"Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Wait a minute," Jacob said with a grin "I know you're all excided, we are as well! But things are actually bad!" Then he nodded at Grimm who spoke up "We can't stay here tonight if any of those creeps make it back! We probably shouldn't go to the oasis either! But food is tight!"
The kids started grouping on their own again looking nervous now. "Then what should we do..." Marnesi pouted as she was hugged by Pepper comfortingly. The kids shifted their feet anxiously waiting to hear more. Looking at them, Monica said "We still have to go to the oasis! But we have to be quick and careful who knows what's waiting there? if we're lucky we can stay there for a week, if not we have three days."
"That's why," Vincie spoke up, "we need everybody's help! We gotta work together and make sure everyone knows what we need to do!" Looking around he saw that the other kids were less nervous and focused on them. "we need everybody to drive their wagons in turns and look after the little ones!" he continued
Monica "we need to keep everyone focused or we may never make it!" The other kids hushed and paid attention. "Pick the best drivers from your groups and pick the most honest & stubborn to look after food"
Grimm came forward "The slavers had said we would reach the oasis in a two or for weeks if weather holds up, and we need to keep camp as clean as we have so no more wagons disappear on us!" Vincie's group nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow morning we leave so we have to try our best to go through all the wagons today and see what's traveling with us!"
"Report back to us if you find something odd usefull or scary!" Everyone split up after that and seaeched the wagons one by one. By now it was almost noon, the hottest time of day they were all too happy to beal able to enjoy the shade from inside the wagons while they looked around.
As they searched they found two wagons full of cloth type merch and three with food and wine. Their caravan was huge with easily 50 wagons. "That's not gonna ve enough food" Jimm complained.
"We're not done searching yet, there might be more food..." Monica said trying to stay hopeful.
"we found water!" a couple of 7 or 8 year olds rushed up. They were very cute twins with odd looking hair and eyes. Kind of like swirled blue and purple cotton candy. They were Mica & Samoan who were also gypsies.