Saiyi woke up shortly before dawn. She fixed some breakfast for her father and a lunch for herself. After this it was time to prepare for her day. She looked at herself in the polished plate mirror. She sighed at her hair. The blonde curls down to her waist were in a state and needed a cut. She tied it into a long braid as best she could, slipped on her shoes and set off to her day's work. She had been working in the mushroom fields daily since she was ten. In the last five years she had become proficient enough to be put in charge of a field of her own. The fields were kept on the highest points in town to take advantage of the island spray but also the island shade. Her filed was one of her favourite places. Atop the hill she could see the whole town. There was even a view into the wastes. Far off in the distance, past the great walls, lay the mountains. She often dreamt of venturing out and finding treasures from the old world and adventures. Yet she was content with her life under the island. She had her friends and her father. Her belly was always full and their house was warm. Here it was safe. Something her people valued a great deal.
She got to the farm in a cheerful mood, her friends Zeeri and Dortesh, had also just arrived. Zeeri was a skinny, tall, dark skinned girl with no hair to speak of. She looked stretched out, which did not suit her quiet nature. Dortesh was a large boy with very handsome features. He had long messy brown hair that often covered his face. The only thing bigger than his physique was his heart. The three had been friends for six or seven years. Besides for Saiyi's dad, they were her only real family. They set to work tending to their plot. There were a few younger children that Saiyi was teaching what she knew. One of them would eventually take her place. By the time she turned twenty she could likely have four or five fields under her control. She relished the responsibility. Being in charge of the fields gave her privileges that did not stem from her father's position. She had always wanted to grow out of the shadow of being the Tabake's daughter.
Around midday, just before they were to settle down for lunch Zeeri called for her attention.
"What is it Ree?" The lanky girl looked shaken.
"I don't want to be alarmist but…" She pointed into the wastes. Some distance beyond the walls, Saiyi spotted a dust cloud. It was traveling along the Southern end of the island. Too far to identify, but they knew what it was.
"Sand eaters." Saiyi gasped. The dread rose and knotted her stomach. They kept watching the dust. It was traveling away from the island now. Their tension eased.
"They know that the wall will keep them out Zeeri. Come on let's get lunch. The guards on the towers will keep an eye on them" They returned to their day. Everyone who saw the cloud would peek into the wastes from time to time just to be sure they had gone.
Near the end of the shift Saiyi took another look into the wastes as the sun started setting. She spotted another dust cloud and audibly yelped. This one seemed to be moving faster than before. Some ways behind it she were glints in the sky illuminated by the low sun. Saiyi had never seen anything flying before. The town bell did not ring and no panic could be seen. Then soon enough the cloud had gone. Though it stayed in her mind. At home during dinner, she was quiet.
"Did something happen today? You don't seem yourself."
"Nothing important, dad." Laying wasn't her norm. She did not however want to cause a panic as nothing had come of the sightings.
"Saiyi, I am a village elder. I know of the two Sand Eater sightings."
"Sightings, really? I didn't –"
"Don't be coy young lady. I take it you saw them also?"
She admitted she did and told her father of the day's events.
"Well not to worry. The walls will protect us. It could also just have been a dust storm the guards tell me."
But Saiyi knew that dust storms did not have flaying objects chasing them. She decided that while shocking, it must have not been anything dangerous to the town. Her father's calm made her feel more secure also. After all the whole town could probably face off against a few Sand Eaters with the walls keeping them out.
Some distance away as the town stated to sleep, a man still had his candles burning. His name was Geshu. He was not a notable man and could blend in to any crowd. Two things set him apart from the rest of the town folk. First was the detailed map of the town layed out before him. On it were notes and scribbles he had made. These covered around a quarter of the map. The second distinctive thing about Geshu, is that he spoke Shagiw. The language of the islands and resistance. He would work deep into the night on his map. The first thing he had learned about the town two months ago, is that the guards were great at spotting groups of his people. A single person however could sneak in totally undetected. He continued to add to his scribbles and notes as Saiyi, Seilus and the rest of the town slept, unconcerned about the world outside their town.