Lioness Tales
Tale 3: Jiwe's Freedom
By Niche Eenhoorn
Chapter 4: Caught in Addiction
It was now very clear to Jiwe that something had changed in the past few days. More often than not, she would find her mother in that strange, motionless state, which meant that Jiwe had to take care of herself.
The cub started wandering further and further away, without any supervision from her mother, although that didn't mean that nobody was watching over her. Kiume and Shukrani were too busy to pay attention to Jiwe, but they had asked their employees to keep an eye on the cub. Jiwe had no idea that almost everywhere she went, someone was keeping a watchful eye on her. The two lions didn't do this out of concern for her well being. They simply knew that Jiwe could be useful to them in the future, and they didn't want to lose that opportunity.
Once again, Rahisi had failed to keep her promise of hunting before taking an Oil-Leaf, and Jiwe felt hungrier and hungrier. The little lioness sniffed the area, hoping to find some scraps to eat.
If Jiwe had approached Kiume and Shukrani now that they were sober again, they would have allowed her to eat from their stash of meat, but the cub was scared that they would really cut her tongue off, like Kuwasi had warned, so instead she tried looking for something on her own. She wasn't very lucky; there was no carrion to be found in the area, and her amateur attempts at catching rodents or fish were unsuccessful.
The cub resorted to drinking a lot of water, hoping to fill her belly that way and satiate her hunger, but the feeling didn't last for long, and the cub returned to the lair, feeling more desperate by the minute. She had lost track of when she last had something to eat. Had it been three, or four days? Jiwe couldn't tell. Rahisi hadn't bothered going hunting because one of the side-effects of the Oil-Leaf is that it acted as an appetite-suppressant, so Rahisi was not feeling any hunger at all, and just a few bites of meat were enough to make her feel like she had eaten enough. Only Jiwe wasn't faring that well, and the hunger was becoming unbearable.
Feeling tired and shaky, the cub even contemplated the possibility of stealing food from the male lions after all, even if it cost her her tongue.
But to her dismay, the stash had now disappeared. All the meat was gone, and there were nothing but bones scattered here and there. Jiwe quickly took a bone in her mouth and began nibbling on it, but it didn't help. If anything, it only made her hungrier.
The cub became very frustrated and couldn't hold herself, and began to cry. Jiwe ran to Rahisi's side and tried to wake her up once again, in vain. Jiwe tried pushing her, headbutting her side, biting her ears and tail hard, yelling and roaring, screaming, and finally throwing a full-blown temper tantrum right on Rahisi's face, but the lioness still didn't react. Unfortunately, Jiwe did attract the attention of Kiume and Shukrani, who were not pleased in the slightest to have a screaming cub messing around.
"Mom, please, I'm so hungry... Hunt something for me, please!" Jiwe insisted loudly.
The two male lions, who were sitting nearby, became more and more impatient with the cub, since Jiwe kept wailing at the top of her lungs.
"Aren't there any left-overs we can stuff down that hole of hers?" Shukrani asked, looking around, staring at the bones scattered around them.
"Nope, we've eaten all the payment meat already, and that dumb-ass Rahisi is unfit to hunt once again. I clearly told her not to use the leaf today but she didn't listen," Kiume replied, eyeing Jiwe for a moment. "Do you think we should go hunt something for her? I don't want her to die. You know we will need her around."
"I totally don't feel like hunting right now. We'll just send her ugly mother tomorrow to get us some food, no excuses. She will have to do it if she wants more Oil-Leaves from us," Shukrani replied and lay his head down on his paws, attempting to catch some sleep.
Kiume didn't say more and also lay down to rest. But the cub's piercing screams were keeping both of them awake, and Shukrani quickly lost his patience.
"Screw this, I'm silencing that little brat right now," Shukrani said, and got up, looking grumpy. He headed towards their secret herb-hideout, grumbling under his breath.
Kiume raised an eyebrow. He thought at first that Shukrani would actually slap the cub senseless, but his surprised expression turned into a smirk when he saw Shukrani returning from the hideout, holding between his lips the smallest Oil-Leaf he could find in their secret stash.
"You're kidding, right?" Kiume asked, letting out a loud chuckle. They had never given any herbs to someone so young; perhaps it would be amusing to see Jiwe's reaction.
