Desert Mishaps (Part II) ⏸

Sunrise was here and Abraham was getting ready to head out with Maira & Mamadou to find the grotto's location. And maybe some lupus wort, who knows?

"Is everything set?" Abraham asked Mamadou, loading the last luggage on to the caravan they'll be traveling with.

"Yes master," his friend responded, "The only thing left is getting Maira on the Caravan,"

"Drop the master word, will you?" Abraham laughed, "we've been friends since birth."

"You know I only call you that in front of strangers, for status and respect," Mamadou said, patting Abraham's shoulder.

"Well no need to call me that now," he smiled, "I'll go get her."

"Okay," Mamadou replied, preparing the camels for their journey.  

Abraham's men continued back home, while him and the other two, headed west to the grotto.

***

"Is she still sleeping and unwell?" Mamadou asked, guiding the camels.

"Yeah," Abraham sighed, wiping Maira's forehead with a cold towel, sitting beside her in the caravan.

"How long will she last from now?"

"3 to 4 days at most,"

"How far is this grotto we are traveling to?"

"Before she passed out, Maira told me 300 miles from her home, moving west," Abraham answered.

"Traveling with our camels speed, that would take 4 days to get there since we have to head towards her pack first to relocate ourselves," Mamadou calculated.

"Yeah, we have to make our camels travel 125 miles per day and limit our sleeping,"

"InshAllah, we get there before the wolf-bell finishes her off,"

***

It was now sunset and 4 days had passed since Maira left her pack.

"Abraham," Maira cried out in pain, waking up from her sleep.

"Yes, I'm here! What's wrong?" he said, feeling her cheeks.

"How far are we?" she asked weakly.

"Ooohh! We've got a long way to go, so you just rest up and save your strength," Abraham said, with an encouraging smile.

"Is it only us both on this journey?" Maira asked, with a shaky voice.

She asked this question because the caravan curtains were now down. Which means Mamadou can't see inside it and Maira can't see outside of it.

"As much as I'll love that, Mamadou is here. He's the one guiding the camels outside,"

"Oh okay,"

There was a calm silence till Maira asked, "Would you please answer my questions I asked you yesterday? You never answered them,"

Abraham stared at her with a blank look, not saying a word.

"Or at least tell me your name," Maira pleaded, feeling weird not knowing anything of the man that was supposedly going to help her.

"My name is Abraham, I'm a prince and maybe I'll tell you more about myself when my shift is over. I have to switch with Mamadou to let him rest," he said, rising up from his sitting position.

"A prince, huh?" she thought, turning her head away, "Alright your highness, go do your thing," Maira joked.

"Here's a cup of water," Abraham said, handing her the liquid and leaving the caravan.

***

Night had fallen upon the three travellers and Abraham had decided they'll stop to replenish their energy and rest.

"Maira, you can open your eyes. I have some delicious food for you, it's a plate full of white-tailed deer meat," Abraham waved the plate, below her nostrils.

"Hmmm, yeah, I'm up," Maira yawned.

"You can go brush your teeth, before eating," Abraham suggested, as Mamadou added more wood to the camp fire.

"Uhm, wow. Okay," Maira said, putting her right hand over her mouth, embarrassed.

"Ahhahahhahaha," Mamadou laughed.

"I would punch the both of you, but I'm sick right now," Maira got up, took a bucket with water inside, a towel, a toothbrush and headed towards a bush to clean up.

When Maira was done with her toilet, she sat beside Abraham who was next to Mamadou. They all sat on a big wooden log.

"Here's your plate," he said, passing it to her.

"But does my breath smell good enough though?" She asked, sarcastically with a tight smile.

"Get over it," Abraham laughed, along with Mamadou.

"Give that to me," Maira said, yanking the plate out of his hand.

She pouted at first, frustrated they wouldn't stop teasing, but then later joined them in their laugh knowing they were only joking.

"So, where are you and your men from?" Maira asked, starting her plate of meat. It made her feel warm and happy inside.

"We come from a land, from a faraway place, called Egypt, where the caravan camels roam. Where it's horizontal and tremendous and the heat is harsh. But hey, it's home," Mamadou described, the camp fire illuminating his face.

"Egypt?! Wasn't that the name of a land back on earth?" Maira asked.

"Yeah," Abraham responded.

"Were your ancestors Egyptians or something?"

"No, but Egypt has a very rich history. My ancestors couldn't resist recreating a city like their own," Abraham explained.

"It most be beautiful your home," Maira imagined, a soft smile coming across her face.

"Yeah," Mamadou sighed, wishing he had headed home with the others.

"What were you two doing in the desert with 38 other men?" Maira asked, wanting to know more about her new companions.

"We were hunting for our people, my men and I are known as the forty hunters," Abraham announced, proudly.

"Ahhh, no wonder the wicker baskets on your camels reeked of fresh meat," Maira pointed out, as both men laughed at her remark.

