"You need to," he countered. "Even an hour. " Aoka studied him. He wasn't dismissing her strength. He was protecting it. Eventually, she nodded.
I'll sleep first, she said. But wake me if anything changes. Elias gave a brief nod. You have my word. She settled onto the cot, keeping the knife under her blanket.
She faced the doorway, ready to rise if she had to. Her breathing slowed, though not fully into rest. Elias kept his gaze fixed on the window, listening to the wind, the stove, and the emptiness outside. He stayed alert, not just because danger loomed, but because he knew someone in his cabin trusted him enough to close her eyes. In the quiet hours before dawn, he remained exactly where he needed to be, watching the valley, waiting for the moment the threat revealed itself, prepared to stand between it and the woman who had already endured enough.
The night was far from over, and both of them understood that the next move would come soon. The first light of dawn crept across the ridge, faint and cold, barely touching the valley. Elias had not slept. His posture remained rigid, eyes fixed on the treeine, listening for anything that didn't belong to morning. Aayoka stirred on the cot, waking slowly from a shallow rest.
The tension in the air reached her before she fully opened her eyes. Elias stood and lifted the rifle. "They're here," he said quietly. Aoka rose immediately, wincing as her side tightened. She forced herself steady and moved closer to the wall, knife already in her hand.
She didn't ask how he knew. The certainty in his voice was enough. A faint crunch of snow sounded from the north side of the cabin. Another came seconds later from a west. They weren't trying to hide anymore.
They were positioning themselves. Aayoka's pulse quickened. How many? Too close. Elias answered.
More waiting farther back. That meant a scouting pattern, testing the cabin, deciding if it was defended, planning how to force an advantage. It confirmed something both had suspected. The men after her were prepared and disciplined. Aayoka took a slow breath, steadying herself.
She refused to become a burden, even injured. Elias noticed her stance. Tight shoulders, controlled breathing, alert eyes. She was preparing herself for a moment that would test every piece of her strength. Elias motioned toward the back corner.
There's a rock shelter half a mile up the slope. Hidden from view. We need to get there before they surround the cabin. Aoka frowned. You're telling me to run again.