"Why?" One Hundred and Sixty-Two raised his voice. "Why can't we accept poor Stone?"

"Because Stone was —"

"...born from a stone?" I cut in before he could finish. "What a cliché!"

"No. Not for that." His voice was firm. "Everything we did to you was to protect ourselves—all the monkeys, even your uncle."

"What?!" The cry burst out of One Hundred and Sixty-Two, One Hundred and Fifty-Seven, and me all at once.

Before we could hear another word, a flurry of birds suddenly exploded into the air, their frantic wings thrashing the leaves in shock and horror.

Down the slope, just below the rock we were sitting on, the undergrowth shook and crackled.

A tiger's roar ripped through the mountains, rattling the trees, shaking the bushes, and making the very rocks around us seem to shiver.

"Ah!" we all shrieked, scrambling to our feet.

"Let's climb a tree!" One Hundred and Fifty-Five and I shouted together, while the other two froze like statues.

"What should we do?" One Hundred and Fifty-Five cried.

My eyes darted around, searching for a way out. The trail was a mess—jagged rocks jutted out to my left, tangled with creeping ivy. To the right, a slope thick with mulberries and pine trees was choked by bushes and tall grass.

"Over there!" I gasped, jabbing my finger at a black rock half-smothered in ivy. "A cave! Let's hide there!"

I must have lost my head to think that cave was safe. But we had no time to think—we just lunged for the entrance. I grabbed One Hundred and Sixty-Two, and One Hundred and Fifty-Five pulled another one. We finally tumbled into the cave just as the tiger sprang at us.

It wasn't a small cave—big enough to hold dozens of us—but it was wide and bare, with nothing to stop the tiger. 

Fortunately, its entrance was just the right size for us little monkeys. We all pressed ourselves against the cold stone wall, too terrified to think, staring wide-eyed as the giant beast drew closer and closer, hoping it couldn't squeeze through the entrance.

The tiger roared again and again at the entrance, nearly shaking the very walls of the cave. We all shut our eyes, huddling close together and shivering. One Hundred and Sixty-Two even buried his head on my shoulder—so did One Hundred and Fifty-Five.

After a moment, with no sign of the tiger charging in, we cautiously opened our eyes to see what was happening—only to find the tiger stuck. The mouth of the cave was too narrow for its bulky body. Its head and front paws had squeezed through, but the rest of it just couldn't fit.It was trapped—unable to move forward or back!

The tiger thrashed and struggled, but the more it fought, the worse it got.It bellowed and bellowed. We trembled and trembled, covering our ears against the furious noise. 

 The cave was dimly lit, with only a little light filtering through narrow cracks at the top, where ivy spilled down and nearly covered the craggy rocks. 

 In that dusky glow, the tiger's golden coat looked even more breathtaking.I was completely entranced by the creature, unaware that I had risen to my feet and had begun to walk toward it—until One Hundred and Fifty-Five grabbed me back just in time. 

 For generations, tigers had been the greatest threat to monkeys and all the other animals on the island. The monkeys formed guard groups, clung to safe zones, and even performed mysterious rituals—all to avoid crossing paths with a tiger.Even so, every year, a few still ended up in a tiger's jaws. 

 The fear of tigers had  followed us like our own shadows, even in our sweetest dreams.But now, somehow, it was the tiger's turn to suffer.

 After a long stretch of struggling and roaring, the poor thing could only breathe weakly and painfully. Apparently, it was exhausted, just as our fear began to fade. 

 At last, it snarled and snarled; we guffawed and guffawed.Finally, the tiger fainted. 

 One Hundred and Fifty-Seven was thrilled—he started jumping around, tossing ivy leaves at the miserable creature. The other two quickly joined in.

I just sat there, leaning against the cold, rocky wall, staring at the motionless, yet still terrifying beast. 

It was the first time I had ever gotten such a close look at a powerful creature like this.

Usually, at the mere sight of a tiger, all the animals would either flee or faint—we never had the time, nor a life to spare, to observe, let alone appreciate, its beauty.

That was why, until today, I had never known just how enchanting those magnificent stripes were, or how its golden fur blazed like a cluster of bright, burning fire.

But now, all I could do was thank Heaven. What magic had He cast, that this ordinary cave should have the hand to seize such fire?

I was completely enthralled, forgetting everything else around me.

"Stone, thanks for saving us!" said One Hundred and Fifty-Five.

I had to think for a moment before I realized he was talking to me. Then I said, "If you really mean it, then tell me everything you know about me."

One Hundred and Fifty-Five glanced at the other two. They said nothing. He hesitated, then spoke.

"Well... that's a secret. I'm afraid you'll only feel worse if you find out."

All three of them looked at me, their eyes heavy with something I couldn't quite name.

"Anyway, that's my—my fate."

Suddenly, my uncle's voice echoed in my mind, and everything he had said swirled around me—warm and soft, like a nest cradling my tiny, fragile heart.

I, a stone monkey without parents, without anyone to care for me, was more pitiful than a little fish lost in the endless dark sea.

What should I do?

Where should I go?

I had no idea.

Perhaps I had better ask my fate. Since there was no way to run from the unknown ahead, then at least... I could choose to be a brave monkey.

"Please, tell me," I said, soft but steady.

"I don't know the details. Last year, I just overheard the Grand Masters talking—briefly."

"What did they say?" One Hundred and Sixty-Two asked.

"They said... you are... you're ominous. That one day, you'd bring calamity to all the monkeys."

I gasped—so did the others.

"Ominous? A calamity?"

I simply repeated the words. My head was spinning. My stomach turned. I thought I might be sick. I didn't realize how much time had passed before I could speak again:

"How? Why?"

