"So why are we stopping so early in the day Jelani?"

Zuberi had brought the caravan off the rough, rocky dirt road and off to a spot near the river that was covered in soft grass and lush reeds. Birds waded around the reeds dipping their beaks while others dove down at the water and with a crash sent water flying as they yanked their prey free before flying off with it.

Insects and other creatures of every sort and size skittered about somewhere within view while their calling filled the air with a minor but ever present din. There was no denying that this little stretch was beautiful with its lush, colorful plant-life along the banks, the wild flowers filling the air with various scents that wafted freely while scraggly trees with their own blooms rivaled them.

It was the perfect place to camp.

"You smell like dead animal."

Verik twitched a second when Asha filled in the gaps as to why they had stopped, everyone was gathering near Zuri who had a jar out while others gathered large, flat leaves before lining up, joining them they carried their own while he stared at the goop Zuri was portioning out.

"I was not aware my... "Aroma" was so pronounced."

"Blood smell bad, you covered in it still, no soap to wash away good."

Jelani wrinkled her nose at him before looking away.

"We all smell but used to it, you though smell worse, cloak soak up much blood and already smell bad, now you reek."

"I imagine if you walked into your village right now they would say the same of you."

"Yes, that why Zuberi stop us here, we bathe before going to Wete."

"Why stop so far away?"

"Nice place, safe place. We there tomorrow morning."

"So that goop is soap?"

Asha accepted her portion then Jelani and Verik received theirs, he stared down at it and rubbed it around a little with a finger. The large leaves they had all gathered were merely soap dishes, Jelani nodded at his question before giving him a shove towards the river where the rest had fanned out slightly along one spot.

"Nothing in that water that bites? Say a crocodile?"

"No. Now bathe, you smell bad."

"Never complained before."

"Not polite, now you bathe."

This left Verik with a little problem as communal bathing was most certainly not something he engaged in nor ever would. Everyone else cared less but he was not about to just strip and wade in till waist deep.

Wandering further away and towards some reeds that would provide cover between himself and the others first he began to strip off his armaments and clothing. Perhaps it was second nature now to always carry a weapon or even weapons as he had brought just about everything with him just so he could bathe.

Thinking it over it was somewhat funny, already Zebrica had left its mark on him by leaving a paranoid streak present in the back of his mind. Who knew, maybe something would pop out of the water and try to eat him but who knew anymore.

Movement made him freeze and stare to his left as Asha slipped into the water near him. She never did leave his side unless she had too and now she had followed him away from the others and seemed intent on bathing as close to him as possible. Turning to see who else had tagged along he watched Jelani enter the water farther down before beginning to scrub herself of blood, grime and anything else that had moved in.

"I would like you to know that bathing with others present is not something I do. Ever."

Asha just stared at him quizzically.

"Where I come from we never bathe together."

"Why?"

"It would be impolite and I for one like my privacy."

She stared him over a moment before quirking an eyebrow.

"You hide something?"

"No, I just like my privacy."

"You no worry, just bathe, no one spy."

Verik just stared a moment before turning away as she finished tugging off her top which was glued to her fur via weeks of sweat and grime. Apparently nothing was seen as indecent when it came to bathing as a large group which was very quaint and maybe just the way they were culturally, but it was not something he was going to do anyway.

Wandering a little farther off and towards a large grouping of dense reeds he finished stripping then walked out into the water till it was waist deep then began to scrub down. Sure enough his two "companions" did not bat an eye nor stare at him, both were too busy scrubbing and undoing their braided manes.

A thought struck him as an aroma filled his nose: his clothes needed washing. Badly.

Hopefully there would be enough of this scentless soap to last and after scrubbing himself down he washed his hair and beard before ducking under the water to rinse the soap out.

When you are underwater sounds tend to carry, to amplify themselves in some ways but become horribly distorted making things get rather eerie. While the Sawan River was rather clean it was still murky enough that one could not see terribly far and while under water some distorted sounds reached his ears.

