The White Wolf |Black Panther|MCU|1

seventeen

We stumble along in the forest in the dead of night. How long ago was the fight?

The fight. T'Challa. The thought of him dead hasn't registered in my head. The same questions bounce around nonstop in my head. 

He really can't be dead, can he? 

No, he can't. 

But why are we stumbling around the woods? 

He just can't be dead...

We continue until Nakia in front of me stops, holding up her hands. "It's only me, it's only me," Nakia says. I peek over her shoulder to see Mother holding out a knife, Shuri standing behind her.

"Mama!" I cry out, rushing past Nakia.

Relief washes over Mother's face as I rush into her open arms. "Oh, my ingcuka encane!"  little wolf pup  She gasps. My face nuzzles into her neck as she wraps her arms tightly around me, stroking the back of my head like she used to do when I was younger. The tears start falling down my face as the reality of the situation finally crashes down on me. "Thank the gods you are safe." She whispers in my hair.

I feel Shuri's arms snake around my waist. I peak my head up a little bit, seeing her red eyes and face wet from tears. It almost shatters me. I release Mother and fully embrace my baby sister. Shuri shakes as silent tears fall on my shoulder. I'm probably doing the same to her.

"Nakia, who is this man?" Mother asks tensely behind me. I glance up to watch as Mother studies Agent Ross, knife still in hand.

"He's a friend of T'Challa's," Nakia explains. "He saved my life."

Mother continues to watch Agent Ross. "Where is Okoye?" She finally asks. Okoye? Okoye was supposed to come?

But Nakia shakes her head. "She is not coming. She and the Dora Milaje will guard the new King." Mother slowly lowers her knife, completely in shock. Of course, we are no longer of any importance, not without the king. Not with that Killmonger sitting on the throne.

Nakia places a bundle of blankets she was carrying down next to us. "Wait here." She orders before rushing off back into the forest.

Mother blinks before wrapping her arms around me and Shuri. "What has happened to our country?" She whispers to us.

"Umama, ingaba yinyani?? Ngaba T'Challa ufile ngempela?" Mother, is it true? Is T'Challa really dead? I whisper into her shoulder, already knowing the answer.

She leans back enough to cup both Shuri and my cheeks. New tears glisten in her eyes. "Ndiloyiko njalo, wam umntwana." I'm afraid so, my child. She whispers back, pulling us back into her embrace.

I glance over Mother's shoulder, seeing Agent Ross watch us with sympathy in his eyes. This is all really happening.

🐺

We hike up the mountainside, the air growing colder the higher we go. Shuri and I are wrapped in the same cloak, huddled close together. Mother is on the other side of Shuri, sandwiching her in between us. "I don't like this," I whisper.

"I heard you the first three times," Shuri whispers to me. We huddle closer, trying to keep warm.

"So where are we going again?" Agent Ross asks. We both glance over at him, watching as he struggles to follow us.

"We are taking the heart-shaped herb to the Jabari Land." Nakia answers. That's why I don't like this! The Jabari do not deserve the heart-shaped herb. It's too dangerous. It's too dangerous for me to even be on this mountain.