Some small scenes that lead up the exodus – takes place after 27MAR21
13
APR/21
Finding and talking to Leo:
Wink walked with Niki out to the camp just outside of Raam. The caravan was going to leave soon. Niki had his backpack packed and he was weighed down with a lot of water. They walked through the bamboo jungle as they approached. They were burying a few bodies as they approached. Some masked elves had attacked the group the night before. This encounter was forcing them to leave today. The original plan was to leave in two days, but plans change.
The group of ten elves had attacked some guards on the edge of the camp. No one knew who sent them , but it was likely house Augustbow. The elves met a much larger group than expected. The slow drip of moving people out of the city had worked, but the illusion was now over. The caravan had lost a couple of people but all ten of the elves were dead. Most of the pack animals were filled with water and supplies. It was wise to spread your supplies out as much as possible when out in the sand.
Wink stayed on the edge of the Bamboo. Niki hugged her and started to walk towards Leo. Wink was not going with Niki or the group. She wanted to stay in Raam and help the other kids. Niki had accepted that, but he was going to make sure these people were safe. She was just standing there on the edge of the bamboo. Niki wished she would leave. It was hurting him so much leaving her. He took in a deep breath and blew it out for what seemed like minutes. His thoughts went to Selune, “what is the right cycle for me?”
Niki startled Leo when he walked up, “how are you, Leo?” Leo closed the strange saddlebags on the camel as he turned, “good. We are leaving now. I was about to lead them out to the south, towards the oasis.” Niki almost felt a wink as he said it. He hoped they did not lay it on too thick. Leo did a quick whistle and flicked his fingers a couple of times, “this in my son Milo. … this is his first trip into the sand.” Niki knew what Leo was doing all of sudden. He believed in this move. He was going to slowly move his family there. Leo looked at his son, “you are going to lead these four camels. Your job is to stay in the middle of the pack. I hope to keep you and them safe.”
Niki started to examine the camel as Leo and his two scouts started to move the caravan south. These saddle bags were made of good leather. They held four to six plants each. The center of the saddle held water that looked like it would drip out into the plants as they walked. On the top of the plants, was a fine netting material. From almost any distance, no one could tell what was in the saddle. Leo was moving some plants to the pyramid. “He is a smart, if the plants make it,” Niki thought.
Niki stood there and watched as the entire group started to move. His heart and pack weighed him down. He and Wink watched each other. She did not have tears in her eyes. Niki was not so lucky. “Why is she still here?” They had agreed that she would help them get these people out of town, but they would split up here and now. The caravan took an hour to get completely moving. Niki waited until the last person started to move. He looked back to her one last time. She had a slight smile on her face. He could not move. He watched as the last of the caravan went out of sight.
He made one step to follow them, then turned and ran back to Wink. She was smiling, “I knew you wouldn’t go.” Niki smiled back, and held up the bracelet he wore, “we are connected, … right?” They both turned and went back into Raam. They would help all the helpless within the city. Selune had spoken within Niki’s heart. It was now the season of help for the city. They would find and free slaves. They would protect the orphans. They would prepare a new group for Leo to move to the Pyramid of Ra. They would destroy house Whitehall.