My legs were racing through the forest before I even processed what I heard. 

"MPOLE?" I screeched, skidding to a stop in the clearing. 

Mpole had ripped out one of the horns from the buck and was crouching down, the horn stabbed straight through the middle of a shadow creatures.

"MPOLE!" I yelped, frozen.

"I-I'm fine." She said quickly, wiping the scarlet blood off her cheek. "It just scratched me. It's only small..."

I raced over to her, looking her up and down. 

"We have to get you to the healer." I said, glancing around.

"I'm fine." She said pushing my hand back. But even so, I watched as strange black goo oozed out of the small scratch.

I jumped as the bushes and leaves rustled around us. I quickly ripped out another horn stabbing it out in the air. 

Mpole and I put our backs together and pivoted in a slow circle, holding out the horns warily.

"Queen Asubuhi!" The voice yelped and people leaped out of the bushes. 

Out of fear, I stabbed my horn forward, pinning the closest person I could see down, holding the horn harshly against their neck.

The person looked up, eyes wide. "Uhm? Asubuhi?"

I blinked, and realized it was Jumla. 

I stepped back, helping him up and quickly telling him how sorry I was.

"It's okay!" He said, blinking in confusion at my urgency. "I understand that you were very anxious."

I stepped back and kicked the dead shadow creature. "Look." I said, once the apologies were forgiven. 

"A shadow soldier." Jumla said, staring down at the creature, narrowing his eyes. 

"Almost killed Mpole, too." I said, walking over to Mpole who rolled her eyes. "Asubuhi." She insisted, batting my hand away as I tried to wipe the strange blood off her cheek. "I'm fine."

I hesitated then turned to the soldiers. "Jumla, group everyone up in groups no smaller than three people." I ordered, looking over the many soldiers staring at me warily. "I want the whole forest to be searched and scouted, no log left alone."

"Asubuhi-" Mpole started sternly but I continued over her.

"The shadow creatures have now proven to me that they will kill and I want their evil spirits out of my Kingdom." I looked at Jumla, who nodded to show he understood. 

Jumla quickly began to sort out the soldiers while I turned to Mpole. "We will carry the deer back to home, but once we get there, I will have you go to the healer."

"But-" Mpole started to argue, looking frustrated.

"That is an order." I said, glaring her down.

"Fine." She said, storming off to pick up the deer.

It made me guilty to see her so mad... but I was doing it for her safety. 

I walked over and picked up the deer, my heart still racing and my eyes still darting around to make sure there was no shadow creatures.

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I stretched out on the rock, letting the Healer check over my scratched legs. Despite my protests, she would not check Mpole first.

"Well." The Healer started, wiping a stingy, cool thing over the scratches. "As long as you promise to keep me updated about if the scratches are hurting or if they are turning strange colors, I'll let you go."

"Fine." I sighed. 

"Asubuhi." Dawa started, putting her hands on her hips as she glared me down. "I am well aware of how much you dislike listening, ma'am."

I sat up, staring at her crossly. "Yes. And?"

"And." She said sternly, handing me some strange berries. "What you were scratched with was sticks, but oleander flowers rubbed on them, causing some of their poison to go in."

I looked down at my legs, all patched up. 

"So, for your own safety, I require and order you to tell me if it hurts. I don't care if it messes with your dignity and pride for the sun's sake."  Dawa raised a brow at me, waiting for my answer.

"Yes, ma'am." I sighed, accepting. I personally didn't want to die.

But she should know I don't care about dignity.

Odd.

Dawa nodded at the berries. "Eat those. They will keep away the worst pain."

I ate them and savored their strange flavor. It tasted like blueberries that were slightly sour.

"Now go." Dawa shooed me out. "I only have one bed and if you want me to take a look at your lover, I would appreciate you leaving."

I felt as though I was as hot as the sun. "She's not my lover!" I snapped, staring at her harshly.

Dawa laughed. "Y'know. That was the same thing Tanga said when my mentor found out she liked your father." Dawa shook her head. "I was probably only 8 and I was in here learning herbs."

I rubbed my face, then glared at her. "Well, I don't like Mpole. I just care about my subjects." Then I stormed out, unable to bare Dawa's expression.

I found Mpole who was sitting on the large log in the center of the camp. I remembered the day all of us kids took it down and made it. Simpler times.

She was wiping the black blood and looking at it anxiously.

"Now do you see why I wanted you to go to the Healer?" I asked, after standing in front of her for a bit.

"Oh yeah yeah." Mpole said, changing her anxious expression to stern and teasing. She wiped the black blood on the log.

I reached out my hand and she took it with her other hand (Thank goodness).

I pulled her up and walked her to the Healer's Cave.

"Well." I said, pulling back the vines.

"I feel like royalty." Mpole said, smiling. She walked in, leaving me alone with my worrisome thoughts.

I looked back at the log, leaning on the large tree that sat by the Healer's den. 

People were milling around, carrying food, logs or branches, kids, blankets, silk, and tools or weapons. 

No one seemed to notice the log but me.

I stared at the spot where Mpole had wiped her blood on.

It looked like a normal log.

But if you looked closely, you could see the black bubbles hissing and eating away at the log.

END