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Chapter 3: A good Friend

"What's wrong Jao?" Jao snapped out of deep thought as he stared into the distance. "Hmm...? Oh sorry, something is not quite right, I can feel it in the wind." Violet put her arm around Jao "Well maybe if someone wasn't standing in the middle of the garden with the full force of the wind hitting him, and hmmm maybe came indoors with his wife instead... There wouldn't be a problem."

Jao turned his head towards her with a sly smile "Is that a hint, because I would quite like your... company." She elbowed him in the stomach. "You have a dirty mind sometimes." Jao just laughed "You know you love me." Violet rolled her eyes "Regrettably yes". He looked at Violet "Silly fox." without skipping a beat she responded "Fat panda."

"Hey I'm very fit for a panda, I'm made fun of by the others for being this thin. Plus its more for you to snuggle with." She turned, embraced him and gave a him a kiss "I would never trade you for the world, you're my Panda." He stared into her Beautiful green eyes

"Daddy!" Jao's attention was brought back to his garden. "There you two are, what have you been up to?". "We found a worm!" The two cubs held up a worm. Jao Looked left and right, then lowered himself to their level. He took another quick look around before leaning in closer "I Dare one of you to eat it!" he said in a hushed tone, looking at his wife who went to look at her flowers.

"WHAT!?!" Shouted Pearl his little Panda girl. "Eeew , that's gross." Protested his Fox son Chen. Jao giggled a bit "It's better than your mothers cooking." "HEY!" Violet glared at Jao. Jao looked up and burst out laughing. She gave him the death stare. Jao just laughed harder, so much so that he fell over.

"Quick kids run! She heard me, Run!" Two giggling pitter patters of feet ran into the house. While a Fox lady stomped her way to Chen before diving on the laughing mass on the floor. The two of them rolled around on the floor in a play fight with Violet ending up on top. "Hah! I pinned the mighty warrior." Jao lifted his head "Alright you win, I had no chance to defend myself against that beauty." She poked his nose "And for your previous comment you have to cook tonight." He laughed a little "Fine, as long as I can make dumplings."

Chen Grabbed Violet and arose from the ground with her, showing off his strength before giving her a massive hug. She just smiled at and rolled her eyes at him "My strong Guardian."

Their ears perked up "Dad!" Chen came running out of the house "Chen and Ling are here. They are coming down the road." Jao looked with slight confusion at Violet "Hmmph guess I'll have to make more dumplings" Violet thought for a second "They don't usually visit this time of year, it's almost harvest."

Jao and violet walked around the house to the road. Chen and ling came running towards them. Jao saw the kids "Hey my buddies are visiting!" He embraced them both.

Jao looked up, he saw Bai lumbering around the corner in full armour, his heart suddenly sunk. He immediately knew something was wrong. "Oh shit, why is he wearing his armour." Violet jerked her head up and looked at Bai. She could immediately see he wasn't right and start looking around "Somethings wrong, Where's Lee?"

Bai never left anywhere without Lee so Violet noticed immediately.

Head down, Bai walked up them and immediately fell to his knees. Jao quickly went to the aid of his good friend "What happened!? Where's Lee!". "Bai?" "Bai!?" Jao shook his friend. Bai slowly lifted his head tears streaming down his face "They... they got her." Jao recoiled "Who got her!?".

Violet quickly sent the kids inside before going to the aid of Bai. Bai started crying uncontrollably, tears rolling down his fur. "She... She's dead. The... they killed her." Bai was Barely able to talk. "They killed Lee."

The words carried enough power to stun the both of them for a few seconds. Lee the loving wife of Bai they knew so well. She was always bright, always happy but most importantly always there. Jao fell on his knees as tears filled his eyes. He put his arm around Bai and started to cry as well.

After a minute Jao looked at his distraught friend "Come, we must go inside." Jao started to get up forcing Bai to stand up as well but he had no strength left. So Jao shouldered his weight. Violet went and grabbed Bais other arm and they brought him inside.

As soon as Bai was sat on a chair violet went to the kitchen. She started pulling out herbs to brew a tea. She knew how to make a special tea that helped people calm down.

"Bai, who killed her?!" Bai slowly reached around and grabbed the piece of cloth handing it to Jao. Horror filled Jaos face, his stomach twisted up in knots. "No! It can't be! We destroyed the legion years ago, raised their buildings to the ground and killed off everyone part of that damned clan. How are they back!?

Violet walked back in and handed them both a cup of the tea before fetching her own. Bai sat staring at the floor before slowly taking a sip from the tea. "They didn't just kill Lee, they burnt down the whole village. Everyone... Everything is gone."

The two of them sat in silence, Bai was still reeling from all the events that had just happened. Jao started to think everything over in head, trying to figure out if they missed something in their past. But it did not make sense, to say they were methodical was an understatement. They knew and took out every major member and even people with more basic crimes got captured and dealt with. Jao rubbed his head with annoyance

Jao looked over to his friend who now could barely keep his eyes open.He took the cup from Bais hands, put it on the table. Bai barely reacted to this. Jao then helped him remove his armour revealing the broken fox. He got up and got some bedding for Bai.

