Chapter 16

Attack of the Bubinzwana

Beneath an opening in the canopy, illuminated by the last slivers of Yanga’s light, upon a flattened terrace partway up the mountain that rose from where the flat faces were nested, the bubinzwana bounced.

Packed shoulder to shoulder with just enough space to allow each individual to hop in place.

Banging together, but the tightness kept everyone upright and boosted those weaker; all of the males facing the center of the group, the alpha at its heart.

To the humans down the hill, as the alpha barked orders, the sounds seemed a mix of growls and possibly words; though, they found it difficult to tell.

The people knew that no other beast made such noises.

The bubinzwana bounced in unison.

When the alpha finished, he barked once more, savagely and loud, then tilted his enormous head back to roar, a blood curdling sound.

All of the bubinzwana roared together and the entire forest had no choice but to react.

Feathers ruffled.

Ears flickered.

Tremblings of fear.

Even moments of paralysis.

Any other beast within hearing range paused what it was doing.

Those sleeping became awake.

As the echoes of their hunting cry carried down the river, a feeling akin to sexual intensity spread through the bubinzwana.

Their stench was heavy.

Adrenaline and hormone levels were spiked.

The bubinzwana dispersed to gather weapons and descended for the river.

***

The nesibindi gathered on the floodplain, beyond the range of the encampment fires, facing away from the glow to preserve their vision

The terrain was dotted by grass patches, clumps of thistle and small palms; though, due to the low light, all the nesibindi can make out for sure is the pure black shape of the mountain against an almost black sky.

Lifelong friends stood shoulder to shoulder, there was only a glint of teeth, the pale glow from the whites of their eyes.

Uta has assured them the bubinzwana wait for Ulanga to rise.

“They have no more ability to move through the dark than we do,” he said during tribal council.

The young nesibindi trust his leadership.

They find courage in each other’s presence.

Tell each other to be brave, to be strong.

But there is not a single hand that holds a weapon without the greasy sweat of fear on the palm as the nesibindi waited for the bubinzwana to emerge from the black.

***

Those at the front of the bubinzwana horde knew the objective of the hunt was the nested females.

For many days, the alpha had mulled a sneak attack by a smaller, more agile raiding party.

In the end, such a plan was dismissed.

They have seen how the flat faces always remain together, the young females especially under constant protection.

The alpha consulted with the old male and decreed they would attack in mass—every male member of the clan. They will overwhelm the flat faces and capture the females they desire in the confusion that ensued.

They know flat faces have clever weapons, like they do.

That was bad.

They see the flat faces have many fires burning.

That was good; afterall, the bubinzwana use fire.

The flat faces have scouts who have spied up the clan.

Seeing the signs in the forest only after they are gone.

The bubinzwana have been forced to grudgingly admit the flat faces are formidable hunters.

Their scouts were nearly undetectable.

But the forest always gave up clues.

A bubinzwana’s nose missed nothing.

So each side surveils the other, just as the lions and hyenas do.

Just as rival bubinzwana clans once did.

As competing predators probably always have.

The flat faces picked a clever location to defend.

The shape and incline of the mountain limited the direction of approach.

They erected impressive barriers on the upriver and downriver sides of the nest, limiting where they can approach in numbers.

But so what.

The bubinzwana had reached the trough that led to the flattened floodplain and can smell the flat faces.

They recognize the spicy stench of their fear.

***

Uta and the nesibindi see the bubinzwana emerge from the treeline as barely discernible, shadowy shapes.

Only a few at first.

Some of the nesibindi hurl rocks and the bubinzwana toss some back.

But no one takes any other actions.

Not yet.

No one can see well enough to accomplish anything other than getting skewered by a spear.

Uta knows the bubinzwana.

Like lions, unless starving, they do not attack until the outcome is clearly in their favor.

They recognize the nesibindi as a fighting force to be reckoned with; after all, Uta now knows this is the same tribe that once pillaged the shores of ichi-Bwana.

They have met before.

The bubinzwana know if they charge the nesibindi, they will be met with deadly blades and there will be injuries and deaths.

So they wait for daylight.

Behind him, incredibly, Uta heard singing.

Aghast, he cannot believe the foolish young Abantu hunters.

They still had no idea what they were up against.

***

Eku and Krele lay in darkness on their bed mats.

Listening to the bloodcurdling roars descend upon the floodplain to flow across the encampment like a wretched fog, fading over the water, but lingering long enough to provide an echo for the louder roars that follow.

Eku is fearful, but his mother’s soft clicking and the familiar touch of her hands is calming.

He sat on his butt with feet flat on the bed mat, legs bent, elbows on the knees, no longer touching Krele, but close enough to feel her body heat.

The crying of babies was all around, mixed with the whimpering of children and whispering of young, terrified mothers.

