Kubandza kweBusika bese kwendlulile.

Besekungena Intfwasahlobo emmangweni wekhaboNkanyezi. Masinyane nje bantfu besebatawubutsana bagubhe umkhosi wesikhatsi semnyaka lesisha. Nkanyezi bekasalindzele ngalabovu umkhosi weNtfwasahlobo kwendlula noma nguliphi lilanga lemnyaka.

Ngalelinye lilanga ekuseni, Nkanyezi weva baholi lababili bemmango bakhuluma ngalomkhosi.

"Bantfu bakaNdlovu sebalahlakelwe ngumoya wabo wekugubha umkhosi," kwabubula lomunye.

"Sitawugubha kanjani umkhosi weNtfwasahlobo emmangweni losewukhohliwe kugubha umkhosi?" kwabuta lona lomunye.

Nkanyezi wakhatsateka.

"Lilanga litawukhanya kanjani ngaphandle kwekutsi sihlabele kute kutsi silivuse ebutfongweni bebusika?"

Nkanyezi wacabanga sikhatsi lesidze. "Ngifanele kutsi ngitfole loku lesekusilahlekele," watsatsa sincumo.

Ngifanele kutsi ngiyofuna tintfo letitawubuyisa umoya wekugubha umkhosi emmangweni kwakitsi.

Baholi banika Nkanyezi tibusiso nemvume yabo kutsi angenele loluhambo. Bamnika sikhwama sekutsi afake letintfo bekayotifuna.

Nkanyezi bekesaba, kepha bekakholwa kutsi utawuphumelela.

Nkanyezi wahamba lilanga lonkhe. Wakhuphuka intsaba, wabuye wehlisa tihosha. Wantjweza ngesikebhe wewela umfula lomkhulu, wabuye futsi wakhuphuka emkhatsini wemadvwala lakhaliphile.

Wahamba etigangeni wate wefika emtfuntini wetintsaba letibovu.

Kwatsi lapho sekusondzela busuku, Nkanyezi wefika kulomunye ummango wemaphethini nemibala langakate wayibona phambilini. Watjela baholi balommango ngeluhambo lwakhe lwekubuyisa umoya wekugubha imikhosi kubantfu.

Make walommango wapha Nkanyezi sipho. Watjela lentfombatana kutsi, "Ngelutsandvo, sikupha lopende wekubuyisa umbala emmangweni losewuphelelwe longasacacambi."

Nkanyezi wababonga labaholi wabese ufaka lopende esikhwameni.

Ngakusasa ekuseni ngeluvivi wangenela indlela yakhe futsi. Bekajabule kakhulu ngesipho sakhe semibala.

Nkanyezi wahamba lilanga lonkhe. Wendlula emahlatsini lamanengi etihlahla letinkhulu. Kwatsi lapho sibhakabhaka sesicala kuba mnyama kakhulu kutsi angakhona kubona, weva kukhala kwetigubhu.

Waphutfuma wacondza lapho bekukhala khona letigubhu, weva umoya wekudansa ungena etinyaweni takhe letidziniwe.

Nkanyezi watitfola asemmangweni wakaBhubezi. Bantfu bebahleti batungelete umlilo. Bebahlabela futsi bashaya tigubhu. Abengakate asawuve umculo lomnandzi kangaka.

Batjela baholi balommango ngeluhambo lwakhe lwekubuyisa umoya wekugubha umkhosi kubantfu bakubo. Bantfu bakaBhubezi bammema kutsi aphumule futsi alale busuku bunye.

Ekuseni sikhulu sabita Nkanyezi.

"Mntfwana wami," kwasho sona, "nasi sigubhu lesikhetsekile. Sidlala ingoma lensha ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi nawusishaya."

Nkanyezi wababonga labaholi. Watsatsa sigubhu sakhe wasifaka esikhwameni. Wachubeka nendlela yakhe futsi. Bekajabule kakhulu ngesipho sakhe semculo nemdanso.

Ngelilanga lesitsatfu leluhambo lwakhe wendlula emadlelo etinkhomo letikhuluphele. Watsi nakendlula weva imphumulo yakhe inyakata.

Liphunga lelimnandzi latsintsa tinambitsi telulwimi lwakhe futsi umlomo wakhe wacala wavuta ematse. Wabese ulandzela leliphunga. Wefika kulomunye ummango lapho khona bantfu bebeme ngasemabhodweni labekapheke inyama.

Lesive lesi besidvume ngekudla kwemicimbi. Nkanyezi bekangakate asakunambitse kudla lokumnandzi kangaka. Ngemuva asadlile, watjela baholi ngeluhambo lwakhe lwekubuyisa umoya wekugubha umkhosi kubantfu bakubo.

Ngakusasa, umkhandlu lophekako wamnika titsako letiyimfihlo.

"Ndvodzakati yetfu," basho njalo. "Letitsako leti, tinesiciniseko sekutsi tisu titawujabula! Sikupha sipho sekudla lokumnandzi."

Nkanyezi wabonga labaholi wabese ufaka titsako takhe esikhwameni.

Bekati kutsi unako konkhe bekakudzinga. Asanemandla lamasha wabese ucala luhambo lwakhe loludze lwekubuyela emuva emmangweni wakaNdlovu.

Watsi nakafika emmangweni wakubo bantfu bambungela bafuna kuva ngeluhambo lwakhe. Wabacocela ngaloko lakubonile, lakuvile nalakudlile. Wabese uvula sikhwama sakhe kute kutsi abakhombise tipho takhe. Bantfu bajabula kakhulu ngekutfola lomcebo.

Ngemusa walabanye kanye nekuba nesibindzi kwaNkanyezi, ummango wabuye futsi wawutfola umbala wawo, ingoma kanye nemdanso etimphilweni tabo. Ngako-ke umoya wekugubha umkhosi wabuyela emmangweni wakaNdlovu.