True to Oak’s word, the next day Caw was released.

Legs weak from disuse, she limped through the city pathways and markets to her hut on the edge of the inner ring of the city. It was the furthest away she had been allowed to live. Oak’s ruling. All tribe members must live within the inner walls in case of an attack from outsiders, or the Shen. Raiders from Hendu, the people who had attacked her outside the Gen village. The Shen had never launched a large-scale attack on their people, as far as Caw knew. They would never attack the Anquan. It was too far away from Hendu for a start. An army would have to cross the mountains in the East, and half the desert just to find it. Survive the cold, then the heat, for what? A handful of slaves? But then, they were at the village. Gen wasn’t close to Hendu either. Oak’s words echoed through her mind. Maybe they are getting desperate enough to trespass into Gen territory.

She trotted down the paved slope. A group of children were playing in the street, kicking around a leather ball and laughing. Their guardian, a wizened old woman, draped in a blue silk robe and headscarf, sat on the step of a nearby doorway, her hands busy in a bowl of grain. Caw nodded in respect as she passed. The woman returned the gesture, smiling warmly.

Rock was waiting for Caw outside the hut with the body of a deer slumped over his shoulders, and a proud grin across his face.

“I was sure my mother would insist on keeping you another week,” he said.

“For a moment, I thought so too.”

“I brought us some food.”

“Are you preparing for a famine?”

“Very funny,” Rock replied, shifting the beast from his shoulder, letting it drop to the floor. “Now help me prepare it.”

Caw bathed after butchering the carcass. Rock had taken the head to Oak and the city elders for their rituals, and the bones he kept for making broth. The pelt he would give to the tanner, and the rest he would have distributed out; a cut of meat to every household. He would stop by to eat with her, then return to his house to sleep. Caw wished that just once, he would stay.

The hut, much like the other houses in the Anquan, had been built of baked mud and stone, with domed roofs and central chimneys. Inside was an open space with one room, with an area for sleeping, food preparation and personal storage items. Most of the Senlin kept a store of grain in their homes, but since the city was large and mostly empty, there were plenty of spare buildings. Neighbours rarely squabbled over territory.

A stew bubbled gently on a pot above the fire. Caw left it simmering while she prepared the tub and undressed. The clothes, she could wash tomorrow at the oasis with the aunties. She unpinned her headscarf and let her hair free. Washing it alone would dirty all the water, so she washed her body first. The tub had been sat by the fire for most of the evening, and the water was hot enough to redden her skin and ease her aching limbs of their exhaustion. She lay with her eyes closed, enjoying the moment. The smell of warmth and food cooking filled the air. Bunches of fragrant lavender, orange leaves and mint hung over the windows to keep the flies out. The fire flickered dancing shadows across the ceiling. Smoke twisted, twirling in the air before escaping up the chimney.

After bathing she leaned over the tub and dunked her head into the water, rinsing out all the sweat and the dirt. She wrang it out, rubbed cinnamon and lavender oil into her scalp, and combed it through to the ends. A knock at the door startled her.

“Caw?” called Rock from outside. “Can I come in?”

“Not yet,” she replied, “I’m doing my hair.”

Quickly she tugged a robe over her head and wrapped her hair with a silk scarf.

“How about now?” Rock asked from the other side of the door.

“You know the rules,” she replied. “Even my best friend doesn’t get to see my hair.”

“And yet I am allowed to know your real name.”

“Something I’m sure I will one day regret.”

She opened the door and let him in. They ate the stew together in silence, then Caw served tea and sweet honey pastries.

Rock set his tea on the floor next to him. “I should have told you this earlier.” he said,

Caw glanced up from her tea to see Rock looking at her, his dark eyes shining, almost golden, in the firelight. She felt her cheeks flush with colour and looked back down. “Oh?” she asked, hoping that he hadn’t noticed.

“I didn’t want to tell you until you were settled and feeling well enough,” he continued, “but when we were hunting, Ash saw something up in the eastern mountains, coming from the direction of Hendu.”

"Oh," she replied, crestfallen. "What did he see?"

“They sent me to scout. It took me a day to get close enough to see what Ash saw, that gift of his is something. Anyway, I saw an army, up there in the mountains. They were heading towards Gen. When we returned to Anquan, Ash and Fig stayed behind. They are tracking the army right now. Just a precaution, but we wanted to be sure of their course.”

“Have you told Oak?”

“Yes. I told her as soon as we returned. She’s planning to hold a meeting tomorrow with each of the family elders to decide what course of action we should take. I don’t think she’ll call for evacuation until Ash and Fig return.”

“That’s worrying.”

“I know,” he replied. “But Caw, I don’t want you to fret about it. I will not let anything happen to our people. The men and I -”

“Are just as vulnerable as us, Rock.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. The nameless are nearly always female. Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know,” Caw said. “I always assumed it’s because they see us as easier to control.”

“I think there is a different reason, of which I’m uncertain. But think about it, the Shen aren’t wasteful, and once they have us, they can control us regardless.”

He suddenly leaned forward, taking Caw’s hands in his. She stifled a gasp and held her chest. His eyes met hers, his jaw set and serious.

“If the army is heading for the Anquan,” he whispered, “we have agreed that the men will ride out to meet it, redirect it. It will give you all time to evacuate.”

“Don’t you think you’re being dramatic?” Caw scoffed. “We don’t even know where this army is headed. And the huan are always warring. This isn’t new.”

“Always so cavalier. It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

“Something Oak said has been on my mind. She told me that the Shen are getting more desperate. The men in the village were from Hendu.”

“Yes, they were.”

“Do you think they are actually after us, this army?”

“I do not know,” Rock replied, his voice low. “It could be as you said, just huan warring with each other. It certainly looked as if they were heading for Gen.”

They fell silent once more. Rock finished his pastry and gulped down the last of his tea. “I’d better go,” he said, standing up and dusting himself off.

“But it’s still early,” said Caw, jumping up.

“You need to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

Caw conceded. “Fine. Sleep well, Rock.”

They embraced and said their goodbyes. Caw watched as he left and walked up the winding path towards his hut. She closed the door and leaned against it. Next time, she thought. Next time I’ll be bold enough.