In the forest near Mandawili...

  Brown grizzled fur leaped out from the shadow of the bushes and straight into the open, zigging and zagging its way from its captors. Mingming, the first to follow its trail, blew the horn, confusing the beast as it landed in the gray muck. The boar shook its head, thick vapors coming from its tusked snout. As it evaded its pursuer, its hooves sank half-way to the muck, making it panic even more. In desperation, it raised its grotesque bulk, squealing its challenges back at the hunter. But its would-be captors ignored it, following the plan they've set beforehand.

  "It's here!" Mingming shouted as he unleashed the keen spear from his thick fingers. "I see it. It's here!" But the wild boar ran at the exact time, avoiding his shot.

  "Shit... it's fast!" the waylander said when it crossed path with the boar. After seeing his opportunity, Lam threw his own spear. But the prey was fast enough to dodge it too. "Dammit!" exclaimed the waylander as his spear struck the ground. The wild beast swiftly careened through the green bamboo forest, leaving muddy tracks behind.

  Lam scratched his head. "Do we follow it?"

  Mingming emerged from the bushes spear in hand. "Of course, Pulaco's waiting for us on the other end."

  Lam retrieved his spear off the ground. "Almost had it."

  "Almost?"

  "Well, not as botched as your throw." Lam sniggered.

  Mingming shrugged. "It's all okay, our job was just to scare it. The trap will do the rest."

  Pulaco could smell the musky odor of the boar as he crouched behind the shadow of the boulder. Now, he could hear it's labored breathing. He knew he was close to strike but instead he paused and waited. Time was all he needed. The sound of the beast's hooves churning the ground grew stronger. It was looking for the bait, he thought. Pulaco climbed atop the boulder, carefully planting every foothold in the rock. Then, he crawled to the edge of the boulder to take a peek. The boar was warily digging through the mud with its hind legs. Pulaco smiled. It was big- the size of a young calf, with brown and gray fur, streaked with mud. With its curled tusk, it mowed the bamboo leaves on the ground, sniffing for its price. But it wouldn't find it there.

  Pulaco exhaled slowly as he raised his bamboo spear. But unleashing it prematurely would waste this opportunity. So, he waited a bit more... Just for the beast to turn and expose its flank to him. Just a matter of time, he thought. Then, when he least expected it the beast turned away from him, its ears high towards the sound of heavy footfalls. Pulaco's muscles tensed and shot like a spring. His spear flew straight as it could, spiraling down the surprised animal. The chieftain cursed as the boar's cry echoed in the bamboo forest.

  "You missed too." Lam laughed. "I can't believe you missed."

  Mingming joined the head-hunter's laughter. "I have to say Lam's right, brother!" Both men walked towards the foot of the boulder to meet their chief.

  Pulaco leaped and landed on the ground half crouching. "Well, that's your opinion." He smiled before standing up and walking towards the edge of a deep pit a few yards from his spear. "I could explain... But I'll let the results speak for itself."

  The three looked down and saw that the hole's side was strewn with sharp stakes. And in the middle of the pit- at the deepest end, the wild boar heaved its last breath as a bamboo stake ran through its side.

  "But you still missed! You could've killed the damn thing with your spear, but you missed." Mingming hid his smile. "Where's the Pulaco who beat the giant Ziawi of Homunhu? Where's the legend who drove the Moros away? Or the man who killed the white-tooth Haytan in Pu-Lilo?" He finished with a resounding laughter.

  Pulaco raised his hand placatingly. "Alas, you've discovered that I am but a man."

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  "That missed his mark..." Mingming added. "You're getting old, brother."

  "With age comes wisdom too."

  "Sure... sure," Mingming said. "And what are doing there, dog-man," he added as the waylander caught his attention.

  Lam stooped down at the edge of the pit. "Pretty shit, did you really used these things when you fought the Magalos?"

  Pulaco nodded. "Yes, but we dug pit-holes a lot bigger than this." There was no note of pride in his tone when the datu said the words.

  Mingming climbed down the pit, carefully avoiding the sharp end of the stakes. "A lot deeper too and with a lot more stakes than this, a lot more."

  Lam whistled and shook his head. "I wouldn't want to be your enemy during those times." He extended his arm to help Mingming up as the leader of the Daragangan hauled the kill of the day.

