One line took a detour.
Follow That Line
Zee and Milo were waiting for their friends when Milo suggested a game.
“I’ll follow one of your stripes,” he said, “and you guess where it ends.”
Zee looked at the stripes on her front legs.
“I know where these end.”
“I won’t choose one you can see easily.”
Milo flew from the grass to a low branch. From there, he had a good view of Zee’s back.
“Ready?”
“What are the rules?” Zee asked.
“I choose a stripe, follow it, and tell you where it ends.”
“And I guess?”
“Yes.”
“Can you leave the stripe halfway through?”
“Why would I?”
“You might see another one you like better.”
“I’ll stay on the one I choose.”
Zee thought this was a sensible rule. She stood beside the tree while Milo studied her shoulder.
“I’ve chosen one,” he said.
“Where does it begin?”
“Just behind your mane.”
Zee bent her neck and looked back. She could see several stripes behind her mane.
“Which one?”
“The one beside the other one.”
“That doesn’t help.”
“The longer one.”
“They’re both long.”
Milo moved along the branch.
“Stay there. I’ll tell you when I reach the end.”
A Turn Somewhere
Milo followed a black stripe down Zee’s side. He leaned forward, then tilted his head as the line curved.
“I think it goes towards your back leg.”
“That one goes towards my front leg,” Zee said.
“Are you looking at the same one?”
“I can’t see it all from here.”
“Then how do you know?”
“I know my own stripes.”
Milo continued along the line.
“It’s gone past the middle.”
“That one definitely goes towards my front leg.”
Milo reached the far end of the branch.
“There,” he said. “It ends near your tail.”
Zee turned to look. Milo fluttered to the next branch to keep her in view.
“It can’t,” she said.
“I’ve just followed it.”
“Then let’s do it again.”
Milo returned to his first branch. Zee returned to her first position.
“The longer stripe behind the mane?” she asked.
“The one beside the other one.”
“I remember that part.”
Milo traced it with his eyes. When he reached the middle of her side, Zee turned her head.
“Stay still,” he said.
“I’m trying to see where you are.”
“You’ll move the stripe.”
“It’s attached to me.”
“Exactly.”
Zee faced forward again. Milo followed the line as far as he could, then flew down to a stone beside her.
“There,” he said.
“Where?”
“Just above the blue stripe.”
The Blue Detour
Zee looked back. A bright blue stripe curved across her side, close to the black one Milo had chosen.
“Did you follow the blue one?” she asked.
“No. I followed the black one.”
Milo looked again. From the branch, the two stripes had seemed to meet where Zee’s side curved away from him. From the stone, he could see a narrow pale space between them.
“Oh,” he said.
“What?”
“I may have changed stripes.”
“Was it the one you liked better?”
“I didn’t know I’d changed.”
Zee took a careful step so he could see the lines from another angle.
“The black one goes down,” she said. “The blue one goes towards my tail.”
Milo followed both with his eyes.
“You were right.”
“I thought so.”
“But the blue one was a very good route.”
“It wasn’t the route you chose.”
“No. It was the one I found.”
Zee turned her head as far as she could. “Where does it end?”
“Near your tail.”
“I know that now.”
Milo flew back to the low branch.
“Shall we try another?”
“Are you going to stay on the stripe this time?”
“I’ll do my best.”
Zee considered the blue line.
“Perhaps you could have one turn,” she said.
“One turn of what?”
“From one stripe to another.”
“On purpose?”
“As long as you tell me before you reach the end.”
Milo liked that rule. He chose another black stripe and followed it to the blue.
“I’m turning,” he announced.
“Where?”
“At the blue.”
“Then you’ll end near my tail.”
Milo stopped.
“You’re not supposed to guess until I’ve finished.”
A New Rule
Their friends arrived while Milo was choosing a third stripe.
“What are you playing?” one of them asked.
“Follow That Line,” Zee said.
“You choose a stripe,” Milo explained, “and you may make one turn.”
“Only if you announce it,” Zee added.
Their friend looked at the stripes.
“How do I know where one begins?”
“That’s part of the game,” said Milo.
He invited the others to stand beside the tree. From the branch, he chose a stripe and began again.
“I’m following the one behind Zee’s mane.”
“The longer one?” Zee asked.
“Yes.”
“Beside the other one?”
“That’s the one.”
Their friends leaned in to look.
“I’m turning,” Milo said.
“At the blue?” Zee asked.
“Yes.”
“Then I know where you’re going.”
Milo continued along the bright line.
“I’m going towards your tail.”
“I know.”
“And I’m stopping at the end of the blue stripe.”
“That isn’t the end,” Zee said.
Milo looked again. From his branch, the blue disappeared around the curve of her side.
“Where does it go?”
Zee turned her head.
“I can’t see it from here either.”
Their friends moved to the other side. Zee tried to follow them with her eyes, and her body turned with her.
“Stay still,” Milo called.
“I’m attached to it,” Zee reminded him.
At last, one of their friends pointed out where the blue stripe ended. Milo thanked them and returned to his branch.
“Who would like the next turn?” he asked.
Zee lifted a hoof.
“I would.”
“You can’t follow your own stripes from up here.”
“Then you’ll have to describe them.”
Milo looked at the long lines across her back.
“There’s one beside the other one,” he began.
Zee settled herself.
“This may take a while,” she said.
Livora Gracely ♥
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