"I don't know. You might have to ask them."

"Ask the Masters? Are you kidding me?" A cold, sharp wave of desperation hit me. "They've never even looked at me—why would they ever tell me a secret? Just forget it."

"Don't give up." One Hundred and Sixty-Two rested a hand on my shoulder. "When we leave this cave, I'll help you."

"Thanks..." I couldn't bring myself to say anything more. Unless I was ready to shed tears in front of them, I wouldn't be able to speak another word.

"I promise, I will. I'll do everything to help you, Stone," One Hundred and Sixty-Two said.

"So will I," the other two chimed in.

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I never expected something I'd longed for all these years to come true at a moment like this—witnessed even by a tiger!

"But... honestly, I don't think this will do you any good. So please... don't get caught up in my mess."

My spine chilled, and for some reason, I felt like my birth was far more complicated than I had ever imagined.

Maybe I wasn't from Guo-Hua Mountain, the land where all monkeys are born from stone. Maybe... I came from somewhere beyond my understanding.

"Well, let's focus on the real question—how are we supposed to get out of this cave?" One Hundred and Fifty-Five's voice snapped me back to grim reality.

We all turned to the only passageway—and there it was: the massive predator blocking our way.

Soon, we realized the truth—it wasn't just the tiger that was trapped. We were too.

The worst part? We'd either starve to death, or end up as the tiger's next meal. And as it grew thinner from hunger, it might just manage to squeeze through that narrow entrance—maybe in a day or two.

We had to get out. Fast.

But how? I found we had only one choice if we wanted to escape alive.

"Kill the tiger," I said.

They all gasped. One Hundred and Fifty-Seven even staggered back, whispering, "No... we can't. That's monstrous."

Apparently, the idea was too wild—even for the strongest monkeys, let alone the four of us.

For generations, monkeys—and every other creature on this mountain—had lived in fear of tigers. We believed only immortals with magic powers could slay one. No mortal ever stood a chance. All we ever did was run and hide.

No one ever dreamed of fighting back, let alone killing one.

We didn't even feel angry at the tiger. Somehow, its terror felt like a fact of life—something we simply had to accept. Maybe even the price of survival.

But now, I had to make them change their minds.

"We don't have a choice. It's blocking our only way out—and it's weak now, maybe even unconscious. This might be our only chance. Come on!"

I scanned their faces. No one even dared to meet my eyes.

I pushed harder. "Come on—we don't have time to waste. Victors or victims?"

"But how? How do we even do it?" One Hundred and Fifty-Seven whispered, as though afraid the beast might hear.

We looked around, hoping to find something—maybe a sharp stone, a strong stick, anything that could be used as a weapon. But there was nothing but ivy. Nothing at all.

"How are we supposed to kill a tiger with leaves?" One Hundred and Sixty-Two said and sighed.

"With more than just leaves." I grabbed a thick vine and crept toward the tiger.

Eyes  closed. Eyelashes flickered. Golden fur trembled with each heavy breath. Once again, I found myself spellbound by the tiger's beauty. And yet, for our lives, I had to destroy it.

We were born enemies—and that was the most heartbreaking thing I could imagine.

Why does survival have to be so harsh, so cruel?

Why must we hunt or kill each other?

Why can't we—creatures of the same earth—just live in peace?

Was this fate, too?

Suddenly, the tiger stirred—and they all shouted behind me.

"Stone! What are you doing?"

I jumped back instantly. My heart nearly burst from my chest. But I was sure—it couldn't move. As long as I kept a safe distance, it couldn't hurt me.

I took a deep breath, tightened my grip on the vine, and stepped forward again. Then I began to provoke it.

The tiger kept roaring, but that was all it could do.

"Oh, come on, this isn't fun at all," grumbled One Hundred and Sixty-Two.

"He's wearing it down," said One Hundred and Fifty-Five.

Again and again, the tiger's growls faded—lower and lower, weaker and weaker. At last, all it could do was whimper. Just as I'd hoped.

"Let's kill it," I whispered.

"Maybe we could use a rope or something?" Monkey One Hundred and Fifty-Five suggested, eyeing the vines above.

We all stared up at the tangled vines overhead. Soon, we had braided a long, sturdy rope from them.

Now, with the rope in our hands, the four of us—just a handful of monkeys—stood facing the most terrifying challenge of our lives—maybe even the most terrifying in our troop's history:

To strangle the fiercest creature in the whole mountain—a tiger.

The first, and most daunting, task was wrapping the rope around the tiger's neck. Someone had to hold its head down, risking bites, bleeding, or even losing a hand.

That was the most horrifying part.

"We have to get this done. We can't die here!" said One Hundred and Fifty-Five. Then he strode toward the tiger.

Before he could even touch it, the tiger growled—a deep, shuddering roar—and our friend crumpled to the ground as if struck. We rushed to pull him back.

All of us stared at the colossal beast, silent and trembling.

No. There was no time to lose.

Before the others could blink, I leapt onto the tiger's forehead, straddling its head and pinning its jaw into the dirt with all my strength.

"Now!" I yelled.

I pressed down on its massive, hard, and furry head.

"We're coming, Stone!"

One Hundred and Sixty-Two and One Hundred and Fifty-Nine rushed over, slipped the rope under the tiger's neck, and pulled it across its back.

"Stone, it's time. Let's finish this."

My mind was nearly blank, every bit of strength focused on holding down the king of the forest. I couldn't even let go—until they shouted my name again and again.

Finally, I leapt off the tiger's head and grabbed one end of the rope with One Hundred and Sixty-Two.

The end of the great beast was near.