Wanted By The Wolf King

Have you ever wondered how life will be like if you weren't born the way you were?

Have you wondered why people judge others for a situation they can't control?

If you haven't,then welcome to my life.

Welcome to my world, the world of Rabel Ichie Uzoamaka the shunned maiden of Mabudazou.

"Witch", I heard a village mutter as I passed her by,

"Ekwensu's( is an evil proprietor; he's the god of all things evil) child", another spat the moment I walked past her.

I've grown used to the way they treat me in our small town.

It doesn't help that I dyed my white hair black to blend in with others, but despite that the villagers still single me out every time; every single time.

I paused at Mama Nneka's house to drop a herb for her; her daughter Nkechi is seriously down with fever.

A single dose of my Akwukwo Ede administered to her by me can clear her fever in few hours.

Her mother is willing to take the medicines I drop on her doorposts but she's not willing for me to directly treat her child.

The Mmiri ude I've been giving her is enough to keep the fever at bay but not fully heal her.

Walking pass Mama Nneka's house after I dropped the medicine on their doorpost, I walk towards the house of my friend Soso; I hope she isn't in Akwukw if she is, I won't forgive myself for not being to her house earlier.

"Rabel!", Soso happily rushed towards me, enveloping me in a breathe stopping hug she smiles up at me, "I thought you weren't coming today", she pouted cutely.

I stooped low to embrace my bestest friend; she's the only one that doesn't fear me in the entirety of Mabudazou.

"How can I afford to miss your warm hug soso?", I poked her cute chubby cheeks, " you're my ray of sunshine; the only person I will sail the entire world just to be with you", I smile at her.

It's not an exaggeration of words when I say those; she's the only person I will sacrifice both my safety for her.

She touches my dyed hair, "why did you change your hair color? I like the other one better!", she looks at my said hair with hatred on her eyes.

I touch said hair, " I want to try out a new look", I lie to her for not the first time since I started hanging out here with her.

I dyed my hair to make they animosity the villagers have on me to lessen, but instead of having the desired effect, it had the opposite.

She smiles like the kid she is,"it looks good on you though", she shrugs while giving me a side smile.

" Am glad you like it", I genuinely smiled at her.

" Mummy said Ekwensu must have taken you back to his lair when I complained about your lateness today", she lays her head on my shoulder, " I was really heartbroken when I thought you won't visit me today".

" Don't worry about that Dearie; I won't miss a day without you", I opens my bag of goodies, " guess what I brought for you today?", I Smile more brightly than I've done since I last saw her yesterday.

It's always a game we play each time I visit their house their house.

"Achicha?", She guesses,

I shake my head, "no", I grin more; this is my favourite part of my visit to their house.

"Kanda?", she guesses; she must have guessed that since it was what I brought for her yesterday.

"No", I grin the more.

She frowns, "am tired of the game; I can't guess any more, give me what you bought already", she pouts like the cute girl she is.

I brought out what I bought for her, "surprise!", I laugh at the look of surprise on her face.

"Really!", She squealed as she takes the the puppy I made with a wooden stake, "I love it Rabel; thank you very much!", She twirls with the puppy in her embrace.

I grin with satisfaction; I was afraid she won't like it when I saw it.

I decided to make the puppy when she complained about not having a play toy to play with.

Making the said puppy took me months to really perfect; months spent under the sun.

My efforts weren't a waste if the person I made the effort for really appreciates it.

"Am glad you like it", I shyly said; am not used to having compliments given to me, am well used to words of hatred spat on me.

"Like it? I love it!", She hugs me as she dances up and down with unrestrained happiness.

Her happiness to me is like an aphrodisiac; it's a contagious one.

"Soso!", I heard the sharp voice of he mother from her doorposts.

Their house like all other shackled buildings in the village.

Most of the houses in the village are built with stone ( for those who have enough resources) and clay ( for the poor masses).

I live in a stone building since my dad was one of the richest in the entire of Mabudazou; he was a chief before his untimely death.

Soso and her family live in a clay building for they don't have enough money to build a stone house.

Their houses were roofed with thatch, not a speck of Nku was in sight.

Most of the thatch in their roof are already decaying for lack of care; I won't be surprised if the house caves in on them before the Onwa( month) ends.

I've asked them to live with me since am the only one living in the house my dad built, but they refused for fear they might be bewitched.

People are afraid of what they don't understand; they're afraid of things they can't control.

"Soso get back here this instant!", her mom stood on the threshold not making a move to walk towards me; I can see the fear in her eyes from a distance; she's afraid of coming closer to me for fear she might contact my witch illness.