In total darkness, they have no choice but to listen to the fury of the beasts descending from the mountain.

Eke can feel Krele trembling.

Or maybe it is his own body trembling.

Probably both.

Eku felt as though his heart stopped beating when his mother said, as though speaking from the black directly into his ear, “Eku, I am sorry, but I have to go. It is my duty. You must stay here.”

“But why?”

He hates the scared tone of his voice and is ashamed he still sounds like a child.

“Eku, you must stay in this shelter, so I know where you are. I must go where the other mothers are. I am supposed to be there now. I am sorry, but you will have to be alone. But not for long.”

There was a series of loud clicks from outside the shelter that Eku recognized as his aunt Shona.

Eku felt his mother turn and click back.

She reached for him, fumbling over a knee to an arm and then his shoulder.

“Eku this will be over soon. I am sorry for not moving us earlier. I hoped that it would not happen so quickly.”

“I am okay. But why are you leaving?”

Krele fumbled in the dark, her hand moving from his shoulder to the back of his head to pull him closer, kissing him so hard on top of his head he felt teeth.

“Eku, I am an older mother and must go where the tribe needs me. We are part of the protection—but only if necessary. That will not happen. Should not happen. But I must be where I was told to be. That is part of the plan. I have a duty.”

When Eku said nothing, she asked, “Do you understand?”

Feeling only confused, Eku clicked yes.

“Stay here. The shelters are safe. I will be right outside, with the other mothers. We are surrounded by protectors. But everyone must stay in the shelters until Ulanga has risen and it is safe.”

Still confused but finding his bearings thanks to Krele’s words Eku implored, “What can I do?”

“Nothing Eku. You are still too young. There is a circle of safety all around you, but you must NOT leave this shelter. This is the safest place you can be.”

She kissed him on the head again and crawled on hands and knees out of the shelter.

Eku was alone.

***

Eku remained in a seated position.

Pulled himself tight, so that his heels touched his butt.

Placed chin on hands that were folded across the knees and turned his face at the black where his mother disappeared.

The barking and growling of the bubinzwana continued from the forest.

Phantom shadows played across his vision—the eyes being tricked.

Or was it his mind?

The sounds of the bubinzwana were closer.

Adult voices called cryptic instructions across the encampment.

There are different groups of defenders, Eku recalled from the words of the tribal council.

They were all in place.

That is good, he thought.

Eku also thought maybe the outline of the shelter exit might have emerged from out of the black in front of him, but couldn’t be sure.

He looked around and noted slivers of shadow in parallel, the gaps between the reeds and flexible wood ribs.

Or was his mind playing tricks again?

Eku breathed as he would when stalking.

Became calm.

Wondered what he should do?

Nothing.

Mother said to stay here; in fact, she said it several times and Eku was someone who prided himself in not needing to be told something more than once.

Krele had been very frightened.

Judging from the amount of crying and whimpering from all around, everyone was frightened.

Like I am, Eku thought.

He focused on what he could hear.

Worked on separating the sounds.

The bubinzwana were ferocious, but so was a wenya and a lion and a vubu, and the hunters killed all of those beasts.

Would it not be the same for the bubinzwana?

Eku wondered, what if he was still going to be a hunter?

How ironic.

If that was the case, he would be in a hut with Yathi and Kolo and Dala and Longo and have little idea of what was really happening.

He where Yat was, then remembered her saying she was with Maz and Tar—and Ingwe!

That was good.

Yat was as capable as mother now.

Eku felt a little better, but then realized that Dokuk would be outside, with the other young hunters.

Whispered, as though his voice could somehow carry to Dokuk, “Stay close to Kozik until you have a hunting ikanabe.”

Coming to a decision, Eku stretched his legs out and spun to hands and knees.

Felt the contours of his bed mat and crawled forward.

Not sure where the exit was, stopped at a guessed distance.

The bubinzwana continued to howl and there were shouts across the encampment.

Eku opened his eyes wide until pale canes from the weave of the shelter across from his emerged in the shape of an oval, as though made of ropes hovering in the black.

Shuffled forward to stick his head out.

The air was cooler.

Dim contours took shape. Rows of water reeds, thick as his thumb, woven in and out of the flexible ribs of the shelter in front of his.

Eku realized the night was suddenly and ominously quiet.

Even the babies stopped crying.

There was the whine of cicadas and crickets.

But then … Yes, Eku heard the low tone of people talking. Clicking.

A high pitched scream shivered its way down the chute to the encampment.

The barking and growling of the bubinzwana began again.

Eku was stunned to hear the young Abantu hunters begin singing.

***

Dokuk, in the very back of the group of young hunters was surprised as anyone when unexpectedly, when one of the young hunters was inspired to raise a song.

A scattering of others joined in and then another and … Dokuk, along with all the young hunters, sang a song the hunters used to shoo away lions and hyenas and even elephants.

