29 - Snatched

Chapter 29 (Snatched)

The Basha dog struggled to tear through the ropes but all in vain!

“This isn’t good at all…” The beads told Tsote. “Howl the animal to summon for back up!”

“I can’t, I ca not Move…!” 

Tsote panicked trying to free himself. The rain continued pouring and his whole body was soaked wet and muddy!

“Don’t give in yet…!”

“I don’t want to die…”

“They cannot shoot the King’s son… come on. Reach down and pluck a piece of the Basha dog’s amour off its mane and use it to loosen the ropes…,” The beads instructed. “Then leave the rest to me child…”

Tsote did as the beads advised. He reached down and plucked a piece of the animal’s exoskeleton.

“Good…” came the beads. “Now the howl…”

Tsote immediately took a deep breath and howled at the sky but the sound that came from his mouth was not what it ought to be. There was another and more powerful howl in unison to his…! The Basha dog under him. The other two animal heard their female mate’s howl of pain and immediately turned towards the howl.

They swept Thalko’s men Kurota and human formed out of their way! Nevertheless, they did not go far. They had many spears arrows pinned into their backs and sides by the time they reached Tsote. Their cries and pains annoyed the female Basha dog Tsote was seated on. And with lots of strength, it started tearing through the rope some of which Tsote was cutting himself! Some spears started getting loose from their targets leaving the sides of the pillars spiky with splinters!

“Thalko raised his hand to instruct the guards to hit the Basha dog this time but hesitated because the king’s son was still in the way.

“That’s enough…!” came the beads to Tsote.

“They are going to shoot again… and I, I…” Tsote stammered out of breath. His words hardly coming out clearly. Thalko hesitated for this reason with a frown across his face. The prince was speaking to him or what! He took a step forwards…

 The prince cut himself free from the animal.

“Calm the animal down… crawl forwards and play bead!”

Tsote did as he was told... Weakly, he crawled forwards and collapsed. Thalko looked confused now! He started forwards slowly but hardly had he reached the king’s son when the king spoke out. 

“Stay back…” He said stepping out from behind the veils of his tent and approaching his unconscious son slowly. The rain was still pouring down and one of his arms was suffering from the Kurota effect as well as a portion of his face.  He shook but tried his best to keep himself in control.

 “My king…?” Came Thalko unsure is this was safe for the king.

“Yes. Hold your ground…!”

The king walked up to his son calling.

“Mozia O’mondo…?” Tsote did not move a single muscle.

“Hold on…!” the beads whispered into his mind. The king bent and took up his son but the son was very weak and frail. He called his name again. Shaking him violently but the son wasn’t moving…

“Don’t die now…” the king spoke taking his head and trying to balance it in front of him. “-it’s not your time Mozia O’mondo. Don’t you dare!” Thalko was getting close to assist him lifting his son but he stopped him with many emotions. His face wet and his back soaked in rain. When he shook Tsote’s head in an attempt to remove his headgear, the Olko beads swayed free from his royal garments. 

Nevertheless, at this point he cared less when his son was about to lose his life. Tsote hung his head back over the king’s arm weakly and through his helmet he could see the man who raised him, cared for him and treated him like his own.

“Father…?” he spoke with his eyes looking at Thalko through thin eyelid hidden under a cracked helmet. “I am sorry…” he spoke with great sincerity in his voice but to who exactly. He knew what he was about to do would anger this man never to treat him like one of his sons ever again. It was a betrayal he found unbearable to commit! Nevertheless, this was the only way to find his path to reality. Moreover, it was to cost him dearly. His eyes went watery but he did not wish to shed tears or waste any more time in thoughts.

The king heard him utter ‘-father’ followed by and apology. He immediately took it for the first of his very proud son’s apology to him making him let his guard down even the more.

“Yes Mozia O’mondo. Yes. I’m here… and you need to stay with me…”

Lighting struck across the sky and the trees seemed reach out for the heavens with their long twine braches while the got back into their initial positions. 

