“Still, I think a good quick bite to the neck will do him a world of good.”
“You’ll get your chance, I promise.” Kima reached down. She could feel the soft warm fur of the lioness and it gave her comfort. “You keep me sane, old girl. The kindness my husband showed you has been repaid many times over.” Kima smiled. “You must tell me all about it when you get through with him.”
Just then, a strange sound came from outside the cave. Kima got up and came to the mouth of the cave. She saw something moving toward her and ran to investigate. It was Kinara crawling on all fours, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth. He heard her approach and looked up pitifully, holding out a trembling hand. “Kima, help me!”
Kima reached down and grasped his hand. She lifted him carefully to his feet and let him lean on her as he staggered into the cave. “What happened?”
“Jambazi found me. The coward had two of his friends with him. He won’t face me alone.” He wretched. “Thank the gods they don’t know where the mint is--I’ll never tell them even if they kill me.”
“Forget the mint,” she said. She got a gourd full of water and washed off his face. “Lie still on the bed! I will get you something for the pain.”
She mixed him a special tea, and got him some fresh grass for the bed. It was not long before he began to show improvement. “Thank the gods for you, Kima!”
“You were gone so long, I was worried about you.” She quietly resolved never to tell him what she had discussed with Asumini.
“My enemies. Once there was fear in their eyes, but now they only laugh at me. Look at the old fool!” Tears well up in his eyes. “How low I have fallen!”
He got his strength back overnight, especially when Kima worked his injured stomach and gave him a powerful soporific tea that made him sleep dreamless and deeply like a stone all night long.
The next morning with a resolve that was reminiscent of his old self, Kinara took the basket and started to leave again.
“You must be careful.”
“I will. I’m not going to go without a good hard stick. I’ll pound them into the ground!”
“We should tell the scribes and have them arrested.”
“The scribes would not help me. They hate me.” He patted her hand. “I learn who my true friends were too late.”
She shrugged. “Take care.”
Kinara left with his basket. Kima watched him from the cave mouth until he was far afield. She looked down at Asumini. “Follow him.”
Stoically, Kinara took another path. With the stick at his side, he felt a little more brave. He glanced about, anxious to spot trouble and change his path if necessary.
But without warning, an arm reached out from a bush and grabbed the club from his hand. “I was just thinking I wish I had a good club. And there it was!” It was Jambazi. He stepped out to face Kinara, and his two toughs came out quickly and cut off his escape.
They laughed and shoved him back and forth.
"You know, I tend to get what I want. I wanted a club and I got one. And right now, I’m in the mood for Tiko Root. You know, maybe a sprig or two. Maybe more? Know where I can get some?”
“Maybe from Makedde. My son keeps it in stock.”
“Maybe I want mine picked fresh, old fool. Where can I pull a sprig or two?”
“I don’t know, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Oh you know, and you’ll tell me.”
“For the gods’ sake, leave me alone! I’m trying to help out a widow!”
“Oh, well if that’s all.” The leader makes a gesture. Without a word, the other two grabbed his arms and held him tightly. “As I see it, you killed Busara. We could help the old widow by sending her your ears in a gourd--or maybe your heart.” He laughed. “Of course we might work out something less violent. Maybe we could work out a trade here.”
“You don’t want to help her,” Kinara said. “You just want to steal her Tiko Root.”
“Aw, listen to that, guys! I’m hurt! Really wounded!” Jambazi drew up close to Kinara. “Fact is, we’re going to prove how wrong you are.” He pokes him in the stomach with the stick, making him yelp. “You’re going to show us where the mint grows, and we’re going to protect it for her. Understand?”
“I understand perfectly.” Kinara spit on him.
Jambazi wiped his face off, and with a forced grin said, “I think it’s time we taught you manners, old fool!” He felt of the stubs of broken branches on the end of the large stick. “Interesting possibilities, eh? Now where do we begin, Kinara? On the stomach, or on the ribs?”
He drew back the stick. “Answer me quickly, or I’ll do both.”
Jambazi felt a slight tug on the end of the stick. He tried to swing it, but it was caught on something. He looked around but saw nothing. “What the hell?”
With a huge yank, the stick came flying out of his hand.
“What are you doing?” one of the other bullies asked.
“I don’t know!” Jambazi began to back away. Maybe he knows magic, deadly magic. “Yeah, it’s either him or us!”
“But the root!”
“Forget the root!” Jambazi took a sharp-pointed digging stick that he wore around his waist and lunged at Kinara. Something sharp and thorny grabbed his ankle and he fell flat on his face.
Turning over, he looked up into empty air. Something heavy bore down on him. He looked around for his friends, but they were gone. “Oh gods! Oh gods! Something’s got me! Come back! Help!”
"So you like to beat up old folks?” a lioness’ voice growled. “Try me on for size!”
Jambazi dropped the stick and began to cry. “Don’t hurt me! Please don’t hurt me! Let me go!”
Hot, meaty breath enveloped his face, gagging him, and a voice spoke in his ear:
"If you or anyone else so much as touches a hair on Kinara's beard, there won't be enough of you left to make a meal for a jackal. You’ll be sure to tell your friends now, won’t you?
“Yes ma’am!”
“Now GET OUT!"
“Yes ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!”
As soon as Jambazi felt the weight lift from his chest, he scrambled to his feet and ran back toward the village.
Kinara stood quietly, afraid to move. He saw the footprints approach, then stop in front of him. A warm tongue bathed his hot face, and the smell of wild honey gently enveloped him. A faint shimmering outline appeared, and coalesced into Asumini's form.
“So the rumors are true.” His jaw trembled. “You saved me. I owe you my life.”
“You owe Kima your life. I’m just along to make sure you pay up.”
“Is that the only reason?” He reached out and stroked her cheek and the top of her head. "Can it be that there is forgiveness for old Kinara yet?"
The lioness shook her head. "No."
His face fell. “Then Aiheu has rejected me?”
“He has rejected the old Kinara.” A smile appeared on her face as she slowly helped him up. "You have rejected the old Kinara as well, so take heart."
He put his arms around her neck and hugged her.
She told him, “Busara prays for you and asks me to help you. So does your wife Neema and your parents. In fact, you have a lot of good friends for such an unprincipled, irritating little monkey.”
“Thanks, I think. I’m sure I deserve worse.”
“I see the good in you. I see it striving to come out. Once I found good in an unexpected place. Perhaps I will again.”
“In me, perhaps?”
“I will take care of you whenever you go out to help my lady. I will be your companion, and when you need it I will even give you some mothering.”
“Bless you! Bless you!”
She touched him with her warm tongue. “We will be good friends, Kinara. And this will be a bond between us that as long as the goodness in you prevails, I will watch over you. And my repentant friend, the minute you put the moves on Mrs. K, I’ll slowly skin you alive.”