The moment the Abantu finished, the bubinzwana responded.

And from much much closer!

Blood curdling screams rose with enough coherence to blend and amplified by the shape of the mountain, rolled down and over the people.

Eku thought of the trumpeting of enraged bull elephants and the screams of battling leopards but that was not nearly as frightening.

Still on his hands and knees, Eku realized his arms were trembling.

His mind conjured visions of fanged mouths agape, huge linwelewana-like hands with talons instead of fingers.

The damp soil became slick from the sweat of his palms and he imagined it was because the overall level of fear in the tribe was to soak the ground itself.

Eku fought back a silly urge to cry out, just to let someone hear him and respond.

There were bumps on his skin and the hair on his arms stood.

A voice in his head cried for him to run.

Run for the water!

Surely the bubinzwana cannot swim, the voice reasoned.

But what about the Yat and Yathi?

And what about mother?

Eku wanted to scream at everyone to run into the water so they could all swim back home to Uwama.

They should never have left!

He felt such terror that he could not move, not even to give his trembling arms a rest.

The land of legend was supposed to be their new home.

But maybe that was the real reason the bubinzwana were attacking.

They wanted this land for themselves.

***

Eku focused on his breathing.

Worked to separate sounds. Move past the distraction of crying babies and the undercurrent of low, terrified voices.

Frogs and peepers from the river.

Crickets.

Cryptic calls and commands across the encampment.

Eku crawled from the shelter to stand facing the direction of the water.

The fires behind cast enough light for him to see the tops of the shelters before and to either side, like the stick-covered carapaces of some strange and giant ubhak-unda.

Looked up to see only a few of the brightest stars remained.

Ulanga was rising, but still well below the mountain.

Was that good or bad?

Embi-kulunge.

The shelters were roughly the same height, about the same as Eku, and he went to his toes when he turned to look across the encampment, toward the forest.

The glow from the fires was bright and he brought up a hand in a way to use his fingers to block the brightest, allowing him to see more detail.

Young hunters were crouched in organized rows across the front of the shelters, in the area where they had feasted.

Eku tried to spot Kozik or Dokuk, but the light was too dim.

Across the front row of the shelters, on the upriver side facing the upriver barrier, Eku saw the mothers with the benzi-kusela amongst them. He thought he saw the familiar shape of his mother and aunt Shona lying side by side on the dirt, but could not be sure.

The hunters, the mothers—everyone, looking in the direction of the forest.

Where all the terrible sounds were coming from.

Eku tried to see past the fires, but all he could detect was the dark movement of branches.

Ulayo’s breath was soft and steady, moving with the water.

He wondered where uncle Lume was, and the rest of the izik-kosa?

And where were the Mantel?

Father and Nibamaz?

Eku knew that Kaleni would be outside the camp with the most experienced hunters. And the nesibindi.

Where they would kill the bubinzwana.

If they attacked.

So maybe this would end up only a bluff?

The bubinzwana would see how prepared we are and leave us alone.

That would be best.

Eku placed his hands on the hut he had just vacated. Rows of parallel reeds under his palms. Went to his toes to try to see more.

Looked past the mothers to where the upriver barrier rose, reassuringly high.

Not even an elephant could break through.

Turned to look downriver, squinting, as the large fire beside that barricade burned the brightest. Firelight glinted off stems and the bright sides of leaves and the downriver barrier looked equally secure as the other.

The land on the downriver side rose quickly once past the floodplain. Light from the fire reached a jumble of pale rocks and dark earth, where the talus of the mountain began, formed over deep time from rockfall and erosion.

Eku was stunned to see shadowed forms creeping through gnarled bushes sprouted across the rugged terrain.

Bubinzwana!

***

Two smaller groups of bubinzwana separated from the main pack.

The first headed in a direction upriver.

The second moved down the hill and across the outskirts of the floodplain to a steep talus, where they climbed briefly and then turned to approach the flat face lair from an angle against the flow of the river.

The bubinzwana used the club ends of sturdy spears to help with balance, carefully working their down a steep incline littered with shards of granite, gnarly bushes growing from every available space in between.

Gingerly approached where they could see the barrier built by the flat faces; the ring of fires curving toward the front of the camp.

They see the flat faces waiting for them.

Positioned at the front of the nest.

That was good.

What the alpha told them to expect.

The bubinzwana climbed down the last of the steep terrain. As soon they were on level ground, charged for the flat face encampment.

***

Eku watched a confrontation that was short and fierce and surprisingly, without bloodshed.

As soon as the bubinzwana entered within reach of firelight voices rang out and there was movement all across the encampment.

Adult Bwana males and females he had previously not seen—having been camouflaged amidst matted thick grasses and piles of palm leaves—sprang up, some using slings, other their throwing arms to hurl stones with speed and accuracy at the bubinzwana, who, curiously, came to a halt as soon as they got past the fires.

