Surprise

Pilgrimage of Bones

Islana watched as the young girl tentatively stepped forward towards her and her feathered companion. She stuck out her tiny sun tanned hand and gently reached upwards. At first she seemed scared the bird's beak would snap at her, bitting her, but she steady herself, and slowly moved to touch his dark brown feathers. She stroked the falcon's head and giggled.

"Kaithak..." She replied trying to pronounce his name, although she thought it meant bird, in a thick accent. She smiled brightly up at Islana and petted the bird who was clearly enjoying the attention.

They kept travelling, always onwards towards the setting sun. When night came, darkness transformed the desert. They two huddled close together for comfort and heat. Madaya was happily humming some sort of song or lullaby. She seemed content. Feeling safe. Showing very little worry about their predictment.

The girl removed her scarf from her head which was now fully dried and Islana offered her some water and a date. She looked at her dwindling reserves. This was going to be a problem sooner rather than later, the young huntress knew. She barely had water and food for herself let alone for another person.

Madaya seemed to sense her concern. She moved a away from Islana and started to dig a hole in the sand. She dug while she hummed her little childlike tune until she had dug a hole half an arm deep. The girl looked up at Islana and smiled. She spoke quickly on her language pointing at the hole she had creatwd.

Her eyes flashed blue and she started to mumble a few words as if she was praying. Suddenly water started to fill the hole. She kept speaking softly coaxing water into the small reservoir she had made. And slowly but surely clear water filled it to the brim. She smiled once again at Islana and bent down to sip at the water, bidding Islana to do the same once she was done and pointing at Kaithak too.

She beamed proudly at her efforts.