“Now…!” came the whisper again.

“I’m afraid…” came Tsote shivering. The king felt this and collected him up closer into his arms. For the very first time, Tsote felt like he belonged. Nevertheless, how real was this when he was afraid for his life at this closeness?

“It is now or never…!” The bead repeated. Tsote reached out for the king’s face as though he longed to feel him but weakly still. Nothing came from his mouth. All of a sudden, he pretended to slip. His foot slid back on the wooden boards. In the process, he supported himself up with the beads hanging from the king’s neck.

“Your majesty…!” Came Thalko as the helmet seemingly slide away from Tsote’s unstable head revealing a black mark all Marakusha Yakunko boys possess under the their cheek starting from their lower lip.

Before Thalko could make a move, Tsote pulled at the beads around the king’s neck! They tore from the back of his neck. The king’s eyes went wide in awe, which a powerful ripple of diseased effect combined with internal pain shot up his whole body. He let out a groan reaching out to his son. The tip of his right hand hit Tsote’s helmet off. It tumbled to the floor and there was his Halfling son with his mother’s Olko beads in his hands..

“NO! NO! NO! Those are mine Moz…!” The king started only to spot the Halfling child under his older son’s team helmet. He immediately changed to a course insult. 

“Betrayer… give me back he beads oh! Fool. Hopeless child… come on here!” The king groaned under very weak limbs while collapsing every now and then… the moment he parted with his beads, his state became the worst sickness the elders knew of! He was in pain and very shameful state cannot explain thoroughly. In addition to his curse, his Kurota fought within trying to consume the remainder of his mortal form. His trial to stay human was the friction that left portion of his body glowing as if they were burning away to ash. 

Thalko could not believe this was Tsote the Halfling child. The child left for Sambura yesterday evening. He was not supposed to be here. How possibly now? Tsote saw Thalko motioning for his guards to hold the king back from the mess. The guards took hold of the king and led him back into the royal tent against his willingness!

Once Tsote looked at the bead in his hands and before Thalko could charge, he turned back to the unconscious Basha dog. He got on and said.

“Let’s flee…!

Thalko’s men rushed for wildebeests while a shower of spears missed him by an inch. Tsote led the Basha dog towards the elders who ran out of the way while a few of them got over. He knocked over pans burning with fire and a few of the tents were set on fire. The Basha dog finally leaped through the back of the third tent and landed down in the back with Marakusha’s homesteads all facing him. 

People were scattering across the back of the tents just when the great horn sounded. The horn was familiar. It sounded whenever there was an emergency in Sambura. The same horn sounded the morning when Mama Erusa died. At the same incident, Tsote recalled the Makita.

“Makita…!” He uttered glancing around and slowing down the animal at the center of the open space! 

“You need to get moving…” 

“I need to know that she is safe…!”

“It’s too late… you need to get out of here or else we are done!”

“What do you mean too late…?”

Before he could turn the Basha dog around towards Thalko’s wives shelters, two teams of warriors rushed up and took to an arc format. 

“Size him…!” came a voice from behind. Tsote turned only to spot Thalko followed by seven of his generals closing in. they were all in human form. At this point Tsote saw no other way out!

“I need know she is safe…”

At this moment he turned his Basha dog and started towards the shelters, the warriors targeted for the dog but when they did, Tsote’s hand rose. A certain force came out from his hand like a slash causing the mud across the earth to split in form of a wave. The wave was ten feet high and on splitting, it crushed back into the guards with a solid blow. They fell back and a gap was formed between.

“what was that…?”

“You are not going according to plan master… this could cost you your life… turn towards the river now!”

“I have to retrieve her…!” The men fell back while the others one by one turned into their Kurota form. Thalko motioned his men to ride around the homesteads so they could seal the way out of the homesteads. The creature crushed through a weapon shelter to get to the central shelter.