The bubinzwana crouched low, shielding heads and faces with their arms.

Eku yelped with pleasure when rocks bounced hard off the interlopers’ bodies.

Because he was nervous, his mind reverted to attaching bodies to fingers and Eku counted six bubinzwana, who seemed unfazed at the thrown stones and roared defiantly, lifting their spears.

Eku was shocked by the thickness; in fact, the spears of the bubinzwana were huge compared to an ula-konto.

Though heavy and fearsome, he knew the lack of straightness would make them effective only for stabbing. Or clubbing.

More worrying was how powerful bubinzwana must be to even wield them.

A group of Abantu hunters sprinted from the center area of the encampment.

Due to his height, Eku spotted Kozik in the middle and thought he might have caught a glimpse of Dokuk, but couldn’t be sure.

The bubinzwana screamed ferociously at their approach, drawing Eku’s attention back their way and Eku quickly realized that no matter how capable, the bubinzwana were spectacularly outnumbered.

The beasts had long and dark hair and bearded faces.

Huge torsos and short legs.

The muscles of their thighs and butts shook and bulged as they moved with quick steps and hops.

Some of the young hunters were overeager and let loose with their ula-kontos from too far away.

Again, Eku was fearfully impressed as the bubinzwana slapped the speeding ula-konto out of the air with their much larger spears like annoying insects.

They were incredibly strong, but also coordinated like monkeys and agile like a leopard!

But now the young Abantu were spreading in an organized way, setting themselves up for a disciplined and simultaneous volley of ula-konto, when the bubinzwana suddenly turned and raced back into the darkness from which they arrived.

Baffled—but also very happy—Eku had a sudden thought of baboons.

Baboons were fearsome with a jaw nearly equal to a leopard; nevertheless, when opposing baboon groups crossed paths, there was much bluff and bluster, but actual fights were rare.

Eku had seen how capable the bubinzwana truly were.

Which was why the attack had the feeling of a … Performance?

Judging from the volume of noise within the forest, Eku knew there were waka-waka bubinzwana advancing on the floodplain.

Why send so few this way?

***

A shelf of rock protruding from the hill thrust high enough to expose a view of the flat face nesting area through a gap in the treeline.

During the descent, a group of bubinzwana stopped there to observe, their leader showing patience rare for his kind.

Especially an alpha.

Magnificently muscled, he stood with several other large and impressive bubinzwana.

The clan’s dominant alliance.

They carried hefty bone clubs and stabbing spears with blackened, fire hardened tips.

With the vantage of the shelf of rock, they can see the flat faces gathered like a herd on the perimeter of the camp, as the old male told the young alpha to anticipate—the herd that is a dangerous predator.

Those inside the nesting area have clever weapons—also expected.

Therefore, the alpha was pleased to have followed the suggestions of the old male.

The old one was clever.

The most clever of them all, by far.

The bubinzwana alpha felt an inexplicable affection for the old male.

Often, it was necessary for a new leader to kill his predecessor—even a sibling or the male who sired them, to better establish or maintain an alliance; instead, when the younger replaced the older in nothing more than formal combat, the old male and the new alpha instantly forged an invincible alliance.

Though just a fledgling at the time, one of the few to survive, the young alpha remembered the march through the land of death.

As he grew large and strong and clever, he never forgot how it was the old male’s experience and strength that allowed their clan to survive the terrible march, when others had not.

But that was long ago.

Tonight, the young alpha was pleased.

The first sneak attack was merely a probe.

A guise.

They have exposed where the flat faces were strong.

The next attack would show where they were weak.

And then the fun would begin.

***

Upriver from the flat face encampment, the old male led the first group of bubinzwana to separate from the main group.

Led them in an arc so they could approach the nest of the flat faces from upriver.

The bubinzwana moved stealthily on soft ground under heavy vegetation.

Though he limped and was slightly hunched, the old male exuded an aura of strength.

The younger males accompanying him reveled at being chosen for this part of the raid.

The old male was a legendary hunter and fighter.

The old male was excited to lead again, but wary.

Flat faces were clever and prepared for this raid by doing the very things he should have thought of before they surprisingly and so destructively attacked his clan, so long ago.

But that fight no longer mattered, because revenge was nigh.

Fortunately, the young alpha was clever and listened to his advice.

They had a good plan.

Foolproof.

The clever prey before them could not possibly be prepared for an entire bubinzwana clan on a coordinated hunt.

The old male led a group of young and strong and agile hunters.

They carried clubs and daggers only, for spears were too cumbersome in the water.

The old male led them to where the outer margin of the forest met the river, a bit upstream from where the flat faces built their protective barrier.

The embankment was steep with no floodplain and the bubinzwana slid down to enter the water, pushing away from shore to where the river was deep, the darkness complete.

