Morning came too soon. An empty feeling woke Shaynen in his stomach. It grumbled at him. He didn’t move right away. Laying on the cold dirt as the icy morning settled over the cloak he used as a blanket.

The fire was nothing but cold ashes. Though when Shaynen had settled down for the night, the fire had been roaring and warm. Most of the night watch gathered around the fire. Tending to it and walking the perimeter for any signs of danger. Occasionally, in Shaynen’s fitful sleep, he’d noticed someone pulling his cloak over him again. He felt a hard bit of rock digging into his back. He rolled over and pried his eyes open.

The first thing he saw was the purple morning creeping over the mountains in the distance. Its appearance wholly lost on him when he felt something moving under the cloak. Shaynen shrieked as he sat up and tossed the cloak off of him. A little rope bug was crawling on his side. He flung it away, suffering a painful bite on his wrist when he did.

“What happened? What is it?” Reo was at his side in seconds.

“It bit me!” Shaynen jumped to his feet. Cradling his wound to his chest.

“What did!?” Reo moved Shaynen back and hunted along the ground for the offending insect. The rest of the night watch froze in their place, waiting to see what the unseen danger was. Reo breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s just a centipede,” they said. “They aren’t venomous. No more than the bees are.”

“It hurts!” Shaynen snapped.

“Yeah, probably does,” Reo said. “It’ll be fine in an hour or two.” Shaynen glared at the bug as it scrambled off.

“What’s going on?” Shaynen’s father stumbled off the driver’s seat. Half-asleep towards Shaynen and Reo.

“Just a centipede,” Reo pat Shaynen’s shoulder and resumed picking up the camp.

“It bit me!” Shaynen yelled. Holding out his hand, his father took Shaynen’s hand. Inspecting the red bump over his wrist with half-closed eyes.

“Let me take a look,” The doctor appeared over Shaynen’s shoulder as if from thin air. Even Shaynen’s father was surprised at the doctor’s sudden arrival.

“Right.” His father turned Shaynen around and held up his arm for the doctor’s inspection. Shaynen frowned at the doctor, visibly irritated at his prompt appearance.

"Seems harmless enough. Might itch for a while, nothing like some of the really dangerous things out here." The doctor said. Shaynen pulled his hand free from the doctor's icy hands. "Looks like you're lucky once again, kid." Shaynen scowled and backed away and into his father.

"Good. How's the other bite?" His father moved him to the side.

"Gone, I'm afraid." The doctor said, not a hint of mourning in his voice. “We lost him suddenly in the night.” The weight of the words didn’t settle over his father right away. Laying his hands over Shaynen’s shoulder with a stifled yawn that stopped in the middle. His father’s hands tightened on Shaynen’s shoulders. He reached up and held his father’s hands.

“Right,” His father said.

“Unfortunate business, but a necessary one.” The doctor shrugged. “You must forgive my callous nature, but death is common in my profession. I am no stranger to the reaper.”

“Right,” His father said hollowly. “Thank you.” Shaynen glared harder at the doctor. He wanted to tell him to fake it, but the grip on his father’s harsh grip on his shoulders kept him quiet. The doctor gave Shaynen a small smile and a nod before he walked away.

“I don’t like him,” Shaynen whispered. Turning to look up at his father.

“Why?” His father asked.

“He’s got no soul,” Shaynen said after a few minutes. His father’s grip relaxed.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” His father said. “He’s just a little unusual. I’d allow for insensitive, but soulless is a very heavy label.”

“But accurate.” Shaynen insisted.

“Don’t be rude,” his father said. “Why don’t you help pack up the camp?”

“We aren’t going to have breakfast?” Shaynen asked.

“No.” His father gave his shoulders a sheepish squeeze and pushed him off. Shaynen rubbed his shoulders and wandered around the camp. His stomach rumbled at him, mourning breakfast. He wandered over to Reo, who was helping Crina pick up the laundry.

“Why isn’t there going to be breakfast?” He demanded. The two stopped in surprise.

“Uh. Well. Probably because we don’t have the time or the supplies,” Crina said. Taking another shirt off the line. “The mountain pass is going to be hot and dry. So we have to get a good start so we don’t get slowed down by the day’s heat.”

“So we better get this laundry down and folded, quickly.” Reo tossed a pair of pants at Shaynen, who huffed but folded them and placed them in the basket. They threw another article of clothing at Shaynen. Unwittingly, Shaynen helped fold and pack up the laundry. He trailed along behind Crina and Reo as they took the basket to the wagon.

Reo yawned and hopped in and made a bed with the rest of the night shift. The day shift had all hopped out of the wagon and walked alongside it as the wagon jerked to a start.

