‘Oh na na, oh na na na, oh na na, oh na na na’

‘Cautious I should be but I just can't help myself’

‘The beauty of attraction’

‘Every night I just can't resist the seduction’

‘Breasts, skin, and bellies, a longing reunion’

…

‘Playing a game on my feral mind’

It was early morning and a sweet voice that seemed to belong to the angels of music could be heard coming from River Uhai. This river was one of the waterways that connected Milele town to Uhai, another major town in the Toro Nation. The river was not only essential as a mode of travel, but it was also a source of water for the people living in the settlements outside Milele town.

In mornings such as this, it was not uncommon to see women at the river bank fetching water, washing clothes, or even taking a bath. The key but invisible rule that allowed the river waters to be utilized efficiently was that: the water fetching areas were upriver, the clothes washing was done somewhere in the middle, while people bathed down-river. This ensured that no one drank contaminated water used to clean clothes and utensils or other people’s bathwater.

A young woman named Taili who lived in the Western Settlement outside Milele was on her way to the river when she heard the heavenly voice. She could hear the enchanting singing coming from downriver when she arrived to clean her household's clothes and items. This surprised Taili as usually no one would bath in the river water this early as the water was freezing cold.

‘She has the voice of an angel but she’s gotta have 25 centimeter thick skin to conquer this morning river water.’ That was the only thing Taili could conclude hearing the woman washing herself downriver while singing without a care.

Further, on hearing the water splashing Taili was even more astounded, ‘What big splashes! That girl is crazy!’ Crazy indeed, after all one would expect someone who took a bath in cold water to be as careful as possible like a cat approaching water. Splashing ice-cold water all over oneself could only be described as an extreme sport. Even Taili who was only washing things felt her arms go numb after a few minutes of touching the cold water let alone whatever would happen if she immersed her entire body in the river.

“I might just freeze to death if it was me.”

Nevertheless, while Taili was fascinated by the woman’s voice and the ‘unique’ word choice in her song, she was not a busybody. She ran into ‘talented’ weirdoes all the time and had long learned to mind her business. However, it seemed as this day would not allow her to avoid the craziness as from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone peeking at her. It was the woman!

In terms of designated areas across River Uhai, the places for men and women to bathe had been carved out from the river and covered by a wall of river plants such as water trees and reeds. This was naturally to maintain privacy and uphold public decency. However, one could still swim out of these designated bathing pools and enter the main river. It seemed that the woman in question had exited the bathing area and started swimming upward towards Taili’s location.

‘Has she no shame at all! She is naked! What if someone else comes?’ Taili could not help but exclaim internally at the woman’s boldness.

While people in smaller villages usually bathed together in rivers and streams without a care for gender or each other’s nudity, Milele was a major town with many settlements surrounding it. The oneness and freeness of a close-knit village did not exist here. It was also not uncommon for boats to be seen going up and down river Uhai since it was a major waterway in Toro. This was another reason why the bathing areas had been carved out from the river.

Taili naturally maintained a judgmental opinion of the ‘bold’ woman but when she finally saw her clearly, she was frozen on the spot. Her mouth was gaping wide open like somebody who lost control of her facial muscles. The woman’s beauty truly matched her voice. ‘Beautiful voice, beautiful skin, beautiful hair, beautiful eyes, truly the gods have favorites,' Taili could not help but think to herself after laying her eyes on the woman's swimming figure. She had not looked away or even blinked the entire time. She was completely captivated by the woman’s beauty. 

“Wow, you are really gawking like an old pervert. I am not even safe from young women my own age!” With an abashed tone, the woman’s voice entered Taili’s ears.

When Taili finally snapped out of her ‘hypnosis’, the woman had already reached a few meters away from her almost causing Taili to move back in shock. However, even though Taili had been caught gawking like a pervert, she was still smart enough to pretend as if nothing happened. She was indeed a huge proponent of the life principle, “If I do not acknowledge it, it did not happen.”

“What's your name pretty.” However, the woman’s next words wiped out any guild Taili might have felt.

“Pretty? Just look at the pot calling the kettle black. You even have energy to flirt so early in the morning when it is so cold? Anyway my name is Taili. Why are you asking anyway?” Even though Taili acted annoyed, she still found herself answering the woman’s questions. After all, she was a godly beauty. Who could possibly ignore her.

