The Lion and the Leopard

Dumplings

Now that Shifu has learned the best way to train Po, it is time our favorite asian lion to assist Shifu in training Po! I will divide this scene into a few chapters (possibly two). I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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It was a nice, clear day. Leo Lung, his mane well groomed and wearing green pants with a dark golden vest, lay down on all fours on a rock formation. Below him lay a beautiful meadow that stretched in every direction, rocks, similar to the ones Leo lay on, occasionally rising from the ground.

In front of Leo was Shifu and Po. The smaller red panda was on a broad, flat rock, a bowl of dumplings hidden behind his back. Po stood loyally in front of him, his elbows held at his sides and standing at attention. There was a large grin on his face. He was very eager to begin. Leo felt happy that the panda was so enthusiastic about learning about their way of life.

"Let me begin by saying this:" Shifu began saying. Po perked up, "when you focus on Kung Fu, when you concentrate, you stink." Po's face visibly fell. Leo narrowed his eyes, but Shifu spoke once again, "But perhaps that is my fault. I can not train you like I have trained the Five, or even Leo Lung. I now see that the way to get through to you," he paused and reached behind his back, "is with this." He held out the bowl of dumplings in front of Po.

"Aww, great! 'Cause I am hungry!" Po said, smiling. He walked slowly over to the dumplings, reaching out a fat paw to grab a dumpling. But, before he could grab one, Shifu moved the bowl before he could take one. Shifu nodded to Leo, his cue to come down and join him, "When you have been trained, you may eat. Let's begin!" Shifu said.

Leo stood up and stretched, leaping nimbly off of the rock and standing on his legs, walking over to Shifu. The red panda gave Leo a dumpling, and the lion took it in his large paw. Shifu then addressed Po, "If you are so hungry, take the dumpling from Leo. Leo, you know what to do."

On the way to the meadow, Leo had already been instructed on this first lesson. Po would simply try to grab the dumpling out of Leo's paw, and Leo had to play keep-away. It would be a good starting lesson.

"This should be easy!" Po underestimated. How hard could taking one dumpling be? Leo smirked at his overconfidence, eager to prove him wrong. Po lunged forward, with a karate-like yell, both of his large arms swinging as he tried to take the dumpling from Leo. The lion skillfully switched the dumpling from paw to paw, allowing Po to constant run back and forth as he tried to forcefully take the one food item. Leo let the dumpling slide down his arm onto his leg, where it rested in the corner of where his foot met his leg,

"Look downward, panda!" Leo teased playfully, wiggling his foot as he held it up. Po ducked down and tried to take the dumpling, but the cat kicked the dumpling into the air and grabbed it out of the sky, leaving Po to try and grab it.

This went on for about 20 more minutes. Po would try to steal the dumpling, but Leo would move out of the way. When Shifu, who was watching from the rock he sat upon, called for the exercise to end, the giant panda was panting. He collapsed on his butt. Apparently, Po had been exercising more than he thought. His arms moving quickly back and forth to grab the dumpling and his legs trying to maneuver around Leo had given him more exercise than he would get from three days worth of noodle-making.

The sun was starting to set, but Shifu had another exercise for Po. This one would require a bowl of salad and some hot stones. When Shifu informed Leo of this one, he was quite shocked. Po would do push-ups and every time he went down he would have to get as close as he could to the salad with out burning his fur on the stones.

Po did not really like this one, but he still participated. He got down on all fours and tried his best to eat the salad without hurting himself. Leo encouraged him and gave him positive reenforcement while Shifu watched silently, nodding in approval whenever the panda managed to take a bite of the salad. This exercise would help strengthen Po's core. It would help become stronger while hopefully slimming down his large belly.

When Shifu called for this lesson to end about 20 minutes or so later, Po collapsed on his side and gasped, holding his stomach. The panda wheezed for breath, his chest rising and falling dramatically. Leo chuckled and took away the salad bowl, taking a couple bites as he watched Po catch his breath. Leo remembered when Shifu had made him endure his first core exercise. He was the same way/

Luckily for Po, Shifu decided to call it a night and let Po sleep. The panda smiled and rolled over onto his stomach and tried to stand up. Leo extended his paw and helped him stand. Po thanked him, reaching for the bowl of salad. Leo smirked and moved it out of the way. Po groaned in annoyance, and moved to his hiking bag, which had his blankets in it.

As the panda began to settle in for the night, Leo yawned and decided to do the same. Leo cursed himself for forgetting to bring his own blanket and pillow. In his excitement to begin training the panda, the lion had forgotten one. {Oh well..} He thought to himself {No point feeling sorry for myself.} He would have to do without one. The lion glanced around for a place to rest. Leo found a soft patch of moss not far from where Po was already snoring. Moss was a poor substitute for a pillow, but complaining would not get him anywhere. Leo jogged over and, after sniffing the moss to make sure it was not dry and crinkly, he collapsed on top of it and lay in a fetal position, trying to conserve heat.

A quiet ahem made Leo lift his head and glance to his left. Shifu stood there with a large blanket, a pillow on top of it. Shifu had remembered to a pillow for Leo. Leo smiled sleepily and heaved himself to his four paws. His paws made almost no noise as he walked over to the red panda,

"I will not be sleeping tonight. I will meditate instead. You may use my blanket and pillow." Shifu said softly, as to not wake the sleeping panda.

"Thank you, Master." Leo purred and gently lay down. He drew the cover up to his mane and lay his head on the pillow. Shifu silently walked over to a nearby rock and hopped on top. He crossed his legs and sat down. Leo watched as Shifu inhaled quietly.

Leo turned away from Shifu and closed his eyes. Po still had a long way to go. Tai Lung would be here soon. Hopefully Po's training would be smooth. The Valley counted on it.