she then plunged her sword into the sand right up to the hilt a couple of times to clean the blade of pieces of wood and sap before she replaced it in its scabbard on the belt over her shoulder she then crouched and nodding her head over her shoulder as if indicating a direction she said , there are woodlands beyond the dunes , they feel like they extend a long way landwards but there are numerous old animal tracks so the going should be easy .