Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

The Brave Hunter: Episode Three

The sun was high in the sky. It was shining like a hot coal in the village of Obodo. The king called a big meeting in his palace. The palace was a large compound with mud walls painted red and white, and a thatched roof. The chiefs sat on wooden stools with their traditional wrappers tied tightly around their waists. There was tension in the air as the king prepared to make an important announcement. The king sat on his throne which is a carved chair decorated with cowries and beads. His face was hard like a rock. He is very angry.

"My chiefs, the hunter called Uche has brought shame to our land. He dared to kidnap my daughter, the princess of Obodo. Such a crime cannot go unpunished. I have decided that Uche will die in three days' time. The date is set and there is no going back. Let the whole village know. Let them come and see justice. The town crier should go around announce this date."

The chiefs nodded with serious faces. One of them, Chief Okoro, a man with a big belly and a voice like a drum, spoke.

"My king, this hunter is a disgrace. Let his death be a lesson to others. Nobody should touch the princess and live." Chief Okoro said.

Another chief, Elder Nnamdi, who was old and wise, looked disturbed. He was not happy with the judgement passed against Uche and he wanted to plead on his behalf.

"My king, are we sure this hunter is guilty? The gods know the truth. He might be innocent. Maybe we should ask more questions." Elder Nnamdi said. The king was angry that he was being challenged by the chief.

"Elder Nnamdi, are you saying I am wrong? Are you challenging the king? My daughter was found with this man in the forest. He is guilty. The date is set. In three days, Uche will die. He will join his ancestors." The king said.

After the meeting ended, and the town crier went round the village, beating his gong.

"Gong! Gong! Gong! People of Obodo, hear me! In three days, Uche the hunter will die for kidnapping the princess. Come to the village square to see justice!" The town crier said. The news spread like wildfire. Women fetching water at the stream whispered about it. Men drinking palm wine under udala trees talked about it. Children playing in the sand shouted about it. Everyone was excited to watch Uche's punishment. They did not know the truth. They did not know that Uche saved the princess from real kidnappers.

Meanwhile, in the wooden guardroom, Uche lay on the bare ground. His stomach was empty, and his heart was troubled. He was almost dead but he was still breathing, though hunger has dealt with him greatly. His lips were cracked like dry earth in harmattan. He looked at Lucky, his dog, who sat outside the prison fence.

"Lucky, my friend. You are the only one who knows I am innocent. But what can you do? You are just a dog." Uche said with a weak voice.

Lucky's eyes looked sad like the eyes of a child who lost his mother. The dog stood up, looked at Uche, and ran into the forest again. Uche called after him but it refused to come back.

"Lucky! Where are you going?" But the dog was gone with its legs moving fast like a spirit running from danger.

Lucky ran and ran, through thick bushes and past tall iroko trees. He was going back to Uche's village, a place far from Obodo. In Uche's village, the people has given up hope of ever finding him. For days, Uche's father, Papa Uche, and his brothers had searched the bushes, calling Uche's name. They checked the river, the farms, and the forests, but found nothing.

"Maybe Uche has been eaten by a leopard. My son is not a coward. Something bad has happened to him." Uche's father said sadly.

That afternoon, as the sun began to set, Lucky the dog burst into Uche's compound, barking and whining loudly. His mournful sounds filled the air like the cry of a woman at a funeral. He ran to Papa Uche, who was sitting under a mango tree, chewing kola nut and thinking about his lost son. Lucky wagged his tail and jumped up, his eyes begging the old man to understand.

"What is wrong with this dog? Why is it making so much noise?" Uche's father asked. He did not understand the signals the dog was giving him.

Lucky ran to the edge of the compound, then back to Papa Uche, barking louder. He did it again and again, as if saying, "Follow me! Follow me! I know where Uche is." But no one was wise enough to understand the dog. Uche's mother, Mama Uche, came out from the kitchen, her wrapper tied loosely around her chest.

"This dog is acting strange. Maybe it knows where Uche is." Uche's mother said with a sad face. She studied the dog closely and told Uche's father to follow the dog, but he refused.

"Nonsense! It's just a dog. How can it know where Uche is?" Uche's father said with anger. But Lucky kept running to the bush, then back to the compound, barking and crying. His eyes were full of pain, as if he was carrying a heavy secret in his chest.

"This dog is trying to tell us something. But I don't understand. Maybe it is hungry." Uche's mother said. She brought a piece of boiled yam and dropped it in front of Lucky. The dog looked at the yam but did not touch it. Instead, it barked louder and ran toward the bush again.

"This is not about food. This dog knows something. It is crying for Uche. I suggest someone should follow the dog to the bush."

Uche's mother said, but her husband refused.

"I cannot keep chasing shadows. We have searched everywhere without seeing Uche. Is the dog now wiser than all of us that have been looking for Uche? Uche is dead and the dog just happened to survive. This dog is disturbing the compound." Uche's father said. He took a rope and tied it around Lucky's neck, chaining him to a stake near the yam barn. "Stay here, dog. Stop making noise."

Lucky struggled against the rope, barking and pulling. His cries were so loud that the neighbors came out to see what was happening. But nobody understood. Nobody followed Lucky to the bush. That night, Lucky the dog did not sleep. He kept pulling at the rope, trying to cut it. His cries filled the compound, like the sound of a child lost in the forest. Mama Uche could not sleep. She sat by the fire, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"My son, where are you? Why is your dog crying like this?" Uche's mother asked tearfully.

By morning, Lucky's strength was greater than the rope. With one hard pull, the rope cut into two, and the dog was free. He did not wait. He ran out of the compound, back toward Obodo, where Uche was waiting in the guardroom. The journey was long, and the sun was hot, but Lucky did not stop. His heart was set on saving his master.

In the guardroom, Uche was weaker than ever. His body was like a dry stick, and his voice was a weak. He has heard that the day of his death was approaching.

"Lucky, where are you? Let me just see my dog one more time before I will die." Uche said. Unknown to him, his dog was looking for a way to save him, but unfortunately, no one understood the dog.

Expect the next episode