Kalikwikwiti (Completed)

Chapter 26

Salifya

As soon as Ipyana's kidnappers were out of visual range, Uncle grabbed his bow slinging it on his shoulder, "I told you they aren't human."

I gathered my weapons. "What does he want with her?"

"I completely forgot. It's Makocho festival now." Uncle said throwing his raised fingers in the air.

"Oh no." I heard Mother say. Anyazgambo gave Asikwese a horrified look.

"What is this Makocho festival?" I asked.

"It's a heinous festival where they sacrifice pygmies to their sadistic dieity Chanda," Uncle said with bitterness.

"I am going after her before I lose their trail," I was heading towards the exit of the cave. Uncle followed me.

"It's too dangerous. You will end up eaten by lions." Mother called.

"What am I to do? Leave her to die?" I said without turning to face Mother.

"I knew passing through Vukuto territory was bad idea." Asikwese muttered under his breath.

"Let's be rationale here," Mother said. "Luteghano, you were once kidnapped for this savage festival. Is following them tonight our only option?"

"The festival is in two days. Their camp can't be far from here. The best to find it the morning and hit it by night." Uncle replied.

"Will she be okay?" I asked. My hands were shaking with rage...and fear.

"She will be." He said. "The best is to look for allies in this region. They should be a community of exiles that aren't Vukutu. Because we will need help since this festival is a convergence of these low lifes." He put his bow down. "They won't touch her. They need her pure and healthy for the festival."

We decided to leave the cave at first light.

I wonder what Ipyana was thinking right now. This was third time this happened and there was no benevolent eccentric at the other side of this kidnapping. She was going into the hands of the most savage faction in Utawaleza.

"She will be okay." Xo whispered.

"How did you know I was up?" I asked.

"I can hear you tossing."

"I wish they took me. I would have been able to get out his grip. I can't believe I let this happen again."

"He had a knife to her throat. This is not your fault."

"I am trained for situations like this."

"You had no modern weapons. You are out of element."

"This year," I said with a melancholic chuckle. "Oh this year has been full of me disappointing her. I abandon her, then even though I want to protect her I fail to and she is kidnapped twice right under my nose."

"Don't do this." He said gently but firmly. "We will find her tomorrow. Pray about it and get some sleep."

"I can't sleep with her out there with those beasts."

"You have to. You are no use to her tired."

His hand searched the space between us, I could barely see him trying to hold my hand. I held his hand.We prayed for her safety. Xo caressed my fingers with his thumb till he fell asleep. I still couldn't sleep. When I finally did I dreamt of our parents shouting at me for not protecting her for failing them and her. I told them I was sorry and would get her back. When I awoke, I had a strong craving for a pillemotion. I would have swallowed Numb to quiet my raving heart.

We made our way to a Lhomwe settlement deep in Vukutu territory. We asked their Chief for a few of his troops to help us with the raid.

The Chief got off his chair, and waved his hand over his village. "Look at us, we are in their land. We are a small tribe." He said calmly. "You know how we survive. By minding our own business. They leave us alone. So I am sorry I can not help you."

I could see Uncle was angry and dejected. "Let's go." he said. We all got up from our stools and exited the Chief's mud and grass thatched gazebo. I am sure we did not follow the etiquette for leaving a Chief's court.

"What happens now?" I asked.

"We attack on our own." Uncle muttered.

We were a half a mile out of the village of pacifists when a young lady and man called after us.

"Stop." The man, who we later found out was named Nohakiwa, said.

"We've been following you." The woman, who we later found out was called Okhwa, said. "We want to help you."

They told us their daughter, a pygmy was offered by their Chief as an offering of peace. They wanted to rescue her.

"The Chief is an exilee from his village, most of us there are children of exiled people. We refuse to intergrate with the Vukutu. But we don't have the man power to fight them so we cohabitate. The Chief gives them food, and all the pygmy children we have for their annual Makocho festival." Nohakiwa explained.

They led us to baobab tree. "We are here," Okhwa said. "Where are they?"

"Who?" Uncle asked.

They explained that they had a small army of disgruntled parents from other settlements like their own. We waited for them to come.

"Is Vukutu a tribe?" Lindi asked.

"They are mixture of different tribes; outcasts, exiled, criminals and runaways." Nohakiwa answered.

"We know that our life is here in this settlement but our child Ekari will rejoin our grandfather's tribe outside Vukutu." Okhwa said.

"Why can't you join?" Lindi asked.

"Because, second generation exileds aren't allowed to; lest they continue their parent's deviant behaviour." Asikwese replied.

"So what's the difference between you and the Vukutu?" Lindi asked.

"We don't kidnap kids to sacrifice to an evil deity." Nohakiwa responded. I was getting tired of waiting. I wanted to leave but my Uncle said we should wait a little more. They finally arrived. Soon fifteen people were gathered. They had bows,arrows, spears and daggers. One of them a reformed Vukutu called Pempho drew a map of the Vukutu encampment. Our plan was to sneak in that night and extract the pygmies.

Asikwese and Xo stayed in the cave.

"I don't know if I will return." I hugged Xo.

"You will." He said. "I wish I could help you."

"You have already." I retorted, pulling away from him.

"Lindi you should stay too." I heard Anyazga say.

"No way. You know I can handle myself." She said, picking up her spear.

"Be safe." Asikwese said to all us. He gave us hugs and we prayed together. And we exited the cave.

We were half way through the encampment when a guard got away from us and blew a horn exposing us. An onslaught of Vukutu men rushed to our location.

Author's note

Do you think they will make it out alive?

What is your overall perspective on Utawaleza now?

How do you think being kidnapped a third time will impact Ipyana?

If you enjoyed this chapter, please give me a star.

Thanks for reading!