Disclaimer: Iago and Cassim belong to Disney. I own Janara.

Author's note: I'm not 100% sure what adventures Janara and Iago will have during their journey through the desert. So every idea is welcome! Besides, I don't really like the title, I only used it to publish my story. If you know a title that fits better, please tell me! And thanks again to Cyndi for revising my story.

The Search For Cassim

By Laura Münch
Corrected by Cyndi Hilston

Prologue

"I don't like it in here, Cassim", the red parrot whispered uncomfortably. He and his human friend sat in a small tavern of the desert city Djel and watched the dubious men at the other tables. Most of them wore dark capes and swords or daggers. They sat in small groups and whispered furtively with each other. From time to time one of them laughed loud.

" I really don't like it in here", the bird repeated, this time more urgent.

"Let's go off from here."

"I know what you mean, Iago", Cassim answered. "I'd also like to sit on my horse and leave this city, but as long as this sandstorm rages outside, we can't go."

"I don't care..." Iago called angrily, but became immediately quieter when some people looked interested at him.

"... I don't care how the weather is! I smell danger, and my sense for threat is nearly as good as my sense for business. Believe me, we'd better go as long as we're still able to!"

But Cassim shook the head. "Calm down, Iago. You worry too much. Nothing will happen to us, and if we get trouble nevertheless, I still have my sword."

"But you're not the only one with a weapon!", Iago objected.

Diverted from the discussion, the two didn't notice how five strong and armed men approached. Just as Iago reluctantly wanted to give up his conviction attempts, the men stepped out of the shadows and grabbed the completely surprised Cassim. Iago could only cry "Hey, what is going on?!", then a big hand grabbed him and he couldn't breath anymore. He was bound with a rope and with another one someone tied up his beak. Then he was thrown into a narrow cage. Briefly before a black cloth was put over the cage, Iago could see how three men held Cassim and the fourth beat him unconscious. Afterwards, the cage with Iago vainly fighting the chains was carried away from the fight. The last thing he heard was the storming applause after someone called: "We have him! We caught the King of Thieves!" Then a door closed and Iago was in a dark and quiet room alone.

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For a while the bound bird only sat in his cage and listened. But neither from outside nor from the room where he was a sound reached his ear. Finally Iago tried again to free himself, but the chains were so tight that he couldn't even breathe normal. Also the cord around his beak was firmly knoted. A bit later Iago gave up gasping and discouraged. When he sat there moveless again in the darkness, fear rose in him. What would happen now? Would they leave him starving to death in here, or would they kill him before? And what has happened to Cassim? These questions tortured Iago, and in the depressing silence of the room the little bird started to tremble and to sob.

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Chapter 1: Just A Bird On The Marketplace

It was a wonderful day, the sun shone and the marketplace of Djel was full of activity. The merchants offered their goods with loud voices and many people pushed themselves at the stands to buy fruits, bread, jewelry and much more. Among them was also Janara, a plain girl with long black hair and an unfortunate small purse. Her dress and cape were from a faded blue, but if somebody would look carefully he could still see mysterious symbols on her clothes.

But nobody deigned to look at her and she didn't care at all. For the moment she was busy enough with getting enough food for her journey with the small amount of money she had earned. She certainly was fed up with this city that didn't know how to appreciate her magical arts. For a travelling sorceress the simple inhabitants were not the right audience. Janara only had to stop here because money and food had run short and therefore she had to give one or two shows.

Anyway, today was her last day in Djel and she tried to make some good bargains.

"Sweet, juicy apples! Five for only three Dinari!", a fruit merchant called near her. Janara was pleased about the offer and accepted it immediately.

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After finishing the trade she looked for a calmer place to count the rest of her money.

"Let's see... I still have nine Dinari. With that I'd better buy some dried dates, and then I'd still have some money left."

An average sorceress of her age didn't earn very well and therefore it happened very rarely that Janara had something left. With a smile on her face she joined the crowd on the marketplace again and cleared her way to a merchant who offered dried fruits and vegetables.

She just thought about how many dates she should take, when she noticed a cage that hung on an empty stand a few feet away. In the cage there was a ruffled red bird which had a cord bound around his beak and who was staring at the street with empty eyes.

Pity overcame Janara and she wanted to have a closer look at the poor bird. After a last look at the fruits she turned and went to the abandoned stand. She still could buy the dates later!

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The bird, which Janara now identified as a parrot, didn't look up when she stopped in front of him. The state of the cage and the caught animal shocked her. The parrot neither had water nor food. His plumage was dirty and ruffled, which was no wonder since the poor bird could hardly move in the narrow cage. He could never have stretched his wings to clean himself, even if his beak hadn't been tied up.

"Oh, poor chap!", Janara said quietly to the bird. "What did they do to you? You don't deserve to suffer so."

And as if the parrot had understood her, he raised his head and looked straight into her eyes. What she saw there surprised her. The bird looked that tormented and sadly at her as if he would know exactly what happened with him. And for one moment she believed that he was more than only an ordinary bird on the marketplace. She believed to see intelligence in his eyes.

But this moment lasted only briefly and suddenly a fiercely looking man stand before her, snapping:

"Hey brat, leave my goods in peace, except if you want to buy something!"

Janara quickly regained her composure and asked confidently:

"Are you the owner of this stand?"

"Yeah. And now beat it, I'm busy!" The merchant turned away from her and began to release the stand from dirt and dust. But Janara didn't give up.

"How can you treat this poor bird so badly? Why doesn't he have water and why is his beak tied up?"

"He has chattered too much, just like you!", he snapped. "And he isn't worth wasting money on water and food on. Nobody wanted to buy him and so I'll feed him to my dog afterwards."

At these words the bird finally moved. He shook his head in fear and looked scared, even pleading at Janara. Again she had the impression he would be more intelligent than a normal bird.

She asked the merchant firmly:

"How much does the bird cost?"

That surprised the man. "You want to buy this flea-bitten heap of feathers? You'd better save your money for something useful!"

"Do you want to get rid of this bird or not?"

"Well, if you insist on it... Let's say ten Dinari!"

"I give you five!"

"Eight, so I give up free food for my dog!"

Janara's mind said she could not afford that, but her heart just couldn't abandon this suffering creature.

"Deal! Eight Dinari for the parrot and the cage."

Nobody noticed it, but the parrot took a deep breath, relieved. Sighing, Janara took the coins out of her pocket and let them fall into the open hand of the merchant. Afterwards she took the cage and left the stand.

"I hope you are worth it. You cost me nearly all my money!", murmured Janara when she made her way to the hotel where she lived. She could leave the marketplace now because she no longer had enough money for the dates.

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