Mole Sneaker

Cloud-like dirtpiles have appeared everywhere over night and sparked Nala’s curiosity. She catches a scent and as she starts to follow it something moves a bit further away. Constantly her attention shifts to another of these piles! Will she find more than dirt upon closer inspection?

Normal 9x9 Sudoku rules apply: Place the digits 1-9 in every row, column and box exactly once each.

Dynamic fog: The grid is partially covered in fog. Placing correct digits might clear some fog from its surrounding cells, possibly revealing more clues. Additionally Nala will sometimes be attracted to sudden noises that draw her attention. Extra fog might reveal unexpectedly when she does.

Guide Nala around the molehills by drawing an orthogonally connected path that starts in R6C2. The end point is somewhere in the bottom half of the grid and the exact location has to be determined by the solver. The path is not allowed to touch itself orthogonally.

Nala has to be extra quiet because she expects whatever she sensed to hide if she approaches too quickly or makes too much noise! Therefore the path is a German whisper line: digits along the path differ by at least 5.

Molehills (cloud-like piles of dirt according to Nala) act as sweeper cells and the digit on a molehill counts how many of its surrounding 8 cells are on the path. The molehill itself cannot be on the path.

All drawings aside from molehills are simply cosmetic.

Good luck on your hunt!