Chapter 1

Kalanje pov

1200 years ago.

The village of Mubaila seats quietly, surrounded by forests and a stream whose flowing waters is interrupted by the sound of children running around naked and playing.

And I live here, watching the people work from my own workstation, as I make bows with our village craftsman whose attention was fixed on a broken string, when we heard the noise rising steadily from the trees that surround us.

First thing I hear is the swish sound of a flying arrow. Fly past my face and my legs act on their own, they pull me away to safety into my mother's hut.

I enter and find her on the ground, mama! Mama!!

I call but she does not answer, she lays there still and at peace with an arrow standing on her chest, I run outside to look for my brother and sister but they are no where to be found.

Just then someone pulls me from behind and cover my mouth, he points to a direction and say to my ears, run to borrankama, my father's voice ring in my head.

I tried to look at his face, but he shouts "run!

And I ran, I ran and I do not look back, but before me I can see the pile of kids. and their parents on the floor, the smoke from the burning huts covering my sides as I make my way west from our village into the woods as my father had instructed.

Tears flowing from my eyes as I struggle to keep my pace.

My father, the head of the village, had stayed to die.

I wonder what had happened to my brother and sister?

Did they end up like the rest?

"Will I be alone?"

I run to Borrankama, there will be others, someone would have made it to her cave, someone will be there, maybe some people.

I hear legs running towards me, and I try to speed up.

I try to run away from them but they are just as fast and strong as the wind pulling me back.

Running to the edge of the rock that our home stands on, I see a rift before me. I stop and turn to see if they were close. I search for my pursuers and see no one. i run backwards and then turn forward, increasing my speed. I make my mind scale the rift, I leap into the air with my arms aiming for a hold as my body swings to the other end.

But I fall and roll like an amateur, it is my first time making my way across this large rift.

And as I roll, I hear the sounds of arrows raining down in pursuit, as one grabs my thigh.

I don't turn back, I limp continuously, not able to recognize my way as my vision blurs, and the white and red tattoos of the Gbali people come in view.

I am seated on the floor watching my blood trickle and my body grow weaker and weaker, as the colors on their bodies fade gradually.

"Am I dying?"

"Is this the end of me?"

I try to move my hand a bit forward, but my eyes close finally.

When I open my eyes, I find myself in her cave, the seer of our village had come to save me.

I don't see her, but I call out to her in low groans "borrankama?" just as i have head the elders call her

"Borrankama?

"I am here," the voice of a young lady replied.

"Your body is burning up, here take this and don't move," she instructs.

I hold my head up a little and drink from the koko(calabash).

After I drank a bit of it, I lie back, and then my eyes slowly adjust to the darkness.

I turn to the direction of the light beside me, and I see her eyes green and shining.

Like the Keku(cats) in the night.

"Your eyes" I say.

"Yes, I know," she replied.

"You are young?"

"Yes I know," she replied. and then she runs her palm on my face and I drift into slumber.

I woke up, this and the cave was empty. I could see the sun shining through the opening, which was from the north, not south.

I look around and my sense of direction is off.

I raise my upper body and roll from the giant flat rock covered on skins which I slept on.

When my left leg touched the ground, a sharp pain spread through my body.

The pain jolted me back instantly to the reality of the state I am in.

I carefully stand this time and make my way out of the cave, slowly.

You should not be outside, I hear Borankama speak.

I turn and see her, by the side tending to some plants. I did not turn to look at me, but continued her work, then said "your wound is almost healed, the poison is gone."

I swallowed hard, as my mind drifted to what had happened between me and the people who had attacked my village, and how I had to flee like a deer in hunting season.

"They are all dead," I say to her.

I know, but are they really dead if you are alive?

Only I alone cannot make the people, and even if I do they are already gone, these would be new.

Yes, but you can always find a home in a new people.

Go back in and rest you will need all of your strength if you want to make a new home.

I stand there and watch her, as she works.

She has not turned her back since, I haven't seen her face once.

I walk to the side, ignoring her warning to rest, and I try to see her face.

But her hair, which spans long and dark, covers her face.

I do not relent, I move forward to face her, and carefully not to step on her plants, and then I look at her now.

She is not as old as the stories my people have told about her.

She looks young, and I could swear her eyes are still glowing under the sun. The green shone under the hair that stopped around her nose, covering half her face through the front.

"What happened to your eyes," I ask her?

I am born this way, go back and rest! she says with authority in her tone.

You do not tell me what to do, I shot back.

She smiles, and I notice her eyes looking at my injured leg.

I look at my leg and notice it too, my two legs are touching the ground.