24. Medium

Brahmuhn’s three Elders were quarrelling amongst themselves, obviously in his absence.

‘What I can’t figure out is why the brute is still alive?!’ Dombo ranted.

Gumbo had his thumb and forefinger on his chin, immersed in thought. ‘Those were well over a thousand Ndebele warriors!’ he said looking gravely disappointed.

‘How do you know? You weren’t even there,’ Shiri said.

‘Dombo and I sent spies to spread threats and insults to their gods and to their ancestors and lied that they were from Brahmuhn to provoke wrath from them,’ Gumbo informed him. ‘In addition to that, the spies also sabotaged their wells, burned a lot of huts and killed a few dozen women and children in the villages. We were positive the Ndebele would attack with a vengeance that could not be quelled, let alone countered!’

‘How absurd is that!’ Shiri looked flabbergasted. ‘That would mean the Ndebeles would kill everyone in our village including you!’

‘Absolutely not,’ Dombo said. ‘We had made a de