Another Morning in the Desert [Open]

[Nahali]

Nahali was not often given to laughter, but the sight of Ke'sear chasing after some of her wayward goats provoked an involuntary chuckle from her lips. Her laugh was not intended to be mean-spirited, and she hoped he wouldn't interpret it that way. If anything, his earnest attempt to help, despite his evident inexperience with goats, had struck her as rather endearingly humorous.

"Abir! Cast!" she called, pointing to the goats that Ke'sear had frightened away. Needing no more cues than that, the intelligent dog bounded away to gather the goats back into the group with barks and nips. As the goats gradually trotted back toward the rest of the flock, Nahali hurried over to soothe them with gentle pats and reward Abir with a treat of dried lamb meat.

She turned back to Ke'sear. To her surprise, she saw he was shivering, even though both the day and the breeze felt as arid and hot as the breath of a lighted brazier. Sweat darkened his head covering, which made Nahali believe even more strongly that he must indeed come from some northern ancestry. Poor fellow! What cruel parents he must have had, to abandon him in the desert. But then who could predict what a Rakva might or might not do, even to a helpless infant? Nahali shook her head, clearing these saddening thoughts from her mind and returning to the present moment.

"No harm done," she told Ke'sear reassuringly. "As for my Tent, I believe we are two hours east of where we made camp. The watering hole where we are heading to now is an hours' walk in the other direction, though." She paused as a thought occurred to her. "Unless you know of some other watering hole that is closer to here?

[Ke'sear]

Realizing that he had done no harm Ke'sear breathed a deep sigh of relief. For a second he had seriously feared chasing down those goats. Ke'sear faded in and out of concious thought as they walked. The sun beating down as mercilessly as ever. Taking another sip of his water and pouring the rest of the water down Ya-soel's head and neck. "There you go boy." Looking out over the sand agian and hoping that there would be some kind of vegitation. The clans had picked a good spot to camp, This region of the desert was one of the more fertile, if that word could be used to describe a desert landscape.

Thinking back on thier conversation, Ke'sear realized that he had completly ignored Nahali on her last question. "No, no I do not know of another watering hole in the area." Said Ke"sear, studdering on "I'm sorr sorry about that I...I dident even real realize that you had said anything."

"Your clan picked a good spot, this is one of the best spots in the desert to camp any amount of people." Taking a deep breath, he finished in a hurry "But I would be carful of over using this section, even since I have been wandering the grasses have gotten less and less"

[Nahali]

Nahali watched wide-eyed when Ke'sear took a sip from his waterskin and then actually poured the rest in a shower of precious liquid over his horse's head. Even though there had only been a mouthful or two left in the waterskin, she was still taken aback at what seemed an appalling waste of water. Some of it even ran in rivulets down the horse's coat and dripped down into the sand. Nahali half-expected to see lizards and hopping-mice materialize out of the sand to lap at every life-giving drop. She started to open her mouth to ask why he'd done that, but remembered that most men, especially those older than she was, rarely took such reproofs well. Perhaps Ke'sear knew best. At the first sign that he was flagging or thirsty, though, she resolved to offer him another drink of goat's milk, just in case.

In silence, the two walked steadily toward the watering hole that Nahali had described, gently leading along the various animals that accompanied them. The desert wind blew hot against their backs, which made conversation seem less valuable than preserving the moisture of their mouths and throats. After about an hour's trudge west, judging from the movement of the sun, they finally arrived at what was literally a hole in the ground. Unprepossessing though it appeared, though, the hole was fed by a small spring, yielding a fair amount of drinkable water.

Without preamble, Nahali carefully led each goat to the watering hole and allowed them a short amount of time to drink, before gently but firmly turning it away and pulling another goat forward. She tried to move as efficiently as possible, so that neither time nor the water was wasted. One or two of the he-goats gave her trouble, as they often tended to be greedy and drink more than was good for them on a hot day. By now, though, Nahali was so used to their tendencies that she could avoid being head-butted or nipped for her troubles. After every goat had gotten a drink, she allowed Abir to drink as well.

Finally, she stepped away from the watering hole, allowing Ke'sear to drink and fill his waterskin as well. He had fared better than she had expected during their hour's trek, she reflected. Though he sometimes looked absentminded or unfocused, he had not flagged at all. But then, he told her that he'd lived in the desert all his life. Nahali shouldn't have been so quick to doubt him simply because he didn't look Benshiran or Chaktawe.

After Ke'sear had finished, she finally broke the silence. "So, you still wish to come back with me to my Tent? I only wish to be sure. Whatever you decide will be satisfactory."

[Ke'sear]

Ke'sear wasent suprised at the look Nahali gave him after he had finished pouring the precious liquid down Ya-soel's neck and head. He had recieved that look many times, some thought he was crazy, and others thought that he was delibertly flirting with death. Many things could happen to a watering hole, some just dry up. But Ke'sear had visited this very watering hole only 2 weeks prior and knew for a fact that there was water. Rubbing Ya-soel's neck agian as the horse neighed his thanks for the treat.

