Shifu hardly felt the blow that sent him flying over the edge of the cliff. Indeed he wasn't even certain he had been struck, but nothing else would explain his presence here, clinging for dear life to the tiny lip of earth that stuck out from the cliff face. It all happened so quickly; he still felt dazed.
He'd heard Tigress give a desperate shout as he flew through the air, losing his grip on his staff. The red panda had reached out his hands, frantic to find something to grab hold of, then felt a jolting pain as his left hand grasped the tiny ridge, bringing him to a sudden stop.
The cold rain pelted him in the face, and coupled with the relentless wind he was finding it difficult to hang on. He could hear the raging battle up above as he searched for a way, any way, to climb back up.
There was a thick tree root that stuck straight out of the cliff. It was some eight feet up and slightly to the left from where he was, and only about five feet from the top. If he could manage to pull himself up enough to get his foot on the ridge he knew he could leap to it. If he could get his foot on the ridge. It was small, small enough to make him doubt that even he could get a proper footing on it. But he had to try.
With all his strength Shifu tried to pull himself up. His feet slid on the smooth rock as his desperation grew. Suddenly his feet lost what little traction they had and slipped out, causing him to hit the cliff face and almost let go of the edge. He quickly recovered, but his near fall left his heart pounding.
Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of anxiety seized him, just like the one that had struck him while meditating, balanced on his staff, in the Dragon Grotto.
Just as before he nearly blacked out and his grip on the small ridge relaxed. He barely shook off the feeling in time to regain his hold. Last time when this occurred, it had been because something near disastrous had happened in Gongmen City, but he hadn't been sure what. This time however, the feeling was much stronger, and he understood immediately what it meant:
He would not survive this night.
Shifu closed his eyes, and without willing them to, several events of his life flashed through his mind. He saw them all again in seconds. Though his good memories were strong, the bad ones were even stronger…


                                          *****


The red panda Master woke just as the sun started to rise. Birds chirped outside as they did on any other morning. And as on any other morning he knew the residence of the Valley would also be waking up to start their days. For everyone else it was going to be a day like any other…but for Shifu, today was not like any other day.
Today was the first day he would have to force himself out of his bed. Today was the first day he would have to start living his life again. For today was the first day that he would actually be able to start walking again since Tai Lung had broken his hip only two months before. And to be honest, it was a day he'd been dreading.
Up until today he had been able to shut himself off from the rest of the world. Hidden behind these walls; locked away with his grief. But now he would have to face it head on. There was no avoiding it. Master Oogway, though ever kind, was firm about that.  
"You will have to start living again," the old tortoise had told him. "It will be painful, but it will be less painful then remaining idle with your own dark thoughts. And eventually a time will come when you won't have to force yourself to do it"
Shifu doubted that. He wanted to believe it, but in his heart he just couldn't. But he still had to get out of bed. Reluctantly he sat up and carefully set his feet on the hard floor and slowly stood up. His legs were shaky as he leaned against the wall in an attempt to steady himself. He gingerly and slowly limped forward in uncertain steps, but even though the room was small he felt he wouldn't be able to walk around it without falling. His ears went flat as he thought about the daunting task of getting across the room and to the door.
The red panda took in a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Pull yourself together!" he scolded himself, aggravated with his own lack of control. In haste he let go of the wall and tried to walk forward. He didn't make it two steps before he stumbled and crashed to the floor. Pain shot down his right leg and he clenched his teeth to keep from letting out a cry. He slammed his fist down on the floor. "Why can't I do this?" he growled.  
But after the words left his mouth he realized it wasn't himself that he was irritated with. It was the painful truth that everything he had known and held dear had changed in the blink of an eye, and he had been powerless to stop it.
In the not so distant past, he would've been out of his room and in the Training Hall already, preparing for a day of training with his students. But now…now he couldn't even limp to his own door. Shifu suddenly felt his energy drain from him, as if all his anger had snatched away what little strength he had left. He took in slow deep breaths to calm himself and set his mind to the task of just getting out of his room.
Grasping the small bamboo table that was nearby he slowly pulled himself back to his feet. More carefully this time he made his way to the door, gaining strength and balance with each step.



Two weeks. Two agonizingly long weeks. That's how long it had been since Shifu had first recovered enough to get out of bed. That first day had been even more painful and draining than he'd thought it would be. Even though he had known that Oogway wasn't going to allow him to train anyone for a while so that he could focus on healing and getting his own strength back, he hadn't realized until that day that his Master had sent his students away to finish their training elsewhere.
Though Shifu knew that ultimately it was best for everyone, it still was not an easy decision to live with. Especially with everything else that had happened. But then on the same side, he wasn't sure he was ready to take on training students. To get that close to someone again, to trust someone…it frightened him
Oogway spent many hours watching Shifu as he trained. Aiding him and making sure that he didn't push himself too hard. And though the red panda was ever grateful for his friend's help, he wished that he would allow him to push himself a little harder. Shifu was growing more and more restless with each passing day, and his mind never stopped tormenting him.  
Now the red panda Master was sitting in a meditative position inside the Training Hall, trying to quiet his thoughts. Today he felt like he might go mad. No matter what he did he was reminded of his failure with Tai Lung. He tried everything, but he couldn't escape from the dark, haunting memories. And with each moment that passed he thought the walls were about to cave in on him. He could hear his own heart pounding in his ears along with the horrible, deafening silence. Shifu was starting to feel like he couldn't breathe when he heard someone say his name.
His eyes flew open and he looked over his shoulder to see Oogway standing behind him.
"Master," Shifu's voice was quiet and almost breathless.
The Grand Master's eyes were filled with kind concern for his student, but he didn't voice his thoughts. "I have something I'd like you to do. There's a child that needs some training."
Shifu's ears slowly dropped. "Do I need to do this, Master?"
"No. But I think it would be of benefit to you."
The red panda sighed. He didn't know why he had asked such a silly question; he knew he wouldn't actually say no to the task. "Very well. When will the child be here?"
"She will not be coming to you, my old friend. You will have to go to her."
In spite of himself Shifu was slightly intrigued by this.  "And where will I be going?"
Oogway smiled. "To the Bao Gu Orphanage."



