20 Departure (1/2)
The next day, Ochieng' decided to meet the elders and the tribe head of the lions clan to tell them of his departure the following day. The beasts were sad to hear that he was leaving. Some even cried.
Most of these beasts were his friends. One or more times he had gone through an exciting or dangerous experience with each one of them. He had hunted on the backs of some of them, he had fought other beasts with some of them, he had even fought some of them. For all of them, that was a nostalgic meeting.
”Ochieng', I don't think I will live my life here peacefully without you, I will go with you.” That was Sibuor Ratong', Mudho'syounger brother.
”You will go with me??” Ochieng' was confounded withRatong's request.
”I will follow you too.” Another lion interposed.
”Me too!”
”Me too!”
And just like that, almost all the elders wanted to follow him back home. He knew he couldn't go with them. These were bizarre beasts and would scare his tribesmen to death. They were of the forbidden land and there is where he thought they should remain.
”I have a lot of things to do back at home, it will not be convenient for me to take all of you there. I will always come back and see you.” He consoled.
”Will you?” This time it was the tribe head who had been quiet the whole time who questioned.
”I will.” Ochieng' answered gravely.
Mudho was quiet for the rest of the meeting. It was the saddest lion since it was closest to Ochieng'. After the meeting, he decided to head to his cave to his cave to prepare a few things for the next day's journey.
”Ochieng'.” The head called the moment he walked out of the cave they met in.
”Is there anything the tribe head needs my help on? ”
”It is nothing much, ” he produced a pouch out its mane and continued, ”I'm giving you this on behalf of the tribe this time round not to reward you but to present it as a parting gift. ”
He couldn't reject its goods the second time, right? He stored the pouch in his backpack without looking its contents and thanked it. He then rushed to his cave to be with the love of his life.
He found the lady sitting with her back facing out of the cave. He saw the cicatrices of a whip on her soft back. He remembered he had five 'hono' fruits in his bag.
”Here.” He removed one and tossed it to her the moment she turned her head over.
”What is this?” she looked at the fruit with a bewildered expression.
”Just try it.” He didn't want to waste his breath unnecessarily trying to explain.
She bit the fruit in a piecemeal. She was concentrating on the fruit's taste and medicinal efficacy. She felt warmth that was initiated by the fruit spread into her whole body. The feeling she was having she had never had before. When she saw her skin metamorphose and all her scars and lesions disappear, she was flabbergasted. She had never seen something like that in her life.