Ngemihla yakudala, uNkomo noKati babehlala kwiNduli YaseToutswemogala. Babehlala kule nduli kunye nazo zonke ezinye izilwanyana. Ubukhulu becala, zonke ezi zilwanyana zazihlala ngoxolo nangemvisiswano.

UNkomo wayekhethekile kwizilwanyana kuba yayinguye yedwa isilwanyana esinomogogolwane. Qho kusasa wayekhupha umogogolwane wakhe, ambhijele emagxeni akhe aze aqhube intlanganiso yebhunga.

Emi apho enxibe ezimbejembeje, uNkomo wayengathi nguthixokazi wokwenene. Wayesisilumko ecebisa ngayo yonke into ezinkulu nezincinane.

Kodwa ke, ngelishwa, zonke izilwanyana zazingamthandi tu uKati. Ezinye izilwanyana zazikholelwa ukuba uKati wayenyebeleza ibe zazingamthembi. Yintoni le yayimenza athande ukuchwechwa ebusuku aze emva koko alale yoyi elangeni imini yonke? Zaziqinisekile ukuba ikho into aphezu kwayo uKati lo.

Ngenye imini uKati weza kuNkomo eze kucela icebiso. UKati wabuza, “Nkomo, kutheni wena nezinye izilwanyana ningandithandi nje?”

UNkomo wavele wanxakama, wawubhijela waqina umogogolwane wakhe emagxeni akhe waza wemka engakhange aphendule.

“Nkomo,” wakhwaza uKati, “Ndifuna ukwazi ukuba kutheni ungandithandi nje? Ubufanele ukuba usihoye sonke ibe, nangona usoloko uzinceda ezinye izilwanyana, awukhe undenzele ububele mna.”

Yonke imihla uKati wayesiya kuNkomo emphathele izipho, efuna ukwazi ukuba kutheni zonke izilwanyana zingamthandi. Wayesiza izandla zakhe zizele ingca eswiti, esandula ukukhiwa entlanjeni namanzi acwengileyo napholileyo avela emfuleni. Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuba wayezama ntoni uKati, uNkomo nezinye izilwanyana babengamthandi. Baqhubeka bengamhoyi uKati, ibe loo nto yenza uKati wakhathazeka kakhulu.

Yaqhubeka le nto de ngenye imini uKati wathi kuNkomo, “Kwanele ngoku,” waza wafuduka.

Kwathatha ixesha ngaphambi kokuba iimpuku ziqalise ukudakasa. Ngelo xesha ezinye izilwanyana zeza kuNkomo zize kukhalaza. Zazikhathazeke nyhani. “Nkomo Omkhulu!” zakhwaza zisitsho zigquma yaye zigragrama yaye zikhonya yaye zitswina yaye zikhala.

“Umele wenz’ into, Nkomo,” wagquma watsho uNgonyama.

“Ziimpuku nje yonke indawo – apho silala khona, apho sityela khona, nkqu nalapho sisela khona,” wangqokola watsho uMvubu.

Yaba kungona uNkomo nezinye izilwanyana bewuqonda umsebenzi obalulekileyo owawusenziwa nguKati ebusuku ngoxa bona bonke belele.

Njengenkokeli yaseToutswemogala, uNkomo waqokelela iqela lezilwanyana eziza kukhangela uKati. Bemka bonke besehla benyuka, bemkhangela. Kwaphela iintsuku ezisixhenxe bemkhangela kuyo yonke indawo.

Xa ekugqibeleni bamfumanayo uKati, uNdlulamthi – owayembone kuqala – wasondela kuye. “Kati,” watsho uNdlulamthi, “zonke izilwanyana ziyakukhumbula. Asisacingi ukuba uyanyebeleza kwaye kukho into engentle ophezu kwayo. Okukhona sikhathazwa ziimpuku, kokukhona sikukhumbula. Siyakudinga kwaye siyakuthanda. Siyakucela ukuba ubuyele nathi eToutswemogala.”

UKati waziva evuya kakhulu njengoko wayehamba ebuyela eToutswemogala nezinye izilwanyana. Qho ebusuku wayesitya iimpuku aze azileqe ezikhupha kuzo zonke iindawo ezizifihle kuzo. Zonke izilwanyana zavuya kakhulu, kodwa esona sasivuye ukuzogqitha yayinguNkomo kuba ngoku kwakuza kuphinda kubekho uxolo nenzolo eToutswemogala. Ibe ukususela loo mini uNkomo noKati baba ziitshomi ezivanayo kwaye uNkomo wayeshiyela uKati intwana yobisi aza kululenca yonke imihla.

Yenza ibali linike umdla!

• Zoba umfanekiso wempuku.
• Sebenzisa udongwe okanye intlama yokudlala ukuze ubumbe inkomo, ikati nendlulamthi. Sebenzisa izilwanyana zodongwe ukuze ulinganise eli bali.
• Bhala esakho isiphelo seli bali. Masithi uKati wayengazange avume ukubuyela eToutswemogala. Ucinga ukuba ngekwakwenzeke ntoni?