"I don't want to come on just yet; I want to spend more time with Rabel", she pouts as she turns towards me, " I don't want to go just yet Rabel; hope you will stay with me?", she hugs me closer to herself for fear I might slip through her fingers.

I look up at the mother who was glaring at me, "I don't think that will be a wise thing to do now Soso", I don't want to leave her, but I can't stay with her more than I've already done if I want to spend more time with Soso another day.

Ignoring her calls for Rama might make her prevent me from spending more time with Soso.

"I have places to deliver my medicines to", that's not a lie at least; I have to visit at least three more houses before I retire for the day.

Ekele is suffering from paralysis and I have to give him his daily dose of medicine before sunset today; any delay from me might cause his untimely demise which will in turn lead to the villagers shunning me for the Rest of my life.

At least they allow me to walk the streets without physically abusing me; they verbally abuse me, but they haven't for once abused me physically.

"At least stay a little longer with me", Soso pouts , "you wasted enough time to come to me as it is, please stay till I leave for Akwukwo", she gives me her best puppy eyes.

Akwukwo is a place the children go to to learn of our history; every child on the entire village is expected to pass through Akwukwo before they can graduate to being tradesmen and women.

I never attended the learning for once in my entire life( the villagers threatened to remove their children from the learning center of I so much as attend the Akwukwo learning center); the things I learnt I learnt from my father.

"I would have loved to stay Soso but I can't; you know Ekele is seriously down with illness, I can't afford to miss giving him his daily dose of medication", I stood up, " I will see you tomorrow Soso, take care", I look at the mother who was still giving me a deadly glare.

"I love you Rabel remember that!", she shouts after me.

"I love you more Soso", and I mean that, I love her more than I've loved any one in my entire life; she's more than a friend to me; she's family.

I took a short route to Ekele's house to avoid meeting the accusing villagers; it's not everyday one has the strength to listen to their verbal accusations.

Knocking on his door, I keep the medicine on his door post; he will see it when he opens the door.

Checking on the remaining medicines in my bag, I walk towards the other people that owns it.

Five more houses to go to before I complete my daily routine.

A daily routine that ends with me back in the forest collecting more herbs for the ungrateful villagers.

You might be wondering why I still help them despite their ill treatments of me; well you can say I help them to prevent a disaster.

It won't be right to whatever God must have gifted or cursed me with my healing powers, to ignore the sick when I can be of help to them.

The god must have gifted me to heal the people by giving me what the people consider a curse.

"Murderer", a girl of almost same age as I spat as she walks by, "witch", she continues to spur more evil words.

"A person like you is better off in Okumu where your fatter Ekwensu is residing in his pretend Obi( palace)", she says with a glare on me.

"Trash like you sn't worthy of living ", she spat as she resumes her journey to wherever she's supposed to be at..

Touching my dyed hair, I resumed walking; not bothering to acknowledge her and her words.

I learnt from a tender age not to talk back at them despite their harsh words towards me; ignoring them and their words is what I do.

If you talk back, it's makes life more unbearable for you; shut your mouth and concentrate on yourself, is one of my favorites words.

Walking briskly to avoid being caught by the teachers of Akwukwo, I walk pass their small mud building

This place have seen better days yet it's standing as strong and firm as it was when it was built.

The reason it must still be standing will be based on the materials used on them; materials that are more superior and firm than the ones use to build now.

The mud was built to resemble an Itu( an an ancient building were the hides of animals are dried; an Itu is divided into four parts, each part have its own work and function), it's divided into four different parts; each part have its own functions.

The first divided part is for the beginners; those from their second moon cycle( a complete moon cycle is a year) to the ones in their seventh moon cycle. This first category is the one Soso fells in since she's in her fifth moon cycle.

The second divided part is for the Iganihu( that's the advanced students). The class is for those from their eight moon cycle to those in their fourteenth moon cycle.

This second barge of learners can be called the senior of the bunch; a person who successfully completes their Akwukwo is eligible for the best job in the village.

The person can either become a farmer for the boys or a trader for the girls.

It's like a strive trying to complete your Akwukwo days; hardly have more than ten Learners emerged after a complete thirteen moon cycles in the Akwukwo.

More than half the students are failed before the final Iguonogugu( result calling).

The third part of the building is the Mposi; it's the place the learners answers the call of nature in.

The place is built like a bucket; you can squat there to relieve your self.

The third part is the only place I hate in the entire establishment; the place smells as badly as the rotten corpse of animals.

I detest passing there every night on my mission( the third part is the only place it's door is guarded with an Oja( a magical stone that detect thieves), it's always a must for me every night so as to avoid the Oja.

