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Stand still or we are dead! Acmir whispered softly to his companions. We can't outrun a panther, just hold still and try not to look it directly in the eyes, he pressed on.
They have been wandering in the forest of Kismah for five days now. Their village of Kismaris had been raided by the warriors of the Zaomir tribe. For many months, rumours have been going round the villages inhabiting the forested areas of the south that a horde of Zaomir warriors were marching towards the south. It is a known fact that the Zaomir tribe occupying the north are brutal raiders, cruel and warlike, no nation ever stands still after their wind of attack has blown over it. They laid waste to every town on their path. Like an incurable pandemic, they had swept from the north towards the south and for years, stories of their conquest has reached the peace-loving hunting tribe of the south, the Kismaris. But as most rumours are treated, so the Kismaris were quick to dispel any possible invasion of their land by the Zaomir.
It will take them years to reach here, and what with the terrain, they will need wings to cross the great river, they will require the immortality of the gods to get here or else they will only end up offering their horde as a feast to the vultures and the beast of the desert and forests, Karmir, the Chief of the Kismaris had said.
But finally, like the evil plague that it was seen to be and that knows no natural barriers, the Zaomir horde swept over the forest tribe like locusts and like harvesters, they reaped the villages of the south one after the other. The attack on Kimaris had been sudden and unexpected. It occured early at dusk when the men had just returned from their daily hunts and were still weary and sour. The attackers fell on them and their forces washed over the village of Kismaris like the ocean tide. A handful of them escaped the swords and leashes of the Zaomir warriors and they plunged into the great forest of Kismah.
Acmir had been stacking woods at the back of their home when the attackers stormed the village and like other survivors, he had shot for the forest like an arrow and kept on running deeper into it as the sound of wailing and smoke from the village rose simultaneously to the sky.
At dawn the next day, he was sour from running and his feet were bleeding from running barefooted over the many thorns and pieces of fallen tree branches that made a carpet over the forest floor. The sun was directly over head when finally, completely worn out, he had managed to drag himself to the foot of a large tree to rest and sitting under it and leaning his body on the bole, he soon slept off.
The sound of a breaking twig roused him from his sleep, from the position of the sun he reckoned he must have slept for hours. He hurriedly stood up looking around, carefully he stealthily made for a cluster of some shrubs some few feet from the tree and buried himself securely inside the clump. For a couple of minutes that seemed like ages to him, he stared unblinkingly at the direction where he heard the noise coming from, Acmir caught sight of four children about his age coming towards the tree, Shomir, Lacrir, Ismir and Tomir were boys of his age group and they had gone rodents and birds hunting many a times together. Relived, he stepped out to meet them, startling them as he did so but seeing him, they relaxed.
For four days after this warm reunion, they had wandered in the forest unbothered by any danger until their present faceoff with the panther.
Step back gently, Acmir whispered softly. Slowly, they moved back one step at a time. Acmir kept his gaze away from the panther's face but made sure he still had her in sight using the corners of his eyes. After they had moved backwards for about fifteen feet, the panther gave a low, soft growl and a cub stepped out of the thicket on one side and made it way to the other and a couple of seconds later, with a leap, the mother bounded into the leaves after it and out of sight.
We can't keep on wandering in the forest like this, we need to find a way out or a threat more dreadful than the panther may befall us, Tomir said.
The forest is large and completely trackless, Shomir said. How do we know which direction to go?
As far as i know, nobody from Kismaris had made it through this forest to any other tribe around, Lacnir chipped in.
While this debate was going on, Acmir was lost in thought. The expression on his face shows he was struggling to remember something from the past without success. Finally, he gave up and finding a nearby tree, he laid down to rest. One by one, his companions followed suit and within a short time, they were all very fast asleep.
The orange rays from the sun penetrating through the breaks in the forest canopy when they woke up told them it was dusk. Acmir was about waking the others to come along for their usual meal of wild forest fruits when he heard the noises of a flock of birds resting on the top of the trees. Looking up, he saw the white colored birds with slim legs and pointed orange-colored beaks settling on the tree tops to roast for the night. A flash of recognition swept across his face and he unconsciously gave a smile. The birds were cattle egrets and he recalled what he tried without success to remember that afternoon.His father while telling him about the other tribe, had pointed out to him that the people of the west kept a lot of cattle and other livestock. Acmir remembered being told that these birds are normally found close to herds of cattle as they graze.
We must be close to the brotherly tribe of the west, he had said to his companions. These birds have returned from the grazing herd to roast for the night, he pressed on. At dawn, we will follow their direction of flight and i believe they will lead us out of this trackless forest towards the villages of the west, he said to the utmost delight of his friends.
We have to sleep early then, Lacnir said, So we can get up on time to catch them on their way.
The boys, hurriedly feasted on some nearby fruits and laid down again to catch some sleep, although they could barely sleep for minutes due to anxiety and joy.
Early the next morning, the wanderers woke up just as the birds were taking off into the sky, and keeping the flock in sight, they pushed their way through the forest in the same direction as the flock of birds.
They moved on for hours until they were thoroughly worn out.
Let's stay here for the night, they will surely return to roast and tomorrow we will continue. Acmir told his wearied companions.
True to his words and to the relief of them all, the flock returned back to the forest just as dusk was setting in.
The next day, the boys resumed following the birds in flight and just as the sun was beginning to make it second half of it journey, they saw a long break in the forest were the green veldt stretched for hundreds of miles as far as the eyes can see. Some few miles away, laid in a cluster within a valley were hundreds of huts and from that distance, the boys could make out the moving forms of it inhabitants. Some few miles to the left of the village and close to a silvery stretch of flowing river were a herd of cattle in their thousands grazing on the field while the egrets flew around while some perched on the cattle.
Finally we are saved! Shomir shouted.
Thanks to our white feathered guides, Acmir exclaimed.
Hugging each other and sitting down on the grass to rest a while, the boys for the first time since running away from their conquered village, shed tears.