Walking along, Ke'sear thought "what are the chances that I run into a stranger, a girl at that, in the middle of the desert? No matter" Looking around Ke'sear spotted the spring, a small darkend hole in the ground. Standing aside as Nahali led each goat to the watering hole then a few seconds later gently guiding the next in. After she had finished Ke'sear led Ya-soel up to water, letting the horse drink deeply untill he had sastified his water-jug of a stomach. Leaning down, he filled his 4 canteens watching as the bubbles of air made their way to the surface. Then gently leaning down, drowseing his face and drinking deeply.

"Yes, if it is alright with you I will acompany you to your tent."

[Nahali]

Nahali nodded in satisfaction at his response and motioned for Ke'sear to follow again. It would not have done to insist upon offering him hospitality and shelter, even in exchange for helping their Tent, but she would have felt remiss if she had not at least given him the chance to accept. Satisfying though he seemed to find it, wandering the desert alone and living from watering hole to watering hole must make for a lonely, difficult life for the young man. If Nahali could help make it easier for him even for a short while, then she would have done a good deed in the eyes of Yahal.

With a surprising stab of memory, she remembered another lone wanderer she had encountered in the desert who had asked her, "Aren't the duties that are difficult the ones truly worthwhile?" What had become of him, Nahali never knew. She glanced briefly at Ke'sear, who was walking stolidly beside her, occasionally patting his horse's neck. Perhaps Ke'sear was possessed of some greater purpose too, just like that man had been. How was she to know?

As the sun beat down upon them, the two of them forged through miles of sand and dust, flanked by bleating, barking and whinnying animals on either side. The oppressively hot air made breathing more labored, and Nahali loosened her head-shawl and let it flap open slightly in an attempt to create a small breeze about her face. By now, she knew better than to pray for a wind to cool them. Now that it was the hottest part of the day, any wind would only stir the air with even greater heat and make her long for relief even more than the current dry, still atmosphere.

At one point, Abir barked an alarm from behind the flock, and Nahali swung about to check for threats. The last thing they needed now was a confrontation with, say, a pack of golden wolves. Instead, she saw a single desert jackal peering at them above a mound of sand. Narrowing her eyes in annoyance, Nahali reached for her slingshot and let a stone fly. She was not about to let it make a meal off their bones, not today, even if they did drop dead from exhaustion. Though the shot went wide, the jackal let out a yipping bark and loped away.

Their progress slowed as the day waned, and it was nearly sunset when Nahali reached the edge of her Tent's encampment with the goats, Abir, Ke'sear and his horse. They climbed a vista of golden sand, and suddenly below them the forty or so tents of Nahali's Tent were spread out in long rows. Animals barked, bleated and lowed, and the familiar sounds of conversation in rapid Shiber rose from the camp as shepherds brought back their animals and work gradually ceased throughout the camp.

Nahali turned back and nodded to Ke'sear. "This is my Tent. Let me take you to my family's tents and see what refreshment we can offer you."

[Ke'sear]

walking up the hill Ke'sear was just starting to fade into that second mental state, the one reserved for his daily treks of many miles. He enjoyed his abilitly to almost fade away, letting his mind take him to another place. Topping the hill he was startled by the ringing sounds of Nahali's voice, he was glad that he was able to contain it as it would be rather akward to be seen jumping at the sound of her voice. Looking out over 40 or so sprawled tents the causuel murmer and sounds of a camp reached his ears. The ring of the smithy finishing his work and the sounds animals glad to be back to their pens after a hard days walk.

Walking into camp the sounds of rapid Shiber assulated his ears like buzzing bee's. Ke'sear could pick out a few words here and there. Stranger, desert, and of course the all-in-common word on every man's lips, dinner. Ke'sear recived a few curious glances, but was quite plesently suprised to find that he was not the topic of attention. Following Nahlali through the tent streets he tried to make a game of guessing which tent was hers. He had only caught a quick glimpse of her face earlier and it he could find nobody in the camp that looked even remotly like her. Giving up on his game, he followed Nahali through the maze like rows of tents to her tent...whichever one it may be.

[Nahali]

In the silent vastness of Eyktol, simply encountering another person was an unusual and noteworthy event, at least in the sandy wastelands outside Yahebah and Ahnatep. A new face was cause for great interest, careful etiquette, and warm generosity. If nothing else, the common experience of braving the dangers and hardships of the desert made the Benshira more inclined to offer what help and hospitality they could to strangers they met by chance.

Nahali's Tent was no different. As she led her goats to their fenced-in pasture, more than a few heads turned curiously at the sight of Ke'sear. A dozen pairs of eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, taking in his tall, lean form, his comfortable stride on the soft sand, his air of confident self-sufficiency, and of course the scimitar hanging at his side. Though he couldn't have known it, smiles appeared behind veils and head-cloths before everyone turned back to their own tasks. Far from being wary and distrustful, her people were delighted to see someone new.

