TEN YEARS

It had been ten years since Mama Cato had adopted Ahpuch. Mama Cato came out of her thatched house (It's more like a hut, I forgot to put it in the previous chapter >_< ),She called for Ahpuch to come have breakfast but didn't get any reply.

"Don't tell me He is there again" a helpless look flashed on her face and what she would find there wouldn't console her in any way.

A ten years old boy with a shiny bald and his group of little bandits, consisting of both male and female ranging from 7-9 years of age, were ganging up against another ten year old.

"Little punk, this is the er.... seventh time I've told you to join our gang .Why won't you join us" asked the bald boy.

"...." silence was all he got in return from the other boy.

With boiling anger he gave the command.

"Men beat him up again!!!

Without any hesitation they rushed towards the boy and they started punching and kicking the black haired kid, with practiced movement and formation meant for efficient bullying. The odd thing was that they weren't looking at the boy ,instead they just stared at the sky or anything other than the boy.

"Are you going to join?. This is going to be the last time I'm going to ask"The bald boy asked again.

"Why should I join you? For protection? " peh.."I don't need it" The black haired kid boldly spat his bloody saliva at the bald bully's face.

Immediately he was handed a towel, he wiped the mixed saliva off his face. With a calm voice he said.

"It seems like you really won't join me. Well I'm getting bored of beating you".

The group of little bandits seemed relieved to hear that. They weren't happy being forced to bully others buy they couldn't do anything about it, if they didn't do as their boss asked them to do they will be the one being hit right now.

"What did that old fool say again....? He thought for a moment before his eyes lit up.

He looked at the stubborn boy who refused him seven times and asked.

"Do you know this saying 'do away with the old and er.... something?" He continued.

"Let's do away with him...beat him to death" With that a suffocating savage aura burst out from him.

This time it seemed to black haired kid was truly considering this issue seriously but in the end, He just said

"Okay", like he wasn't affected by the aura. The gang members were visibly shook when they heard the statement. They had beaten up other kids and have been beaten up too, till they were all covered in blood, but they had never once had the thought of killing someone.

"What are you guys waiting for?!! " bald bully yelled at them.

Before any of them could do anything, they heard a resounding thwack' along with a yell. ' "What the hell are you doing this early in the morning?!".

The battered Ahpuch looked up at person who just spoke with tears of relief. Mama Cato seeing those teary strange eyes, felt a twinge in Her heart.

She immediately decided to inflict pain upon the person that caused Her such pain. Under the continues thwacking sound Amitbikram cries for help could be heard. The sound of stick hitting flesh had the surrounding children scalps go numb but, most shocking were the pitiful cries of their boss which caused goosebumps the size of peas to crawl all over their skin.

"Old hag what are you doing?, you better stop hitting me before I get enraged!!" Amitbikram yowled in agony. The reply soon came in form of...

'thwack.... thwack..... thwack....

"Mama Cato it's okay, I'm fine " Ahpuch pulled her gown.

"How are you okay!!!? " was what Mama Cato wanted to yell but looking at the young Ahpuch, who was wiping the blood off his mouth, she immediately stopped hitting Amitbikram.

After Amitbikram got up, he started prancing about while making ridiculous threats. Mama Cato saw and heard this and said to Ahpuch,

"I should have beaten him until he wouldn't have the ability to talk"

Ahpuch nodded his head,regret clearly evident on his face.

I will deal with you scums later, just wait!!" Amitbikram said as he turned around limp away .

"where do you think you are going?

"You think you will have a next time?" Mama Cato asked as she moved towards the limping boy, she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away.

Most of the children couldn't handle that level of violence so they left, leaving two children out of the original seven.

**********************************************

Gundur was sitting on His bamboo chair with a gourd filled with whatever stuff He was drinking. He suddenly paused and squinted His aged drunken eyes at the crowd of people heading straight to His house.

"Why is that old witch coming here, should I pretend to be dead? Like hell She would fall for it" Gundur thought.

As the crowd came closer, Gundur got up from the bamboo chair and spoke.

"Have you all come to my humble abode to seek wisdom?. If so, the words of a wise man isn't....."

"You better shut that your foul mouth" and as quickly as ever She was holding Her shoe in Her hand.

"You barbaric woman, you don't want to step on the path of wisdom eh?"Gundur spoke in contempt.

"Old man why don't you keep shut and let this young woman talk" The sixty something years old cook Angor, spoke.

"Peh...young woman? are you trying to hit on someone almost thrice your age? "

He kept on ranting and sending spittle in every direction.

THUMP

Someone was thrown out from the crowd and unto the floor. When old Gundur saw this person, He started whistling as averted his eyes like He didn't see anyone .

"Such a nice weather, makes me want to have a nap" Gundur said as He turned around to enter His house.

"Shameless" one of the villagers yelled. It soon spread as different abuse went flying at Gundur.

From this exchange, one should have known that the respect the villager had for their 'village head' were next to nothing.

"You should have known better than to bring this thing into the village "She pointed at Amitbikram who was sitting on the ground looking tattered.

"You are the 'thing'!!!"Amitbikram exclaimed.

"Shut your mouth!" the she meant for old Gundur headed straight for Amitbikram's head.

Blood gushed out from the wounds that were just reopened by the shoe. Yet nobody attempted to help stop the bleeding.

"Old hag that's enough" Gundur spoke seriously.

"You picked Him" Gundur said as He pointed at Ahpuch.

" And I picked him" this time pointing at Amitbikram whose wound that had just opened was healing at visible speed albeit slowly

"You think I'm just going to leave without doing anything?" He continued.

"Are you going to leave him unchecked like this?" Mama Cato asked.

"Of course not!! I personally have waiting for the right moment" Old Gundur replied.

"When is the right moment?"

The question stumped Gundur as he wasn't able to give any answer for a while. Mama Cato stared hard at Him.

"Alright, alright I'll start tomorrow"

"Start what?" Ragnar asked( a tailor)

Gundur took in a deep breath before He replied.

"To forge him"

"Forge your uncle!! " another shout came from Amitbikram.

Bang!!

Gundur's wine gourd smashed down in Amitbikram's head.

Ahhh !!!.

Amitbikram howled as he ran to a corner while caressing his bleeding head and muttering to himself.

"They will die in the next two to five years, if they don't die by then I will kill them myself" Mama Cato watched as he ran, then looked at Gundur with worry in Her eyes. Gundur just gave Her a slight nod of confirmation. Everybody left to get back to what they were doing.

"Angor, do you want me to matchmake you and that hag" Gundur asked with a smile.

Bang!

A shoe landed on Gundur's head. Mama Cato turned around and left with Ahpuch tolling behind.