“How are you doing Taili?” once again a sultry voice entered Taili’s ears almost making her body vibrate, ‘What is wrong with me today? Has she no shame speaking to me like this?’ However, while Taili was flustered when accused of gawking, the woman was unperturbed when accused of flirting and instead of backing off she even escalated things.

‘Truly a shameless woman; beautiful but shameless.’ However, Taili could not make known her true thoughts and continued putting on a serious front, “Wow, what's with the tone?”

“Why don't you come and swim with me? I don't bite.”

“I don't think so, lady.”

“You a coward?”

“What?! In addition to swimming butt-naked in cold river water, are you also drunk in the morning too?”

“Ey, ey, ey. Calm down. Want me to sing you a soothing song to calm your temper?”

“Are you mocking me again?”

The two ladies found themselves going back and forth arguing about the petty matter as if it was the most important thing in the world.

In the end, Taili was convinced to enter the water. She was clearly the type of person who could be worn down by repeated pestering like a river shaves rock. Nevertheless, she was not as crazy as the woman and only took off her outer garments before slowly walking into the river.

“Why are you so slow?”  With a mischievous smile and hard tug, Taili was pulled into the river.

“Aaaah! So cold! So cold!” She could not help but scream when her entire body hit the water.

However, from the side, the culprit watched her as if she was watching a clown before breaking out into laughter, “What are you even talking about?” The woman then splashed even more water onto Taili’s face. It was at this point that Taili realized that the water was actually warm instead of cold.

‘What kind of sorcery is this? The water is not cold around her? Can she control the temperature?’ As an ordinary person living in one of Milele’s external settlements, Taili did not have much warrior or magic training. At most her body was a bit stronger than regular humans for learning external martial arts briefly when she was younger. However, after becoming an adult, the responsibilities overshadowed the pursuit of martial arts, magic, and spiritual arts for many who did not have the talent to succeed in these fields. This was not just the case for Taili, but for most of the population in the Zika world.

Realizing the situation, Taili could not help but remark, “Haish, are you even human?” It was just an offhanded question but it was still answered.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Who cares.”

“I am really stupid to get in the water with you like this. You might even be some evil water spirit: a shape-shifting Manani or a Kitapo trying to lure me into the river and eat me alive or worse an underworld snake spirit dragging my soul to the Devils Pool!”

In the legends of Toro, there were many mythical water creatures and spirits that inhabited the rivers. The most famous one was Mami Wata, a water spirit venerated in many places across the Zika world as the goddess of the rivers and lakes and a protector of women. However, there was nothing simple about spirits and gods as rumors did exist that even a benevolent goddess like Mami Wata would abduct humans who she was fond of.

Naturally, some of the water creatures were downright evil such as the river mermaid known as a Kitapo. The Kitapo was a river spirit that took on the identity of a mermaid and was notorious for dragging human victims to the bottom of the river in order to feast on them.

Further, the reptilian Simbi spirits of the Kongo region and Owu Mwiri from the West all had their own points that induced fear in ordinary humans. However, there still existed some good spirits such as the Miengu (plural for Jengu) water spirits from the Central lands.

“Hey! Why can’t I be a good water spirit like a Jengu that cures diseases and brings good fortune? Do I have to be compared to Kitapos of all things?”

“Well are you a Jengu?”

“Nope.”

In response, Taili shrugged her shoulders as if to say ‘you see’. However, her concerns did not prevent her from swimming into the woman’s embrace and further, deeper, across the river. The clothes she had come to wash were left abandoned on the shore as peals of heavenly laughter from the women spread across the river long after they had disappeared from the place.

Back in Milele town, although Mwana was flustered when holding hands with Kia, his confidence was no joke. However, before moving deeper into Milele town, Mwana remembered his trusty companion and pet, his dog Fana who he had left at the inn.

As he would be gone the entire day, Mwana passed by the inn and picked up Fana before dropping him off at the town gate. There was a great park outside the town with a giant tree where all types of animals would ‘hang out together’, play, and enjoy the sun. A few children were paid some shells or coins to watch over them.

After dropping off Fana, Mwana and Kia went back to their mission of the day: exploring the town to the maximum.

