Quick Trip

Leaving Ekero’s home, Tarmen found his way to the market to see what he could find. Clothes for Voah and Gonyaul, basic supplies to hopefully get them out of the desert, and then what he thought would be the hardest, horses.
Last time he was here they had traded their own away. Last time he was here he still had some foundation for himself.
Tarmen sighed at almost falling back into that pit, focusing on his task before the now common rumble in his mind could set in again as he came upon the main shops. Though it was a small affair with mostly one clump of stands, he did note signs of recent activity. It looked like the natives had seen some success in their businesses, spaces in their presentations and an eager gleam in their eye as they spotted Tarmen. Whatever presence had been building, he could guess it was from the growing war effort and considered going back to warn the others. Maybe they weren’t as ahead as they thought?
He then figured if that army had been through, the presence of a foreigner like him wouldn’t be seen with such eagerness. Either way, he wouldn’t argue about hospitable bartering.
His thoughts were startled by a distant whinny that made his eyes quickly scan his surroundings before landing on a hitching post farther down the market. A broad man, speaking in rapid Ozainae, held a horse's reins confidently as the creature must have had a momentary panic.
Approaching them, Tarmen was once again glad for his time with Silina and her teaching. The man seemed startled initially from hearing his language spoken by a foreigner, but quickly saw the opportunity and welcomed Tarmen like any good businessman. Tarmen could tell he had some experience, the almost musical voice full of confidence and flair.
Looking over the horse he had been calming, the beast snorted upon smelling him. Tarmen couldn’t quite shake it, but as the horse calmed and looked over him in turn, it was almost like it recognized him, letting out a cheerful but confused whinny. He knew it wasn’t one they had used before, but with all other machinations in play he paid it little mind.
He was quick to buy it, along with three others. Seemed the man had a lean to that was now used to house transport beasts and Tarmen was grateful he could avoid riding a camel. Useful as they were, he found them very uncomfortable.

With transport taken care of, Tarmen rode the friendly horse towards the other stalls, specifically the food and clothing as the other three trailed behind him. Dried meats made up most of the rations, though he wondered if Ekero was the only one able to make edible cactus flesh upon finding none.
He found himself thankful for the clothes of this land in his browsing, the baggy nature of them saving him the trouble of figuring out what would fit the others. He gathered a small pile of cloth, finding a hooded cloak that he donned himself. He had been wanting to sun out of his eyes for this whole time and if they needed hiding it should help.
A hair dye, that was an item on Voah’s list. Her mention of charcoal made it easier to obtain, Ekero’s fire could provide what they needed. Remembering the cacti the tinkerer grew, needles for stitching wouldn’t be an issue either. He made sure to ask for scrap cloth while he was there, ensuring they could make some repairs.
Gonyaul hadn’t asked for anything, the poor boy just as lost in his thoughts as the rest of them. There was a difference with Gonyaul though, that innocence that he had ridiculed in the past had truly been a cushion for the group and without it Tarmen felt… vulnerable? He hadn’t found the right word yet, but there was a specific hollowness that came from Gonyaul’s despair. He truly missed the boy’s childish nature.

Again shaking the rumbling away, Tarmen picked through a few more stalls, though didn’t buy much else. Less is more sometimes when you want to survive, he reminded himself.
He also reminded himself of the time, leading his horse towards Ekero’s home. Upon reaching it, he dismounted and hitched the horses nearby before entering with the clothes, which were placed near Voah and Gonyaul to search through as he found a seat.