45 Meeting Rende Kabando

Right after Ochieng's consciousness was sopped up in the map. He found himself in another domain. The domain had nothing much, except for a small primaeval hut that stood a few metres from where he was. He walked to the hut and got in.

Inside the hut sat an old man sitting cross-legged. The man's eyes were tightly shut and if not for his his long breaths and slow heartbeats, one could have thought that the he was a dummy. The white hairs on his head and chins, the wrinkles on his head and his sunken cheeks clearly showed how old he was. The refined and savage aura around him evinced that he was not to be underrated.

"He is also a 'Mogwedhi'!" Ochieng' widened his eyes in shock after feeling a familiar aura shrouding the old man. He walked surreptitiously to the man's side not to wake him up.

The man's eyes were opened immediately Ochieng' made his move. It was as if the old man was waiting for him to do so. Ochieng' who was found napping was at once petrified. He did not know whether to laugh or cry because of this. It withal took him a few seconds to relax. After all, he was not doing anything wrong.

"I greet you my elder." Ochieng' greeted while bowing respectfully after calming down.

"I am good my brother, how are you?" The old man greeted back in a soft and affectionate voice. This surprised Ochieng' a little but it was never shown on his face. It was unnatural for older people to call the young ones their brothers let alone being that affectionate.

"I am good elder."

"Sit down brother."

Following the old man's gesture, Ochieng' sat on a skin that was spread nearby.

"May I know your name my confrere."

"I am Ochieng' Lwanda from Odindi clan in Karachuo division."

"So you are my neighbor,I am Rende Kabando from Piny Owacho clan in Kanyo division."

"You are indeed my neighbor."

"Let us forget about the formalities Ochieng', do you know the reason why or how you got here?" The old man asked his face turning somber.

"I guess it has something to with direction or something." Ochieng' answered puckishly.

The old man smiled and said, "You are smart. The reason why you are here is to get instructions on how you are going to obtain something that will be of great help to you and the people around you."

Upon hearing that, Ochieng's eyes brightened at once. He swallowed a heavy lump of spittle and quickly asked, "What is it?"

"The treasures I left behind when I was alive."

"You are a dead man??"

"Yes. This map is a special artifact that was made by me when I was still alive. Actually, this is an illusory space created within this artifact. I made it to give instructions to the next 'Mogwedhi' who could obtain it." The old man answered casually.

"I see...so what do I need to do?" Ochieng' nodded his head in realization and asked.

"Immediately I finish, everything you see here will vanish so listen carefully...Inside this skin, there is a golden key tightly concealed such that even the powerful beasts cannot discover it. Take this map with you to the only hill in Turka land. Where to find this land should not worry you because after leaving this place, the directions to the land will appear on the skin. It doesn't matter where you will start from, the directions will be clear from wherever you are."

"Do not destroy this map to obtain the key before you get to the place I'm yet to tell you. After you get to Turka, the directions in the map will disappear except for an arrow. That arrow will point to the place I am sending you to. Follow the arrow until it disappears. At that point, white light will be emanated from the center of this map. Immediately the light appears, tear the map from top to bottom along the center. The key will automatically drop. You will take care of the rest of everything after getting the key."

Ochieng' opened his mouth to ask a question when his vision turned dark. When he resuscitated, he was lying on a skin inside a cave, his left hand holding the map, his right hand in Apeleka's, the three lions and the two birds stood by his side looking at him with all smiles.

"Where am I?"

He asked because he realized where he was currently was not the place his consciousness got into the map.

"Just look well, you will realize." Mudho said, laughing maniacally.

Ochieng' widened his eyes to see. He started by smiling as he did so. His smile changed into laughter, his laughter changed to something else. This was a cave he was extremely familiar with. The cave he had been living in since he was eight years old. He was currently twenty two, he had left this cave only a month ago. He had longed to be here again.

"Welcome back brother. We missed you a lot." Mudho said in a jocund manner.

"We truly missed you Ochieng', welcome back home." The tribe head added.

"I am very pleased. I missed you too but let us settle after everything to do with this map is over." Ochieng' said coolly smiling mischievously.

"What happened Ochieng'?" Apeleka asked wearing a disquieted face.

"I was being given instructions on how to use this map."

He then spread the map on top of a stone platform at the center of the room. Suddenly, a painting appeared on the surface. The painting was definitely the map to the Turka land he was told about.

The others came closer after seeing Ochieng's eyes glow only to see the skin clear. They could not see anything. Helpless, Apeleka asked, her eyes widened in confusion,

"Why am I not seeing anything?"

"Me too!" The five animals said almost the same time.

"Only a 'Mogwedhi' can read the map." Ochieng' said kinda proudly.

"Then tell us what you see." Jade Eagle said its eyes glowing with anticipation.

"I see the path leading to Turka land found in the north."

"That is where the treasure vault is found, lead us there please." Jade Eagle said excitedly.

"You know of the treasure vault?" Ochieng' asked with a frown on his face.

"Why would I be here if not for that?" The eagle asked rolling itseyes impishly.

"I see... " Ochieng' nodded his eyes and continued, "The journey to the vault will take us at least two weeks if we move at our maximal speed without stopping, what is quite impossible. Why don't Apeleka and I go back home and prepare food and other things for both of us during our journey as you prepare yours then we set off at sunup of the day after tomorrow? After all, we still have time?"

"I won't stop you then. I will also take my leave, let us all meet here at that time then...Oh, will our lion friends go too?" The eagle said like it was the leader of the group before it remembered something and asked. Before the lions responded, Ochieng' had already answered that the lions had to go with them. The eagle knew it was powerless before the young man. It immediately disappeared after agreeing on a few things.

Apeleka and Ochieng' climbed Jakony's back and they flew away. The three beasts dispersed to their caves.