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Jungle Justice

By: rufriter



This is something new for me. The expressions are as authentic as I could find, and the names were "borrowed" from the members of certain African men's and women's national soccer teams.

If there are any inaccuracies, put them down to lack of first hand knowledge. 

*

Ekene had become separated from the main hunting party when he stopped to remove a thorn from his foot, and was hurrying to catch up when some sixth sense made him step from the trail. He remained motionless for long minutes before hearing a stealthy movement off to his right. Slowly the sounds moved away, and he resumed his pursuit. He had gone no more than ten paces when he saw the scat, still steaming under the hot African sun, and a shudder ran through his slight frame at the realisation of how close he had come to a confrontation with one of the most feared predators. It was clear from the nearby pug marks that it was a large cat -- almost certainly a leopard, and that it was headed in the same direction as the hunting party. He had no wish to tangle with the spotted cat -- his first kill needed only to to be any large beast, and he would be recognised as a hunter, so there was no point in taking unnecessary risks. 

Fear gripped Ekene's innards as tightly as he gripped his spear as he followed the spoor, but the thought of winning Onome pushed him on. If he was cautious he might be able to avoid the cat, although it was vital he find some way of warning the rest of the party. From childhood he and Onome had been inseparable, and it was generally assumed throughout the village that one day, when Ekene had proven himself as a hunter or warrior, they would be mated. Provided of course that Kelechi, the head of the village, granted his approval, which would only happen when Ekene made his first kill. 

Before they would be permitted to mate, Onome, like all unmarried women, must first be examined by the older women to confirm that she had never been penetrated. No greater disaster could befall her than failing to pass this test. First she would be beaten by the women, until she disclosed the name of he who had violated her, and the culprit would in turn be beaten by the men, and banished from the village to take his chances with the hostile countryside and the wide variety of predators, both four and two legged. 

The punishment would not end there, for she would become a drudge for the entire village, living on food scraps, and the plaything of any and all warriors and hunters who chose to use her in any way they wished. Any offspring resulting from these couplings would be arbitrarily taken into the bush and abandoned. 

All of these things were running through Ekene's mind as he followed the tracks, and he shook his head to clear his mind. He was sure that no such calamity would come to pass, because it had happened only once in his memory, and they were determined not to make the same mistake. There were women who lay with other men, but these were those who had lost their mates, either on the hunt or during skirmishes with marauding tribes. It was recognised that such women still had appetites that needed to be satisfied, and any resulting children were raised with the help of all. As in most societies, of course, there were women who occasionally discreetly satisfied their needs with other men, with the consent of their husbands who were usually older men who could no longer perform. 

Ekene and Onome had known each other in other ways, but they had been careful not to cross the forbidden line. Stepping from the trail to urinate, he smiled at the memory of the first time he had come to see Onome as other than a childhood playmate. 

She had been taken by her mother to the women's hut, where she had remained for seven nights, to emerge proudly wearing the short beaded kilt which declared that she was now a woman, and free to mate when a suitable hunter became eligible. As he looked at her, he was at a loss to understand how he could possibly have failed to notice her budding breasts and hips that were beginning to flare. She smiled proudly as she approached, and followed as he turned towards the trail leading to their special place beside the river. Seated on a large flat rock, he eyed her puffy areolae with renewed interest as he questioned her about the mysteries of the women's hut, but she remained tight lipped, saying only that it was 'women's business'. 

With the passage of time, as her breasts filled out and her waist slimmed, her now concealed pubic area took on an air of mystery for him. Before she had begun wearing her kilt, he had been so accustomed to her nudity that he had barely spared her a glance, and now he realised that he could only vaguely remember how her vagina had looked. Not knowing for certain gave his imagination free rein, particularly during the one week each month when she was closeted in the women's hut, and there were many occasions when he lay awake at night, unable to sleep until he succumbed to the temptation to thrust his hand inside his loincloth to subdue his erection.

It was after one of these weeks that they were sitting beside the river in companionable silence. As usual, his glance turned frequently to her breasts as he wondered again about what went on during her absence. With a secretive smile she turned to face him, and his eyes widened as he saw her nipples stiffen into hard points. A stray breeze caused her beaded kilt to lift briefly, and for no more than the blink of an eye he caught a glimpse of the dark shadow between her thighs. Painfully aware of his rising member, he put out a tentative hand to cup her breast. Onome looked down at his fingers teasing her rubbery nipples, and her breathing quickened. It would have been improper for an unmated woman to make an open approach, but ever since she had first worn the kilt, and heard some of the ribald stories the older women told, she had dreamed of this moment. 

