The Whispering Silence

Things were going as usual up at the Jade Palace. The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior had a small sparring session during this bright day at the courtyard. Shifu had just dismissed them.

"Great work today, you two." Master Shifu told two of his greatest students, Master Tigress and the Dragon Warrior himself. "Tell me, could you by any chance patrol the bamboo forest after lunch? Zeng has heard rumors of bandits frightening the area and all who passes by."

"Sure, Master Shifu." Po replied. "We'll patrol starting after lunch."

"Great, Po and Tigress. Keep an eye out for bandits."

"We will." Tigress replied.

The duo stood by eachother as the red panda left them alone. "So, let's go up and eat, shall we?" Po asked.

Tigress nodded and followed the panda back to the barracks.

Shortly after, the duo walked out of the barracks doors, heading down for the valley per Shifu's command.

"So what are we thinking, how many bandits will there be out there?" Po asked as he started descending the thousand steps.

"I don't know. Perhaps there won't be any, we all know what rumors are like and they're almost never true in the end. They're just there to cause fear among the people."

"Great point, Ti. We'll see. Personally, I'm just getting ready to kick butts and take name!" Po said and fistbumped the air.

Tigress huffed and looked at the panda. He's energetic as always.

"Hey Ti, what do we do if there's no bandits?"

She rose her shoulders. "I guess we can just explore or something. You decide, panda."

"Alright, then I say we go exploring! If we don't find any bandits, that is..."

After a while of walking, the duo reached the bamboo forest and so far there were no signs of bandits. The tall bamboos swayed over their heads after a breeze blew through. So far, everything seemed to be relatively fine.

"Hey Tigress, I don't think you've ever told me what your relations were like when you were in your adolescence years..?"

"Why do you wanna know that?" Tigress asked, curiously gazing at the panda.

"I just wanna know. I'm curious."

"I know you're a curious person, Po." She replied and smiled at him. "Well, for beginners, I haven't really had any relations during my adolescence years. Shifu was my father figure but he never really gave me that same care he gave Tai Lung all those years ago."

Po listened closely as they walked beside eachother.

"I tried making friends with people around my age back then, but they never saw me as *friend* material. All they did was being amazed by the fact I was a kung-fu master and only recognized me for that. Having tried for several years without any success I gave up at last and only dedicated myself to kung-fu. It wasn't until Shifu sent me to pick up other kung-fu masters that I sort of became friends with them. And they were Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper as you probably already know." She explained.

"You on the other side has had the privilege to grow up at the valley and establish small connections with the villagers, that's why many recognize you and socializes better with you." She said, a small grimace of disappointment appearing on her face.

"Oh, that sucks... I'm sorry for you, Tigress."

"Don't be, it was never your fault. It's just a shame I didn't get to meet you when I tried so desperately back then."