Now Tsote heard Makita screaming! Mozia O’mondo was dragging her across the wet muddy yards from her mother’s shelter by her hair. Across her shoulders’ she wore a leather strap with arrows sticking out of it. She looked to be in pain but a shower of spears hit across. It is like no one cared what the spears hit. Tsote waved his arm aside again and this time, pieces and patches of earth tore off several of the wall and hit the spears out of target. The spears hit into the shelters on the left reaping some of the walls open!

Now Kurota men were rushing towards them from the rare leaping this and that way onto certain short pillars positioned across the homesteads for lighting purposes. Others creeping around on shelter rooftops. 

“Cowards…!” Mozia O’mondo yelled out through the rain at him. Tsote did not stop the Basha dog but came straight towards the Prince like he were riding on a bull. He knew the Prince wasn’t a joke when t came to challenge. One way or another he was going to pose a challenge and this Tsote had to win if he had to save his best Friend Makita. Lightening crossed the sky above them and when the Prince spotted Tsote on top of the Basha dog, he cast Makita aside and got ready. 

He lowered himself and transformed to his Kurota. He was little but fierce Kurota compared to M’boguku’s. and when he charged forwards, Thalko came out of nowhere and carried him out of the animal’s way! 

They crushed into some wall with Thalko first. Thalko released the Prince and using his Kurota claws leaped back… Tsote held his breath for a second or so. The Basha dog did not reduce pace but crushed into the shelter before it. Makita crouched on the ground covered in mud. She could not believe what was going on.

“Makita…!” He called out to her as the Basha dog spun. He reached down and grabbed Makita by her leather collar. He swung her up onto the back of the Basha dog and just as the commander found his balance, the two started towards the river. The prince recovered first from the crush and at once started forwards again. Thalko took him by the hind leg and dragged him back down. Mozia O’mondo crushed back down into the mud there after struggling bitterly to get rid of the commander’s grip. Thalko quickly took him by the throat and forced him back down second time!

“On them men!” Thalko called to his men who started forward.

“And you your honor! Stand down…!” The prince crushed back down into the mad where he struggled under the commander’s grab.

“How dare you defend the hypocrite…!” The Prince barked. Makita saw the two on the ground as Tsote grabbed her off the ground.

“This is our job your honor… stand down…!” Thalko spoke letting go of the prince the next two seconds when the prince could not even move off the ground and his body already humanizing. Anger filled his face as he watched the commander rise. He sprung to his feet once again but the two were already out of range for him to pursue.

“I had the fool! I did not need your help…!” Tsote heard the Prince yelling at 

“Makita?”

“You must be insane…!” Makita yelled at him. The wind was blowing and raindrops were hitting hard against their faces making it hard to see ahead or even speak clearly. This is when they spotted Thalko’s generals. They had just got around the shelters and were speeding out towards them on their wildebeests. Tsote lowered his head, which Makita copied, and the animal went into a zigzag several times caring not to crush into the scattered shelters between Thalko’s and the river.  

The riders came from both the right and left. He had to make it out before they closed the gap ahead. Arrows whizzed through the rain like rain themselves. Tsote had to waive some a side while dodging the others. It was not hard because when he wore the beads everything around him seemed to close down about a second or two! The animals came to close the gap, two of the generals leaping forwards with their spears incase the animals did not make it in time!

Tsote passed right through them as they crushed into the pillars marking the edges of the homesteads. The pillars crushed and the animals they were ridding lost their footing. And crushed into the watch shelters on either sides of the watch pillars. The riders did not cease but rolled over and started after the creature and the Halfling child on four Kurota Limbs. The creature was swift and they could not go further than thirty meter beyond the homestead boundary.

The general next in command to Thalko yelled out to the others still on their wildebeests not to let the two escape. The other general s leaped over their fallen comrade wildebeest still struggling to their feet at the homestead exit, and sped through and away into the darkening field! They spread out thirteen or fourteen in number but Tsote and Makita were going twice faster than the wildebeests rides could take them. Makita glanced back at the entrance to Marakusha her home village. 

