Wentworth Falls was a small town at the base of a mountain. There were no falls that anyone knew of but obviously when the town was established, there had been one or more cascading down the giant that loomed over the settlement. Perhaps if it ever rained again, the waterfall would reappear.

Vin entered the general store and strolled up to the register, slapping trail dust from his buckskin coat. The man behind the counter eyed the newcomer carefully. Tanner tipped his hat. The owner relaxed. Men who were about to cause trouble rarely displayed manners. “Morning. New in town?”

“I’m here to pick up some papers for Judge Travis.”

Again, the storeowner ran his eyes up and down Vin. “You don’t look much like a deputy.”

Vin snorted and his eyes flashed with amusement. “Nope, don’t suppose I do. Here, he gave me this.” Tanner handed the man a note and waited as he read it.

“Yep, everything looks in order. I’ll get them papers.” The storeowner disappeared through the faded curtain behind him. Vin leaned against the counter and scanned the room. It wasn’t unlike Potter’s back home. Home? Vin had never considered anywhere home before. Until that moment, he hadn’t realized he’d thought of Four Corners in that way. A frown formed on the young man’s face and he rubbed his stubbled chin. He was becoming ‘comfortable’ in Four Corners, a dangerous conditionfor a man with a bounty on his head. The time would come when he'd have to move on. Unfortunately, that time was near.

Tanner watched a couple of people wander around the store filling their baskets. Through the open door he spotted Ezra heading into the saloon. Vin shook his head. He’d told Standish to stable the horses and then join him here. The reason was simple and based on a great deal of common sense. Vin wanted to keep a low profile. Ezra didn’t know the meaning of the words.

As the tracker stepped away from the counter, he grimaced. His side was still stiff after catching a bullet just over a fortnight earlier. As a matter of fact, the past few weeks had been something of a struggle for him. First there had been the long and difficult days escorting a wagon train through hostile territory, then the Judge had been kidnapped, then Vin had been shot in the side and taken a bullet graze to his head. He’d temporarily lost his sight and that had scared him - Tanner wasn’t too proud to admit it... well, at least to the boys. The day after being injured he’d been dragged from his sick bed, forced onto a horse and taken to Purgatory to hang. Thankfully, Larabee and the others had arrived in time to stop him from swinging, though it had been close. On the trip home, he and his companions had been forced to seek shelter in a cave. Bounty hunters had crashed their party, but the boys had protected him. While their act of loyalty didn’t surprise him, it had left him unsettled. In the past week, Tanner had been re-evaluating his beliefs about life. He had yet to come to any conclusions, but it was something that continued to play on his mind.

Vin sighed and turned back in search of the storeowner. The nine-hour ride from Four Corners had left his body aching, which was unusual. Then again, while he and his fellow regulators had been sheltering from the rain in the cave thirteen days earlier, Vin had gone into shock. He didn’t remember much of the time in the small cavern, but Nathan had gone out of his way to remind him he’d come close to cashing in his chips. A week of bed rest had followed. Another week on and he had convinced the others he was recovered and had volunteered to ride to Wentworth Falls to collect the documents - anything to get out of town for a while. It wasn’t a difficult ride and it meant a night away from Nathan’s good intentions and Larabee’s ‘suggestions’ to take it easy.

Ezra had been ‘volunteered’ to join Vin. Chris and Buck were handling some unrest between some ranchers. Josiah had gone to the Indian Reservation to settle things there. Nathan was stuck in town waiting to deliver twins and J.D. was at Nettie’s doing repairs... repairs Vin would normally have handled but he had been banned from all chores for at least another two weeks. That left only Standish to accompany him. Needless to say, Ezra hadn’t been particularly impressed.

“Here they are, mister,” the storeowner stated, reappearing and handing Vin a large envelope.

“Thanks. Where’s the best place to stay overnight?” Vin asked. The sun would be setting shortly and it had been a long ride... a lot longer than he remembered. The past two weeks’ events had taken a great deal out of the normally rugged young man.

“Well, there’re two places. Depends how much money you’ve got.”

Vin grinned. “Not a whole hell of a lot.”

“Then there’s a boarding house a couple of doors down.”

Vin tipped his hat, turned and walked out into the street. As a rule, he would head out of town and sleep under the stars, but he had Ezra to consider. Besides, Nathan had made him aware of the fact that he needed to keep warm. Vin wasn’t stupid. He knew he’d come close to dying. The fact that he was still tiring easily was a fairly concrete reminder.

The dusty tracker started along the street toward the boarding house, when out of the saloon he heard a shout. Tanner and the rest of the people going about their business paused and glanced in the direction of the building. Vin strained his ears and heard the familiar phrase, “Then I suggest you discuss among yourselves, which of you is to die.”

Tanner shook his head and jogged across the wide street and up the stairs.

