Getting There: How I Learned to Love Dragons And Crazy, Talking Cats

The trio trudged through the dense jungle and a swamp, always in the direction of the sun’s path overhead. They arrived at the dilapidated and crumbling walls of Moyo, Lord Sefu’s former city. He walked through the huge archway that once was guarded by ancient stone lions, and soldiers. The lions were cracked sentries without heads. Sefu’s’ face was lined with tension, his eyes darting around them at the shadows and buildings.

Andi felt as though he was a soldier wary of an ambush. His name Sefu, meant ‘the Sword’. He was a former warrior king and chieftain of many tribes, he and Ain-u-tep explained as they walked through the ruins of his city. Andi gawked like a tourist at the amazing beauty of the city, however, she felt sadness too, knowing it was a ghost of its former grandeur. She imagined the spirits moving about her, but realized it was only errant breezes winding through the broken empty windows and gaping doorways. Hollow hooting sounds echoed by the wind’s passing lent to the dismal effect of decay and death. She half expected a city full of skeletons, but there were none.

Evidently, the city had lived on without Sefu for two centuries ruled by generations of his heirs and through several wars and governed by enemies. The most recent, in the mid-21st century, when tribal war-lords and government militias fought and killed many of the local people of Sefu’s former kingdom. Moyo was now a ghost city stripped of its riches and grandeur. Andi couldn’t imagine the pain that Sefu must be suffering to know his kingdom and people were long dead. To see his great city a ruin was terrible.

They walked for a time through flooded and swampy streets and parks, with Ain-u-tep and Sefu quietly exchanging comments. Andi followed silently behind, also a little wary of the emptiness and eeriness of the city. They went up the steps of a grand columned building and into the lobby of a high-ceilinged room. Fire marred stone walls and crushed wooden giant doors stood before them. Broken pilasters, gunshot-pocked walls and columns were evidence of a war here. Broken statuary lay like stony corpses around the huge hall and room.

The cat spoke softly. “Your heirs, great-great-great-great-grandsons and grand nephews, fought valiantly here. It was the last bastion of hope and a sanctuary for what was left of your people, government, and your heirs. The invaders blasted the doors which let them enter your throne room; like locusts, defiling, destroying, and devouring everything in their path. They hunted down your family until no one was left alive.”

Sefu climbed the broad stone stairs and sat on the top one. He looked about and commented, “They took the family’s Lapis Peacock throne. It must have been a great boon to some thief, all the inlaid gold and jewels. I can only hope it’s worth fed many hungry bellies.”

The cat sat near the dethroned king. “I am sorry for you to see it all in ruins. You and generations of your family built this place and they are no more. They had a long reign, even when kings were unpopular. Because of you, they mostly were good and kind to your people. But now you and your kingdom will rise again. There are some tribes left, the Lumbu and Lundwe; perhaps they will join you and help rebuild this.” She said as she put a gentle paw on his thigh. “We must go now to find your artifact.”

Sefu shook his head. “I do not think a grand palace or walled city is important any more, or even a king. From what you have been telling me, these modern times no longer revere kings or dynasties. I am a fallen figurehead with no purpose.” He reached a hand to the cat. “I should just give up. After seeing the ruins and hearing your stories about what has happened since I have been away, I believe it is a futile and foolish wish to rekindle my kingdom.” He put a hand over his face and wept. “Ain-u-tep, you should have left me to rot in my prison as Sawan expected. I cannot bear it to see this devastation or hear any more about the world gone mad.”

Andi standing in the shadows of a broken statue came forward. “Sir, Lord, maybe you should not give in so easily. If you truly have something to help the world find peace, then maybe your mission is not futile.” She sat on a lower step near his bare feet. “At least now you have your home again. We can get the word out that you have returned.”

Cat was quick to respond. “No. We must be secure in that Jameel does not know you are here. You should hide here though. Andrea and I will put a protection spell upon this place to help you.”

Andi bit back a response, knowing that it was the cat who worked the spell. “Not to make matters worse, but I am hungry. I think we should find something to eat and then think about what to do.”

“Actually, I agree with the dear child.” Sefu said as he wearily stood again. He walked across the stones to the edge of a wall. “Hm, I wonder if my doorway is still here.” He rapped on the wall then pushed on the sunburst design carved into the stone. There was a distant rumbling and the wall cracked open. “Come into my secret garden.” Sefu cried as he slipped past the narrow opening.

