First Snow PoxTigress

Po was marching in place anxiously as Master Shifu continued the lesson about how to move air and the things in air, something like inner peace, waiting to be dismissed to the dining hall for food and warmth for his numb paws and feet.

"The air is a complex thing that takes time to understand its movement, but you figured out inner peace in just a few days so I'm sure this won't take long for you to figure out." Master Shifu said this with a slight hint of distain; he would never admit it, but he was somewhat jealous of Po for grasping and mastering the concept of inner peace in less than a week. He looked over at the big panda, who was jumping from foot-to-foot like a child waiting to be excused to the bathroom. He sighed, shaking his head. Despite his annoyances, Shifu had grown used to, and perhaps even fond of, Po's constant childish manner and quick-to-grasp optimism that was good for the furious five and Shifu himself. They all needed someone to make life more bearable, even at times enjoyable.

"You may leave Po," Master Shifu dismissed his newest pupil. "We will continue the lesson tomorrow."

"Thank you Master Shifu!" Po exclaimed, turning around and sprinting back to the Jade Palace where he would hopefully find warmth and something to snack on before lunch.

"Cold cold cold cold cold cold!" Po yelped with every step, the freezing ground and wind biting at his toes and cheeks. "Cold cold cold…" Po slowed down and then stopped, staring up at the cloudy sky. He watched as a single white speck floated down, drifted onto his nose, and disappeared. Po blinked.

"TIGRESS!" Po yelled, once again racing down the path to the palace, but this time not for his aching stomach or frozen feet.

"Tigresstigresstigresstigresstigress!" Po's high-pitched voice squealed as he dashed over to the tiger, who was speaking to Viper and Monkey on the porch.

"Yes Po?" Tigress said, turning to the panda, who was now breathing hard, hands on his sides. "What is it?"

"There's… the sky… clouds…" Po heaved, giving up. Tigress raised an eyebrow.

"What?" She waited for Po to catch his breath.

"The clouds are falling out of the sky!" Po exclaimed, eyes wide. Tigress' eyebrow once again went up.

"What?"

"There's white stuff falling from the sky!" Po tried to explain, confused and almost worried. "It's cold and I don't know what it is!" Tigress stared at Po, slightly irritated, then realized he was being serious, and began to smile.

"What?" Po asked, near hysteria. "What is it?!"

"Snow, Po." Tigress said, Viper and Monkey smiling at each other. "You know, snow."

"Snow?" Po asked, looking at Tigress in confusion. Tigress stopped smiling, realizing for the first time that she herself had never seen snow while in the Jade Palace.

"You've never seen snow?" She asked.

"I don't even know what it is!" Po cried out, at a loss. "What is it?"

"Tigress…" Viper said, tapping Tigress' paw with her tail. Tigress looked down at her, then looked off the porch and saw the snow, falling slowly and almost magically. Tigress turned Po around so he could see.

"That, Po," Tigress told him, "Is snow."

"Yahoo!" Monkey yelled out, throwing his hands into the air and bounding out into the light sprinkle of fast-falling snow already on the ground.

"I'll get the others," Viper said to Tigress, slithering into the palace and calling for Crane and Mantis.

"Come on Po," Tigress said, gently pushing Po off of the porch. Po scrambled to a stop, eyes wide with fear.

"No," Po said fearfully.

"Come on," Tigress said, smiling invitingly at him. Po remained planted to the spot until he felt Tigress slip her warm paw into his, tugging his arm gently towards the snow. Reluctantly but curiously, Po followed Tigress out into the clearing, where Monkey was laying on the ground, flapping his arms and legs up and down.

"What is he doing?" Po asked, looking at Monkey like he was crazy.

"He's making a snow angel," Tigress explained. She looked at Po doubtfully.

"You've really never seen snow before?"

"No." Po said, looking around at the falling bits of snow. He reached out a paw and caught one, looking at its intricate design curiously.

"What is this?" Po asked Tigress, showing her the snow.

