One Tail at a Time

Strategies - 2

Petals, twigs and bits of fur are in full flight across the grove as I race Shanhu for the first flag that Shifu has buried deep in the thicket of trees. My tails are out even though I am in human form, and Shanhu is throwing spark spells at my feet while I'm throwing them at his head and all the while the laughter is roaring as we also push and shove each other out of the way to get there first.

Its a new game that Shanhu has brought with him to test my agility, speed and ability to think outside the square. The rules are simple enough. All I have to do, is reach the first flag first, then pull it out of the ground before carrying it towards the second flag, which we both have to find and seeing as there are three flags, then there can be no draw, one of us has to win. And no sooner does the first flag come into view, then my fox form erupts.

I can run much faster in this form, and there is nothing in the rules that says I can't be in fox form, and rather than my high pitched squealing tripping over his much deeper laughter, my ear piercing fox whistle takes over which forces him back because his human form cannot tolerate it. That flushed cheeked dummy knows he shouldn't mess with me because not only does he lose his footing but I am now streaking ahead. Erupting back into my human form, the laughter is reaching a new high. I hate losing in anything, so winning always makes me laugh, which I know is annoying, but I can't help it, just the look on his face as I reach the first flag has my smile reaching ear splitting level.

Shifu said that when my laughter reaches this high pitch, I don't need my fox whistle, because its enough to blow out the Demon Lords ear Drums who is thousands of miles away. Pulling the flag out of the ground, my laughter is making me breathless and struggling to sniff out the second flag, which Shifu has added lemon juice to, which is our only clue.

Unfortunately for me, all my laughter and trickster cheating, has weakened me a little, and Shanhu has noticed.

"You might have the speed of a fox Xiaobai, but this tiger has wings..." Shanhu laughed at me as he delved off the path towards a clump of trees in a whirl wind of peach blossoms that literally knock me off my feet.

"Shanhu you cheater!" I scream as I find my feet and take off after him, only to double back because I left the first flag behind which is costing me precious time, and so of course Im all mad at him and me for being a ghost brain.

In fact, I've been having Ghost brain a lot lately, like I lose track of what Im doing, get easily distracted and tire out too quickly, which annoys my seniors who are doing their best to get me to a higher level of learning so that Im ready for Kunlun Mountain when the time comes to leave. Though Shifu said, that I am displaying signs of a nearing trial. He said that as my trials near, certain aspects of my character and traits will change a little, which is the only clue I get of an upcoming trial, so Im kind of excited, because that means a new tail.

Only I dont get to dwell on it because Shanhu is ripping the second flag out of the ground with a loud bellow of belly laughter at my tardiness.

"Come on Xiaobai wake up, its no fun if Im competing against myself." he says before tilting his head a little to sniff out the third flag.

Instantly I force my ghost brain to pay attention.  There is only one flag left, and knowing Shifu, it won't be an easy find because these kinds of lessons always come with obstacles.  Always!  So I am alert and my ears are fully trained on everything going on around me.  And the one thing that I notice which I hadn't before because I was too caught up with the first flag, is the silence.  Its deafening which means that the Sprites have either left the Grove which isn't possible, or they are hiding.

So that means Shifu is not only using the Sprites to assist in this lesson, but the third flag is more than likely being hidden by them.  What a sneaky Shifu.  It's just like him to use underhanded tactics, but he is messing with the wrong Disciple.  I know these Sprites like my own family, they will answer to me if I call them, only I don't immediately, because I don't want Shanhu to catch on.