ORIGIN - Chapter Seventeen

In the evening, new, fresh palm fronds were passed around the whole village, signifying a new war. Weak men ran inside their homes, gathered their wives and children, and started a meeting on how they would successfully run away from the village without being seen. It was the next day, as early as the cock crowed that Echi got hold of his own palm frond. The dark greenish leaf disintegrated into different parts. As Echi observed the edges of the leaves, he knew his death was near. The death he had longed for and waited for many years was finally at his doorsteps. The passage to his dear Olanna was finally in his own hands. He strained his eyes to see the small drop of blood that was on one of the leaves. It was the smallest drop of blood he had seen on a leaf since he started receiving the palm fronds of war on his threshold.

The thirteen emissaries sent to Umunsogbu returned in the afternoon with their leader, Chika leading the way with the message of Egwu