The Trials of Tai Bwo Wannai

Tarqinder and Mark were put in a cage of bamboo, which they could barely fit in. Kumthalatta eyed them carefully, as if expecting them to somehow break out at any moment. Tarqinder and Mark were now incredibly concerned for their safety, and had been without food for over a day, and were feeling incredibly hungry and tired.

"Now bwanas, do you realise the price you pay for treading on our grounds?" Kumthalatta asked, walking up to the cages.

"I told you, we were lost," Tarqinder said firmly.

"You still have no right to be here. Get lost in your own precious cities of stone and glass! Don't tread upon our jungle floor and corrupt us with your gold and fancy cloth."

"We honestly did not mean to upset you, Kumalatha."

"Kumalatha? Kumalatha? You will learn my name and use it with respect!"

"I'm sorry, Kumtalatha, was it?"

"Kumthalatta! You will call me by my proper name or find yourself in a not so pleasent situation, ignorant bwana."

"I'm sorry, Kumta- I mean Kumthalattata; Kumthalatta, sorry."

"And what about you? The quiet bwana? The one with no voice."

"Leave him alone."

"No, no, bwana, I wish to speak with him! It has been many hours and bwana still does notu tter a word. Go on bwana, I give you the chance to speak!"

"He said he is sorry, and so am I; what more do you want?" Mark asked angrily.

"And the bwana speaks! I finally hear his words of fury! And once again, ignorance, such igonrance. I can tell, you both care only to get away, but you should respect this jungle, it is much older than your cities of stone and will live much longer, because your stone it turns to dust, but the jungle grows and grows; and it lasts forever," Kumthalatta said.

"Let us prove to you that we are loyal to you and your jungle," Tarqinder insisted.

"Well, well, well, bwana. I may have a proposition for you there. In times not so long ago, our village, Tai Bwo Wannai began welcoming visitors, we let them help us, and paid them in return. But then, all of their precious gold runs out, so they thieve us of our rare cloth and precious logs, and they begin to drain the jungle of its resources. So now we let no more enter, and the Cult of the Golden Ape is especially strict with you bwanas coming here! But we will give you one chance, to do us favours, and if you complete them all and to my liking, we will spare your lives. If you do not, your throat will feel the blade of my machete. Let that be a warning."

"Fine, me and Mark will do what you want."

"Good bwanas, very good. I have many jobs for you, and the first is to cut back some of this wild jungle and use it to fix our fences, but be warned, creatures live amongst the leaves and branches."

Tarqinder and Mark had been freed from their cages, but were being watched by Kumthalatta's most trusted guards who observed them cut back the rough jungle with machetes. The tough and gnarled branches were strong, but Tarqinder's might helped snap them like twigs under an warrior's foot.