She had not imagined that her nipples would be so sensitive and responsive to the touch of other than herself, nor that the touch would cause the sensations she was feeling in her loins. During her times in the hut, older women had talked about how having their breasts fondled gave them such feelings between their legs, but she had difficulty believing that touching one part of the body could affect another. Now that she knew it was true, she began to wonder about other tales they told that at the time had seemed equally unlikely. A surreptitious glance at Ekene's thin loincloth confirmed what she had heard about men getting hard down there when they fondled a woman's breasts, and knowing it would be improper to make the first move, she fought the urge to find out for herself just how hard he was.

The decision was made easier for her, when he carefully raised her kilt above her waist and looked avidly at her vulva. She felt his gaze almost like a physical caress, and she parted her thighs, revealing the inner folds glistening with her seeping secretions. With her lungs almost bursting with unconsciously pent up breath, she watched his fingers part her pouting labia, and when she felt his touch on her clitoris she could restrain herself no longer. With a long shuddering sigh she pushed aside his loincloth and grasped his swollen member. She tensed a little when his fingertip came close to her entrance, relaxing immediately as he made no attempt to penetrate. The unfamiliar but long imagined feelings made her tremble with need, and she raised her hips, watching her hand slide along his shaft as her climax broke over her. Her exotic essences flowed freely as her hand moved faster, and she could not hold back a giggle when his seed spilled over her fingers.

Temporarily sated, but still excited by this new adventure, the young lovers looked at each other, slightly embarrassed but filled with an overwhelming happiness they had only ever dreamed of. Over the course of the next several days they explored their new found pleasures, each vying to discover what pleased the other most. As enjoyable as these pursuits undoubtedly were, they soon realised that there were limits to what could be achieved with hands and fingers. Now that the first move had been made towards intimacy, Onome felt more confident in taking the lead, and next time they met at their special place, she spoke up. 

"Ekene, the aunts in the women's hut have told me of other ways in which we can please each other." He looked at her without comprehending, and she urged him onto his back and straddled him, lifting her kilt to press her vagina to his lips as she leaned forward, taking his hard phallus into her mouth. His surprise was quickly replaced by excitement, and he parted her labia with his tongue, tasting her musky sweetness as her mouth worked unbelievable miracles on his rigid organ. Quickly locating her clitoris, he licked eagerly, causing her secretions to cascade over his face as his penis succumbed to her ministrations, flooding her mouth with his viscous semen. As they separated, she swallowed and smiled shyly, and he sat up, pulling her close, hoping that she could feel his love for her as surely as he felt her love for him.

There was only one blot on their happiness, and that was in the form of Olubayo, the eldest son of Kelechi, the village chieftain, and half brother to Ekene, who was the son of the second and junior of Kelechi's two wives. Although there were only four months separating them, Olubayo was already taller and stronger than some of the other men in the village, and he took full advantage of both his physical stature and his status as the future chieftain. To his discredit, the was the opposite of his father. Whereas Kelechi was fair, compassionate, and respectful to all, Olubayo was an arrogant bully, and there were few villagers of both genders who had not felt the wrath of his fists. Despite this, when he was not wearing his customary contemptuous sneer he was strikingly handsome, and was often accompanied by ambitious females hoping to be chosen as the number one wife of the village leader-to-be when he succeeded his father.

Like all bullies, he took a sadistic delight in instilling fear in those weaker than him, and he used his position ruthlessly to coerce unwed maidens into satisfying his often brutal lusts, at least as far as he dared. Since he had not yet proven himself in the hunt, even being the future chieftain would not save him from beating and banishment, should he break tribal law and cross that forbidden line. Except when they were satisfying his appetites, he treated his fawning admirers with disdain because he knew they would come running at the twitch of a finger. Such easy conquests held only a passing appeal for him, because his domineering, bullying nature caused him to covet the unattainable. And the one thing he wanted most was Onome. 

It infuriated and frustrated him that the most comely girl in this, and any other village, not only spurned his advances, but openly sneered and declared that despite his smaller stature, Ekene was twice the man Olubayo would ever be. This rejection only served to strengthen his determination to win her by fair means or foul, and then he would make her suffer for defying him.

Keeping a sharp eye out for any variation in the tracks of the leopard, Ekene smiled at the sweet memory of last time he and Onome had been together. She was already at the river when he arrived, and the scent of her arousal pervaded his nostrils immediately. He cast a curious glance at a small earthen pot beside her, but he put it from his mind when she lay down and lifted her kilt invitingly. Crouching over her he parted the pouting lips of her vulva with his questing tongue, as she pulled aside his loincloth and took him into her mouth. He was surprised how quickly she climaxed, and he licked greedily at her fragrant juices, thrusting his hips in search of his own release.

She pushed him away abruptly, and he stared at her in dismayed frustration, but she smiled and took ip the forgotten pot. Dipping her fingers into the small vessel, she reached for him and smeared his member thickly with rendered animal fat. Turning her back she leaned forward and parted the rounded globes of her buttocks. "In here Ekene," she whispered urgently. He looked hesitantly at her puckered sphincter, but at her insistence he placed the tip of his organ against the impossibly tight opening. She pushed back suddenly, and they gasped in unison as, aided by the greasy coating, the tight ring of muscles parted and he was inside her. They remained motionless until she adjusted to the unaccustomed invasion of her anal cavity, and when she began to move he pushed forward, thrusting deeper and deeper until he could go no further. 

