The Dancing Bride And Her Spirit Warrior - Episode 38

 

Hapo zamani za kale (a long long time ago), the people of Miamba Valleys co-existed in relative peace. The tribes were ruled by chiefs and council of elders. The people of Miamba Valley were mainly farmers and reared cattle and other domesticated animals. Miamba Valley hosted several tribes. Over the hills lay the great Miamba Mountain . Covered in dense forest and ever present dark clouds looming above it, many mysteries surrounded the forest. It was said the forest contained spirits of the dead that did not cross over the spirit realm. The forest was forbidden to everyone apart from the strongest warriors who ventured in once in a while and the chief priests who consulted the oracle inside the forest.

Some tribesmen claimed to see and hear strange noises and visions from the forest whenever it was dark. Children were warned to keep off the forest by their mother’s and grandmother’s.

Since the forest offered the best game meat, the bravest of the warriors could once in a while venture into the jungle to hunt and they came back with tales of horrible creatures that resided inside the looming trees. Stories were told of three eyed beasts, tall like tree creatures that gobbled up human beings like groundnuts.

Some of the tribesmen were not easily convinced about stories of beasts’ (coined amanani). They said that it was only stories to keep naughty children to sleep at night

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. Young maidens were warned against staying out late for fear that the amanani might snatch them up and take them into the dense mountain to their lair.

All this stories remained speculation until a series of unfortunate events convinced the tribesmen otherwise.

It all started with a loss of a large herd of cattle that was grazing on a clearing in the forest. The herds’ boys also disappeared too. All that was found on the field were rivulets of blood and crashed bones. The bodies of the herds’ boy could barely be confirmed to be human. The bloodshed was so ferocious that it nearly sparked a tribe war between the people of Miamba Valley. One tribe was particularly suspected to be the perpetrator of the assault.

The Ukiri tribe resided beside the great Miyale River. They were known to be ferocious warriors and easily picked a fight with the other tribes in Miamba Valley. The Ukiri Chief denied having anything to do with the act.

The second attack came after one market day. Another group of herdsmen was attacked. Sometime the herdsmen congregated from different tribes in order to herd their livestock in groups. The attack happened after the sun had set and the people were settling in for the evening. Cries were heard from the fields and the warriors who were ever vigilant ran to the fields on only to find bloodied bodies of the herdsmen.

The problem escalated and every tribe in the valley was affected. The chiefs held a meeting to try to find the solution to the problem.

‘’We can’t let this go on tribesmen, we are losing precious heads of cattle and lives of our people,’’ chief of the Ukiri people started. ‘’I suggest we send an army to the mountains and cut the enemy down in his own territory,’’ his suggestion was meet with collective approval from the group of several chiefs and elders. Chief Jasiri of the Majini tribe was angry not only had his tribe been suspected to be the perpetrator.

‘’Let’s not be too hasty my tribesman, we don’t know what is attacking us yet,’’ Chief of the Magina people said. The Magina people was a tribe that resided in the rocky hills. They were known to be a peaceful lot that rarely engaged in the tribal warfare or politics.

‘’With all your respect Chief, all this stories of amanani are just fables that no one believes,’’ Chief Jasiri threw his hands in the air frantically, his voice boomed across the walls of the room.

‘’We will know who is behind all this very soon my fellow tribesmen because unlike the first attack where all the herds boys were killed, this time we have a survivor from the attack,’’ chief Makali of the North tribe commented bringing the room to silence.

A murmur ran through the group,

‘’A survivor?’’

‘’How did he survive such a vicious attack?’’

‘’We have to question him,’’

‘’Bring him in,’’

‘’Calm down tribesmen. Since the attack he had been recuperating in the medicine hut. So take it easy on him.’’

The sickly man was brought in draped in furs and skins. Clearly he had been battered. His face was swollen and his legs were missing. His hands had angry claw marks on.

Read " Jabali's Redemption " by the same author ( Razia Iminza )

. With a lot of pain he narrated how the creatures attacked them in the dark them with viciousness he had never seen. He claimed that the livestock were gobbled up in mouthfuls. The amanani then beat the herds’ boys to death. He survived because the amanani that was hassling him was distracted by warriors who heard the cries of the herdsmen.

‘’Why would they do this?’’ one chief asked bewildered. The herdsman only shrugged his head. After questioning him for a bit and getting more information, it was confirmed that the amanani were not human beings. They were one eyed beast taller than three human males and had the strength of ten strong men.

The survivor passed away that night.

The Chiefs were angry. Each and every one of them agreed to provide an army to fight the amanani. They were to produce their strongest and fiercest warriors to face the beasts.

After the meeting, they agreed to congregate soonest in order to fight their enemy. It was the biggest battle the tribes of Miamba Valley had ever seen.

What they did not prepare for was a twist that would leave them with more questions than answers.

That began a series of events that shaped the future of the people of Miamba Valleys.

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another repost. I hope it gets updated soon.

Much love.

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