“I have an idea!” Sunny said. She felt giddy, pleased with herself. “Sasha, Chichi, throw out two Ujo. Strong ones. That way all Lambs will be too irrationally scared of this place to come near. And since both of you can produce strong Ujo, we’ll have a large perimeter around the grasscutter.” She pointed at the ugwu and water leaves beside them. “It’s not grass, but maybe we can get his attention with it. He’s certainly never tasted it before. Orlu, you’re good with animals, you approach him. I’ll stand behind you with more leaves.”

They all paused, looking at Sunny. Then Sasha grinned. “Nice one.”

Chichi brought out her juju knife and worked an Ujo. Sasha did the same, throwing his in the opposite direction. Orlu grabbed a bunch of leaves. Sunny reached into her pocket and brought out some naira and placed it in the money box beneath one of the largest bunches. Then she grabbed some ugwu leaves and followed Orlu.

As soon as they stepped out into the open, Sunny heard Grashcoatah humph deep in his throat. Then he made a wheezing laughing sound. “I hope you’ve had your fun,” Orlu said firmly.

Grashcoatah laughed some more, appearing slowly before them. He eyed the leaves they carried, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed toward them. He took a step forward, and Orlu and Sunny stopped.

“Just as you know how to read,” Orlu said, “you know what will happen to you if you show yourself again. Here, this is for you.”

“Pff!” Grashcoatah said, defiant. He rushed forward, and Orlu and Sunny jumped back as Orlu told Grashcoatah, “No, no, no! Not like that.”

Grashcoatah stopped, eyeing them with his large beautiful eyes.

“You want this? I know you can take it. But we know this world and you do not. You carry Udide’s knowledge, but you don’t have access to it all. I know. I’ve read about your kind. We’ll explain our world to you, we can show you books to read, we can tell you about foods you’d love to eat.” He held up his leaves. “These are ugwu leaves and we Igbo people use them in ogbono and egusi soup. They have a nice taste and . . .” He looked at Sunny. “Hold them up!”

Sunny held up her bunch of leaves. “Those,” Orlu said, turning back to the listening creature, “are water leaves. They . . .” He turned to Sunny with a frown. “Do you know what they’re used in? I’m not a cook. I barely know ugwu!”

Sunny shook her head.

“It’s used in edikaikong soup. That’s an Efik dish.” Chichi said from behind Grashcoatah. As Grashcoatah turned to look at her, she pointed at her chest. “I’m half Efik and half Igbo.”

“Sunny and I are Igbo people,” Orlu added. “These are human . . . ethnic groups. Do you know the word ‘ethnic’? Tribes?”

Grashcoatah grunted and stomped his foot. Then he looked at Sasha who was standing by his side.