Shifu walked along the road on his way to Bao Gu Orphanage. It had been a few months now since Oogway had first sent him there to teach Tigress how to control her temper and strength. She had improved greatly.
The first day he had visited, one of the caretakers had told him that Tigress was a monster and had to be kept away from the other children. When he had gone to her room and opened the door he was shocked by how small and dismal it was. The wooden furniture had been smashed, pages torn out of a book were scattered about the floor and the bed was half destroyed. And in the corner he saw her.
The red panda couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, and his instinct was to comfort her. But he had vowed to himself never to grow close or become attached to a student again, no matter the situation. He had to remain firm and distant.
Every day Shifu went back to the orphanage to train Tigress, and every day she improved. Hour by hour she became more graceful and more able to control her natural strength. As proven by her ability to now pick up a domino without it smashing.
Shifu caught himself and pushed down the feeling of pride that had risen in his heart as he had watched her demonstrate her new skills to the caretakers and other orphans.
Today was the last day Shifu was going to walk to the orphanage, for this morning had been the time when adults came to adopt the children, and the red panda was certain that by now Tigress would be in a new home.
As he approached he saw one of the caretakers outside. When she saw him she rushed up to him, no doubt to tell him that Tigress was no longer there.
"I'm so glad you're here Master Shifu," the sheep said, sounding relieved.
Shifu stopped. "Why? Is something the matter?"
The caretaker nodded. "Every one of the other children were adopted today…except for Tigress. She's very upset."
Shifu's heart sank. He had been sure someone would've taken her. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. I can't do that, he thought. It's too soon…I'm not ready for something like that. "But you can't leave her here…"
"I'm sorry, what did you say Master Shifu?"
The red panda Master didn't realize he'd said those last words out loud. He cleared his throat. "I said…" for a long moment he paused. A great war was going on within him. He didn't know what to do. "I said…I'll take her."
The words came out so suddenly that he felt as surprised as the caretaker looked. After recovering from her shock she was clearly thrilled and told Shifu to go right inside.
He saw Tigress sitting at a table fingering a domino. She hadn't seen him come in. She sat her domino upright and as she did Shifu sat his own domino down beside it.
Tigress looked up. "Shifu!" she exclaimed.
"Come, let's go home." Shifu turned and started walking, smiling for a second as she ran up next to him.


