-3 DAYS LATER-
The fierce outer-land winds blow heavily on an insanely hot day as a caravan pulled by two camels slowly makes its way North.
Guided forward by one man in a white headdress…
"Jacob how long until we set course for back home."
A small brunette man full to the face with a dark beard says to another in the caravan.
"The new product will need to be transported soon and they can't do it without your permission."
He says
"Soon…"
The man called Jacob responds.
Equally brunette but with a gun slinger moustache instead, toned and wearing a hat over his face as he lay feet up facing the ceiling.
"Tch."
"We've been travelling for over four days now."
The small man says angrily clenching his fists.
"Why'd we even have to take this detour in the first place???"
He asks
"If we hadn't we'd have arrived by now…"
He says
"You know how 'Mr. Ellsworth' gets if we're not there on time…"
He says
"Keith."
Jacob cuts him off.
"If you want to be rich my brother."
"Then you'd do well to shut up and listen to everything I say."
He says
"But Jacob--"
The man named Keith tries to say
"I received a very interesting bit of information recently."
Jacob says cutting Keith off once more
"About what happened in these lands."
He says
"And the source was…"
"Well for the most part."
"'Very' reliable."
He says
"So put your trust in me brother."
He says
"And I'll make you richer than the Leaders of the Great House."
Jacob says grinning
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Okay…"
Keith says.
"brother."
He says
"…"
"But if this doesn't go how you--"
("CLUCK!!!!")
"WHOA!--"
Keith exclaims as the caravan comes to a sudden stop!
"…"
"Why are we--"
Keith begins to say when Jacob gets up placing the hat over his head stepping out the caravan.
"Karim??"
Jacob shouts to the man guiding the camel who just points ahead to a body face down in the sand…
"…"
"…"
… 'A couple hours later' …
("CLUCK!!!!")
("CLUCK!!!!")
("CLUCK!!!!")
Xavier awakes to the sound of wheels moving….
Peeling his eyes open ever so slowly…
He notices two men sat across him through his blurred vision.
One reading and the other with a hat placed over his face.
Probably asleep?
"water…"
Xavier says subconsciously to them
His throat is dry
"Sure little one."
The reading man responds getting up to feed him some water from a jug.
Xavier tries to gulp it down in one go and chokes.
(Coughs)
"Slowly little one."
The reading man says pulling the water away from him before allowing him to continue.
Given the week he's having Xavier thinks this is probably the best water he's ever had….
As his vision returns to him.
Xavier gives the men across him a quick look over
"What's going on??"
He thinks
"Who are these people??"
He thinks…
"Thank you…"
He mumbles lightly pushing the jug away, his voice a little better.
"Ah that's alright."
The reading man says.
"Who--"
"Oh I am Keith and this here is my brother Jacob."
Keith says cutting Xavier off as the man with the hat over his face just waves.
"Do not be afraid."
Keith says
"We found you on the ground passed out a couple paces back."
He says
"Honestly we thought you were dead."
He says
"But we're glad to find you still breathing."
Keith says
"The 'All Knowing's' must still will for you live."
He says with a small smile on his face.
"The 'All knowing' huh..."
Xavier thinks
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Thank you…"
Xavier says watching the men cautiously.
"For your kindness…"
He says.
"But I need to get going."
He says
"Ah…"
Keith exclaims awkwardly drawing attention to himself.
"Aaah… ahem ahem."
"W-well are you sure that's the right decision right now?"
He asks
"I-it might be best if you travel with us for a bit."
He says awkwardly
"Allow your body to heal…"
He says
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Again…"
Xavier says sitting up
"Thank you for your kindness…"
He says
"But I really have to get going?"
He says
"Ah…"
"Where you headed kid?"
Keith exclaims just as Jacob cuts in drawing all the attention to himself
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"The south--"
Xavier says cautiously
"The south??"
Jacob echoes immediately
Twitching at the word
"Well isn't that perfect
He says pulling the hat off his face to unveil a great big grin smile laden with golden teeth in place of some of the normal ones.
"We're headed that way too."
He says smiling as both Keith and Xavier stare at him confused and comfortable.
"So get comfortable kid."
He says lying back down
"We're not bad people so we'll let you off when you're all better."
He says putting the hat back over his face
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"…ri-right…"
Xavier responds silently watching two men
"…"
"…"
-2 WEEKS LATER-
"OOOOOUUUUAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"
("!!!")
"C'mon get it I know you can!!!"
("?!?!!")
A shouting Xavier is willed on by Keith as he hunts down a wild fire gecko with a tiny little stone dagger!!!!!
