Those two friends were his circle, and with his parents formed much of his world. Kinara often wondered if it would be healthy for his young son, or if it would withdraw him from the world. If ANYTHING, an up and coming politician must be able to mix with people well. There lay the problem: Kinara wanted him to like other people but not imitate them. He would invite the “right” people to his home after coaching Metutu on what to say and how to behave. Metutu would shyly stammer through the mandatory greetings when others came by, and then would more likely than not hide himself away at the first chance. But around Wandani and Asumini he was bubbly, friendly, and even a little bit of a show-off.
Every time Kinara would contemplate doing something to change his son into a small version of himself, Neema would quietly and subtly change his mind. She was in her meek, quiet way the greatest power in the village. And she liked Metutu just the way he was. Her love for him was unconditional, and her only plan for him was to find happiness.
On the other hand, a bully, named Duma, devoted himself to making Metutu's life miserable. He was about Wandani’s age, but otherwise he was everything Wandani was not--crude, unfair, and quick to say things that cut the spirit to the deep arteries. His knack was in finding Metutu and Wandani when the other adults were not around. And worse, he always had several of his own shiftless friends with him. But when it comes to actually pounding Metutu into the ground, he would draw the line. As loyal Wandani would quickly remind him, "You better not! I’ll go call the Chief and YOU’LL be sorry.”
The threat was a magic talisman, a mark of the great respect paid Kinara by young and old alike. Metutu was glad for the safety, and he was also glad that he did not have to utter the shameful excuse himself. Still, bullies could come and go, but he would always be plain. Sometimes he would sneak away and cry until he was ready to face the world once more.
CHAPTER 3: UNDER CONTROL
“Four large stones he had tossed, and still the leopard came closer. Little Brother Chako had only the small one left. This he tossed at a nearby hornet’s nest. Kerplunk! It fell onto the leopard’s back, and with great anger the hornets came out to avenge this outrage. Only they directed their attack at the leopard who had to run for his life! And Little Brother Chako laughed loudly. ‘It’s not how big the rock is, but how you throw it that counts!’”
-- “LITTLE BROTHER CHAKO”, SECTION 10-B
Metutu, Wandani and Asumini had been playing tag, but it eventually lost its edge and they sought new pursuits.
“I know where there is this great tree with lots of vines,” Metutu said. “Come on.”
He headed off into the jungle where there were no paths. “Where are we going?” Wandani asked. “This place is dangerous!”
“Dangerous?” Asumini said. “I don’t know about this.”
“Aw, don’t be such a big mwana! I’ve been here lots of times. It’s safe!”
Wandani threw up his hands. “You’ve been sneaking away again. You know your dad would whack me good if he knew.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t know. And he won’t know if you don’t tell him. The way I look at it is this--he doesn’t think we should do fun stuff till we’re too old to have fun doing it. I mean, how many times have you seen HIM swinging from a vine?”
Wandani scratched his head. “I still don’t like it.” Still he came, and Asumini followed. The subtle marks on tree trunks showed that Metutu HAD been that way at least once before and left his trail. He skipped through the brush with such enthusiasm that before long they were all wondering just how good it could be to risk a spanking for twice.
And then they found it. Twin trees in the middle of a clearing with lots of vines that reached the ground. Metutu pointed excitedly. “Check this out!”
“Yeah!” Wandani forgot about his unease. He grabbed a vine, stepped back a few paces and pulled up his feet. “Oh, this is so neat!” As he swung, he bellowed out, “Asante sana, squash banana! We we nugu, mi mi apana!”
Asumini sprang for another vine. It easily held her weight, and she quickly climbed hand-over-hand to a low branch. She put her knees over the branch and hung upside down. “Hey Metutu, look!”
“Don’t do that!” Metutu was beside himself. “You could get killed!”
“I’m fine. You ought to--oh my gods!”
“Are you all right?? Hold on, I’ll get you!”
“Leopard! Get up, get up!!”