The current, barely noticeable, allowed them to leisurely float past the barricade.

The moon was gone, the stars faded into the black and the surface of the water remained busy with insects and jumping fish.

Croakers and peepers paid them no heed.

The old male was confident they would not be noticed, especially after the other group pulled the flat faces defending the inside of the nest to the other side.

The bubinzwana kicked for shore, causing only as much disturbance on the surface as was necessary to breathe.

Emerged dripping into a pre-dawn darkness, the outline of the flat face nests outlined by the light from the fires beyond.

Rounded, like eggs.

Lined up nice and orderly.

The bubinzwana moved silently through soft river grass.

Whether prey or predator, the first rule was to protect the little ones.

That was where the flat faces were vulnerable.

They would attack where the youngest were nested.

Kill a few.

Grab some of the smallest to bring back to camp and earn favor with the females.

Their diversion will cause panic amongst the flat faces acting as a herd that is a predator.

When the outer defense collapsed, the main group would storm through and take what they wanted.

The clan would then disappear into the mountains before the flat faces even realized what happened.

The bubinzwana reached dry ground and charged for the shelters.

***

When the bubinzwana retreated into the forest, Eku felt incredible relief.

But now came a flood of guilt for disobeying mother.

Hoping that no one noticed, Eku worked back through the shelters to find his own.

Glanced over the shelter on his left, toward the forest, to see the darkened lump of the mountain emerged, the shapes of individual trees.

Ulanga was coming.

Would the attack come with him?

Distracted, Eku went past his shelter.

Turned to go back and looked across waka huts toward the river to see dark shapes moving through the margin of river grass that grew in the shallows.

What!

As though rose from the river itself, bubinzwana pushed through the grass and once reaching soil,  sprinted straight for the shelters.

Straight at Eku!

Or so it seemed, at first.

The beasts carried bone clubs, surely with cruel intent.

Having a crazy thought that the bubinzwana could swim after all, Eku gathered his breath to yell, but there were multiple shouts.

At the same time of the shouting, Eku saw the movement of many individuals amongst the space between the shelters closest to the water.

There was just enough light from the fires to see a wall of figures rise and for just an instant, Eku was confused at the peculiar outlines, as all of the heads seemed to have something sticking from the top.

Ah!—the Mantel ponytails!

As the bubinzwana charged, the Mantel stepped forth and made smooth and synchronous movements; there was the thrum of taut strings released and the bubinzwana immediately began staggering and grunting and snarling in pain.

For a frantic moment, Eku thought the bubinzwana were somehow sprouting strange and thick hairs only to realize they were being impaled by the tiny spears of the guka-hombe!

More Mantel emerged from the shadow and taut strings thrummed and the tiny spears flew faster than a speeding insect.

Two of the bubinzwana are so injured by the tiny spears they simply fall forward face first to the ground.

Two others fell to their knees, severely injured.

When a single bubinzwana managed to almost reach the shelters, Eku saw what could only be the huge form of his uncle Lume—even bigger than the bubinzwana!

The great, tree-felling ax was in his hands and he delivered such an awful blow there was a gout of blood and the bubinzwana’s head seemed to explode.

Young izik-kosa rushed from all around Lume and used vicious blows of their own wood chopping axes to finish off the remaining bubinzwana, already staggered, having been pierced by so many of the tiny spears.

Stunned and impressed by yet another effective defense, Eku almost missed the large and hunched figure moving away from the battle toward the barrier of brush.

Possibly another bubinzwana, but Eku couldn’t be sure as he instinctively ducked down at the tremendous escalation of noise behind him.

The horde was attacking!

And everyone was defending but him!

Eku whirled and darted past a shelter.

Saw his own and skipped and launched himself through the oval entrance.

Tumbled into darkness to flail about.

Came to his knees and was startled by the sound of an ichi-whistle.

His foot tangled and Eku fell over, grunting when the side of his head landed painfully on something hard.

Another crescendo of roars sent his heart racing faster and Eku twisted to the side and reached for what bumped his head.

Found a familiar shape and took firm hold of his ula-konto.

***

Uta screamed for his nesibindi to retreat to the edge of the encampment.

There were too many bubinzwana.

Advancing with their awful spears and clubs.

The nesibindi pulled themselves into the shape of a half circle to block the only avenue into the encampment.

Young Abantu hunters within the encampment surged forward to form another line of defense behind the nesibindi.

Fear spread like a fire out of control.

They were about to be overrun by the savage horde.

There was simply no way they could stop this many bubinzwana.

The nesibindi were terrified, but Uta knows they will die to defend the camp, if necessary.

He also knows how much they committed to the inner defenses of the encampment, to forge an impenetrable ring around the children and young mothers.

But that ring of protection will shatter like an egg against the horde.

The horde must be stopped!