With one forearm cushioning her head against the hard rock, she reached back to caress her clitoris, trying to distract herself from the discomfort she couldn't admit to him that she was feeling. They settled into a gentle rhythm, and with each thrust the discomfort lessened, and she began to enjoy the feeling of having him inside her. Even though he wasn't where she really wanted him to be, it was far better than they had known previously, and her pleasure was heightened by knowing how much she was pleasing her chosen lover. With a sudden gasp from Ekene it was over, and he pulled her tightly against him as he pumped his seed into her.

Still following the tracks, Ekene felt his member rise at the memory, and he pushed his free hand into his loincloth, stroking the stiff shaft as he walked. A sudden howl of terror from ahead made his blood run cold, and he relinquished his grip on his organ and pushed his way through the brush, hefting his spear in readiness. Emerging into a small clearing beside a narrow stretch of the meandering river he saw Olubayo, frozen with fear as he stared at the snarling leopard. The big cat crouched to spring, and dropping his spear, the terrified youth turned to flee. As the beast launched itself at its intended prey, Ekene cast his spear in desperation. His aim was truer than he could have hoped, the missile catching the spotted cat in the hind leg and hindering its leap, so that instead of bringing down its victim, one paw merely raked a shallow triple furrow in Olubayo's calf. 

With a screech of pain the enraged animal tore at the spear, and without thinking of the danger, Ekene picked up Olubayo's discarded weapon, holding it extended at arm's length by the end of the shaft. The wound was just distracting enough for the leopard not to notice Ekene, and approaching on the beast's blind side, he placed the point against its ribcage and pushed with his full weight. The point sank deep, and despite the spear being heavier and stouter than Ekene's, the shaft snapped as the mortally wounded cat thrashed in its death throes. 

Now that the threat was no more, reaction set in and he slumped to the ground, trembling at the realisation of the danger his instinctive actions would have put him in, had the thrown spear missed its mark. As he regained his composure the significance of his achievement struck him like a physical blow. Not only would he now be recognised as a hunter and able to claim Onome, but his prestige at having killed a constant threat to the safety of not only his own village, but that of surrounding villages would be high. 

A foul stench assailed his nostrils, and he looked up at Olubayo, who was glaring resentfully between the slain cat and his saviour. Whether from rage or from humiliation Ekene could not be sure, but the bigger youth was shaking uncontrollably, seemingly unaware that fright had caused him to soil himself. Belatedly noticing the direction of Ekene's glance, he looked down at himself and wordlessly headed into the river shallows to clean up. 

When he returned he had recovered some of his arrogant swagger, and there was a cunning gleam in his eyes. He fingered the knife at his waist meaningfully, and when he spoke his voice was heavy with menace. "You will not speak of this to any of the others," he said sourly, "or my blade will taste your blood." Without replying, Ekene pulled his spear from the leopard, and grasped the broken shaft of the weapon which had delivered the fatal thrust. "Leave it!" Olubayo commanded. "The others will see that it is my spear that slew the beast. I will take the kill, and I will have your woman." 

Ekene bristled with outrage. Such a thing was unheard of. It was generally accepted in every village that a bond formed between a boy and a girl was inviolate until it was broken by mutual agreement, unless there was serious wrongdoing by either. However this was merely accepted practice rather than tribal law, and it was within the discretion of village chieftains to dissolve such unions, although this discretion was rarely exercised. Before Ekene could respond Olubayo picked up the lighter spear and tossed it into the river. "Remember," he growled, "if you wish to live, you will remain silent, and remember also that should you speak out, your certain death will not protect Onome from my anger."

Ekene had no doubt that in the heat of this moment the threat was meant, and although he cared little for his own safety, if telling the truth resulted in harm to his beloved Onome he would have no wish to live anyway. There would be other opportunities to prove himself in the hunt, so it was better that he remain silent and cling to the hope that Olubayo would come to his senses. It was unthinkable that Chief Kelechi would wish to lose the hard earned respect of the village, by denying the vanquisher of such a feared predator his choice of mate, especially when that vanquisher was his own first born and future successor. 

At Olubayo's direction, and unwilling to further antagonise his adversary, Ekene cut down a sapling and trimmed it into a stout pole which was thrust between the bound paws of the carcass. Each taking an end, they slung the pole over their shoulders, and with their burden swaying between them they set off in the direction of their village. 