"Where are your ancestors truly from? You know, since they only recreated a city like Egypt, but none of you are true Egyptians,"

"We are now, because that's how we've chosen to identify ourselves," Abraham responded.

"We are Guineans. On earth, our country was known as Guinea. Our ancestors were from west Africa and now, we identify ourselves as Egyptians," Mamadou explained, while Maira nodded and ate.

"The royal family, their loyal servants and assistants are from the Mandingo tribe," Abraham added on.

"The capital city of Egypt is known as Guinea, here on planet Aeruta," Mamadou said.

"I would love to visit your home town, someday," Maira hoped.

"Tell us a little about yourself. Your ways, your history, your traditions, anything honestly. If you don't mind," Abraham said, curious.

"Alright! What would you like to know?" Maira asked, setting her plate on the ground.

"How does it feel like when you transform into a wolf? How big are you?"

"It feels natural, I don't really know how to explain it but it isn't painful... And my height is 98 cm, and I'm 2.4m large."

"What is your wolf colour?" Abraham asked.

"That is for me to know and you to find out,"

"Oh I will," he said smirking.

"But I'll give you an idea. When you're from the earth moon pack, your wolf can only turn out to be brown, black, peanut, cedar, tawny or umber,"

"My guess is black,"

"And my guess is peanut,"

"We'll see-" Maira coughed.

"Are you okay!?" Abraham questioned, panicked.

"No but we can't do anything about it for now. Can we?" Maira said, patting her chest.

They both looked at her worryingly.

"I'll be okay," she smiled at them, "I hope."

"A little off subject, but if I may ask, why do your leaders forbid us (humans) from using technology? How is that fair?" Mamadou asked.

"I'm just a local wolf, you'll have to ask my superiors to get answers. Or you could also ask your official leaders?" Maira suggested, "But all I can say is that, you left earth because of technology. And my species and I are only trying to survive and leave a better place for future generations,"

"Hmmm, typical wolves," Abraham said.

"Typical humans," Maira retorted, "It's all about money, power and immortality for you guys,"

"Yeah the greedy and selfish one's, but I can say so for your kind as well," Abraham replied.

"Hmmm," Maira averted her eyes.

"I'll tell you something, we're Muslims. We don't do eternity or look for it. There is no such thing as immortality. That's witchery! Every soul shall taste death." Mamadou clarified, "Maybe power... but not money or immortality."

"Okay, if you say so," Maira said, in a sing-song tone, which resulted in her getting annoyed looks.

"You know... I studied human's history when I was in high school."

"What about it?" Abraham asked, rolling his eyes.

"I've heard about ISIS,"

"We're not Arabs," Mamadou stated.

"Now you're being ignorant," Maira replied.

"Have you seen a white man, an Indian man, an Asian man or a black man part of that group?!" Mamadou argued.

"I don't-"

"Exactly! So don't start acting like you know our history better than us!" Mamadou yelled.

"Fajr prayer is soon, Maira get in the caravan, we'll be at your pack in a couple of hours," Abraham said, heading toward the camels, tired of the topic. 

"No! We can't go there!" Maira said, grabbing onto his clothing, nervously.

"We're only going there to redirect ourselves to find the grotto," Abraham said, gently pushing her away.

***

2 days had passed since they've been traveling towards the grotto. They were tired and exhausted but determined, expecting danger and ready to face it.

"It's feeling kind of breezy, don't you think?" Abraham asked Mamadou, as they directed the camels on the right path.

"Yeah I realized," Mamadou said covering his head with his clothing, "The sand is starting to move with the wind."

"We will have to take cover, a sandstorm may be approaching us, and it'll be intense as usual," Abraham said.

"We can't continue moving either or we might lose our way," Mamadou pointed out, receiving a nod from his friend.

The men settled the camels down, parked and covered the caravan up and went inside for protection, joining the sleeping female wolf.

Once under shelter, Abraham and Mamadou covered themselves up, along with Maira, waiting for the sandstorm to pass.

***

BACK TO THE PRESENT (EXECUTION DAY)

Content that the sandstorm had passed 2 days ago and that they had finally arrived around their destination, Abraham and Mamadou rode the camels, while Maira was only fighting for her life inside the damaged caravan.

"We should be on the lookout now for an Oasis that has a grotto," Abraham announced.

"InshAllah our werewolf doesn't die before that," Mamadou said.

After 4 hours of searching high and low, they found an Oasis.

"There! I see something," Mamadou yelled.

"Where?!" Abraham asked turning his head in every direction, impatiently.

"Six o'clock!"

"Yes! Let's go!" Abraham said, moving forward.

***

Under the full moon and the twinkling stars, music and festivity surrounded the Great Earth Moon Pack. They were celebrating their Luna's pregnancy and awaiting Maira's execution.

Among the big crowd, Maira's family was eagerly waiting for their beautiful girl to come out on stage and maybe, somehow, a miracle would occur.

