Tales of the Tigress

by Judy Katschke

  CHAPTER ONE

  Tigress knew how to claw her way to the top.

  So after leaping from mountain ledge to ledge, the fearless kung fu warrior began her rock-steady climb.

  “Arrgh.” Tigress grunted, digging her sharp claws into the mountainside. She knew she wasn’t alone because bringing up the rear was the legendary, oozing-with-awesomeness Dragon Warrior Po!

  “Can’t . . . hold on . . . much . . .” Po gasped, clinging desperately to a crag. He felt himself slip and yelled, “Heeeeeeeeelp!”

  Tigress groaned. It didn’t take a genius to know that she and Po were as different as yin and yang!

  “Po, look down,” Tigress said with a sigh.

  Po glanced down. His feet were just inches off the ground. Awkward!

  “We can eat when we get to the top!” Tigress called.

  Eat? Now that was the magic word!

  Visions of dumplings bounced in Po’s head as he scrambled to the top. But instead of finding noodles or stir-fried veggies, Po found a duck!

  “Hee-hee!” the little duckling laughed as he scurried by. Chasing him was a gang of crocodiles!

  Po and Tigress could tell who the leader of the gang was. It was the dude with the ’tude, and his name was Fung.

  “We got you!” Fung said as they backed the duckling named Zan against a wall.

  “Nuh-uh!” Zan said.

  “Yuh-uh!” Fung argued when—

  “NUH-UH!” Tigress called.

  Fung turned. His jaw dropped when he saw Tigress and Po. The warriors had his Croc Bandits in a choke hold!

  “Do you know these guys?” Po asked Zan.

  “Sure!” Zan said. “They’re holding me for ransom!”

  Ransom? Po and Tigress struck fighting stances. Ransom meant one thing: Zan was being duck-napped!

  The idea made Po fume. He and the Furious Five had a special job: to protect the Valley of Peace from evil. And right now evil meant crocodiles!

  “Hi-yaaaa!” Tigress shouted, surprising Fung with a lightning-fast side kick. The blow made him drop Zan.

  “Wheeeeeee!” Zan laughed as he ran away.

  The bandits weren’t laughing as they closed in on Tigress and Po. In a flash everybody was kung fu fighting.

  Tigress took on three Crocs while Po struck, chopped, and kicked Fung. When that didn’t work, Po turned to an ancient kung fu panda technique: the flying wedgie!

  Grabbing Fung’s pants, Po gave them a stretch. He then let go with a snap!

  “Ahhhhh!” Fung yelled as he went flying.

  Fung and the bandits ran straight for the swamps. Zan ran to Tigress.

  “I’m Zan!” he said. “I like you!”

  “No, you don’t!” Tigress said. She wasn’t a fan of kids. And unless it was a kung fu death grip, she didn’t do hugs, either.

  “I’m Po, and this is Tigress,” Po told Zan with a big smile. “Are you sure it isn’t me you like?”

  Zan was totally sure. Tigress was his new bestie.

  If only Tigress felt the same way about Zan.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Master Shifu sat cross-legged in the Jade Palace, putting out candles one by one. It was a peaceful task. But that day the palace was anything but peaceful. . . .

  “Hee-hee!” Zan giggled as he scooted by.

  Shifu put out one more candle before bringing Zan to a stop. “Can you tell us where you live?” he asked.

  “In the blue house by the big rock.” Zan giggled. “Maybe green.”

  “Thanks for clearing that up,” Monkey muttered.

  Shifu turned to Crane and Viper and said, “I want you to search high and low for Zan’s parents.”

  “Dibs on high!” Crane said, spreading his wings.

  “I always get stuck with low,” Viper said, sighing.

  Tigress wished she could join Viper and Crane—anything to escape Zan!

  “What’s your favorite color?” Zan said, hugging Tigress’ legs. “Mine is orange with black stripes!”

  “Zan has taken a shine to you, Tigress,” Shifu said with a smile. “You can look after him.”

  “What?” Tigress gasped. What was Master Shifu thinking? Everyone in the palace knew she didn’t like kids!

  Shifu tried to make Tigress understand.

  “Zan is in a strange place,” he explained. “You know how frightening that can be.”

