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It was getting harder and harder to concentrate. All she wanted to do was sleep, she wasn't even smoking as much, and her mind was racing distractedly on any thought except the subject she needed to focus on. She was unhappy. With the return of Falair she had found the return of some inner peace, a great swell of happiness had filled her only to be ruined by that child. That annoying Valkyrie.

Na'ima found herself making mistakes, something that usually didn't bother her and merely earned a shrug and the reminder that mistakes were there to learn from and improve with. But mistakes were frustrating her.

She tried changing the scenery but the trees, grass, dirt, the sky..all of it was wrong. Salbei's tent was the only place she felt even remotely comfortable, but cooping herself up inside drove her crazy.

Na'ima was homesick. She was tired. She didn't feel like herself anymore.

She hated this.

The Sage did her best to still appear her normal self to those around her, not wanting to worry them, but it was getting difficult. She hated all of this.

Today Na'ima had woken up and found no reason to bother getting up even after dressing for the day. What was the point? She didn't feel as if she even had purpose anymore.

This was their fault. The Hunters. They did this.

She lounged on the sofa and simple gazed at the tent's opening, her pipe dangling unlit from her lips while her fingers busied themselves with idly toying with a gold coin.

"Mentor," she greeted affectionately though automatically, still distracted by these unpleasant feelings. Na'ima blinked and looked up at the old stallion as he stepped up to her and held out a bag. She reached for it, looking perplexed by his instuction. Pack enough for two days? She didn't have much but she would do what she could. "Yes, Mentor."

Two days? Where were they going?

Na'ima wasn't sure what she was packing for so she simply packed for as much as one could expect in a two day trip. Would this be enough? Was it too much? She was still trying to figure out what he was up to.

When Na'ima joined Salbei outside of the tent she was dressed for travel instead of leisure, though still draped and covered in scarves and veils they were definitely sturdier and more durable than her usual, more worn as well. She had not felt a need to wear these robes since she had left home before the islands has fallen. But despite that the curiosity and slight confusion was still clear in her eyes, the only visible part of her face. "Where are we going, Mentor?" She asked as she put the bag's strap across her shoulders.

The answer was not unexpected from him and so she accepted it, but she was definitely surprised to be seeing his mount. Were they going far? Curiouser and curiouser. Na'ima had been about to summon her own mount until his hand reached out for her, easily taking it and climbing up behind him when told she was riding with him. What was he up to? "You're hurrying? This must be serious~" she teased with a soft chuckle, wrapping her arms around Salbei's middle. "You are being very mysterious."

Na'ima put her head on Salbei's shoulder and tilt her head against his. The closeness was nice, she missed being held by and holding someone she cared about.

She sat comfortably behind Salbei as they started off, holding him tighter for only a moment so as not to fall off like a foolish filly when he commanded his mount to run. Na'ima was quiet during the ride, knowing better than to think Salbei could hear anything she would try to say anyway, until after the first half an hour there came a soft giggle from the mare. The wind against her face, whistling in her ears, the jingling of their jewelry and trinkets every time the horse took a step, it made her feel more alive than she had felt in months. She gave Salbei an affectionate squeeze and closed her eyes. Why hadn't she thought of this?

Finally they slowed and Na'ima opened her eyes with excited expectation only to find herself surrounded by lush green forest. Again. Her smile faltered. Na'ima wasn't sure what she had been expecting but she still found herself disappointed by their surroundings.

"Time?" Where was he taking her in such a hurry? He had said it was serious, but why wouldn't he explain? A glance was cast toward the trees he was gesturing to and she gave a nod. "All right." Climbing down from the horse, Na'ima did dig in her bag for a waterskin, taking a few sips from it while she looked around.

It was too green.

She sighed and stretched her arms high above her head, making a pleased sound as her bones popped and creaked. "May I know yet where we are going?" Na'ima asked with undying curiosity. What was so urgent?

Na'ima pouted behind her veil and eyed Salbei with a squinty look that said she wasn't sure whether to trust him or not, though she did trust him implicitly nonetheless. She then looked away to look upon the green plants with no hidden disdain, plucking a leaf off a nearby bush and quietly pulling it apart until all she had completely removed the blade from the vein and held the branch-like twig of plant in her fingers, idly twirling it. It was hideous. How long would they be in this? She could barely stand it at the reserve.

She considered moving to the lair once or twice but that would mean leaving her loved ones behind. She could never do that.

Na'ima looked up from the torn apart leaf when Salbei spoke up again, perking up a little. They were moving on without his mount? They must not have been far from whatever destination Salbei had planned. The anticipation was killing her. Was this a lesson? An errand? What were they doing? She was almost disappointed they would not be continuing on horseback.

