Sir Gilbert's Race

Sir Gilbert's Race

Sir Gilbert showed his proposal to Lisa.
"You're going to race when we have Puff on our paws?" Lisa asked him like he was a mad-tiger. Sir Gilbert nodded.
"It will build strength, and I want to ask the animals what it feels like to race,"Sir Gilbert told her. Lisa looked doubtful, but signed the contract by dipping her paw in the inkwell and placing it in the "Signature" box. The fresh pawprint on the paper gleamed, and Sir Gilbert could imagine the race trophy sitting right on Lisa's desk. He sighed, and took the paper in his mouth to take to the racemaster.
 "So there, you can participate in the Jamaa marathon now,"the ridiculously mustached wolf told him, tail swishing in the air as he turned in his swivel chair. The file cabinet shut quite loudly as Sir Gilbert's application was lost among the other files. The elm desk shook as the racemaster stood on it to make sure Sir Gilbert remembered his rules.
"NUMBER ONE, YOU CANNOT CHEAT." the racemaster yelled at the top of his lungs, even going so far as to stand on two legs. His tuxedo was so ridiculous with his potbelly that Sir Gilbert wasn't intimidated at all. (We will skip the boring lecture the racemaster gave and get to the exciting parts.)

 On the day of the race, the animals gathered for the lap around Jamaa. Nobody dared talk to Sir Gilbert, else they could get shushed for disrespect. Red flags were set up around the path so that the runners knew where was the path. Straying off the regular path was a forfeit.
"Onnnnn your mark....geeeeeeet set....Go!"the flagmaster shouted, waving the checkered black and white race flag. Sir Gilbert sped ahead, drawing on the energy reserves in his double-looped ring, and nobody dared challenge him. Only a brave, young tiger sped past him, wearing a jersey with the number 7 sewn in.
 They raced past the Jamaa Township river, past the Lost Temple Of Zios southern border, around Crystal Sands (Sir Gilbert waved to his son, Captain Melville), into the sea, around Coral Pathways, past the wolf chasm in Coral Canyons, around Sarperia Forest, past Mt. Shiveer, past the vast grasslands of Appondale and back to Jamaa Township, but the young tiger still kept ahead Sir Gilbert.
Once they arrived at the end, Sir Gilbert was second and only won the silver medal, while the young tiger won a large golden trophy and a marvelous gold medal.
"Mira, why couldn't I beat such a young lad!" Sir Gilbert cursed, and hit the racemaster. The racemaster was too busy stocking up on hot dogs to notice, though.
Sir Gilbert sat down with some pork ribs, and thought as he devoured the juicy meat. Then, he came up with an idea.
 Gilbert walked down the bleachers, and went up to the winner.
"What is your name, young one?"he asked the tiger. Stunned that the godly tiger Alpha would talk to a lowly Jammer, the young tiger coughed up his name.
"My name is Parlan," the tiger said. Sir Gilbert nodded.
"Parlan is a handsome name, Parlan. You are quite fast, and I think you should be my apprentice." Parlan looked stunned. Gilbert nodded.
"Yes, my apprentice. Come with me, and I can make you an alpha,"he said, and gave Parlan a small ring. Parlan's fur shimmered, and he shuddered. Sir Gilbert remembered the day he  gained immortality, and he couldn't understand the old voice of Zios whispering in his mind, but now he could harness the power well. He hoped Parlan would learn too, and not grow to be like Seth.
"Come, Parlan, you have much to learn. Avenging Mira can be risky business, but if you can be my partner, Jamaa may become a better place. Come with me, and glorious adventures await you," Sir Gilbert said. Parlan's eyes glowed with awe as he saw the other alphas chanting his name, even charming little Indiana.