บท 46: The Coming Battle
By the time the Ochieng' and Apeleka arrived home, it was already eventide and the sun was setting in the west, producing an orange color making everything on earth appear dark. Apeleka went to Anyango's hut where she found her mother buried in a heated discussion with Anyango.
Ochieng' rushed to his father's hut but did not find him. He walked out of the hut with a dejected look.
"You father is in your brother Ang'wen's hut probably for an important meeting."
Ochieng' had just walked out when he heard the sound of his beloved mother. He dashed to her hut and sat on an empty stool by the fire. The two women greeted him happily before he was provided with a gourd of fermented milk.
He gulped down the milk and in a wink, the gourd was empty. He had not taken milk for a long time, it wasn't surprising that he was esurient when provided with.
"Do you need some more?" His mother asked him smiling widely.
"Sure." He nodded repeatedly.
Just like before, he devoured the contents of the gourd in a split second. He heaved a long sigh after he was full then threw the gourd away.
"The satiated are indeed doltish."
Sankale shook her head upon seeing Ochieng's action. The other two women agreed with her. Mortified, he walked out of the hut in a hurry leaving the three women speechless.
After he left his mother's hut, he went to Ang'wen's home immediately.
"Brother Ochieng', you are here!"
Ang'wen was typically excited when he saw his youngest brother. He went and greeted him cheerfully before helping him into one of the stools that was empty within the hut. Ochieng' greeted those in the hut; his father, three clan elders and a man who seemed to be a visitor. They also exchanged a few pleasantries before the atmosphere in the room turned serious.
"Ochieng', this is Mboya Ogwang' from Karachuo, our division headquarters. Ogwang' is an emissary here to help in the marshaling of our clan warriors for an incoming war between the Lu tribe and the Lang tribe." Ang'wen introduced the visitor who sat nonchalantly next to him.
Ochieng' turned to the man to appraise him carefully. He was a man at the age of around forty five years. He had a powerful physique. The lion's skin he wore fitted perfectly on his body and he had a handsome face. If not for the herculean air around him, one could never think that he was a ball of fire.
"The sun has set my elder." Ochieng' greeted bowing his head humbly.
"It has set greatly my son." The man answered putting a forced smile on his face.
"My Chief, you mentioned earlier that there is a battle coming between we and the Lang people, is that true?"
Seeing the attitude of the middle aged man, Ochieng' did not bother him much, he turned to Ang'wen and asked in a serious tone.
"That is right. That is why the tribe head through the division heads asked our clans to mobilize our warriors in preparation for the battle. Ogwang' who happens to be one of the tribe vice commanders and Karachuo division's war advisor was sent here by our division head Okola Ooro to help in this." Okoth made things clear to Ochieng'.
Even though the division heads were unrecognized by the people, the power they wielded was something the chiefs could not match. They controlled a number of warriors and got protection that was slightly inferior to the tribe head but above the chiefs. Acting as middlemen between the tribe head and the chiefs, the division heads were feared by the chiefs because these chiefs depended on them to communicate with the tribe head. Even though the chiefs could meet the tribe head whenever they liked, considering the distance between them and the tribe head's palace, it was inevitably not very easy to meet the tribe head. They had to find help from the division heads who met the tribe head on a weakly basis as compared to them who met him once in a month.
Maybe it was because of them working behind the dark that the division heads were not recognized by the people. Of course the people knew the clans were grouped into divisions, but very few knew they were headed by division heads. Even though they could be taken out of power when they erred, that was not an easy feat as selecting another division head was not a walk in the park.
"Why should there be war between us?" Ochieng' asked confusedly.
"The reason is not known. In fact, we the Lu people did not know that they were planning to attack us. It was after one of our spies in that tribe leaked this to us that we knew." Ogwang' was the one who answered this time.
"When are they going to attack?" Ochieng' asked breathing quite faster.
"The day is unknown but a week may not end before they do so." Ong'am answered with a grievous expression.
The room then remained extremely quiet after this. Everyone dived into their own worlds.
At the same time, in the resting room of a grand and profligate building at the center of the Lang tribe, the tribe head sat with all the twenty seven chiefs of the tribe discussing the battle.
"Tribe head, I think it is time to show these Lu people that our Lang tribe is not the small Omeke tribe they carried off several seasons ago." One of the chiefs roared furiously.
"Indeed, the Omeke tribe was equivalent to one of our small clans. Why should they think of infiltrating a tribe like the Lang tribe which is a thousand times better than the Omeke tribe?"
"I think our silence has made these people think that we have become weak. Tribe head, I think it is time to tell them that a sleeping lion is still a lion."
Other chiefs chipped in with anger.
"You are all right my people. We will attack the Lu tribe next moon the second day at dusk when they are least expecting us." The tribe head declared casually but in his voice one could sense some rage.
"It has been a month since that young fool came to our tribe. Why should we wait for another month?" One chief asked skeptically.
"Chief Olokyo is right, why should we wait for another month?" Interposed another chief.
"Fine, our warriors are all ready. I need all of you here a time like this next week. We will march to the battle camp near Kisum, the Lu tribe headquarters. Come back when you are strong enough to fight. The meeting is dismissed." The tribe head announced.
The chiefs dispersed discussing their own things.
The same meeting was taking place at the Lu tribe's palace. The tribe head was with the division heads. They had sent envoys to summon the warriors at the clan levels. After three days, a few clan warriors would be selected to join the tribe warriors and others would guard the borders of the clans. The tribe warriors would wait in their camp at Kisum.
What the tribe head and the division heads were discussing was how everything was going.
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