"Am not gonna lose anymore!!!"
("SQUEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!")
… 'An hour later'…
"Hey kid congrats on your first hunt."
Jacob says a willy smile across his face as they sit by a fire at night
"Thanks Mr. J"
Xavier responds cheerfully roasting gecko meat.
"Though if I was to be honest it was probably thanks to Keith's guidance."
He says smiling and passing a gecko kebab to Keith.
"Ah-haha."
Keith exclaims awkwardly
"Thanks."
He says awkwardly taking the kebab and scratching his head.
"Hey Karim."
Jacob shouts to the man tending the camel
"Kebabs?"
Jacob shouts to Karim who doesn't respond and stays with the camel
"Arrgh…"
"That guy."
Jacob says frustratetd
"Ehahahaha…"
Xavier laughs.
Xavier was extremely worried when he first met Jacob and Keith
His first time outside the Oasis and here who seemed so weirdly willing to help
Over friendly even
But after everything that happened to him he was also more than willing to give them a chance
He had just lost everyone and everything he knew
The last he wanted was to be alone
So he was grateful
Not only for them rescuing from
But for them in general
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Thanks you guys."
Xavier says out of the blue catching Keith and Jacob off-guard
"Huh??"
"…"
Keith exclaims in shock as Jacob just watches silently
"It's weird to think..."
Xavier begins
"But if it wasn't for you two I'd have been dead by now."
He says
"So really…"
He says
"Thanks."
Xavier says smiling
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Yeah! Yeah! save the thanks for when we reach south okay."
Jacob says breaking the silence
"Oh yeah there's that too."
Xavier says beaming
"On top of saving me you're giving me a ride south!!"
He says
"I really couldn't be more grateful."
He says bowing his head
"…"
"Ri-right."
Keith says awkwardly
"Well you're welcome."
"Hahahaha…"
He says laughing awkwardly
"Pfftt…"
Xavier chuckles
"What's with that?"
He says
"You're so awkward Keith…"
"Hahahaha."
Xavier says breaking out in laughter.
"Yeah…yeah…""
"Now get to sleep we arrive tomorrow."
Keith says scurrying over to Xavier to guide him to the caravan
"Hey. Hey. I get it okay!"
"I get it."
Xavier says laugh
"Haha. Goodnight Mr J."
He says as being led away by Keith as Jacob waves in response
Xavier and Keith reach the caravan.
Xavier hops into the trailer compartment that has been made into a make shift bed with a couple of Blankets and rolled up clothes for pillows.
"HUP!!!"
He exclaims jumping in.
"Now you better get some good rest in today okay."
Keith says
"Tomorrow is a big day don't want you looking bad in front of your Uncle Mark."
Keith says smiling
"What are you talking about I said I don't know if he survived."
Xavier responds smiling sombrely to Keith
"Oh don't worry about it am certain we'll find him there."
Keith says
"Well."
"Goodnight Kid."
Keith says leaving
"NIGHT!"
Xavier shouts after
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"I really am lucky to have come across Keith and Mr J."
Xavier thinks rolling up in the blanket immediately at full speed.
"Not only did they save me but it turns out they know Uncle Mark too."
He thinks
"Really things couldn't be going any better for me."
He thinks
"I'll have to thank them properly later by catching an even bigger Gecko."
He says happily to himself
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Aaaaaah."
Xavier exclaims stretching
"I really hope Uncle Mark made it out fine."
He thinks twisting and turns in the blanket
"I'd happy with meeting anyone from the Oasis honestly!"
He thinks
"Maybe if he did things…"
"Things will finally start to get back to normal…"
Xavier thinks sombrely
"Even if only just a little."
"…"
… 'Back at the fire' …
"Kid asleep?"
Jacob asks laying face to the star's hat over his face.
"Ye-yeah…"
Keith says taking a sit next to him.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Hey Jacob..."
"No."
Keith begins he is shut down by Jacob
"What??"
Keith asks
"Haaaa…"
"I know what you're going to say already."
Jacob says sighing
"He's a good kid and we should let him off before we reach."
Jacob says
"Claim we didn't find him."
He says
"Right??"
"…"
-silent-
"…"
"You have a good heart brother."
Jacob says as Keith remains silent
"…"
"And that…"
He says getting up and walking to his brother
"Is why I make the rules."
Jacob says patting his shoulder
"Goodnight Brother."
He says putting the hat on his head and leaving in the direction of the caravans
"…"
"…"
-To Be Continued-