They had gone no more than a mile when they were hailed by the rest of the party, which was gaining on them gradually. Setting the dead cat on the ground, they rested until the others caught up. It had obviously been a successful hunt, for the new arrivals were loaded down with the butchered carcass of a sizeable wildebeest. Slung on a pole carried by two of the younger members was the bloodied hide, sagging under the weight of a haunch

Nwankwo, the leader of the hunting party eyed the leopard with approval. "Ho, Olubayo, that is a fine kill. There are now three new hunters in the village." He pointed to the youths carrying the hide. "Nnamdi and Kadiri made their first kill. The spear of each struck true at the same moment, one in the heart and one in the liver. The beast would have died from either so they will share the kill."

Any chance that Olubayo might act with honour quickly vanished, as with a warning glare at Ekene he indicated the broken shaft protruding from the spotted carcass. "All can see that my spear slew the beast." he declared, basking in the sycophantic praise and backslapping of those who wished to curry favour. Ekene looked on in frustration, knowing that any protests would be futile, and viewed as a jealous attempt to discredit someone whose future status as village chief he coveted.

After a short rest they all shouldered their burdens and turned in the direction of the village, where Olubayo's deception was unquestioningly accepted as truth. Nobody thought to ask Ekene for confirmation, although he knew that if he failed to confirm it, Olubayo would almost certainly carry through his threat to harm Onome. It was better that he see her well and mated to the bully, rather than grievously harmed, or worse. There was no assurance that she would be treated well, but the slightest chance was preferable to her certain fate should he speak up, and even if he did speak up it was unlikely he would be believed.


Jungle Justice



His chest swelling with pride, Chief Kelechi directed that the leopard be carefully skinned, and the pelt, along with the hide of the wildebeest, handed over to the women to be treated and fashioned into ceremonial cloaks for the new hunters. This would take several days, so it allowed ample time to prepare for the celebrations which were customary when boys became hunters and were permitted to choose their first wives. 

A runner was despatched to seek out the storyteller who travelled from village to village, for the taking of a leopard was a rare feat, and for a mere youth to do so was unheard of. The storyteller would weave a grand tale, which would grow with each telling, becoming the envy of all within a week's march, and bringing great prestige to the village. The story would pass from village to village to village, and within a year the hunter's name and bravery would become a part of folk lore. 

Ekene couldn't bear seeing Olubayo basking in such undeserved adulation, so he left the village and wandered down to the riverbank. He sat aimlessly throwing pebbles into the water, watching the ripples disperse just as his hopes of ever taking Onome as his wife had dispersed, at least for now. A soft footfall made him look up to see Onome studying him silently. Sinking down beside him and took his hand, understanding his need for quiet, knowing instinctively what was going through his mind, for her thoughts mirrored his. Several minutes passed before she finally broke the silence. Slipping a hand inside his loincloth she grasped his member.

"If another claims me he may use my body, but only you will ever own it dear Ekene. My heart and soul are yours alone, and if he does take me for a wife I will find ways for you to lie with me without him knowing." She withdrew his stiffening organ and lowered her head. "I will try to come to you after the old women declare me unspoiled." Taking him into her mouth she sucked him slowly until she sensed he was ready, then turned and offered her rear passage. "For now my beloved," she whispered. "Give me your seed here."

He knelt behind her and eyed her vulva. Now that he believed that, despite her assurances, it was possible that soon she could be beyond his reach, it looked more tempting than ever. Unable to resist, he parted the pouting lips with the tip of his penis, and pressed the rubbery head against her clitoris. Onome trembled in fearful apprehension. It would be so easy for him to do what, despite the disastrous repercussions, they both wanted so desperately. So easy for him to thrust deep into her vagina. She thrust her brief concerns aside as the familiar sensations coursed through her as his glans caressed her sensitive bud. After all, he had had many opportunities to do what she feared, and he had never betrayed her trust.

The persistent stroking propelled her closer and closer to climax, and as she peaked Ekene shuddered and his hot semen bathed the inner folds of her sex. 

Panting, he sat back on his heels and she turned to face him with a smile. True he had not penetrated her, but her vagina had known the touch of his penis and accepted his seed, which was more than either had dared hope. She looked fondly at his slowly subsiding member, and leaned forward to take him between her lips. Her flexible tongue lapping at their combined juices rekindled his arousal, and tenderly cupping her head, he thrust steadily until he erupted into her mouth and down her convulsing throat. When he withdrew they sat unspeaking for many minutes, lost in their own thoughts, until at last she rose and touching him briefly on the shoulder, she returned to the village.

The ensuing days were too frantic for them to find more time to be together, as preparations were made for the upcoming celebrations. There was shukutu, the potent local beer to be brewed, and huts to be built for the new hunters and their chosen brides. Three days before the appointed day, all eligible maidens, eight in all, were taken into the women's hut to be formally confirmed as virgins, and instructed in the duties of being wives. Only three could find husbands on this occasion, but custom demanded that all unwed women take part. On the eve of the ceremony a fire pit was prepared, and the whole skinned carcass of a freshly killed antelope was laid on the embers, and covered with large leaves and dirt before being left to cook overnight.