Uta saw there were no more bubinzwana emerging from the forest.

Everyone was on the floodplain now, the two sides massed together, face to face, the outcome hanging in the balance.

Uta roared, “Nesibindi this is where we stand!”

And began blowing the ichi-whistle.

***

On the downriver side of the encampment, where the land began to rise, enormous boulders lay amorphous, mostly grass and bush covered; though, some of the ancient stone still touched the air as mottled lumps of granite.

Such boulders dwarf anything mortal, but were mere detritus to the mighty hills that shrugged them off during the final tremors that formed this land.

Through the erosion of deep time, Uwama has half-swallowed, half-covered the boulders, forming nestled hollows surrounded by thick bushes, perfect cover for the Abantu hunters, all of whom wore two or more talons of the fish eagle on their chest.

Kaleni and Nibamaz kept everyone calm and concealed until the sound of the ichi-whistle, when they burst from concealment to rush down the incline and onto the floodplain, racing through small palms and grass, straight at the bubinzwana.

Each hunter carried a javelin.

Each hunter paced side by side with his lifelong ikanabe.

Each pair moved with a familiar team.

Some of the bubinzwana see them coming and cry out.

Led by the alpha male, a group of the most powerful bubinzwana turned with confidence to meet the surprise attack on their flank.

The alpha, like all of the bubinzwana, knew the momentum of the hunt had turned in their favor.

The old male was attacking and the herd that was predator was about to collapse.

This was a pathetic diversion, nothing else.

A group of bubinzwana charged out to meet the Abantu hunters, carrying sturdy wooden spears with nasty, fire hardened tips.

They wielded clubs made from hearty saplings, or leg bones with a heavily knobbed hip joint.

Fearsome weapons, indeed.

But the Abantu javelins were like nothing the bubinzwana have ever encountered.

Weapons originally designed to skewer seals larger than lions, each spear was twice as long as the hunter is tall, the haft nearly unbreakable and finished with an extended blade of isipo-igazi, viciously sharp on two sides.

The muscular arm of a bubinzwana cannot bat aside such a weapon.

Even a well-timed blow with a bone club will not deter such a blade.

Instead of slowing as they approach, the Abantu hunters split into groups and sped up, attacking in separate units, the first hammering into the center of the bubinzwana charging out to meet them, the weight and momentum of their bodies sending the terrible blades slicing through forearms, skewering between ribs and severing throats.

Even a misdirected slash to the thigh or stomach tears a mortal wound.

At the screams of their comrades, a group of bubinzwana leapt from the main pack to help, only to be met by another team of Abantu hunters, slashing in from a different angle.

For every hunter who strikes with a javelin, a bubinzwana falls.

Making matters worse, the bubinzwana do not understand such tactics.

Not only have they never encountered these weapons, but the flat faces are not attacking like a powerful herd; instead, they attacked as many small packs working in unison, from seemingly every direction at once.

The alpha bubinzwana pushed forward and charged for Kaleni, who worked to extricate his javelin from a dying bubinzwana.

The alpha raised his club to deliver a killing blow only to have his breath cut short and turn to a gurgle, choking on his own blood, impaled on the javelin of Nibamaz, stepping in to defend Kaleni from exactly such an attack.

As soon as the alpha dropped, the remaining bubinzwana panicked.

From the edge of the camp Uta roared, “Now we fight like nesibindi!”

Axes were hurled with deadly accuracy and more bubinzwana fell.

Uta and the nisibindi surged forward, using their short spears to mow down the beasts before them.

The bubinzwana began tripping over each other in their haste to retreat.

Sprinting from the encampment to encircle the horde came the young Abantu hunters, screaming ferociously.

Waka-waka ula-konto flew.

More bubinzwana fell.

The horde became hysterical.

Individuals resorting to base instincts.

Amongst their kind, when a male bubinzwana showed superiority, the defeated offered fealty by dropping weapons and offering supplication with facial expressions and hand gestures.

Such acts of submission were necessary for the rituals of combat that maintain their alliances.

But when the bubinzwana made their appeals at the entrance to the land of legend, the flat faces did not recognize what they were doing.

Nor would they have offered mercy if they had.

The hunters and nesibindi closed on the throng of hopelessly outnumbered and out-weaponed bubinzwana.

The javelins, spears and axes were deadly effective and the defeat of the bubinzwana turned into slaughter.

***

The old male wanted to hold hands over his ears.

Prevent himself from hearing the sounds of his clan dying.

When his companions charged forward to attack the shelters of the flat faces, the old male slipped to the side, heading toward the barrier of brush and sticks, thinking that once the horde broke through, he could quickly direct them to the appropriate shelters to finish the raid and make a fast getaway.

Instead, the old male watched in disbelief as some of the clan’s strongest males were cut down in ways he did not understand.

