(For previous segments:
Prelude 1
Prelude 2
Prelude 3
Prelude 4)
~
The sangoma combined natural healing with her role of foretelling by speaking with the ancestors. She had a small house rather than a hut, also set against the mountain of the Sad Ones. A track hardly wider than a path led there from the village, and it was with difficulty that Mpilo drove the ATV along it to catch up with the group. As he came to a halt in a cloud of dust, Dengana leapt out and rushed to his father who was now part of the crowd. He clung onto him and simply howled.
Mpilo hardly paused to give traditional greetings before blurting out, ‘Leopards have killed all people at Place of Two Old Frogs – everyone!’
Even after seeing the evidence that many crocodiles had been at the river, this seemed unlikely. ‘There aren’t any …’ the headman began, and then thought again. ‘You mean, a mad leopard has come here from somewhere?’ he asked.
‘Many tracks; many leopards,’ Mpilo responded. ‘Some people dead in house, some in shed, and some in field. All killed the way only leopard does it. Not lion or dogs or hyena. Leopard. And boy says he saw tokoloshe while we were there. He says tokoloshe sent away a leopard which was coming to kill us also. I believe him. There was something I felt there that was … terrible.’
The headman turned to the boy, but it was clear that no sense would come from him for quite a while.
Such great shock and horror had already been felt by everyone that it hardly seemed as if the new tragedy had sunk in. They stared dumbly at the headman, who collected his wits with a great effort. ‘Sangoma!’ he said, and the little crowd continued on their way with redoubled urgency.
~
© Colonialist May 2013 (WordPress)
Finally – I’m getting to read the next installment! The tokoloshe you say? This is getting better and better…
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Hope you find that trend has continued!
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Now this I’d like to hear.
Tokeloshe too…
The plot thickens 😉
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It is, after all, a fantasy novel! 🙂
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Dum, dum, dummmmmm… Seems like they have a spot of trouble there. Can’t wait to see what the sangoma does
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Next instalment gives that, and the end of the Prelude!
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What a horrible mystery. Hope the Sangoma can get to the bottom of the riddle.
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The final bit, coming, does reveal all she has to say on the subject!
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Cannot believe a leopard kills all those people can he 😉
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Although leopards don’t hunt in packs, it appears they did here!
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have read on then wont I 😉
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*encouragingy* Nearly there, on this part!
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Was it really the leopard, I wonder? Can’t wait to see what the Sangoma is going to say or do. 🙂
Thanks Col. I truly enjoy this story. 🙂 *hugs*
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Only one segment still to come in the Prelude …
Thanks for reading and reacting!
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Ag noooooo! I want lots more! 😛
You’re welcome Col. Enjoying it very much. 🙂
*hugs*
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Well, after that it gets into the chapters, which are each much longer than the Prelude!
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Goodie! I am glad to hear that! 🙂
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