For only a second, Metutu thought it might be a joke. Then he thought better and sprang for a vine, quickly pulling himself up. Seconds later, a huge spotted cat lunged and touched the bottom of his foot with a swipe of the paw. Metutu did not stop until he was safely in a crotch of the tree between two strong branches. He glanced around for Wandani, but found him hanging from a branch about halfway up the tree.
“You’re lucky I saw her,” Asumini said. “You might have been killed.” She pulled herself upright and shivered.
“Oh, I wasn’t a’skeerd,” Metutu said. “I was just worried about you two. You gotta let them know who’s boss. They smell fear, you know.”
“Really?” Wandani asked.
“Sure. Look at that ugly nose. See, she’s sniffing. Sniffing for someone that’s afraid, because she won’t attack unless you’re afraid. She wouldn’t dare tangle with me.”
“Well I’m not afraid,” Wandani said, pulling a nut and tossing it down. It fell with a plop beside the great cat, and she looked down at it with a huff.
“Can’t you hit a target that big?” Metutu pulled a nut and chucked it at her. With a sudden growl, the leopardess wheeled around and struck with her claws. “Right on the behind!” Metutu said. “This one will go right between the eyes.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Asumini said. “Big cats have a sense of pride. If you make her mad, she’ll come for you.”
“Yeah, right. Don’t worry about me, girl--I have the situation under control.
“I’m telling you, this is a mistake.”
“Oh? Who made you such an expert on big cats?”
“I have a lioness for an Auntie, that’s who.”
“Yeah? No foolin? Well I have an elephant for an Uncle!” He pulled another nut and aimed carefully. “Look out below!”
Whap, it struck her right between the eyes making her wince. “I told you to look out!”
“That’s enough, you half pints!” Enraged, the leopardess began to climb the tree. “I’m going to skin you alive, and every time you scream I’m going to laugh!”
Her heavy but firm treads made the whole tree shake. She was remarkably quick. The three mandrill children had to make a dizzying leap into another tree. Wandani charged across without a second’s hesitation. Asumini leaped and rather than landing with her feet grabbed a branch and swung for a moment by her arms.
Metutu looked down at the ground far below. It began to spiral and he lost his nerve. Clutching his stomach, he moaned. "I can't!"
The leopardess was working her way out onto the smaller branches. His precarious perch began to sway alarmingly. He found the motivation, and with his heart practically in his throat he jumped! For an awful couple of seconds he was airborne between tall trees. He desperately grabbed for a branch. Gotcha!
He worked to get his feet on a good-sized branch. Catching his breath, he works his way toward the trunk of the second tree and from there hoped to climb down on a vine to safety.
The leopardess jumped, catching a limb with her forepaws. After hanging for a second with her legs dangling, she felt the limb go ‘crack!’
The concussion almost threw Metutu off of his perch. She fell from branch to branch, and finally dropped to the ground, her fur looking scrubby and flecked with bits of green leaves. Her dignity damaged, but otherwise intact, she licked her paws nonchalantly, then sniffed derisively.
Metutu yelled down, “I’ll tell my dad!”
She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll skin him for raising a brat!” At once she began to climb up the trunk.
A
sumini, her voice trembling, shouted down, “Forgive my friend. He was foolish to challenge your honor. Indeed you are powerful, and your anger must be unstoppable. I crawl before you, Mother of Death.”
The leopardess stopped. “Your mother has raised you well. I will spare you and the silent one.”
“I plead with you for the blood of mercy. Remember who separates the milk from the mud. May he separate your anger from your wisdom. He’s only a child--if he is not killed, he will learn from this.” Trembling in every limb, Asumini climbed down toward the great cat, her breath shallow and fast, and her heart pounding. As she came closer, large hazel eyes watched her every move intently. With less than an arm’s length between her and the powerful huntress, she held out a trembling hand.
The leopardess’ nose came up very close so that Asumini could feel the breath on her hand. Depending on the merits of her apology, one of two things could happen. Asumini shut her eyes tightly, gasped for air, and prayed.
The pink tongue shot out and licked her hand. The leopardess purred appreciatively. “My honor is satisfied. On the off chance that you are right, I will spare him--for YOUR sake.”
