The Musafir

Tiger Offensive

“Tiger!”

TAPA Balian hissed when he saw a striped-skinned animal that was settling among the thickets. How then did the old man's face become cold sweaty.

“Quickly down!”

The mantel immediately lowered his body. He is calm, but still shows high alertness. Slowly, he crawled closer to Tapa Balian.

“What should we do, Father?”

“It stays quiet, Son!” he replied later, although it was obvious that there was a sharpening on his face. “I'm not very good at fighting, but I'm carrying a tiger mustache. So just calm down, I'll make sure you won't die before you're finished!”

“Tiger mustache?” The mantan frowned because it did not understand what the tiger whiskers carried by Tapa Balian meant.

“Ya!” Tapa Balian took out a package from inside his loincloth, which was somehow there. “The tiger will think that we are also tigers with this mustache.”

The mantel nodded. Even as a swordsman, he did not understand the strategy of driving away tigers like Tapa Balian did. Indeed Kiai Guru Kedai never taught him how to drive away the tiger, because indeed a swordsman would only need to fight evading if attacked by the animal, without the need to hold unnecessary resistance.

Only this time did Mantingan understand his teacher's words:

“What I teach you is just a piece of what you should learn in life. Our time is not much, I can not continue to teach you like a parent teaching a child, but you can learn more than this after coming out of the cave welcoming world civilization.”

The thin smiling mantel remembered that. The Kiai Guru Kedai did not pass down all the knowledge he had on him, for indeed it will be endless. However, Kiai Guru Kedai has provided him with the ability to absorb knowledge, so that Mantingan can still learn even without being with him.

“If you have a fear of lack of knowledge, then keep that fear to a sufficient degree. Not too little; not too much. If too little you can be a fool; if too much you can be a greedy person.”

The tiger came out of the bush. Stepping slowly with all four feet on the path. The look in his eyes was so sharp, as if his sharpness exceeded his fingernails and tariny. The big cat was growling a little.

“If it doesn't work, Father, what should we do?” The mantan whispered softly, so slowly as if very afraid if the tiger to know the content of their conversation.

“You were silently curled up first. I'll run until he chases me, that's when you have to attack him!”

“Let me just run, Mr.” The mantan whispered back in fret.

He is a swordsman, while Tapa Balian is not at all. From the way of fighting alone, Mantingan can see that Tapa Balian is not an expert in handling fights. Surely to deal with a tiger attack, Mantingan could do so as easily as turning over the palm, without even needing to sacrifice his current disguise.

“Let me only!” Tapa Balian strongly denied, even now he has risen to his feet! “You are a newcomer, I will never give your body to this tiger!”

The tiger in front of them finally lunged, just a moment after Tapa Balian finished speaking!

The mantan can see the tiger's movement as slow as a cotton strand that falls to the earth when the wind comes crashing. Everything seemed to be very slow in his eyes.

It had been said just now, it was as easy as turning the palm for him to avoid the tiger without dismantling the disguise. But if the tiger attacks, and what is attacked is not him, then this matter will no longer be as easy as turning the palm if it does not sacrifice its disguise!

Furthermore, Mantingan knows that even the position of Tapa Balian is being unfavorable. If the old man did not nimbly dodge, then his body would be pounced away by the tiger that was darting through the air.

The young man clasped his feet. Darted forward, crashing back at the tiger. He did not use a sword, for he had no intention of killing the tiger, which was innocent of him. So instead, Mantingan let his body hit the tiger's body, throwing the striped-skinned creature far back.

That's how after flashed in the air, Mantingan again set foot on the ground, while the tiger actually fell thumping.

The frying creature rose again, but this time with terrified eyes. Right after, the tiger ran away. Such was the nature of the beast, always retreating when the opponent he faced was much stronger.

Mantingan took a deep breath before turning to face Tapa Balian. He thought the old man would show surprise on his face, but he smiled broadly.

“I don't like people who lie, Son.”

“But I did not lie to you, Mr.” The smiling mantle is wrong.

“Yes, who is accusing you of lying?” Tapa Balian laughed loudly. “Thank God the tiger I invited you did not kill. Good, I did not mistake you for being a white-hearted swordsman despite being enveloped in black air.”

The mantel raised his eyebrows. Was it true that the tiger came because it was invited by Tapa Balian, and instead of accidentally meeting in the middle of the road? But how is it?

“Let's just flicker to Balian Valley, instead of wasting time walking slowly like this. I will tell you a lot later, Mantingan, as well as asking some questions that I did not force but I hope the answer.” Tapa Balian prepares the horses. “Come with me!”

When Tapa Balian flashed, the Mantingan's shock reached its peak, but the young man had to flicker as quickly as possible to catch up with Tapa Balian who turned out to be a swordsman.

***

MORE than just being entertained with delicious food in the form of boiled venison sprinkled with salt, Mantingan given new clothes and a room that can be left alone one or two nights before continuing the journey.

Now Mantingan is talking with Tapa Balian in his porch. His grandson Tapa Balian, who Mantingan later knew was named Pomegranate, had just delivered coconut palm wine and grilled shrimp.

“So seriously you don't want to drink this wine?” Tapa Balian offered for the umpteenth time, for indeed he had offered the wine several times to Mantingan. “Padahan tastes very good, and will not be intoxicating if only drunk one-two cups only.”

The mantle smiled and shook his head. However, Kiai Guru Kedai had forbidden him to drink wine and encouraged him to drink tea. Moreover, Mantingan saw the face of Tapa Balian flushed red after drinking a cup of palm wine. What about her who was not used to drinking wine at all? It might just take a quarter cup to topple it.

“Pardon me, Father, but this is indeed a decree from my teacher.”

“Ah, this attitude of yours reminds me of Kiai Kedai!” Tapa Balian laughed loosely after accidentally having managed to shock Mantingan.

___

note:

Like and comment do not love saggy yak!!!!