Yeah, no. It was always a longshot. 

"It could be... the old gods. The proper ones."

A small silence falls over the camp.

An old god, a foreign god, or a devil or demon... 

Everyone in camp knows which one they're hoping for.

Hayat clears her throat. "I don't think anyone carries charms for the old gods, anymore. They haven't been here for centuries."

"... I do," Fayruz says. "I have a golden cat charm, even still. Bastet is our mother, after all..."

"I suppose I'll try it," Layla says. She extends her hand.

Fayruz fishes in her bag and pulls out a small golden cat charm. She places it in Layla's hand.

She tries it. 

Nothing happens. 

She passes it to Rana.

She bows her head in quiet reverence, and tries. 

A flare of brilliant white light spreads out into the camp, and vanishes.

Then she looks up and meets Layla's eyes with an air of satisfaction. 

"I am a cleric of Bastet," she says. "Our old mother has returned."

Layla can't help it, she grins from ear to ear. "That's wonderful news."

She looks over at the golden cat in Rana's hands. "So then I must be - some other old deity. Hathor, Osiris, Ra -" 

"I think that is the obvious inference, yes. Probably Hathor; she always did work together with our mother."

"We'll have to have a charm made back in the city, when we get there."

Layla sits back on her hands and smiles. "A cleric of Bastet. In this day and age..."

She rubs her chin. "Something big is happening. Something important enough to call our mother back from an entirely different world."

"We will have to be strong and work all together to get through whatever this new game of the gods is. Such times are never easy for mortals."

Fayruz is looking at the golden cat in Rana's hands with something like awe. 

"Our mother, returned..."

Hayat slaps her on the back and laughs. "It can only be good news to have her back again. Don't look so overawed. She is just another spirit in the end."

Fayruz gathers herself and nods. "I - you may keep the charm, obviously. You have more need of it than I."

"This is so cool! It's like something right out of a spiritcalling story!"

Layla chuckles. "Now, now, settle down, Yasmin. She's still our Rana."

"Yeah, that's what's so cool about it! I'm getting dancing lessons from a real spiritcaller!"

Rana smiles and stretches. "Just remember to practice and maybe one day you'll be like me," she lies. 

"O-of course lady spiritcaller!"

Layla smiles. It's kind of endearing how much Yasmin looks up to Rana.

Well, now that that's settled, it's time they got moving.

Layla pushes the camp onwards, doing her best to make sure they make good time. The meal's ready; they've got to move before the heat of the day. She sets Fayruz to balance the camels' loads - she's the best hand at it - and enlists Naila and Batul to haul goods and supplies. Further down the line the other clan is packing up its bags as well. Kamil and Rana are sent to keep watch, while she takes the lead in unhobbling the camels. 

Layla makes sure everyone has their weapons ready, as well - bows for Munir and Kamil, Naila's monstrous bastard sword, her own claymore, and holdout daggers and crossbows for everyone else. She has a bad feeling about today. 

They push on into the desert, away from the Crook, taking a slightly more direct route. There's many more miles to go through the wastes, and only so many supplies loaded on the camels. Best see the journey done as soon as possible. 

After about four hours, Kamil walks quickly forwards along the column and speaks to Layla in front. "Layla," he calls. "Stop the caravan. I saw metal glint off the top of that dune ahead. We're heading into an ambush."

He looks forward, bow unslung. "Gnolls, I think. And more than a few of them."

"Halt and make ready!" Layla calls, and all along the length of the caravan hands go to crossbows and load bolts. 

"I knew it. Someone wants us dead, and with us Bastet's only cleric. Lamashtu, I think." She dismounts her camel and draws her sword. "Naila, Batul, to the front!" 

Naila unslings her massive greatsword and joins Layla at the head of the caravan. "I'm here."