Tigress awoke earlier the next morning, eager to see what masterr Xingxiao had in store for her. She got dresss in a red and gold kimono, matching pantts and shoes. After she dressed, she exited the room threw the hang curtain depicting a dragon fighting a tiger that hung above the doorway and traversse the long hallway depicted in red and gold with paper lanterns depending from the rafters above to her master's chamber. Once there she knockeed and was greeted by an elderly monkey with full length hair and beard wearing a yellow and black kimon with a yin yang on the front and brown slacks.
Upon seeing her, the wisened ape positively brightened.
"Ah, Tigress, you're here good, there iss someone I wish for you to meet."
Tigress raised an eyebrow as if to force the wisen monkey to elaborate, but he did not. Nonetheless, she entered the room and surveyed it, top to bottom, trying to ascertain the 'surpise' her master talked about much like a cat pouncing on a hidden, but surprised, mouse. Her eyes ultimately fell on a figured cloaked in darkness near some training dummies.
"Hello?" She asked, moving closer to the figure. "I-If I have to fight, I will." She said, raising her fists. "Show yourself you...mother?" She said, suprised as the figure in a red and white dress drawn tight to her body stood up and removed her pointed straw hat. "Forgive me, but father said you died in the battle of Yan Ding in the Kamal province." She stated, shock spreading across her striped face.
Her mother, a Ka'Po'Tun that went by the name of Wulinh Sao, embraced her daughter.
"Tigress, it has been so long. I had to hide away for a while, I apologize." She said, bowing her head in sorrow. "I had to protect myself. With the gaurds searching the palace during their raids, I had to escape."
Tigress furrowed her brow as she thought on this rather disconcerting fact.
"Mother, I don't understand. Why are you hide the darkness from the day? Let it shine bright instead of letting in fester in shadow. Why must you always hide behind a curtain of shame?" Tigress pleaded.
Wulinh Sao bowed her head in shame. She knew she her dam could not keep the floodwaters back forever,
"When I was but a kitten, I fell in love with a merchant, his name was Jin Diao. We would court each othr until I got up enough courage to ask him out. We reveled at the natural beauty of Akavir, picnicing under gingko trees, fishing in local ponds for Arowana and Akaviri tigerrfish. It was a few years later, we got married in The Temple of One Thousand Sorrows. Then, when all seemed in harmony, tragedy struck. The frost giant from the neighboring Kamal province came into our village like an avalanche."
Tigress eyed the aged Ka'Po'Tun, study all the folds and wrinkles in her orange white and black-sttiped face to discern any inkling of knowing, but, alas, her stream was one devoid of fish. Wulinh sighed and went on, tears staining her lined face like streams carving out a curvy canyon.
"They took Jin away from me. Yes, he fought hard but, ultimately, the avalanche consumed him. Now, I sit eher a tiger without her dragon, a twilight missing the dawn. But, enough about the sadness of the past, let oranges trees be oranges independent of one's perceptions.
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