"Watch me," Shukrani replied. He then faced the cub and yelled at her, "Hey, Jiwe, come here, we got something for you!"
Jiwe heard his call, and walked in their direction, her tear-stained face looking slightly more hopeful. Maybe they'll gimme something to eat?
"Come here, and lie down on your belly," Shukrani told her as he skillfully crushed the tiny Oil-Leaf for her, releasing its minty scent. Only he didn't use his own claws, but a pointy shard of a bone that was lying nearby. Shukrani knew better than to stain his paws with the color and scent of the filthy plant, which would mark him as an obvious herb-user.
Jiwe curled up her nose for a moment, as she recognized the scent all too well. Rahisi smelled strongly of it as of late. "Oh... Mom's remedy?" she asked, her ears drooping down in visible disappointment, "I thought you'd give me food..."
"Nope, this isn't food, squirt," Shukrani replied, "but it'll keep you feeling nice and full, until your mom's up and running again."
Jiwe stared at the crushed leaf with curiosity, figuring that if her mother was using it, it should be safe for her to use it too. The truth was that Jiwe felt so hungry, that she was willing to try just about anything to get rid of the nasty feeling.
Shukrani then placed the bits of leaf on Jiwe's forelegs, between the fold of her elbows.
"Tuck your legs in close to your chest," he ordered.
Jiwe pulled her legs towards her, curling into a little ball, not even thinking for a second that this event would change her life forever.
"Fine, now stay like that, and no more screaming, you hear?" Shukrani warned.
Jiwe felt her empty stomach cramping once more. Seeing that her mother's miracle remedy wasn't working as fast as expected, she blurted out with a trembling voice, as her chin started to quiver again, "But... I'm still hungry!"
"Shut up, Jiwe!" Shukrani snarled, giving her a warning glare.
Jiwe pinned her ears back and tried to make herself small for him, in submission. Shukrani walked away, looking satisfied, while Kiume lingered nearby, keeping a curious eye on her. He wasn't sure what the effects of the Oil-Leaf would be on a cub, even with a small leaf, like the one Shukrani had picked out for her.
Jiwe in turn felt her legs beginning to tingle, which distracted her from her hunger pangs for a moment. Before she knew it, she was lost in an imaginary world, full of other little lion cubs to play with, and huge mounds of meat for her to devour whenever she wanted. Despite her age, she was a fierce huntress and fighter, all the animals wanted to be like her and be her friend. Jiwe was very popular in this imaginary world of hers, and she definitely loved being the center of attention. She forgot all about her hunger, and proceeded to have the most fun she'd had in her life.
After a couple of minutes of precious silence, Kiume approached Jiwe and inspected her closely.
She was still sitting on the exact same position, as if petrified, staring ahead with her eyes wide open and the Oil-Leaf's trademark vacant expression on her face. The lion waved a paw in front of the cub's face, but there was absolutely no reaction from Jiwe. She didn't seem to be in distress, or sick, so he left the cub alone and returned to where Shukrani was resting.
Shukrani chuckled, knowing she'd be all right in a few hours.
"I thought you were bluffing, didn't think you'd go through with it," Kiume said, settling down for a nap once again.
Shukrani shrugged nonchalantly. "It had to happen sooner or later. You know we have a few exchanges coming up and we will need Jiwe for that. I want her hooked on some herb, so that she won't even think about refusing to cooperate, that is, if she wants her next fix."
Kiume nodded quietly, feeling little to no remorse about what Shukrani had just done. To them, Jiwe was just another pawn in their game and she would be used the way they deemed fit. If that included having her hooked on the most addictive herb they could think of, then so be it.
When Jiwe finally regained the use of her muscles and was able to stand up, she expected to feel tired, and in pain. Her limbs were indeed stiff, from hours of sitting in the same position, but it didn't bother her much. The pain quickly faded, after she stretched a few times, and she had to admit she felt wonderful, like she had had the best nap ever. Not to mention that very vivid dream. It had felt so real, and Jiwe couldn't help but wishing she could return to that imaginary world once again.
But the best part of all, was that the hunger was gone, although Jiwe didn't realize that her mind was simply playing tricks on her. Her body was still very much demanding food and nutrients, but Jiwe's brain kept signalling a full stomach, and Jiwe didn't bother looking for anything to eat after that. She walked around for a while and saw Kiume and Shukrani not too far away. Rahisi was nowhere to be seen, she probably woke up already and wandered for a drink to the nearby pond or to the lake up north.
