“Where is he going?” Arimus asked.
“To be sure no one is following us.”
Arimus nodded his head in understanding. “What is he? His eyes are like that of a demon’s.”
“ Azizi is a panther. My father found him as a cub after poachers had killed his mother. He was weak, and near death. Dad dropped him in my lap and I nursed him back to health.” She answered him with a small smile. He noticed a look of remembrance on her face as she spoke.
“Forgive me if I am wrong, but are panthers supposed to be black?” he was confused now. “And how did you come to name him Azizi?”
“Well it stands for “precious one” and that is exactly what he is. He is white because his body lacks coloring.” She looked back to see if Azi was returning yet. “They call it ‘albino’ when you have no coloring. Azi is very, very rare. Most poachers want his coat, or his bones for medicines. They would take his eyes and sport them as if they were gold. So when he decided to stay with us I figured I had better give him a name that fit him. Azizi was the best one I could think of.”
She nudged her mare into a walk and started riding in their original direction. Arimus brought his horse in pace with hers.
“Are you not waiting for him to return?”
“Trust me. He’ll find his way to us with ease. He’s going to follow us at a distance and will not come near until he is certain that no one is following.”
They rode in silence for a while. Shani felt a bit unnerved realizing that this man was eyeing her up. It seemed that every time she glanced his way he was jerking his eyes to look elsewhere, his robes, horse. He seemed to not want her to know that he was sizing her up. While reaching for her canteen she caught him again and this time he didn’t avert his gaze. “What are you looking at?” she asked in an annoyed tone.
“You.” He stated simply.
Now her pride took over. “What is wrong with me?” then took a sip from her canteen to keep from saying the words that had formed in her head.
“Nothing is wrong with you.” A smile spread across his face as he answered. “I am just curious.”
“About what?” her eyes narrowed and seemed to be throwing daggers at him.
Arimus chuckled causing her expression to turn from one of annoyance to definite aggravation. He held up a hand. “You are getting angry for nothing. I simply mean that you are….” he searched for the right word. “unique.”
“Unique? And how is that?”
He was hesitant to answer not wanting to make her upset. “To start, your clothes.”
She looked down at her clothing and then at him. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”
“There isn’t enough on your body!” He replied laughing and received her dagger look again. Clearing his throat he added, “The women I am used to cover themselves completely. They would never allow men to see so much bare skin. Add an albino panther and a scary looking mask and you become somewhat of an enigma to me.”
“I have seen how the women dress here. Where I come from this is the most practical way of dressing.” Now she was a bit defensive and didn’t like having to explain her choice of attire.
“Where do you come from?”
“Abeba.”
“I have never heard of it.” Arimus tilted his head a little to one side causing a bit of pain where the bruise had turned purple.
“It’s in the jungles south of here. A small village of Maasai.”
“You live among Maasai?” Arimus asked.
Shani caught the hint of shock and it was her turn to chuckle at him. “Yes, I am white. My parents worked among the Maasai, learned from them, and shared their culture with the world. Their way of life is my way of life.”
Then that would explain the spear and mask.” Now he was beginning to understand her attitude a little better. “And why you would not be Bastet.”
“Who is that? Bastet?” she asked.
“She is the daughter of our sun god, Ra. Goddess of fire, the Moon, childbirth, fertility, pleasure, joy, music, dance, protection from disease, all animals, intuition, healing, and marriage.” He gave Shani a sideways glance when he added, “Her favorite animal, of course, is cats.” The smirked as she smiled when hearing the last words.
“So naturally you assumed that is who I was when Azi jumped from the bushes and I commanded him. Sorry to disappoint you,” her tone became a friendly sarcastic, “but I am just Shani who has a big oversized fur ball as a best friend.”
“I am far from disappointed.” Then to his surprise Shani’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red.
“Well now it is your turn to answer questions. What were you doing alone in the desert?” She was trying to hide her sudden shyness. What’s wrong with me? She wondered. Why would his not being disappointed make me blush?
“Once a month I go to Al’Tair and make trades for the tribe. Normally I travel with a group of men from my tribe and we carry the supplies back. After receiving word that my mother injured herself and my father wanted me to return I left right away.”
