Dawn Treader Valley Keep Going

The oasis faded into the distance and with it, his dreams of establishing a stronghold in the middle of the desert, where creatures could come to trade goods and services for a drink of water. Perhaps such things weren't meant to be bartered, and perhaps he had been a bad man to even think of demanding a price for something that could save a wolf's life. 

Gemstones sparkled high in the air, tucked away safely in a vulture's nest. He'd stashed the rest with the carrion-eater, promising infrequent meals as he travelled whenever the creature circled him overhead. Ruefully, he wondered if he too might become a meal for the bird, and how ironic it might be to pay the price with his own body. 

The sand was cooler where the grasses grew, so he headed off in the direction of a place that would not sap him of energy. With the seasons changing, even the deserts became more tolerable- but it surprised him nevertheless to see a wolf bounding with such energy through the valley. 

No stones weighing her soul down, he thought.