CHAPTER 2 AND 3

CHAPTER 2

WEREWOLF ON MOUNT. KABORH

Princess Olaedo looked down from the tip of mount Kaborh, she enjoyed the landscape from that view, hectares of land spreading into infinity, crowned by ravishing green vegetation and she began to perform her dance moves, it was true that she lived a secluded life, but in her little corner she usually practices her dance moves, she loved the 'KEWE dance' moves so much, this was her opportunity to practice more, she chanted the song releasing her beautiful voice into the serene environment.

Deep in the forest a little boy, light-skinned and in his 10 years, heard her, his ear vibrated and began to twitch towards the sound, he couldn't control his emotion and resolved to see who possessed such melodious voice, he ran at a high speed, this was unusual for a normal human, he covered the distance of 5miles as though it was a 5meters race, he scaled the mountain excitedly and ducked by the bush, he failed to notice that his teeth were bare and his phalanges were bare brandishing his fine sharp claws, a tremendous fur sprouting on his face and arm's length, this was visible where his clothes did not cover.

He sighted the princess from his hiding place, and he enjoyed her song and her dance moves, in the Andril province where he came from they do not have the Kewe dance moves, they had the "KWANGA DANCE".

He was carried away by the princess's performance and didn't know that all his werewolf attributes have been laid bare to plain sight, the princess turned to him abruptly, she screamed at the top of her voice and ran for safety, Obikeh went after her trying to calm her down but the Princess would not have him close to her, she stopped when she got to the edge of the mountain, she was so scared and didn't know if it was better to jump or stay and get devoured by a wild animal.

Obikeh stopped a few feet away from her, he could hear her heartbeat pounding heavily in his ears, he could feel her fears, he withdrew giving her a chance to run through the only path that could lead down the mountain. But the princess was so afraid to even take a step rather she drew closer to the end of the cliff and suddenly her feet slipped from solid ground and she jerked backwards falling off the cliff, but Obikeh dashed in a split second using his speed to his advantage, he caught the princess by her arm, and the princess hung there screaming at the top of her voice.

Obikeh pulled her back to the mountain top, she was so paralysed from the experience that she couldn't walk nor even scream anymore.

Obikeh carried her in his arm down the mountain and through the villages till they arrived at the gate to the palace, he had metamorphosed fully into a real human, the princess couldn't stop glaring at his charming personality, he wasn't harmful after all, what she saw earlier could have been a mental image orchestrated by her hallucination episodes.

He majestically and fearlessly thumped at the Palace's gate, the mighty gate rolled down granting them a pass, they had already been sighted from a distance. He handed the princess over to the guards beaded her farewell and left. The princess could only stare at him, she could not force any words out of her mouth, she stood there till he was out of sight, she then turned back and headed into the palace on her own ignoring her guards and maids who threw a series of questions at her.

CHAPTER 3

THE ATTACK

The king's chariot and his warriors arrived in the capital city KOHEN of ANIEK province, they found the city completely desolated and destroyed, with dead bodies lying here and there, thick black smokes rising into the evening sky, the king alighted from his chariot and waded through the town, and the warriors dispatched to several directions to see what they could find. A few minutes later Amanna came to the king bringing a little girl with him, the little girl Kamara was scared to her bones, her eyes fluttered and her teeth clanged against another, she was shaking terribly and could not bring herself to speak.

"Little girl what's your name," The king asked as he stooped low and cuddled the child, he dabbed her wet eyes and stared at her with a concerned look.

"Don't be scared alright, we are here to help" the king further comforted her and she began to regain her composure and managed to speak.

"They killed my people" she muttered.

"Did you see them?"

"They are not humans" she shuddered at the remembrance of their looks. "They were scary and hideous, their claws and teeth, they were ruthless, so ruthless" she explained further.

"The werewolves!" A warrior said.

