Chapter 4: First Trouble
"From here it's going to be dangerous", Janara informed her travel companion after riding through the hot desert for an hour.
"In this area travellers are often attacked by bandits and only a few escape alive."
"Oh, great! Is there no other way? One that's less dangerous?", Iago asked upset.
"Of course there's another way", Janara replied. "But if we want to find Cassim, we'll have to take the same way like him and his kidnappers. And now please be quiet, I don't want to be surprised by bandits."
Astonishingly Iago obeyed this order without protest.
While they were talking they had ridden into a canyon. To both sides giant stonewalls loomed up and even covered the sun. Although it became pleasantly cool nearby, Janara and Iago couldn't really relax. They had the unpleasant feeling of being watched and in that canyon they were easy prey, because there was no escape route. Janara urged on her horse to a fast trot to leave this dangerous place as quickly as possible.
But when they approached the end of the canyon, suddenly some figures on horses appeared right on the road. Everyone had a large sword or saber and blocked the way out.
"Oh, oh", Janara murmured.
"Yeah, and look who's behind us!", Iago yelled in panic.
The girl timidly turned around and saw five more bandits blocking the way back.
"What are we gonna do?!", the frightened bird shouted into her ear.
Janara drew her weapon, a light, slightly rosted sword, and saying "Hold on!", she spurred her horse and galloped towards the three bandits before her. The men, who had sneered when Janara drew her sword, got a bit unsure now, since they hadn't expected any resistance. The leader barked:
"Don't let her escape!"
The next moment Janara was between them and tried to parry the strokes of the bandits with her sword. Iago clung to her shoulder and ducked screaming. Since Janara's horse just kept galloping and couldn't be stopped, the fight took only a few seconds and the next moment they were free again. Now the bandits were behind them and they could leave the canyon.
"Go, Fengari!", Janara urged on her horse, which actually got a bit faster than she already was. But the bandits didn't give up and chased after them.
Fengari galloped over the desert sand and whirled up a dust cloud, but the pursuers couldn't be shaken off.
"They're catching up!", Iago cried.
Janara had a brief look over her shoulder and had to discover that Iago was right. In a few minutes the bandits would catch up, and then they would be lost. There was only one chance left....
Janara forced her horse to stop and turn. Then she waited.
"What are you doing? Why did you stop?", Iago exclaimed.
But Janara only shook her head. When the bandits had come close enough, she stretched out her arms and closed the eyes. She imagined the sand in front of her would be a part of her body, like her arms. She could feel every single grain of sand, could feel the vibration the hooves of the galloping horses caused. Once she thought she had enough control over the sand, she slowly lifted her arms. And with them the sand before the frightened bandits lifted as well. Iago gasped and protectively held his wings before his face, because some sand also hit him and the sorceress, but Janara didn't notice it. An awful weight rested on her arms and her mind now, and she quickly got tired. But what she had done so far wasn't enough yet. She made the sand whirl around wildly, and totally frightened the bandits` horses. The scared animals bucked and ran away in all directions.
Only when the last bandit had disappeared, Janara dropped her arms and the sand. She collapsed completely exhausted in the saddle and gasped for air. The charm had taken the last bit of strength out of her. Iago looked around in surprise one moment and exclaimed:
"You really let them have it! That was incredible, Janara! … Janara?", the parrot asked uncertainly when he noticed how pale and weak his companion suddenly looked.
"Are you alright, kid?"
Janara slowly opened her eyes and whispered:
"The charm... was a little strenuous. I never... did something like that… before."
"But you'll be fine again soon, won't you?", Iago inquired anxiously.
"Yes... I just have to… rest a little... sleep a little. The best would be... right here."
"Here? That's impossible! What if the bandits return? And besides, it will be getting dark soon. We need to pitch camp."
Janara just wanted to slip from the horse and sleep on the spot, but unfortunately Iago was right. Reluctantly she agreed with the bird and urged on Fengari to a cosy trot. Soon they had left the place of the attack behind.
After he was sure that Janara wouldn't fall off the horse from exhaustion, Iago flew a few feet ahead to look for a suitable place for a camp. When the setting sun already colored the horizon red, he finally found the ruins of a former settlement. Only the walls were left, but they would offer sufficient protection from wind and wild animals.
A little later Janara dismounted the horse, unsaddled and tied her to an old post. Afterwards she fell down tired, leaned to a wall and closed the eyes. Finally she could sleep!
"What, won't you prepare some food? And shouldn't we make a fire?", the loud voice of Iago penetrated her tired mind. Reluctantly opening her eyes again she said:
"Why don't you go gather some wood for the fire? I'll take care of the meal in the meantime."
Iago flew away to fulfill his task and Janara looked to the bags with their stock. They seemed so far away and Janara wanted to rest only one moment, before she got the food. But when she closed her eyes, she immediately fell into a deep, restful sleep.
It didn't take Iago long to find enough firewood for the night. He already looked forward to a tasty dinner, but when he returned to their camp with the wood between his claws, Janara hadn't moved an inch. While approaching her, Iago noticed that she was snoring.
"Well, great", the parrot muttered and threw the wood on the ground. "Do I have to take care of everything?"
Grumbling something like "And probably I'm supposed to watch over us, too?" , he went to the bags and got flint, in order to kindle a fire. After the wood finally burned and he had eaten something, he sat down beside Janara and watched the flames. The crackling of the burning branches and the silence of the night made him sleepy, and so it happened that Iago fell into slumber.
Waking up the next morning, Janara felt wonderfully rested and lively. She briefly looked around for Iago, until she noticed that the little bird, wrapped up in her cape, snuggled up to her and slept peacefully.
Janara gently smiled and slipped off her cape, in order not to wake the parrot. Then she got up and decided to take care of her horse first. The girl got water and poured some into an empty trough for Fengari. While the horse drank eagerly, Janara let her gaze wander over the lonely desert. The sun was still low and its mild light colored the sand golden. Except of the noise of the drinking horse no sound could be heard, everything was quiet and peaceful. Janara loved the morning atmospere in the desert and her thoughts drifted off.
But suddenly she noticed a golden glitter in the sand beside a collapsed wall. She curiously approached the sparkling something and reached for it. After having released it from the sand, she looked carefully at it. It was a large golden disk with a clasp on the back. An opened hand was worked out in front.
Surprised and turning this strange piece of jewelry back and forth Janara went back to their camp. Iago had woken up in the meantime and now saw that the girl held something in her hands. Something that glittered golden. The bird immediately flew to Janara and perched on her shoulder.
"What do you have there? Let me see!"
"I found it over there in the sand. Do you know what it is?", she asked Iago and handed him the jewelry.
When he saw the symbol of the hand on the front, he recognized it.
"That is Cassim's clip! He must have lost it! He was here!", Iago exclaimed.
"So the kidnappers actually travelled on the East Road. We're going the right way!"
"So what are you waiting for? Come on, pack up, we have to leave!"
Janara was infected by Iago's enthusiasm, and so the two of them, after having a hasty breakfast, went with new courage on the search for Cassim.