1845,

West Africa.

*** Anyanwu…

“When are you going to shoot?”

I draw a deep breath and let it out slowly. Closing in my attention on the creature, I try to keep my hands steady. One held the bow, while the other held the arrow against the string. The brown wolf moves, making me wince inwardly as I change the direction of my arrow.

Then I let go.

The arrow whishes through the air, crossing the space between us at incredible speed. Though well expected, my lashes flutter with a held back wince as the arrow sinks deep into the wolf’s neck.

“Yes, we got it!” Ikennaya yells, rushing after our supper.

“We.” I murmur, standing up. He glances back and rolls his eyes.

“Fine, you. But at least you have to agree I did well by not distracting you this time.” I scoff.

“You didn’t?” He pauses to scowl at me. I throw my hands up in surrender, “Forgive me, you basically caught it singlehandedly-“

“Oh please.” Arriving by the animal, he reaches for it, “You talk like it’s all the time.” But as his fingers nears its tail, it snaps up its head, baring its teeth in feral challenge.

Ikenna has barely begun his deafening scream when I pull out another arrow, sling it, and send it flying right into the creature’s dislodged jaw. I feel the animal fall back, pushed by the force of the arrow, eyes wide and empty.

“It is all the time.” I counter as I lower my bow, adjusting my bottom wrapper and brushing at my knees. Ike, still panting, reaches for the animal’s tail again. Satisfied by no movement, he begins to drag it towards me.

Averting my gaze from the setting sun, I squint at my wrappers. The white God man that came to the village years ago brought strange clothes with him, like the ones he wore, that covers one’s body more than these beads and wrappers we wear.

Our people did not take to them of course, not to mention, Adinna and I weren’t even given the chance to choose. But I would’ve liked them very much. The male garb particularly would’ve been best for hunting. Ike had actually wanted to steal me some but the King ordered that they all be burnt.

I suppose it’s for the best though, wouldn’t have done me any good standing out even more from my people. It wouldn’t have been only my skin, my hair or my eyes, but my garb as well. Adinna thought so as well, said people would be so afraid and uncertain of me, they’d disregard the king’s rule towards us and beat me to death on the spot.

“Could I stay to help mama cook?” Ike asks, taking back my attention as we start towards the hut.

“You should stop calling her that. Someone could hear and make you an outcast too.” I scoff. He turns to frown down at me, dragging along the beast. It is rather bigger than I had thought but then again my sight is not the best.

“That is not funny.” He mutters.

“Ah.” I try to sober my amusement but he isn’t buying it. “Whatever.” I murmur under my breath, “How is your actual mother anyways, is she still sick?” He sighs finally turning away.

“Honestly? I think her husband’s wives are trying to kill her.” I exaggerate a gasp, my fingers flying daintily to my lips.

“You mean the women that told her to her face that they wouldn’t rest till the both of you are dead could actually be trying to keep their word?! You don’t say.” Ikenna laughs, slapping me across the arm and knocking down my hand. Silence sits for a while.

“Do you know,” he begins, chuckling, “I always thank Amadi I went against orders and came into the Evil forest to play that morning.” I scoff.

“Is that what people call it these days?” he frowns.

“You’re not going to ask why?”

“Fine, why?” I push aside a twig from slapping into my face and the wide mud hut comes into view, a large cloud of smoke going up from the backyard. Oh no, do not tell me…

“Because, I got to meet you.” I vaguely pay attention as I rush through the little clearing.

“Well, that was nine years ago, Ikenna.”

“But-“

“Ma!” I call, “Please tell me you’re not sitting so close to the fire!” I pat his arm urging him to pick up the pace as I bolt into a run through the hut to the back. And what do you know, indeed Adinna is standing less than a foot from the open fire. “Ma, what are you doing?!” I get to her as she opens her mouth to explain and pull her away.

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“I…I had to get the fire ready to cook for when you two come back.” I glance at the aging woman.

“How many times have I told you to leave that to me?” With a grunt under my breath, I move closer and cautiously adjust the logs of firewood set between the large stones. Before long the fire steadies into a cackling glow. “Now you can cook.”

“What exactly am I cooking?” I turn to my side searching out the fool I had come with only to see him stroll around the corner of the hut, dragging both beast and his feet. I frown, what’s wrong with him? “It can not be. A wolf?!” a beaming grin settling on my lips, I turn to Adinna, setting my hands on my hips and puffing out my narrow chest proudly.

“You had better believe it, Ma.” I say.

“And I am sure my son, Ike, helped bag it.” I glance at Ikenna.

“I did nothing, Mama-” he begins, defeatedly.

“Uh, of course he did, h-he helped carry it?” I tried-believe me I did, but I just could not deliver without at least smiling teasingly. Ah, Ikennaya, actually help without destroying.

“Ike, do not mind this silly girl.” Adinna mutters, straining to suppress her amusement. “You…you could help me cook it instead?” I turn to see his face suddenly light up and scoff.

“Are we going to be roasting or boiling?” he chirps. Now disinterested, I move on to the wall of the house to disarm myself of my weapons.

“Ma, you can call me when it is ready.” I mutter, partly contemplating whether to leave my cutlass.

“What are you going to do?” I hear her ask.

“Eh?” I glance back, “Oh, ah I need to make more arrows. I think my arrow broke in that animal’s head.” I glance down at the cutlass again and catch the sight of the bow, still in my hand, and the knife hanging from my maiden ropes. Clicking my tongue at my absent mindedness, I untie the rope binding them to my waist and drop it to the ground. “Remember to save the skin for me!”

Heading for the trees I can vaguely hear Adinna and Ikenna gossipping, snickering to themselves. ‘They sound like a pair of market women.’ I can’t help but think as I tuck the blade of the knife into the waist of my skirt.

Glancing up at the setting sun, I walk into the infinite shade of the trees. If I want to make it back on time I’d have to hurry. I pick up the pace, drifting into a slight sprint. Before long I find myself screeching to a halt in the little dark clearing that rounds the oldest tree in the forest. The weeping tree, at the heart of the forest. Where the stream comes from. Adinna says it will never die.

Slowly, quietly, I pull my knife and begin to whistle. I let a sharp whistle, the sound slicing through the air so swift it resonates to even the darkest parts of the clearing. I click my tongue, letting the sound quietly die into the already dead silence. And after a while the sound I had waited for, comes. A deep howling sound breaking through the air, majestic, so terrifying it rattles every creature within its vicinity. A grin draws at my lips.

I begin to whistle again when birds suddenly whip out around me flying off into various angles. Startled, I turn back to the earth and cautiously sweep the lighted parts of the clearing. A deep rumbling growl echoes to my ears leaving me searching frantically with my useless eyes for the source. A sound comes from behind me and I whip my head back, my gaze meeting directly with a sharp red pair hanging beneath the veil of darkness.

Stilling my breathing, my fingers tighten around the head of the knife and I could swear I watch the eyes dart to it and a growl shakes the earth.

I take a step back and another, reminding myself to not make my movement sudden or sharp. To be a blur like most things where in my view. And just then I hear a twig snap under my bare foot. My eyes wide, they dart up to the red pair and I barely have the chance to raise my knife before the beast leaps into the air, knocking the breath out of me as it knocks me down onto the ground.

I groan under such mighty weight, quickly coming to the realisation that I had dropped my knife as I push against the black haired beast. But alas its snapping teeth draws so close to my face, I can feel its feral breath against my turnt cheek as well as feel its spit splat across my face with every snap of its jaws.

With a grunt my arms cave in, and its sharp canine teeth goes straight for my neck. The kill spot.