"Because I like you."

Atha stared at Eltier, dumbfounded. Did he really just say that? Eltier ducked his head, but Atha continued to stare at him.

"I know that's kind of out of the blue," he continued, staring at the course sand between his bare feet. "And it really doesn't matter right now. There's so much going on, I doubt you have time to think about a relationship."

Relationship? I don't think I even know what that means...

Eltier sighed, then quickly stood up, brushing the sand from the seat of his pants. "Sorry, I feel like I overstepped." Atha opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. "It's alright," Eltier said, waving away her unspoken response. "I just... I just want to get to know you. Is that alright?" 

Atha hesitated, then nodded, and finally found her voice. "Yes. That's alright with me."

Eltier smiled. "I'll let you get some sleep now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Atha watched him walk away, and found herself feeling sad for him. She had obviously not given him the response he had hoped for. But what else could she say?

He was right. There was so much going on, Atha didn't know when things would settle into any kind of normalcy, or if that was even possible anymore. The Clan, while a mystery to her, seemed to instill fear in more than a few guides. Some of those men that had come to her yesterday to be immersed were even more fearful than the Pilgrims.

Atha settled back down under her raggedy tent and tried to drift off to sleep, telling herself that she could deal with all of it the next day.

In the morning, Atha awoke quietly and sat by the water again, enjoying the light breeze. As the rest of the camp stirred, Atah wondered just how long she would be able to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Not very long, as it turned out. She heard hurried footsteps, and she turned to see Margaret and Belon coming towards her. Atha stood to greet them, but then noticed a worried expression on the other woman's face.

"What is it?" Atha asked.

"You'd better come," Maragret said simply. "There's trouble brewing."

Atha immediately grabbed her flimsy shoes and shoved her feet into them, then stood and followed Margaret. "What kind of trouble?"

"Everybody's fighting over the water!" Belon informed her, skipping ahead of Atha and his mother.

"What? Why?"

"You'll see," was all Margaret said, and soon Atha did indeed see, or rather hear, what the issue was.

Atha followed Margaret to the cooking fire, and there found Joel in the middle of a group of angry Pilgrims surrounding the water barrels, demanding that their cups be filled. 

"They're all drinking the burning water, so why shouldn't we get more?" A man argued, others shouting their agreement.

"They don't need it now, we do!"

"I'm sorry, I can't just give you more!" Joel yelled over the crowd. "We still have at least a week until we reach the end of the crossing, and we have no idea if the burning water will make the others sick!"

"That's their problem, they shouldn't have trusted the water!"

Seeing the unrest and growing division amongst the Pilgrims, Atha knew she needed to speak up again, otherwise Joel would have a riot on his hands.

"It won't make anyone sick," Atha stated, causing everyone to turn her way. Joel's look soured upon seeing her, but Atha pressed on. "I have been drinking the burning water for years. I have never become sick from it."

"Be that as it may," Joel countered, "you can't guarantee that your people won't want a drink from the rations. If I start giving anyone double portions, we'll run out."

"There is no 'your people' or 'my people'!" Atha insisted, looking over everyone gathered. "We're all just trying to get to a better life." At that moment Eltier ran up, and Atha wasn't sure if his smile was as happy as it used to be.

"Hey, what's going on?" Eltier asked, to which he got an earful from the disgruntled, un-immersed Pilgrims. Although Atha was anxious to ask Eltier for yet another favor, he was the best option at the moment

"Please, quiet down," Atha shouted, and surprisingly, they listened. Atha turned to Eltier, hoping that he would be willing to help. "Eltier, could you gather the immersed people and bring them here? We need to resolve this issue."

"Of course." Eltier ran off again, and Atha again felt guilty for her answer to his confession the night before. Shaking the thought from her mind, she turned back to the people gathered around Joel and the water barrels.

"If you could please just wait until we have everyone gathered, we can come to an agreement about the water rations." Most crossed their arms and opted to wait by the barrels, but others took a seat on the ground or on rocks surrounding the cooking fire. Atha couldn't help but notice the irritated look that Joel gave her before also crossing his arms and continuing to stand guard in front of the rain water supply.

What else could I do? His appraoch wasn't helping anybody...

Margaret took Atha by the arm and sat her down on a rock next to Belon. 

"What-"

"There's no sense waiting around on an empty stomach," the other woman said, then proceeded to grab a few bowls and fill them with hot oatmeal from a pot sitting beside the cooking fire. Others took her lead, and when more Pilgrims that had been told to gather arrived, they each got their morning meal. 

A few looked confused to see their lead guide in such a hardened stance by the water barrels, but none of them went up to ask for a drink, a telling sign that they had indeed been drinking the burning water that surrounded Half-Land. The numbers of gathered Pilgrims and guides grew and grew, until Eltier returned. 

"That should be everyone," he reported to Atha.

"Thank you," she said, offering a small smile, which he returned. Atha stood and made her way to stand beside Joel. "Attention, everyone!" she called. The light conversations stopped, and every eye turned to look at her. "There is an issue that needs to be addressed this morning. If I understand correctly," she continued, nodding to those that still stood waiting for more water from the barrels, "there are some that want more rain water from the rations." Atha waited for nods from those gathered. "Since those that have been immersed can safely drink the burning water, I think this is a reasonable request. There are less people needing the rations, so there is more to go around." Atha turned towards Joel, trying not to wilt under his gaze. "Joel has some concerns about this."

"Yes, I do! How do I know that you won't all get sick from drinking that water, and how do I know some of you won't come asking for rations because it's more convenient?"

"I understand. I can only share my experience. I have been drinking the burning water for years, and I have never become sick from doing so." Atha turned to look out over the Pilgrims. "Have any of you had a bad experience so far?"

