She rose with the sun, washed the dust and sand off of her face, and rode out of Alexandria. Kena had kept his word on fixing her saddle, lengthening the straps so it would fit better on Kura. Bast rode quickly, wanting to return to her new home and to see if she could find a place to call her own there. It was near sundown when she rode into the village. Akifa saw her first as she neared the center of town. He ran over to her as she dismounted.

"Hello, Akifa, my friend," said Bast. She opened her saddle bag and pulled out one of the items she had stolen. It was a small toy horse made of bamboo. The child grinned as he took it, and then rushed over to his father to show off his new toy. Bast shook her head and pulled out the small doll she had found in the abandoned home. Hiding it behind her back, she led Kura over to Hassan's home where Mika was playing outside. The small girl looked up at her as she held the doll out. Mika gasped as her eyes landed on the doll.

"Is that for me?" she asked. Bast smiled and nodded.

"It is better than playing in the dirt, right?" The girl nodded, jumping up and grabbing the doll. She turned as her mother came to the doorway, holding it up for Ishizu to see. Ishizu glanced at Bast, who looked away. "I was able to obtain a few items on my journey."

"Welcome home, Bast," said Ishizu. Bast nodded slightly, glancing at Mika as she approached Kura. Bast smiled and undid her saddle bags, allowing Mika to take the horse around to the back. "Did you find want you went to get?"

"Yes, I did," answered Bast. She opened her saddle bag again and pulled out a bit of meat. "For tonight's dinner, if you want. I have bread and milk as well." Ishizu's shock showed on her features and Bast giggled. "I know what I am doing from time to time."

"I thank you for this," said Ishizu. "But there is only enough here for three people. What about you?"

"I have my own food tonight, but thank you for your concern." She smiled softly, turning as she heard footsteps in the sand behind her. Hassan approached the two females, looking down at Bast.

"Akifa told me of the toys you brought him and Mika. Thank you," he said. Bast nodded in reply. "Also, if you feel up to living alone, there is an empty home built down the street here. You may take it for your own." Bast blinked as she looked at this man. He was standing with a couple other men from the village. One, an elderly man, stepped forward.

"I am the head elder here in Kul Elna. I offer for you to stay here and make a home for yourself, Child," he said. Bast stepped back a bit, not really worried but not wanting to cause problems.

"I thank you for your offer," she said. "But, I only returned tonight to return the favor of the help I received the other night." The old man smiled, looking at his companions.

"My child, you are alone in this world. You are young and skilled, but you need a place to call home. Stay, and make a name for yourself here, in a world where your trade is the trade of men." Bast bristled at this. She hated that the trade of tomb robbing was something only done by men.

"Alright, you have convinced me. I shall stay," she said. She could see Akifa and Mika off to the side exchange looks of happiness. The elder nodded and told Hassan to lead Bast and her horse to the home. He bowed and went to retrieve Kura, then motioned for Bast to follow him. She did, and they quickly came upon a small stone building much like the ones around it. Hassan showed her how to lock the doors and where she could come across wood for her dinner. She thanked him as he left to go home and turned to start her dinner.

Bast fell quickly into the village life. During the days she was doing her chores and working for others around the village, and at night she would slip into the shadows and enter the tombs scattered around them. Every four days she would ride to see Kena, where she would trade some of her stolen goods and buy food and other small items. One day she had stolen enough to be able to trade for one of Kena's horses, which she rode back to Kul Elna with Kura by her side. Akifa and Mika found this new horse interesting, and were always asking if Bast would let them ride her around the valley.

It was a dark night in Kul Elna. The men had stayed home this night, as the moon was dark and there was no light that shone through the Valleys. Akifa and Mika were visiting Bast for dinner as their parents were having an adult get together. The three children were trading stories about their days and Bast telling of the traps and spells she encountered in her trade. As she spoke of the shadow magic, the shadows around her began to quiver, causing her to stand. She turned to her two friends and held a finger to her lips, telling them to quiet. Shadows were whispering of danger, of something coming.

Bast moved quickly, using the shadows to extinguish the candles and the fire left from dinner. Grabbing the children beside her, she rushed through the back and set them up on Mena, the female horse. She in turn mounted Kura. She then grabbed Mena's reins and rode the horses to the cliffs above the village. From her view, she saw the Egyptian army marching towards them. The shadows began to scream around her.

