You owe us absolutely nothing. Sawyer took a long moment before answering her question. He thought about his lonely life, the years he had spent completely alone with no family waiting for him. No fixed home to return to. He thought about all the times he had desperately needed help, and no one had been there to give it.
"Because it's the right thing to do," he said finally with conviction. "And because I know exactly what it feels like to be completely alone when everything seems lost and hopeless." Nahali didn't respond with words, but Sawyer noticed her shoulders relaxed slightly for the first time. The silence that followed was very different from before, less tense, more comfortable, almost natural between them. Outside, the storm was slowly beginning to lose its destructive force. The furious howling of the wind gradually became a moan, then barely a soft whisper.
The sand stopped hitting the walls with such violence. Sawyer closed his heavy eyes, finally allowing himself to rest a little. Tomorrow there would be so much work to do. But for now, in this small cabin lost in the middle of the desert, 10 women and a stranger had found a fragile but real truce. Before falling completely asleep, Sawyer heard Nahali's voice one last time in the darkness.
Thank you for giving your blanket to Paloma. He didn't open his eyes, but a slight smile appeared on his tired face. You're welcome, Nolly. The storm slowly moved away, taking the dark night with it, and when the first golden rays of dawn began to filter to through the dusty windows, something important had changed forever in that humble cabin. None of them knew it with certainty yet, but fate had decided to unite their paths in a way that absolutely no one could have imagined.
Dawn arrived with an almost sacred silence over the desert. The storm had passed completely, leaving the entire world covered in a fine layer of golden sand that glittered in the light. The sky was perfectly clean, blue as a newborn's eyes, without a single cloud to stain its immense perfection. Sawyer was the first to wake when the first rays touched his face. He got up very carefully, stretching his muscles, sore from the night spent on the hard, cold floor.
The women were still sleeping deeply, exhausted by the accumulated tension of the last hours. Paloma was still wrapped in his blanket, her breathing much calmer than the night before. He walked to the door and opened it very slowly to avoid making noise. The fresh desert air hit his face gently, clean, and completely renewed after the fierce storm. He breathed deeply several times, filling his lungs with that morning purity.
Thunderade joyfully from the small stable, happy to hear his owner's footsteps approaching. Sawyer walked to him and stroked his neck with genuine affection. "We survived another difficult night, boy," he murmured softly. "But it's not time to leave just yet." He returned to the cabin and found Nahali already awake, watching him attentively from the dusty window. Her eyes no longer showed the hostility of the day before, but not full trust either.
It was notable progress. "The well is behind the cabin," she said in a neutral voice. "I'll show you exactly where." They walked together in silence to the back of the cabin. The well was made of ancient stone, old but originally wellbuilt by expert hands. However, the storm had filled it with sand almost halfway.
Sawyer rolled up his sleeves without hesitation. I'm going to need a sturdy bucket and something to remove all this sand. Nahali nodded and returned to the cabin quickly. Minutes later, she came back with a worn wooden bucket and a somewhat rusty shovel. Sawyer began working immediately without complaining, removing sand bucket after bucket under the sun that was beginning to heat up with force.
An hour passed completely, then two more. The other women gradually woke up and came out curiously to watch the stranger working tirelessly. Some watched him with evident curiosity, others with something that was beginning to genuinely resemble respect. Sawyer was removing the last heavy bucket of sand when Siti shouted from the cabin with an alarmed voice, "Riders! Riders are coming this way." Sawyer's heart immediately raced.
He dropped the bucket on the ground and ran to the front of the cabin as fast as possible. On the distant horizon, four dark figures on horseback were approaching, raising a large cloud of dust. Even at that considerable distance, Sawyer perfectly recognized the type of men they were. Dirty worn hats, old tattered clothes, rifles threateningly crossed over their saddles. Bandits without a doubt.
Get inside the cabin, Sawyer ordered with a firm authoritative voice. Right now, quickly. The women obeyed without questioning for a second, running toward the cabin with urgency. Nahali was the last to enter, stopping briefly beside Sawyer. There are four armed men, she said with concern.
You are only one against them. I've faced worse odds in my life. Believe me, your weapon is still inside. Sawyer cursed silently between his teeth. He had left his revolver on the cabin floor the night before as a gesture of peace and hadn't picked it up this morning.
He looked at Nahali urgently. Bring it to me quickly. Nahali disappeared inside the cabin and returned barely seconds later with the belt and revolver in her hands. Sawyer fastened it around his waist with quick movements practiced over years of experience. Stay inside with the other women, please.
This is my fight too, Sawyer. Nahali, please trust me. Something in his serious voice made her finally obey. She entered the cabin but stayed by the window, watching everything attentively. The four riders arrived and stopped their horses about 20 m from the cabin.
The leader was a large burly man with a deep scar crossing his left cheek and a crooked smile that had absolutely nothing friendly about it. His dark eyes scanned the entire property with very poorly disguised greed. "Good morning, friend," the leader said with a mocking, contemptuous voice. "Nice place you've got here. Very cozy." Sawyer didn't move a single inch from his position.
His right hand rested casually, but ready near his revolver. "This place isn't mine. I'm just passing through." "Just passing through, huh?" The bandit looked directly at the cabin and his eyes gleamed with interest. "We saw some movement in there. You've got company hiding.
These people are my family," Sawyer said with a voice cold as the heartest steel. And they are completely under my personal protection. The bandits exchanged amused glances among themselves. The leader let out a loud, unpleasant laugh that echoed in the air. "Your family, you say?
A completely lonely cowboy with an Apache family. What an interesting and curious situation. He leaned threateningly over his saddle. Look, friend, we don't want unnecessary trouble with you. We're just looking for some basic provisions.