They reached the Plains as the sun set. The ride had been full of more joy than Lissie had felt since she left the Plains. The sky was clear and bright. Coming down from the foothills they could see forever.
There was an orange glow in the distance. They set off towards it, thinking it to be cook fires from a moving camp, come to meet them. The wind never stopped.
When they reached the fire, it was spreading. There were no Nomads. Just tents. And horses. There was no way to put out the grass fire.
“Where are they?” Riley asked Lissie, “What’s going on?”
Lissie did not respond right away. The horses were well-trained, but catching them took everyone’s attention. There were sixteen of them when they were done. Lissie led them upwind of the fire’s spread.
“The air and the grass are dry, any lightning would have to light a fire.” Cora tried to explain it away. “It should blow out soon.”
Riley sounded impatient. “Nomads would leave their tents, but they would never leave their horses. Something is wrong.”
You need to go east. Nelli’s voice. You’re not going to be able to find the Dust Women without a guide. Unless you’ve suddenly learned to ride the Wind.
Lissie had a sinking feeling in her heart. Going south meant finding Nomads, but also crossing the salt flats again. Going south meant talking to Dust Women. She spoke. “If we cross east, we can follow the Bandinette down and get straight to Terndowns over the bridge. These mushrooms aren’t going to last.”
Cora looked confused. “Don’t you need to talk to Dahla about how to prepare the cure from them?”
You just have to soak them in spirits for a week. Nelli’s voice was reassuring. I can walk you through it.
“If they don’t get propagated, the sacks we have will be all there are.” Lissie pointed at the shrinking sacks. The mushrooms were getting smaller, drying out. “I can get in touch with her from Terndowns.”
Riley looked from Cora to Lissie and said, “We have to go now. We can’t travel by day in the Plains. Hopefully we will meet someone heading east to return the horses.” She patted one of the horses they had captured. It had bags of supplies slung over it. “We are well appointed now, at least.”
They gathered some of the tents that had not burned, and set out east, following the moon. Everyone was exhausted from riding all day, but they rode all night.
Lissie did not dream the next day.
The captured horses did not want to move into the Unnamed Foothills. They also did not want to be alone. It was slow going, with Riley fighting the end of the lines to move and Alexander leading ahead with treats.
The northern edge of the Unnamed Foothills was easier going than when they had traveled through to the south all those weeks ago. The grey stones still dampened everyone’s mood. They passed the ruins of houses, but not even Cora was interested.
The horses were irritable and fussy with no forage. A night passed without dreams on the windswept rock.
The sight of the Bandinette when they crested the final hill raised everyone’s mood from gloom to impatience. Riley had been struggling for two nights and two days to keep the horses together. Alexander had suggested letting them free, and Riley made as if to strike him for the thought.
Cora’s soaked paper had produced spores. The discovery did not bring her any joy, she merely stared at Lissie with concern from under her red curls. The way down the slope to the Bandinette was slow. When the horses smelled the water, they broke into a gallop. Niko had been struggling more and more to keep up with the group.
Lissie stayed behind with him and the pony when Riley and the others charged after the horses at a gallop.
“It is so warm here.” He did not look at her as he spoke. He was staring down the hill at the river in the setting sun.
“It gets warmer, it’s nearly winter now.” Lissie did not know what would happen to him in the summer. “Come on, we can go at a walk. I’m sure they can get the horses back together without me.”