Anyone unable to walk for long periods took every seat around the wagon. The driver’s seat quickly became packed as well. Shaynen yawned and jumped up and hung off the side of the driver’s side.

“Hey dad!” Shaynen called, “Can I ride one of the stags?”

“No, you may not,” His father called back.

“But all the other seats are taken.” Shaynen swung around to look at the road ahead. He scratched at the bite mark as he looked up at the mountains overhead. The sun hid behind them, making them glow as if covered in fire. Skies were bright and orange with no clouds in sight. A few stubborn stars still shining in the morning skies.

“You’re just going to have to take turns,” His father called. Shaynen rolled his eyes but watched the mountains.

“Are we going to climb over?” He asked.

“There’s a road that goes through.” Crina said from beside him. “We’ll take that.”

“What’s on the other side?” Shaynen asked.

“Some plains, flatlands. Other forests.” Crina shrugged. “That’s what the maps say.”

“Is there a town on the way?” Shaynen asked.

“Possibly,” Crina shrugged.

“One we could stop at for lunch?” He asked. His stomach jumped at the idea of a meal.

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“We’ll see,” Crina said with a noncommittal shrug. With nothing left to say, Shaynen went quiet. The sun rose over the mountains as the wagon lumbered on. Its blinding light made the mountain sands reflect the light, the world reduced to a white void. With the sun came the heat. As soon as the sun crossed the mountain peaks, the heat bore down on them.

The air slowed until it was thick as syrup. Before the sun was even fully over the mountains, the group was panting and sweating. Winter seemed to have no effect on the mountains. The group absolutely melted in the sun. Taking every available seat and flat surface to ride in the heat. The adults taught the children how to collect sticks and weave them together with fabric scraps to make hand fans. In a matter of hours, every hand had a crudely made fan in a rainbow of colors and patterns.

The air that the fans blew was just as hot and stifling as the surrounding air. It created airflow but didn’t make it cool. At the hottest part of the day, the wagon took meager shelter to let the stags pulling the wagons rest from the heat. Without shade, the stags laid down in the pathetic shade of the wagon. The inhabitants of the wagon stood to stretch out but didn’t move with haste, or even far from the wagon.

Shaynen laid draped over the empty driver’s seat. He could feel his internal organs baking in the sun as if in an oven. His clothes weren’t even damp from sweat anymore. Dried out stiff by the sun. He had one arm over his eyes to give them a reprieve from the glow.

“How you holding up there, boy?”

Shaynen frowned and didn’t look around at the doctor.

“Heat can be dangerous, just checking up on everyone.” The doctor touched Shaynen’s wrist to feel for a pulse. Shaynen shook his hand away and sat up. Glaring at the doctor.

“Just making sure.” The doctor raised his hands. “We’ve already had a few heat exhaustion cases, and it’s only a matter of time before we get heatstroke.”

“I’m fine,” Shaynen huffed and scooted along to the other side of the driver’s seat.

“If you say so, but if you were feeling heated, you could get something to eat and all the water you wanted.” The doctor shrugged and gave Shaynen a wink. Shaynen swallowed hard. His throat was dry, as if coated in sand. The allure of water and food was tempting. His voice jumped, but his teeth stayed firmly locked together. The doctor walked away slowly. Shaynen watched him go and sighed with a small whine. He laid back down and felt the hunger clawing at him from the inside.

He rolled off the wagon and stepped over the reins left on the ground while the animals took their break. The ground was so hot that through the thin hastily made sandals he could feel his feet burning. He wandered his way to his mother. She was waving her fan at top speed and shaking her head at the sight of the animals. He walked up and thudded his head against her side.

“Oh! Shaynen,” his mother jumped in surprise. “You startled me. What’s up?”

“I’m hungry, and thirsty, and tired.” He whined into her dress.

“I know, me too.” His mother sighed tiredly. “Me too.”

“Can I have a drink?” He asked. His mother stared off into the distance.

“Not right now,” she said. “There are some others that need it a little more.” Shaynen buried his face farther into his mother’s side.

“Because of the heat?” Shaynen asked.

“Yeah,” his mother said. “Many people have come down ill, so those of us that haven’t need to support them. That way they can take care of us when we’re ill.” Shaynen looked down at the sand that shifted near his feet.

“I’m feeling a little ill too,” he said.

“Yeah?” His mother stopped fanning herself. “Have you seen the doctor?”

“I don’t feel that ill,” Shaynen said quickly.

“Are you sure?” She took him by the shoulders and forced him to look at her.

“I’m very sure,” he said. She inspected his eyes with narrowed eyes.

“Kiylla!”

His mother looked up to see who was shouting at her.

