Kung Fu Panda: The Hunt For The Heir (OC x Tigress fanfic)

Chapter 30: The Ring of Fire

A/N: Sorry it's been a while guys! The whole cost of living crisis has me working overtime, so I hardly have any time to write! That, and my job is super stressful. Anyway! Next chapter! Onward!

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Finally returning to Changxing, the group were welcomed by Fangsu, who upon seeing her husband excitedly rushed over to him and hugged him herself like Viper had. "Chun!" she exclaimed happily. He seemed to be starting to regain consciousness by this point, reacting to the hug somewhat.

He actually blinked his eyes open then, seeing he was back in his village as he woke up. "Was... was it all just a bad dream?" Grand Master Viper asked out loud, looking around a little bit.

Hunter answered first. "I'm afraid not, Grand Master." he said in response as the Serpentine Master in question noticed that Tigress and Hunter were currently supporting him.

The Grand Master definitely recognised Tigress. "Master Tigress." he said in surprise before looking at the others. "And the Furious Five... my daughter." The Viper patriarch's eyes came to rest on Viper herself, who once again hugged her father, still wincing from her injuries. "You're hurt." he observed, pressing the tip of his tail under her chin and lifting her head, inspecting her for further injury.

She smiled a little and moved her head away, feeling embarrassed about being fussed over like a little Snakelet in front of her friends. "I'm fine, dad. Just a little burnt. A little shedding and I'll be all better." Viper said to him as he nodded in response.

Taking notice of Hunter now, he cocked his brow. "You, I don't know." he said, and then looked at Po. "Nor you. But I can surmise that you are the Dragon Warrior." the Grand Master stated to the obvious panda, although could not do much about not knowing Hunter at all, since he was currently helping to support the Grand Master. Po nodded excitedly in response, trying to hold in his excitement.

Answering the Grand Master's unasked question, Hunter chuckled a little as he continued to help the Viper patriarch along. "I'm just a guy with a sword," he replied. "They call me The Hunter. It's an honour to meet you." Hunter bowed his head slightly and also looked at Fangsu. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves earli-" he cut off as she also hugged him, and he froze up much like Tigress would. "-er." he finished.

Fangsu was smiling brightly at him when she pulled away. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed to Hunter, tears in her eyes. "I feared the worst, but you, all of you... thank you." She looked to the rest of the Five and Po as well for helping the effort.

Grand Master Viper scoffed at that with a slight smirk. "Trust you to worry yourself to death, my dear." he laughed a little bit.

Rolling her eyes at him, Fangsu lightly hissed. "Come, my love. If it weren't for our friends here, you would not have returned at all." she pointed out to him, slightly amused and poking fun at her husband as the group decided to get Grand Master Viper somewhere he could rest, although she was clearly very relieved.

However their celebration was to be cut short. Nearby, the shadowy figure was waiting and observing the group, waiting for it's time to strike... and it found it. The group all turned to go towards the Viper household, and the shadow quickly moved. Like lightning, it used an opening at their back, where Grand Master Viper, still between Tigress and Hunter, was vulnerable. It stalked close behind them, virtually silent in its movements... "I may have been foolish to follow the enemy alone, but I gave as good as I got!" he said in response to his wife, attempting to recover some of his wounded pride.

The group didn't notice as the shadow dissipated into black mist and entered into Grand Master Viper's nostrils. Instantly, he began to convulse and shake as Tigress and Hunter looked at him with concern. "Grand Master Viper, what is-" Tigress began to enquire before a burst of shadow sent her and Hunter flying away from him. He began to levitate in the air as black shadows swirled around his serpentine form.