                                           *****


"Dad! Dad! Did you see that? Did you see what I did?"The snow leopard cub asked excitedly.
Shifu smiled. "Yes Tai Lung, I saw it." He couldn't believe it had been six years already since he had found the boy outside the Jade Palace training grounds. "That was very good. You know I couldn't do that kick at your age."
Tai Lung's eyes brightened. "You couldn't?"
"No, not while landing on my feet anyway. I seem to remember falling right on my back every time I tried."
"You mean like this?" Tai Lung got into the stance and did the kick again, intentionally very poorly this time, and he fell flat on his back.  
Shifu laughed at his son's imitation. "Yes, just like that."
Tai Lung smiled, proud of his accomplishment of making his Dad laugh. Picking himself up he looked over at Shifu. "Dad, will I ever be a great Kung Fu master like you?"
The red panda was at first taken aback by the question. But then he smile and ruffled the fur between the cub's ears. "No son, I imagine you'll be greater."
Tai Lungs eyes lit up and he hugged the red panda. "I love you Dad."
Shifu retuned the cub's embrace. "And I love you, son. Remember that… always."
Shifu's eyes opened slowly. The full moon shone its light through his window, and he realized it had all been a dream. His old life was gone, and it was never going to come back. He would just have to find some way to accept that. The red panda turned over in his bed, trying to go back to sleep, but he soon gave up. He was too awake to try and sleep.
He climbed out of bed and grabbed his flute. His mind was restless; he needed to do something to distract himself. Heading outside he made his way to the peach tree, where he settled down beneath it. The cool night breeze was refreshing but not healing. The aged Master closed his eyes and raised his flute but stopped suddenly when he heard a sound.
Shifu's eyes snapped open at the sound of someone training. He looked down and at first his eye played a cruel trick on him, for in the moonlight he though he saw young Tai Lung. He jumped to his feet as a surge of joy touched his downtrodden heart. But just as quickly as the vision came it melted away to the truth. It was not Tai Lung but Tigress.
His spirit fell. Leaning against the peach tree he felt exhausted. "When are you going to wake up and realize he won't come back?" he said ever so quietly to himself.
Absentmindedly he continued to stare in Tigress' direction. The red panda suddenly noticed the tiger cub was punching the iron-wood trees. What is she doing?
He watched her for a moment before deciding to go down there to find out. But before he could move he could see Master Oogway coming up toward the girl.
Shifu listened to their conversation with interest. He heard Tigress ask why he had brought her to the Jade Palace if he didn't want her.
"But he does want you," the red panda heard his Master say.
Shifu became mortified when he heard Oogway beginning to tell Tigress about Tai Lung. It took every ounce of his discipline not to go down there and interrupt. He hadn't argued with his Master when he had said Tai Lung was not the Dragon Warrior…he wouldn't argue with him now.
He stopped listening, so he didn't hear the rest of their conversation, which soon ended. Shifu turned away and quickly retreated when he saw his Master glance up in his direction. He wasn't sure where to go at that point… he just knew he had to go somewhere.
He soon found himself sitting in Tai Lung's old room. He wasn't sure why he had come here; it was just the place his feet had taken him.
As he played his flute he could hear his Master's approaching footsteps from down the hall. The red panda didn't stop even when Oogway opened the door.
"I thought you might be here," the Grand Master said quietly, his form casting a long shadow across the room.
Shifu stopped playing and sat silently as his feet dangled off the side of Tai Lung's old bed.  "I wish you hadn't told her," he said hoarsely, fingering his flute and not turning toward his friend.
"She needed to know."
The red panda sighed. He didn't answer, instead he continued to play.
"It wasn't fair to keep the truth from her, old friend. She needed to hear it so that she could stop resenting you and start understanding you."
Shifu again stopped playing and hung his head. "She's a child. How much do you really expect her to understand?" his voice reflected the frustration that was building in him.
Oogway didn't answer and there was a long moment of unusual silence between them. The red panda lowered his ears and sighed. He realized he was dangerously close to arguing with his teacher and long time friend. Shifu gathered himself before speaking again in a softer tone. "I just need time, Master."
"Yes," the old tortoise said in a gentle tone. "You will need time. But time is a valuable thing that is often wasted, and life is very fragile. If you wait until tomorrow to say the things that are the most important, you may find that you have waited too long."
"I'm just trying to avoid making the same mistake."
"But in doing so old friend, you're making a different kind of mistake. One that may be far worse…Shifu…"
For once Shifu couldn't turn to face his Master. He could feel the agony starting to rise in his heart, threatening his control over his emotions. Tears started to form in his eyes though he did all he could to prevent it.
Oogway didn't try to finish what he was about to say. He knew his friend was on the edge, ready to fall over if pushed too hard in the wrong direction. The time for talking had passed. Now what Shifu needed the most was to be by himself for a while. Without another word the tortoise Master walked away, closing the door as he left.
As soon as his Master had gone Shifu let the tears come. He dropped his flute and let it roll across the floor. He hadn't cried when it first happened, or even immediately after. He had kept it all hidden from the rest of the world. And from this day on that is how it would stay…but for now, just for this moment he couldn't keep it inside any longer.
There, alone in that small room now lit only by the moon, he wept. He wept as only a parent who had forever lost their child could. For the first and last time, Shifu's grief overwhelmed him. All his anguish and pain flooded his heart at once, and it was too much for him to endure.
Shifu dropped to his knees and bowed his head almost to the ground. He thought his heart might burst from the ache. He cried for a long time… until he couldn't anymore. He closed his eyes and put his hand over his heart. "I'm sorry my son. I'm so sorry…"
He felt weak and dizzy. He laid down and curled up on the floor, and there as he slowly drifted from consciousness he realized and accepted that only in sleep would he know peace.


                                         *****


"Shifu!"
The Grand Master's eyes flew open when he heard Tigress scream his name. It took him several seconds for him to remember where he was. Looking up he saw Tigress clinging to the tree root with one hand while her other hand was outstretched toward him.
"Jump up to me!" she yelled to be heard over the blowing wind and driving rain.
Shifu tried again to pull himself up to the ridge, but with the same result. He slipped and barely caught himself, just as before.
"Hold on!"
He could hear the panic in her voice. He made eye contact with her for a moment and his heart skipped a beat. For all his pain and all his regrets, what he had done to Tigress was his biggest. He had spent so long regretting being too much of a father and not enough of a master to Tai Lung, that he never stopped to think how much he would regret being too much of a master and not enough of a father to Tigress.
She was his joy, his pride, his daughter. And he never told her that…not once.
Oogway was right, he thought, his heart heavy. Time is often wasted…and I've wasted mine in selfish anger and bitterness. And now it's too late.
No…it couldn't be too late. Shifu was determined to get back up there; he was determined to live through this night. The red panda prepared to put all the strength he had into one leap to reach Tigress' hand. But before he did another wave of anxiety struck him. Realization dawned on him as a vision flew through his mind's eye. If he jumped, Tigress would do anything and everything to reach him…even if that meant falling to her own death. If he jumped, they'd both die…but if he let go…
Shifu's heart raced as he looked up at his daughter one last time. He could see her desperation. Her eyes begged him to try again. He gave a slight shake of his head.
"Shifu, please!"
Despite the rain he could see the tears in her eyes. He had to let go now before she tried to climb down to him. He hoped with all his heart and soul that she heard and understood what he was saying to her.
I love you so much, my daughter. Remember that…always.
Shifu closed his eyes and allowed his hand to slip from the edge. He heard Tigress scream as he fell. Down he plummeted, into the mists far below. Farther and farther he fell. He never opened his eyes again; he didn't want to see when the ground came into view, but he knew he had to be getting close.
Shifu never felt the impact. Instead he suddenly felt a comforting warmth envelop him. He warily opened his eyes just in time to see the gray gloom of what he had last seen give way to a radiant, all consuming light.
"Hello again, my old friend."
Shifu's ears perked at the sound of the voice. He turned slowly and was overjoyed to see Oogway standing behind him. He smiled. "It's good to see you again…Master."