Secretly stealing into the school at night; I try to envision myself sitting on the oche( the place the learners sits during the day) looking up at the person teaching me.

I can still recall years of yearning just to attend the Akwukwo; years I cried myself to sleep because my wishes weren't granted.

Father said am too intelligent to attend the Akwukwo when I asked him the reason others go to the learning center but not me.

"Your Oburu( that's what we all the brain) is far more sharper than that if the dumb children who attends the center. A brain like yours is far better off in places like Ugiri before the war laid waste to all the other towns", he will smile down at an angry looking Rabel.

" I still want to attend", I will protest none stop even after he tells me if reasons why am not allowed to attend the Akwukwo.

A year after his death; I thought to attend the Akwukwo; a mistake on my part.

Dad who prevents me from attending the school is no longer alive; I thought I will take the opportunity to soar high up in the sky making sure I reach my peak since my cage have been broken.

That day was when I thought back to how odd it was, I never for once had a friend; I see kids walking around with their friends,but I've not for once had one kid

over to my place for a long game or any game at all.

An incident that happened years ago was what made me start thinking differently about others.

The first Ubochi( that's the first day in a week. We call the days Ubochi and the week we call Izu Uka) I was sitting on the front Oche at the house my father built before his death.

The children that were playing at the last house before ours( I've not questioned Father of the reason we live far from the other villagers. I thought that was the way he decided to built it. It was years later that I came to learn of the reasons why we live at the outskirt of the village).

The closer the children played the Ukwu( it's like a game of football, but instead of the ball, they play with an Ukwu; a round like fruit), the more giddy I became..

They haven't played their games this far, they always stop at the large tree near my house.

Kicking the Ukwu, it landed close to where I was sitting.

I stood to get the ukwu form where it is; I thought playing the game near me was their way of inviting me over to be their friend and play with them.

When the children saw me holding the said Ukwu on my hands; they all ran back; each shouting at the top of their voices.

That was the begining of the Okumu am suffering now; am afraid without Soso and her huggy feely ways I won't have survived as long as I did.

I met Soso two years after my Father's death; she was just a chubby two years old when she captured my heart, wrapping it expertly around her little finger.

#

Most of the little ones came out to gawk at me as I briskly made my way pass their learning place.

"That's the witch!" one of the children shouted.

"Mom says she will rot in Okumu!" says another.

"Her white hair is because she's as old as time!" the first one says( I know it's the first child that spoke based on his voice).

"She's nothing like that! she's my friend" I heard Soso say as she tries to defend her friend.

I would have turned back at least to give her a wave if not for fear of the teachers catching sight of me.

" Rabel! " she calls after me.

I break into a run to avoid wasting more than enough time.

Stopping to wave at her or acknowledge her presence might make her mom forbid me from visiting her again.

Walking towards my fifth house of the day, I breathe out a sigh of relief.

Am lucky I didn't encounter any mishap on the way; it's not everyday a girl like me walks the wood( I do everything possible to avoid the judging humans) without encountering any wild hungry animal on the way.

In my case, I don't worry about the animals; am mostly worries about the humans in wolf clothing.

Their deadly words makes threading on human paths is more dangerous than the woods which is the abode of all things dangerous.

"Ubochi Oma ( good day)Mrs Onog", I smile at the hundred moon cycled female.

She's the oldest of everyone in Mabudazou; she knows of how the werewolf wars started.

A war that wipes out most of the towns that made up Mabudazou; a war that ended with them taking their part and us taking ours.

Scoffing the said woman turns towards the forest muttering under her breath.

I won't be surprised if she's muttering an Afa ( it's like a protective ward against the evil one) against me based on how she crosses and uncrosses her arms.

"How is your health Mama?", I've yearned to call someone that name for a long time, and so far my yearnings haven't been sated.

"God Ijala cut off that tongue you called me Mama with. A witch that kills her mother while in her stomach isn't worthy of calling anyone Mama", she spits out on the floor besides her.

All the while she was talking, she didn't turn towards me at least to acknowledge the presence of her healer.

"Despite all you do, you will still be who you are; a curse to your mother. Changing of hair color won't make you less of who you're", she says with her back still turned on me.

Touching my now silky black hair; I don't think to reply her words, it's okay if I don't add more if I tell her the reason I changed the colors.

"How is your health improving?" she's plagued with Mgowaukwu( a sickness for the old), but with my help she's been battling the said sickness.

"Will you give me the medicine or do you intend on asking unnecessary questions?", she spits out in anger.

This is one of the reasons I hate visiting my patient's house whenever they're around; it's far easier dropping the medicine on their door step.