Tents were still burning and smoke rising. Nevertheless, somewhere in the rare, her father’s generals were crushing into each other. The survivors coming after them on foot. Those on foot giving up and those still mounted on their wildebeests coming straight after them.

“Are we clear yet?”

“We could be…” Came Makita just when an arrow came past her right shoulder and hitting hard into the bark of the lone dry tree where the roads leading to Marakusha’s entrance split. It cut through her shoulder just as slightly just as they shot past the tree into the fog. They were going to use the Bridge to get to the other side of the river. The bridge guard’s men did not see them coming. When they turned to face them, arrows came from grey in the rare hit them and they fell into the river below. 

As the second of the bridge guards fell, his bow flung up into the air from his grip! Makita saw it and grabbed it midair. She swung it over onto her back and the moment they crossed the river, the beads recollected back around Tsote’s neck.

 “That was close…” came Tsote with a sign of relief. He felt like bursting out with laughter. Makita had her arms around him. Her wrist bled and Tsote’s Olko beads hung out from his uniform. She had her arm against the beads.

“Very close. But father!” Makita replied breathing fast and hardly believing she was leaving Marakusha the very first time in her life.

“That man, her father.” The beads spoke to Tsote. “Is a true Yakunko warrior indeed…!” Makita heard the voice. Her hands moved and slid against the beads. Her blood was now flowing down the beads and falling on the Basha dog’s mane without their knowing.

“I think he is fine?” Tsote responded ignoring the beads for a second. 

“Did you hear that…?” She spoke with her eyes wide open. She turned glancing into the fog to their left and right. 

“What…?” Tsote asked. Makita looked back quickly only to see River Ulewo fading away with distance but the riders still pursing them!

The beads spoke to him again. “Her wrist is bleeding over me… and why? She can hear us…!” Makita got terrified and released Tsote with her bleeding hand. She lost her grip in the other hand and almost fell off the dog had Tsote not reached around and grabbed her by the waist straps she wore.

“That there. Someone is… is talking to…” She stammered confusedly.

“The beads Makita! Calm down.’ Tsote called out to her through the rain. “They talk! … -to me. I told you that.”

“The beads… they talk you said!” she asked her eyes wide open.

“Warned you not to bring this distraction along… your mission was yours alone.”

“She is the other option I could trust when you said we needed someone to…”

“Okay. Her role is done!  Thank her and let her off here before we clash into any other challenge.

“The fog. At once, he pulled at the chains and the animal reduced its pace. The fog around them became a lot meaningful when he remembered last night’s attack in the fog while Renso escorted him to Sambura at the king’s orders! He recalled Renso’s condition, then how he could not save him from the attack! He finally asked himself if he was ready to defend Makita, his best friend against the same in case things went wrong on his way back up. He saw no hope in taking her along.

 “The fog…!” He stammered glancing back. The pursuers were still on them! 

“What is wrong…?” She asked. Meanwhile Tsote was already halting the Basha dog and leading it sharply off course into hiding.

“We stop here…!” 

“What…? Why…?” She asked getting off and expecting he too was getting off the dog but he did not.

“I must let you off here…!” He opened up to her. Makita looked puzzled now. 

“The fog hangs lower than usual today. You must be seeing this…” the beads spoke openly adding. 

“The fog… what’s wrong with the fog?”

“Get her off quickly without stopping coz there is not time to explain this… coz I don’t think she is prepared to see what lie between here and the peak!”

“Tsote…?” 

“Makita…” came Tsote as they came to a stop wading through a neighborhood of very old deserted homesteads broken and shuttered by heavy buttress tree roots and vine weeds. Do you remember Sakitha’s story about the great huntress, the black feather monster and the fog…?”

“Yes…” Makita replied. 

“The story is true.” Tsote told her. “And the monster of the dark feathers exists out there. In the fog. And I saw it with my very own eyes…”