7
Our group sped along the desert, and even Darda was not to be left behind. The large trees of the oasis stretched into the sky as we grew nearer, and I could see that they surrounded a wide pool. Thin grass speckled the ground around the edges of the water and beneath the cool shade of the trees. A large corral stood off to the far left and contained some hundred hadab that chewed away at dry grass.
The green area was a quarter of a mile wide and long, and at that moment was crowded with people and tents. The tents were made of canvas and stood taller than me. They were propped up with poles and the flaps on the front were open to show off their spacious interiors. Carpets covered the ground and several of the tents had mounds of pillows in their corners.
We slowed down as a coo
