by Mark Omodia
Chapter 2
The Alpha Tribe
I woke up in a room. Was this afterlife? The air was filled with medicinal incense. There were herbs beside where I lay my head. What had happened? Where was I? Did the creature have a change of heart? I was definitely confused. There was a bandage around my head. Someone had pulled off my clothes and left me with my boxers only. Someone had tended to my wounds but still I felt pain all over.
I could tell the bed was made of hay for it scratched and poked my back as I looked around the room. There were all sorts of herbs and concoctions all over. The room was not so large. The walls appeared to be made of adobe while the floor was made with stones interlocked. The windows were made of wood and they were flung open so that fresh air could enter the room. The door was also made of wood. I could tell it was daylight as needle-like rays of sunlight penetrated through the tiny holes in the kenaf curtain.
I began to hear murmurs from outside. The noise I heard was like that of the creatures I encountered in the forest, only this time they appeared to be speaking to each other in a strange language. I began to panic. Why had they abducted me? What were they? What did they want from me? I struggled to get on my feet. I saw my clothes at the foot of the bed and I put them on quickly.
I was doing so when a creature similar to the one which was killed in the forest walked in. We paused for a moment staring at each other; its blue eyes met mine. The creature had a commanding presence. It had dark brown fur, a grey goatee and dreadlocks which stopped just below its shoulder. Suddenly it spoke in a deep voice. The language was strange, but to both our astonishments, I understood.
'Ai! Do not be afraid!' it said, making gestures as it spoke to make me understand. 'I am not going to hurt you!'
'What do you want from me?' I asked. The creature looked astonished. It took a step closer, rather curious.
'Stay back!' I yelled, wondering why it looked at me the way it did.
'Ai! You speak our language!?' the creature asked. It was then it dawned on me.
'How is it...?' I slurred. I was perplexed. 'Why do I understand what you are saying?'
'Calm down!' the creature said, drawing nearer with caution. 'I am not going to harm you! You can drop the knife now.'
I looked at my hand. To my surprise, I was holding a knife. I didn't know when I had carried one. I immediately dropped it.
'I am Morriah', the creature said. 'I am a Morflon... I am a member of the Alpha tribe... What is your name?'
'Eric Harper', I replied, obviously still perplexed as to why I was able to even communicate in this strange language. Then I remembered my previous encounter in the forest.
'There was another creature in the forest... it tried to kill me...' I said.
'The one with wings', Morriah cut in.
'Yes!' I replied sharply.
'Ai! That was a Morr. I took care of him', Morriah said. 'He would not be bothering you again, at least not in this lifetime... When I found you, you were almost dead. I had to bring you home because I didn't want you to die out there. It took some time, and we didn't know if the treatment would work seeing as you are not... you know... our kind; but nature surely has other plans for you.'
He walked up to me as we spoke and we both sat down on the bed.
'How long was I out?' I asked.
'Three days', Morriah replied. Just then, someone called him from outside and he had to leave.
'You get some rest!' he said. 'I'll be back!'
And with that, he walked out. He seemed rather excited to see me alive.
It took me about two weeks to fully recover. My once clean shave was fast becoming a full beard and moustache. I began to smell like the Morflon and my hair was unkempt. I still put on my old clothes which were dirty and torn. The Morflon were carnivores, so their diet was meat. The only variety was in the source of the meat and the manner in which the meat was prepared. They could serve the meat grilled, or fried or in soup and once in a while they ate fish. But they were considerate and helped me get fruits, vegetables and nuts from time to time.
The Morflon were an established civilization much to my amazement. They weren't as barbaric as I thought. Obviously they were carnivorous, but I was sure they were not interested in having me for a meal. They had several tribes scattered around their patch of the forest. The Alpha tribe was one of them.
Before I was accepted into their fold, I had to appear before the council of elders. The council of elders was the authority in each tribe. They governed each tribe. To become an elder, a Morflon must be at least sixty years of age and a patriarch of his family. If the patriarch is not up to sixty and the matriarch is, then she will represent the family amongst the council of elders.
In the Alpha tribe, the council of elders had fourteen members, each representing the founding families from which all other families in the tribe sprung. They usually met in a hall at the centre of the tribe, right next to the square. The hall was made of pillars of white oak and cedar and a conical thatch roof. Flags bearing the symbols of each family were hung behind each elder's throne.
