Geekomon

Chapter 2

Long ago, to celebrate the rebirth of the world, a powerful Master of Transformaions held a banquet.
" The first twelve animals of the new land to come across the river will be invited. The banquet will be at first light."
All the animals were elated. To eat at the Master's table was to recieve limitless bounty. The animals camped across the river bank and made their beds.
But the Monkey saw the hunger that lurked in many of his brethren's eyes. He feared a betrayal most foul. He summoned a few of his closest and most powerfulest friends and stood guard against those who would ambush in the night.
And the Monkey's caution had been warranted. Late at night, a battle raged between all beasts. The Wolf had allied himself with many Kafkas. They had decided to wipe out the competetion. Soon, the Twelve that had guarded the night faced off against the Twelve that the Wolf had gathered. The other animals had run off for their magical ability was not as strong as the others.
Dawn approached, and the Monkey knew that should even one of his Twelve taste the fruit from the Master's table, he would able to garner enough power to overpower the Wolf's Kafkas.
And so the Monkey hatched a desperate plan. As dawn came, the fighting became more fierce. The Monkey called the Wolf to fight a duel to end matters once and for all. And so they fought and the Monkey's Staff was knocked asunder. Without the staff, the Monkey was no match for the Wolf and acceded defeat. Such elation did the wolf feel that he did not realize that the Monkey had placed a small creature onto his back. The wolf proudly swam the channel with his Kafkas, their intent to reap the fruits of war. But no sooner did he reach the table of the Master did the Rat jump from the Wolf's fur to snatch the first bite of immortality.
The crumb the Rat devoured not only was delicious but amplified the Rat a hundredfold. The Wolf growled and attempted to strike him. But the Rat repelled the Wolf as easily as one would squat a fly. The Rat opened his mouth and burned a trail of fire in the air. The Wolf and his kafkas ran, tail behind their legs, and escaped into the river. Meanwhile, the Rat stood guard as the Monkey and the rest of the Twelve crossed leisurely over the river, to reap the spoils of their victory.
The Wolf realized that the duel had been nothing more than the Monkey's ruse. The Wolf vowed revenge, and from then on, the Wolf has ever warred the Monkey.

- Song's Midnight Legends and Fairy Tales Vol I xxii