The night closed in on her as she sat under the peach tree. She was tired after their long journey back to the Valley. In the moonlit distance she could see Bao Gu Orphanage. The place she'd lived for so long. It was so long ago, yet she could remember it as if it had all just happened. She remembered how lonely and hopeless she felt in that place. It was the same emptiness she now felt. In a few short seconds, everything in her life had fallen apart.

The battle two nights ago had left her feeling cold and shaken. A petal from a peach tree blossom drifted by on the wind and she thought she could hear the sound of his flute being played.

She knew he wouldn't be there, but she turned to look anyway. "Shifu?" she whispered his name to the thin air. Of course he wasn't there…

She turned back. What was she to do now? He was gone. Gone forever out of her life; just as quickly as he had entered it.

As she stared silently at the building in the distance she began to think about those days there; those long, painful days. She remembered. No one wanted her. No one loved her. She was locked up like some unwanted object.

Monster

That's what they had called her, but why? What had she done to deserve such a harsh title? It was as if she was some horrible, nameless thing.

Monster

She wanted to cry, wanted to run away. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She was alone.

Monster

Then he came. She remembered it like it had been yesterday. Curled up in the corner of her so-called room, she heard him come in. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want him there. He would run, just like everyone else. He would leave, just as everyone had before. She knew he would. She didn't want to turn and look at him…but she did. Why? To this day, she still couldn't answer that.

He spoke to her. He didn't run; didn't turn and leave. Even when she told him that she was a monster, he had stayed. And then he said it; something that no one had ever told her before.

"You are not a monster. You're just a little girl."

She remembered that he would come every day. And it was in those days, for the first time, she started to believe that she could be wanted…could be loved.

Not monster…just Tigress

She remembered how at first she couldn't pick up a domino without it breaking apart in her hand, and how it frustrated her. Then he taught her how to control her temper; how to be patient. And he showed her how to control her strength.

After months of trying and failing and trying again, she was finally able to place the dominoes quickly and gracefully. She remembered that day vividly; the day she showed everyone the pattern she had made, how amazed they had been. It was as if they had all seen her for the first time.

Acceptance…friends…at last

She was Monster no more

But then that day came. It was the day she watched as everyone went home. Home. Everyone had left her, just as before. No one really wanted her. No one really loved her.

Alone

She sat in silence. Only the dominoes and her sadness were her companions. Suddenly another domino appeared beside hers. She looked up and saw him. He came back for her! Shifu had really come back for her! It was the happiest day of her life. She was going home.

She remembered how hard she worked to please him, to earn his approval…his love. But there was nothing. He was never cruel to her. But there was no pride in his eyes, no warmth in his words...Nothing. Never 'dad' or 'father', always 'Master.' It was always that one, cold word, no matter what.

Master

She remembered the night when Oogway found her punching the iron-wood trees by the palace. She felt frustrated, angry, but most of all, she felt sad. Why had Shifu brought her here if he didn't want her?

The old Master comforted her; reassured her that Shifu did want her, we was proud of her…loved her.

"Then why won't he ever tell me so?" she had asked, on the brink of tears.

With a sad look in his eyes he began to tell her about Tai Lung and all the pain he had brought. She learned of the fear in Shifu. The fear that if he showed her the love and pride he felt, it might bring her to ruin and leave him with another broken heart.

"So you see, little one," he had said, softly, "he does love you. And one day he will find a way to tell you."

He had left her with those words. Now she knew, but she still didn't understand. How could she? She was only a child; a child that wanted nothing else out of life than to have the love of her father, and to know the look of pride in his eyes, and to just once hear him say, "This is my daughter." But she was never 'daughter', always 'student.' And he was never 'father', always 'Master.'

She didn't understand. She wasn't Tai Lung. She would never be Tai Lung. She was no…

Monster

Her heart sank. A tear dropped. Did Shifu think of her as a monster waiting to appear, even though he had told her she was not?

Hot tears now poured down her face. No! She was not a monster! She was not Tai-Lung! She was Tigress. And no matter what she had to do she would prove it to him. She would work day and night if she had to. She would earn his love, whatever she had to do. She didn't care how much it might hurt or how long it took…


She remembered it all. It was so long ago, and yet it was all so close to her heart.

But now she remembered. The love she longed for, the approval she strove so hard to earn. Now it all ended in regret; the regret of silence unending. Words never spoken would now never be said, heard, felt…

The knowledge that the emptiness of her heart could not ever be filled was almost too much to endure. That void which can only be filled with the affirmation of love would stay hollow. There would be no hearing of the words: "I'm proud of you," or "I love you." To see a smile on a parent's face, to know, to really know, is the most important thing for any child. And now it could never be.

All she ever wanted, then and now, was to hear those words from him. But now it was too late. He was gone. Now she would have to lament the things she never heard, and regret the things she herself never said. Two hearts were broken. Neither healed…

Why did he let go? She could've held on long enough for him to climb up to safety, and then she would've followed. If he would have held on a few seconds longer she could have saved him. Or at least one of the others could've gotten away from the battle long enough to pull them both up…if only he would've held on…

That thought was foolish, and she knew it. Try as she did, she couldn't reach him; she couldn't help him up from the edge. And even if he'd had the strength to jump straight up from the small rim which he clung to, he still wouldn't have been able to reach her outstretched hand. She herself almost fell in her effort to reach him.

But why did he let go? She recalled the horrible sight of him falling, farther and farther from her reach until she could no longer see him. The haunting image played through her mind over and over.

She tried one last time to blink away the tears that threatened to overcome her.

