Panda Panic by Jamie Rix Page A

injected some fast turns and a full spin that they started to lose their balance. They crashed into each other and collapsed in a heap on the floor.

    As they did, the door to the Emperor’s palace crashed open and some of the men who had run away earlier to get reinforcements burst into the room. Ping and Little Bear looked up, their eyes wide with horror.
    â€œBandits!” shouted Ping. “Real bandits!”
    Little Bear shot Ping a reckless look. Then leaping from the floor like a bear possessed, he screamed the scream of a wild warrior charging into battle, and head-butted the first man in the stomach. The blow lifted him off his feet and knocked him backward into the men behind him, who went down like a line of dominoes.
    â€œCome on, Ping!” roared Little Bear, his voice pumped up with nervous energy. Eager to prove that he had what it took to be a bodyguard, Little Bear was up for a fight, but Ping grabbed hold of one of his arms and dragged him away.
    â€œQuick!” he urged. “Out the back.”
    â€œAren’t you going to fight them?” said Little Bear, surprised. “There’re only five of them. You’ve fought many more than that.”
    â€œLater!” shouted Ping. “First things first. RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!”
    And with ear-socks flapping, pants unraveling, and flowery dresses knocking over precious vases, they ran for the door. They ran as fast as their furry legs could carry them. They ran for their lives!

CHAPTER NINE
    C lothes fluttering and arms waving, Ping and Little Bear burst out through the back door and rushed into the backyard like a couple of ghosts. They stumbled on the uneven ground as they glanced over their shoulders to see if they were being followed. Not yet. But from inside the house they could hear the men shouting, “Take your boots out of my ear and go after them!”
    â€œThis is such fun!” squealed Little Bear, jumping up and down.
    â€œIt won’t be if they catch us,” said Ping. “That way!”
    They set off back toward the forest, scampering as fast as they could go on all fours. Ping’s heart was thumping. Little Bear was too young to know what damage a bandit could do, but Ping had been told time and time again that if ever he saw one he should not stop to think, he should just run.
    By the time the bandits had untangled their arms and legs and left the house through the back door, Ping and Little Bear were safely out of sight. They were hiding in the forest trying to catch their breath. Little Bear was still overexcited and giggling at the thrill of it all.

    â€œIf you hadn’t been there, Ping,” he gushed, “I would never have been so brave.”
    But Ping was not laughing. When he’d left home looking for adventure this was not what he’d had in mind. He’d promised his mother that he wouldn’t do anything dangerous and he’d meant it. Now his recklessness had nearly got both of them captured, and Ping could not see what was funny about that.
    â€œI may have been there,” he said, “but I wasn’t much use.”
    â€œYou’re my hero,” cooed Little Bear. “You gave me courage.”
    â€œI gave you nothing,” said Ping glumly, “except a lot of hot air!” The fun had been knocked out of him and Little Bear did not understand why.

    They took off their borrowed clothes and for the next few minutes sat in awkward silence. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Little Bear wondered what he’d done to offend Ping, and Ping wondered how he was ever going to let Little Bear down by telling him the truth. Eventually Ping said, “I’m hungry,” and stood up.
    Desperate to please Ping, Little Bear scuttled over to a large bolt hole that had been dug out of the soil by a badger, and stuck his paw inside.
    â€œThere are some delicious grubs in here,” he said, digging at the mouth of the hole, trying to