Chapter Twenty-Seven

I wait and wait and wait but still nothing. My eyes fly open. D'ziko darts to the left and the ape mimics him. It stands protectively in front of him, growling viciously.
The Abatwas let of of their arrows. One comes straight at me. I do a blackflip. It manages to graze my arm. I hiss. D'ziko throws himself at the ape, wrestling it. It is completely covered in arrows.
The Abatwas laugh and high five. It's a win for them. Should the ape die, they'll grow half an inch. Since they asked one question the game only allows them one shot each. And the ape protected me from them all.
There is a deep, horrifying snarling coming from the ape's chest. It is snapping its sharp teeth just inches from D'ziko's face. It's claws are digging deep into D'ziko's shoulder blades. The poisonous arrows have made the ape go mad.
"Do something," I cry at the Gods. "Ya can't let it hurt him. No. Not him."
D’ziko gives me an annoyed look but doesn't say anything.
And then he fires. The animal struggles for a few seconds longer and then it goes to sleep.
“From where did ya first see me?” An abakwa asks D'ziko.
“I first saw ya from the hills up there,” D'ziko lies, pointing at the mountain faraway.
I raise an eyebrow.
“They are said to be extremely sensitive about their size,” he explains, knowing exactly what I'm asking. “Ya didn’t step on an Abatwa by accident, did ya?”
“No, why?”
“It's a death sentence.” He frowns, looking at me like I have a third eye. “Then why were they trying to kill ya?”
“Wrong answer,” I say. I try to take a step toward him and my left leg screams pain. I stop. If D'ziko sees I've been hurt, he'll want to kill the abatwas but then he'd be starting a different type of game. A game with no rules. I don't want to lose him.
An Abatwa fires an arrow playfully at him. It grazes his ear. Silver blood pours out at once. The abatwa’s disappear, probably in such for more game. Only a handful remain.
"Are ya okay?" I ask D'ziko, worried.
He rolls the ape onto its back and pats its jaw.
He doesn’t say anything, just looks at me; mouth narrowed and his eyes are like I’ve never seen. Rage has consumed him. His hands are shaking. I know what he wants to do.
"What are ya doing here?" he asks, now standing in front of me. "I told ya not to leave the trail!"
"I'm so sorry," I say. I rush up to him. "Are ya hurt?"
He narrows his eyes on me but says nothing.
"Is Caesar going to be okay?" an abatwa asks. Its pointing to the ape and they all laugh.
"It has a name?" Nobody answers me. They don't even look at me. "Is it yers?" I ask D'ziko.
D’ziko is bleeding and I try to ignore the nausea. He saved my life. He would've gotten himself killed. He saved me.
"Thank ya," I say, my voice filled with emotion.
Caesar stirs. I retreat.
The Abatwas position their arrows, ready to fire. I can't leave before the game is over.
"Relax," D'ziko hisses. "He's not meant to be dangerous?"
I am mortified. "Huh! Of course not!" My voice is sarcastic.
"ya stepped into his territory and ya're a stranger."
"He's yers?" I shriek again. My eyes wide with horror. I stare at D'ziko in disbelief. The guy crazy enough to keep an ape as a pet.
He nods. He breaks an arrow in half and slices his palm. His silver blood smells sweet. He pours it into the wounded ape's mouth.
The animal opens its eyes. Breathing becomes difficult. When it sees me, it makes a growling sound. But it is still weak from the tranquilizer.
"Easy now... boy," D'ziko speaks to it gently.
"Oh no!" I bellow. "Ya have a pet? And it's a fricken ape?"
An Abatwa rolls its eyes at me, muttering something under its breath and then disappears among the trees, taking its icy glare along with it.
Caesar tries to get up. D'ziko pulls him gently down and runs his hands from his neck down to his tail.
"Easy... boy... easy," D'ziko continues in that soothing voice. "There now. Don't rush it. ya'll regain yer strength soon enough."
D'ziko pulls out the arrows. The abatwas wait. They're known for their patience.