“I hope that all is well with your mother.” Shani spoke softly as pangs of loneliness hit her stomach. She had never really gotten a chance to know her mother, Christina. Having died while Shani was a child her father, Jason, devoted his life to his baby. The Maasai helped him immensely in this endeavor. They were her family in his absence.
Arimus noted a subtle but definite change in her attitude upon mentioning his mother. “I am sure she will be fine when I return. Father overreacts and is protective of mother.” He could tell that Shani was thinking of something and not really listening to him speak. He thought of asking if she was alright, then decided to let it drop for the moment. He could have sworn he saw a tear on her cheek before she turned her head away from him.
“Perhaps we should find a spot to camp for the night?” he suggested as he looked to the sky. The sun was low and night would fall fast.
“Camp for the night?” Her eyebrows were raised in surprise. “I remember deciding to ride together for a little while, but somehow camping together eludes my memory.”
Arimus leaned forward in his saddle. “What if we are being followed and Azizi doesn’t return?” Shani’s stifled laugh interrupted his speech.
“And you’re saying that you would protect me? I seem to remember……”
He waved a hand at her and refused to let her finish making fun of him. “It would be wise to stick together for the night. That is all I was suggesting.” And hoping you would say yes. He added in his thoughts. “I also thought perhaps you would be hungry.”
Shani realized she had not eaten yet that day. She also knew that Azi would be starving when he returned. “I supposed you’re right.” She replied with a sideways glance at him, noticing he was trying to hide a smile.
“I just never learned to ride using one.” She replied shrugging her shoulders and removing the reins and bridle from her mare.
Placing her things on the ground he returned to get his items from his horse and removed the saddle. Leaving the bridle on he let Sumal run free for a while. He walked back to where Shani was still riffling through her bags and placed his things on the ground next to hers. Curiosity got the better of him. “What are you looking for?”
“How is your head feeling?” she asked instead of answering his question.
“My head?” he sounded confused.
“Your head, yes. How is it feeling? There’s a huge bruise and cut on the temple.” She looked up for a second and pointed at the left side of his face. Arimus brought a hand up and touched the side of his face then winced in pain.
Shani found what she was looking for. “I can’t believe you didn’t realize it was there. What did those men hit you with?”
Arimus just looked at her. “I don’t know. They came from behind and caught me off guard.” He was still gently rubbing his cheek surprised at himself for not knowing about the bruise.
“Well, just sit down.” She ordered while opening a small brown sack. “I have something that will help.” Then she picked up a drinking cup and reached inside the sack. She pinched a very tiny amount of the green powder into the cup and then filled it with water for him to drink. After handing him the cup she started searching in her bags again. “There is one more thing and I need a moment to find it. Just go ahead…” She jerked her head to look at Arimus who had let out a hacking cough and said something loud in Arabic.
“What is this? It’s horrible!” His face was twisted in disgust and he was putting the cup on the ground.
“Drink it. Please. It will help with the pain that is going to come.”
“It doesn’t hurt now.” he said swallowing hard trying to get the taste of the concoction out of his mouth.
“With the way that bruise looks I am sure it is going to be painful tomorrow morning.”
Arimus realized she seemed to have a knowing tone in her voice. “Do I have to?”
Shani laughed at the expression on his face. “Yes. You do.” She replied as she picked the cup up and handed it to him again. “Besides, I have something that is not as ‘aromatic’ to help with the bruising.”
Arimus winced as she mentioned aromatic and decided it would probably be best if he just gulped the liquid down. Shani watched as he finished the medicine she gave him. He put the cup to his lips, closed his eyes, and then drank it all at once. When he finished his grip on the cup was tight and he was gasping for air trying to get the taste out and not succeeding. She couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath. “I am glad you find this humorous.” He was looking at her and trying to sound angry, but in between coughing to get the flavor of the medicine to go away he started to smile and laugh at himself.
“Ah, here it is.” She raised another sack, white this time, in triumph. Arimus felt weary of what else this woman would give him. She reached in and brought out a brown leaf. “I have to wait till we have some hot water to use this.” She shook the leaf at him teasingly. Arimus took the leaf from her and looked it over, bringing it to his nose to smell it. Seeing that Shani had a tiny grin on her face he got a sneaking suspicion that she was up to something.
“What are you smiling at?” the suspicion rang through his tone of voice.
“Nothing.” She claimed.