"It's a snowflake, Po." Tigress told him with a smile. Po gasped as he watched the snowflake melt into a raindrop on his palm. Tigress smiled at the panda.

"You like the snow, Tigress?" Po asked. Tigress nodded.

"I remember when I was little I would play in the snow all the time, making snow angels and snowmen…"

"Snowmen?" Po asked curiously.

"We'll show you!" Monkey said, jumping up when he saw Viper, Crane and Mantis come running out of the Jade Palace. They all ran excitedly to a thick patch of snow and began rolling two balls in the snow.

"You and Tigress can make one too!" Viper said, slithering over and pointing at a patch of snow with her tail. "Make two balls, one bigger than the other, and put the little one on top!"

Po, confused, allowed the uncharacteristically optimistic Tigress lead him to the snow packet and start rolling a ball on the ground.

"Try this," Tigress explained, and Po did so, slowly understanding what was to be done. Soon, Po and Tigress had built a very panda-like snowman, Tigress looking over it with a critical eye, paws on her hips. Po stared at her, looked at the snowpanda, then reached to the ground, scooped up a fistful of snow and pitched it at Tigress. It hit her on the side of the head, making her stumble in surprise. Po laughed, grinning at the tiger. Tigress glared at the panda playfully, packing a big snowball and chucking it at him. He ducked, laughing, but was hit right on the nose with Tigress' next ball, making him fall into the snowpanda and causing a mini avalanche to fall right on his head. Po could hear muffled laughter of the furious five from outside of the snow pile, and he felt Tigress' paw take his and help him up.

"I'm sorry Tigress!" Po exclaimed, looking in horror at the destroyed snowpanda. "I ruined it!"

"It's okay Po," Tigress said with a small smile. "It's just a snowman. We can build another one, if you want." Po's eyes lit up.

***

After fully constructing an entire snow village, complete with furious five, Mr. Ping and a rather lopsided Master Shifu, the furious five were summoned in by their less than impressed master for dinner.

After eating, Po nudged Tigress' shoulder, flicking his head at her. She leaned towards him so he could whisper into her ear.

"When you're done follow me to the blossom tree," Po whispered, then proceeded to gulp down the rest of his noodles and run outside.

"Where is he going?" Master Shifu asked, slightly irritated.

"He probably wants to play in the snow more," Tigress told Master Shifu. "It is his first snow, after all."

Tigress finished her noodles and excused herself, leaving the dining hall to go find Po.

"Po?" Tigress called, seeing the panda crouching behind the blossom tree on the hill.

"Hold on!" Po said frantically, hurriedly finishing what he was doing. He stood and turned, smiling at Tigress.

"What is it?" Tigress asked. Po stepped to the side, gesturing to what he had made.

Sitting in the snow was a little furious five, little Po and Tigress sitting side by side and holding paws. Po watched Tigress nervously, waiting for a response.

Tigress stared at the little snow people, then looked up at Po, looking at him strangely.

"Well?" Po asked, smiling nervously.

"I…" Tigress looked back at the little furious five and the little Po and Tigress, then turning towards Po and striding up to him, wrapping her arms around the panda's large furry neck. Po stood frozen, then slowly wrapped his arms around Tigress. They hugged for a short time before separating, and Tigress smiled at the panda.

"I love it, Po." Po grinned happily, pulling Tigress in for another tight squeeze. Tigress cleared her throat awkwardly, and the panda released her, smiling awkwardly and shuffling his feet.

"Sorry…" He said, looking down at the snow people. He felt Tigress' paw on his shoulder, and looked into her bright amber eyes, which were all the more beautiful with the snow all around them. She looked at him a short time, then leaned over and kissed the panda's cheek. Po gaped at her, eyes wide. Tigress gave him a small smile, took his hand and squeezed it before letting go and running down the hill and back into the dining hall for seconds. Po grinned at the little snow Tigress, then whispered "Awesome" Before sprinting down to the palace to join the others.