Dropping the last medicine on my back, I turn towards her, "I will be leaving now; make sure to add a little Ugu to the mix, it will aid in thorough digestion", I smile although she can't see it, " I wish you long life and good health".

She didn't turn until I was far from her house( I know that because I hid to watch), taking the medicine with tears in her eyes, she walks into her house.

A house am afraid will one day cave in on her.

She's my Ima( a pet name we call our grandmas), she's my mom's mother; the only relative I have left( at least that's what I know).

Most of my relatives might be hiding their relationship to me from me to avoid the persecution of the villagers.

Ima might not acknowledge my presence when around, but I know she at least feels something for me; even if it's a little drop of love.

Fosy Snickers beside me to get my attention,

"oh guy, I never did see you", which is like a blow to me on how invested I was in thinking about my strange relationship with my Ima.

He Snickers again as if to tell me how he feels about me forgetting all about him.

"Am sorry Fosy I was just lost in Ima land", I smile at my stupid joke.

Fosy is a hybrid; his Mma was a donkey while his Mpa is a horse.

I never would have believed it possible if I wasn't there when he was birthed.

The cute little Fozy coming out to the world with strange combinations in his body.

He was like none I've ever seen, or hope to see.

His Mma died while giving birth to him; I guess that makes us two individuals with almost the same story.

Fosy is white and black striped; his hooves which are like that of a horse is too red one will mistake it as blood.

The hooves, height and fastness in running is all he inherited from his Mpa; the others he got from his Mma.

I adopted Fosy on the day he was birthed since the Mma died while giving birth to him, and the Mpa left after she died.

He must have loved her dearly because moons after, I saw his corpse lying beside my house.

He must have come this far to did beside his son.

Carrying his heavy self, I buried him closer to where I buried his Lover; that way he can be closer to her even in death.

I never made Fosy aware of his father's demise, but I can tell he somehow knew of it; for two Izu Uka he wasn't as bright and bubbly as he used to be.

It got me worried then, but eventually he snapped out of his mourning; resuming his bright bubbly ways.

Fosy stayed with me till he was of age to find his own path; leaving me made me sad, but it was a blessing to him.

"Hi Chika", I smile at his Partner; a fiery red horse, she's a proud one that Chika.

Flicking her tail, she gave me a friendly snicker.

"I miss you too Chika, I really missed you", I smile as she nuzzled her head with mine.

Fosy found her two Ubochi after he left me, and since then the two have been inseparable.

Watching the two leaves a pang in my heart; a hole am afraid won't be filled up till I die.

Will I be able to find true love like Rosy did? or will I die in misery from the harsh words oof the villagers? how will my life end?.

I know the answers to those questions, but I was hoping the answers will somehow change.

Living alone for almost six moon cycles without a human company is enough to make any sane person insane,but you all know how insane I am.

Chika nuzzles my hair this time as if to ask why the change of hair colour.

"I decided to dye it black; isn't that great?", I twirl around showing her the wonder of my hair.

She Snickers as if she don't like the idea of my dark hair either just like Soso complained earlier.

"I want to blend in Chika; my white hair made me stand out. I want to be able to blend in if not completely but partially with the others", you can easily find me in a place filled with people with my white hair, but with my hair as black as it is now; I can easily blend in with the multitude( although we don't have that much population).

She Snickers, but otherwise didn't make any move to touch my hair again; I guess she isn't happy with my change of hair.

I walk in comfortable silence with my two friends walking beside me; aside from the occasional chuckle every now and then, our walk to my house was filled with silence.

My house isn't built like the villager's; you can credit that to my father being the richest of all when he was alive.

The stone building contains five rooms, an Mposi ( you know what that is right? if you've forgotten; it's a place we relieve ourselves from the call of nature), an Ebe Nri( it's like a kitchen, but without the basic essentials in there).

My Ebe Nri is filled to the brim with potions each brewing more than the other.

Leaves and plants I dried where all kept at a place; each with the ones that have the same properties or almost the same properties as it.

One might wonder how I got to know most of this things without being to the learning center; you can say am a girl gifted or cursed by her creator.

I don't know of it's to call my powers a gift or if a curse fits it properly.

It might be regarded as a gift based in how many people I've healed, how many I've saved from death.

You might also regard to it as a curse based on the ghostly white hair and the shunning of the villagers.

A white hair I dyed black to avoid standing out.

It took me more than three complete moon cycles to find an Uhi that makes my hair black; the ones I applied earlier before I found the Uhi wasn't succeeding in giving me the exact dark shade of hair I want.

The Uhi makes my hair shine as black as the night; a sharp contrast to the whiteness of the hair.