"Don't lie."
"I can handle it," she insisted.
"I know you can, but I'm still sorry."
She pressed her cold nose into my forearm and I heard her mumble out, "How I have been blessed to have been given to a man that worries so much about my comfort. You are so unlike the men of my people, even my brother. To them, women are nothing but a pleasurable diversion and a source of children and yet I sense respect for me in every action of yours. How is it that you are so different?"
"I had a good teacher," I said simply.
I tried to hold her a little closer if possible, but she was as close as she could get. She was wrapped up in my blanket, but it was still obvious to me what a delight of feminine craftsmanship she was. "I wish……"
She turned her head to me slightly, "You wish what?"
"I wish it was warmer and that there was nothing between us and nowhere to go tomorrow."
I felt her smile against my arm and say, "There will be other days for that, my love."
I hoped so. I wasn't really sure what would happen tomorrow. I held her a little closer.
*****
The rocks rose up impressively to either side. Soon we wouldn't be able to take the horses any further and we would have to go on by foot.
I knew we were at the right place as I'd never seen so many bones before. The ground was literally covered with them. It was sickening to hear the steady crunch of bones, now brittle with age and weakened by the elements, being pulverized under the hooves of our horses.
Darkness had been allowed to rein in this forgotten corner of the world for far too long!
The deeper we went into the canyon the more it seemed as if we were immersing ourselves in a vat of black dye as the spirit of the place was so oppressive. I dismounted and was followed by the others.
The recruits were all visibly shaken by our surroundings. Who wouldn't be?
They were getting quite the training exercise this time out. So was I for that matter.
I looked from the group to the steep gorge before us that got steadily narrower. The Gargons knew we were here. I could just sense it. I could sense a lot more things than I used to.
Turning to the group I asked them directly, "Which of you know that, if you were to die right now, El Elyon would allow your spirit to enter Shamayim?"
Slowly at first, but then quickening with speed, five of the group of 15 men raised their hands.