On my way to the hall, I saw several Morflon; from the young and vibrant playing in the fields to the old telling folklore. Some Morflon had long dreadlocks; some had shorter locks while some had no locks at all. Morflon had predominantly dark, reddish brown fur. However, some were lighter than others. They all stared at me as I headed for the hall, accompanied by Morriah. Some Morflon even followed me as I walked into the hall, though they were stopped at the entrance. They watched from outside as I made my way to the centre stage with Morriah. The elders sat on their wooden thrones, arranged in a concave arch facing Morriah and I.
There was discomfort in the air. Some elders were obviously displeased to see me; some were just afraid and skeptical while others were overwhelmed with astonishment. Some younger Morflon stood guard with spears in their hands.
When all was settled, an elder began to speak.
'It was very reckless of you to bring an alien you know nothing about to this tribe Morriah', He said. 'However, you had the wisdom to inform us and bring him for approval. That is the Morriah we know and respect.'
'Your parents would be disappointed!' Azadus, a short, bald and obese Morflon cut in twirling his bushy white moustache. He slung a piece of cloth over one of his shoulders so he was not totally bare-chested.
'How could you be so foolish?' he bellowed, obviously trying to suppress his ire.
'Calm down Azadus!' an elder intervened.
'You say the creature understands our language' he asked. 'Then let him introduce himself to us.'
'Ai!' Morriah replied.
He then gave me the floor. I had never felt more out of place in my life. I drew a breath as I summoned the courage to speak.
'Elders of the Alpha tribe', I said. I trembled inside. 'I greet you all!'
There was silence as the elders barely uttered a word in response to my greeting. Some elders looked away anytime our eyes met.
'I am Eric Harper', I continued. 'I am a human. I am not from these parts and I do not know how I got here... I remember twisting a cube... it zapped me here I guess...'
'Where is the cube now?' a female elder asked.
'I do not know', I replied. 'I think I lost it in the woods... I searched for it...'
'You do not have it!' she continued.
'...No', I replied. There were murmurs across the hall until Ozin, an elder and a good friend of Morriah spoke up saying; 'The transporter! That is what the cube is called. It brought you here?'
Ozin seemed as though he wanted to get up from his seat as he stared at me in curiosity.
'How is it that you could use it if you say you are not from these parts?' he asked. 'In all my sojourns I have never come across anyone who has seen it, let alone used it.'
'Really?' Azadus interrupted, turning Ozin's attention to him. He still twirled his bushy moustache. 'You really believe this...? Fellow elders I urge you, do not believe what this... huma
n is saying. I mean, first he understands our language, next he says he was brought here by the cube! How many creatures have come across the transporter... how would someone who doesn't know what the transporter is use it so efficiently? Why is it that of all places, the transporter brought the creature here, to our neck of the woods?'
'What are you saying Azadus?' Ozin asked.
Pointing his finger at me, he said; 'This creature is a spy!'
Morriah and I gasped. There were murmurs around the hall. Azadus got up from his seat and advanced towards me.
'Who sent you? What sorcery did you use? What do you want from us?' Azadus bombarded me with questions. I tried to speak but he drowned me with more questions. He moved towards me with each question as though he wanted to attack me before Morriah stopped him.
'Azadus!' an elder yelled. 'Restrain yourself!'
Azadus immediately stopped. It was as though he did not know what he was doing a while ago. Everyone watched silently as he went back to his seat, quietly.
'My fellow elders', Ozin said. 'If we do not accommodate other creatures then we are no different from the Morrs! I mean I have fought enough battles to know the importance of allies.'
A female elder said; 'We have seen the creature. This is not an issue we must waste our time on. We must now reach a verdict. All those in favour of this creature staying with us, indicate by raising your hands.'
There were murmurs as nine elders raised their hands.
'Alright then', she said. 'We have a majority.'
Then turning to me she said, 'Eric Harper, the elders welcome you to the Alpha tribe. You are to stay with Morriah in his home and dwell with his family because you are now a part of it. From now henceforth you are our brother. Your enemies are our enemies and your friends are ours. We will share in your pains and your joys. However, we shall be watching you. Should we find out that you have a hidden agenda, or find you do not stand for our progress, you shall pay with your life.'
'We shall inform the rest of the tribe', Ozin said. 'You will be properly introduced at the feast of the new moon tonight.'
I was relieved. I had nowhere else to go in this strange forest. Azadus stared at me with a big frown on his face. He didn't take his eyes off me until I left the hall; all the while he stroked his moustache.
'Ai! Congratulations!' Morriah said to me as we left the hall. 'You are one of us now.'