With extreme confidence, a known after-effect from the Oil-Leaf, the little cub headed towards the two lions.
"Hey there, what's up?" she greeted them.
"Welcome back," Shukrani said, raising an eyebrow at her boldness, "Had a good sleep?"
Jiwe nodded repeatedly, looking very content. "Yeah! Best nap ever! Hey, can I have some of that leaf again?" she blurted out.
Kiume shook his head. "No, no, no. First of all, you need to wait a few days first, otherwise you won't feel much of an effect. And second, those leaves are costly. We can't just be giving them away like that."
Jiwe tilted her head, and remembered what the lions had said the night they got drunk on fermented fruit juice. "Hey, Shuk, you said the other day that if I wanted to have food, I had to work for it. If I work extra hard, can I also get a leaf? Ya got any chores I can do?"
The two lions chuckled at her enthusiasm. It amazed them to see how fast the Oil-Leaf created a dependency on the herb-user.
"Not today," Shukrani replied, "but tomorrow we might have a chore for you. Come meet us at sunrise and we'll let you know what you have to do."
Jiwe nodded, and left to find Rahisi, to tell her all about her experience with the herbal remedy. She knew her mother always went for a drink of water after waking up, so Jiwe made her way to the pond, which was closest to the lair. Finding the pond deserted, the cub decided to head north and check the lake. As expected, Jiwe found Rahisi there, but she was not alone. Rahisi was talking to another lioness, a stranger whose scent Jiwe couldn't recognize.
The cub approached quietly, wondering with curiosity whether her mother might have made a new friend. Her enthusiasm faded when she heard that Rahisi was actually crying, and the other lioness was attempting to comfort her.
"How could I be so stupid... If I had known," Rahisi said between sobs, while the stranger next to her simply stared down at the ground and nuzzled her sadly.
Jiwe was so focused on her crying mother, that she forgot to watch where she was walking, and stepped on a twig. It cracked noisily, making the strange lioness stand up in alarm.
"I have to go," she blurted out, "But remember what I said, if you need help, you know where to find us."
With that, the lioness ran off into the distance, making Jiwe feel a bit guilty about having startled her. The cub approached Rahisi apprehensively, and whispered, "Mom? Why are you crying?"
Rahisi turned to look at her startled. "Jiwe, what are you doing here! You know you shouldn't come here on your own."
Jiwe shrugged and sat next to Rahisi. "I was just looking for ya, and then I heard ya crying, mom... Why? And who was that lioness?"
Rahisi just shook her head in response. "Forget about her. It's very important that you don't tell anyone she was here. You understand that, Jiwe?"
Jiwe nodded, looking very confused.
Rahisi pondered for a moment, and then turned to the cub. "I need to have a word with Kiume and Shuk. I want you to wait by our napping spot, and don't come interrupting."
"Fine, I'll stay put, but will you tell me what's made ya so sad?" Jiwe insisted, but Rahisi was not in the mood to talk.
"Maybe later. For now, let's go back to the den."
Rahisi began walking, but noticed that Jiwe started to lag behind. She looked over her shoulder and spotted the cub sitting down at random intervals, stopping to lick and chew on her forepaws.
"Jiwe, what are you doing? Come on, hurry up! You can groom yourself when you get there," Rahisi called.
"Sorry, mom, my legs itch a lot. Must be from the herb remedy..."
Rahisi stopped on her tracks and turned to face Jiwe. "What did you say? What remedy?"
Jiwe looked up at her and gave her a big grin. "The same one you use all the time! Shuk showed me how it's done, and I had a really cool nap! That's why I came here, I wanted to tell you about it! I had the coolest dreams. Ya think we can nap together next time?"
Rahisi's eyes began watering immediately. She sat down and bent over to inspect Jiwe closely. There was no mistake, Jiwe's skin had that minty scent to it, especially by the folds of her elbows. "Oh, Jiwe..." the lioness sighed, and pulled Jiwe close to her.
Jiwe's smile faded, sensing her mother's inner turmoil. "Mom? What's the matter?"