Suddenly everything from her life flashed through her mind in an instant. "He does love you," Oogway's words echoed in her mind. "One day he will find a way to tell you."

Realization came into her eyes. She remembered now… the last seconds just before he let go. He looked at her…in a way he never had before.

With that look, that one last look, he had said everything she had ever longed to hear.

I am proud of you; I always have been. And I'm sorry I never told you that before. You always have been and always will be my daughter…and I love you.

As the sun began to rise, she finally let the tears escape from her eyes. She looked up and watched the last star fade from the sky. Curled up just as she had been when he first saw her, she hugged her knees tight and buried her face. And faintly, she whispered what she hoped he would somehow hear:

"I love you too…Dad."

 Tigress turned over in her bed. She didn't know why she was still trying to sleep after lying there for hours. It wasn't like she had to be rested; the gong wasn't going to sound for morning training.
 Shifu's death had had an effect on the entire Valley. An overall feeling of mourning had fallen among the villagers. Things seemed gray and somber.
 It had been four days already, but in Tigress' mind it had just happened seconds ago. She could still see it. Her heart ached terribly, and the thought of his broken and lifeless body lying at the bottom of that chasm caused the knot in her stomach to twist and turn constantly. It was nearly too much for her to take. Nothing—not even the revelation at the peach tree the night before that he had let go for her sake—had numbed the pain of his absence. If anything, it made it worse.
 Tigress felt her eyes water. She knew she was being selfish. Closing herself off from the others when she knew they were hurting too. She was the leader of the Five and a mentor to Po. They were all looking to her now for some guidance; for what to do now. But Tigress wasn't that strong at this point. She couldn't help it; she couldn't get passed it. She had never felt more empty and alone then she had these past few days.
The tiger sat up suddenly and quickly brushed her hand across her eyes to rid them of the tears that now spilled out. She felt so overwhelmed by the burdens that were now hers she didn't know what to do.
 "I'm suffocating in here," she said quietly, not wanting to wake the others. She didn't want to speak to anyone, not right now.
 Taking in a shaken breath Tigress stood up and went to the window. The spring air always seemed sweeter at night, and this night was no exception. It had always been Shifu's favorite time of the year, when everything came alive again and you could almost taste the cherry and peach blossoms. It was true that Tigress had never heard him say so, but she had observed the subtle change of mood that would come over him whenever spring arrived. Even in the days when she was a cub and the memory of Tai Lung still haunted Shifu's mind, the first tree blossoms that emerged would lift the red panda's spirit just enough for a slight, half-hearted smile to briefly appear…but back then it was a smile only the trees would see.
 Tigress shook her head. She kept seeing a shadow of him in the corner of her vision. She kept hearing an echo of his voice on the wind, and ever she thought she heard him say her name.
 She couldn't stay inside any longer; she felt she'd go mad if she did. Using all of her natural stealth she silently and effortlessly climbed out of the window and walked off into the night unnoticed.


                                           *****

 With the moon as her only companion Tigress found herself walking the silent, empty streets of the Valley. She used to do this every night when she was a cub. The solitude of the nighttime had always brought comfort and strength to her somehow.
 She really had no destination in mind; she just wanted to clear her head. She knew she would have to come to terms with the fact that Shifu was dead, but the very thought made her feel like a helpless cub and filled her with a fierce dread.
 Tigress suddenly felt like her legs were going to give out. She leaned her back against a wall of the nearby building and slowly slid to the ground, overcome and feeling defeated. Tears poured out and she started to tremble. Quickly she brought her hand up over her mouth to hold back the sobs. Her hand slid down to her heart and she slowly rocked back and forth and began to softly hum a melody that she had heard Shifu often play on his flute when she was younger. Several minutes went by, and as she sat in the silence and tried to calm herself she quickly became aware of another's presence. Tigress felt anger spring up in her chest. Which one of them had dared to follow her at this point? She gave a low hiss.
 "Po," she growled, "if that's you go back to the palace, now."
 Silence.
 The tiger sighed in frustration before getting to her feet and turning towards the shadows. "Po," she said again, this time in a softer tone. "Please, I just need to be alone."
 Silence.
 Tigress opened her mouth again, ready to berate the panda for still being there when she abruptly stopped. She was alone. A single peach blossom petal appeared from the shadows. Floating lightly on the soft breeze it crossed her line of sight. She watched it gently spin in place for a moment before the wind brought it to her. It just barely brushed her cheek before circling around her once and continuing on. She continued to watch the petal until the breeze carried it out of sight, and still she stared off in the direction it had gone.
 "Tigress…"
 Tigress nearly gasped and her eyes went wide at the sound of the voice behind her. She turned slowly, hardly able to keep from shaking; afraid she might not see anything at all. She took in a sharp breath and her eyes filled with tears as she took in the sight, barley breathing the name of the one before her.  
 "Sh-Shifu?"
 The red panda smiled at her and gave a slight nod.
 Tigress could hardly believe it. There he stood, plain as the moon itself. She went forward, dropped to her knees and pulled him into a hug. At first she was terrified that her imagination had run away with her and that Shifu would disappear into thin air, but he didn't. This was no phantom or trick of the mind. She could feel him hugging her in return. It was really him!
 As if reading her thoughts Shifu gave a somber chuckle. "Yes, I'm really here."
After a long moment Tigress' eyes opened and she slowly pulled away. She looked at her Master with a questioning stare. "I don't understand," she said quietly. "How did you survive?"
 Shifu looked painfully into her eyes that were still damp from the tears. His heart broke at the thought of what he had to tell her. The red panda shook his head. "I didn't…"
 Tigress could feel her heart, which just a moment ago had swelled with joy, rend and shatter. But he was here…in flesh and blood…how could he be here like this and not have lived?
 "But…I don't see—"
 Shifu held up a hand, cutting her off. "I know you don't. Truth be told, I'm not even sure exactly how, but it's not important. I can't stay long; Oogway said I would only have until morning." Seeing the look on Tigress' face he decided to quickly get her mind away from the topic. "Let's not think about it now. Come, let's walk. There's a lot to talk about."
 Shifu began walking down the street. Tigress stared after him for several seconds before getting to her feet and joining him.