  Tigress’ eyes grew wide as she remembered. A long time ago she was a small cub in a strange place called the Jade Palace. And she had been frightened too.

  “You will take care of Zan,” Shifu told Tigress. “And you will at least pretend to be happy about it.”

  “Yes, Master Shifu.” Tigress sighed.

  “Yay!” Zan cheered.

  Po promised to keep an eye on Tigress. She had no experience with kids, but he did. He even knew how kids thought!

  “Because you’ve got the mind of a child,” Monkey pointed out.

  “Exactly!” Po said proudly.

  Later, when Po looked for Tigress, he found her in the kung fu training room. Instead of playing with Zan, she was fighting off swinging spiked pendulums, and crushing wheels.

  “Are you checking up on me?” Tigress demanded.

  “Yeah . . . sort of,” Po admitted.

  But where was Zan?

  Po screamed as a giggly Zan swung by—tied to a spiky ball!

  Quickly, Po untied Zan. He knew Tigress wasn’t exactly babysitter of the year. But did she have to be so cranky and clueless about kids?

  “Kids need hugs and stuff,” Po told Tigress. “You didn’t get a lot of hugs when you were a kid, did you?”

  “Hugs are for the weak!” Tigress snapped. “I nestled in the warm embrace of kung fu training.”

  Po’s eyes lit up. Kung fu—that’s it!

  “Why don’t you embrace Zan in some training?” Po suggested.

  “Fine,” Tigress said.

  Zan was itching to give kung fu a try. But each time he kicked, he fell back on his tail.

  “He’s hopeless!” Tigress groaned.

  Po told Tigress to have patience. Kung fu was all about patience—but to Zan it was about fun.

  “I like kung fu!” Zan squealed. He grabbed a huge spiky wheel and spun it right into Tigress!

  “Oof!” Tigress grunted. Fighting hordes of evil villains was more fun than babysitting. And a lot easier!

  That night, Tigress tucked Zan into bed. She said good night as she left the room.

  “Good night, Mama,” Zan said sleepily.

  Tigress froze. Whoa—she never signed up for that!

  But after Tigress closed the door, Zan had another nighttime visitor. It wasn’t the tooth fairy. Or the sandman. It was one of the Furious Five’s worst nightmares—Fung!

  CHAPTER THREE

  “He’s right in here,” Fung whispered as the bandits broke into Zan’s room.

  Fung leaned over Zan’s bed. “Hey, there, Zanny,” he whispered. “How are you doing?”

  “Sleepy, Mr. Crocky-dile,” Zan mumbled.

  Fung’s sidekick, Gah-ri, watched as Fung picked up Zan. “Are we going to leave a ransom note?” he asked eagerly.

  “How much are you asking for him?” a voice called out.

  “A lot!” Fung chuckled—until he saw Po and Tigress!

  “All right, Fung,” Po growled.

  “Shh!” Fung hissed. “Don’t wake him.”

  “Oh, sorry!” Po whispered too. “It’s time to feel the thunder!”

  “We brought some thunder of our own!” Fung whispered back.

  The bandits held up bamboo poles. Po and Tigress whispered battle cries as they blocked the swinging sticks. They snatched the poles from the Crocs and then used them to pummel their big
scaly heads!

  “Shakabooey!” Po whispered with one last jab.

  Fung and the bandits retreated out the window, leaving Zan in the bed, dreaming peacefully.

  As soon as the battered and bruised Crocs got home, they began dreaming too—dreaming up a new plan!

  “Maybe we’re no good at this,” Gah-ri mumbled.

  Fung sighed. Gah-ri had a point. They couldn’t even handle a four-year-old kid!

  “You’re right,” Fung said. “We don’t have a chance against the Furious Five.”

  “FUNG!” Fung’s mom shouted. “Can your cousin Lidong play with you and your friends?”

  “Mom!” Fung shouted back. “Please! I’m not a babysitter—”

  CRASH!

  A gargantuan crocodile smashed through the door. His head was the size of a pagoda, and his snout was as long as a dragon boat!

  “Lidong . . . you grew up,” Fung said with a big gulp.

  “Whatever we’re doing, I get fifty percent of the take,” Lidong boomed.