They walked in darkness, the sound of dripping water and the pools underfoot kept them moving forward to the distant light. They emerged under a stone portico, a tile patio overgrown with many plants and trees hugged a large pond. Frogs peeped and burped their greetings as the trio stepped out of darkness.

Sefu smiling, said, “The gardeners have left it to ruin. So much for old retainers, eh?” Winking, he walked forward, again the walking stick a pendulum of balance then of inquiry as he poked at the pools of water on the patio. He stepped down and waded knee-deep through murky water green with floating lilies, leaves and several mangrove trees. He soon stepped up and was atop a structure that was covered in vines. Using the stick, he swept some of the clinging vegetation away. There were bright mosaic designs along a wall hiding under the vines.

“Welcome to my swimming pool. It once was the joy and pride of my house. My children loved to play here.”

Andi picked up the cat and waded out to the pool. Climbing the steps, she gazed down to see dark water, a few fish breached the surface and enormous dragonflies zipped about between the plentiful lotus and lilies.

The cat walked along the wall, “Yes, I liked to watch the fish and birds here. It was a good place for a nap in the morning sun then the afternoon shade.” She regarded Sefu, “We had many good times here, yes?”

He stroked her slim back, “Yes, my friend.”

“So, can you still do it?” she queried.

“It has been a very long time since I went there. But I shall try, I can only pray it is still there and not destroyed.” Sefu turned to Andi, saying, “I know you have the great sword of Nun-Kuk. Give it to me, child.”

Andi frowning, replied, “I have no sword.”

Ain-u-tep sighing, then hissed, “You found it in the wadi. It is of no use to you. Give it to Sefu.”

Andi dug in her pack and pulled up the broken sword. For just a moment, she might have imagined it glowing white like a pearl with snaking entwined gold threads binding the pommel. “Use it, I don’t care, it’s kind of creepy.” Feeling a chill run through her hand, she almost tossed it to him.

Sefu bowed slightly to her as he gripped the ancient weapon. “This sword will help. Thank you for being its bearer.” He patted her cheek. Stripping off his white tunic he then posed above the pool, and cleanly dove in. Cat paced along the wall as she followed his slim form. Soon, he disappeared under the island of greenery in the middle of the pool. Cat sat and watched, her eyes intent on the spot where Sefu disappeared.

Tired, Andi sat on the wall of the great pool. She pulled off her boots and socks and then put her blistered feet into the dark waters. “Ah, that feels wonderful.”

“You should not do that, there are probably horrible things in the water, leeches, and who knows what else,” Cat added cynically, “maybe piranhas or sharks who would love to nibble your toes or take a leg.”

Andi scoffed and laughed, “There aren’t those kinds of fish in Africa, at least, not inland.”

“How do you know? We are not in your time. Maybe something worse lives in there, now. Crocodiles love eating people.”

Andi was thoughtful for a moment, then seeing a ripple in the water, she quickly pulled her feet out. Something long and serpentine swam in wriggling ‘s’ strokes, its head above the water, it seemed to be coming straight at their wall. Andi shrieked and jumped off the wall onto the steps below. “What is that?”

“A very large water snake, I think.” Ain-u-tep hissed and leapt from the wall. They both watched in fear as the huge green and red striped serpent slipped over the wall and slithered down the steps toward them, its forked tongue flicking at them.

Ain-u-tep raised a paw, said a word and hissed. A burst of orange flame shot from her paw and struck the serpent, it flew into the air several feet, then lay dead, half in the water and draped on the steps.

“Augh!” Andi screamed. She waded quickly back to the patio and climbed up. Hugging her arms about herself, she shivered. “I hate it here.” She stomped about in her bare feet then let out a frustrated yell. “I need my boots.”

“Well, get them, silly.”

“They are on the steps over there by the ugh, thing, there.”

“It’s dead, get them.”

“No way, Jose.”

The cat snickered, “Fraidy Cat.”

“Yeah, so what? I want to go home.” Andi wailed, now feeling out of control, she sat down and cried.

Of a sudden, the boots and socks appeared by her followed by the smoky black cat. She leapt into Andi’s lap and curled up purring. “I will protect you, Kitten.”

Andi feeling worn to a frazzle stroked the cat’s silken head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I am on this quest. I-I am confused by everything. I have no power, I don’t do magic like you can, Cat. Why am I here?”

Cat purred, her verdant eyes gleaming slits, as she smiled up at Andi, to say, “Sefu and I needed your inner power. You are the wearer of the Jinni’s charm; it will work for you as long as you wear it.”