"No, not at all. It's the best water I've ever tasted, actually," one woman answered, to which others agreed. 

"I think it would be reasonable to offer an agreement then. Those that have been immersed will only drink burning water. If we can all agree to that, then I see no reason why those that have not been immersed shouldn't receive more rain water." There was a chorus of agreement from those gathered, and Atha turned back to Joel. "Is that acceptable?" 

Joel unfolded his arms, seemingly unhappy with the way things went, but unable to contend any longer. "Yes, fine. But you'll only get two cups for each meal. We still have a ways to go before we reach the end of the crossing." 

The people that had been waiting for more water surged forward, and the guides assigned to ladle out the water rations were kept busy for a few minutes. Everyone settled down as they finished their oatmeal and water. As people began to leave the area around the cooking fire, some came up to Atha and offered a hand shake or a nod of their head. Atha offered the same to each person. An easy calm settled over the camp, and Atha was relieved that the situation had been kept under control. Maragret and Belon were still eating beside her on the rock, and Atha felt she should say something to the woman.

"Margaret?"

"Yes?"

"It's good you came to get me. I don't know if things would have worked out as easily if you hadn't."

"You've always been sensible. I knew you would be able to handle it gracefully."

"Thank you..."

"For what?"

"... For believing in me."

"You're an imporant person, Atha," Margaret said, laying a hand on her arm. "Your words carry weight with those of us that followed you into the water. Don't forget that."

Atha felt an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time bubble up to the surface. Acceptance? She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Atha?" She turned to see Eltier approaching her. "There's something I need to show you."

"Oh? Where?"

"It's on the other side of Half-Land. Not too far though." Though she still felt that things were a little awkward between them, she couldn't think of a reason not to go.

"Alright." Atha gave her emtpy bowl to Margaret and followed Eltier away from the cooking fire. Surprisingly, Eltier led her further inland, and finally to the mouth of a cave set in the side of the steep cliffs that surrounded the camp along the shore. Eltier turned to her as they came to the cave entrance.

"It's just through these tunnels."

"What is?"

"A view of the end of the crossing."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I found these caves on my second crossing, and I always come back to see the view."

Eltier turned around and led the way into the cave, constantly glancing back to make sure that she was still following him. As they went deeper into the cave it became much darker. Atha found herself wondering what Eltier was thinking. Did he think that getting her alone would make her change her mind?What did he want from her exactly? A girlfriend? Something more than that? Although Atha was beginning to feel more comfortable around people, she still felt incredibly awkward at times. Maybe allowing Eltier to become closer to her would help with that.

Finally, they emerged from the cave system, revealing another rocky beach, though much smaller than the one the Pilgrims made camp on. Eltier walked all the way to the edge of the water, then turned back to her, pointing to the horizon.

"That's it. The end of the last crossing." Atha looked out over the water to see a tall mass of land, which was overshadowed by a clump of dark clouds.

"Those clouds... they look strange," Atha observed. 

"The Clan employs weather sorcerers to make it rain on a consistent basis, so that the settlement will never run out of safe water to drink."

"That's convenient," Atha said. "They not only control who gets the water, but also when it actually rains?"

"Yes. I thought I should tell you, since you'll need all the information you can get before we arrive."

"Thank you, Eltier. And thank you again for your help earlier. I am grateful."

"Don't mention it. We're in this together now, right? All of us that are immune, we have to help each other." Eltier took her hand.  "I don't know what's to come. But I'll be by your side, if you'll let me be."

"...I think I'd like that."

In the early morning, a heavy fog lay over the settlement of Yolek. This was common after a routine downpour the night before. What was not common was a sound that rudely awakened the still-sleeping inhabitants of the town. A bell. The bell of the crossing master. He was only supposed to ring it a couple of times to signal the arrival of the latest group of Pilgrims. But on this morning, the tolling of the bell went on much longer than that.  This caused the crossing master's assistant to jump out of bed, and come running from the dock house. 

"What, what is it?" the crossing master's assistant asked. The older man just handed his binoculars to his assistant, apparently unable to articulate what he had seen through the fog. The assistant took the binoculars and brought them up to his face. He immediatly spotted the caravan of wagon-boats making their way towards the settlement. He also immediately saw what had caused such concern from his master.

"Oh my waters..." he said under his breath. The man turned to the crossing master, who looked just as dumbfounded as his young companion. "I need to inform the Clan!" The crossing master just waved his hand, effectively dismissing his assistant to do whatever he felt was needed.

A man was enjoying a cup of morning tea in his study when he heard a commotion on other side of the door. What in the-? Another man burst through the door, ignoring the pleas of the man's secretary to please wait.

"Sir, you won't belive your eyes! I almost didn't believe it myself- the water- I mean the people-"

"What is the meaning of this!?! You burst in unnanounced, spouting nonsense?"

"Sir, it's incredible! The latest caravan has arrived!" The man sat back into his chair, clearly incredibly annoyed.

"That's all you have to say? I suppose that is news. It's not expected for another two days, but I hardly think it worthy of all this."

"But that's not-"

"Gina," the man called. "Make arrangments for emergency beds and rations to be prepared for the new arrivals."

The secretary nodded and turned to do as directed. "Yes, sir, right away."

"There now, that's fixed, no harm done. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to finish my-"

"Sir! They're walking!"

"... What?"

"The Pilgrims, and even some of the guides! They're walking in the water, without any protection!"

"... Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir, if you don't believe me, look for yourslef."

The assistant crossed to a window and drew the drapes aside, letting in the hazy morning light. He then gestured for the other man to use the binoculars to look for the arriving people. Finally, with shaking hands, the Clan leader caught sight of the caravan.

"Well... this is quite... unexpected."