"Don't worry, get some sleep. We will protect you and your kids while you are here." Bais eyes shut almost immediately as all the events caught up with him all at once. Jao looked at Bai and then at violet "He looks destroyed." Violet looked at Jao, his eyes overflowing with emotion. She didn't know what to do.

She looked at Bai. It was quite a shock to her, she had never seen him look so defeated. He was always the one protecting them, now his iron wall was shattered leaving a vulnerable fox behind.

"Now what?" Asked Violet. Jao started putting Bai's armour together off to the side. "I would be lying if I said I don't know." Jao Sighed "But I know my friend all too well. He never just gives in. For him this is defeat of one battle, but the war is still on." Jao looked at his sleeping friend. "When he wakes, he will be ready to unleash his wrath upon those who have wronged him."

Jao put his head in his hands "So what do we do, do I help him?." Violet looked at Jao "Jao, I would love to say don't go with him, it's dangerous and all that but the Leangs have and always will be like family. So not only do I want you help him... I want you to RIP THE THROATS OUT OF THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED HER AND SHOW THEM THE TRUE MEANING OF SUFFERING!"

Jao looked up at the enraged fox and just nodded in agreement. He looked at Bais armour, then out the window to the kid's outside. Before he even had time to wander about them Violet answered his question. "I will protect them, I may not be a jade warrior like some but I did serve in the army, so I will have no problem dealing with any problems. I was one of the best archers after all."

Jao looked up and smiled at his wife. She always stood tall, proud, and somewhat smug when she mentioned her army days and now was no different. He smiled at her "I am so glad I became your partner."

She smiled back. Jao Looked around "I will need to make preparations as this will no doubt be a long journey. Go Warn the Guard, tell them that Maiel is lost." Without hesitation Violet left to head to the guard house and warn them.

Jao cracked his neck, stretched and immediately marched to his room in the house. He walked straight to a large closet on the other side, going past all his relics and collections he got from his days as a jade warrior.

Jao Pulled open the Closet slowly revealing his Jade warrior armour and weapon. He glanced down his sword resting in front on a stand. Jao grabbed the sword and slowly looked along the blades edge. He swung it around a couple of times before chopping once at the air. Jao raised the sword in front of him and stared into his reflection. It was like staring into a portal showing him the life that he once lead.

Jao put the blade down looked up and down his armour, it was shining and immaculate as normal. Jao sighed "I thought I was done with this. I guess once a Jade warrior, always a Jade warrior." He pulled the armour out and laid it out ready, He retrieved a couple of travelling packs from a draw and started filling them with some equipment and spare clothes.

Violet returned shortly, "I told the captain, he is doubling patrols and putting everyone on alert for suspicious activity. His scouts report nothing out of the usual so far though." Jao looked at her "Hehe well you are one of the privileged few that can boss him around so I had no doubts he would listen. I almost have all we need, I Just need to get some food and then we are ready."

Jao left with haste to the market to get some food, food that you can travel with, food that lasts.

Violet went outside to check on the kids and couldn't help but smile a bit. They had all fallen asleep on the grass. She gently picked them up one by one and carried the four of them back in the house. She took them to their rooms, where she made up two extra spaces for the Leangs to sleep.

Violet stared at them for a moment. So amazing to be young, to be able to smile, laugh and have fun even in the face of such misery. I need to have that strength now she thought to herself, I can't replace Lee but I certainly can do my best.

Violet silently walked out and went to the spare room, she glanced at Jaos open cupboard, an empty space where his armour should be. She opened a cupboard next to it where her Leather armour stood proudly. The Jade warriors had much more ornate armour but she preferred her more rugged ranger armour.

Violet opened a draw below the cupboard with care smiling as she did so. There it was, her Longbow in all its majesty. She took it out slowly and carefully inspected it. She ran her hands across all the carvings adorning her bow, Barely a fleck of dirt to be seen. She grabbed an arrow and placed it between her fingers.

Violet walked outside and stopped in the middle of the garden. She closed her eyes, lifted her head up to the sky and took a deep breath. Her breath then slowly escaped as she brought her head down and looked dead ahead to a tree. She drew the arrow back with ease and let it loose into a tree.

The Arrow raced through the air and landed with a thud as it pierced the tree. She lowered her bow slightly to see, there it was right where she was aiming for. Violet smiled and relaxed the bow "It never leaves you." She retrieved her arrow and left her bow propped up against a wall inside. She might need it soon so she thought it best to keep it in sight.

Violet walked to her front window where she patiently waited for Jao to return.

Phew slowly but surely getting there. Takes me a while to write these but they are fun. As per usual if you liked it please share it around.

Thanks! -Wolfmantom