Chapter 8
THE RETURN HOME
The journey back to Hlaneki was faster than the journey to Babangu had been – they knew the path now, and the crystal in its pouch seemed to guide them, making their steps lighter and their determination stronger. The guide stone still glowed, but now it pointed southward, toward Xindewula Mountain and the forbidden forest that waited at its base.
They traveled through the cedar forest in one day, pushing on even as the sun began to set, wanting to reach the slopes of Mount Kwenzi before night fell. When they reached the cave where they had sheltered from the snow on their way north, they found their horses waiting for them – healthy and well-fed, as if someone had been caring for them while they were gone. Fresh hay and water had been left in the cave, and on a stone beside the pool lay a small bundle of food and a note written in Mrs Shongotelo’s hand: “Be safe. We are waiting for you. The beasts grow bolder each day.”
Ntila picked up the note, his hands trembling slightly as he read it. “She was here,” he said quietly. “She came all this way to make sure our horses were safe.”
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