                                         *****

 Even though Shifu had said there was a lot to talk about, for a long time the two of them said nothing to each other. They were content to walk in silence and enjoy one another's company for a while.
 While they were still each with their own thoughts a painful question came into Tigress' mind. "So…you didn't survive?"
 "I'm afraid not. I was given just these few hours to be here…to see you one more time."
 Tigress thought she would choke asking the question that was haunting her. "Did…you didn't suffer…did you?"
 "No," Shifu said quickly to reassure her and put her at ease, for she was clearly burdened by the thought. "I didn't even feel it. It was instant…"
 Tigress gave an inward sigh of shear relief. She had feared this entire time that Shifu may have survived his fall and could've been rescued. It made her sick to think that he might have lain there in pain, dying slowly.
 Shifu could feel her relief. Wanting to take her mind off of it the red panda Master suddenly spoke. "I didn't know you remembered that song…"
 Tigress looked down at him. "What song?"
 "The one you were humming. I would play it when I knew you were listening."
 This statement surprised Tigress a little. She had never realized he knew she would sneak out of her room at night to listen to him play. Of course, she thought, I should've figured that he would've known.
 Catching her surprised expression, Shifu smiled mischievously. "There's a lot I knew about."
 Tigress returned his smile. Then playfully raising her brow she looked at him suspiciously. "Oh?" she said, trying to seem innocent.
 The red panda chuckled. "Just because I wasn't always watching doesn't mean I didn't know about the antics you five sometimes pulled. I know for a fact that Po was not the first one to try and see how many bean buns he could fit into his mouth. I trust Monkey wasn't too disappointed that his record was beaten."
 Tigress was a little embarrassed that her Master was aware of both bean bun incidences. Just how he knew of either of them she was sure would remain a mystery. "I suppose you knew I put both of them up to it…"
 "No, but thank you for telling me."
 "In my defense I was board on both occasions."
 Both of them laughed. Neither of them had laughed in a long time, and neither one of them could remember having ever actually laughed together. It was a realization that hit both of them at the same time, and it was more than sobering.  
 They both continued on, silent once more.
 "You know," Tigress said after a while, "I used to come out here every night when I was a child and walk the streets."
 Shifu nodded. "Yes, I knew that too."
 "You did?"
 "Yes. I would follow you to make sure nothing happened."
 The thought had never struck Tigress. She had known in her heart that Shifu did care about her, but, especially as a child, she'd never considered that Shifu had really ever worried about her safety.
 "The truth is," Shifu said after Tigress gave no reply. "The first time you did it I was sick with anxiety. You looked lost; like you were thinking of running away. I…I couldn't bear the thought of losing another child. And yet I knew I would've had no right to try and stop you, not after being so cold to you." Shifu stopped walking but didn't look up. "I was so relieved when you started making your way back to the Jade Palace that I almost called out to you. But still in my own selfish pain I couldn't bring myself to show you that kind of affection. After that I followed you every night, just to make sure you were safe and you weren't running away…" here he finally looked up at Tigress. "I regret now never calling out to you…things might have been different."
 "Shifu, I understood why you were the way you were. I never did blame you."
 "You should've. You were everything to me. I kept a distance because I did love you, and I feared for you. I just couldn't look beyond myself to see the pain I was causing…I'm so sorry I never told you how much I loved you. I wronged you…I wronged you and I robbed you."
 Tigress was silent. She wasn't sure how to respond to this. Ever since Oogway had told her about Tai Lung she had become accepting of Shifu and how he acted. It still hurt her, but she had accepted it. Until Shifu had died, she'd never thought about how much she longed to hear him say these things to her. Now that she was hearing them, she wasn't sure what to say.  Knowing these things to be true was one thing, but actually hearing them was something else entirely.
 "The first time I sneaked out," said Tigress, remorse in her voice. "I was planning on running away. But something held me back. It was like I just couldn't make myself do it.  
 I think it was because of you…how sad you seemed. The next night, Master Oogway told me about Tai Lung and everything that happened. Until then, I had always thought there was something wrong with me; that I was making you unhappy. After I learned the truth, all I wanted to do was prove myself to you…to earn your love."
 Shifu looked at her, mortified; his blue eyes betraying the pain he felt at her words.  
 Tigress looked away, ashamed at what she had just admitted.
 "That's why…" Shifu began, his eyes watering and his voice nearly choking. "That's why you pushed yourself so hard…why you nearly…" The red panda shook his head and turned away, blinking away the tears that were still forming as he began to walk.
 "Nearly what?" Tigress asked, still standing in place.
 Shifu stopped and turned back to her. "You don't remember?" When Tigress shook her head he gave a sigh. He walked over to a large rock and rested against it.
 "I was by the Peach Tree the night you spoke with Oogway. I didn't hear all that was said; I had stopped listening when I heard him telling you about Tai Lung. After that I noticed every day you were pushing yourself harder and harder. I saw it, but I never stopped it. I let you push yourself, unaware of just how hard you were really working. It couldn't have been more than two weeks later, I could tell something was wrong. You weren't yourself that day. You couldn't focus and your eyes were dull. You collapsed…right in front of me. My heart stopped, I was so terrified I couldn't even think. You were burning with fever and almost completely lifeless. You were so ill we didn't think you'd live. That whole time I couldn't bring myself to leave your side."
 Tigress was stunned. She remembered once being sick…but she didn't know she had been near death. She shook her head. "That can't be. I know I was sick, but by that night and I was fine. I remember I woke up thirsty and went to the kitchen for water. But I was alone; no one was with me when I awoke."
 "No. You were asleep for four days. I stayed with you until your fever broke. When it finally did I was so overcome with relief that all I could do was sit by your bed and cry.  I wanted so much in that moment just to be the father you needed and deserved, and I hated myself for not being able to do it." Shifu looked up at Tigress, who was doing her best to hold her tears back. "I was there when you woke up. I hadn't slept the entire time…when I knew you were going to be all right I let my exhaustion get the better of me. I sat down in the corner to rest my eyes, but I fell asleep. When I woke up again it was evening, and you weren't in your bed. I looked for you and found you sitting by yourself in the kitchen."
 Tigress watched her Master as he sat. He looked as if the weight of his entire life had suddenly fallen on him at once. It tore into her heart like shards of glass.  
 "I never realized the reason you pushed yourself like," he said. His voice sounded so frail it was as if something was crushing his chest and he had to fight to get the words out. "Now I can see just how much was my fault. My pride…it blinded me to Tai Lung, but my pain blinded me to you." He looked at Tigress now, tears streaming down his face. "I almost killed my own daughter. Please; please tell me you can forgive me."  
 Shifu was shaking now; the knowledge of what his choices had almost caused attacked him mercilessly. Tigress walked to him, her steps nearly silent. She got to her knees to be eye level with him. They looked at each other; Shifu was almost desperate for her to say something. Tigress, seeing this in his eyes, placed her hand on his to comfort him.
"I already did," she said softly.
 Shifu, released from his guilt by her words, hung his head. Father embraced daughter, grateful for the chance to do so.  "Oh my little girl…I'm sorry I was so far away."
They stayed there in the solace of that moment for as long as they were able.


