The next morning came with cold wind and gray skies.
Sa’ir woke to the smell of smoke and the quiet crackle of dying embers. Amina was already awake, crouched near the fire, sharpening her knife against a smooth stone.
Scrape… scrape… scrape…
Sa’ir sat up and rubbed his eyes.
“You wake up early,” he said.
Amina didn’t look up. “You sleep too deeply.”
“That’s… not a good thing, is it?”
“No,” she replied simply. “It means someone could walk into camp and you wouldn’t notice.”
Sa’ir sighed and stretched.
“Good morning to you too.”
Amina smirked slightly.
“Get up. We’re moving before the sun gets high.”
Sa’ir packed their small camp while Amina scanned the hills around them. The land ahead had changed. The open plains were gone, replaced by rocky terrain and narrow paths twisting between low ridges.
It felt… dangerous.
Sa’ir adjusted the bag on his shoulder.
“You said bandits might be here.”
Amina nodded.
“They watch the roads. Travelers are easy targets.”
“Comforting.”
She glanced at him.
“You still want to go south?”
Sa’ir didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
Amina studied him for a moment before turning back toward the path.
“Then stay close.”
The Narrow Pass
By midday they reached a narrow pass between two rocky hills.
The wind whistled through the stone walls, carrying loose dust along the ground.
Amina suddenly stopped walking.
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Sa’ir nearly bumped into her.
“What is—”
She raised a hand.
“Quiet.”
Sa’ir froze.
For several seconds there was nothing but wind.
Then he heard it.
Voices.
Faint.
Somewhere ahead.
Amina crouched behind a large rock and motioned for Sa’ir to do the same.
“Bandits,” she whispered.
Sa’ir’s heart started pounding.
“How many?”
“Three… maybe four.”
Sa’ir swallowed hard.
“And we’re going to… what exactly?”
Amina looked at him.
“Not fight them.”
“That’s a relief.”
“We’re going around.”
She slowly peeked over the rock.
“They’re watching the main road. If we climb the ridge behind us, we can pass above them.”
Sa’ir glanced at the steep rocky slope.
“That looks… difficult.”
Amina raised an eyebrow.
“You want to introduce yourself to the bandits instead?”
Sa’ir immediately stood up.
“Lead the way.”
Climbing the Ridge
The climb was slow and exhausting.
Loose stones shifted beneath Sa’ir’s boots, forcing him to grab onto rocks for balance.
Amina climbed ahead easily, moving like someone who had done this many times before.
Halfway up the ridge, Sa’ir slipped.
Amina grabbed his arm instantly.
“Careful!”
He steadied himself, breathing hard.
“Thanks…”
“Focus,” she said quietly. “One wrong step and we fall right into their camp.”
Sa’ir nodded and continued climbing.
Eventually they reached the top of the ridge.
Below them, near the narrow pass, three men sat beside a small fire. Their weapons rested nearby.
Bandits.
Sa’ir felt his stomach tighten.
“They would’ve robbed us,” he whispered.
“Or worse,” Amina replied.
They moved carefully along the ridge, staying low so they wouldn’t be seen.
Just as they were about to reach the other side—
A rock slipped under Sa’ir’s foot.
It tumbled down the slope.
Clack… clack… clack.
The sound echoed loudly.
Below them, one of the bandits stood up.
“Did you hear that?”
Sa’ir froze.
Amina grabbed his arm.
“Run.”
Escape
They sprinted along the ridge as voices shouted behind them.
“There! Up there!”
Sa’ir’s heart hammered in his chest.
Arrows struck the rocks behind them.
“Keep moving!” Amina shouted.
The ridge curved downward toward a patch of tall grass and scattered boulders.
They slid down the slope and dove behind the rocks.
The bandits reached the ridge but couldn’t see exactly where Sa’ir and Amina had gone.
After a few tense minutes, the voices faded.
The bandits gave up.
Sa’ir collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
“That… was close.”
Amina sat beside him, equally tired but smiling slightly.
“Not bad for your first bandit encounter.”
Sa’ir laughed weakly.
“I think my heart is still racing.”
Amina looked at him seriously.
“But you didn’t panic.”
Sa’ir thought about it.
“You told me to run.”
“And you listened.”
She nodded.
“Good start.”
Trust Growing
As the sun began to set, they made camp in a small sheltered valley.
Sa’ir lit the fire while Amina gathered wood.
For a while they sat in silence.
Then Sa’ir spoke.
“You saved me back there.”
Amina shrugged.
“You would’ve done the same.”
Sa’ir hesitated.
“I’m not sure I’m that skilled yet.”
“You will be.”
She tossed another stick into the fire.
“If you survive long enough.”
Sa’ir smiled.
“That’s encouraging.”
After dinner, Sa’ir took out the sacred book again.
Amina watched as he practiced the strange letters quietly.
“You really plan to learn all of that?” she asked.
Sa’ir nodded.
“Yes.”
“And then?”
He looked south toward the dark horizon.
“Then I follow the path to the First House of the Faith.”
Amina leaned back against a rock.
“Well,” she said.
“If we keep surviving days like today… we might actually get there.”
Sa’ir smiled.
“Step by step.”
The wind passed softly through the valley as the fire crackled between them.
Their journey had only just begun.
And already the road was testing them.