She allowed herself to be led along through the forest, trying to peek past Salbei as if that would show her where they were going. What was on the other side of this tree line? When would they see it? She blinked when her hood was pulled down, grasping Salbei's hand tighter long enough to keep her balance those first few unexpectedly blinded steps. "..Blinding?" Where..? She frowned and nodded her head, closing her eyes and simply trusting Salbei's guidance.

Na'ima gasped softly when she felt the pleasant warmth on her hands that was not coming from Salbei, and the step that had her foot sinking slightly felt as natural as breathing. She wanted to lift her hood. She didn't know where they were but she found herself wanting to lift her hood.

"We're here."

There was no hesitation as Na'ima quickly pulled her hood completely off her head, wincing and closing her eyes for a moment as she nearly blinded herself with a bright sunlight she had become unaccustomed to after months in Amityville. When she managed to open them again her breath caught and her eyes widened, her jaw dropped.

She squeezed Salbei's hand once before she freed herself to slowly step away from the stallion, looking all around with a look of awe. It was just like home. Were they home? No, that would be too good to be true. Her vision blurred and she gasped quietly with surprise, closing her eyes and chuckling at the tears she felt rolling down her cheeks. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to cry.

Na'ima sniffed, reaching up to unclip one side of her face veil and let it fall away. She wanted to feel the sun on her face, she wanted to feel as much of its warmth as she could take in. Was this real? She wasn't dreaming? This was all here..

She laughed, embarrassed by her own behavior, and then clasped a hand over her mouth. She couldn't stop the tears, they just kept coming. Na'ima couldn't help it.

It was so beautiful.

There was a sort of reverence in the way she then bent down to bury her hands in the sand, slowly raising one to watch the grains slip through her fingers. It was real. It was warm. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen in what felt like an eternity. It was breathtaking.

She stood, her hands cupped and still holding sand in her palms until she spread her fingers and watched the grains fall again, the way they blew through the air with the wind. "Salbei.." Na'ima choked out, her voice thick with emotion even as she found her throat too tight to get much sound out. "What..what is this place?" She turned to her mentor, her cheeks stained with tears and slightly ruined kohl she had been wearing. Despite that she was smiling, a real, genuine smile of joy. This wasn't home. Where was it? Where were they? Why were they here?

Na'ima was listening eagerly to Salbei's explanation of this place, and she looked very surprised to hear him tell her he came here to ease his own aching heart. He seemed so much more at ease here, so settled down, he hid his pain better than she did. She frowned slightly when he said he had been watching her. Oh, so he had noticed. Her initial thought was to feel upset that he had noticed her best efforts to hide her depression, but how could she be upset when the result of it was him bringing her here? She looked out toward the sandy desert again. It seemed to go on forever...

It wasn't exact but it was close. It was enough.

She was touched. He had done this for her. The thought made her choke with a sudden sob as he touched her shoulder, and the mare stepped closer to hug Salbei tightly. Her face was hidden against him, and her shoulders shook, she was trying to stay quiet and keep as much composure as she could manage but it was difficult. Na'ima found herself so overcome with joy she couldn't hold it in. "Thank you," the Sage choked out, clinging to her mentor. She did need this. She needed to get away from the plants, the darkness, the loud students who intruded on their little reserve and in their lair, the reminders they had lost so much because of the actions of a group of fools. These were tears she had been holding in for months, it felt good to finally let them go.

Some of the dunes are even strong enough to support a little surfing...

Na'ima looked up then, blinking and turning her gaze to the sands again. Surfing. He was the reason she even started doing that at all.

Her smile returned.

Fixing her veil over her face and putting her hood up, she then turned to look down at the sand. Could she even still do it? It had been so long. This particular dune didn't seem to be as large as some of the others she saw in the distance but it would be a good start, a warm up. She pushed off and started down the hill, her feet sliding through the sand just enough for her to surf down. Her smile became a grin. Her cloak fluttered and billowed out behind her as she moved, carefully shifting her weight from one foot to the other to change direction.

It was enough for her to start daydreaming, but not enough for her to notice the bottom of the dune was already coming. Na'ima hadn't anticipated the bottom so soon and so when her body stopped she fell right to the ground with a startled sound, rolling a few feet until she finally stopped on her back. Her laughter could be heard from where she was, sprawled out in the sand and looking up at the sky. Well, that had been a mistake on her part. She was still grinning, burying her hands in the warm sand for a few moments until she finally sat up again and shook the sand off her head and shoulders. "Are you going to join me, Mentor?" She called out with a huge smile that could practically be seen even with the veil covering the lower half of her face.

It was usually him telling her to join in, not the other way around.