                                        *****


 Later they continued their walk. They soon found themselves back at the Jade Palace, seated next to the peach tree. They sat across from each other, talking about nothing in particular. Happy things, serious things. Things they had never confided to anyone else.
 They watched the stars for a while. Shifu pointed out several of them and told stories of how he had learned to navigate by them.
 "I used to bring Tai Lung out here all the time," he said fondly as the memory played through his mind. He pointed to the right at a blue-white star. "That one was his favorite."
 Tigress smiled as she followed his gaze to the star. When she was young she had always wanted Shifu to take her stargazing like this.  When she turned back to him she found he was looking in the opposite direction at the moon. "Shifu?"
 "I was just watching the moon…the night will be gone soon." They both knew what that meant, and neither of them wanted to dwell on the thought.
 "Shifu?"
 "Hm?"
 "Why that song?"
 "Why what song?"
 "The one you said you used to play when you knew I was listening. Why did you play it for me?"
 Shifu thought for a few seconds, as if he himself had to search for the answer. "I think it was the only way I could find to reach out to you. I played it hoping it might bring you some kind of comfort…the comfort I myself just couldn't manage to give you."
 Tigress smiled. "I always loved that song. I just thought it was coincidence that you played it while I listened." She sighed. "And believe it or not, it did comfort me…a great deal….Shifu?"
 "Yes?"
 "Why did you let go? I mean, I know why…but what made you decide not to try?"
 Shifu looked at her before looking at the ground. He reached forward and took her hand in his and placed his other hand on top. "Because I had already taken so much away from you, I couldn't risk taking any more. I knew if I tried, neither of us would've lived."
 Tigress nodded, eyes watering a little. "But I wanted you to…"
 "I know…" he said, keeping hold of her hand. "And I know it doesn't seem possible now, but I promise it will get better with time. You'll smile again, you'll laugh again…and you won't have to think about doing it. You'll be able to continue your journey without me. The world moves on, and so will you."
 Tigress shook her head. "That's not true. We still need you. I still need you…"
 Shifu gave her a half smile. "Oh Tigress…I'll never be able to redeem myself for what I've done in my life. Letting go was the one thing I ever really did for you." He put a hand on her cheek. "I wish that weren't so, but it's the truth. I know you're afraid, but I let go of life, I never let go of you."  
 Suddenly Shifu's hand flew to his chest and he took in a short breath through clenched teeth.
 "What's wrong?" Tigress asked, fear in her voice.
 "Nothing…just a reminder that I don't have much time left." Shifu looked over and spotted his staff leaning against the trunk of the peach tree.
 He stood and walked over to it. Taking it in his hands he looked it over with a fond smile as he recalled all the memories attached to it. The red panda sighed contently before looking over at Tigress, who was watching him closely. She moved her head to follow his movement as he came back to stand in front of her.
 "This belongs to you now," he said,  placing it in her hands.
 Tigress was speechless as she looked at the staff in her hand. She hadn't thought of who would be the next Grand Master, it was the furthest thing from her mind. But a new Grand Master would have to take Shifu's place; she just never imagined he would give the role to her. It was an honor to be sure. But it did nothing to quell her fear at the thought.
 "Shifu I-I can't do this."
 "Of course you can," he replied softly, seeing the fear in her eyes. "You were meant for it."
 “But I’m not ready…”
 Shifu smiled. “No one ever really is. I wasn’t when Oogway left.  But I know you, Tigress. You’ll rise above your fears, and you’ll be stronger than anything that might hold you back.”
 Their attention was drawn suddenly by the lightening of the sky. The moon was descending as the sky slowly changed from the cold dark of night to the cool pale of dawn. On the horizon a thin streak of soft, off-white and yellow light could be seen with flecks of blush pink and pale orange. The shadow of the oncoming sun caused the lowest part of the sky to show wisps of faint gray.
 It was going to be a beautiful morning, but Shifu and Tigress observed it in a solemn silence.
 They turned back to each other. Shifu could feel it now. Some unseen force was trying to pull him away from this place, and he knew he couldn't resist its call much longer.  
 "Tigress…I'm…I'm afraid it's time." She said nothing. All she could do was look at him and fight back her tears. Shifu turned and took a step toward the pointed edge of the hill.
 Tigress suddenly stirred, quickly reached out and caught his hand. "Wait Shifu," her voice shook with such desperation and sorrow that it broke the red panda's heart just to hear it. "Please, don't go! I can't do this on my own."
 Shifu turned and looked at her with more warmth and tenderness than she had ever seen in his eyes before. He gave her a sad smile as he came back to her. Framing her face in his hands he looked into her eyes.
 "You always have been, and always will be, the treasure of my heart. That will never change."
 Tigress smiled and Shifu wiped away the tears that had escaped his daughter's eyes. He gave her a kiss on her forehead before pulling her into a hug. Tigress couldn't suppress the shudder as she began to cry. She held him tight.
 "Please don't leave me, dad."
 Shifu stroked her head. "I never will." Slowly he pulled back to look in her eyes once more, the sad smile still on his face. "You are my daughter, and I love you so much more then I could ever tell you. Remember these things, and I will never truly be far from you."
 Shifu let her go and again started for the edge, and this time Tigress let him go. He stopped just shy of the rim as a wind came up from behind him. Tigress got to her feet and watch as Shifu turned around to face her. Hundreds of peach petals blew off the tree and started to swirl around the red panda. The wind started to blow them up toward the sky and Shifu almost seemed to be fading into them. He gave Tigress one last smile which she returned.
"Shifu!" Tigress cried as she rushed forward, her hand outstretched.
 Shifu reached his hand out for her and their fingers just brushed before he was gone.    
 Tigress stood motionless and watched the petals fly away and disappear with the last of the stars. Tears still fell from her eyes, but now there was also a smile on her face, along with an unmistakable calm in her heart. Now they could both truly be at peace.
 "Goodbye…" she whispered.


