Chapter 9

 It has an almost triangular shape.*

She must have been hurt by a Hunter; a hunter who wasn't concerned about her newborn baby * her stomach's still soft from child birthing.*

I don't know how people can be so heartless.

How can he do this to a mother knowing she has a little one?

Lamenting and cursing the bad ones who are not worthy of walking the world won't make her wounds disappear, rather, it will make her bleed to death if nothing is done to stop the bleeding.

Taking a little Ukazi leaf from my bag; I chew on it a little and spit the residue in her wound.

She wriggled in pain as the leaves and their residues landed on her.

"Sorry, but it's a necessary stuff."

Without the Ukazi leave, I'm afraid she will bleed to death.

The medicinal property of the Ukazi leave is to mainly stop bleeding.

It stops the flow of blood and prevents infection.

Taking two Ude fruits from my bag, I hand one to the baby and one to its mother.

The baby bit into the fruit without wasting any time at all, while the mother took a little cautious bite.

Satisfied by what she's tasting, she finished the fruit even Before her child can finish.

The baby, seeing that the mother is through with hers stretched its arms towards her, so she can bite from its own.

I awed at the sight, a sight alone that makes my headaches for something I never had, nor will I experience.

Taking another fruit from the bag, I gave it to the mother, who was looking at me with an appreciative look.

"It's alright, you don't have to thank me," I should be thanking her for allowing me to witness a mother-child bonding time intimately.

"Thank you for allowing me to treat you," this is the first time in almost two moons since I've been near my patients.

The other five patients I've treated closely are my father, Fosy and five other animals.

The mother made a sound in her throat, a sound I know is one of thanks.

If she were to be given the gift of speech, 

"Thank you so much for helping me; I thought I was about to die, that was why I kept my child at a far distance so as not to witness my painful death. You're my saviour; thank the gods you were around when I needed help the most.

The fruit you gave me is the sweetest I've ever tasted.

How did you come about it? What's the name of the fruit?"

This all she would have convened to me if she were to be given a gift of speech.

Taking the last Kanda to leave I have on me * I keep them secured at home since exposing them to sunlight will make it lose some of its healing properties*, I apply the medicine to her stomach.

The Ukaz leave stopped the bleeding, while the Ude fruit I gave will stop its inner wounds.

Applying the Kanda on her will heal the wound completely.

Seeing her next Ubochi, you won't believe she had a wound as grievous as the one she has now.

She made a happy sound in her throat, *the Kanda is doing its job; it's working *, a sound of bliss.

Helping her up, I guide her to a place not soaking with her blood, that where she can comfortably rest without feeling her blood on her.

With her in a good place, I carry her baby to her.

I swear I heard it call her Mama, the sound wasn't that pronounced, but you can still make out the sound.

The mom looks up at me with a grateful look on her face as her child cuddles with her.

"That's what a person does to any in need," I smile down at her.

I came to the forest to get some medicines to heal the patients I have back at the village, not knowing the gods are directing my paths to a mother in need.

Leaving the forest with mother and child comfortable hidden *the forest requires for any animal taken from it alive, that's why hunters completely kill before taking it home* I promised to check on them tomorrow.

The sky has darkened, a promise of rain on its way if care's not taken, I might be drenched before I reach the protection of my house.

I increase my pace to avoid the onslaught of the brewing rain.

During the moon shining, rain starts pouring oge * that's what hours are called in Mabudazou *after it shows its signs, but during the moon falling *the season we're in now* we can't predict the exact time for the rain to fall.

It might start pouring now, or it might not start its downpour until Abali, which exceeds two hours from now.

Carrying my heavy bag of goodies *I took more herbs and fruits on my way out of the forest*, and I start the journey home.

A journey that took me two oge to go will take me three oge to return because of the heavy bag I am carrying.

Humming, I continue on my merry way; singing makes me lose momentary focus on my surroundings, it makes the journey less strenuous for me.

"And where do you think you're going to witch?" 

Before I can register what's happening, he's already caught my hair in his fist.

Letting go of my bag of goodies (it has a covering) I clutched at him in pain. "Please let go!" I beg.

Instead of letting go as I requested, he tightened his fist on my hair, "and who are you to tell me what am to do and what not to do? " He seethes in anger.

" No one! " The pain was too is unbearable for me to make more sentences.

A situation like this one is why I wished I were gifted with more than the gift of healing.