Andi rubbed mud off the golden pendant. “Oh? What if I give it to you or Sefu? You can send me home. I am sure my family is wondering what happened to me. How can I explain that I have been on a mystical safari with a six-hundred-year-old deposed king and a spooky crazy cat? Huh? They think I am cray-cray any way.” Andi said with bitterness and a touch of tears. She sniffled and wiped her face on her jacket sleeve. “Man, this sucks wind.”

“That is what you said last week about your life.”

“Well, it was true.”

“Why does this adventure, as you say, suck? You wanted a different life.” The cat prodded her with a paw. “I never knew a human so concerned for her own comforts. I thought you were different, because you have a generous heart, great courage, and faith.”

“Yeah? Well, I didn’t have a choice to come here, did I? You never asked me what I thought or wanted. I have been dragged through the worst I could imagine.” Andi paused in the tirade then spat, “This is not the Jungle Safari Ride at Disneyland, its real and dangerous! You have never said what will happen when Lord Sefu finds his artifact. What?”

Ain-u-tep was caught in thought for a moment, kneading her paws on Andi’s thigh, she murmured, “Repeat after me, ’Veni, Vidi, Vici. Per astra vincit dominum.’ Say it now.”

“What happens if I do? Every time I say the stuff you tell me to, I end up somewhere weird. I want to go home.”

“Say it and you will soon go home. It will give you the courage you are lacking right now.”

Reluctantly, Andi repeated the phrase, each word began to echo and grow louder until the word, dominum, was a thundering shout. She put a hand to her mouth, “Whoa, that is awesome.”

The cat slipped from Andi’s lap saying, “You are awesome. Now come, we must find some food. The Sword will be hungry when he returns.”

“I feel better now.” Andi said as they waded across another large puddle towards some trees. Crimson and orange fruits hung low on the trees. “Hey, are these persimmons? And those look like pomegranates. Wow! Apples. They are so huge though.” Andi cradled a crimson-colored orb in her hands. “I feel like Eve, picking an apple from the tree of knowledge.”

“You are not far wrong, Kitten. The original fruit was like a pomegranate, but sweeter and juicier. But they no longer exist on this earth.”

“I suppose you were around back then?” Andi quipped as she used her plaid shirt to hold the fruits she gathered. She climbed up on a limb and reached something that resembled an apricot but it was so large like a small melon, and heavy, that she dropped it.

“Watch it, I am not that old.” Cat then hissed from below as the fruit bounced near her. “Take care, those are precious.” Cat sat and stared up into the trees. “We are lucky, evolution has worked wonders in the Sword’s garden.”

“How do you mean?” Andi asked as she sucked on a red grape the size of a golf ball.

“In my time, those grapes were tiny like currants. And these other fruits were small enough to put in a pocket or bag. Now each one is a feast. Too bad, they have no one to enjoy them. Even though Lord Sefu was a generous and kindly king, there were some people who were hungry and never had enough. These fruits would feed many.”

They were startled by a grumbling roar and activity in the forest about them. A giant golden ape-like creature dropped from a tree and beat its chest. Its fangs long and bared in a snarl. It picked up a broken branch and menacingly thrashed it about.

“Holy-moley, it’s a Giant Gold Chimpanzee! He’s so beautiful.” Andi yelped as she held onto the trunk of the tree. She spat out the grape seeds which caught the attention of the ape.

“Maybe not.” Cat back-stepped under a shrub of pink berries.

The ape advanced, scurried up the tree and leapt upon the limb Andi sat upon. It swung closer, its large hands and feet easily navigating the rough bark of the limb. Huffing and blowing, the ape then crouched opposite Andi.

“Avert your eyes, Kitten.”

“Uh, do what?”

“Don’t look at him.”

Andi lowered her head. Making a timid show, she slowly put out her hand with the juicy globes of grapes. “Want a grape?” She asked as she peeked through her dark hair up at the aggressive animal.

It grabbed a branch above and then bouncing up and down shook and rattled the branches while it howled.

“May I have some of your food? We are hungry.”

The ape swung to another branch and peered down at her. Its screams less noisy. She ate a grape and then held up one. She waited.

The ape stopped screaming and sat on the branch. After a long moment, it reached a long hairy arm and snatched the grape. He sniffed the fruit then ate it with relish in two bites. It swung down again to Andi’s branch, sat on its haunches and motioned with a hand.

Andi held it out again with the grapes. “More?”

“Oh, dear, this is not like feeding the dragon, Arkan. When he turns away, leave!” The cat moaned from under the bush.

Andi looked up slightly and reached a hand to the ape’s outstretched one. They were inches from touching yet she held her pose. “Come on guy, have another grape.”

