Caterpillar strolled with a steady pace, one foot in front of the other, gliding leisurely through the Emerald Forest. The smile on his face revealed that he was totally content. His eyes darted back and forth from tree to tree, bush to shrub, up to the sky and down to the ground as he walked down the heavily worn trail.
Under his arm he carried a scroll, the letter from his master: Master Breaks Wind. Caterpillar is to deliver this message to the Temple of the Earth, on the Day of the Earth, upon Zen Mountain.
Cat, (Caterpillar) was in awe of the beautiful flowers, the various shades of green and the way the sun's rays filtered through the forest's canopy, projecting beams of light to the forest floor. The sound of trickling water encouraged him to lick his lips only to realize they were parched and could use a little moistening.
He approached the stream, bent down, (using; water palm technique) and scooped up a palm filled with water. To his right he caught a glimpse of something moving. He turned his head that way but saw nothing. He heard something behind him, so he turned around only to find nothing but the forest to be visible. Turning back, he knelt beside the creek in order to fill his water container. Pulling the container from his travel bag, he removed the cork and began filling it.
Undoubtedly, he saw something move to his left so he darted his eyes quickly to catch a glimpse before it vanished. There was a women, totally naked, standing at the stream's edge. She was looking at Caterpillar, smiling at him while she leaned down to scoop up a sip of water. Cat's eyes were locked on her very alluring body, long flowing black hair and what he noticed most was; she was not wearing a stitch of jewelry.
He continued to gaze upon her beauty for he had never before seen a naked woman. With his container full, Cat stood up and placed the cork in its opening without ever looking at it. She stood up and tilted her head slightly and smiled as if she approved of his fixed stare. Cat could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest as she walked slowly and sensually towards him. He was as still as the trees as she approached him closer and closer.
"Who are you?" Caterpillar asked when she came to stand directly in front of him. He placed his water container in his travel bag and slipped it behind him. Cat then fixed the strap across his shoulder, straightened his white cuffs at the end of his black robed sleeves, and ran his hands through his shoulder length black hair in order to be more presentable.
"Who are YOU?" She bellowed in return, sharp, clear and assertive.
"I am Caterpillar, a lowly monk from the Temple of Wind."
"I am called: the Naked Ninja," she said. He couldn't help but look upon her perky breasts, then down to her shapely frame and back up to her eyes that smiled as his gaze fell upon hers. He was fairly certain he knew why she had received such a name.
"Hey!" A voice came from behind. Cat looked over his shoulder to see a rather robust man running up to him. He turned to the naked lady only to find she had disappeared. Cat turned back towards the man just as he was slowing his pace, breathing hard. The man was now standing next to him.
"Hi," Caterpillar greeted the big man, looking up to him as if he were a tall pine tree.
"Hey, which way are you headed?" The large man asked.
"To Zen Mountain," Cat answered, looking directly at the man's huge mid-section that growled a loud, hungry sound.
"Is that near the Emerald City?" The man asked.
"Farther than the Emerald City," Cat answered.
"So you are going to the Emerald City, then to this Temple? I am going to the Emerald City. There is a World Championship Martial Arts Tournament there. I am going to win. Only I seem to have gotten lost," the big man confessed with a hint of shame in his voice that came out as a shy mumble.
"I will assure that you get to the Emerald City but my journey is beyond that point," Cat said. He set the travel bag on his back, adjusted the strap across his shoulder and began walking back to the trail.
"Great... I am the Great Donki Dong," the large man said as a huge grin grew across his face. He had very short hair and big round smiling cheeks, and although he walked with a slight hobble, as if he had one bad leg or perhaps an irritating foot callous, Cat had to take two steps for every one step this giant man took.
"I am Caterpillar," Cat said as they began their journey together. Cat continued to peer around here and there as if he were looking for something. This only encouraged Donki Dong to do the same, even if he did not know what it was they were looking for. Cat was hoping to catch a glimpse of the Naked Ninja. Donki Dong was in hopes of finding something to eat.
They traveled for the remainder of the day, exchanging life stories, and while Donki debated the current ratings of the top Kung Fu fighters in the region, Caterpillar seem to live in the moment, always pointing to colorful flowers that they would pass. Donki Dong was about as bright as a firefly in daylight and Caterpillar found comfort in his humorously twisted, yet humble views of life.
They found a small lake and decided to make camp. Donki Dong gathered fire wood while Caterpillar prepared his travel pack and rationed out some rice. It didn't take them long to build a fire, cook the rice, and eat. Donki looked around like a dog that was just given a tidbit and was waiting for more. Cat put his small pot away and made a comfortable spot to lay near the fire. Donki got up and walked around, tasting tree bark, grass and leaves, in hopes of finding something to tame the creature that growled in his stomach. He settled for mouthfuls of water.