The King nodded his head in disagreement and turned to the crowd. "The werewolves swore an oath to the royal house, never to use their abilities against people during the Uprising, so I supposed not".

"What else could it be my king," another warrior asked. "Look how gruesomely these persons was murdered, a few of them have deep cuts possibly inflicted by claws, perhaps, not every werewolf swore the oath." He concluded.

"If that be the case then, announce to the seven provinces, that every warrior in every division must be vigilant and there shall be an intense search for these beasts, be it werewolves or whatever, they must prove their innocence" the king decreed and the messengers rode out on their horses.

"Amanna, take this child with you, see to it that she's comfortable"

"Yes, your majesty" Amanna answered and took the girl away.

The king wandered to and fro taking into cognizance the paths through which the beasts may have taken.

"Unit one makes a camp and watch this city, take care of anyone you find, dispose of every dead carcass" he commanded and walked back to his chariot.

"Unit 2 ride with me, we have more searches to make, we must trail these beasts, my kingdom must not be in unrest" he concluded and stormed off and every Unit 2 warrior followed him as they disappeared in the cluster of trees...

*******

Inside the palace, the king sat elevated in his seat of power, flanking from his left to the right sat elders from every province that made up Azukah. Aduka sat calmly in his place, where Princes stay, he was itching in his seat, he hated that he had to seat there every time, the jealousy for his elder brother ran deep, always wishing he had been born first, he could have been a better king, enjoying the ruckus that rose in the gathering he adjusted as he peered at the men standing before the king for judgement. They were four in number clothed in fancy robes with a silvery printed ending, these were the markings for the Andrils tribesmen. They had been summoned by the king over the news of werewolf attacks, they were the only tribe throughout the Azukah kingdom who had the gift to be werewolves. From the entire scenario, it was clear that these men knew nothing about the said attack.

"Your Majesty, this accusation is strange to us, we the elders have made every possible research both physically and spiritually and can assure you that none of our tribesmen had ever intimidated a commoner without special abilities not to talk of killing a whole town." Chief Kapi said, he was an elderly man with grey hair, but his physic didn't show how old he was, from sight he was way younger than his age.

The tribesmen from Andril hardly grew old because of their special werewolf genes which they got following an experiment sponsored by the royal house in the 16th century. They were enhanced to enable them to stand as the kingdom's warriors and last wall of defence. They were not allowed to marry multiple women and their birthing was regulated, a typical Andril family was not allowed to give birth to more than two kids, this way their population and threat to other parts of the kingdom were controlled.

"He lies my king" Tora a Chief of the Aniek province countered. "I saw them with my eyes, they were inhumane, attacking and brutally slashing at my people, they ravaged our land and there was nothing we could do".

" I beg your pardon" Kuela another Andril Elder a woman of great power growled barring her yellow omega eyes at Tora who withdrew in fear.

"You dare not accuse my race wrongly, we have done our assignments and our hands are clean. Your majesty, we ask to take our leave now".

They turned and stormed out in anger, totally disregarding the presence of the king, the other elders witnessed in surprise the actions of the Andril Elders.

"Is that it My king?" Tora flared again, "You let them go? After all, they did to my people?" This won't slide." He concluded.

"Hold your peace Elder Tora" the king cautioned. "They are innocent from all the investigations we have carried out, I understand their anger, I understand yours too".

" No way My King" Aduka protested. "Your weakness and kind heart have blinded you so much, how could you say a thing like that, murderers staring you in the face, yet you let them go? I fear the worst may still happen."

"Silence Aduka, do you question the wisdom of the king?" Omaha rebuked. He was the chief priest of the Azukah Kingdom, a powerful witch doctor and a seer.

"I am sorry my king" Aduka pleaded. "But if nothing is done, if no one is punished, then I fear the kingdom may fall into chaos."

"My judgement remains my judgement, they are innocent until proven otherwise". The King concluded and slammed his staff upon the hand rest of his throne calling an end to the meeting.