1 chapter1. To be a soldier.

"Amuna wake up or you are going to be late to the screening !" the voice of middle aged woman destroyed the silence of a beautiful morning. The smell of wet soil and the greenery of the surrounding grasslands and farms made the small village Muteke look like paradise during the rainy season. Amuna was seating behind his hut sunbathing and sharpening his spear and admiring the view of his father's maize field. He had been preparing for the screening ever since he heard the advantages of being soldier. You are fed by the village in war and in peace, if one was to really impress at the screening then they would join the Mambo's guard which meant living in the capital of the kingdom known as Muzinda wamambo. The capital was the destination of most tourist traders and good women. Amuna just smiled as he fantasized about the Mambo's village. His fantasy was canceled by the cold temperature of water that suddenly poured down upon him. "What the.... !" Amuna's shocked screech made his mother laugh. He stared at her with rage but knew there was nothing he could do. Their culture made it clear that mothers should be respected no matter what. He couldn't even talk back to his mother with a raised voice. This culture of theirs had raised well mannered citizens. "Boy if you don't leave now you will became a failure and the laughing stock of the village." his mother said with a bit of worry in her voice " Busy sunbathing whilst others march to the village arena do you want to be like your uncle." Now that was an insult that he had heard all his life. His uncle during his youth had missed the screening and decided to become a hunter. Whilst hunting with his crew one night he saw what he explained to be a ghost buck and fled. When his crew investigated they found a white buck and brought it to the village. The uncle tried explaining it wasn't it but the people had already chose their side.

"OK mother, I am going." Amuna said that as he adjusted the leather skirt-like apparel he was wearing. Only soldiers and richmen were allowed to wear pants in their kingdom. The story of his uncle was a source for scorn for his family which led Amuna to resent most of the people in his village.. He had tried explaining that his uncles reputation shouldn't define him but the village continued with their insults which made him more angrier. If only I can make it to Mambo Mambo's guard then I will leave this place. Amuna's mind was starting to show him what he wanted." I hope he makes it." Amuna's father Muku appeared from the storage hut whilst chewing something which made the mother jealous." I still don't know why you quit being a soldier and became a farmer. Where is the glory in that ?" the question from his wife made Muku grin. He always loved to brag about his yields " For the last time glory won't feed me at no risk. A farm on the other hand doesn't need any form of violence to obtain food." Muku answered as he walked towards the kitchen hut." What about raiders, how will you protect your farm and family?" the question made him stop in his track.

Muku as a soldier had seen what raiders did to villages and soldiers. The Mambo had ordered Muku and the battalion he was in to prevent raiders from penetrating deeper into the kingdom. He fought as he watched farmers and richmen flee. He endangered his life for food that he could easily grow. After they had managed to subdue the raiders Muku gave up. He pleaded to the Mambo who then gave him land to farm for having been successful in stopping the raiders. The raiders weren't always to blame for their behaviour sometimes it was droughts or floods that led them to do this. Any village had the chance to become raiders if they didn't have a good harvest and the mambo of the kingdom still demanded his tribute or they were lazy to farm. Usually raider come from the south of the Zezuru kingdom which was known to be prone to floods and tsunamis. The difference in culture between the people as always made it difficult to find a common ground.

"We will run, we shall run if that ever happens that's why we feed the soldiers , hahahahaha" Muku's answer was that of coward but to those who have witnessed raids it was a good strategy." Come here and help me roast this meat." Muku gestured to his wife as he continued in his track.

Amuna arrived at the village arena which was just a big circular mud puddle thanks to the rains. The arena was placed just outside the the village and was surrounded by logs which were used for sits. Most of the young men were here . Men in their twenties were the only one allowed to be screened. Having just reached twenty Amuna realized that some of the men at the arena were in their late twenties and didn't look happy. The screening was unpredictable a battalion from the capital who rode rhinos came to villages and had different ways of screening some hard some simple only fate chose which screening happened. Anxiety and fear started revealing itself on the faces of the men in the arena. A few were unfazed until the ground started rumbling. Thundering hooves could be heard from deep within the forest to the north of the village. Every face looked into the forest some squinting some preparing to flee. Amuna's grip on his spear tightened. The rumbling increased intensity with every passing second. Two people dropped their spears and fled from the arena. Most of the remains participants went into defensive position. Legs spread apart both hands on spears and formed a line. When a large herd of rhinos appeared out of the forest more participants fled. The charging herd didn't seem like it would stop but the participants had to stand their ground. A large man riding the leading rhino whistled and the beasts started to reduce their speed until they just stopped in the grassland. The large man jumped off his rhino and the others followed suit. They smacked their rhinos and before anyone knew what was happening the rhinos went away and started grazing the grass. The army finally reached the participants and the large smiled. The atmosphere became tense regular men were standing before warriors as if they were about to fight. Amuna was just overwhelmed by the shear presence of these soldiers. Soldier would be an understatement these were warriors." Drop your spears boys your screening will be quick and fast." the large man said as kindly as he could but the participants heard it as a threat. Fear had demotivated most of them but they couldn't flee. They knew the large man was a Changamire. Changamire was the highest honour one could receive within this kingdom and fleeing in front of such a man could mean death." I am Changamire Dombo. I will be the one conducting this screening. I am only interested in your physical ability so this won't take long." the large man introduced himself as he sat on one of the logs." One of you will chose one of my men to fight. You win you pass its a simple logic. Hahahaha." his laugh just sounded like mockery. The first participant to chose did so after carefully obversing the warriors. Everyone else was seated on the logs." Fight!" The Changamire's shout made the fighting participant retreat a few steps back which decided his fate. The warrior advanced at seeing this whilst lowering his body. An uppercut caught the participant unaware and he couldn't even block it. The blow knocked him out and soldiers cheered. Amuna's will dropped, his dream and fantasy started slipping away from his mind. The guys sitting in front of him made a remark that gave him ideas. They had said the warriors were a bit tired hence slow.