Rahisi swallowed with difficulty, but she tried to keep a straight face for Jiwe when she said, "We can't take those remedies anymore, Jiwe. I found out that they're not good for us."
"Oh," Jiwe replied, looking away in disappointment. "No fair... I just found out how awesome the plant is and now you're saying I can't take it?"
Rahisi nodded. "It's hard to explain, but you'll have to trust me."
The two lionesses resumed their walking in silence, while Jiwe let out a deep sigh every now and then, and stopped to scratch the itchy patches of skin.
When they arrived at the den, Jiwe went to lie down by her usual sleeping spot, looking at her mother with curiosity. Rahisi went to look for Shukrani and Kiume, with a determined expression on her face. She never noticed Jiwe following her at a considerable distance.
Rahisi arrived where Kiume and Shukrani were resting, and she butted in on their conversation, not caring for a change whether she was interrupting something important, "Oi, you two!"
The two lions turned to look at her. Shukrani raised an eyebrow when he heard an angry tone in her voice. "What is it?"
"When exactly were you planning to let me know the real nature of your talks with all the animals around here?" Rahisi demanded, looking very displeased to say the least.
Kiume and Shukrani could immediately tell that she had found out their secret somehow.
"Rahisi, dear," Shukrani said, standing up and walking up to her, "What we do with the animals around here is none of your concern. All you have to do is keep on hunting food whenever we need you to. That's all there is to it. You don't have to be involved in our matters."
Rahisi snarled slightly as she looked the lion in the eye. "Don't lie to me! I know now that you're herb-dealers! You're making a business of slowly poisoning everyone, including me and my daughter!"
The lion rolled his eyes. "So, what if we are? Are you going to run away from this place? And then what?"
"I don't care, as long as we're far away from you liars... I trusted you both, and you took advantage of me and Jiwe! How could you?" Rahisi spat, while tears ran down her face once more. The pain and disappointment was obvious in her expression; the lioness was clearly devastated by these news.
Kiume walked over to them at that point and sided with Shukrani. "You're forgetting something very important, Rahisi. You might want and try to leave this place, but your addiction will make you keep coming back to us for more."
"Exactly," Shukrani added, "Only we might not be as friendly as before and we won't give you any herbs at all, unless you do exactly what we tell you to do."
Rahisi bared her teeth at the two lions, shaking slightly both from the herbs she had taken, as well as from anger. "Are you blackmailing me?"
"I'm just letting you know where you stand. Mind you, if you want to leave, you'll also have to travel very, very far, since we won't allow you to poach in our lands anymore. We have eyes everywhere, and we can make sure you don't get anything to eat, not even carrion," Shukrani added triumphantly, "So why don't we just skip this whole running-away-fiasco? Then I can explain to you what our business is all about."
Rahisi looked at him, waiting for an explanation.
"So you heard right, we are herb-dealers," Shukrani went on, "but not only that, we are the producers, and we control the business miles around. Every herb that's handed out to any addicts out there was produced by us. You won't find any scattered Oil-Leaves to feed your addiction out there in the savannah. If you want them, you have to come to our dealers and pay the price."
"If all you wanted was a huntress to bring food in, why in the world did you give me those leaves? And why did you give them to Jiwe? She's just a cub, for crying out loud!"
"You were getting too clingy, dear," Shukrani replied, while Kiume nodded in agreement, "Giving you the leaves provided us the peace and quiet we were after. We were getting rather sick and tired of your whining for company and whatnot. Same reason why we gave them to Jiwe, really. She was getting too irritating and noisy after you stopped feeding her properly."
Rahisi dried her tears with her tongue and stood up. "Fine, I'll rid you two of our unbearable presence. And don't expect me to come back because I won't! I've been through worse than some stupid addiction!" she roared angrily, and ran away, almost stepping over Jiwe, who had been listening to their every word
"Jiwe! What are you doing here? I told you to stay put!"
The cub looked at the three adults, a thousand questions in her mind, starting from what was an addiction, and why her mother was so angry all of a sudden. But she had no time to ask. Rahisi whisked her away by the scruff of her neck and ran as fast as her legs could carry.
Kiume and Shukrani watched them go, chuckling slightly. They didn't even bother giving chase; they were certain that they would come back. They always did.
"I bet half my share of fermented fruit juice that they'll be grovelling back here in five days," Kiume said.