Opening his eyes he saw that the water was clear enough to give him a straight view to where Asha was as she now beat out her "clothing" in the water. Staring a moment while wondering if her rags would survive the washing he got a good glimpse of many other things. Swinging away from this zebra anatomy lesson he found himself facing the reeds.

Looking down at the fish that wove through the reeds and along the muddy river bottom he caught a glimpse of color that did not belong.

Rising from the water carefully and turning away slowly he stared at Asha intently till her motions slowed. Motioning her to move back he moved out of the water and towards his pile of clothing and weapons, when he lifted his spear she backed off further and called to Jelani who watched intently as he went back into the water.

"Fishing?"

He stared at Jelani a moment before giving her a sarcastic response of "yes, just fishing."

Returning to the water he walked out quietly then quickly submerged himself and looked for whatever he had seen. It was gone and nothing moved so he moved closer before using the spear to part the reeds a little then caught another glimpse, he recognized what he saw.

Emerging and walking up the bank he turned abruptly then slashed at the reeds with his spear. Jelani popped from the water farther down and grabbed her own weapon and came running as he began to poke into the reeds.

Ignoring her shouting for a moment he kept scanning the greenery before movement brought his spear to the right and following it he yelled at whatever was in the reeds.

"This joke I smack you!"

"Something is in there, saw a leg."

Without missing a beat Jelani rounded him and called out before stabbing into the reeds herself then started to fling threats to whoever was hiding.

There was a heavy pause as they listened to rustling and some arguing before the first body rose up enough for them to just wake out to top of their head. Moving forward slowly the equine left the reeds, nearly tripping as the shackles around their legs kept them from running. Verik watched the next emerge much like the first and stared at them a moment, it was no wonder they had not tried to swim away as they would have drowned with their bindings in place.

"Escaped slaves."

Jelani lowered her spear some and motioned for them to move aside then looked back at Verik.

"Sefu watch them for now, finish bathing first."

With the two prisoners shuffling along in front of her he watched the two move along and towards the wagons where a few others watched and waited. They were covered from head to hoof in mud and grime making it hard to make them out but both were clearly male for obvious reasons. Beyond that it was impossible to tell in their current state.

Walking into the reeds and smacking randomly just to make certain no one had opted to stay hidden he quickly returned to his clothing pile then dropped his spear. Snatching his clothes up he hurriedly returned to the water and began to scrub out his clothing as best he could while Asha stared before returning to her own washing for a minute.

"I wash, you go see what happening."

Asha beckoned at the wagons where others gathered to see what was happening, Jelani was explaining things to Sefu while the two slaves sat on the grass waiting.

"Thank you Asha."

She smiled and waved him off as he left the water then dropped his clothing in a pile closer to where she was washing before tying on one of his "clean" rags he was now using as temporary underwear . Hurrying along he met up with the others and realized that just a few minutes of washing made a clear difference to the air around the caravan.

Those who had not bathed yet well and truly stuck out as the air was filled with a reek he assumed only equines could have while the others gave off no smell at all now. Jelani had finished explaining to Sefu when he joined the little gathering curious to see how they would handle this matter.

As it turned out matters were handled about as straight forward as possible. Names, where they were from, how they got away and other simple questions were raised along with how long ago and had anyone come looking for them yet. Hazarding a guess at why the last question was asked Verik guessed that if the Wete were caught with these two it would spell great trouble for them, especially if they set them free and were caught afterwords.

Altayih did most of the talking while his companion just waited having resigned himself to whatever fate awaited them, that or he was just too tired and bored to care at this point. Both were Arabian's and male, a little short compared to what he had seen but as questions kept flowing their rather brief story unraveled itself.

Both had been free then captured in different areas, Shahid was taken from his village then sold while Altayih was grabbed by slavers along a road up North. Both wound up in Mjesani about two months back before being sold once more to a noble family in Iuny where they managed to escape a few days ago. How? By using a bundle of driftwood as a makeshift mini-life safer.

