Cloudless Authors

Chapter 七

"And I thought Shifu was the worst at slamming doors open...." Tai Lung complained wearily. 

"Song! What are you doing here?!" Po exclaimed, getting up and running over to give her a hug. 

"If I see one more Dragon Chalice being snuck under that parasol-" Tigress started threatening, but Po cast her a look and reminded her that Song's thieving days were over. 

"You're all out of breath! Are you okay?" Po asked in worry as he held Song by the shoulders. 

The clouded leopard heaved another gasp of air and leaned on her parasol for a second before straightening up to talk to Po. "Well...for starters..." she gasped. "Your friends are...chasing me." 

Right on cue, the Furious Five, including an intently focused Shifu, ran up to the training hall doors, only to stop short upon seeing Po holding onto Song and Tigress guarding Tai Lung in the background. 

Understandably confused, Viper blurted out, "What in the world is going on over here?!"

"It's...a rather long story," Tai Lung piped up from the back. "We'll explain it later once this Song girl gets everything off her chest."

"Su's back," Song immediately said. "My troupe's old leader, I mean. She's back and she's not happy. She scattered my troupe! She injured a few! She almost killed me!" 

"Where is she now?" Po asked quickly. 

"On her way here. She's after you, Po. After the valley." 

"Well that shouldn't be too hard," Crane noted. "She was pretty easy to beat the last time." 

Song shook her head. "This time is different," she explained. "She's armed with allies from the Flores Seas...The Moonlight Strikers." 

The masters all gasped in horror.

"Okay. I immediately take back what I said," Crane commented. 

"And they are...?" Tai Lung prompted with a look of confusion. 

Everyone turned to look at him in surprise. "You've never heard of the Moonlight Strikers?!" Mantis exclaimed. "They're the most feared female warrior group in the east!" 

"Forgive me for being out of the loop, but I was in prison for 20 years, remember?"

"He was?!" Song exclaimed, giving Tai Lung a suspicious look. 

"It's a long story," Po repeated. "Do you know what direction the Strikers will be coming in?"

"I'm not sure," Song admitted. "The last I saw of them, they were going  south, but I came in here from the east side of the valley." 

Having calmed down slightly from seeing Tai Lung resting in the training hall, Shifu kept Song's words in mind and said, "It's possible they may come over the mountain and launch an ambush. The Strikers are very good at air raids from what I understand. Apparently their cloaks are perfect substitute parachutes." 

"Shall we go ask for the aid of extra masters?" Tigress asked, still keeping an eye on Tai Lung. 

"Yes, I'll have Crane fetch them."

Crane bowed and went to fly off, only for Tai Lung to raise his voice and call out, "Hold on a second there. You might want to rethink that plan." 

"Hold on?!" Song cried. "I don't think you understand the severity of the situation! These women are an army of death! They rob pirates and vanish without a trace! They set fire to water! They've devastated towns! Massacred armies! They're invincible!"