How can flat faces fight so?

And how did they know to protect along the water in the first place?

Herd beasts panic.

That was a rule!

But instead of panicking, all of the flat faces became predators and acted in unison!

How could that be possible?

The old male knew his clan was being destroyed.

Annihilated.

He began to shake.

Body trembling from emotion.

A moan escaped.

No!

—I will not end like this!

The old male gripped the club tightly with one hand and made a fist with the other; tilted his shaggy head to stare fiercely at the early morning sky, grimacing, as though in terrible pain.

Opened his mouth wide to offer a long and drawn out scream of silent protest to the new day.

Bowed his head.

Stroked the giant fang that hung from his neck.

The old male listened as the flat faces cheered victoriously from outside the encampment.

With nothing left to lose, there were no more boundaries and the old male’s pain ignited rage as self-immolation—in blood.

He saw that all of the flat-faces with the dangerous weapons had left the nesting area.

And now, even the large females were moving away from the lairs with the little ones inside.

How ironic.

With victory at hand, they have finally left their most precious unprotected.

Hidden in the early morning shadow, the old male watched as flat-faced fledglings, including young females, began to emerge from the shelters.

A taller female stepped to the front.

Slender and willowy, more like the adult females of his kind.

A pendant showed blue between her teats.

Too bad.

She was a good age to carry away for use by the young males, but since that was not going to happen, the old male decided to kill her first.

Still able to move quickly when properly motivated, the old male charged from the shadows.

***

Alas, all of the violence was not over.

Preparation by the tribe was flawless; nevertheless, no matter how careful the planning, as the people learned with young Goguk, there was always a hiccup.

Krele and Shona were with Kafila and the other mothers who formed the last line of defense around the shelters, which thankfully went unneeded.

Until now.

With wonderful relief and happiness, they heard the cries of victory from outside the encampment.

Krele was the first to head outward, concerned over injuries to the nesibindi and hunters.

The other mothers followed.

Kafila still carried the splendid weapon given to her by Tiuti and was last to move away.

Halfway between the shelters and the forest-side edge of the encampment, she caught movement and turned her head to see the charge of the bubinzwana.

Spun around and thought—this cannot be real?

Victory was at hand!

But there was denying that a giant bubinzwana was racing from the edge of the camp for the young people in the center.

Kafila saw Ingwe and an involuntary sound burst from her lips—a mother’s anguished cry of horror.

Krele and the other mothers spun to see and raised similar, awful sounds of distress.

They were too far away.

Meanwhile, the Mantel hunters and izik-kosa were still grouped on the far side of the shelters, along the river.

There was no one left to protect the little ones.

The juxtaposition told Kafila what was inevitable.

All she and the others could do was try to stop the carnage after it began.

Kafila raised the ax to run back as the other mothers followed.

But then, emerging from between shelters was Eku, holding only a slender spear.

***

Eku poked his head out of the shelter opening.

At least now there was plenty of light.

Still, with all of the shelters built so tightly, there was nothing but the weaving of reeds all around.

Pushed to his feet and felt silly, holding his ula-konto.

Sure, he thought.

With victory at hand, here I am pretending to be a hunter.

Eku was embarrassed.

Mother was right.

He should have stayed in the shelter the whole time.

But Eku also had to admit to a feeling of wonderment.

The triumphant cries from outside the encampment were not to be mistaken.

Victory!

Eku remained terribly worried about his father; nevertheless, the measure of relief was indescribable.

There was movement all around.

Shuffling of bodies crawling from the many shelters.

Numerous young voices, soft and tentative.

Eku wondered if anyone peeked out during the fighting, like himself.

Felt guilty again, but also proud of his daring and cannot wait to tell Yat and Yathi what he saw. Especially the part about uncle Lume.

Went to his toes to see over the shelters.

A few close-shorn heads, like his own.

Saw Tuve and Odi, tall enough for their heads to poke above the shelters.

Everyone was peering in the same direction and Eku thought they all looked like meerkats and giggled from nervousness.

He remembered where Yat went when she said she was going to be in the same shelter as Ingwe and moved in that direction.

Oh—wait!

His ula-konto.

He would look silly if others saw him carrying it now.

Turned to bring the weapon back, but then … Why would that be silly?

He was proud of his ula-konto.

For however much longer he was able to keep it.

Eku squeezed past the edge of the shelter next to his and stepped to where he could see across the encampment.

Saw his mother with Shona and Kafila and other mothers moving outward, toward the perimeter.

No doubt concerned about any wounded.

Took another step, still hesitant to walk out where people could see him and saw Kafila stop awkwardly, looking sharply in the direction of the protective barrier.

Too far away to see the expression on her face, the change in posture told Eku something very bad was happening.

He stepped past the last hut blocking his view to look.

