Caw stirred, limbs aching. The poison was out of her system, but it had left her feeling frigid and frail, as if she was a ninety-year-old. The fire had died down in the early hours of the morning, leaving the hut cold. Eventually the sun would creep over the horizon and warm it up, along with the rest of the city, but it wasn’t there yet. Caw tightened the blanket around her and curled up. Another reason she loved travelling. Rock always slept next to her when they travelled. Something else Oak would not approve of, but out in the wilderness there was nothing she could do to stop it. The pairing season had already passed. Every year Rock ensured he was out on a hunting party, or with Caw on a mission, just so he could miss the festival. He turned down every potential mate Oak suggested to him. And yet, he only slept next to her when they were beyond the walls of the city. Those nights, she could forget that he had never even moved to kiss her, and pretend that they were paired.

“Caw? You up yet?”

How was he dressed and up already? Caw groaned and rolled over.

“Give me a moment,” she called out, scrambling to get ready.

Rock waited at the door with an orange in his hands. “Here,” he said, tossing it to her.

“Wow. Where did you get this?”

“I went for a run this morning, found a little oasis a few miles out.”

“Of course you did,” she laughed.

They headed up to the spire together. A small crowd were gathered around it, people waiting patiently, chatting to each other about the weather and such. It looked as if every family had come out. It was expected from the elders, but not the rest of the families. Word must have spread over the course of the afternoon and evening.

“Has there been any news from Ash and Fig?” one old aunty asked another.

“I heard the army is the largest ever seen!”

“Forty thousand huan, I heard.”

Through the whispers and mumbles, the door at the base of the spire opened, and out stepped Oak and a group of elder Senlin.

“Everyone,” Oak called, silencing the crowd.

“My cherished ones,” she continued. “Now that we are together, myself and the elders have an important announcement. My son has returned with news of the huan. As we speak, an army is crossing the Eastern mountains.”

A gasp rose from the crowd. A few turned to glimpse at Rock. Oak raised a hand. “I’m sure you know already that Ash and Fig have stayed behind to track them. From what we can tell, they are heading towards the land of Gen, and will pass our land in a few days. It appears to be another huan squabble. We should be safe here in the city.”

She paused to give the people time to mutter amongst themselves for a moment, before gesturing for silence once more.

“The elders and I will perform a mirage ritual once Ash and Fig have returned. That should ensure the city is hidden, but please do not be complacent during this time. Everyone must remain indoors as much as possible. And no one is to leave the city walls until the danger has passed. Rock and his hunters will ensure we have food for the duration. Anyone low on grain must inform their family elder, and they will petition us for more. No one will go hungry during this time, that is my promise.”

Caw stifled a groan and glanced at Rock. He kept his jaw set and said nothing.

“If you have anything to say, speak now,” said Oak. For a second, Caw thought she imagined Oaks' eyes flicker in her direction.

A young man stepped forward, all freckles and thick auburn hair, and raised his hand. “What of the camels?” he asked. “Where will we hide them?”

“They can be brought into the city once we know how close the army is,” Oak replied. “We will keep them at the central oasis, there should be enough space, and plenty of water for them.”

The man nodded, satisfied with the answer given.

A woman with a babe on her bosom raised a hand. “How long should this last?”

“Many armies have passed this desert over the years,” replied Oak, “and they have all passed quickly, within days, and without incident. That said, none have been so close to the Anquan before. The mountain path is usually too treacherous for an army, so we have not expected their arrival. This is why we are taking such precautions.”

The woman also nodded and raised her hand in a thank you gesture. No one else spoke.

“In the meantime,” said Oak, “please continue with your daily lives. If anyone has concerns, I am free to hear them after the sun reaches its peak.”

The crowd obediently dispersed, muttering and chatting with each other. The old ladies and aunties all headed towards the oasis with their laundry baskets. Caw realised she had left her own soiled clothes back in her hut. There were more important things, anyway.

She turned to Rock. “That’s a fly in the ointment.”

He chuckled. “Yes, yes, it is. Oh well. At least for the time being, you can’t cause me any headaches.”

“But I need to go back to that village. There’s so many scrolls there, ancient ones. They could contain important information about our history!”

“You can wait a few days, Caw.”

Groaning, she kicked a pebble. It darted down the pathway and disappeared behind a building. “What’s the point of being a historian if I can’t investigate our history? We’re in a crumbling city we didn’t even build, speaking a language not native to our ancestors. We’ve lost so much of ourselves already, and some huan pass over the nearest mountain and we’re put into lockdown!”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Rock replied. “It won’t be long. Soon we’ll be out in the woods again. Once Fig and Ash are back, we’ll know what we’re dealing with.”