***********

Ezra stared at the five irritated men across from him. They had taken offence after losing only one hand. That was certainly a first for Standish, but then, he’d won the initial game because he’d known he didn’t have time to orchestrate any elaborate design to part these men and a great deal of their money. Tanner had been adamant they find a room and hibernate there until morning. Not that Ezra could blame him. The bounty on his friend’s head was something that was always in the forefront of Vin’s mind. He needed to keep a low profile, but Standish couldn’t see why that had to interrupt his prosperous plans for the evening.

“Give us back our money and you can walk out of here alive,” one of the five men snarled.

The batwing doors burst inward as Vin shouldered into the room. He stopped a few feet back from Ezra, legs apart, his sawn off rifle hanging at his side.

“Your timing is impeccable as usual, my friend. Oh, did I forget to introduce my travelling companion?” Ezra asked, his revolver raised and never wavering.

“There a problem here, Ezra?” Vin asked in a voice that could rip paint from walls.

“These gentlemen feel they have a case to call against me... for cheating.” Ezra’s voice echoed complete and total astonishment, but his eyes reflected his true lack of emotion.

“That right?” Vin growled.

Three of the men exchanged nervous looks. They believed they could take the fancy cardsharp, but his friend looked like he knew how to take care of himself. “We ain’t got no argument with you, stranger.”

“Good. Ezra, we’re leavin’.”

“There are only two of you,” one of the disgruntled losers pointed out, viciously. “You think you can take on all five of us?”

Vin slowly raised his rifle and loaded the chamber with an echoing crunch. Two of the men facing off against the regulators started backing away.

“It is my understanding that at this range a sawn-off rifle would cut you all in half,” Ezra offered helpfully. “Messy business and not at all palatable, considering it is almost tea time.”

“Ezra, we’re leavin’.” Standish lowered his revolver, knowing his partner had everything covered. He scooped the pot into his hand and tipped his hat before turning and exiting the saloon. Vin remained for a few seconds longer, his eyes assessing each of the men. Two were holding their ground unflinching, though had sensibly decided not to take on a sawn off rifle at this range. Tanner acknowledged the pair with a single bob of the head and then backed out of the saloon.

Vin moved to the right just outside the door and waited. If the group decided to pursue their money it would happen within the next few seconds. Tanner waited. After two minutes, he joined Ezra in the street.

“Thank you, Mr. Tanner, though I feel it only fair to point out that I had things under control.”

“Yeah, I saw that,” Vin snapped, striding off.

Ezra jogged after his companion. “You appropriated the documents?”

“Yeah.”

Ezra frowned. The men were passing the hotel where he had hoped to stay the night. “Mr. Tanner?”

“We can’t stay in town now, Ezra. You’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest.”

“Mr. Tanner, one of my better qualities is my ability to judge opponents. Those five were full of bravado but no courage. I am sure they will keep their distance after the little incident in the saloon.”

“Talkin’ from experience?” Vin asked, his stride lengthening.

“Well yes, as a matter of fact.”

Vin stopped walking and glanced back at Ezra who was standing in front of the hotel. “How the hell did you survive until you joined us?” Tanner shook his head and continued toward the livery.

Ezra's eyes flashed daggers of anger at his friend’s retreating back. “Mr. Tanner,” he cried, striding after his partner. “I will have you know that I am very adept at self-preservation.”

“That right?”

“Vin,” Ezra growled, grabbing a hold of his companion’s arm. Tanner stopped. “I think we should stay in town. It’s almost evening and there is a distinctive chill in the air. I do not relish sleeping on the ground with snakes and spiders for bedfellows. Besides, you are supposed to...”

“Can’t help that. Come on, we best put some distance between us and them fellas.” Vin disappeared into the livery. Ezra cursed passionately. It was clear no amount of persuasion was going to change his partner’s mind. Tanner was the most stubborn man Standish had ever met. Ezra looked back at the comfortable looking hotel, sighed and then disappeared into the barn to try once again to plead his case.

**********

Four Corners

Alex Thompson entered the noisy saloon and scanned the room. He spotted Larabee sitting at a table in the corner with four of the other regulators. Alex forced his way through the crowd and cleared his throat once he reached the group.

Chris looked up. “Alex?”

“I got a wire here from Mr. Standish. I thought I should bring it straight over.”

Chris nodded his thanks and watched the telegraph officer leave before unfolding the message.

“What’s it say?” J.D. asked, leaning forward.

Chris frowned. “Vin and Ezra have decided to sleep on the trail.”

Nathan shook his head. “I told him he needed to stay warm.”

Chris flicked his eyes to Buck. Tanner had agreed to stay in town. The only reason he'd have changed his mind would be...”Ezra,” Buck realized. No doubt Standish had parted some fool and his money. Vin would not stay in town after the pair had drawn attention to themselves.

Larabee nodded. “Remind me to shoot him when he gets back.”

“Which one?” Nathan chuckled.

“Both of them.”

“They can look after themselves, brother. Ezra knows Vin’s still recovering. They’ll take it easy.”