There was an air of anticipation in the village next morning. The women had risen at dawn and opened up the fire pit, to heap edible roots on top of the roasting meat before replacing the covering of soil. The scorching sun was at its zenith when the pit was reopened, and the succulent meat and roots were laid out on large wooden platters. Many large gourds brimming with shukutu were produced, and the feasting began in earnest. 

As the shadows began to lengthen, the effects of the strong brew became more noticeable, especially among the younger males. Before the sun fell too far, Kelechi signalled to all of the hunters of the village, and donning the cloaks they had earned from their first kills, they formed a circle with the more seasoned hunter at Kelechi's right hand, and in descending seniority until the circle was closed by the three new hunters to the Chieftain's left. To the slow muted beat of a drum, the curtain covering the doorway of the women's hut was pushed aside, and led by those who had promised themselves to the newly blooded hunters Nnamdi and Kadiri, and with Onome bringing up the rear, the eight eligible maidens were led out and into the circle carrying small wooden bowls filled with millet porridge. Each was naked but for a 'bride cloth', a narrow white strip hanging down in front of her loins. Her breasts were ringed with white clay, and her pointed nipples dyed with the juice of red berries. 

As the rhythmic drumming increased in tempo, the maidens began a provocative dance, shuffling from one hunter to the next, until they returned to the starting point. A second and then a third drum joined the first, and as the dancers continued to circle, their movements became openly erotic. Pausing before each hunter, each girl held out her bowl with one hand, whilst simultaneously drawing aside the bride cloth, exposing her loins in a symbolic offering of body and food. Under tribal law, any hunter with no more than one wife could, by accepting the proffered bowl and tasting its contents, take the bearer of the offering as a second wife. 

However, since this occasion was to honour the new hunters, the accepted custom was for only those to whom maidens had promised themselves to accept the offerings. As tradition demanded, each experienced hunter extended a hand, stroking briefly between the parted thighs and bringing his fingers to his nostrils before shaking his head in refusal. Rather than being affronted, the girl smiled and moved on to the next man. By the time the circuit was nearing completion, the sensual dance and repeated touching were having an effect on not only the dancers, but on many of the watching throng, an effect that was attested by bulging loincloths, and the heady scent of female arousal hanging in the still atmosphere. 

The air of festivity became charged with expectation, as Ulunma, the first in the shuffling line stopped before Kadiri. Her expression was serious as she fixed him with an unwavering stare and ritually offered body and bowl. With equal solemnity, the new hunter dipped a finger into the bowl and tasted the contents before nodding acceptance of her offer. To the enthusiastic approval of the watching villagers, the now married couple stepped from the formation into the centre of the circle. The next girl Chioma repeated the ritual with Nnamdi, and they happily joined the first pair. 

One after another three more hopefuls offered themselves to a leering, now intoxicated Olubayo, offering no complaint as he thrust a hand under their bride cloths, stroking for much longer than was customary, and then licking his fingers lewdly before rejecting each girl with a sneer. 

As he reached for the next, Kelechi put a restraining hand on his wrist. "Enough!" he snapped. "They are not your playthings. You will not be permitted to disgrace our village and disrespect our customs!"

Sullen but chastened, Olubayo ignored the next two maidens, merely waving them away. Onome heaved a sigh of relief, which was echoed by the watching Ekene, but their relief was short lived. Onome made the token gesture and made to move on, but Olubayo snatched the bowl from her fingers, and shovelled half of its contents into his mouth.

There were disapproving rumblings from all around, and Kelechi stared at him incredulously. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

His eldest son stared at him in defiance. "Every hunter has a right to choose a wife, and I choose Onome."

"But everyone knows that Onome has promised herself to Ekene."

"Ekene?" Olubayo's tone made the name sound like the foulest expletive. "Ekene is not a man. He does not have the courage to face a wounded dik-dik." he sneered drunkenly. A tiny antelope that rarely grew taller than knee height, the dik-dik was known for its timidity, and its understandable tendency to flee rather than fight. 

"It may be true that he is not yet a hunter," Kelechi argued, "but you must respect our customs."

"Why must I obey a foolish custom? It is not law. Does our law not say that a hunter may take as wife any woman who offers her food and her body? Did Onome not offer food and body?" 

Kelechi glared in frustrated anger. No matter how wrong it may be morally, no matter how much it flouted tradition, his first born was perfectly correct. Law did take precedence over custom. Although it had only been a token gesture as part of the ritual, Onome had offered herself, and so strict tribal law gave Olubayo the right to disregard custom and tradition.

The law could be changed only at a meeting between all tribal chiefs and elders, and determined to ensure that such an injustice as he had just witnessed would never be repeated, Kelechi vowed to summon the heads of all villages. However they would take days or even weeks to assemble, and it would not alter the present situation.