The leopardess climbed down, but she was in no hurry to leave. To live up to her reputation, she groomed her powerful, lithe body, sharpened her scimitar claws on the tree, and made a forced but effective yawn to display her arsenal of death. Then she leisurely strolled off into the forest.
A few minutes later Metutu, who had everything under control, could be talked into climbing down to join Wandani and Asumini. The three friends then started home, scratched up and sore, and maybe a little bit wiser. Metutu looked at Asumini and said, “I didn’t know you liked me that much.”
She scowled and slapped his face with all her might. “Don’t you EVER do that to me again!”
“I’m telling his dad!” Wandani said.
“Be sure to tell him you started it! The moment you snitch on me, I’m holding nothing back!”
“You wouldn’t tell him that, would you?”
“Just try me.”
Metutu rubbed his cheek. “I only meant ‘thank you.’”
CHAPTER 4: THE TIME TO ACT
The leopardess was not Metutu’s only problem, nor was she his worst, for she had a sense of honor and fairness. As the favorite target of the troop’s bullies, he was subject to almost daily harassment. And eventually the time had to come when matters would come to a head. Wandani could not be the permanent solution to the problem, and threatening Duma with telling Kinara would be trumped.
That day, Duma, with triumph in his wicked leer said, “Yeah, tell his daddy. The little baby can’t take care of himself. Go tell his daddy before he starts crying.”
“I’m no baby!” Metutu said.
Duma knew he was already winning. “Don’t cry, baby! Your daddy would punish me if I made you cry. We all know he wouldn’t let his ugly little babykins get hurt!”
“I’ll tell you who’s ugly!” Metutu said as tears streamed down his poor, plain face. “I hate you! I hate you!”
“I’m telling if you hit him!” Wandani shouted at Duma.
“But you can’t!” Metutu protested. Metutu took him by the shoulders and shook him. “I’m not a baby. I have to fight my own battles, and you aren’t going to tell my Dad, understand? Promise me.”
“But I can’t!”
“You have to! If you’re really my friend and not just a servant, promise me!”
The tone of that remark stung Wandani who really loved Metutu. “If you’re really my friend, please don’t do it. He’s bigger than you. He’ll chew you up and spit you out! Please?”
“You better listen to your friend,” Duma taunted. “If your face got much uglier, you’d have to wear a basket over it.”
Metutu looked at his friend right in the eyes. “I have to do this, my Rafiki Wandani. Don’t make it harder on me than it already is. The moment you run to get dad, I’ll fight him.”
Tears began to stream down Wandani’s cheeks. “All right. Do your best.”
In fear, but with defiance in his eyes, Metutu pulled up his fists and told Duma, “Just the two of us. Leave him out of it.”
“Anything you say.” Duma saw his hands up protecting his face. He made a quick feint at his chin and when Metutu brought his hands together, Duma’s other fist hit him squarely in the stomach. Metutu doubled over with pain. He quickly straightened up and tried a few weak swings at Duma, but he paid for them with repeated blows to the face and stomach that battered him to the limits of his endurance, and as he lost control were more like events happening to another person standing on the same spot. He was about to pass out. Finally Metutu crumpled to his knees. “I give up.”
“It’s not that easy,” Duma said. “You started this, and you’re going to finish it!”
Wandani pushed Metutu on the ground and fell over him.
Duma kicked Wandani in the side and struck him in the back. When Duma tried to lift him off, he put his arms around Metutu in a tight clinch and gritted his teeth.
“Leave him alone!” Wandani cried. “Go away!”
“I’m going to finish this!” Duma viciously kicked Wandani in the ribs.
“You’ve hurt him enough! Go away, or I’ll fight you myself! I may not win, but I’ll mark you!” Wandani sprang up like a rabid animal and grabbed Duma by the fur on his neck, startling him. His fingernails pierced the skin and brought blood. “I swear, I’ll mark you for life even if you kill me for it! You can’t get me off that fast! I’ll mark you!”
Duma saw the fun was over, he shoved Wandani away and made a forced laugh to his friends. “You just name the time and place, short stuff! Hey fellows, let’s get out of here before the baby starts crying again!”
