Chapter 7 A mother in

The forest is always devoid of both humans and the occasional sounds that surrounds Uderide forest ( a forest that never sleeps, with wolves parading in it almost Everytime).

A forest I've only being to twice; a forest humans are afraid to thread on for fear of the wolves and what they might do to them.

The forms of Uderide is the richest of since it's filled with assorted fruits; an Iyi( a sparkling water body) it's waters are medicinal for the cleaning of a barren woman.

I've gone as far as the Iyi once when I had a patient who's said to be barren.

She've been married to her Obi for thirteen moons without showing any sign of Idi Ime( it's when a mother becomes heavy with child).

When I was consulted, I braved the elements and the dangers roving around the Uderide forest to get the Iyi for her.

A bravery I wasn't commended for, neither did the female who I risked( going into the Uderide forest is a risk taken by those who have nothing to loose just like I had nothing whatsoever to loose) my life for thank me for that.

Her lack of thanks won't make me any taller than I am, but at least it would have made my heart elevate.

A complete moon cycle later; she gave birth to a baby girl; a girl am not allowed to breathe the same air as she is.

A girl who's words of shunning hurts me the most since she was my only patient I risked much for.

The first time I went to the Uderide forest was when I got Ude for my Ima; the search for the Ude don't take much from me like the water from Iyi, yet the ones I risked my life for didn't appreciate.

A shuffle around made me aware am not the only one here.

"Who's there? show yourself", I took threatening steps towards the place I know the noise to be coming from.

"If you're not afraid, come out!", I shout as I take more steps towards it.

Am not a fearless person( I mean what do I have to loose? I have no one to mourn me if am gone; no one to remember the ubochis we spent together), I fear nothing.

Not even the wolf king is scary enough for me; I take everything head on.

Reaching the place I heard the sound from; peeking through the small imeohia( it's our version of bush) I was met with the cute smile of a baby Agba( an animal that looks more like a human, but without the normal human anatomy. It has fails and hops on trees).

"Oh baby", I cooed, scooping the tiny bundle of joy in my arms;y bag of goodies already forgotten.

The baby made a little noise on his throat with a smile still plastered on it's face.

It's as if it's trying to tell me something.

"What's it?

it made another sound on it's throat while still gazing at me.

Who knows what it trying to convene but can't.

"I guess I will take you home then, since it seems your mother isn't anywhere near here".

That have to be the truth since there's no sign of the mother.

Is the mother died? it has to be since a mother never leaves her child without protection.

Mothers leave to protect.

I won't say I've experienced such love, but I've seen how Soso's mother protects her young.

A love I lament on not having an experience on.

The little baby made another sound on his throat; now tugging on my Akwa.

It's tug really insistent.

"What's it love? anything you want to tell me?", there must be something it wants to relay to me but can't because it's not only an animal but a baby.

A sound at the imeohia near the one I took the animal up from made me alert of another presence.

Walking towards it with the baby animal carefully held on my arms, I walked inside the dimly lit place.

The sun's rays wasn't reaching this part of the forest.

A sight that made my inner healer rear it head up was what met me at the other side of the imeohia.

The mother; I suppose it's the mother since the little baby started struggling to leave my hold when we came in there.

It made a happy sound as we neared the almost dead mother.

Lying in the pool of her blood, the mother gave me a look that convenes so much; a look that makes my heart ache.

Carefully dropping the baby, I give it my best practiced stern look, "stay here, don't move closer to her".

Running back, I took up my bag of Goodies ; thankfully I got enough Ude to last for Many Izu Ukas.

Kneeling down beside her, I crunched to check where the blood's seeping from.

She had a very large cut on her stomach, a cut that looks suspiciously like a hunter's Nkwaoru( it's a weapon that have a sharp edge with a wooden handle. It's edge have 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 have a little one?.

Lamenting and cursing the bad ones who are not worthy of walking the world wont make her wounds disappear rather it will make her bleed to death if nothing is done fo 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 wringled in pain as the leaves and it's residues landed on her.

"Sorry, but it's a necessary stuff", without the Ukazi leave,am 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 have one to the baby and one to it's 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 it's 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 witness a mother child bonding time intimately.

"Thank you for allowing me treat you", this 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 was 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 was to be given a gift of speech.

Taking the last Kanda leave I have on me( I keep them secured at home since exposing them to sunlight will make it loose some of it's healing properties), I applied the medicine on her stomach.

The Ukazi leave stopped the bleeding while the Ude fruit I gave will stop it's 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 guided her to a place not soaking with her blood, that was she can comfortably rest without feeling her blood on her.

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

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

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