The second participant chose his opponent." Fight!" again the shout was threatening but the participants didn't retreat he charged and started throwing blows at the warrior. They were blocked well but the mud wasn't making it easy for the attacker. The warrior screamed and everyone wanted to know what happened even the participant fighting. He stopped attacking and then a knee was in his stomach. The scream was just a distraction. The participant retreated and the warrior decided to finish the fight but the participant saw an opening. An attacking opponent is vulnerable. A kick was what the participant wanted to throw but that knee had done more damage so his kick was slow and ineffective. The warrior stopped after dodging the kick and turned to the Changamire " Changamire pass this one. With good training he will become a good soldier." The Changamire nodded and gestured the participant to come sit next to him. The fights continued and those who fought were defeated and some were passed some were turned away. Amuna was busy observing the fight and realized there were none the warriors each had their own fight styles which was rather barbaric for an army.

Finally Amuna's turn arrived he stood up went to the middle and looked at all the warriors. He chose the warrior who had fought first." Can he do that?!" someone shouted and the Changamire stared at Amuna." The Changamire said to choose any warrior he never said it was illegal to repeat a warrior." Amuna's answer even shocked Changamire Dombo. The warrior approached Amuna knowing he couldn't argue but he knew the boy wanted to manipulate his fatigue." Well since I rested enough. I am ready." those words confused Amuna. He wanted him because he was tired he had fought before."Fight!" Amuna reacted to the shout and was about to retreat when he realized what had happened before and tried to defend his face fro the coming blow which he thought would be an uppercut but it landed in his stomach. The impact forced him to drop his facial guard and he saw the warrior preparing for an uppercut. The uppercut came and Amuna stepped one step back avoiding the uppercut and decided to headbutt the warrior. The headbutt landed but the one who suffered was Amuna. A warrior was used to it. Amuna calmed himself but the pain was visible on his face. Amuna kicked the ground and mud rose. The warrior was caught off guard and Amuna charged. The mud failed to blind the warrior and he blocked a few punches made them both retreat. Amuna's head was still in pain but he was pleased with his progress so far. He wanted to charge but the mud made him slip. He landed on his knees and hands. When he tried looking up he met with a low kick straight to his face which knocked him up completely. The screening ended and more than half of the participants had been chosen to be soldiers and received their ivory necklaces which showed their rank as vanguard footman.

Amuna came to late in the evening and saw the food left in a claypot within his hut. He ate as he tried to remember what had happend. He later decided to wait until morning.

The noise outside woke Amuna from a sleep that left him filled with anxiety. He scanned his room for a necklace but nothing was there. Failure. He had failed to achieve his pass out of the village that mocked him. Am I cursed to die here. The girls here treat me like a failure as it is and so does the males. Maybe I should just become a farmer. His heart started to feel heavy he just wanted to sleep then he heard his mother calling him. He left the hut looking dejected and the celebrations from other families made him worse." Hey it happens kid you can try next rain season. " his uncle said as he was making arrows while sunbathing. Amuna got angrier and tears were forming in his eyes. He got to the kitchen hut and found his mother boiling some groundnuts. The look on her face showed joy. A family of regular peasants. Amuna couldn't even speak. He wanted to know why she was smiling. Did his failure bring her joy. Muku entered holding a long object wrapped with leather." Here boy I am proud of you." Muku said as his face showed joy." What ?" Amuna was now confused and a bit angry." Changamire brought you here and said you have great deduction skill but not physically strong enough yet. The soldier you fought said that your punches weren't really impressive." Muku said as he searched for something in between the pots. "Here you go boy ." Muku said as he threw a bracelet to the boy." A pass that allows you to enter Muzinda wamambo at will. I got it after my last mission as a soldier." tears were flowing down Amuna's face." I know that life hasn't been good for you here at least you can find something to do in the capital. Just go there and look at the choices you have. The village elder is going there on his sledge so you might wanna tag along." Muku said that as he left." Don't let that defeat hinder you from glory just come back quickly my son." Amuna went on his knees and hugged his mother. His voicebox seemed to have disabled itself.

At noon Amuna was helping the elder tie his ox to the sledge. After securing and tightening the sledge they headed out with three hunters. The villagers who saw the elder off were singing and ululating. Songs of travel. Amuna was sitting on the ox driven sledge thinking about what he was gonna do in the capital. As they entered the forest the hunters became attentive. This was Amuna's first time in the forest. The attentive nature of the hunters worried him. As they went deep into the forest following a trail he couldn't even differentiate east from west. A roar broke the silence within the forest." Is that a lion ?" Amuna's question shocked the hunters." What kind of question is that of course they're lions. Let's hope the ox can outrun them." one hunter answered as he drew his bow." Lions but that was a roar from one." Amuna was starting to annoy the hunters." Listen here idiot. Lions hunt in packs that was a signal to....." before the statement was finished a dozen of female lions approached the sledge from the right. They were fast and organized." Defensive !" the elder shouted and Amuna unwrapped the long object.It was a spear with a lot of markings. The lionesses were targeting the ox."Oh crap!" those words were the beginning of horror in Amuna's life.