  "But why did you keep this? Wouldn't it be hard to maintain?" asked the waylander.

  "There's always enemies, Lam." Pulaco gave him a mirthless smile. "As long as there is hate, envy and as long as there is petty misunderstandings, enemies will be around. But of course, these are just part of the last resort. If you could avoid conflict, do it," Pulaco said. "It's a far better option."

  "Not really easy to do if they crop out of the wood work like crabs in the sand," Mingming replied off-handedly as he wiped the muck off his hands and feet.

  "That's why it's best to talk first. Hear out the other side. These things are also around to remind us that war will always be unforgiving." Pulaco secured the boar on the spear with short abaca twines. "Let's carry this to Manang Sabtano."

  The three men hauled their kill deep in the mountains. And after a long hard trek, they reached the pavilion of Manang Sabtano. Smoke from a handful of burning incense penetrated the thatch roof of the structure, a simple offering to the gods of Vijayas. It was a gloomy day but the pavilion's blackened narra foundation held strong as gusts of wind continued to blow at it. Ancient rocks placed end to end served as its foot walk, winding up the side of the hill. Curiously, the forest trees around it gave it a wide berth. And even the grass that grew in the opening were green but short.

  "Is the old crone there? Maybe she's in the mountains," Mingming asked as he held the back end of the spear where the boar was tied.

  Pulaco paused to inspect the place. "The incense are lit. She must be here."

  A black raven cawed at them as it perched on one of the ornate foundation of the pavilion. Suddenly it paused as though waiting for them to come closer. With blood-red eyes it observed the three, shifting its head to get a better view of the visitors. Then, it looked straight at Mingming as if to admonish him with its stare. He avoided the bird's eye. For it reminded him of his weird mother when he was small. Just thinking of his childhood memories with his estranged mother made his skin crawl.

  "What exactly are we doing here. I thought the boar was for my wedding?" Lam-ag said. "Are we going to invite your babaylan mother?" He turned to Mingming.

  The Daragangan leader only shrugged his shoulders.

  Pulaco lowered their kill on the wooden floor of the pavilion. "We need Manang Sabtano's blessings if we want to proceed with your marriage. And I have a lot of questions for her to answer."

  The part of the pavilion near the entrance was bright and well-kept, no dust or cobweb was in sight. While the far end was oppressed by thick darkness that made the burning incense look like dying stars in the night sky. Instead of a nipa wall, the carved faces of different anitos smiled at the three visitors. All was quiet and still, perhaps too quiet and too still for the three newcomers. But the oppressing silence was soon shattered by the black raven as it spread its wings to swoop in the curtain of shadows. And the darkness swallowed the bird whole willingly.

  Pulaco paused and knelt down to pray in front of the carved god of good bounty. He then offered the day's kill to the wooden idol. As Mingming entered, he accidentally struck his head on the low lintel. He whispered his curses and bowed down to pray as well. Mingming opened his eyes a few seconds later and eyed Malaya's soon-to-be husband. "Why are you standing there? Come here and pray."

  Lam-ag shook his head. "I don't pray to your gods. It's better that way."

  "Well, you could at least pretend. And not praying doesn't make you any better. Stop saying that."

  Pulaco shook his head in amusement. But he halted as soon as someone coughed and spat at the dark end of the pavilion. The startled men shifted and stared at the darkness.

  "The god of the whirlwind whispered to me that you also obey no gods, headhunter. I have something to tell you young man." The voice of the speaker was old and seemed to wheeze after every other word. "But first things first, why would the wise chief of Mandawili visit my humble abode?"

  "I came to visit the greatest 'babaylan' of this island. And ask her a few questions to enlighten my mind."

  "Only the greatest of this island, why not all of the islands?" An old brow-less woman, with hair white as milk emerged from the shadows. A maroon linen robe covered her frail body and gold and silver bracelets wound around his wrist. And like the black bird, she shifted her head from left to right and smiled at the three visitors, teeth and mouth blood-red from chewing betel nut. She extended her withered and wrinkled hand to her guests, spidery fingers facing down.

  "Welcome..." Manang Sabtano, the babaylan said. "Welcome to my abode, Salip Pulaco."