[From a previous competition, context for The Gift]
The kubutama (some clans would call him a kit) awoke different, purple. Concerning? Yes. Unheard of? No. Muanza, a formidable warrior and mentor, had awoken purple one day as well. Special circumstances had surrounded that though as Muanza was revealed to be connected to the Lesa, powerful entities that some cats in other clans might venture to call gods. Muanza had a warning as a prophecy had foretold it. The kub did not.
The kub was unsure of what to do. He licked his fur in a futile attempt to pull the purple off. He knew it was silly but the kub thought maybe a prank had been pulled on him, his fur dyed as he slept. Nearby another kubutama had awoken. They blinked in a slow, sleepy, shock. A small gasp left their lips.
Immediately the kubutama fled outside, running towards the only place he could think of, the Mukoko Ngò, the leader of the Buala. He knew it was wrong but he burst into the abandoned twoleg hut that the Mukoko and several other important cats resided in. The cats turned, confused by the intrusion, even more shocked to find a purple kub.
“Bembe?” Finally Nyitu Ntomi asked after moments of silence, referring to the kub’s nickname ‘little dove.’ “What happened?
Bembe nearly began to cry, he was only a kub after all, as the weight of this came crashing down. Something serious was happening and he had no clue what caused it.
“I woke up like this!” Bembe said panicky, “I did nothing!”
Mukoko Ngò began to make shushing noises as they approached Bembe, attempting to calm the small kub down. “This is clearly a sign of the spirits, we must pray on this at once.” The other cats in the hut nodded sagely.
And so Bembe found themselves wading into the Bastimu Maza. Most cats only waded into the pool once in their lives, to recieve their permanent name. Only if something unusual, such as turning purple, had occured would a cat find themselves in the pool. Standing on a submerged small rock in the center which gave them the illusion of standing on water, were the leader and his priests, the Mvidi.
The Mvidi all stood solemnly as Bembe approached, shivering from nerves. The Mvidi all wore their masks and as Bembe reached his spot they slowly turned their heads to the sky, chanting and throwing herbs into the pool until Bembe was surrounded by small flowers and leaves in a rainbow of colors.
Finally, the Mukoko spoke. “Bembe, you have been chosen by the spirits to recieve a message”
Bembe was confused, “I thought only Nyitus and Mukokos recieved messages from the spirits?”
“You are an exception, you have been specially selected.”
Nyitu Ntomi picked up where Mukoko Ngò had left off, “You are to prepare for a vision. Listen closely Bembe, we will aid you with journey but we cannot be there when you recieve your vision, do you understand?”
Bembe didnt understand why but nodded anyway.
“We are to prepare a bag of herbs and incense for you to bring with you. For two days you will journey into the forest until you see a Kiniumba (ghost) antelope, it will look alive but its fur will be all white except for pink twinges and its eyes will be red. You will follow it until dawn breaks. It will lead you to a pool of water where you will release the herbs, say prayers, and then you must fall asleep by the pool as the sun rises. Then you will recieve your vision.”
Bembe shivered again, confused why he had been chosen to be the bearer of this vision. Despite this he felt courage and a bit of pride well through him for being chosen and he nodded, determined. He looked down into the pool and saw his purple reflection staring back at him.
“Lastly, the spirits have decided to grant your name early, from now on you will be known as Ndosi.”
Ndosi gasped in shock and several cats watching murmured. This was unheard of! Ndosi bowed his head once the surprise had faded, “Thank you Mukoko Ngò”
The next day was spent entirely on preparations and the day after that Ndosi set out, a sack of herbs tied to his back. For two days Ndosi walked. Not knowing if he should rest, Ndosi barely took breaks. The end of the second day was drawing to an end and Ndosi became panicked. He hadn’t yet seen the white deer! Did he not move fast enough? Was he no longer worthy? As his worries began to become overwhelming in the dimming light he spotted a pale animal against the dark greens of the jungle, a Kiniumba antelope. Exhausted but knowing he had to continue, Ndosi followed the antelope.
As foretold, the antelope led Ndosi to a pool of water, very similar to the one back home. It circled the small pool twice before running off into the distance. Ndosi watched it leave and then took out the herbs to release into the water and began the prayers he had been taught. As the sun rose Ndosi lay down to rest and immediately fell asleep.
Ndosi awoke to a world as purple as his fur and blue as his skin. It looked like his world, but all of the colors were different, cooler tones. For some reason it was almost nauseating. Ndosi turned around when he heard the rustling of the leaves and stood in shock. There, clearly a kiniumba, was a large white wolf. Ndosi knew most kiniumbas couldn’t hurt you but that was back in Ntoto, the realm of the living. Here he was unsure of how much danger he was in.
“Ndosi” The kiniumba spoke, Ndosi had to remember that was his new name, “You have been chosen.”
Ndosi could only nod.
The wolf stalked forward until it was close enough to gently rest a paw on Ndosi’s forehead. Slowly everything around him seemed to melt until all the colors were swirling together. When the wolf lifted his paw, they were floating in an indigo mist. The wolf stepped back and slowly in a circle around Ndosi dropped ten small items. As stems began to shoot out of the fog Ndosi realized they were seeds. Quickly the stems grew until they formed lotus buds that swayed as if they were in a pond of water. There were ten of them.
“Ndosi, you are to return with a message,” As the wolf spoke slowly the lotus buds opened and blossomed, “there will be ten gifts from the spirit world for your Buala.”
Ten?! Ndosi had heard about one or two in a generation but ten! That seemed impossible!
“If you do not prepare well they will not be yours”
Quickly the flowers one by one wilted before crumbling into a fine ash that blew away in an unfelt breeze.
“How do we prepare?” Ndosi asked
“Once you return, study the gifts of the past, communicate with the spirits” The wolf stepped forward to place his paw back on Ndosi’s forehead.
“Now wake.”