"Bast, what's going on?" asked Mika. Bast shook her head, frowning.

"I am unsure, Mika," she answered. "But I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen." With that said Bast turned the horses and rode back to the village. The army reached Kul Elna before they could, and as Bast stopped the horses Mika jumped down and took off to find her father. Akifa looked at Bast.

"What do we do?" he asked. Bast growled and led the horses to where she kept her treasure in the valley walls. Closing the walls behind her, she used her magic to light the oils she had in basins around the sides. She then turned to Akifa, who was still on Mena.

"Listen, I'm going to try and save anyone I can. You need to stay here, understand?" Akifa nodded, sliding of the horse and sitting on the ground. Bast smiled sadly and rushed through the walls, forgetting to close them completely. As she rushed through the village, the bodies of neighbors and friends seemed to glare at her. Suddenly she felt someone grab her and she looked to see a soldier leading her into the underground chamber of Kul Elna. She looked around quickly, for this was where the men kept their combined treasures.

"Well," said a voice. Bast was turned to come face to face with someone she had only seen once. The Priest Ahknadin was looking her over. He grabbed her chin had lifted her face up so he could she her better. "Those green eyes are an odd color here in Egypt. You also seem to be in tune with the shadows. What is your name, child?"

"Bast Magi," she replied. She was struggling, but the man was older and stronger than her. His eyes narrowed at her name and he looked up to the soldier.

"Take her over there and tie her up," said the priest. The soldier did as he was told, and Bast hissed as the ropes were pulled tight. When the soldier left, Bast began to struggle until she felt a presence that she shouldn't have. She looked around quickly and gasped. Akifa was hiding behind a corner that led to one of the tunnels. He was hidden just enough so that no one would see him but he could watch. Bast locked eyes with him for a second, long enough so he would know she would be okay, before looking around again.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and calmed her nerves. A prayer to the cat goddess to keep her and Akifa safe and she was feeling calmer. She almost didn't notice being untied and dragged to the center of the room. She opened her eyes and looked to see the bodies of the villagers piled below her. Her eyes locked onto the dead eyes of Mika as the soldier holding her cut her arm from wrist to elbow and her blood dripped down onto the pile. A flash of light and Bast broke away, running to where she had seen Akifa. She grabbed his hand and ran down the tunnel until she came close to her treasure cove. Using the shadows to open the walls, she jumped on Kura while Akifa mounted Mena and they rode free from the cove and the village.

They continued to ride until Bast had lost too much blood. They found a cave and dismounted inside. Akifa moved quickly, first starting a fire and then gathering the bandages and healing slaves Bast kept in Mena's saddle bags. He cleaned her wound before wrapping it while she watched. He then got into Kura's saddle bags and fished out some bread and one of the water skins. They were quiet for a while until Bast got her voice back.

"It is my fault," she said, causing Akifa to jump and look at her. "I did not stop her from running off." He seemed to understand as he looked back to his bread.

"We both should have said something. I was older than her," he said. "Why did you come back for me? You were injured and you would have gotten away faster if you had not." Bast laughed for a second, then took a drink from the water skin.

"You know," she said. "I am not sure what my reason was." She looked over at the child, who was staring out the cave entrance. She shook her head and nodded off to sleep.

Bast awoke the next morning to the feel of a cold cloth being placed across her forehead. She opened her eyes to see Akifa changing her bandages. He noticed her awake and nodded before turning back to his task. When he had finished, he handed her a piece of bread and helped her sit up. She looked around, noting that the sun had well risen.

"You had a fever, but it has gone down. And your arm is not cut too deep. It will take time to heal," he said. Bast nodded in reply as she looked at him. "Also, we ran out of bandages, so I had to use some of your clothes from your bag to cover the wound. I hope that is okay."

"It is fine, friend," Bast replied. His muddy eyes were dim and his voice harsh. "Akifa, you should rest. How is our food doing?"

"We have enough," he said, not looking at her as he stood in the cave entrance. "But we should move closer to the Nile. What meat you gathered will not last us long in this heat, and the Nile will provide us with food and water." Bast agreed, finishing her bread and nodding back to sleep.

She awoke again at sundown. Akifa was saddling the horses and gathering their belongings. Bast noticed an extra bag that was not there the night before and asked about it. Akifa jumped at her question and turned to her.