"I bet you my half they won't last three without the herbs. We'll see them again sooner than you think," Shukrani added, a wicked grin spreading over his face.
Only two days had passed, and Rahisi, who hadn't experienced withdrawal symptoms before, was having a horrible time. Everything inside her was causing her pain and discomfort. She kept having painful muscle twitches and cramps, and she was shivering constantly. She was sick to her stomach several times, and to top it off, the hunger that the herbs had been masking seemed to come back ten times worse.
She was in no state to hunt, and even if she managed to get a little bird or rodent, some other animal or predator would come and steal it. "Sorry, orders from the bosses!" they had said.
Rahisi knew she had two options. The first one was to keep on travelling and try to locate the strange lioness she spoke to earlier. It was her who alerted her of Kiume and Shukrani's shady business, and she said there was a Pride dedicated to help and rehabilitate addicted lions. Unfortunately, that Pride was very far away east, and Rahisi knew she wouldn't make it all the way there, not in this state, and not without food.
To add to that, Jiwe was also having a terrible time, in a slightly milder form than Rahisi's discomfort. Only she couldn't really understand why she was feeling so ill all of a sudden. Rahisi had tried to sit down and have a talk with her, but her mind just kept wandering back to the thought of taking an Oil Leaf and she could not focus for more than a minute. Jiwe herself was having problems listening, and she kept wandering around, crying and feeling miserable.
The second option was, to go back to the Paka Pride and play according to Kiume and Shukrani's rules. All she had to do was bring food in, right? She could do that, she was good at hunting. Somehow her brain quickly began coming up with all sorts of pros about her return to their territory. She would be well fed, she would count with their protection, it wasn't all so bad, right?
But then there was Jiwe. That was the only thing that was stopping Rahisi from running back to the two lions. What they did to her was very low. But the choice was quickly made for her when Jiwe burst into tears and screamed for them to go back.
All Jiwe wanted was to go to sleep, but the discomfort was making it impossible, and she longed for one of those herbs to be able to have sweet dreams again. "Mom, let's just go back, please," she cried loudly.
It was as if Rahisi's addicted body had brain-washed her mind into thinking that returning was indeed the one and only solution, and with that thought in mind, Rahisi and Jiwe returned to Kiume and Shukrani's den.
The two lions didn't seem surprised, if anything, they were both glad that neither one of them had lost the bet and could keep their full share of their favorite beverage. They didn't make a fuss about their return either. Shukrani simply told them, "Welcome back. Now, it's time for you to get to work, only we'll do things a bit differently this time."
Unsure of what he meant, Rahisi said, "I need a leaf first, please..."
Shukrani shook his head. "No, this time we decide when you get the leaves, Rahisi. So if you want some relief, you'll do as you're told!"
The two lions whispered something to each other in hushed voices, and then they turned to Rahisi and Jiwe again.
"Rahisi, you'll go with Shuk, I'll take Jiwe with me," Kiume said.
Rahisi asked them what this was all about, but the lions remained quiet after that. She watched how Jiwe and Kiume headed in the opposite direction, and they disappeared behind a thick set of bushes.
Jiwe still felt terrible, and no one seemed keen to explain to her what was going on. All she knew is that she felt ill, and she was sure that another Oil-Leaf would make her feel better.
"Please, Kiume, can you give me a leaf?" she asked between sobs.
"I'll give you a leaf when you're done with your chore."
The lion led Jiwe to a patch of bare soil, with little to no grass growing on it. There were a few other animals sitting in the area, as if waiting for Kiume to show up. They all stood up and walked closer when they saw him approaching.
"All right, guys, here's the deal. Our underground sources have alerted us about a wild growth of Blackroot here. You know the drill, find the bulbs and bring them to me. Get to work, chop chop!"
Jiwe watched as the animals began sniffing the ground and digging up in different spots of the dusty area.
"Listen up, Jiwe. You'll help them find the bulbs too. It's important that you don't bite them, they will mess up with your mouth badly. You'll get horrible sores. Better handle them with your paws," Kiume explained. He spoke in a soft and calm voice, like a father teaching his cub how to hunt for the first time.
