The Forest Guard
Illustration of Julian W's repro of wildfor.life
The jungle king still lay down on a large rock in the Lemur desert. Occasionally the big cat licks the soles of its feet the size of a human head. Not infrequently, the tiger plays its tail.
Mat Guci actually met several times with "Kureng". However, the curly haired boy was not yet familiar with the tiger figure that was often with Pang Amin. This also made Mat Guci previously felt threatened when suddenly the tiger stood on a rock, when the boy picked up cucumber and fallen beans.
Mat only realized that the tiger was his friend Pang Amin after the silat teacher appeared from behind the stone. Wearing white cloth, Pang Amin looked smiling. His cotton beard was stroked several times before Mat hugged Pang Amin.
"There were tigers preying on deer. I think, Kureng tigers are the same," said Mat Guci.
Pang Amin only chuckled with the statement from Mat Guci. He then asked Kureng to trace the edge of the jungle. "Keep your friend from approaching the citizens house," Pang Amin told Kureng.
The tiger at first seemed reluctant to leave Pang Amin. The animal just moved after Pang Amin gave him a spoonful of honey. However, not far away, the tiger turned his face to Pang Amin again.
"It seems that Kureng wants to linger here. He looks happy to see you. Especially when you were scared," Pang Amin said.
Mat just scratched his head. Although happy to get escort from Kureng, but Mat Guci was also reluctant to the animal. "I am happy with Guree, but if there is Kureng I cannot bring Pang Amin to my father," said Mat Guci.
This boy thought, Kureng must be uncomfortable being close to humans he didn't know. Moreover, the Brahim Naga group carried kelewang, horses, and bows. These three things are least favored by Kureng who had been a human hunt.
Pang Amin understood Mat Guci's worries. For this reason he asked Kureng to watch the edge of the forest while playing with herds of deer. Kureng who seemed to understand the anxiety of his master's student finally ran towards the jungle. He roared forcefully as if telling his whereabouts to other tigers that might be in the area.
Seeing Kureng leave, Mat Guci then invited Pang Amin to meet Brahim Naga and his friends on the top of the Lemur hill. The sun is still leaning towards the east while the dew has been pouring out into the air. Some squirrels are seen running away from the nest. Likewise, the magpie and balam birds that had perched on a banyan tree, flew into the jungle. Only a black winged butterfly "escorts" the journey of the two human beings. Occasionally the butterfly perched on the biduri flower petals.
Mat Guci and Pang Amin finally arrived at the top of the Lemur hill. There, the Brahim Naga group was seen cutting down a mane tree. Brahim who saw Mat Guci smiled. He then raised both palms to Pang Amin.
"We haven't met for a long time," said Brahim Naga to Pang Amin.
Pang Amin just smiled. He again stroked his long beard with his right hand. Pang Amin then asked Brahim Naga, why did his colleagues cut down the mane tree.
"Do you want to make a boat?"
"Yes, bro. There is a Ts'ang fleet boat in Kuala. Their screen pillars were broken by a storm. Oh yes, has Pang met Ma Puteh, Aki Laot and Pang Lateh?"
"Not yet. Maybe we cross the road. It happened that for two days I had entered the jungle to follow in the footsteps of the tigers coming out of the area," Pang Amin said.
He then looked at Mat Guci who showed a confused look on his face. "So Pang Amin and Kureng did follow the tiger? I think only coincidence that Pang is in the field," said Mat Guci.
"Hehehe ... From the morning we noticed the movements of the tiger. Arriving at the edge of the forest, I saw you picking cucumbers and nuts. Your distance is too close to the wild tiger, so I asked Kureng to approach you," Pang Amin said.
"Hah ... You meet wild tigers? Are you okay?” Asked Brahim Naga to Mat Guci.
"It's okay for a father to look after me," said Mat Guci while holding his finger to the sky.
"Why are you pointing up. The one who guarded you was Pang Amin and the Kureng, why instead pointed to the sky?”
Pang Amin chuckled. Mat Guci just scratched his head. He then left Brahim Naga and Pang Amin. "Yes, father, I want to boil these nuts first. Not bad, it can be for a stomach booster. I placed this cucumber near the stone," said Mat Guci. [] (to be continue...)
This article is a connection of my fiction work in this blog. To understand the storyline, please read some of the previous stories.
Bahasa
Sang Penjaga Hutan
SI Raja rimba masih saja merebahkan badan di atas batu besar di padang Lemur. Sesekali kucing besar itu menjilati telapak kaki yang ukurannya sebesar kepala manusia. Tak jarang, harimau itu memainkan ekornya.
Mat Guci sebenarnya sudah beberapa kali bertemu dengan “Kureng”. Namun, bocah berambut keriting tersebut belum begitu hafal dengan sosok harimau yang sering bersama Pang Amin itu. Inipula yang membuat Mat Guci sebelumnya merasa terancam ketika tiba-tiba harimau itu berdiri di atas batu, kala bocah tersebut memungut mentimun dan kacang-kacangan yang terjatuh.
Mat baru menyadari harimau itu merupakan temannya Pang Amin setelah guru silat itu muncul dari balik batu. Mengenakan kain serba putih, Pang Amin terlihat tersenyum. Janggutnya yang serupa kapas dielus-elusnya beberapa kali sebelum Mat memeluk Pang Amin.
