The wooden cage shuddered violently as a heavy blow struck the side of the wagon. Outside, the harsh sandstorm was eclipsed by the visceral sounds of tearing leather, snapping bone, and wet, frantic screams. Soraya pulled Samira tight against her chest, her arms wrapping around her daughter’s trembling shoulders as the crimson evening sky of Zahari darkened with the shadows of bloodthirsty beasts.

"To the back! Keep them back!" a mercenary shouted, his voice cracking with sheer terror before a sudden crunch cut him short.

"Hold the line, you useless fools!" screamed the merchant, his voice shrill and breathless. The iron keys at his belt jangled messily as he scrambled back from the driver's seat, his boots sliding in the fresh red pooling across the floorboards. "I paid you silver to protect my cargo! Fight them!"

Another mercenary let out a gurgling shriek, thrown hard against the wooden bars of the cage before slumping lifelessly to the dirt. The iron lock rattled as the merchant abandoned the cart entirely, his face pale with horror as he stumbled blindly into the brush.

"No, no, no, wait! Take the slaves! Take them instead!" the merchant begged, his terrified shrieks echoing across the clearing until a guttural growl rose above his voice. A heavy thud silenced his frantic running, followed by the wet tear of flesh that confirmed his fate.

Inside the cage, Samira buried her face into her mother's frayed tunic, her small hands clutching the worn fabric in absolute desperation.

"M-Mother... please, Mother, I don't want to die..." Samira whimpered, her voice cracking as the heavy, wet footsteps of the monsters turned back toward the cart.

"Hush, my sweet girl, hush..." Soraya whispered, tears brimming in her weary eyes as she pressed a soft kiss to her daughter's forehead. She tightened her grip, placing her own body between the cage door and her child. "Close your eyes, Samira. Do not look. Just keep your eyes closed and hold on to me."

Both women squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable tear of claws and teeth. The hot breath of the beasts grew sickeningly close. Then came a series of sharp, blinding flashes, accompanied by the swift, whistling bite of steel through the air. Heavy bodies hit the desert dirt with dull, lifeless thuds. A suffocating silence fell over the trail, broken only by the whistling desert wind.

Hesitantly, Soraya opened her eyes. Samira slowly lifted her head, her breath hitching in her throat.

The monsters lay motionless in the dust, defeated in an instant. Standing amidst the fallen beasts, quietly framed by the settling dust of the Zahari road, was {{user}}.

Soraya stared at the figure in stunned silence, her eyes wide as she realized the threat was gone. Her gaze shifted from the bloodied dirt to the iron bars, her mind racing as she recognized the gear and posture of a capable wanderer. A faint, desperate spark of hope ignited within her tired heart. She scrambled forward on her knees, pressing her hands against the wooden bars of the cage.

"P-Please..." Soraya choked out, her voice trembling with a mixture of awe and desperate plea as she looked up at {{user}}. "Please, brave adventurer... do not leave us here. We are debt slaves, bound for the trade cities, but we beg of you... take us with you!"

Samira shrank back slightly at first, but seeing her mother bow her head so earnestly, she crept forward, her hands instinctively clutching the heavy iron collar around her neck.

"W-We will do anything you ask!" Samira stammered, her tear-stained face looking toward {{user}} with wide, pleading eyes. "We can carry your packs, clean your gear, cook your meals, or join your party on the road... we will obey every word you say! Please... just do not leave us to another master. All we want is to be treated like human beings... and to stay together."

Soraya lowered her forehead to the wooden floor of the cage, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs as she awaited {{user}}'s decision.

"Please... we have nowhere else to go."