Working on the docks had provided them the opportunity as they worked together then when the fateful hunk of wood came by they took their chance and dropped into the water. Managing to not drown each other was an issue but they pulled it off and got away without being seen or an alarm being raised, Shahid guessed their owners thought they drowned as another had the week before, the older slave had just walked off the pier and into the river holding a large rock then rode it to the bottom.

Either way it worked out for them but the shackles remained an issue as it was impossible to remove them from their legs or hands. There was enough room in the hands to allow them to work and paddle to a degree but not enough to do much else.

What to do with them? Zuberi wanted to send them on their way immediately while Sefu wanted to at least break them free first. There were no tools for it Zuberi argued, Wete is just half a day away came the counter, if caught with these slaves in Wete... They are already dead, who would come looking?

"Why not claim ownership of them? It is not like anyone is going to actually care or look into matters, give us a chance to break the shackles off at any rate. Besides, it will take us what... Half a day to resolve this?"

Heads turned to Verik including their two prisoners.

"Wete not keep slaves."

"I do. As of now at any rate, I am not Wete remember? Anyone challenges it they are up a creek without a paddle as they have no proof."

Sefu hummed a moment before shrugging then looked down at their captives.

"We set you free, what you do?"

Altayih really did not know as just getting free would be miracle enough right now but Shahid had a quest he was intent on embarking on: his sister Alriyah was still locked up somewhere in Iuny. They had been captured and sold together but broken up at Iuny between two different households. He fully intended to go back and find her and then break her out.

No one challenged it except Zuberi who looked as if he was getting near wits end and about to bust a vein with all the trouble his little caravan was having, but he finally agreed to allowing them to remain then breaking them free of their shackles later. After which Shahid could go his own way and Altayih could figure it out on his own, preferably somewhere else.

"Well if these two belong to me the first order is take a bath, you two look like escaped slaves, which you are, but if someone wanders down that road looking for trouble I would prefer it if you at least looked like someone was keeping you."

Shahid narrowed his amber eyes in a glare while his companion snickered at him a little before standing and shuffling towards the river with the other in tow.

"You have slaves on your world?"

"Plenty of nations have them outright but under different names, where I came from though almost everyone but the richest were wage slaves."

"What is wage slave?"

"One who works till they drop dead from exhaustion trying to make just enough to pay the bills while pretending to be free by spending beyond their means on frivolous junk."

Sefu and Jelani hummed at this before agreeing that it sounded somewhat similar to the Wete, they worked for much of the same ends but had nothing left over afterwords.

Asha returned with his laundry not long after and handed it over allowing him to quickly wrap himself in a soaking wet cloak to hide from the sun. It was like having an air conditioner strapped to his body, at least until it dried.

Shahid and Altayih returned from the river eventually then stood in front of Verik before giving a sarcastic "master" to him as their greeting. Both were thin, dangerously so, they had not been slaves for very long but whoever had owned them certainly did not care a great deal about keeping them alive as their bones showed through their sides slightly.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Stole some food in village farther back-"

An elbow jabbed Altayih in the side.

"Alright listen, I dont really give a damn if you stole from the village back there but if you steal one thing from us or at Wete I will gut the both of you, understood?"

They nodded quickly as his threatening proclamation garnered a good deal of attention from the others including Asha and Jelani. Sefu however just gave of a sort of laugh before departing to take his own bath with the last group.

Verik looked them over and pondered how to feed them before realizing something.

"Food... So that is why Zuberi agreed..."

Verik had walked into a trap of sorts: Zuberi had only agreed to allow them to come along but never to feeding them and since they were Verik's property now it was his problem; the buck had been passed.

"Either of you good at foraging?"

Altayih slightly raised his shackled hands while Asha offered to help as well. She told them that along the riverbank finding food would not be terribly hard this time of year and with any luck they would have enough to last for a few days.

