Wade stepped closer and checked Taza's temperature again, resting his hand firmly against the boy's forehead. The heat had clearly dropped since dawn. He'll wear himself out fast," Wade said. " What he needs now is quiet. Seiya lifted her son and carried him back to the blanket.
Once settled, Taza curled against her and fell into a deep sleep. His breathing was even, no longer strained. Seiya ran her fingers gently through his hair, her face carrying exhaustion every bit as deep as the relief beneath it. Wade sat a short distance away, and leaned his back against one of the fence rails. He removed his hat, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and watched mother and child without speaking.
Several minutes passed before Seiya finally broke the silence. You saved me, too," she said softly. " Not just him. Wade lowered his eyes toward the dust between his boots. That wasn't what I set out to do." "
Maybe not," she answered. " But you did. Neither of them spoke again, but the silence between them no longer carried suspicion or attention. Something steadier had taken its place. A quiet understanding neither of them had asked for, and both of them were beginning to share.
A new sound drifted in from the open range. A small flock of birds moved through the grass, brushing against the dry stalks as they searched for seed. It was the first ordinary sound of the land Seiya had truly noticed since arriving. A reminder that there was still a world beyond fear. Wade rose slowly.
I'm going to work on the corral," he said. " I'll stay close if you need anything. Seiya nodded and watched him walk towards the horses with calm, steady steps. Then she turned her attention back to Taza. He slept peacefully now, his breathing slow and even enough to bring back a kind of peace she had nearly forgotten.
That morning had changed everything. Taza had stood. He had walked. He was still alive. And although neither Wade nor Seiya said it aloud, both understood that the bond formed during that endless night and fragile morning was not fading.
It was growing stronger. The day warmed gradually as the sun climbed higher. The heat settled over the land without becoming harsh. By noon, Taza was sleeping beneath the shade outside the cabin, wrapped in a clean blanket Wade had brought out earlier. His breathing was calm now.
No strain, no weakness, and the color returning to his cheeks made it clear that the recovery was real. Seiya watched him for a long time without moving. Pride and fear lived together in her expression because she knew what came next. The moment Taza became strong enough to travel, she would have to give Wade an answer about leaving. That decision had been weighing on her since sunrise.