One Tail at a Time

The Great Race - 2

Shifu is the bestest in the world!  Whenever he has fun ideas, we can all guarantee, that it will be just that.  This race is picking up and as I sit on a hammock with Shanhu listening to the next clue, I can hear the sound of running feet sprinting past the garden we're in along with hushed whispering, which really has the competitive side in us both kicking in.

"Trailing the sunset is easier to prong when there's three." 

That is our next clue and it's looking super hard, so I say nothing as Shanhu begins to break it down as quickly as possible.

"This one needs to be solved in four parts..." he says before quickly trying to make sense of them.

"But what does it mean?" I ask completely stumped but doing my best to work it out while also trying my best to ignore the rushing of feet passing us by.

"The prong is a fork, that much is clear and I guess sunset could mean just that...." he replies quietly while we both ponder on the word trailing.

"Could it mean a trail .... or maybe a path?" I ask seeing as there are many on the mountain that leads to all manner of areas, buildings and even gardens like the one we're in.

"Or it could mean to follow....." he replies which makes sense seeing as trailing means to follow.

"Following a fork .... trailing a fork... " he whispers

"To a sunset ..... " I whisper.

"For three....?" we both whisper.

"Alright, let's just say that trailing is a trail or path, it's the only thing that actually makes sense when combined with sunset....  so a path towards a sunset..." Shanhu deducts quickly which has me then thinking of fork.

Im not the best when it comes to riddles or thinking outside the square, but no sooner does he say that, then something begins to click.

"A fork in the path that leads to a sunset?" I ask 

Only the moment are the words out of my mouth, then we both hit the same conclusion at the same time.  The clue only seems hard because its too riddlish, but like Shanhu said, when broken down, it is much easier to work out and suddenly the excitement hits as we both leap off the hammock and prepare to join the stampede that is happening just beyond the hedge.

"A three forked path that leads towards the West where the sun sets!" He laughs as my hand is snatched and we are once again running.  There are actually several forked paths on Kunlun Mountain and many of them are three pronged, but only one leads to the West side of the mountain where there is a bench for sunset viewing and like the rest, we are racing across the Mountain for the path that delves off in three directions.

Several times we pass other pairs huddled together and still figuring it out and they all look up with eyes filled with desperation.  Or that's what I reckon as I am dragged by my hand passed the dormitories and off towards the training grounds.  From there, we race ahead towards Shifus private gardens before delving off onto the one path that will lead us to the three pronged fork.  And it is then that we catch sight of Chang Shan and Ling Yu snaking their way through the miniature forest along with Cheng Bao and Zi Lan who have paired up.  Only the sight of Die Feng and Fu Yu returning at a fast sprint, has the determination to catch up and forcing my feet into a flying run so that I am the one now dragging Shanhu.

"It's just as well you can run fast tiger, or I would leave you behind." I laugh at him.

"Just don't tire out or cry if we lose." he replies which I fully scoff at.

"You're the cry baby Shanhu." I tease him laughing.  In fact, he isn't, I am, but seeing as he has been given the overall duty of keeping me in line, any tears I shed are his responsibility and therefore his problem too.