Curious to see what kind of forage was available he waved them off and followed with Asha in the lead. Wandering along the bank and through the heavy growth she pointed out plants to Shahid who followed her instructions while Verik just watched quietly memorizing the plants and hoping they were edible to him as well. If not things might get rather slim between hunting or fishing expeditions.

Happiness came home when Altayih found some wild vegetables and fruits resulting in a harvesting frenzy that brought over some members of the caravan. It almost turned into a fight over foraging rights until Jelani made them go somewhere else as these two needed it more than them.

One frenzy later the area had been canvassed by all parties then everything brought back to the camp. Verik had to give up his cloak so they had something to carry it in then after returning his two new "acquisitions" dove into their pile while Asha put her own share to one side for later.

"Dont you send out foraging expeditions if you are this starved?"

Asha stared at Verik before shaking her head slowly.

"No, not anymore, too busy clearing fields or building huts. Too tired to forage, also very hard to find, we lucky."

Turning his attention back to his captives he watched them quietly as they tore into their food pile with great gusto.

Watching these two eat was like witnessing two starved piranhas devour a helpless victim, he prodded them as to why they had not foraged before and between mouthfuls they explained they wanted to stay out of sight. They had been planning to forage this time around but a certain caravan had come along and stopped them. Neither did it help that they almost got caught in Miwani by the locals while searching for tools to break free, rather than stick around and risk recapture they had decided to flee.

As Verik continued to watch them quietly he surmised it was much like the blind leading the blind as neither had a plan as what to do except to just run like hell and hope they got away. Lacking a plan also meant they starved more often than they should have as they blundered from one situation to another.

Almost like Zuberi's caravan really.

"You let us go when we get to Wete?"

Verik stared at Shahid quietly before nodding.

"Yes of course, why?"

Shahid put his hands up quickly before going back to eating.

"Grateful but curious, no one capture slave then let them go free, you claim us then just let us go..."

"Right. Here."

The two stared at the raggedly bits of cloth Verik tossed to them.

"Put that on for the time being, once your free I want it back though, had to cut throats and nearly get killed to get the money... Coin, for those rags."

Staring at each other they looked up at him for the first time in earnest, searching him in an attempt to figure him out.

"What are you?"

"Just a man who is trying to find his little piece of the world to call home." Verik thought for a moment before tapping his spear. "I am also a mercenary."

Blatant prevarication but with a twinge of truth to it considering his circumstances but for every time he told it more would come to believe it thus solidifying his story with anyone who heard it. Eventually the story would pass through many ears and mouths till he had built a name for himself even if he never lifted a finger.

"A mercenary would never let slave go free, they would turn them in for the reward or keep-"

Verik cut Altayih off quickly.

"I am not your average mercenary as you can clearly see. Now you... Shahid, yes? How exactly are you going to free your sister assuming you can even find her?"

It was curiosity but bringing that up made others gather to hear this tidbit of juicy news that would inevitably circulate wildly through the grape vine when they reached Wete. Everyone wanted to know how a half starved slave was going to liberate his sister from the clutches of someone unknown.

"Alriyah sold, heard them say she make good servant so know she work for wealthy noble, means she being kept on western side of Iuny where rich live. Guards lazy at gate, sneak it then steal clothing and search for her. Find her and we run."

Well that is simple but will probably end in tears...

"You do realize they will not allow you just... Take, your sister and leave."

"I kill them."

"With what."

Shahid froze a moment before looking around.

"Steal weapon."

Verik could see where this was going before it even began: Half starved former slave sneaks in, steals clothing to wear in hopes of hiding his tribal marking from former owners and others... Begins spying on houses to find his sister and probably gets noticed by them along the way if not captured outright in the process or aftermath of stealing said clothing... All the while wearing said stolen clothing in the same place he stole them.