As the night advanced, the Alpha and Luna sat on their thrones preparing for the execution and enjoying the feast. They watched their people dance, laugh, eat and live. The execution was a sign of justice, sacrifice and peace.

"My lady," Alpha Ezekiel said, placing a kiss on Luna Esmé's forehead while he held her hand, "It is time!"

"Hmmh," she moaned, feeling his power.

"Tadashi tell them to start the ceremonial procedure for our child-to-be and right after that, to bring out the one whom shall be executed tonight by me!" Alpha Ezekiel ordered.

"Yes sir!"

The Earth Moon ritual of congratulating a pregnant Luna took place on the huge public stage with music, dancing and a sacred earth stone chant to bless the growing bump.

DUMDUM DUMDUM DUMDUM...

The drums beating was a cry for silence and balance. It symbolized that a sacrifice was about to be done to show the people of the Earth Moon Pack that justice will always be given, no matter who you are and where you come from.

"My great people of the Earth Moon," Alpha Ezekiel voice boomed over his pack, as he stood on the public stage. "The moment has come to punish a girl who thought she could defy me, she could defy you, bring injustice onto our land!"

The crowd roared so loudly you could feel the ground shaking!

They missed their ways, of being ruthless and violent. They rarely had an occasion to see someone being tortured. They were boiling with excitement to see Maira meet her end, except her family.

The stage was illuminated with three torches, one on the right, one on the left and one in the middle. There was also one huge bamboo stick with hay surrounding it, right next to the torch that was positioned in the middle.

"Bring the bitch out!!" Alpha Ezekiel ordered to his guards, the crowd roared impatiently.

The royal guards did as told and Maira came out in a simple white dress, bare feet, bare face, none the less still beautiful and her curly long hair out and loose.

They directed Maira to the bamboo stick, tied her hands and feet to it and brought the hay closer to her.

"Silence!" Alpha Ezekiel yelled, calming his people down, "I'll be doing the honours of burning her wretched soul on fire tonight,"

"No! Please have mercy on my sister! She's innocent!" Dyna cried out, in the crowd.

"Let it go baby,"Amira consoled, patting her, "It's okay, there's nothing we can do about it now."

"You dare defy me little girl?!" Alpha Ezekiel roared in anger.

"Don't you dare-" Lamine started, but got interrupted by his second daughter.

"I'm the one you're burning tonight, not her! So do what you got to do you rampaging fool!" Maira spat in the Alpha's face, which resulted in her getting her lips busted and her nose broken.

Everyone gasped.

"Oh!" Maira's mother cried out, turning away the face of her two youngest pups and hiding her own in her husband's arm. Samia was lost for words herself. Dyna had tears running down her face, trying to be strong.

"I don't care if you are female or male, I do not tolerate rudeness! Is that understood?!"

"Sir yes Sir!" All the royal guards answered, stomping their feet rhythmically.

"Good!" He said, breathing heavily, infuriated by her audacity, "Burrrnn in hell," he snarled in Maira's ear, dropping the torch found in the middle of the stage, at her feet.

"No!" Samia sobbed, holding onto Dyna. "I can't watch no more,"

"Neither can I," replied her sister.

Maira didn't even cry or feel any kind of emotion for that matter, she just laughed hysterically. Making every single person watching her execution, think she was crazy.

Her body, her soul, everything was burning right in front of her piercing brown eyes. All she saw was the flames, not her family, not her dreams, not her goals, not even her life... only the flames.

After the fire calmed down, Alpha Ezekiel roared proudly, "Earth Moon Pack!"

"Earth Moon Pack!" chanted the crowd, repetitively.

Ezekiel looked at his beloved Esmé who wore a warm smile on her face, seated in her throne, with her little bump. They were both very proud of their pack and ruling.

"What's happening?" Beta Tadashi asked, approaching the scene where Maira corpse burned.

"What is it?" Alpha Ezekiel asked.

"Do you not notice?" Beta Tadashi questioned, directing his hand to Maira's burnt body, "There's like a purple-bluish smoke coming from her corpse!"

"What in the actual bloody hell?!" the Alpha growled, as everyone was chattering, all weirded out. Maira's family was in shock, afraid and sad of what their daughter had become.

"My baby!! What is happening to her body?! Lamine?!" Amira yelled, holding onto her husband, worried. She was desperate and teary.

"I don't know, my love," he said, tightly holding his mate.

POOF!!

Maira's body vanished with the smoke exploding lightly, but beautifully. The only remains left behind by the purple-bluish gas was a crow's brain, a peacock's feather, a headless chimpanzee and a wolf's tooth.

END OF CHAPTER 7 ▶️

***

Word count: 2700

Forgive all my mistakes, they will be corrected in the future!! Chapter 8,9 & 10 will be coming out in 2 weeks or a month, consecutively.

It'll take that much time to update because ... summer is over and school has started again 🙄 Home works and exam are all over the place!!

Add my book to your library or reading list to read more!! I appreciate all the support 💕!!

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