***

Kafila screamed as Eku spotted Ingwe just a few paces away—while at the same time, from beyond where she stood, from out of the darkened area of the protective barrier, the charge of a monstrous bubinzwana.

A nightmare conjured into the real world.

Like the vubu that killed Goguk.

Bulging leg muscles propelled the bearded beast forward.

One hand held a cruel looking bone club, the other was closed in a fist, pumping hard as a heavy pendant bounced off its chest.

Fierce eyes focused on the young people.

Ingwe at the forefront.

Another moment seared into Eku’s mind.

Forever.

A similar move made by the wounded nesibindi would be the most dependable course of action.

Too far away.

There was only one other thing he could do.

***

The first time Eku told his father that he was going to be a hunter, just like him, Kaleni only smiled.

But after taking a closer look at his son, so small, but so serious, Kaleni told Eku his first and most important lesson.

He told Eku that every hunter, one day, confronts life and death.

Life and death not just for him and his fellow hunters, but for his family.

And a hunter's survival and thus the survival of the people he loves most, will depend on learning what other hunters can teach him.

And then—you practice!

In the span of a heartbeat, Eku charted the path of the charging bubinzwana, swept a glance over the ground before him, adjusted his grip on the ula-konto, dug hard at the dirt of Umawa with his toes and did what he had been practicing waka-waka times.

No, waka-waka-waka times—three step throw.

Pushing hard with his right foot, Eku stepped with the left and allowed his mind to interpret the speed and path of the bubinzwana.

Began to raise the ula-konto as his weight surged forward.

Planted and pushed with his left foot and swung the right forward, twisting his torso as he did to pull back his right shoulder, the ula-konto rising to his ear.

Planted hard with the outside of the right foot and arched his back so that for just an instant, the ula-konto was aimed at the early morning sky.

Eku threw his left foot and arm forward while straightening his back and twisting his torso so that all of his strong young body’s energy channeled down his right arm and into the ula-konto that sped along the path his mind had chosen.

The giant beast was practically on top of Ingwe and raised the club to strike, exposing the ribs and the barbed end of the spear tore through skin and sliced past muscle and splintered against a rib bone, shattering in a way that sent shards of the blade stabbing deeper into the body to slice across multiple organs.

A mortal injury, for sure, but the bubinzwana was too tough to die quickly.

The bone club flew from the beast’s hands as Ingwe—ever alert and genet-quick—leaped clear with a shrill yelp.

The bubinzwana cartwheeled head over heels and tumbled to a stop almost at Eku’s feet.

The huge beast squirmed violently, struggling to get up and for an instant, Eku wondered what else he could possibly do when Kafila arrived.

Flying through the air so that for that instant, she became the incredible and beautiful bee-eater before slamming on top of the bubinzwana and using her knees to pin down its arms.

***

The old alpha was confused.

Found himself flailing on the ground, where a moment before he was running, with his club raised, about to gain some measure of revenge by dealing a death blow to the young flat face.

Then a hard punch to the ribs.

Ah!—he fell.

Having realized he was on the ground, the old alpha tried to get up, but his body wasn’t working properly.

Something pulled heavily at his side.

Squirmed and reached and found a slender spear had stabbed deeply; groped and grasped and yanked, but the haft snapped and then his breath burst painfully from his lungs at the heavy impact of another body on his.

And now a female flat face was on top of him!

Pinning his arms down, while straddling him in a sexual position!

The features of her flat face were contorted, but not from pleasure.

Rage.

The old alpha understood rage.

And he knew very well that even a powerful male does not provoke the rage of a female protecting her young.

The arms of the flat face were raised, one of their clever clubs clenched between her fists.

Screaming into his face.

The old alpha’s last thought—my death arrives.

***

Eku closed his eyes when Kafila brought the ax down.

Opened them to see the bubinzwana go still, blood spilling down its face.

With a high-pitched snarl, Kafila yanked the ax from the beast’s head and threw herself off the body, leaping for Ingwe.

Mother and child clasped in hug and Eku watched as the bloody ax slid from Kafila’s hand to the ground.

Kafila fiercely held onto Ingwe, both of them sobbing. Pulled her face from Ingwe’s poof and looked at Eku, motioning with the bloody hand, crying, “My child—come to me.”

Eku started forward, but then Krele was upon him, gathering Eku into her arms.

All the mothers were around them now.

Eku instinctively hugged Krele hard, and she squeezed back, sobbing.

There was much crying and voices telling the young people to stay close as izik-kosa and Mantel swarmed around them.

Strangely, with all of the confusion, all Eku could think of was the way Kafila had said, my child.

Because, despite the oddity of the moment, his heart sang with wini-nesisa, knowing at last that Ingwe truly belonged to him, just as he belonged to her.

And nothing was ever going to change that.

The battle was over. The bubinzwana were killed. The threat was eliminated.

The tribe was safe.