With a gloating sneer, Olubayo seized Onome by the arm and dragged her roughly towards the other two couples in the centre of the circle, only to have them pointedly turn their backs. Stung by being shunned by his peers, he pushed Onome violently. "Bring your husband some shukutu, woman!" he snarled. Although he had already had too much to drink, she left the circle obediently, and after several minutes had passed she returned with a large clay jug, filled with the foaming brew. 

As the hunters, now joined by their women, crowded round congratulating and toasting Kadiri and Nnamdi and their new wives, Olubayo took a long drink of the potent liquid, and dragged Onome to one side, where he sat glaring sullenly at the openly hostile faces. Awkwardly at first, and then with increasing enthusiasm, the celebrations resumed and continued until long after nightfall. The copious amounts of shukutu consumed soon loosened inhibitions, and before long many couples were furtively fondling each other under cover of darkness. 

Eventually Kelechi rose and yawned ostentatiously, and recognising the signal they had been watching for, Kadiri, Nnamdi and their brides hastened to their respective huts, free to finally know each other in the most intimate ways. Minutes later Olubayo lurched to his feet, and taking a painful grip on Onome's upper arm, staggered drunkenly to their marital home. 

Gradually the rest of the village retired to their sleeping mats, leaving Ekene staring forlornly into the dying embers of the fire. No matter how hard he tried, he could not prevent his thoughts from turning to what he was certain the bogus hunter was at that very moment doing with his beloved Onome. For a seeming eternity he stared morosely as his imagination ran free. Despite his dejection his loins stirred at the memory of how his penis had felt, enfolded by the lips of her vagina. 

A light tap on his back broke his thoughts, and he looked behind him, brow furrowed in puzzlement when he saw nobody there. Dismissing it as imagination he resumed his brooding, until there came a harder tap, this time on his shoulder, and he saw a small pebble bounce away into the darkness. Whirling to seek out the thrower, he made out the familiar form of his lost love, silhouetted against the glow of a lamp in Olubayo's hut. She beckoned urgently, and glancing round to ensure he wasn't observed, Ekene crossed the space between them. 

"Quickly my love" He held back as she tried to urge him inside the hut, but she shook her head. "He will not awaken. He has had too much shukutu, and I mixed in ubulawu.." 

Ekene nodded in comprehension. It was not without good reason that ubulawu was called the dream root. When ingested, the ground root vividly enhanced the dreams of a sleeper, and upon awakening the dreamed of events were often indistinguishable from reality. Mixed into the strong beer, the potency of the root increased dramatically. Moving quickly into the hut, Ekene blinked in the light of the small lamp, which although dim, was like daylight compared with the outside darkness. Olubayo was sprawled on his back, snoring through his wide open mouth, and Onome bared her teeth in a mirthless grin as she let down the door flap. 

"See?" she said, pointing. "Already the fool dreams he is taking me." 

His eyes followed the direction of her finger, and just as she had said, Olubayo's erection was protruding from the top of his loincloth. Even as they watched, the stiff member twitched, and a stream of semen seeped from the tip to form a thick white pool on the sleeping man's belly. 

Her hand moved to the cord around her waist, and as her bride cloth fluttered to the ground she tugged off Ekene's loincloth and moved closer. For the first time they pressed together skin to skin, naked as the day they were born. She chuckled lasciviously as his erection pushed against her belly, and then broke their embrace to spread the discarded leopardskin cloak on the dirt. Lowering herself onto the soft fur, she grasped his rigid shaft to coax him down to join her. Fearful of discovery he hesitated, but his need for her overcame his fear and he sank to his knees. With fevered urgency she took him between her outstretched thighs, and she guided him to the wetness of her sex.

"Take me my one true husband." she whispered. "Take what was meant only for you."

She cried out as he took her virginity, and then joy filled her heart as his hardness filled her vagina. Slowly at first, then with increasing confidence he thrust into her, and she rose to meet him. The small hut was filled with the sounds and scent of their coupling, as their loins met in a battle as old as time, until with a shudder he burst inside her, their juices mingling and his seed seeking her womb.

For long minutes they continued to move against each other, until his shrinking organ softened inside her. As he lifted from her she rose, and with an expression filled with scorn and hatred, she squatted astride the unconscious figure beside them, and dripped Ekene's blood tinged semen first into the gaping mouth, then on to the flaccid penis. Returning to her lover she took up her fallen bride cloth, and wiped between her legs and his before laying it aside reaching for him again. They joined twice more before Ekene donned his loincloth and slipped out of the hut, flitting from shadow to shadow to avoid detection as he crept through the pre dawn light to his own sleeping mat.