  Fung accepted the deal. Fifty percent was a small price to pay for a secret weapon.

  Meanwhile, back at the Jade Palace, Shifu had a new task for the Furious Five. . . .

  “A farm on the far end of the valley is being threatened by bandits,” Shifu reported. “We have to go help them at once.”

  “Let’s go!” Tigress declared.

  Shifu shook his head. “Zan needs a capable protector,” he explained. “And that’s you.”

  While Shifu, Po, Monkey, and Mantis set off, Tigress stayed behind. She went back to teaching kung fu to Zan.

  “I’m sorry, Tigress,” Zan said after accidentally kicking Tigress in the chin.

  Tigress couldn’t believe a kid could hit so hard—until she remembered herself when she was learning kung fu. She was a hard hitter but a clumsy kicker. Shifu taught her the value of patience. And Tigress remembered he taught her something else. . . .

  “Hey, Zan,” Tigress said, smiling. “Do you know how to play checkers?”

  Soon, Tigress and Zan sat over a checkerboard and a game was in progress. But just as Tigress was about to make the next move—

  SMASH!

  A massive crocodile’s foot came down on the board. Tigress looked up . . . and up . . . and gasped. Looming over her was the biggest, meanest-looking crocodile ever!

  “Fung was right!” Lidong yukked. “This is going to be FUN!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “There’s the farmhouse!” Po said, pointing.

  A woman screamed inside the house. Someone was in trouble!

  Po, Monkey, Mantis, and Shifu stormed the farmhouse. But instead of finding a woman in trouble, they found one of Fung’s bandits disguised in a wig. It was a setup!

  “Fung is snatching that kid,” another bandit blurted. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  After a furious kung fu battle, the warriors defeated the bandits and were on their way back home.

  “We’ve got to get back to the palace!” Po said.

  Meanwhile, back at the Jade Palace, Fung had grabbed Zan.

  “I’ve got the kid—let’s go!” Fung told Lidong.

  Tigress kicked and clawed. Her skills were no match for the strength and size of Lidong—until she swung both feet in the air, giving Lidong a powerful flying kick that sent him reeling!

  Lidong came back fighting. He clawed at Tigress, but she ducked every swipe. Fuming, Lidong thrust Tigress against a wall.

  As Lidong held Tigress, he shouted to Fung, “Get the kid out of here!”

  Tigress had to think fast. Spotting a ball on the ground, she kicked it against the wall. It bounced hard, hitting Lidong square in the head!

  “Owwww!” Lidong howled. His claws reached up to rub his head. Tigress was free!

  Fung and Gah-ri raced down the stairs, Tigress at their heels. But before Tigress could grab Zan and keep him out of harm’s way, someone else beat her to it. . . .

  “Give me that kid!” Lidong demanded. He knocked Fung and his lackey down the steps and then carried Zan away!

  Tigress refused to give up. Leaving Fung and Gah-ri in a heap, she set out to find Zan. Her first stop was the palace, where she came face-to-face with Lidong.

  “Careful!” Lidong said, holding out Zan. “You don’t want to hurt the prince!”

  “Prince?” Tigress gasped.

  With a swing of his tail, Lidong knocked Tigress out the door. She rolled across the courtyard, toppling over the wall. It was a long drop to the ground, but Tigress hung on by her claws.

  “Any last words?” Lidong sneered.

  “Yes!” Tigress shouted. “Zan! Side kick!”

  Zan gave Lidong a swift kick in the snout. The kick did nothing but make Lidong mad!

  “I’m going to . . .” Lidong growled.

  “You’re not going to do anything to him!” Tigress yelled. She pulled herself up, surprising Lidong with a rapid front kick. Zan flew out of Lidong’s hand and onto the ground.

  “Run, Zan!” Tigress shouted.

  Zan ran, but he didn’t get far. Lidong grabbed the duckling in one swipe.

  “Let him go!” Tigress demanded.

  Fueled by rage, Tigress attacked Lidong with rapid front punches and heel kicks. The crocodile bully tumbled over the wall backward, grabbing the edge with one claw. His other claw gripped Zan!

  “If I’m not getting him,” Lidong said, “no one is!”

