Swamped

You've got two main problems right now.

On the one hand, you're about to head to an unknown place with limited preparations, and for all you know there are going to be hostile forces. So you want to think of what else you can do to be ready - though having Rider's aid is no small thing, at least.

On the other hand, there's something going on with these Protectors. And you feel like this might be your best chance to find out exactly what it is. If you wait until afterwards, they'll probably go back to being completely untalkative, and it'll be all the harder to work out what's happening.

But you can't really deal with both. So you've got to pick one to focus on... and then you hear a loud noise. Seems you spent so much time going over your situation that the Protectors have brought their barrels... or whatever those are.

Actually, they look quite a bit bigger than barrels. A pair of huge crates. They're being dragged along by a pair of desert-horses... with grebling riders, apparently. Frankly, each of those crates looks like it could comfortably hold at least four humans. You wonder just what the Protectors have been using them for.

"I trust these containers to the two of you," the Protector leader says. "You may also ride the desert-horses, though their riders will be coming along with you to make sure everything goes smoothly. I understand you know where to go for the water."

"Yeah," you say. "Thanks for the help." Could have made it a little easier on you, but at least they came through in the end.

Rider starts mounting one of the horses, getting behind its driver. The contrast in their sizes looks a bit ridiculous from this angle.

Well, you should probably get on board, too. But just to be safe, you should take a moment to think if there's anything else you need before you go.