Mehìró: The Panther Beyond The Walls

Chapter 4

The bitter winter winds finally ended. But so much damage had been done. The Chief had passed away. Many villagers had died due to frostbite or were eaten by their families.

But as the summer winds came hope dawned. Hope that was soon to be crushed.

On the first day of summer, the members of The Uwaní cult danced around the village dancing and singing praises to The Elders.

Hope was soon crushed during the reign of Chief Hakim. The poor suffered the crushing weight of his taxes as the prices of the goods in the market shot up. He made a new law saying that all hunters were to give him the thighs and ribs of any animal they caught and the punishment for disobeying the law was death by hanging.

Thirty men had already been hung for breaking this ridiculous law.

By now Kia had turned ten and had her first shift but without the help of mama she had to learn how to control her shifts herself. She and Jamila continued their hunting venturing deeper and deeper into the evil forest, discovering new plants and animals. Jamila had taken interest in naming all the strange looking animals in the forest.

Today they were making their way to the Chief's compound to present what was due to him.

The guards let them through the vine gates. And another pair of guards led them to The Chief's chambers. "My Lord your meat for the day" said Kia presenting the meat to The Chief, Jamila frowned in disgust at the lustful look that darkened The Chief's face as Kia handed him his meat.

He smiled at her beckoning her closer, he placed a hand on her waist and pulled her forward "you're a beautiful girl, it's a shame you're not my age" he said smirking at the red blush that dusted Kia's face, Jamila's frown deepened, what a pervert, Kia was only ten winters and he was nineteen winters.

Jamila noticed the silly smile of her sister's face as they made their way to their Shabby hut, "why are you smiling like that?" she asked, "nothing" Kia denied, Jamila raised an eyebrow, "is it because of that perverted Chief?" she asked, "Jamila! Watch you tongue!" Kia scolded "and he's not a pervert he called me beautiful, no one has ever said that to me" she swooned, "Kira, Nayla and I tell you that you're beautiful all the time" Jamila pointed out, Kia rolled her eyes "no man has ever called me beautiful" Kia specified, Jamila shook her head her sister was a lost cause.

Summer passed and winter came and passed and summer came again. Jamila was officially ten winters! She waited day and night for her first shift. For Zuri it happened when two days after she turned ten winters and for Kia a week after she turned ten winters.

It had been a full month and Jamila still hadn't had her first shift. Two months passed before Jamila finally lost hope. It was around that time the town crier paraded around the village with his gong announcing that The Chief had ordered all girls between sixteen winters and twenty winters gather in his compound dressed in their finest attire from where he would select five wives, and after the selection there will be a festival for all to attend.

The village was in an uproar. Meat was in high demand as mothers hurried to fatten up their daughter as well as cloths, fabrics, Jewelry and lotions. Jamila and Kia came back he one day from the market with armfuls of beautiful cloths and jewelry.

"Where did you get it from?" Kira asked holding up a green gown, "we bought it, a woman came to our shop and bought meat twice the price we demanded" Jamila replied handing Nayla a green dress, "we can attend the festival wearing these, we'll be prettier than any of those women" said Jamila twirling around with her dress.