  Tigress glared at Lidong. Then through gritted teeth she said, “Nobody . . . hurts . . . my . . . Zan!”

  Tigress grabbed Lidong’s snout. She lifted him high, swinging him until he dropped Zan. As Tigress snatched Zan, Lidong went flying through the air and over the wall!

  “Ahhhhhhhhhh!”

  Lidong’s screams trailed off as he dropped hundreds of feet to the forest below. Zan was safe.

  Tigress hugged Zan tight.

  “I’m never letting you out of my sight again!” Tigress said. As she continued to hug Zan, Crane and Viper appeared.

  “We’ve got company!” Crane said.

  “It’s Zan’s mother!” Viper said.

  “What?” Tigress said. Her heart sank.

  It wasn’t long before the masters of the Jade Palace stood on the steps, ready to greet Princess Zhu Chunhua.

  “Mama!” Zan cried happily.

  “Zanny!” Princess Zhu Chunhua exclaimed as her son raced into her open wings. After the two hugged, Zan turned to Tigress.

  “Tigress?” Zan asked. “Can you come with us?”

  Tigress wanted to go with Zan, but she knew his place was with his mom. And Tigress’ place was at the Jade Palace.

  “No, Zan,” Tigress said gently. “But I promise I’ll come visit you.”

  Zan waved good-bye as he and his mom walked away.

  “Master Shifu,” Tigress said. “I want to thank you.”

  “For what?” Master Shifu asked.

  “For teaching me how to play checkers!” Tigress said with a smile.

  Po smiled too. Tigress had found her inner cub. She had also found an awesome new friend: a duckling by the name of Zan.

  CHAPTER ONE

  The sun rose over the Jade Palace as Tigress jumped out of bed. She took a deep breath and then centered herself by using her favorite Tai Chi poses.

  The skilled kung fu warrior was all set to start another day of doing what she did best: protecting the Valley of Peace from evil. But first it was time for breakfast. . . .

  Tigress left her room and padded down the hall. She stopped when she heard Po’s voice.

  “I see yooooooou!”

  Who was Po talking to? Tigress stepped into Po’s room and then sighed. Po was talking in his sleep and having another sweet dream!

  “I see you, Mr. Cookie.” Po giggled. “There’s no evading my mouth of fury! Yummy, yummy!”

  Tigress rolled her eyes. Po’s head was filled with food, even in his sleep.

  As usual, Tigress was the first to arrive for brea
kfast. And, as always, her breakfast was three small tofu squares.

  “Gooooooood moooooorning!” Po shouted, plopping down next to Tigress. He was wide-awake now as he frowned down at Tigress’ bowl. “Ew! I don’t know how you can eat that!”

  Tigress tried to ignore Po, but it wasn’t easy!

  “I like bean buns in the morning,” Po said, pointing to his own bowl. “It’s the perfect breakfast food.”

  In a flash they were joined by the other four members of the Furious Five—Viper, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis. They all started talking about food.

  “Ooo, bean buns!” Crane cried.

  “Yummy!” Mantis and Monkey piped in.

  Everyone crowded around Po’s bowl, talking at once. Tigress’ claw tightened around her chopsticks. Where in the Valley of Peace could a tiger eat in peace?

  Just then someone cried from outside: “Emergency! Emergency! They’re almost here!”

  Po and the Furious Five knew that voice anywhere. It was the goose Zeng, and he was in trouble.

  “Zeng, what is it?” Tigress asked as they met him in the courtyard. But Zeng was so choked up, he couldn’t speak another word.

  “My dad’s a goose, I’ll handle this,” Po said calmly. He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles, and then he turned to Feng and shouted, “WHAAAAAAT?”

  “What’s going on here?” Master Shifu asked as he stepped outside.

  Zeng pointed a shaking wing at the steps. Someone was approaching the palace. “Mugan!” he cried.

  “Mistress Mugan?” Master Shifu gasped. His eyes popped wide open.

  “Who’s Mistress Mugan?” Po asked.

  The Furious Five explained as they hurriedly cleared the courtyard of training apparatuses. Mistress Mugan was one of the most important kung fu masters in China. She was super mysterious. And her perfect Garnet Palace was like a fortress!