<div class="floatright">(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/05/7f/30/057f30315cc78eeec8c046854fa310f8--dwarf-costume-female-dwarf.jpg)</div><br/>Esame had been quite eager to be on this trip. She'd made a few friends, and enjoyed a few laughs. She even got a round of applause at the last town, where she turned some of the water they'd collected into a strong spirit. Okay, okay, not everyone had been happy, considering half the caravan's guards were hungover the next day. It was good fun though. Ever since she'd been trying to make it up to the caravan masters by purifying and replenishing their water supply. It wasn't easy though, as it was a huge caravan, and she was but one little gnomeling.  And the heat and dryness had been getting to her. Where at first, she had, to the surprise and amusement of the Katapesi, removed most of her clothing in an attempt to escape the heat, it had soon become clear to her, after a bout of intense sunburn, that layer upon layer of white clothing was the way to go. So now she sat there, atop one of the traders' camel like some sort of white fluffy pillow.<br/><br/>Suddenly there was a lot of commotion, her knowledge of Katapeshi wasn't even close to perfection yet, though she'd been studying it during the few hands of harrow she'd been playing with the caravan drivers. She looked in the direction they were pointing and noticed a huge sandstorm. It was far away, and should be of no concern, but it still had the locals spooked, and if there's one thing Esame had learned, it's that the locals tend to know best. She listened to the old Chelaxian as he explained what was going on. The scouts would be going out to find shelter. That was both comforting and scary. There were dangers all around in this desert, and very little safety. She debated going to assist the scouts, but thought the better of it. That storm looked awful nasty though, and if the scouts were right that it would hit them soon, she'd rather not be away from the caravan for fear of losing her way. So Esama huddled up, and stayed where she was. Perhaps an early rest wasn't too bad. Maybe she could find another victim ehhh customer for her tattooing.