“If you’re sure,” she said. “Stay close and try to keep cool, okay?” She took off at a weighted jog toward the back of the wagon where a small crowd was gathering. Shaynen shifted his feet in the sand and watched. Both his parents were at the center, speaking to the doctor. Shaynen had a hint of resentment growing for the doctor. Wherever he appeared, it was safe to say death had already come and gone.

Shaynen scratched at his hair. It was filthy and stiff. He pulled it back. It wasn’t long enough to put up. It was long enough that the ends were curling. His stomach stopped rumbling and hurt instead. He held it and climbed back up to the driver’s seat. Draping across the seat with his arm over his eyes again.

“Shaynen?” His father asked, he peeked out from under his arm. His father sighed in relief and rounded the wagon. “We’re getting ready to move on.”

“How long until lunch?” Shaynen rolled over and sat up. He felt sunburnt.

“We’re collecting up some things to make into another stew tonight.” His father said. The stags were led back to the front and stood still while his father helped hook them back up to the wagon.

“I hope it'll be better than the last one.” Shaynen jumped down from the seat and picked up the straps. Holding up the hooks for the stags.

“It beats being hungry, doesn't it?” His father asked.

“It’s about the same.” Shaynen huffed. His father smiled, but he didn’t laugh. Shaynen handed off the reins for the stags. He crawled up into the driver’s seat again. Claiming a spot on the wagon before they were all taken.

“I think you’ll change your mind with time.” His father sighed. The wagon hitched to the stags again. He hopped up onto the wagon and took up the reins.

“We’re heading off!” He called. The wagon rocked as the group took a seat wherever was available. Shaynen got squished in the middle between his parents. Making the heat beating down on him even more unbearable. The briefest of reprieves coming from the air from the movement and hand fans.

The road dragged on at a snail's pace. Shaynen didn’t remember falling asleep, but realized he must have when he opened his eyes and noticed the sun was no longer directly overhead. The heat had subsided somewhat, and the wagon was moving much faster. Along the path grew scraggly grasses with sun bleached rocks jutting up and leading upwards towards the mountains that split open before them.

Shaynen sat up. He felt sore from sunburns; he felt restless from sleeping through the better part of the day. His hunger had subsided from being overwhelming to just annoying. However, the thirst was scratching at his throat.

“Can I have a drink?” He asked, looking up at his mother. She jumped slightly, like she’d forgotten he was there.

“Right, of course.” She said she turned into the wagon and shouted for someone to bring a cup of water. Shaynen stretched out and kicked his legs a little.

“Oh Wren, that's too full.” His mother whispered as she recieved a cup.

“It’s fine. He can have a part of my share.”

Shaynen looked back into the wagon. It was one of Lycita’s mothers who handed him the cup. It was full.

“Thank you,” Shaynen smiled. Wren’s eyes filled with tears when she saw the beaded bracelet.

“Of course,” she nodded and went to sit back down.

“Drink slowly, love.” His mother said. “We have to save as much as we can until we find more water, okay?” Shaynen nodded and tried to pace himself. It didn’t work, and he drained the cup in under a minute. He handed it sheepishly to his mother, and she put it down into the wagon.

“Can I get up?” He asked.

“Sure, find Crina.” His mother lifted him over her and towards the edge. “She might need help to find edible plants and things.”

“M’kay!” Shaynen jumped down. He almost fell onto his face at the pace of the wagon, suddenly leaving him on his own two feet. He ran around to the other side of the wagon but didn’t see Crina.

“Whatcha looking for?” Asked the doctor. Suddenly appearing around the side of the wagon.

“Crina,” Shaynen said and started running around the other side of the wagon again.

“Well, while you’re looking for her, can you help me out?” He asked. Still following Shaynen.

“Maybe.” Shaynen said,

“Around these parts, there’s a plant called Silverleaf that grows. It’s got purple flowers with silver thorns and leaves. It’s berries look like tomatoes, but pitch black. Just about all the plant is medicinal. If you find it, pick as much of it as you can. Berries, flowers, leaves and all.” The doctor asked. Shaynen shrugged, but still didn’t look around at the doctor.

“M’kay” Shaynen said and looked out around the mountain landscape.

“Thanks kid,” the doctor said. Shaynen watched the ground for anything that looked purple.

“Oh! Shaynen! Do you want to give me a hand?” Crina called. She carried a basket with little round green fruits sticking out of it.

“Yeah!” Shaynen said, all too happy to abandon the doctor’s task.

“We’re looking for yellow pod flowers, Spiky reddish purple looking bulbs, tall trees with orange fruit, well actually any trees you may see. Okay?”

“Okay!” Shaynen agreed happily. He turned to run around the other side of the wagon but remembered who was on the other side of the wagon. “Can I stay on this side?”

“Sure,” Crina said. She disappeared around the other side of the wagon.