It touched her hand as it plucked the fruit from her. The ape popped it in his mouth and rolled it about on its thick tongue, sliding it back and forth, then bit it. Juice sprayed Andi’s face, she laughed and so did the ape. It slapped the limb, jarring them both, while it screamed in laughter.

Andi began to slip from the limb, carefully grabbing another, and feeling with her foot for the one beneath. She slowly sank to the branch. “Okay, guy, just a bit more and I’ll vamoose.”

She dropped easily into the ankle-deep swamp below. Grabbing up her shirt from the rock where she had left it, she tied the sleeves and began to walk away.

The ape suddenly leapt from the tree and intercepted her. Slapping the water and swinging back and forth with its long arms, it rattled the nearby underbrush. Andi offered it the large apricot. It stepped forward and grabbed the fruit. Andi walked away to the patio, whereby she met with the smoke of the cat as it materialized near her.

The ape laughed, and then waddled on its legs up the steps to the patio. It rolled in a clumsy somersault to them. Crouching there, it held out its hand, motioning for more fruit. Andi sat across from the ape.

“What are you doing? He is dangerous.”

“Maybe. But I’ve watched enough Jane Goodall and a bunch of Animal Planet shows to know that he is just trying to tell us, we are eating his fruit. He might be willing to share if we share with him.”

“Now who is crazy?” The cat said snidely as she jumped up on a cracked wall surrounding the portico. “I think I will stay out of the line of fire. Don’t make him angry.”

Andi and the ape sat eating fruit, sometimes she offered him a piece and once he took it in his mouth. Then grinned and huffed in pleasure.

“You look like my little brother Mattie. I miss the twerp.” Andi said as she ate a grape from the ape’s hand. After some time, the ape scuttled closer and sat behind Andi. He began to pick at her long hair, making cooing noises and sniffing the long tresses. Andi laughed when he picked some dead leaves and grass from her hair. She returned the favor, petting and picking through his long golden hair. “I’m not eating anything I find though, buster.”

The ape seemed to understand. It laughed and shoved Andi. They shoved each other a couple of times then the ape stood and walked away, knuckling across the tiled floor. It stood before the cat and pantomimed, then rolled away again in a somersault.

“I think he wants you to join us and play.”

It must have been hours later, for the sun was setting behind the canopy of the jungle around the palace grounds. Andi hearing a noise, rose to find a colony of primates sitting and playing about the patio. Some golden haired giant chimps and their babies laughed and cooed. Some lesser apes who wore black and white ruffs around their faces and necks comically swung about the vines under the portico. Several tiny blond and black monkeys were eating the fruit that Andi had carefully picked.

“Hey! Those are mine.” She grabbed an apple. The little monkey screeched and went skittering to what must be his mother. He latched onto a tiny nipple. She screamed back at Andi and walking crab-like left the patio. Andi rolled the fruit in her direction. Glaring with tiny golden eyes, the monkey grabbed the apple and her baby and ran away into the trees.

“Did you have a nice nap?”

Andi turned about to see Cat perched above on a beam under the portico. “I guess. Did all these monkeys sleep with us?”

“Your boyfriend brought you some green bananas and a papaya so huge like a watermelon, you will have a nice feast.” The cat purred.

“What about you? Did you find something to eat?”

The cat licked her lips. “You don’t want to know what I ate.”

“Oh no, not the snake.”

“No, not the snake. Although, some of the chimps had fun with it, flinging it about.”

Andi looked about fearfully, “Where is it?”

“Not to worry, the apes dragged it off into the jungle.”

“Have you seen Sefu?”

“No. He will return in the morning.”

“So, I guess we are stuck here for the night. Maybe you can make us a fire.”

“That might be wise, if you want an undisturbed night. Then again, I think your boyfriend might like to share his nest with you. He has been making a very fancy and big nest in the persimmon tree. He also picked a lot of them for you.”

Blushing, Andi laughed, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“No? Look, here he comes, this time wearing a hat of leaves. I think he is in the mood,”

Andi giggled at the silliness of the great ape. He joined her, sitting down and put an arm on her shoulders. He made a silly face, pursing his lips in and out then grinning. Andi stood and the ape pulled her back down, his muscular long arm about her waist. She bent to pick up a persimmon, took a bite then offered it to the chimp. He shook his head, his large ears flapping. He pulled at her, so she sat again.

“Maybe he wants a bedtime story.” Ain-u-tep said with a smile.

“Right.” Andi suffered the chimp’s hug, ready to tell a story.