CHAPTER 5: PLACING THE BLAME
When everything was still, Wandani got to his feet. He pulled Metutu upright, not an easy job for Metutu was nearly battered senseless, bleeding from the nose and horribly bruised. “Oh Metutu, why won’t you listen to me?”
Metutu said, “Don’t be mad at me Rafiki Wandani.” He put his arms around him to hold upright, but he was also clearly hugging him as the tears ran down Wandani’s cheeks. “You can’t fight all my battles. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. You still my Rafiki?”
“Always.” Wandani held Metutu upright and let him lean on him all the way home.
“Do you think Dad will notice?”
“On a new moon night under a bush with his eyes closed he would notice.”
Kinara was already fit to be tied. He was angry over Old Maloki, the neighboring chieftain. “You would think he was trading us Tiko Root at those rates! Five bundles of Bonewort, and for this wilted Mitobi stalk! Just look at it--it looks like it sat out in the sun!” The chief looked around. “Son? Oh my gods! Have you two been fighting??”
“Not each other,” Metutu said. “Wandani’s my friend.”
His mother was openly horrified and rushed to embrace her son and kiss him. His father was angry, but maintained a certain gentle outward charm that kept the rank and file of mandrills guessing.
"Now tell me who did this to you. It's all right. I'm not angry. Well, I am, but not at you."
“I can’t tell. I’m not a baby. I promised I wouldn’t go telling. If I tell, everyone will think I’m a baby.”
“You promised that?” Kinara smiled--a genuine smile--and he gently stroked Metutu’s cheek with his fingertips. “A little boy went out to play, and he came back a buck.”
Metutu’s battered face broke out in a warm smile.
“Who won?”
Metutu’s smile dropped. “He pounded me into the ground. If Wandani hadn’t covered me, I’d still be lying there.”
Kinara gave him a hug. “You won anyhow. You conquered yourself, and that is no small thing.”
“Wandani helped a lot. He fought like a honey badger. See, he’s cut up pretty bad.”
“I can see. And don’t think he won’t get his reward.” Kinara took Wandani aw
ay a distance, leaving Metutu with his mother.
Kinara said in a low voice, “Who hurt my son?”
“He made me promise I wouldn’t tell.”
Without showing anger, but only concern, he said, “I promise YOU something, Wandani. If you don’t tell me who did this, your father will not get his promotion on the council. I expect a priest to have a family that respects the law above rash promises.” Kinara looked at the scratched, bruised face of Wandani and saw the tears start. He knelt and hugged the child. “I won’t tell him you told. He will never have to find out. But how can we protect him if you won’t be open with me? Hmm? You can see that I want to do MY share protecting him too.”
Shamed, Wandani bowed his head and cried. “It was Duma.”
“Duma,” the Chief said slowly. “Nyongo’s son. Always thinks he’s so much better than the rest of them, but he strikes a harmless child.” He ruffled Wandani’s hair affectionately. “I will see that Metutu is safe in the future, and you too, you little squirt.” Kinara faced him and smiled warmly. “Friends?”
“Friends.”
Kinara kissed him on the forehead. “You were always my fourth son, you know? If your dad says anything about you fighting, tell him that I called you a great hero. Now run on home.”
The Chief came back to his son. “Metutu, I’m proud of you. You know, bravery is one of the marks of a true chief. Even if you don’t tell me who this bully is, I know one thing about him. He thinks he has you licked, but he’s not half the buck you are. Don’t you cower down when you pass him. Show him you are confident. When you pass him, look him in the eye. If you cower down, he’ll will know he’s won and he’ll do it again. The next best thing to being stronger is to be strong enough that you’re not worth the effort.”
“Do you really think he’ll leave me alone now?”
“I’m sure of it.”
Metutu did not have to wait long to find out. The next day, he had to run an errand for his father. No servant could do it this time--Kinara insisted that he do it in person. Wandani went with him for moral support, and even to make good on his threat, but Metutu was still vulnerable and frightened.
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