Chapter 56.1: Bonus Chapter 1 – Pet Life

After Fana was allowed to leave the town gate, the fellow rubbed himself on Mwana’s leg while wagging his tail happily.

“Go on. Go on and play.” After the boy and dog exchanged some more loving gestures, Fana finally left towards the center of the park where a giant tree was located. However, what Fana did not know was that someone, a fellow of the same animal family, was watching him with deep disdain.

At the center of the park, there was another fellow that Fana knew. It was a giant tortoise who went by the name Kobe Mweusi. ‘Although this fella left the town long before me, she still has not reached the destination yet!’ The saying ‘pole pole kama Kobe’ [slow like a tortoise] was not just empty words. While the tortoise in question was slow, she was also known as the Indestructible Black Tortoise and she was the spirit pet of Jua Jumatatu, Mwana’s aunt.  Mweusi’s shell was extremely sturdy and it could expand to aid Jumatatu in battle doubling her defense.

As the tortoise went on her merry way at a slow pace, another animal passed by both Fana and Mweusi like a bolt of lightning kicking up the dust. This was a cute white rabbit, the hyperactive Thunder Rabbit Sungura Radi, who brought the saying ‘Haraka haraka kama Sungura’ [fast like a rabbit] to many people’s minds.

After this little fellow reached the tree at the center of the park where the other animals were gathered, the rabbit started chatting with everyone. The rabbit’s really small size, cute looks, and innocent mannerisms made everyone like it. However, this little fellow would mention its big brother in every sentence. Apparently he was a big shot by the name [Rabbit Master]. However, none of the other animals on the scene even knew who that was.

At this point, Fana and Mweusi had already reached the giant tree. Mweusi was reunited with other Kobe like her: turtles and tortoises. The turtles and tortoises would eat the grasses and herbs in the park or take a swim in the pond near the base of the tree. They also had the habit of cramming together and stacking on top of each other beneath the shade of big trees in order to avoid the sun. They were really living ‘the life’.

The animals in the park were a mixture of wild and home animals; some were wild beasts while others were ordinary pets or spiritual pets. There were rabbits and hares, house cats and wild cats, dogs and wolves, etcetera.

One of the fellows was a white wolf who held a kingly disposition. As a wild fellow, he was extremely disgusted when he saw Fana and Mwana interacting lovingly at the town gates. Seeing, Mwana pet the dog before sending it off to play made him extremely annoyed to the point that he could not help but speak his mind.

“You pets have no pride. You are a shame to all beasts!” The wolf spoke while looking in Fana’s direction.

‘What is wrong with this fellow?’ Fana could not help but think to himself.

At this point well over a dozen animals of different species had gathered under the tree. As some of them were wild and while others were tamed, the wolf’s statement raised a huge uproar.

“You let humans pet you!” The white wolf continued berating the pets in an aggrieved tone as if they had personally harmed him.

"Yeeeeeess, tell them off." Naturally, some of the wild animals loudly supported the wolf.

“Feed you!”

"No independence." Some in the crowd could not help but shout out to support the white wolf further.

“Caress you!”

"Mhmm, yes. No! Ah yes." It seemed as if someone had gotten confused in their answer and the atmosphere was immediately ruined causing the crowd to burst into laughter, in animal voices that is.

By the time the white wolf wanted to continue his anti-pet speech, the animals under the tree had already moved on to other activities, playing, eating, and sleeping. The fellows sure did have a short attention span.

‘No wonder they can’t win against humans. It seems only I am dependable,’ The white wolf could not help but think to itself as it lay lazily under the tree shade. After yawning a few times, it could not resist the warm embrace of sleep.

Chapter 56.2: Bonus Chapter 2 – Undead Marsh

In the darkness, a firefly that was glowing with a grainy green landed on a skeletal hand; the hand’s owner lay in the marsh, on wet soil. In the distance, there were flickering lights and the sounds of drums: du du du dudum, du du du dudum, du du du dudum.

The sound of an approaching procession.  

Words and Terms

Taili - Tile

Mweusi – Black

Fana – resemble/look like someone or something

Kobe – Turtle/Tortoise

Radi – Lightning

Sungura – Rabbit/Hare