on the crest of a high dune

On the crest of a high dune, Aislinge sat.  The waxing moon was high overhead, and the dark sky full of stars.  Her black eyes stared up, but she did not see.  She did not feel the cool sand beneath her.  She had felt wet leaves and hard earth against her cheek that night in the woods.  It'd been early spring, the green just creeping back in, the rains giving each day a brisk chill.  She'd shivered.

"We should go up to the oasis.  I will build a fire."

Black eyes blinked back into focus.  Aislinge looked at the girl beside her.  Six and ten summers the girl had seen, and she'd begun to bleed more moons past than she cared to count.  Her tribe called her a woman, named her [NAME], but by Aislinge's reckoning she was still a child.  Too young to be a bride, so she'd fled to the wastes with Aislinge.  Too young, so Aislinge called her Nergüi.

"We'll draw every eye for miles."

Standing, Aislinge frowned at the sloping lines of dunes.  As far as she could see behind, their lazy shapes tugged along by the wind.  Nothing living—but whatever green surrounded the small spring ahead.  And beyond that dunes gave way to rocky earth.  In that dark distance were small dots of light.  Aislinge could not smell the camp fires, but they were still far closer to a settlement than she liked.

Nergüi shook her head.  "If you're too proud to say you're cold, then I will admit to it."

"Don't put words in my mouth.  We should steal a blanket."

"Because certainly a woman like you would not draw any eyes in [CLAN]'s camp."

Aislinge smiled.  "But certainly not one like you."

"Is that what 'we' means?"

"It means you go ahead.  I'll be—shadowing you."

Nergüi frowned.  "This is a joke?"

Rolling her eyes, Aislinge kicked up a bit of sand.  "Aye, a great, big joke—you'll go into camp and steal a blanket.  If we're lucky, maybe two.  But either way, we get to keep warm through the winter."

"We'll need more than a blanket."

"What else?"

Nergüi sighed.  "We'll have to see what we can snatch here then move on, but we need to start preparing."

Aislinge nodded.  Nergüi stood and stepped up closer to Aislinge.  The two were of an height with each other.  They stared into each other eyes, both black in the wan light.  Nergüi's brows drew up together, and one nostril curled up.  She shook her head.

"How have you survived winter until now?"

Aislinge shrugged.  "The same as any other season…  Well, more sleeping."

"But the cold—"

"O, it does get bitter cold.  The wind bites.  The snow swallows you up.  Then the cold gets into your bones.  You're cold until you can't feel it, but still you're cold until then you're burning.  Then you're heavy.  Then you're gone.  Until you wake up cold."

Nergüi shook her head.  "If you speak true, it is a miracle you still live."

"A curse," Aislinge mumbled.

Nergüi shoved at her shoulder.  The warmth of Nergüi's hand forced Aislinge back down the slope of the dune.  She frowned at the girl.

"Don't speak that way."  Nergüi stopped, grabbing at the rough tunic which Aislinge wore.  She grabbed at the girl's wrist.  "You hear me?  We are in this together.  I need you alive."

"I cannot die."

Nergüi blinked at Aislinge.  She waited.  Nergüi began to laugh.  Shook her head.  Let go of Aislinge.  She watched the girl pass back over the crest of the dune.  Aislinge chewed at her lip.  And she waited.  Each heartbeat was an agonizing thud.

Her head was spinning as she charged up to see Nergüi come stomping back up.  Folding her arms across her chest, the girl scowled.

"What does that mean?  They say you are a witch."

"Who is 'they?'"

"The elders of my clan, the merchants who traded with us, our guardians…"

"My mother was a witch.  My gift was taken from me."

Nergüi frowned.  "How is that possible?  My clan teaches that magic is within our souls."

"And I am an empty vessel."

"That is why you cannot die?"

"In part."

"And in full?"

Aislinge sighed.  "Must we do this now?"

"We could have done this long before.  Before I left my clan and my life with them behind.  Before I followed you out farther than I've ever been.  But here we are."

Shaking her head, Aislinge chewed at her lip.  "Never shoulda stopped," she mumbled.

"What?"  Nergüi reached out.  "What do you mean?"

"This was a mistake.  You were better off—"

"Aislinge, they say you come in the night to maim or kill men in their sleep.  Men who have well earned their deaths."

Smirking, she bit harder at her lip.  Cheeks burning, she shook her head, but she spoke the truth.  "It's been a long while since I did that.  Gotta be the right circumstances.  Can't have the blame thrown on anyone innocent."

"This is why I came with you."

Aislinge stepped back from Nergüi's outstretched fingers.  Shaking her head, she mumbled, "You're a child."

"You know that's not how they see me.  That's not how they'll treat me."

The two stared at each other a long moment.  Aislinge remembered that distant spring, and she knew Nergüi was right.  Still Aislinge shook her head.

"Even if I taught you all I know, that wouldn't be enough.  I'm not half as good as the most skilled warrior.  You'll need someone else to train you."

"But you could take me to them.  You could keep me safe."

Aislinge smiled.  "Yes, I could."