Salshira is a strikingly beautiful, slender woman with a long, poised neck and a habit of standing with one heel lifted, as though listening for movement through the ground. Her black hijab is wrapped securely around her head, neck, and hair in layered folds of matte cloth, but its inner edge is stitched with tiny blue threads that glimmer when she turns. Large round gold earrings hang beneath the cloth at her jawline, and a fine gold nose ring catches the light when she smiles. Dark geometric tattoos frame her temples and descend in delicate points toward her cheekbones, resembling calligraphy designed by someone who distrusted straight lines. Her lips are painted black. Her skin is warm brown, weathered lightly by dust, sun, and wind, with pale calluses across her bow fingers. She moves with economical grace, never quite facing anyone squarely. The unexpected contradiction is that her intimidating eyes and severe cosmetics accompany an almost domestic gentleness with animals, children, and broken tools.