I half dragged my new disciples to the training grounds with Aphiwe in tow. I grabbed the easiest weapon to learn, the spear. I thrust them in each of their hands and an appropriately sized one for Aphiwe.

  “A thousand thrusts by the end of the day.” I pulled grass filled pillows out and tied them to poles. “I should see grasses falling from these by then.” I moved behind each of them and harshly kicked them into proper stances. My correcting pole snapping out and punishing every mispced foot. Aphiwe needed no correction as she stood at the ready. I could see the focus on her face.

  I prompted them to begin and was immediately disappointed. They were sloppy, slow, and inaccurate. They barely grazed the pillows so I shed out with my staff and left welts on the women. I could see the barest hints of tears brimming in their eyes. “Again!” I called as I watched with hawk-like eyes.

  After a dozen thrusts I found myself frustrated with them. Their movements were so slow, like they were wading through water. Thankfully their hands were rough enough from crafting to grip the shafts correctly.

  The snapping off my staff seemed to do little else but discourage them. I racked my mind with what to do in order to help them quicker. I watched as they fell into a rhythm of practice. I was proud of Aphiwe, she had excellent form. Though her small size made each blow ck a significant amount of strength.

  I dropped the staff and stepped towards one of the women. I grabbed her hands and guided her into a proper thrust. I practically dragged her off her feets with my strength. I huffed in frustration, “Thrust it stronger. Like you are stabbing behind your target. Not the barest of shallow attacks.”

  I noticed a sharp uptick in improvement with my hands and words being used over the harsh smacking and critiques. Aphiwe seemed driven much harder with even the barest comment that she improved. Her face was determined and focused.

  Moving amongst them the sun traveled across the sky and I could feel the shift in the air as the smell of cooked meat filled my nostrils. I paused them in their movements and spoke. “We will have to make sure people take only what they need. Take a staff with you. If I motion you will strike your fellow women. Do you two understand?”

  Both of them nodded and I noticed Aphiwe standing at attention and nodding along with them. I smiled to myself at the seriousness in her face. I cleared my throat as I kept a straight face and began to lead them to the food pits. Women parted way as I walked to the center of town and stood before the sb of cooking meat that we carved our meals from. Holding a knife I turned and looked at those around me.

  I ignored the gnawing hunger in my stomach and cut just a little free for Aphiwe and pushed her away so she would go eat. A small look of betrayal pyed on her face as she held her staff with all seriousness. I gave her a pointed look that brooked no discussion that finally shooed her away. Slowly women walked up to me and I cut portions of meat away for them and the children that followed in their wake. Thankfully no one protested about the amount I provided to each of them.

  More than once I received pointed stares at my loins and a subtle offer of sex for more food but each time I ignored the offer. Paying it no attention at all in my quest to lead the women. I thanked the gods above when the final of the women walked past with their portion of food for the day. I cut my own sparing portion and just as much for the other warriors.

  I noted the hunters had not returned yet from the hunt. Being careful I made sure to leave a rger portion than most for them. Without them our food would run out so much faster. Still I hadn’t seen my mate Melokuhle throughout the day and my worry for her grew.

  I motioned for my two companions to come close. “Head back to the practice yards and continue. One of us need to stay with the meat and keep others from eating more than their fill. It is a harsh position we must sit upon while we wait for the hunters to succeed. Or Bongani will succeed.

  It was near sunset and the second set of meals I was carving out for people that Melokuhle finally showed herself. Her eyes were full of worry as she approached me with my trophy in her hands. She moved and wrapped it around my right shoulder and secured the leather straps around my chest. It looked as if the Lionkin had his mouth biting down with the mane covering the heavy scars on my back.

  I cut her some meat and attempted to hand it off to her as I heard her stomach grumble loudly. She put her hands upon it and pushed it towards me instead. “You must remain strong. I’ll eat tomorrow. I… I’m sorry for my words but they are true. You drag us through danger, but you are a hero. I hope Ade sees it as such. Tonight I have asked Lethabo’s mates to watch over Aphiwe so we are alone. If women are your path to power I will let you treat upon me for it. Let me provide that for you.”

  I pulled her into a kiss and could feel the slightest resistance before she melted into it. Her arms draped around the back of my neck as she pressed against me. Our breasts pressed gently against each other as we enjoyed locking our lips together. My arms slipped around her waist and held it. I ignored the flood of information my gift gave me and instead sank myself into the pleasure of the kiss instead.

  Finally breaking the kiss we locked eyes. “Eat,” I demanded, “I don’t want to hear the growling of your stomach while we are together.” I pressed the juicy meat against her lips until she finally parted for it. I slowly fed her as she licked the fatty grease off my fingers. Her tongue danced around my digits in a promise of what was to come tonight.

  An interrupting bst of the horn signified the return of the hunters. It pulled my mate and I apart as she stared into my eyes. The hints of her desire to be my main source of power lingered on my lips. Instead of moving from woman to woman she wanted to be my partner.

  I watched her walk away, my eyes glued to her form and memorizing every curve of her body and what it promised to do in response to my desires. I stood and waited for the hunters as they arrived from the edge of the vilge. Four torso sized cats were draped upon their shoulders. It was a paltry amount for a vilge of over twenty souls. More and more I hoped that Bongani would succeed.

  I tried to think as much as possible about how I could feed all those now under my charge. Something to stave off the hunger that was soon going to set in within the week. Our food stores of pemmican would soon have to be relied on.

  After feeding the hunters I spent some time healing Lethabo of the still scabbing cuts on her back. I watched as they turned slowly into scars. They too would decorate her body in a testament of her service to the cn.

  As the pain faded from her she looked thankful to me. With a simple nod to one another she looked at the sparse food and spoke. “I will speak to the breeders to see if there is a way for us to make the food st longer. When the warriors return we can hope that Ade will assign a few of them to hunting with us. Already we are going far from the vilge to hunt successfully. We might have to track down and follow a herd. Do as the lion pride does and cull their numbers. We could turn the excess to pemmican.”

  I nodded to her and let my hand linger on her shoulder. “You are strong, Lethabo. I could not ask for a better leader of the hunters right now.”

  Lethabo nodded and looked at the many women now eating their paltry meals. I felt confident though. These women would listen to me. Now was the time I could begin to show my value as a leader. I would carry the cn through it. We would survive until Ade returned. Then I would be elevated beyond the simple life of a breeder.

  Bongani hadn’t returned yet. I hoped for his sake he didn’t run away.