Having my blood and uniting with Makilla, she didn't turn to a panther for life.
Her ability to shape shift only become more acute. This part of her however, was well hidden from me most of the time.
"it's been a year. To day marks the day I saved you from that tree. Let me take you home. I will go with you. but if anything goes off, I am out of there."
"agreed."
"we cant escape from the panthers however." "I will give them an offering…". She gave me a jealous look at this comment.
"I didn't say I will unite with them, it's just blood."
"what if they want more than you give?". "that's why you are with me."
we embarked on the journey to my clan.
"you're quite, Makilla...".
"am I? is what l'm feeling so obvious."
"a little optimism from you, and this shall turned out well, you will see."
"the line between us is thick, Prince."
"to you I am no prince Makilla."
" I didn't know it has come to that," she said
"oh, we are way passed that my dear..". she nudge me on the shoulder playfully....
the woman was so sweet, i wished my people will accept her like I do....
It wasn't long before we entered the panther groves. We both knew they are watching behind the vines, as we moved through.
What we were not expecting were to see maidens come out of the groves. They looked like makilla, but untamed and restless with yellow fangs showing.
I alighted as they surrounded us, ready to pounce. Makilla turned into her maiden form stacked naked like one of them.
She was communicating with them in a language I couldn't digest. They looked calm afterwards and looked at me with a longing. my heart dance bawaa.
"keep calm. I told them you are my mate and they can't mate with you, but you wish to give them your blood. One drop for each of them."
I sliced both wrist and the blood flows free. In quick succession, they followed, licking away the blood as it trickles down...
"thats enough, youre weak."
In contentment, they pave way for us to proceed our long journey. It took us two days to reach my clan stronghold.
Father was there with his council of nobles when we entetered the royal hut. The whole clan seem to gather around.
In disbelieve father and his council lords gawk, as we bow in respect before them.
"gaurds sieze the witch now,"
I heard the shaman voice as huge strong men stormed the hut to take Makilla….
"hold yourselve, love. Don't turned in front of these people. They will kill you."
I sense her fighting the edge to turned in fright.
"no one lays a hand on my guest. I will have the spleen of anyone who dares."
"she is a panther" the shaman bellowed.
"what if she is a panther? Our ancestors used the power of the panther to free us from southern oppression, and you of all people know that very truth."
"the panther is not our friends anymore; they have become our enemies a long time ago".
"yet, you sacrificed me to them. Father are you going to say something or let this fake priest ruin your kingdom."
"you blaspheme my son. Now either you let them seize the witch or I banished you for life, out of this kingdom."
"you don't mean that father, you wouldn't do that will you, father?"
"I mean it son. Many are my children who can lead this kingdom when I'm no more. You've always been trouble son. There is no place for you and this thing."
"then I curse my birth and my land for this 'thing'. I will leave and live with her. And never shall I or my progeny step foot on this lands.
On to the mountains do I go now, in the lands of the panther. For among them, at least there is honor. Let's go home my love. We don't belong here.
I remember what they had intended. They did plan for me to die in the wild. that's why they made me forget who I was even.
Man don't create another man; God is the only creator. And I owe this man, or this land nothing. This day do I declare my freedom as a child of the world, without name, or fraternity, or people.
I owe myself this much. I walk the earth now as a free man with my bride without any bondage…"
The council and their king including the shaman, the guards and the rabble looked at me in bewilderment as I and Makilla exit the land of my people, never to return.
*****†***†***†*****
On our way back to our dwelling in the mountain through the panther grooves, we beheld a welcoming sight of the half breed maidens fully recovered from turning to panthers forever.
They could now shape shift to panthers and back to human.
Naked to the waist in antelope skin tunics, with creeping herbs hanging on their neckline, their mode was festive and jubilant as they dance around I and Makilla.
Their fangs and claws had disappeared. they braided their silky long hair, and it hang to the waist, a very beautiful sight to behold.
They were closer to a hundred, maybe more. They blocked our path, forcing us to stop. They chant in a variety of symphonies to create a sweet heart melting Melody.
"this is beautiful , Makilla. Touching and healing. What are they saying…"
"they have declared you as their savior and lord. They lay their lifes before you today, before you and your mate, and your progeny that shall follow.
And if you ever call on them in any generation, they shall come and succumb to your bidden. 'Your blood have save us' they declared, again and again…".
"where are their male counterparts?"
"the males are not affected by the curse, so they easily merge in with the humans and fear to live with their own kind."
"tell them I accept their oath, and together we shall build our own clan of honor, a kingdom in the moutains. And this day shall they scavenge and eat the flesh of humans or their livestock no more"
"and we hear you lord, and we obey and shall follow your lead…." They declared in unity after having heard the telepathic message between I and makilla.
"they can now hear your inner voice, if you leave it open in their presence because you are now bonded to them by blood." Makilla said to me in our own communication channel they couldn't penetrate.
That day and the days that followed, mark the beginning of a new life with these wild female creatures in the mountains.
But Makilla became a little withdrawn and territorial, cynical even.
"I don't want those hungry wild maidens anywhere around you, they are always lurking in the shadow, and under grooves waiting to cast stolen glances at you or find an excuse to join with you. I see it them, I feel it in their loins…
especially that one called Shilla" she said one night, finally cracking the nut of contention that was beginning to infect and alienate us from each other.
"oh Makilla, my spleen, don't you get jealous now, none will have me but you, none can stand in our way.
I want to find ways and means to bring some of the half breed males to our side, to provide them with mates."
"it the blood they want. Your blood or that of your linage," she said.
"then let's make babies Makilla. Males that will breed with this fine women…". She smiled and nuzzle closer to me for a warm kiss and we plunged into each other and join in the ritual art of making babies.
In the cause of five years, Makilla was in her fifth pregnancy, dashing and lovelier than ever.
The sight of her still makes my heart aches. And when she finally gave birth to another boy, we the panther clan as we came to be known across all the clans in the north, celebrates our great fortune, just like we did celebrate the birth of all the boys.
The five male children grew up to become the five lords of the panther clan. The maiden chooses among them as husbands, over twenty-five of maidens per lord.
I and Makilla watch in isolation as our little kingdom expand and our children and grandchildren inter breed to spread and safe our people from the ancestral curse.
"we are old and dying Makilla. But it has been a thrilling journey my spleen."
"yes, it's been an exciting journey. But it's not the end of the story for us love, for we shall forever live in the blood line, we will find each other over and over again through our progeny," she said solemnly.
"forgive my naiveté in these things you know so well Makilla. I can't see beyond the veil your sight does penetrate so well."
"don't worry, its already happening even as we speak. You will always fine me, and when you do, you shall remember me, if you don't, then I shall fine you…"
Makilla died, the next day. And we put her to rest. And I went into my long solitude. She gave me a gift. The gift of living beyond my years.
It felt strange in this dark caves however as I advance in realization, and my energies become feeble as my body wrinkles beyond recognition.
I am dying, I know. I could hear voices in the cave as the life force left me. here I come my spleen, here I come my love, you promise to be there waiting for me on the other side when I awoke.
Don't fail me now, for I am coming, I coming back to you…