“It looks like it dear brother,” she says. A tear begins to well from her eyes and she adds, “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry.”

Leaning over to her he envelopes her in a big hug. “Everything will turn out fine,” he assures her. “You keep working on those bears of yours and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Those who are leaving and moving on into Cardri begin to disengage themselves from the others. The pit fighters move to face the recruits as they gather near Delia.

“Now you be on your best behavior!” Scar tells them.

“If you aren’t,” says Potbelly, “we’ll have to come and thump you.”

“Leave them alone,” Delia says to them, “they will be fine. A lot better than the last guards I had. They were a bunch of drunken layabouts!”

Shorty laughs and says, “You take care.”

“I will,” she says and moves to give him a hug.

Blushing, he sits there in the saddle and hugs her back. Behind him, barely heard jeers and inappropriate comments come from his friends.

Aleya gives Delia and Tersa both a big hug goodbye.

Turning to the pit fighters, Delia says, “You boys better be on your best behavior as well.” Nodding to Aleya she adds, “If I hear of anyone being rude or belligerent around her I’ll come back and do a little thumping of my own!”

“Yes ma’am,” Stig says with a serious expression on his face which lasts all of a second before he breaks into a grin.

“We better go or we’ll never get home,” states Delia. To those not going with her she says, “You be careful and bring Tinok home.” Then she turns her horse toward the Pass and begins the last leg of the journey back to The Ranch. Tersa and the recruits follow along behind.

Jiron sits there and waits until they disappear further into the Pass then turns to James. “Ready?” he asks.

Nodding, he says, “Let’s go find Tinok.”

They spread out in a search pattern not long after leaving Abi Salim. In the dark they went slow as they kept a close eye out for any of the others who might be lost in the dark. By the time dawn comes, none of the young men have yet been found.