Disclaimer: The characters of Alex, Jonathon and Ardeth aren't mine, and neither is the concept of the Med-jai but Caitlin is.
They stood in the middle of the desert, staring at the pile of containers lying on the desert floor.
" I can't believe they cheated me" wailed Jonathon.
"I can't believe they cheated you either. Didn't you check that they were all full of petrol before we left?" Alex was not amused.
"I checked the first couple, and they definitely had petrol in them." Jonathon gestured at the Jeep in front of them. "We wouldn't have got this far if they'd all just got some kind of dirty water in them."
Alex drew breath for a disdainful retort, but Caitlin, who had been silent up 'til now, stepped forwards. "You did not check all of them, but neither did we." She addressed Alex calmly. "You cannot blame him for not doing something you didn't do either."
"So now what are we going to do?" Reassured that he no longer needed his defensive position, Jonathon had lapsed into an attitude of despair. "We're days away from the city where we got off the train and bought the Jeep. How are we going to get anywhere?"
"We don't even have camels" added Alex, smirking despite the apparently serious situation. "Should have brought some". Jonathon let out a yell of frustration, and charged towards his nephew. Before he could reach him Caitlin caught hold of his arm, and forced him to a standstill. Confused as to why the issue of camels was so sensitive, she was amused by what she correctly perceived to be semi-affectionate teasing, and was (almost) certain that Jonathon wouldn't have whacked Alex.
Letting go of him again, she tried to reassure the men. "We had planned to stop at the small oasis of Akahdan in the jeep for a brief rest, before reaching the larger oasis of Akan tonight. Now, we're just going to have to walk to Akahdan, which we should reach… (she squinted at the sun) just about half an hour before sun down, and we'll camp there for the night. We can carry what we need with us – the tents and other things are light. Tommorow we'll start walking to Akan, which should take us just under two days, and once there we'll buy camels off the Hayen traders who'll be there."
"And how do you know that there will be any traders there?" Jonathon was not easily convinced, and his imagination began to work overtime. "We might have to spend the rest of our lives camped at this oasis of yours, or we might just give up, and start walking out into the burning desert, slowly getting more and more thirsty…"
Caitlin interrupted him, trying to keep herself from laughing. "I know that the traders will be there. There are three different groups who come to the oasis, each for four months, and each leaves as the next group arrive. Because I know which month it is, I even know which group it will be, but, rest assured there will be someone there." Trying to reassure him, she added "When you've lived in the desert your whole life you learn the things that will help you, such as the timing of traders arrivals, and the routes they will take."
"It's like memorising the bus timetable for Picadilly" Alex added his (smirking) reassurance. Jonathon scowled again. "I've never been on a bus" Caitlin said thoughtfully. "You haven't missed much" Alex assured her. Jonathon stared at the girl for a moment. It had been obvious from when they'd met properly on the train that Caitlin was trying to hide something, and Jonathon kept feeling that she was somehow familiar, a feeling which was even more strong at the moment. Then the two younger people moved to start unloading the back of the Jeep and Jonathon shrugged mentally. It would come to him in time.
At the Akan oasis
Caitlin stared in wonder at Jonathon, who was engaged in a screaming match with a camel trader, jumping up and down as he yelled, and waving his arms. She had once heard the expression "hopping mad" but she'd never seen it before. The pair were surrounded by most of the other traders, enjoying the spectacle. "Does he need any help?" she whispered to Alex. He grinned "Uncle Jonathon always does this, he enjoys it. He gets more flamboyant every time. Dad says that it's some sort of tradition." She nodded absently, but her attention had fixed on the leader of the camp. He didn't look obviously worried, but there was something…
"Is everything okay?". She focused on Alex's face again, and was surprised by the mixture of emotions that went through her as she met his eyes, which were fixed on her in concern. She pulled in a strangled breath, then tried to regain her scattered wits. "I don't know" she replied, impressed by his perceptiveness. Moving towards the man, she said absently "Stay here." Alex smiled, not offended by her ordering him, and thought instead of her beautiful smoky grey eyes.
"I greet you" Caitlin said to the leader, using the language of her people rather than his. The leader's eyes narrowed, then he greeted her in return. "There is something which concerns you" she stated. The man hesitated, then replied "Not something, but rather nothing, or the absence of something."
She frowned, trying to understand what he meant, then she nodded. "Areas which should have some tracks, but all have been removed. Signs which have been too perfectly hidden" she concluded. The leader nodded, obviously relieved at not having to spell it out. "When it is coupled with one sighting of something, which may or may not be truly anything, it is disturbing. We have warned those who guard" he said, using the other name used to refer to the Med-jai.
She nodded her thanks, then walked back to rejoin the others, wondering if going on was such a good idea. Jonathon was just closing the deal, gaining three camels for a surprisingly good amount. "Everything sorted?" he enquired, with a look of obviously false innocence. Again she was impressed, and vowed not to underestimate the two men. Although he had been seemingly engrossed in the trade/argument, he had still noticed that she had gone to talk to someone, and had also noticed that she looked concerned. She hesitated, then finally said "We should be careful, from now on". The two men nodded their agreement.