But it got worse: Shahid would then try to figure out which mansion, steal a weapon from somewhere which would most likely amount to the easiest stolen. This lovely train wreck would then continue with him trying to break his shackled sister out without being caught by the guards who probably watch the slaves meaning a fight or throat cutting.

Somehow if he got this far this brave little five foot seven chestnut colored Arabian would try to slip away to break the shackles but that meant breaking into a blacksmiths shop... Assuming the blacksmith did not wake up from the clatter or if he was stupid: the sound of metal being beaten into submission, the race would be on.

Perhaps he would try to flee the city through the gates? That would end horribly, the second they saw the shackles all hell would break loose. Slip out via water? Steal a river craft then go where? Miwani sure as heck would notice as they almost had, maybe they would help them, maybe not especially since the craft he stole would probably belong to Tasid somehow.

Staring at Shahid as he sat back staring straight into the eyes of his temporary "owner," Verik pondered all the possibilities of how this disaster of a plan would end before finally opening his mouth and detailing everything he figured Shahid would try to do along with the natural conclusions.

Disbelief filled faces as they stared at him when he finished explaining everything that was wrong with this botched plan of his but Shahid just stuttered for a minute before finally forming words.

"How you know I plan that!?"

"I have read one too many books I guess, that and logical deduction because no one is just going to allow you to walk in there and take her."

"I still get sister!"

"Yes, I do not doubt for a second that if you were never caught you would spend the rest of your life breaking into every building you thought she was being held in till you either succeeded or died of old age.”

"Then why you object?"

"Never said I objected to your plan, at least in theory... If you care that much about your sister I wish you the best of luck and sincerely hope you succeed but keep this in mind: if you die trying or worse get captured you are useless to her. While I should not be one to talk I ask if you know how to fight."

"No..."

"Right, well its your life and once you are free do as you will but never breath a word of your friend here to anyone or the Wete, if you go and get captured they will probably torture you till they get what they want. After everything I have seen not for one second do I doubt they would not or do even worse."

"I still go!"

"Yes, I hope you DO go and try to save your sister because if you turned back now despite all the problems you are facing it would only prove you are a very poor excuse of a brother and a shallow one at that. What I want you to do is think things out more than you have. Form a real plan before just marching into Iuny and trying to steal her back."

Shahid stared a moment before nodding slowly.

"And you, once free what are you going to do?"

Altayih shrugged.

"Maybe stay at Wete, maybe keep walking and see where I go."

"Wanderer hmm?"

A snicker was the response at first before Altayih explained to a confused Verik that his name meant exactly that: wanderer.

Having two extra bodies to help pull the wagons along was helpful but bickering with Zuberi to at least pay the two Arabians for their effort took a little doing. After an agreement was reached he allowed it and while the sum was rather pathetic it was at least something to work with once they were free.

Zuberi had not been pleased however when he heard that Shahid was planning to try and free his sister which could lead him back to the Wete. Verik however made Shahid swear that no matter how much torture they put him under if captured to just say he stole the tools from Miwani then returned them before anyone noticed. That would be the price of not keeping him shackled thus preventing him from going on his noble but foolhardy quest.

Altayih had been the second prickle in his hide by saying he planned on staying for a time but once again it was out of Zuberi's hands as only Tendaji could ultimately decide their fate. It was decided though that Altayih and Shahid would go first followed by Verik since the last would probably result in some rather long and interesting arguments.

While everything was relatively flat along their side of the river it was devoid of actual tall, standing trees for the most part but instead was covered in dense, scraggy brush trees. The terrain leading to Wete got rougher now and the amount of arable land dropped drastically along the last leg till they rounded a final bend in the river.

Bending their way around a low hill the village came into view for the first time and as Verik stared at the place he would call home for at least one night, at least until he was either allowed to stay or ordered to leave. He wondered about his life choices.