Sleep did not come easily, for now that his passion was spent sanity returned. What had just occurred - lying with another man's woman -- could bring harsh and savage retribution if discovered. Despite the care he had taken he could not be sure that he had not been observed, either entering or leaving Olubayo's marital hut. His and Onome's 'crime' was made even more serious by the fact that he was not a recognised hunter, and therefore not deemed to be a man. If he had been seen, and Olubayo was informed, Ekene knew he could expect no mercy. Nor could he expect any sympathy from the rest of the village. The best he could hope for would be that Olubayo would kill him quickly and cleanly, although it was doubtful that Onome would be so fortunate. It was with these fears in mind that exhaustion finally took him, and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

The sounds of activity awakened him, two hours before the sun reached its zenith, and he started guiltily, fearing in his sleep befuddled mind that their secret had somehow been discovered. Emerging into the bright sunlight, he shaded his eyes and gazed around the village, relieved to see Kelechi sitting outside his hut, flanked by both of his wives, and the village elders with their wives. Ulunma and Chioma, proudly escorted by their new husbands, were moving slowly along the line. Halting before each of the older women they held out their bride cloths, stained with the evidence of the previous night's activity, and received solemn nods of approval. 

"What of Onome and Olubayo?" The Chieftain demanded. "Why are they not here?" All eyes turned to Olubayo's hut, just as Onome ducked through the low opening, cloth in hand. As she held it out for inspection, Kelechi asked quietly. "Where is my son?"

She made no attempt to hide the scorn in her voice. "He sleeps. His thirst was greater than his wisdom."

There was sympathy in the Chieftain's expression, although she was unsure if it was for her or his son.

The question went unanswered when he was interrupted by a buzz of excitement as a stooped old man pushed his way through the throng. "Welcome storyteller." Kelechi said loudly. "We have a story of great courage for you to tell in other villages."

The newcomer nodded and squatted on his haunches. "Eat and drink first, story later" he said wearily

Food and shukutu were brought, and as he was finishing his meal Olubayo emerged unsteadily from his hut, leopardskin cape draped loosely around his shoulders. 

He cast a sour look at Onome, then at the cloth in her hand. Nothing had gone as he wanted last night and he was in a foul mood. After a week of planning, he had decided to take her brutally, punishing her for rejecting him so often and so publicly. It had been his intention to abuse her for three days and nights, before casting her out to be taken by any man in the village however and whenever they wished, but the argument with his father had made him drink too much, so he had no memory of what had happened. He assumed he had taken her, because he had a faint memory of her cry of pain, and her bride cloth was stained with her virgin blood, but he took no pleasure in the knowledge, thanks to his foolish overindulgence wiping all memory from his befuddled brain. The only thing of which he was certain was that there was a bitter stale taste lingering in his mouth, that he was unable to identify.

As he moved beside her, taking her arm in an agonising grip, the storyteller looked at him, and then at Kelechi. "Why does a coward wear the skin of a noble beast?" the old man demanded.

Kelechi looked at him incredulously. "My son earned it with his own spear."

The storyteller shook his head and pointed to his own eyes. "That is not what these eyes saw from across the river." He indicated the healing gouges on Olubayo's calf. "Does a brave hunter receive such wounds from a beast he faces?"

"But we all saw his spear in the spotted one." the chief protested.

"His spear," the old man agreed. "but not from his hand. He cast away his spear and turned to flee." He looked around until his gaze fell on Ekene. "There is the slayer. With his own spear he brought down the beast as it struck. And then he took up the coward's spear for the kill."




Jungle Justice



Kelechi saw the truth in the stricken expression on Olubayo's face, and turned to Ekene. "Does the storyteller speak truly? Why did you not speak up?" he added when Ekene nodded.

"I did not dare. He vowed to kill me and harm Onome. My life means nothing, because without her it is worth nothing, but I would not see her harmed."

Kelechi snatched the robe and wrapped it around Ekene's shoulders, and his face was like thunder as he barked out a command. Immediately Olubayo found his arms being bound to his sides. "Your cowardice and deceit bring shame to our village and to our tribe!" the Chieftain raged. "You have stolen another man's kill, and you have stolen and defiled another man's woman! No longer are you the son of Kelechi! I take away your name, and no more will it be heard in our village or our tribe. You will be driven from this place, never to return, and wherever you go you will be greeted with spears."

As his tirade ended he turned back to face Ekene, and addressing the women he ordered. "Summon the maidens so that this true hunter may choose a wife." 

Ekene shook his head and moved beside Onome, taking her hand. "I have chosen."

"Onome has been used by one who had no right. She is not pure. " The Chieftain reminded him. 

"That was not of her choosing, but she is of my choosing." he replied stubbornly, adding. "If I am of her choosing." Her joyous smile was enough to make Kelechi nod assent.

During this exchange the village elders had been muttering among themselves, and now one spoke up. "You must do what must be done, my Chief."

Kelechi turned. "I cannot. He is no longer my son, but he is of my loins. I cannot do what must be done." He held out his hands beseechingly. "Do not ask me to do this thing."

