The Nameless

Chapter Fourteen

*** Anyanwu ...

"What am I hearing?!"

I sigh, letting go of my arrows, and getting up to leave the hut. Agu continues to snore within the hut. Ikenna is huffing, his chest heaving as he paces.

"Ike-"

"You're leaving?!"

"Yes-"

"What?! When did you decide this?! A-and were you going to tell me, or did you always intend to have that white idiot tell me?!"

"Hey, lower your voice!" I hiss.

"When did you decide on this?" I scoff.

"When I killed four men in the village yesterday." He stops pacing.

"What?" He breathes.

"I was in Ugwuaki village with the white one-"

"Blessed Amadi." He groans.

"We got separated at the market square, four men attacked me, I killed them." He begins to pace again but not angrily. Finally, he stops.

"This might be a stupid question...but did anyone see you?" I raise a brow at him. He groans, going back to pacing. "Could we assume no one went to the king?" I scoff.

"It would be safer assuming everyone went to the king. You know people have been looking for an excuse to have me executed. If it weren't for Adinna..."

"Adinna." He suddenly gasps, "Does she know, what did she say?"

"We're going together, she says she'll take me to her friend's home in a different kingdom. She's out now gathering some things we'll need."

"Amadi," he breathes, "this is really happening." I chuckle.

"I'll miss you-"

"I'm coming with you." I move closer to touch his arm.

"We both know that's not possi-" he snatches his arm away.

"Nonsense, who will stop me?!"

"I will." He stares at me, heaving. I really would miss him, his is one of only faces I've seen consistently for nine years. His smile, his eyes... I wrap my arms around him right before he lifts me up, his face burying into the mass of hair in my shoulder. I hear him sniffle.

I begin to let go, but he's still holding me up. I chuckle, despite the wetness of my cheeks and tighten my hold around his neck. After a while, he lets me down.

"Finally, I was starting to think we won't leave today. Don't forget that the king's guardsmen would be here any moment." Adinna. Ike rushes to her, taking her things to help her to the hut. I go back to packing while Ike tries once again to get us to stay.

But after a few more tears, we say our final goodbyes. And Adinna and I leave. Besides Ike and Adinna, I won't miss that place much. Right. Besides them.

*** Four days later ***

"We should stop here for the night, we're almost at the village anyway."

I nod, stopping to let down our sack from my shoulder. Agu moves aside from me. She lowers herself against a tree, catching her breath.

"Do we still have food?"

"I don't think so. Check." I dig into the cloth sack, pushing aside pieces of clothing, condiments and cooking utensils.

"We do, but not nearly enough to last tomorrow's travel." Sighing, I straighten. "I'll find some bush meat we can roast." She nods. I couldn't say why but Adinna hasn't looked well since we set off on this journey. I leave her, with Agu, seeking for tracks, feaces.

We arrived at the mountains a day ago. This kingdom lives within the trees, with the beasts. Being a little more careful for Adinna's sake has led to our sluggish nature. Trying to remember the path I had come by in the dark, I carry on.

After long, as I had begun to loose hope of finding anything, I hear a scream. A man, from deep within the trees.

"Help me! It is eating me!" I crouch instantly, cursing my sight and my decision not to bring Agu with me. The man continues to scream, I can't leave him. I move closer, silently, close enough to hear the creature's growl. A lion.

I lower myself to my knee, raising my bow and drawing an arrow. I shut my near useless eyes and try to listen to the growling beneath the screaming. I would need a kill shot, or at least something to drive it away. Rather that, than have it seek me out.

My hands tremble, the poor man's screaming hammering in my chest. A part of me, knowing exactly where his body lies on the ground, wants to put him out of his misery. I can barely tell where the beast is. I stand to my feet and crouching, I move a little closer.

Going back onto my knee, I pull at the arrow, trying to find the growling. I don't wait further to find where exactly its parts are, at this point I just want to get a shot. The cries are threatening to drive me mad. Blindly, I let go of the arrow. The beast whimpers, drawing back to let out a growl at it is unknown challanger. I quickly pull another arrow, string it and let go. The beast whimpers again. I string another and let go. It yelps, running off.

I wait till all that could be heard, is the man's grunting. Then I approach him. But on hearing my footsteps, he begin to scream afresh. I quickly close the space between us, finding his throat with my fingers and gripping.

"Listen and listen carefully, if you keep screaming, it will come back to finish what it started-don't think for a second I'll make the mistake of trying to help you twice!" I hiss. Gurgling, wide eyes watch me as he nods. I nod back letting go of him. I glance around, listening in the quiet.

Deciding the beast is keeping its distance, I let down my bow and turn my bag of arrows to the front. Grabbing onto the man's hands I pull him up to a sitting position, better getting a look at him. His entire right calve has been eaten through.

Supporting myself by a tree, I pull him up to stand on one foot, then turn my back for him to fall onto. By the gods, he weighs about as much as cow. I pick up my bow.

"Where to, man?" I growl. He points weakly and I start in that direction. After long, we arrive at a litter of huts, grand mud huts, with eyes to let in air. I move to the first and let him down onto the floor. "Is anyone here?! I need help!" I yell before touching the man's arm, wishing him life I don't believe he has anymore and running back into the denser trees. There I stand and wait for him to be discovered, leaving the moment he is.

I find Adinna after a stressful search, she has not slept since I left her.

"Forgive me, ma, I could not find anything."

"Hm." She doesn't seem to believe me, "That's alright, we'll surely find something tomorrow."

"Yes. Now get some rest." She lays down but I remain seated, waiting for her to fall asleep. Not long after, I fall asleep myself.

I wake up to rustling. I bolt up and glance around, Agu is gone. I listen closer to find there are footsteps. Multiple and heavy. I tap Adinna.

"Yes?" She groans.

"Quick, hide. People are coming."