"They won't stop," she said. They don't leave loose ends. Elias nodded. He waited for her to continue, and she surprised herself by doing so. They raided the outer border of our settlement at dusk.
I saw them before they saw me. I tried to warn the families nearby, but they moved too fast. Her voice tightened. They were after me, not the others. Elias kept his expression steady.
Her words filled in the gaps he had left unasked. "Why you? " he asked. Aayoka clenched her jaw, weighing how much truth to offer. But this man had carried her through snow and given her shelter with nothing expected in return. He had earned honesty.
I refused to guide them, she said. They wanted access to territory that isn't theirs. They thought hurting me would make others comply. Elias understood immediately. Men who used intimidation to control land rarely stopped at threats.
They pursued until they achieved what they wanted or until they were forced to stop. That's why you ran, he said. That's why I fought, she corrected. Running came later. Elias allowed a small, respectful nod.
You did the right thing. Aayoka took a slow breath and watched him. She had expected judgment or fear, but he offered neither, only a quiet acknowledgement of her strength. "What about you? " she asked. "Why live in a place so empty? " He looked toward the stove as if the answer were hidden somewhere in the fire.
I needed distance, he said, from people, from noise, from things I couldn't fix. She understood more than he realized. Grief had a weight that silence could support better than anything else. Slowly, tension eased between them. Not because danger faded.
It hadn't, but because they finally understood the burdens that brought each of them to this valley. A sudden crack sounded outside, not close, but clear enough to draw their attention. Elias stood immediately and moved toward the window. His movements were controlled, but he carried himself with readiness now, not caution. Aoka rose too quickly and clutched her side, steadying herself.
Elias turned his head for a moment, checking her with a quick focused glance. "Stay back," he said. "Your wound won't hold if we have to move fast. " She hated the limitation, but she accepted it. They couldn't afford mistakes. Minutes passed with no follow-up sound.
Still, the sense of being watched remained thick in the air. Elias returned to his seat, but he no longer rested his hands. They stayed near the rifle. "Well take turns sleeping," he said. "I won't sleep," Aoka replied.