“What on Gaia is going on?!” Araktobi yelled as he turned to see the forest and village ablaze.

“It is just like when we were young, Oko,” Enkerai’s mother said to his father, “Bandits must be attacking!”

“It will take them some time to reach the Pagoda in the village centre,” Enkerai’s father said, “If we head there, Araktobi and his guards should be able to protect us.”

“That’s right!” Araktobi said pulling his staff off his back, “Let’s go!”

“Kekere, come on!” Enkerai called to his sister grabbing her hand.

They ran into the forest and scrambled through the familiar trees until they found the main road into the village. Enkerai turned to see the fires drawing closer. The screaming was getting closer too. There were members of the town which liked living closer to nature than the rest of the community. They farmed bees, and syrup and other delicacies in welcome solitude under the protective cloak of the forest. However, it seemed that today they were now the first to fall prey to the intruders.

“They’re getting closer!” Enkerai screamed.

“Then run faster!” Araktobi shouted just as a leather armoured figure leapt into the path. If Araktobi was surprised, he did not show it. Upon seeing the figure he pulled back his arm and swung his staff into the bandits head. A crack echoed through the trees and the bandit fell to the floor, limp.

“They’re upon us!” Araktobi shouted and ducked under a swinging blade as another bandit leapt out of the trees, “Mum! Grab Kekere and go with Dad to the Pagoda!”

“Son we will not abandon you here!” their father shouted, “We stand as one!”

“This is my job, Dad!” Araktobi said, “Let me do it! Besides, you won’t be abandoning me. Enkerai will have my back - right, Enke?”

“Right!” Enkerai said taking out his staff.

“Oko, we have no time!” their mother called, “We have to get Kekere to the village centre, we can send the guard to help them once we reach!”

“Okay,” their father reluctantly agreed, and hoisted his daughter up onto his back, “But you both come back in one piece. Understood?”

“We are Irinife!” Enkerai said, pulling out his staff, “We are strong!”

“You’ve got that right!” Araktobi said and readied himself as the roaring of the bandit horde became louder.

Their father nodded with a knotted brow and ran on towards the city. Their mother rested her hands on both their shoulders and looked at them silently with watery eyes before running on.

“Get home safe!” Kekere called from their fathers back.

Araktobi waited until the family were out of sight before turning to Enkerai.

“Enkerai, I need you to do something for me,” He said.

“What do you mean?” Enkerai responded, confused, “I thought I was going to stay here and cover their escape with you.”

“Unfortunately I can’t let you do that.”

“But there’s too many. You can’t take that many on your own,” Enkerai retorted.

“And with an untrained boy, my chance of victory is all of a sudden certain?” Araktobi countered.

“I can help,” Enkerai whispered, tears beginning to well in his eyes.

“I know you can,” Araktobi affirmed, “Listen to me. Manyatta will fall. We were caught unawares – I was careless, and I failed the village. But bandits are slavers, they will not kill most of us. That is not how they operate. What I need you to do is get a message to the army. Let them know what has happened and return here with troops. Then you can save our people.”

“But, then why did you let Mum and Dad go?!” Enkerai blubbered, “Why didn’t you let Kekere come with me!”

“You know these forests well and you move fast,” Araktobi said logically, “They would only slow you down and get you caught.”

“No! They could have made it! You could have saved them!”

“As long as they’re in the village they will survive,” Araktobi asserted.

“No!”

“Listen to me, please, Enkerai! For once just listen!” Araktobi pleaded just as an arrow flew past his head and embedded itself into a tree near Enkerai with a dull thud.

“I-I…” Enkerai looked at the arrow and shook slightly.

“Go! We don’t have time for this anymore!” Araktobi roared and swung his staff into a bandit that had crawled out of the undergrowth behind him. “Run Enkerai, and don’t look back, use the trees to your advantage. Save yourself, and then save this village.”

“I-I will!” Enkerai screamed as he turned and ran, “I promise you I will!”

Araktobi looked over his shoulder to see his younger brother disappear into the murky emerald folds of the night covered forest. And then he looked back to see the mass of bandits cautiously approaching him, their weapons glinting in the moonlight.

Enkerai fled through the forest until his lungs burned as if a fire roared within them. And then he ran some more. It was only when the sea of trees petered out into plains that his legs finally gave way.

He dropped to his knees and screamed at the sky. Why? Why didn’t he do anything! Why couldn’t he help them? Why did he run? He turned slowly to see smoke rising in the distance from the centre of the forest where he knew the village was. He could go back, he should go back. Every bone in his body screamed it at him. But his brain told him otherwise. His brother had warned him that he should run. After all, what use could he do for them on his own? He had to keep going and then plan his next move, that’s what Araktobi would say. He looked at the smoke in defiance and wiped his arm across his tear-streaked face.

“I will come back someday. I’ll come back for you all!” Enkerai promised again through gritted teeth, then turned his back on his village and did not look back.