Irrigation was unheard of here, Wete sat on a long hill that ran parallel to the river thus avoiding any flooding. On the flip side the flood plain was very small and would only provide a small amount of food which from the looks of the older village would be sufficient. Now however it was not, new huts had sprung up everywhere there was room to stick them and even out in areas that were being cleared for fields.

Two larger huts sat on the hill as the road they were on narrowed then ran through the center of the village, winding its way lazily past them before ending somewhere just beyond the outskirts of the old village.

As for their fields...

Every attempt was being made to clear a massive swath of land for farming but the lack of tools made it difficult then was compounded by the lack of water. Like ants the villagers walked in two rows back and forth from the river to their fields with water containers trying to bring its life giving touch to the dusty, barren wasteland they called a field.

Whatever they were growing here was having trouble due to the lack of water and barren soil but they tried anyway and as he watched the gears ground quickly as to how he could fix this, after all his future depended on being able to convince them he could improve things.

As plans began to form in his head Asha happily patted his arm with a smile on her face as she pointed off into the distance at the ratty huts that lined the hill.

"My hut there! By road! Next to big hut!"

"Tendaji's hut?"

"No, Nuru."

"Any reason the other huts are further away except for yours?"

"Scared of Nuru. But she nice!"

That meant the other big one was the chieftains hut... When Sefu dropped his bombshell on Verik about his brother being the chief it made him both a little relaxed and worried at the same time. But then again having the chiefs brother speaking on his behalf in a positive light (he hoped) would be a boon.

However, Sefu had his doubts and thus other gears were about to start grinding to make certain everything went as smoothly as possible.

Getting closer they had to make the chain of water carriers halt their efforts so the wagons could pass along the road which resulted in a few waves but most took the chance to rest, lowering their heavy burdens to the ground and slumping down to rest even if only for a minute.

It was not nearly as much trouble to go up the small hill as he thought it would be but once at the top it leveled off, the wagons were pushed into an area farther down where tall, round mud brick buildings stood. Granaries he was told, one had to climb a ladder to get inside because if it just sat at ground level the mice would easily get in, not that they could not climb either he guessed but whatever worked.

"For all the people I saw there are not many huts."

"Not enough, some have three families to a hut, still making more but take time to dry bricks properly, more important to clear fields though."

Verik nodded as Asha explained before he finally realized he had nowhere to stay but then again it would not matter if he was told to pack it up and hit the road.

One thing at a time, first convince Nuru and Tendaji then work on a place to stay...

Sefu walked up and collected the two newest members of the caravan before leading them off, Verik was told to wait until he returned. Rather than lead them towards the little blacksmith hut however the warrior led them both straight to the large hut and after speaking pushed the two inside.

Their fate is their own now.

Looking around at the older huts most were showing signs of decay as the old, sun bleached thatch that formed their roves threatened to cave in. The real eye opener had been Asha's little hut which they nearly passed on their way in, it sat off on a side path along with Nuru's hut so he had been unable to get a good glimpse but what he did see of it...

A young zebra emerged along the path leading to the larger hut farther down and walking briskly she made a straight line for Verik before halting in front of him then looked him over with a half-disbelieving stare.

"You come, Nuru waiting."

"Eh?"

"Deaf? You come."

She beckoned to him to follow as she walked away with Verik in tow, completely confused before Jelani quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. A jar was shoved into his chest then a push given along with a nod, hurrying after her he caught up just outside the hut where she waited before making a quick motion for him to go inside.

How did they know he was coming in advance? Verik stared at the huts "door" for a moment before sighing , pushing the cloth aside and then stepping through the low portal.

This was going to be interesting.

Author's Notes:

Had some spare time to edit the chapter this week. Enjoy!
As to anyone who points out that certain ones have incorrect English or grammar when they talk... That is 100% on purpose. Language translation is a fickle thing and words never line up like they do in English which I am portraying here. That or their lack of a larger vocabulary in general. Example: Shahid and Altayih. Both Arabians but two different levels of language.