Uwezo and Doya were very good at what they did. They were Kinara’s bodyguards, but they also were remarkably quiet and stealthy for large mandrills. It was a combination that had helped Kinara maintain his power for many years.
Usually, Kinara’s ability to “get the goods” on his opponents led to no great mischief. In fact, there were many members of the troop that shared an odd kind of bond with him. They would ask for advice about matters they could confess to no one else, and Kinara would usually try to be helpful in return. In that way, he was the Father Confessor of the wealthy and powerful. And never had he violated his confidence.
Uwezo was very observant, and his hearing was very good. But he wondered about the two sets of footprints he thought he heard as Busara walked along. One of the sets sounded very heavy. He glanced about nervously, thinking a leopard may be spying on HIM. All he saw was Doya behind him, and Doya was doing a good job of muffling his steps.
Suddenly, there was a loud lioness roar. Forgetting to be quiet, Uwezo charged back toward Doya and passed him brusquely. Busara looked around, but by the time he saw the two mandrills, they were far enough away to not be recognized.
“What’s the matter, old girl?”
“I just don’t like it,” she said. “They looked suspicious.”
It would do little good to follow Busara when he was alert. Uwezo and Doya had a job to do, and they did not dare risk the wrath of Kinara if they failed him. So deciding that he was headed home anyhow, they waited until evening to quietly and cautiously took up hiding places right outside the mouth of the cave.
“This will always be your refuge,” Busara said. “When you need a place where you can come and be accepted for who and what you are, our arms are always open for you.”
“Thank you,” Metutu said. “I love you more than I can say! You have been so kind. You and Kima and Asumini.”
“May Aiheu bless you, my son,” Kima said.
Doya glanced at Uwezo. “Uh oh!”
“Shhhh!”
“Your destiny is a special one, Metutu,” Busara said. “In a small way I tried to bring some change about today. Maybe if I am lucky, before I die I will hear Kinara and Maloki exchange a few civil words. But you are to be the new chief someday. You will do more in a year than I have in my lifetime. Freedom will blossom and grow like Alba, and worship will be the choice of the heart, not that of the council.”
“Just wait till he hears this,” Doya said.
Just then, they heard heavy footsteps leaving the cave and padding through the leaves. “It’s that sound again. Let’s get out of here!”
Busara looked up. “What happened to Asumini? You’d think she saw a ghost!”
Seconds later, the lioness appeared, very agitated. “Doya and Uwezo were right outside.”
“What did they hear?”
“Probably everything.”
Busara closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He moaned as if someone had gouged him. “We are in grave danger.”
“Let me kill them,” Asumini said.
“No, girl. That will only make Kinara more suspicious than ever. We are not judge and executioner. Not like him.”
When Uwezo and Doya found Kinara, Chief Priest Kasisi was with him. They competed to be first to give their reports, knowing that there would be a bonus in it for them somewhere.
“He’s an Aiheuist,” Uwezo said.
“He’s teaching Metutu to be one,” Doya said.
“He said he tried to get you and Maloki on speaking terms, but that Metutu as the next chief would really clear out the cobwebs.”
Kinara sat stunned for a moment, then jerked to his feet. He almost never showed his temper, but he grabbed a fruit he had been eating and hurled it at a tree.
"My son! He thinks to turn my own SON upon me! That triple cursed barbaric heathen! I trusted him. I gave him my own son! Oh gods!"
Uwezo and Doya were really expecting a reward for that. Instead, Kinara merely dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Kasisi was almost foaming at the mouth. “We have to wipe this thing out! It is a disease, and it’s spreading! Wipe it out, I say!”
“I’ll have to have a little talk with Busara.”
“You’ll have to kill him,” the Chief Priest said.
“Denounce my friend to the council? Have him put down like a thief or adulterer? I will banish him.”
“Banish him and you make him a hero in your son’s eyes,” Kasisi said. “The same will happen if you give him a public execution. No, he must disappear. Suddenly and without a trace, do you understand?”
“But you’re talking murder!”
“I’m talking the salvation of the race! Death is a part of life, but we can influence our time of death by our chosen lifestyle. His was risky—very risky. He has lived much longer than he ought. We are correcting that oversight.”
“But Kasisi, Busara is my friend!”
“Busara is heading your son straight to hell! When he is separated forever from the blessed realm, he will curse your name through all eternity! He will say ‘My father did this to me!’”
“But murder him??”
“God will bless you for it, so it is not murder! I tell you Kinara, there are more in this troop that follow him. Those who are in danger. Like Makedde.”
“What about Makedde!”
Kasisi crossed his arms smugly. “You thought you had the goods on me! You thought you had me under your thumb, old friend? You do your duty before God or as sure as there is a God, I’ll denounce him to the council the way I should have long ago!”
“You do that and I’ll kill you!”
“Kill the Chief Priest for following his religion? Do you think that would help? Do you think you could get away with it? Do you think I haven’t told anyone else why I was coming here tonight?”
“Enough!” Kinara stood facing the trees for a moment, then slowly turned back around. “I don’t have to enjoy it as much as you do. But so be it.”
Kinara recalled his two trusted bodyguards. He grabbed Doya by the chin whiskers. “Listen well. Our Chief Scribe likes to contact the spirit world." He scowls darkly. "Very well. We must arrange it so Busara can spend all his time there, if you read my meaning.”
“Yes, sir.”
"Handle it discretely, but handle it by sunrise tomorrow. For if you fail me--" He patted Uwezo on the head. “No chance of that. You wouldn’t dare fail.”
Bowing and scraping madly, they rushed off.