Kraals and Magic

Chapter three

Bako

The full moon gave bright light for Woka as he broke the roasted cashew nut shells and eat the nut. He looked down at the borne fire in the village square that burned brightly as the fire makers no doubt succeeded on starting the fire despite the cold that preceded the heavy rain. The smell of the game could be perceived here, wading away the smell of rain and wet sand. Woka had hunted for it with the boys and a few friends that evening, after the rain, to receive his visitors properly.

The letter from the riders had specified more than two hundred men with Bako were headed to Masakar. Woka had prayed he be prepared before they come. The good gods had heard him. He had hunted since dusk but one third of the night had passed with no sign of the visitors.

As Woka broke another nut and eat, movements from the side of his eyes caught his attention. He turned to the huts to see the twins staring at him. "I thought your mother told you to go to sleep?" Woka said.

Randa shrugged and drew closer followed closely by his brother who overtook him and sat on the bench just beside where Woka crouched. The bigger boy scratched his arm where a mosquito no doubt bit him. "I couldn't sleep." He said.

"You are no doubt too excited for it." Woka replied. "Just go inside before your mother comes back."

"Where is she anyway?" Gonto asked.

"In the village preparing for the feast." Woka answered breaking another nut.

Amaka came out of her room and walked majestically to them, sitting beside her brother at the right, Randa followed after sitting at the left. Amaka looked about with furrowed brows. "Where is Musii?" She asked not sighting the cat.

Gonto regarded her. "She followed mama to the village for the feast___ mama must think us less than a cat, to leave us here while all the village are down there." He was looking down at the village square with longing, swinging his legs recklessly that he hit Woka.

Woka slapped the legs lightly. "Careful boy!" He chided. The boy looked at him, at the nut in his hand then cupped his palm and reach forward. Woka studied the palm then dropped the nut he just broke inside. Randa cupped his hand too, he gave him. Then broke another and gave to Amaka. They munched it silently. Then cupped their hands again.

Woka broke more for them till it was finished and he sat back on the sand. "Is it true a wizard is coming baba?" Randa asked.

"A," Woka affirmed, nodding.

"How do you know he's a wizard?" Gonto asked. "Does he eat souls and changes people to deers and hunt them in the night?"

"Wizards change men to sheeps not deers." Amaka snapped.

"That was what Edgoni said."

"Well he's wrong." Amaka insisted.

"Well baba how did you know?" Randa was the only one with the sense to ask.

Woka smiled regarding the three that placed their eyes on him. "He told me of your mother before I met her." He told them.

Amaka looked sceptical. "What did he tell you? Her name?"

"No, a matching description." Woka said laying back on the wet ground by habit, but quickly sprang up as his skin touched the moist ground. Amaka giggled.

"What description?" Randa demanded.

Woka looked up at the starry sky recalling it word by word. "He said if you meet a tigress of a warres___ a one that fierce. Her hair must be the color of the stars in a starry sky. She will be a head shorter than you and has the same fire as you have in her___ you will fall in love with her at a sight. That will be your wife."