Over the next two weeks, improvements are made for the temple, once again lived in after being abandoned for 100 years. By far the most gruelling is the breaking open of the rock to better access the spring, and as such to the two unvowed slaves are assigned to sweat and bake under the blazing sun, with pickaxes acquired from an elven trader, hasty negotiations resulting in an agreement that would avoid bloodshed. Khait works sometimes with the two men, not bothered by the heat, her strength putting their work to shame as the stone shatters beneath the weight of her pick. They try to talk to her sometimes, looking to fill the times in the short breaks they are permitted, offerings names and observations on the task at hand, but their words are hesitant, guarded, as they are keenly aware that she is one of the bandits who killed their friends and now keep them enslave.<br/><br/>Other merchants are also encountered, and though they are not personally identified for their battle with the mercenaries, not yet at least, they are still a fearsome sight. Even the merchants with armed guards, leather armour and blades glinting in the sun, can clearly see they are outmatched, on numbers alone before even considering just what these bandits are capable of, fiendish skin and towering forms. They agree to pay a tribute, some reluctant, unimpressed,<strong> “You want to trade with me after you've robbed me?”</strong>one dwarf in particular dwarf blinks on disbelief. Others are desperate not to escalate the situation, and feel a few dozen silver is s fair price for this.<br/><br/>Soon there is plenty of twine and sheets of hide, along with some wooden poles in the temple's storage room, and seven precious iron tools, four pickaxes, two wood axes and a hammer. Finally, an additional 445 silver has been added to the treasury. The slaves quarters are constructed, those unvowed with a wooden cage across their door, situated next to Dreaming Venom, circumstances they are not entirely happy with, but know better than complain about. The others get a thin hide hanging across the door, whilst the four windowed rooms are fitted with covers to keep the sun sand out as desired. Mahsati and the elven ex-mercenary scour the land, finding a small oasis a day's travel due north of the temple, and in the rocky rise to the west a small herd of longhorned goats, 4 of which they managed to lead back to supplement the horses in the animal pen, which steadily nears construction. A few other goats are slaughtered there to be eaten. Food is starting to become a problem, with rations running low. With a ladder, tent and the rock broken open, there is enough water to support a crop of tumble thistle and malva plants recovered from across the surrounding sands. These plants will thrive in the shadow of the cliffs, and once the goats starts producing offspring and milk, with a few more to supplement their numbers, the temple will be self-sufficient. Until then, hunting must suffice, and whilst Mahsati can easily feed herself, catching enough food for everyone with little help pushes even her, and more than once this results in her almost running into a predator, which could end badly, even for one so at home in the desert.<br/><br/>There are also rumours of bigger merchant caravans, joints ventures, slower to assemble and heavily guarded, are finally ready to leave. Better rewards, but they will have more a guard pair the group has encountered so far, and may even be guarded by a force larger than the mercenaries they fought.