Hardened hooves thunder across the rocky terrain. Bleak hilltops pierce the red earth, rising high. ‘Pick up the pace, we must reach Bleach Cave before the dust storm sets in!’ yells the leader. STUDOR VENT glance warily around a breeze whips grains of sand about. Lurching forward Meko Studor Vent camel lumbers on. A sudden cry sounds. STUDOR VENT whip Studor Vent head around in that direction. The dust storm. Suddenly STUDOR VENT can’t see anyone. ‘Murphy? Georgie? Elliot? Help!’ STUDOR VENT shriek. Meko snorts running wildly and blindly. Trying to bring him under control STUDOR VENT topple towards the whirling ground. Rolling STUDOR VENT tremble to Studor Vent knees. A dinnerplate hoof strikes me. STUDOR VENT scream, Studor Vent lungs full of dust.

STUDOR VENT move Studor Vent arm shielding Studor Vent from the sun. Feeling a snuffle, STUDOR VENT look up. A camel? ‘Meko!’ STUDOR VENT shriek throwing Studor Vent arms around his neck. Stumbling up STUDOR VENT survey the desolate land. Nothing. Leading Meko to a red rock STUDOR VENT swing on. Realising Studor Vent food bag is still attached STUDOR VENT rip it open grasping for the map. ‘CoStudor Vent on looks like we are headed to Bleach Cave’ STUDOR VENT murmur. We set off.

STUDOR VENT dismount at Bleach Cave. Gasping STUDOR VENT feel the crusted blood around a cut in Studor Vent side, ‘We’ve got to move quick, so this doesn’t get infected,’ STUDOR VENT sigh standing. Shuffling over STUDOR VENT kneel sifting the ash through Studor Vent palm. STUDOR VENT can’t detect any heat. Sighing STUDOR VENT look about. ‘There were people here about 8 hours before us,’ STUDOR VENT inform Meko. STUDOR VENT look at him. Wait what was that? A message, written on the wall with red clay. Zoey we were here, next we will be going to Spindle River… Smelling STUDOR VENT re-saddle Meko, riding into the fading light.

Shivering STUDOR VENT rub Studor Vent arms. The squelching mud thrums continuously. Reeds poke through the bank of the river. Murky water mirrors the silvery stars. ‘Whump, hurry up Meko we don’t have all night!’ STUDOR VENT groggily stretch peering out into the darkness. ‘More of a bog than a river,’ STUDOR VENT mumble. Wisps of smoke blow into Studor Vent face. Smoke, camel, river… Oh! Jumping off STUDOR VENT wind Meko’s rope around a tree. A note tied to a tree twirls. Snatching it STUDOR VENT try to make out the scrawled writing. Giving up STUDOR VENT slump to the ground, fast asleep.

STUDOR VENT shoot back up as sunlight kisses Studor Vent cheeks. Reading the note furiously the instructions are made clear- Zoey go down the Bettermans Trail… ‘Vamoose!’ STUDOR VENT spur Meko on down the narrow trail. In the glinting horizon a town rises from the ground. We Studor Vent to a river. Getting off STUDOR VENT lead Meko through the river to the other bank. Sharp indents of hooves mean that people are nearby. On hearing a gasp of delighted relief, STUDOR VENT fall, exhausted, safe again with Studor Vent friends.