I take off my tank top and start wiping the blood off D'ziko arms. His muscles flex under my touch. He winces but his concerned eyes don't leave Ceaser. "Ya'll be fine, boy. Take it easy."
I shrink back against a tree and watch from a distance. I pull my knees up, wrap my hands around them and then rest my chin on them.
When Caesar is back to his old, strong, powerful self, he begins to lick D'ziko bruised face and bleeding arms. D'ziko continues to pat him. It is a picture perfect moment.
They sit like that for a moment and then Ceaser gets to his feet and starts circling D'ziko, only this time he doesn't seem mad, he seems... playful. D'ziko is on his feet in a second and he too circles Ceaser. They move in sync, they engage in a playful fight, Ceaser is gentle and his vicious growls have turned to harmless snarls.
The Abatwas wait. Oh no. They’re not waiting because of patience but because they prefer game over everything else. With Ceaser back on his feet, there'll be two rounds. And if they have it their way: three dead bodies.
They play for several minutes until D'ziko sits cross-legged on the wet grass and Ceaser follows. He lays his head against D'ziko lap.
"Come say hi," D'ziko says.
I am skeptical. I shake my head. "I already made my first impression. It almost ended in my death."
"He won't hurt ya," he reassures me.
My eyes widen in disbelief. I almost scoff. Yeah, right!
"I'll protect ya," D'ziko vows. "I wouldn't let anything hurt ya. Ever." His words are beautiful to me. It is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me and I know they're are true; he's just risked his life to save me. I don't doubt him one bit.
I move towards them slowly. Caesar lifts his head at my approach and growls in warning. I stop.
"Easy boy..." D'ziko cooes. "Easy." He beckons with his hand for me to come closer.
I resume my pace and Ceaser watches me with his wistful eyes. I drop a pace away from Caesar's sharp teeth. My heart is in my throat the whole time, and my dinner too.
"Hello Ceaser," I say, voice shaking.
He lifts a paw and I raise my eyebrows.
"He wants to shake hands," D'ziko says.
I take a deep breath and then pull the paw to my hand. Caesar yawns.
I join D'ziko as he pats him.
The minutes waste away.
“Ya've been hurt,” he says suddenly. “Let me see.”
“No.” I look up to his face, his eyes are unreadable. I tense up. The reaction is automatic. "Don't touch me."
He bends forward a bit, low enough to snatch my legs and pull me toward him. Now my back is against a tree.
He is facing me, his legs open and both his knees press on either side of where I’m sitting. I realise he has me completely closed in, I won’t be able move if I have to.
His glare is cold.
I sit still until our chests are almost touching. I don’t drop my eyes, I stare back.
“So that’s how ya feel?” he says. He is tense, I can just feel it, I’m surprised he’s still talking.
His jaw is tight and normally this is where you should walk away from him, far away. "I thought I'd find ya dead. I thought those stupid abatwa's had hurt ya."
He grabs both my wrists, tight, too tight.
“Ya’re hurting me,” I say.
He’s never lifted a finger on me, not once, he can’t start now.
“Ya’re hurting me D'ziko,” I say, louder.
"I was so scared," he says. "I was absolutely petrified. I can't lose ya."
"D'ziko," I gasp.
"I need to know that ya're really here. I need ya..."
He looks into my eyes for seconds. I think he’s going to let go but he grabs me by the waist, lifts me and I moan as D'ziko's hot breath fans my face. The kiss that follows is fiery, demanding and passionate. When he pulls back we're are both breathless. His eyes are slanted, as though he just got up from a deep slumber.
“I'm cold,” I say.
D'ziko's eyes soften but I know he’s still angry and I just don't get why.
He scoops me into his arms. We leave Ceaser sleeping in the forest and make our way back to my house in silence. Pressed up against him I feel warm and light. It's as though I'm high on merryz.
My head is bouncing rather uncomfortably. D'ziko tries to stare into my eyes, I look away, at the forest, at the animals, at anything to avoid eye contact.
I want to thank him for saving my life but every time I get the courage, I chicken out again.
“Oh shit,” I say.