Naelli smiled.
"No."
For the first time in years, Elias laughed without forcing himself.
Days became weeks.
The ranch changed.
The girls changed.
And Elias changed with them.
He taught Mara how to repair a saddle.
Tala learned to shoot.
Sani became fascinated with the horses.
Luma proved to be an extraordinary tracker.
Pia learned every swear word Elias knew.
Naelli watched all of it.
She noticed things Elias did not.
The way he smiled when he thought nobody was watching.
The way he repaired broken objects rather than throwing them away.
The way he left the best piece of meat for the girls.
The way he woke before everyone else and checked the perimeter.
One evening, Naelli sat beside him on the porch.
"You are different."
Elias looked at her.
"Older?"
"No."
"Tired?"
"No."
"Ugly?"
She laughed.
"Perhaps."
He smiled.
"Then what?"
"You were a man who had nothing."
Elias stared toward the mountains.
"And now?"
"You have six reasons to keep living."
He did not answer.
Because she was right.
The trouble came three days later.
Luma found the tracks.
Four horses.
Maybe five.
They had come from the north.
They were following the girls.
Elias crouched beside the trail.
The tracks were fresh.
Naelli stood behind him.
"They found us."
Elias nodded.
"How many?"
"At least five."
"More?"
"Possibly."
Mara stepped forward.
"We should leave."
Elias shook his head.
"If you leave now, they will chase you."
"We cannot stay."
"Why?"
"Because this is your home."
Elias looked at the broken barn.
"No."
He looked at the girls.
"Now it's ours."
That night, Elias prepared the ranch.
He moved the horses.
Blocked the northern trail.
Placed lanterns where they could create misleading shadows.
He showed the girls where to hide.
Naelli protested.
"You cannot fight them alone."
"I'm not planning to."
"You are."
"I'm planning to survive."
"That is the same thing."
Elias smiled.
"Not always."
The attack came before dawn.
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.
A horse screamed.
Elias returned fire.
The valley exploded into chaos.
The attackers had expected frightened travelers.
They had not expected a rancher who knew every rock and ridge.
Mara and Tala helped from the barn.
Luma guided the others through a hidden passage.
Sani protected Pia.
Naelli stood with a rifle beside Elias.
"You said you wouldn't fight."
"I lied."
"I noticed."
One attacker reached the house.
Elias intercepted him.
They fought in the darkness.
The man was younger.
Faster.
Elias took a blow to the jaw.
Then another.
He fell.
The attacker raised his gun.
Naelli fired.
The man dropped.
Silence returned.
But only briefly.
More riders were coming.