"You must." the old man insisted. "You must show yourself to be a strong and just leader, or our village and the name of Kelechi will be scorned by all." 

Knowing the truth did not make it any easier, and there were tears in Kelechi's eyes as he picked up a blazing brand from the cook fire. Face twisted in an agony far worse than any physical pain, he approached his now nameless former son. "By this will you be forever known as coward" he announced, drawing the flaming tip across the terrified youth's forehead. "By this," he continued relentlessly, "all will know you as false." He jabbed the brand against the screaming lips, before letting it fall to the dust at his feet. "Cast him out." he said wearily.

Before he could be obeyed, the slight figure of the woman who had been betrayed by her lover many years ago, and had since been used and abused almost to the point of insanity, stepped forward and ripped off the sobbing youth's loincloth. "By this will you be known as a despoiler of women!" she screeched, and under the horrified gaze of the onlookers, she snatched up the discarded brand and thrust it savagely against his scrotum. He let out an ear piercing scream, which was cut short as his testicles boiled and he fell unconscious.

The sun was long past its highest when he was jolted back to consciousness. His arms were still bound to his sides, and through his pain he realised that he was being carried on a crudely made litter. The searing heat of the sun emphasised his burns, and it was slowly sinking in that being expelled from the village was in effect a death sentence. Too late he was realising that simply being the son and heir of the Chieftain did not give him a free passage through life. In his arrogance he had deemed it beneath him to learn even the basic skills needed to survive. Now he was filled with regret, because even if he had a weapon, the excruciating pain in his seared testicles would hinder any attempts at chasing down even the slowest game. Not that his ruined mouth would permit him to eat for several days.

Painfully he turned his head and looked at the four hunters who were carrying him. Hatred filled him when he Realised that one of those beside his head was Ekene, and that he was wearing the leopard skin around his shoulders. The hatred turned to sudden rage, and screaming profanities, he began to struggle against his bonds, causing the litter to rock. Immediately Ekene began to lower his corner to the ground, prompting his fellow bearers to follow suit. Already resentful at having to carry the outcast for miles in the heat of day, one of the hunters took exception to the curses, and lashed out contemptuously with his foot, splitting open the partially healed wounds in the immobilised youth's calf and causing the blood to flow freely.

The hysterical cackle of a hyena reached the group, and although it was some distance away, they exchanged nervous glances. The savage dog like predators seldom hunted alone, and only a fool did not fear their bone crushing jaws. 

"We must leave this place now," the man who had delivered the kick insisted. "before the wind carries the scent of blood."

Two of his companions hastily voiced their agreement and turned to go, but much as he hated his former adversary, Ekene was not without compassion. He drew his knife with the intention of cutting the bonds, so that he who was once Olubayo would at least have a chance of defending himself against predators, but was met with a defiant glare.

"So, you would slay a helpless man?" The ruined mouth made the words barely intelligible. "Before you strike know you how I enjoyed your woman, and how I made her cry out with pain."

Ekene shook his head and smiled grimly. "Not so. That was an ubulawu dream. It was I who made Onome a woman." He twisted the cloak around to show the virginal blood stains, and held up three fingers. "Look here. I took her this many times on this very cloak while you were dreaming. And her cries were of joy, not pain." Seeing the doubt reflected in his enemy's eyes, he couldn't resist pressing the matter. He told how he and Onome had watched the dreamer ejaculate on to his belly, and in greater detail described how she had clung rapturously as he took her virginity, before he delivered his seed deep inside her vagina. The doubt turned to abject defeat when he heard how Onome had squatted over him and dripped Ekene's blood tinged semen into his open mouth.

Finally satisfied, Ekene slashed at the bonds, not caring that his knife bit too deep and opened up fresh wounds. Without a backward glance, he set of in pursuit of his companions, trying to ignore the fact that the memory and his intimate description of his night with Onome had caused his loins to stir. The cries of the hyena were coming closer, and had been not only answered by others of its species, but had been joined by the yelping barks of jackals, so Ekene lengthened his stride in his haste to catch up. Not even the danger posed by the predators seemed to lessen his erection, but fortunately, by the time he had rejoined the group, although not entirely flaccid it was not quite so uncomfortable.

During the trek back to the village was no discussion about what had happened. Survival was too much of a struggle in the severe African environment to carry passengers and parasites, so any who betrayed the trust of his fellows also threatened the safety, stability and security of the whole village. Retribution was by necessity as harsh and ruthlessly unforgiving as the land.

Darkness was closing in as they approached the village, and Ekene focused his thoughts on the moist warmth of Onome's loins and the resilient firmness of her breasts. His erection was straining at his loincloth when he entered their hut to find her naked and waiting. The air was redolent with the scent of her arousal, and dropping his single garment he moved between her welcoming thighs. She accepted her rightful husbands thrusts with joy, and their coupling was all the sweeter than the first time, as their loins joined and he gave her his seed without guilt or fear of discovery.