Rossetted Leopard (a Werecat Mate Story Set In Africa)

Chapter 5 Don't be shy

Mbanandi-mber (mber in ember)-ner-ndi (nder in tender)

Necho- Nay-chow

Below there is a ngoni wedding.

Mbanandi

The tension between Necho and my mate did not subside as I hoped it would. Their tension blighted me and Zwelithini's time together. All I could feel from my mate was his aggression at my companion leopard. I don't know what Zwelitihini would have done to Necho if Lizwe had not held him down. He was enraged.

Zwe's hands made circles on my forearms. "I would like to marry you."

I smiled at him.

"Since there is no one to speak for you, I will get people from here to be your family for the wedding."

"Okay."

I was surprised when he sat down on the mat I sat on. He was Isikhulu I expected him to sit on the stool. He made sure our shoulders touched and my side leaned against his chest. Whenever he spoke I felt his warm breath against my skin. I was glad Necho was napping in a far away tree. He would have been apprehensive at how close the Isikhulu sat. After our lunch together, Zwelithini left to go continue training with the current General. He kissed my cheek as he promised to return as soon as he was free.

My feelings towards him confounded me. Their ferocity overwhelmed me. I found his deep voice attractive because of the authority, surety and dominance it held. I found his scent to be very alluring. I would inhale as much of it as I could to imprint it on my mind for when we parted. I found his touch to be comforting. Me and Nyalubwe, my leopard would smile when my mate touched me. I liked leaning against him. He felt like pure muscle which made me feel safe.

There was a lot of drums, a lot of marching, a lot of singing. I did not understand why Zwelitihini could not be beside me. It was our wedding after all. I had so many questions about what was happening. It was only after they had smoked the tobacco that I smelled my mate. My lips curled into a smile. Fundiswa the shaman cut his hand, I know from the smell of blood on him and the slight grunt. She then cut my hand. Then took my hand and joined it with my mate's large hand.

"Hello Beautiful." Zwelithini's deep voice filled my mind.

"Hello Isikhulu." I mind-spoke.

"Zwelithini." His low growl echoed in my mind.

"Sorry Zwelithini."

"I like the way my name rolls off your tongue." He told me stroking my knuckles.

I blushed.

I did not see Zwelithini after the wedding. I was taken to my hut where I instantly fell asleep beside Necho. I was woken up by a middle aged woman (judging from her voice). She introduced herself as Ngiyabonga my handmaid. She told me she would do my scarifications. After I bathed, she did a few on my collarbones, my biceps, wrists and my back. She told me what each meant. They were variations of my leopard's colour, me becoming ngoni and being wife to an Isikhulu and being the General's wife. My favourite was there one that signified I would bear future warriors. A week before my wedding, a valet had cut my ear lobe into hole big enough to fit my finger through. It was completely healed today.

"There was opposition against your wedding to the Isikhulu." She said.

"OH why?" I asked.

"Because you are blind." She retorted. "Some small minded people did not want the Isikhulu to marry you. But the Isikhulu was having none of it. There was similar opposition when his brother found his human mate. Some said she would not be able to bear such strong offspring but look at Werani now carrying his cub to full term. And before that people opposed msizi Londiwe marrying her human mate. But look at them now; they have two strong cubs. "