Ahmad had not meant to fall asleep. Not having slept in close to two days, his intention had been just to lie down for a minute or two of rest, but the darkness coupled with the soft whisper of the wind through the tall grass had lulled him into a light sleep. He lay on his side with his head pillowed on the seat of his saddle. His dagger lay sheathed on the soft earth under his hand. He awoke with a start. Something moved stealthily through the grasses to his right. Slowly, he unsheathed the dagger, careful not to stir otherwise and waited. Listened. The dry stalks of grass rustled slightly and stopped. Feigning sleep, Ahamd waited and watched the darkness as the sounds grew nearer. Finally, the grasses parted to reveal Yusef. There was a cool, deliberate set to his face, and his dagger was drawn.
Ahmad's grip tightened on the hilt of his own dagger.
"Cousin?" whispered Yusef. When Ahmad did not stir, he crept closer. The dagger moved nearer and nearer toward Ahmad's face and throat. Ahmad coiled his body, readying himself to strike first should the dagger come any closer. Just then, the moon sailed out from behind a curtain of clouds. The moonlight glinted off the dagger in Ahmad's hand. Yusef's face changed as though someone had drawn a mask over it. The deliberateness evaporated to be replaced by a look of friendly concern.
"Wake up, cousin," Yusef said quietly. "The moon is high. We should be moving. I fear there may be hyenas about."
"Hyenas," echoed Ahmad. He sat up.
"Yes. Hyenas." Yusef sheathed his dagger. "I think they are after the horses."
"Hyenas," Ahmad said again doubtfully.
Yusef nodded earnestly, his narrow eyes glinting in the moonlight. "They are after the horses. We should move."
Ahmad stood up and looked toward the place where the tethered horses still grazed contently, showing no sign of anxiety. His head was still fuzzy from lack of sleep, but he knew that if hyenas really stalked the small herd, they would not be scattered about on the ends of their tethers, grazing and happily swishing their tails. Even so, Ahmad had already begun to doubt what he had seen and heard there in the grasses: the stealthy sounds, the look on Yusef's face. Surely it was a dream. It had to be. Looking at Yusef, he nodded. "You're right. It's time we moved on."
They saddled their horses and were quickly underway again on the final leg of the journey that would bring them back to their tribe's encampment. As he rode, Ahmad watched the stars. If he had calculated their location correctly, they would arrive back into camp well before dawn. That would give him plenty of time. He could return the five gift horses to the tribal herd, see to the pack horse, and still have time to ride under cover of darkness to the Baobab encampment on the far side of the spring. It wasn't that he did not believe Yusef's report that the Baobab had arrived. It was just that he needed to see it for himself. In the time that had passed since he had been banished from Qirfah's presence, she had never been far from his thoughts. If he couldn't see her, he at least wanted to see her tent, to know that she was there and safe. He could do that much and no one would ever be the wiser.
Thinking of her, he gave his mount a firm kick. The horse surged forward.
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