Tiger Vanguard
Gathering strength with a mighty roar, Transforming stones, launching surprise once more. A loyal general with a heart so bold, A noble fighter, lost in the age of old.
The Tang Monk and his two disciples pressed on. Before half a day had passed, they came upon a towering peak, dire to behold. As they gazed upon it, there arose a tumult of wind, and from the mountainside leaped a tiger, dappled and fierce, its tail lashing in the wind. "I am no common beast!" it roared. "I am the Vanguard of the Yellow Wind King. By order of my liege, I patrol this range and seek out mortals to serve as side dishes for his brews."
The yaoguai closed in with a flurry of claws aimed at Bajie's face. Wukong whipped out his staff with a shout, "Take him!"
Bajie rallied his courage, and the yaoguai fell back in disarray. Panicked, it sloughed off its skin and draped it over a tiger-shaped rock. Loosed from its flesh, it transformed into a screaming gale and raced back to the mountain road. And there, it found the Tang Monk chanting his sutra. In a trice, the tiger seized the monk and bore him away on the wind. The tiger brought the monk to the mouth of a cave and, stilling the wind, spoke to the guard, "Tell this to our master; the Tiger Vanguard has captured a monk and awaits the king's decision at the gate."
The guard rushed in to report. Out came two tiger cubs who hailed the vanguard as their father and made their courtesies. The older cub asked, "Where did you find this pale-faced monk?" The vanguard laughed."A stroke of luck! I was patrolling the mountain and chanced upon him." The younger cub, overjoyed, said: "Well done, Father! Teach me how you did it someday."
Even as they spoke, the master of the cave sent word: "Bring him in." Along with his sons, the Tiger Vanguard presented the Tang Monk before his master. "My king," the vanguard began, "I was honored with your command to patrol the mountain. By chance, I came across a monk, none other than the Tang emperor's sworn brother Tang Monk, bound for a journey to the West to seek the scriptures. I seized him and now offer him to grace your table." The master, surprised, demanded the full tale. The vanguard knelt to one side and recounted the fight.
"Hold," said the cave master. "We do not eat him just yet." The vanguard protested: "My king! It is against our nature to refuse the food before us." But his master replied: "You do not understand. Eating him would be no great matter, but I fear the two disciples of his will come clamoring at our gate. It is safest to bind him to the windrest post in our rear garden. Wait three days, or five; if his disciples do not come to our gate, we will boil, steam, fry, or roast him at our leisure. There is no rush." The vanguard rejoiced. "Wise beyond measure, my king! Wise indeed."
The two young tigers followed their father out. The elder muttered, "Master has always devoured mortals without a second thought. There should be something he left unsaid." The younger added: "He seems almost... afraid of that mortal." Their father snapped: "You know nothing of the powers of our master! Long seasons have I served him. How could he shrink before any other?" The brothers exchanged glances but said no more.
Scarcely half a day had passed when the master sent for them again. It was Sun Wukong challenging upon their gate. The Tiger Vanguard requested to face him, but the master demurred, "1 fear you cannot prevail against him. You may well be wounded, and you must not then impute blame unto me." The vanguard's sons urged him to reconsider, but he paid them no heed. "Rest assured, you! Wait only until I return!"
