Wolf Of Fire

5* Truths and Goodbyes

"Cheta! Cheta! Wake up!" The desperate cry threw the beautiful Ijeoma up from his sleep, and into defense mode. He had a problem recognizing voices, especially after waking up. Thinking it was an intruder, he grabbed his dagger from his table swiftly and placed at her neck.

She, expecting this reaction, hit him in the guts, sending him doubling in pain and staggering backwards. He quickly steadied up and prepared to charge at her.
"Cheta! Cheta! It is I...It is I Kambi!!" In a split second, his countenance changed. His eyes widened in realization.
"My princess...my princess...I...I...am truly sorry...my princess...."
He quickly fell to his face in regret and shame.
"Punish me princess! Punish me for I have sinned."
"That is enough!"
Her broken voice ordered.
"Please get up! Biko...O zu go! That is enough!"
He got up immediately with his head still bowed in shame.

Kambi walked up to him in the dimness of the room and held his head up, standing on her toes. She peered into his strange multi colored eyes and shook her head.
"It is enough...I...I...am fine...Odinmma"
But her voice was broken. It was clear that she was not fine and was only trying to encourage herself that it was going to be fine. But she could not hold on for much longer. It was only a matter of seconds before the tears begun to stream down her eyes like river and she let everything out.

She was just thirteen Red moons! Why then had the goddess decide to curse her with so much responsibility and pain? Why does it seem that nothing is going as planned? Her mother used to say that,
"Onye bu isi, adia ba oso okwu"-He who is a leader does not run from fire."
However today, that same mother had used her last breath to warn her to leave. She had to leave if she wanted to survive. Cheta dragged her to his bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"It would be fine ok? Ogadinmma."

In all honesty, Cheta was scared. He was afraid of the truth. He knew that things would not be fine; Not in a really long time.
She stayed in his embrace until her wails became sobs and hiccups. Immediately, he rushed to his feet and filled a drinking calabash with water and handed it over to her.

"I am leaving."
She said calmly, not touching the water. He blinked in shock, trying to register her words.
"Wha..."
"I cannot stay here any longer. It is not safe for me."
Her eyes were unsteady, her internal conflict, apparent. She was truly afraid. Her face had become very pale, looking as though she had just encountered a demon.

"Can you tell me what hap..."
"Mother is dead...she killed herself." Time froze for a second before the news sank in Cheta's mind. The Luna...the Alpha Queen was dead and she had killed herself!
"She finally succumbed." He whispered, tears glistering his eyes. "Wha...what do u mean?" Kambi asked in confusion.
"I tried to talk her out of it because I knew it was fruitless but she was determined. She said it was all for your future!"
"Have you been speaking with my mother?" There was no answer. Cheta got up abruptly and grabbed a candle and a key.
"We must leave immediately!"

Kambi took a long sniff and furrowed her brows in confusion at her servant's sudden outburst. He had started going through his wooden boxes, furiously in search of something.
"STOP!" He immediately stopped and turned to her with his head bowed in submission.
"Please tell me what you know." Cheta's heart sunk as he beheld the young princess who had been in his care for as long as she could speak. She did not deserve this fate. She was too young and too innocent for this harsh reality.

"Your father was planning on raiding your mother's pack and burning it to the ground along with everyone in it and he was going to take you long with him just as he had done three Red moons ago! Your mother did not want to let that happen. She had told me that she could kill herself if he did not grant her request but I did not think that she had been serious about it.
"WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME!"
She yelled, tears streaming down her eyes.
"I wanted to. Believe me, I did. But your mother...she made me swear. She made me promise not to tell you because she was sure that she would be able to handle things by her".

Kambi's eyes dropped to the ground. It hurt her to think that she had actually once believed that her father had a little heart in him.
"He watched her die."
She whispered to herself, fighting the tears that were trying to build up.
"I saw it. He did not even try to take the dagger from her! He...he had a smile on his face as she slipped away. He knew he could save her but instead, he drove her to insanity before she finally lost control."

A wave of terrible anger, hate and thirst for vengeance had swept upon Kambi.
"I was wrong. Cheta, I was wrong." Her gaze was fixated on a spot while she spoke as if a spirit had possessed her.
"Father is not evil...he is the devil himself. I hate him! I HATE HIM SO MUCH!" Her tears had stopped falling. The look of pain in her eyes had been replaced with something more sinister.

"I have to go. I have to leave now! I have to leave before he kills me too...I...have to go and gain power! I swear to the goddess that I would be back for him!"

Cheta's heart clenched upon hearing this. It was then he knew that the child he had known since birth-whom he was trained to care for was no longer the same. In front of him now, was a blood thirsty and revenge seeking shadow, fueled by hate. It scared him but at the same time, it gave him hope. Hope that maybe through her thirst for vengeance, the Alpha's wickedness would finally be put to an end.
"Then I shall come with you!"
He declared. She paused and shook her head slowly.
"You have to stay here!"
"But..." "It is for the child." "What...what do you mean?"
"The child we saved...the one we gave to that slave woman. I want you to stay here and look after her. My wolf feels a strong aura of greatness around her."
Cheta looked confused.
"But Kambi..."
"Please Cheta!" She cut off his protest. "This is not an order from a princess. It is a desperate request from a friend."

Those words alone were enough to silence him.
I am her friend!?
Ijeomas were only treated as really loyal servants to the royals. Hearing her call him a friend meant the world to him. He nodded his head slowly. "Yes my princess."
"But you have to take someone with you."
Her brows furrowed in confusion as she watched him leave the hut. Even though Cheta had agreed to stay, it was his job to worry about the young princess. He was not going to let her leave alone.

Homa was his best friend and an Ijeoma just like him. Although, being a female Ijeoma, she possessed male-like qualities, making her look taller, broader and masculine. She opened the door after two light taps. Being a light sleeper had been one of her best qualities. She could not be snuck upon any time of the day.

The tall and handsome looking female stepped out, looking alive and alert. Her hair was wild as usual and her well-toned brown skinned body was one that both male and female wolves craved to have.
"What are you doing here?"
She asked.
"Born to serve...born to protect..." Cheta started the pledge of the Ijeomas.
"...born to be forever loyal in ashes and in death."
Homa finished. It was a pledge they were all required to take during their induction ceremony held at their tenth Red Moon.
"What has happened?"
"It is the princess...she needs your help."
*
*
*
Cheta stood at the border of their pack lands with the Ola, the slave who had become the child's mother, next to him, watching his princess ride on Homa's golden brown wolf. Soon, the bond would be broken. The ties they had with the pack would be cut off. The Alpha would be furious, but by then they would be gone.
"Do you think she would be safe?" The young slave asked, as the child chewed on the hem of her wrapper.

"The goddess would keep her safe but for now, we need to do what she had ordered us to do."
The slave nodded.
"I will take care of this child with my last breath."
Cheta nodded and turned around, dreading the next day without his princess. The Alpha would assign him to another noble. It was a taboo to punish an Ijeoma.
He let a stray tear escape his eyes as he fought hard to stay strong. He had lost a friend.

***Author's Note***
I actually cried when I wrote this.
It was so emotional.
But...ladies and gentlemen, the story of Aira officially begins..

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