For her part, Nahali looked much more at ease as soon as she'd returned to her camp. She moved amid the tents with an almost authoritative air. Though she had left her goats for the night, she retained the same protective watchfulness over the people of her Tent. Her eyes darted right and left to monitor the movements of children and adults hurrying past, even as she led Ke'sear unwaveringly to her family's tent.

Lifting aside the tent flap, they glanced inside and saw that no one was there, at least for the moment. Night was beginning to fall outside, so Nahali bent to light a lantern resting on the floor. After a few false strikes, the flame inside flared into brightness, throwing dancing shadows over the cloth of the tent. She removed the shawl draped over her head and shoulders, revealing bold features and clear green eyes.

"Sit here and rest," she told Ke'sear, indicating a pile of cushions. "I will see what food we have to offer you. I know my family will be very happy to meet you. Do not worry; most of them speak much better Common than me. They will not be like me." A self-deprecating smile crossed her features. "I would advise you to prepare yourself to be made much of and offered more food than you could possibly eat at tonight's evening meal and Masha, Ke'sear."

[Ke'sear]

"Thank you very much." Ke'sear said, looking around the tent. The cushions felt like heavenly silk underenath his weary legs, letting out a slow, drawn out breath Ke'sear closed his eyes trying to remeber the last time he had the luxuary of cushions. Just then did Ke'sear realize what she had said. "food?" he thought, Thinking of the hard tack, and leather tasteing water he had been living on for the past week. "I think im going to enjoy this" he thought as he unhooked his scimitar making sure to set it withen reach. It wasent that he was untrusting of the people, but it had become a habit to keep it withen reach as much as possible.

Looking around the tent for the first time, he noticed that it was truly genuine in construction. The sturdy, but thin poles that held up the animal skin canvas could be folded, canvas and all to move quickly. "If they were only a bit smaller." Ke'sear thought. He could use one like this, quick set-up and almost as fast tear down would save him much time indeed.

Feeling the need all of the sudden to to break the silence, Ke'sear wracked his brain for something to say. He had never been much of a talker to begin with and when cupuled with a need for words it truly did stump him. "This is a nice tent" he managed to stumble out akwardly. Offering a weak smile in spite of his words.

[Nahali]

Nahali's smile widened. "Thank you! My mother will be much…I mean, most glad to hear you say that. She is the one who did most of the work weaving and sewing it together."

In one corner of the tent, a low table held a set of cups, a canteen of water, a tight-sealed jar of tea leaves and a stout clay teapot upon a small brazier. Nahali knelt before the table picked up the jar and gritted her teeth. After a few minutes of twisting, she managed to pry off the cap with a grunt of exertion. A little embarrassed, she glanced over at Ke'sear. To his credit, he didn't even crack a smile at her efforts.

Next. she sprinkled a few pinches' worth of tea leaves into the tea pot. From the canteen, which was always kept full, she poured a measure of water into the teapot and lit the brazier underneath. Soon, steam curled out the teapot spout, signaling the water had reached the boiling point. Nahali leaned forward out to snuff the brazier flame and poured hot tea into the two cups, careful to hold the pot high. She sighed in deep appreciation at the aroma that arose as the tea leaves steeped. Lifting one cup gingerly, she blew across the surface and offered the cup to Ke'sear.

"Please take some tea with me," she said, her voice as solemn as though performing a sacred ritual. Then, remembering her visitor was not Benshiran, she softened her expression and voice. "Under our customs, once both we have drank a cup of tea together, you are considered our guest and are under our protection as long as you remain with our Tent," Nahali explained. "I would offer you something more solid, but I fear you might spoil your appetite for dinner tonight. For now, though, I hope you will accept a humble cup of tea."

[Ke'sear]

Ke'sear watched as Nahali made the tea and was truly curious. He had heard of tea before in the city, the occasinal order from the bars and taverns. But he had never tasted it, even more perplexing was the fact that it was made from leaves. "this...tea" Letting the word role off his tounge "does it taste good?" Taking the cup from Nahali and lifting it to his nose. Taking a large waft he could detect the planty, earthy smell.

Smiling at Nahali he said "Is there anything we have to say?" making it quite clear that he was joking. Raising his cup to his mouth, he stalled just for a second before taking a small sip of the tea. The bitter, but yet tastey liquid slid down his throat, ingniting his senses like a wild fire. A warm shiver ran down his spine and then out to the tips of his fingers and toes. "I like it." Gulping the rest of his tea, as fast as a very hot liquid can be gulped. Looking to Nahali [b]"I think I have found a new favorite drink!"


Hearing a low growl from his stomach he looked at Nahali to see if she had heard, he was hungry but for the sake of politness he steeled himself, he would only take food that was offered to him. A sharp inhale later he could smell the food, the stew and the roast. The bread and the milk, and hopefully much more of this delicious new liquid called tea. Looking to Nahali as if to signify "ok, time to eat!" But saying the words "Whats next?"