She stared at Maslakhat as though he had somehow offended her, and the bay stallion flicked his ears backward momentarily to show his disillusionment at being judged by a mare who thought it was a good idea to cavort around a desert in the heat of the day. Was it such a crazy notion to offer her water? It was his best attempt at politeness and as she continued staring at him disparagingly and saying nothing, he decided he would not bother saying anything else to her. Why should he waste his breath if he was only going to be criticized?

Maslakhat turned and made his way down the dune, caring little if she followed him or not. Yes, he would make good on his promise to show her where the water was. He was not entirely cruel, even if he did believe in Darwinism.

The walk was not particularly strenuous or long, and every now and then he would cast his eyes over one of his strong, dappled shoulders to see if she was still behind him. He sighed heavily and continued walking, letting his mind drift as freely as the sand in the wind. It felt good to have a moment of silent reflection as he walked with the sun on his back. He felt strong and able—ready for anything.

At last, they arrived. Maslakhat motioned toward a sizable pool of fresh water in the middle of a patch of vegetation that made for most of the nourishment the Dunes had to offer. He didn’t know what she was expecting, but if she was thirsty it was now or never.


MASLAKHAT
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