparring stance, punching the air in front of him. Leo kept his head steady, for Master Shifu was on top of his mane, delivering roundhouse kicks while watching Po's balancing.

That lesson was successful. Although Po had spilled the bowl on his head, he had managed to keep his arms steady. Both Leo and Shifu had praised the panda. That night, before Shifu and Leo went to sleep, Shifu had allowed Po to go to sleep early. The panda was ecstatic. This was one of the first lessons where he did not completely fail. Po had went to sleep early that night, before the sun had even set, while Leo trained several hours or so while Shifu meditated and prepared for tomorrow's lesson. When Leo had gone to sleep somewhere around midnight, only then did Shifu realize the magnitude of the situation he was in.

Tai Lung was returning. He would most likely be filled with rage, and, if nothing had changed while he was incarcerated, would take his anger out on anything that was in his sight. If Tai Lung attacked Leo, or Tigress, or even Po, what would he do? What could he do?

Shifu felt his heart wrench at the thought of losing one of his students to a crazed snow leopard. {A crazed snow leopard that I created..} Shifu thought, staring at the ground in despair. But then the red panda took in a deep breath, held it for a second, and exhaled. He would have to be calm to train Po. The panda would know if he was angry or upset. And so would Leo.

So Shifu tried to distract himself. He tried meditating, but every time he closed his eyes he felt fear enter his mind in the form of Tai Lung. Shifu tried something different. He began to count how many trees he could spot in the moonlight, but he gave up after only counting four. Shifu looked around, trying to find anything to take his mind off of Tai Lung, and he spotted the bowls he used for Po's training. He only had three surviving bowls, after three of them broke during training. He would have to ask Leo to get some more.

Shifu sighed and walked over to the Pool of Sacred Tears, which was not too far from where Leo and Po slept. Shifu knelt in front of the pool, putting his cane next to his body. He did the only thing he thought to do: Pray. He prayed to Oogway, wherever he was, begging him for some peace, or knowledge, or sleep, or answers to questions that dwelled in his mind. Whichever came first. Shifu knew that Oogway would not give him something if he simply asked for it. Oogway would give it to him when the time was right, when he needed it most.

So the red panda stood up and looked towards the moon. It was just a sliver of light, like a cat's claw or rhino horn, in the night. Shifu sighed shakily and began to make his way back to bed. He prayed nightmares would not come for him tonight.

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The next morning, Leo was shaken awake by Shifu. The lion moaned as the red panda shook him out of his slumber, "Leo. I need you to do me a favor." Shifu said. Leo blinked his golden eyes open and raised his head. Shifu glanced at him as Leo stood on his hindlegs and stretched.