Once Upon an African Moon

Chapter 3: And so it starts

After leaving her mother's compound, Sebaga went for a walk. It was a bit late but she needed to clear her thoughts. Her mother's words played in her mind, over and over like tadpoles playing hide and seek in the murky waters of a brook. How on earth was she to find answers to a question she didn't even have enough time to answer?

So lost was she in her thoughts that she almost screamed when strong arms circled her waist! Almost? She actually let out a blood curdling yelp that was stopped when a hand clamped itself promptly over her mouth. She started to struggle and managed to jab her elbow into the body that held her. She heard a groan and was pleased that her elbow had caused some pain.

"Sebaga! It's me!" hissed a voice in her ear. She stopped struggling when she recognized the voice. The arms promptly let her go.

"Are you crazy? I could have hurt you!" she hissed back.

A chiseled eyebrow rose, as did the corner of one equally chiseled pair of lips.

"Really?" was all he asked.

She totally ignored his sarcasm and asked a question of her own instead. "What are you doing out here this late?"

"What am I doing here this late?" he asked, surprised. "What are you doing out here this late, is the more appropriate question."

She wanted to argue with him, to banter with him like she usually did. Today, however, her heart was not in it. She sighed and turned away. She had other things to worry about.

"Please. Not today, Kagiso," was all she said.

He took her hand in his and stopped her as she was about to take a step.

"Sebaga, you are my oldest and dearest friend. I have known you for longer than you have known yourself, really. I know your father's declaration has upset you. Talk to me."

Sebaga stopped and gently pulled her hand out of his. She felt a little tingle in her fingers where he had touched her and her heart beat had stepped it up a notch. Oldest and dearest friend, huh? Hardly what she was aiming for.

"I am not happy," was all she managed to mumble.

He sighed and started walking in step next to her. Occasionally his broad shoulders would brush up against her as she walked and she looked forward to those moments. Perhaps she created an extra opportunity or three for that to happen. He didn't seem to notice.

"Your father wants what's best for you," he told her.

She sighed impatiently and wanted to smack him.

"So I have been told repeatedly," she said through clenched teeth.

Kagiso walked silently beside her for a long moment. The silence was not uncomfortable. It never was with them. Every so often he would move a branch out of her way so she could walk through the shrubbery without getting a mouthful of green. When the path they were walking down got narrower, he walked in front of her and she stared. Boy, did she ever!

She loved the fact that he was almost two meters tall. She loved his broad shoulders and his hair which was cropped close to his skull. She loved his quirky sense of humour and that he smiled at her jokes, no matter how bad they were. He was right, being four years older than her, he had watched her grow up. He had wiped her nose and kept her out of trouble more times than she cared to think.

She smiled as she thought about the time she had dared to try and ride her father's prized bull. He had saved her a broken neck that time. Then there was the time she had wanted to bring home the lion cub they had found in the veld. That could have turned out differently as well. As it was, she, and Kagiso, had arrived home with all limbs intact. Not for the lack of trying to lose one or two, on her part!