The Last Chance

11. At the Last Second

Po was like paralyzed. Suddenly, he jumped up and held the pelvis of Shen's body, which didn't hang very high, and lifted the bird to ease the peacock's neck. The lord gasped for air. Po was kind of relieved and kind of shocked. But there was still life in this body.
Po stood there, his arms around the lord and had no idea what he could do next to release the bird from the noose.
His glance wandered to an old chair which lay on the floor and Shen had used to climb up to the noose.
In a flash, he returned the chair to the upright position with his feet and jumped on it. With a loud kung fu cry and cutting movements with his paws, he cut through the loop. The lord fell aside and landed... in Po's arms.
Quickly, Po removed the noose and helped the peacock to come back into the bed. Shen panted heavily. With closed eyes and trembling wings, he rubbed his neck.
Po looked at him speechlessly. He had absolutely no idea how Shen had managed to hang the vines over the roof beam. This bird had an inexplicable strength, despite its broken bones.
No long time passed and Shen opened his blinking eyes. When he saw Po, his glance changed from shock to anger.
Po didn't know what to say and tried a smile. The lord's eyes flickered and he moved his beak.
"Let me die," he whispered again and again. "Let me die, let me die..."
With that, Shen closed his eyes and lay there like dead. Po winced and felt for the heartbeat. What a luck. His heart hadn't stopped.
Tired and exhausted, Po rubbed his temples. How long should he experience that?
Suddenly, Shen opened his eyes again and sat up in the bed. Thereby he flashed his eyes at the panda scowl.
"Let me go!" he said hoarsely. "Let me go, or I will try it again."
Po looked at him with big eyes. This peacock had escaped almost death a few seconds ago. Now he talked with him as though nothing had happened. This peacock wasn't worried about death. Why ever.
Shen growled annoyed. "Don't look at me like that, panda!"
"But I... I..." Po sighed disappointedly. "Shen, I can't..."
Shen pressed his eyes together into slits. "If you don't have to say more, then... disappear!"
Po was still confused and walked away voluntarily.
"Uh, do you need...?"
"GO AWAY!"
With fast steps, Po left the room. In the living room he stopped. He was going to go back, but then he decided not to harass Shen more. Maybe he will calm down again.
With hanging shoulders and hanging head he left the house and walked outside. With a loud sigh, he lifted his paws to the sky.
"Oh! Universe! Could you give me a little help?!"
He winced and turned around with raised paws. There was a cracking sound in the forest.
"Who is there?!" he asked with firmly voice.
Suddenly, there was a shadow in the distance. Po narrowed his eyes mistrustfully. It was still in the night so that he couldn't recognize details. The person moved slowly and seemed to be small.
The shadow came closer and closer.
Po bent his arms.
He was ready for a fight.