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."