"I returned to Kul Elna to see if I could salvage anything. I found some more bread and some clothing for us, and was able to find a couple more water skins that are full. They should last us until we reach the Nile." He helped her stand and climb onto Kura, who stood deadly still. The beast seemed to notice his rider was injured. Kura waited until Akifa had climbed onto Mena and allowed the boy to take hold of his reins and lead him out. Bast patted the horse and rested against his neck as they rode.

Bast noticed that her companion was going slower than they normally would and commented on it. He replied that she was hurt and a faster pace might hurt her. She agreed and fell asleep against Kura's neck. She awoke again to Akifa pulling her off the horse with much difficulty. She was heavier than him, and he was not very strong yet. She soon found herself lead to a wall and rested against it. She looked up at the boy. He was not paying attention as he drove two metal stakes into the wall across from her and tied the horses up. He then began to start a fire and jumped when the wood lit by themselves.

"I may be weak," said Bast, breathless with the attempt at shadow magic. "But I can still do small things." Akifa growled slightly, reaching into Kura's saddle bag and pulling out the meat.

"You should use that energy to heal yourself. I thought healing was your specialty?" he questioned. Bast laughed for a second before responding.

"It is, Akifa, but I have never used it on myself." He glanced at her, surprised.

"You've never been injured?" he asked. Bast smiled this time, laughing hurt.

"No, I have not," she said, looking up at the ceiling of the cave. "I learned from my mother. She had been the daughter of a shaman, and decided not to follow in her father's footsteps." She laughed slightly, causing Akifa to glare at her. "Amazing," she said. Akifa frowned, coming to sit beside her.

"What is?" he asked. Bast looked at him.

"My mother and father met when she was in her nineteenth year. My Father was in his twentieth. Mother had found him hiding in a cave covered in wounds he had received from a fight with another tomb robber." She laughed again, returning her gaze to the rock above her.

"How is that amazing?"

"Look at me," she said. "I'm the injured one, being healed by someone I barely know." Bast laughed one more time, this time jerking her arm. She hissed at the pain and Akifa jumped to check it. "Do you see what I mean?"

"Stop moving," he said, ignoring her comment. "Do you know anyone that may be able to help you? I'm going to need some more of those healing things." Green eyes met brown and Bast could see the boy's concern.

"If you feel up to leaving me for a while," she said, looking away. "I have a friend in Alexandria named Kena. He lives in a small alcove near the inner walls and he may be able to send me help."

"How do I get to him?" asked the boy. "I can't get into Alexandria."

"I have some papyrus and ink in my bags. I will need the thin metal rod at the bottom as well." Akifa jumped to retrieve the items and handed them to her. With her best abilities, she wrote a letter to her friend using the code they created. When she was done, she read it over and set it off to the side to dry. "Akifa, when you reach the gate I want you to tell them that you have to deliver a message to the stone mason. When they ask who you are say that you are the son of Sebak."

"Who is that?" asked the boy. Bast smiled softly, picking up the letter and rolling it. She tied it shut with the ribbon from her hair and handed it to him.

"He was my father," she said. "The guards know that Kena had a brother by the same name and shall let you through. Ask them how to find his house and they will point you in the right direction. When you arrive you will see a sign over his door with a picture of a chisel and a hammer set into a cross. That is how you will know you have the right home. Go to the door and hand this letter to anyone who answers. If it is not Kena, then they will allow you in the home and will take you to him. Say nothing until Kena speaks to you. He will ask you a question about me. If you answer correctly then he will trust you."

"How will I know the answer?"

"He will ask one of three questions. The first is of my eyes, for I have rare eyes. He will want to know the color. You must answer that they are green. The second is of my Magic. I use shadow magic, the magic of the pharaoh. The third question is the hardest; for he will only ask this if he is unsure of your other answer. He will ask of the birthmark I carry on my shoulder."

"Birthmark?" asked Akifa. Bast nodded and, with difficulty, sat up. She then pulled her shirt up to her shoulders and turned her back to the boy. She heard him gasp and felt his fingers run over the mark. She smiled and dropped her shirt, turning back to him.

"Can you remember what it looks like?" she asked. He nodded and stood up. "Good, child, and now ride out. The letter explains the rest." Akifa nodded again and mounted Mena. Looking back to Bast as she took the finished meat from the fire he said goodbye and rode off.