“Tadi ada harimau yang memangsa anak rusa. Saya berfikir, Kureng harimau yang sama,” kata Mat Guci.
Pang Amin hanya terkekeh dengan keterangan Mat Guci. Dia kemudian meminta Kureng untuk menelusuri tepi rimba. “Jaga agar temanmu tidak mendekati rumah penduduk,” kata Pang Amin kepada Kureng.
Harimau itu pada awalnya terkesan enggan meninggalkan Pang Amin. Hewan bermisai jarang itu baru beranjak setelah Pang Amin memberinya sesendok madu. Namun, tak jauh melangkah, harimau itu kembali memalingkan wajah ke Pang Amin.
“Nampaknya Kureng ingin berlama-lama di sini. Dia terlihat senang melihat kamu. Apalagi saat kamu tadi ketakutan,” kata Pang Amin.
Mat hanya menggaruk-garukkan kepala. Meskipun senang mendapat pengawalan dari Kureng, tetapi Mat Guci juga segan kepada hewan itu.
“Saya senang guree, tetapi kalau ada Kureng saya tidak dapat mempertemukan Pang Amin dengan ayah saya,” kata Mat Guci.
Bocah ini berpikir, Kureng pasti risih berada dekat dengan manusia yang belum dikenalnya. Apalagi rombongan Brahim Naga membawa kelewang, kuda, dan busur. Tiga hal ini paling tidak disukai oleh Kureng yang pernah menjadi buruan manusia.
Pang Amin mengerti akan kekhawatiran Mat Guci. Untuk itulah dia meminta Kureng mengawasi tepi hutan seraya bermain-main dengan kawanan rusa. Kureng yang seakan mengerti akan kecemasan murid tuannya itu akhirnya berlari ke arah rimba. Dia mengaum kuat seakan-akan memberitahukan keberadaannya kepada harimau lain yang mungkin ada di kawasan tersebut.
Melihat Kureng pergi, Mat Guci kemudian mengajak Pang Amin untuk bertemu Brahim Naga dan kawan-kawan di puncak bukit Lemur. Matahari masih condong di arah timur sementara embun sedari tadi sudah menguar ke udara. Beberapa tupai terlihat berlarian meninggalkan sarangnya. Begitu pula dengan burung murai dan balam yang sempat hinggap di atas pohon beringin, beterbangan ke dalam rimba. Hanya seekor kupu-kupu bersayap hitam yang “mengawal” perjalanan dua insan manusia tersebut. Sesekali kupu-kupu itu hinggap di kelopak bunga biduri.
Mat Guci dan Pang Amin akhirnya tiba di puncak bukit Lemur. Di sana, kelompok Brahim Naga terlihat sedang menebang sebatang pohon mane. Brahim yang melihat Mat Guci tersenyum. Dia kemudian mengangkat kedua telapak tangan kepada Pang Amin.
“Sudah lama kita tidak bertemu,” kata Brahim Naga kepada Pang Amin.
Pang Amin hanya tersenyum. Dia kembali mengelus-elus janggutnya yang panjang dengan tangan kanan. Pang Amin kemudian bertanya kepada Brahim Naga, kenapa rekan-rekannya menebang pohon mane.
“Apakah kalian mau membuat perahu?”
“Iya pang. Ada perahu armada Ts’ang di kuala. Tiang layar mereka patah dihantam badai. Oh ya, apakah Pang sudah bertemu dengan Ma Puteh, Aki Laot, dan Pang Lateh?”
“Belum. Mungkin kami berselisih jalan. Kebetulan sudah dua hari aku masuk ke dalam rimba untuk mengikuti jejak harimau yang keluar dari kawasannya,” kata Pang Amin.
Dia kemudian memandang Mat Guci yang memperlihatkan raut wajah kebingungan. “Jadi Pang Amin dan Kureng memang mengikuti harimau tadi? Saya pikir hanya kebetulan saja Pang ada di padang,” ujar Mat Guci.
“Hehehe… Sedari pagi kami memerhatikan gerak-gerik harimau itu. Setiba di tepi hutan, aku melihat kamu sedang memungut timun dan kacang-kacangan. Jarakmu terlalu dekat dengan harimau liar itu, makanya aku meminta Kureng untuk mendekati kalian,” ungkap Pang Amin.
“Hah… Kamu bertemu harimau liar? Kamu tidak apa-apa?” Tanya Brahim Naga kepada Mat Guci.
“Saya baik-baik saja ayah ada yang menjagaku,” kata Mat Guci seraya mengacungkan jari ke langit.
“Kenapa kamu menunjuk ke atas. Kan yang menjagamu tadi Pang Amin dan si Kureng, kenapa malah menunjuk ke langit?”
Pang Amin terkekeh. Mat Guci hanya garuk-garuk kepala. Dia kemudian meninggalkan Brahim Naga dan Pang Amin. “Ya sudah ayah, aku ingin merebus kacang-kacangan ini dulu. Lumayan, bisa untuk pengganjal perut. Timun ini kuletakkan dekat batu itu ya,” kata Mat Guci.[] (bersambung…)
Artikel ini adalah serial dari karya fiksi saya di blog ini. Untuk memahami jalan cerita, bacalah beberapa kisah sebelumnya.