Jiwe nodded, and inspected a bulb once a leopard came by and dropped it at Kiume's feet. The root had a very peculiar scent, smelling of wet soil, bark and mold. Once she was sure she'd recognize the smell, the cub began sniffing the area too, trying to do her best and earn herself an Oil-Leaf for her hard work.
Jiwe eventually managed to locate a few roots by herself, and even made a few friends in the process. All the animals that were digging around were also herb-addicts, and they immediately felt bad when they saw someone as young as Jiwe, small and malnourished, working like an adult to try and earn her next fix. As such, everyone was keen to give her a little help.
"Psst, kiddo, c'mere, I think I found another one, ya wanna help me dig it out?" a young, adult female cheetah called her over. She was very thin, for a cheetah, and had a small notch on her right ear. But she looked friendly enough, and Jiwe accepted her help enthusiastically.
The cub bounced up to her and began digging. "You're right... Here it is, got it!"
Before Jiwe knew it, the dusty plain was now full of holes, like an army of moles had passed through the area. Kiume was busy counting the bulbs, while the animals lingered nearby, waiting for their pay. Before he handed out any herbs, the lion himself scouted the area, to make sure that these low-life addicts didn't leave any bulbs behind on purpose, to come and collect them later.
"What's he doing?" Jiwe asked the cheetah.
"He don't trust us, that one. He be lookin' for any left overs, afraid that we gonna come at night an' steal 'em for ourselves."
Jiwe tilted her head, while she watched Kiume sniffing the area intently. "What happens if he finds one right now?"
"Then nobody gets paid. So we gotta make damn sure each an' every bulb's taken out."
Jiwe nodded, and watched how Kiume, looking satisfied, returned to where everyone was gathered and motioned a leopard to come nearer. He hadn't done any digging, Jiwe noticed earlier, he was just standing there, keeping guard, but looking a bit queasy all the time.
The leopard approached, and began retching, as if he was going to either be sick or spit out a hairball. What came out of his mouth looked completely different, and Jiwe couldn't help feeling morbidly curious, and approached to take a better look. It looked like a bundle of sorts.
"Open it," Kiume told him, not wanting to touch the filthy thing with his own paws.
The leopard obeyed, and sliced it open with his sharp claws. Jiwe's eyes opened wide in bewilderment. It was a pouch made of some sort of thick hide, that contained different kinds of powders, small twigs, herbs and plants. Jiwe figured out that the leopard must have been concealing it in his tummy, judging by the looks and smell of it.
She then watched how Kiume handed out different plants and powders, depending on the animals' addictions. The cheetah that had been helping Jiwe earlier got a rolled-up leaf containing Bark Powder, and a small, pink petal.
"What's that?" Jiwe asked.
"Stupid stuff ya shouldn't be meddlin' with. So stay away from it!"
Jiwe chuckled. "Okay, okay!"
The cheetah gave her a warm smile and asked her, "Which plant ya waitin' for? I bet ya it's Catnip, innit?"
Jiwe shook her head and smiled innocently when she replied, "Nah, I want that leaf that ya can crush with your claws and it makes ya sleep and have awesome dreams."
The smile in the cheetah's face disappeared completely. She had seen a few animals succumb to the herb in question. They all just died from starvation, and those who tried to quit, ended up killing themselves in the process. The future didn't look bright for the little lion cub.
"What's yar name, kiddo?" she asked.
"I'm Jiwe. Nice to meet you," the cub replied.
"Well Jiwe, my name's Mwezi. I gotta go now, but I'll see ya around next time, okay?"
Jiwe waved good bye, and waited until Kiume had handed out herbs to everyone involved in the digging. He dismissed the workers, and told Jiwe, "You'll get your leaf when we're back at the den. Well done, by the way. I think you'll make a good tracker."
When Jiwe returned home, she was allowed a bit of meat for her effort. But instead of eating, Jiwe chose to take the Oil-Leaf first.
When Rahisi returned from helping Shukrani deal with some difficult customers, she found Jiwe already spacing out, and she cursed herself for being so stupid and weak. If only she had been strong enough to escape. But those thoughts quickly left her when she was presented with an Oil-Leaf, and Rahisi quickly joined Jiwe in that imaginary world where everything was perfect and there was no hunger, pain and heartache.
Author's note:
Thanks for your kind reviews so far! :) Also, Shukrani's character sheet is now available here: fav . me / d65l4l3 (remove the spaces!)