                                           *****


 Tigress walked up the stairs to the peach trees. The old one was in the last phase of its life, but the new one was thriving and beautiful.
Time had washed away most of the vibrant color of her fur, and her black markings were now gray with small flecks of white. Much had happened in the fifty years since Master Shifu had died.
 Crane no longer lived in the Valley of Peace. He had gone back home to spend the rest of his years with family. Viper still helped to teach at the Jade Palace, but she now took up residence down in the valley among the villagers. Mantis and Monkey still lived and taught at the palace and Po…well, Po hadn't changed at all.
 He, Monkey and Mantis were currently in the barrack's kitchen with the younger students having some kind of bean bun showdown and doing goodness knows what with the rice cakes.  
 It was all their racket that brought Tigress out here. She enjoyed watching the fun, but tonight she just felt like taking a walk. She suddenly heard muffled but still very audible cheers from the students. The Grand Master smiled and shook her head. "Kids."
 Tigress looked down at the memorial stone that they had placed by the new peach tree in honor of Shifu many years ago."I bet you thought the same of us at times."
 The tiger Master's green robe brushed the ground as she bent over to clean off some dirt that had made its way onto the smooth, reflective stone. There wasn't a day that went by when she didn't miss him, but that one last chance she had to speak with him had made living without him a little easier.
 Tigress gave a content sigh. She felt tired tonight for some reason. Usually she had a little more stamina than this. "You forget you're not as young as you used to be," she told herself with a weary smile.
 More cheering, in addition to laughing and a chanting of 'Po! Po!' had broken out in the kitchen. Tigress was certain she didn't want to know, but though she rolled her eyes the smile never left her.
 "The things you've missed, Shifu…of course you're probably grateful." She added with a slight laugh.
 It was such a lovely night. She deiced not to go in as she had planned. Instead she settled in under the branches of the old peach tree, leaning her back against it so she could look out at the distant mountains.
 As Tigress sat, wrapped in the peaceful night, her eyes became heavy. She couldn't explain this sudden tired feeling, but she didn't fight it. She closed her eyes to rest them and fell asleep. Something roused her from her sleep a few moments later, but when she opened her eyes she was no longer under the peach tree. She found herself lying on nothing; a bright light and comforting warmth surrounded her on every side.  
 She heard the sound of someone playing a familiar melody on a flute. Slowly sitting up she looked over and saw Shifu, his back was to her.
 "Shifu?" she called to him, slightly puzzled.
 The red panda stopped playing and turned around. He looked so different…younger. He gave her a warm smile before coming to her. "Hello Tigress."  
 Tigress returned his smile. She understood now. She reached out and the two hugged in greeting.
 "I've been waiting for you," Shifu said.
 Tigress' smile broadened as she remained in her father's embrace. At long last she was home, and nothing would ever be able to separate daughter from father again....



The End