Two Moons by J. Raymond Ractliffe - Chapter 17

Two Moons is a new novel by J. Raymond Ractliffe that explores the inner spirit life of Africa, her people and their powerful faith in the world of the Unseen.

The Mark of the Two Moons
Chapter 17

Konjaru watched Chezwe as he sat by the outer mud wall in the shallow shade, eating the last of his meal. He ate without breathing, hungry as young men are, the long outdoor stay and walk from the village had certainly increased his hunger. Scooping it with his fingers out of the bowl, the small meal quickly disappeared, wet fingers all that remained as he came to its end.

"Chezwe, it is time for you to return to the village and let them know you are well. They will need to know the reason for your leaving the Age-Group."

"They will be worried." Konjaru spoke quietly now, his own brow furrowed as he considered the ramifications of this new warriors absence from his other initiates. "The Elders, and Chief will have to consider your actions, whether it speaks of a grown warrior and his courage or if you left the Age-Group for friend as a boy."

"I came for my friend, I did not think it mattered, we had already gone through the cutting ceremony and had finished with the initiation as done by my ancestors. I was not bleeding as the others, and I had watched Etona get very sick" Chezwe replied as he finished his bowl, lowering it to his side and looking suddenly up at Konjaru, he said in a strong even voice, "Etona is my first friend and he needed me to watch over him."

Konjaru paused, unsure if Chezwe had spoken as young warriors do, with serious intent on all matters or that his words really contained some truth that he was not aware of.

"Why do you think he needed protecting Chezwe?"

"I do not know about such things, only, of all the boys who had the cutting with Sampanga, only Etona got the fire sickness in his blood that brought the high fever. He was the only one." Chezwe now looked down at the ground, feeling uncomfortable at exposing his fears of unseen things, for he was now a man.

"There were many who went under the knife, many; all who knew Etona knew he was the strongest. He did not move when he was cut, he led the way for all of us." Chezwe paused for a moment, his eyes looking into the sand, searching for courage to continue his words. He was unsure, he had thought many times on this as Etona lay under the fever in the hut.

"I did not understand why, after Etona was cut, the laibon, who is Sampanga, he changed the cutting knives. For the rest of the boys and me, who was the third boy to become a man, I watched him, he did not change knives again" Chezwe now looked up into the burning eyes of Konjaru who sat rigid as he listened.

"Can the blade of a knife bring a fever?" Chezwe now asked openly, voicing the mystery that had laid with him since he had become a man.

Konjaru had now gone quiet. He raised a palm to Chezwe. The curled black hair on his neck rose and he could feel the leopards growl grow deep within his soul. H could feel the darkness lurking now, a great danger to his only son, now laying possibly mortally wounded.

Konjaru understood, both the reason his son had been brought here, the Chief sending him here to the Old Woman, the only laiboni he could trust, and why he was here. The knife used for his circumcision had been dipped in poison.

All storms come in their own time. Beginning as clouds forming on the horizon, they roll over on one another until one begins to move away, higher and stronger than the others. They are the great clouds that bring the sacred rain, they also come with the light spears that bring holy fire, the same light spears that can bring death.

His son was caught in the middle of a deadly storm, the enemy unknown, and the reason for his danger was unknown.

He could not see though the veils of this mystery but what was for certain, a challenge to the blood line of the carved throne was underway and was coming from deep within the compound of the village, and at its center, there could be no other person to whom the danger did not focus itself more.

The Chief, his father.

"Chezwe, I need you now to listen to me. I am returning to the village to see what is going on with your Age Group. I will tell the elders of your bravery, coming to Etona's support, following his litter that brought him here like a lion. I need you to stay here and watch over the compound for me."

"But in this, I want you to allow no-one to come close to the Old Woman's hut where Etona lays healing from the sickness, and here I know you will not understand but you must stop anyone, anyone, from going in, for any reason, no matter what they say." Konjaru now lowered his voice and let his baritone voice fill Chezwe with the needed solemnity and seriousness that would strike at the heart of the young warrior.

"Etona has an enemy stalking him like an animal in the dark, so we cannot see the trail that would lead us to him. I cannot tell you any reason why, but you must trust me. Etona's life will depend on your protecting him until I return. Do you understand?

Chezwe now looked at Konjaru, his heart beating now, the deep voice had touched him where young courage lives and the power entrusted to him made him bold.

"You must use your long spear if you must to do this thing I ask, there is no other way. No one is to come inside, no one!." Konjaru stood up sternly, letting the anger now rise in his body and fill their presence. Chezwe looked up into the eyes of Konjaru, the danger of the moment locked into him causing his heartbeat to rise and blood to run.

"Why do you know of this danger to my friend, because the laibon changed the knife for the cutting? Who are you that you know of these things?

"I am the son of the great Chief, the one called Konjaru, who left many rain seasons ago, before you were a boy on your mothers breast. The boy laying in the dark hut with the Twin Girls and Old Woman, is my son, the grandson of the chief."

Chezwe's eyes now grew white and round and filled with awe at the spirits walking now up and down his spine, stealing his breath.

"My son somehow is with great danger. The only safe place now, is here. Ngai has brought him here away from the danger, and you also have been brought here, to protect him. This is a great and wondrous thing. You have been selected by Ngai himself, to stand over him with your life and give him the sacrifice of your own blood if it is needed. The lions are roaring young warrior, can you touch the lions tail and walk like a man?" Konjaru touched the very soul now of this young Masai warrior, using the exact icons and imagery to invoke the burning fires within him.

Chezwe rose slowly until he stood before the true father of his friend, the son of the old Chief. "I will protect him with my life until you return. I will not take a step away from him as he lays by his fire"

Konjaru smiled at him to encourage his strength and determination.

"Stand here out of the sight of those who might come. Watch the entrance over the river area, where I found you sleeping," Konjaru teased him now.

He paused suddenly, looking directly into the boy's heart. He could feel the presence of the Ancestors suddenly and saw the Visions as they appeared to his mind and spirit.

"Go to the hilltop where I came with the white man and the boy. In the night, with the moon at your back, look for reflections of the moon appearing over the water, this will tell you of the danger that is coming. Look for the light of the moon dancing on the waters."

Konjaru clasped the young man on his shoulder. This young boy stood between his son and possible death. Until he had gone back to the village and watched to see from which fire the poison smoke was rising, he was at a loss to know where the danger was.

He did know at least where to start. The monkey and stuttering fool Sampanga was going to know his blade on his throat. Before the night stars rose to their full height he was going to know who the conspirators were and end their plans before they could be completed in blood.

Konjaru turned now and without looking back at the young boy just initiated a man walked towards the slow river that only this morning he had crossed chest deep to awaken a sleeping boy behind a tall stone.

The sun was setting, changing colours as it fell. The air was becoming cool, Konjaru could feel the coming of the night stars on his skin.

The ancestors were not allowing him to walk away from the carved throne. It was a time to take his rightful place and walk with the Spirits of his People.

It was a time now to shed blood and stand fast for those he loved.