**********

For eighty minutes, Vin and Ezra rode in silence. The sun had begun its descent, darkness immanent. Tanner circled back several times to ensure they weren’t being pursued. Ezra knew there was little sense trying to convince his friend there was no danger. Vin had lived the past few years of his life looking over his shoulder. It was a habit he would not break easily.

“Reckon we should make camp,” the tracker called. “This way.” Ezra followed Vin into a grove of trees where Tanner stopped and dismounted. For several seconds he stood without moving, his eyes closed.

Ezra noticed and walked across to him. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah.“

Ezra studied his friend’s strained face. Vin looked dog-tired. They had started for Wentworth Falls just after breakfast, stopped once to eat some lunch, arrived around five o’clock in the afternoon and left half an hour later. Nathan had insisted the journey would be too much for Vin, but Tanner had argued that a couple of days in the open were exactly what he needed.

“Here, you tie the horses and I shall begin the onerous chore of clearing the ground for our campsite,” Ezra offered. Vin took the reins of the chestnut Ezra was riding because Chaucer was being reshoed, and wandered off to the left without comment. Ezra watched him vigilantly. Tanner flicked Peso’s reins over a branch loosely and then tied the chestnut. When he finished, he drew in a deep breath and reached for his side. Ezra frowned. Vin was holding out on him. Shaking his head, Ezra began to clear the ground of rocks. The sooner they could set camp, the sooner Vin could rest.

Vin started to untie his bedroll.

A screeching sound echoed out of the surrounding scrub without warning. Peso reared. Vin grabbed his reins and pulled him down. “Easy, easy! Ahhh!”

The high-pitched sound exploded again, disappearing as quickly as it started. Peso reared again. “Peso, easy. It’s okay!” Vin cried, trying to calm his startled horse. The animal was backing away from the scrub and shied again when the noise resounded. He reared, his left leg twisting as he tried to escape. “Easy, boy. Easy. Nothing’s gonna hurt you.”

Ezra rushed to Vin‘s side, his revolver drawn, his eyes peering in the direction the sound had come from. “What is it?”

The black horse began to settle as Vin stroked his head speaking softly. “Easy there, boy. Easy.”

“Vin?” Ezra asked stepping closer to the scrub hiding the source of the sound.

“It’s just a beetle.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“A screech beetle. This time of the year they come out just on dusk. Peso does the same thing every year at the beginning of the season. He’s terrified of them.”

Ezra eased his gun back into his holster, still eyeing the dense scrub. “I see.”

“Something in his past must have spooked him and he’s never forgotten,” Vin explained, rubbing the horse’s neck. The animal moved forward and Vin noted it was favouring one of its back legs. “Aww hell, what have you done?” Tanner bent over to examine Peso’s knee. He ran his hand down it and then lifted the leg. Peso kicked out. “Easy.”

“Vin?”

“It seems okay. He must have twisted it.”

“Lame?”

“Have to wait and see how it pulls up tomorrow.” Vin straightened, grimaced and dropped his eyes to his left boot.

“Is something amiss?” Ezra asked, wandering across to his companion. He had heard Vin cry out while struggling to calm the horse.

“Naw. Just...” Vin shifted his weight and grunted. “His hoof came down on me.”

Vin stepped back from his horse and tried to place his full weight on his left foot. Ezra’s face flooded with concern when the tracker failed with a restrained curse. “Is it broken?”

“Don’t know.” Vin shuffled backwards and then sat down with Ezra’s help. Tanner yanked his boot and sock off and gently manipulated the appendage with accompanying grimaces of pain flashing across his usually less than expressive face.

“Vin?” Ezra asked, crouching beside him.

“It’s okay. Just bruised.” His tone of voice did not sound as reassuring as Ezra would have liked. Tanner stared passed Standish to his horse. “Look what you did, you crazy critter. Stomped down on my foot all because of a beetle that isn’t even as big as your eye. You‘re an embarrassment.”

Peso wandered across to Vin and nudged him.

“I ain’t takin’ to you,” Vin grumbled, massaging his foot.

Ezra smiled. When Vin spoke to animals, he actually spoke to them. The remarkable thing was, they truly listened.

Peso nudged Vin with more force. Tanner reached up and rubbed the animal’s nose with affection. “Yeah, okay. Okay. I hear ya. Now go on.” As if understanding the command, the horse walked back to take its position beside Ezra’s tethered animal... still favouring its left leg.

“I do declare he understood you.”

Vin glanced at Ezra and muttered, “Why shouldn’t he? He’s got more brains than most of the people I know.”

“I am assuming you are not referring to present company,” Ezra drawled, reaching down and assisting to pull Vin to his feet.

Tanner bounced his eyebrows.

“I will choose to ignore that.”

Vin hobbled back toward the horses.

“Oh, for goodness sake. Go and sit down and I’ll set camp,” Ezra ordered.

Vin’s right eyebrow arched as he glanced back at the well-dressed Southern gentlemen who knew as much about setting a camp under the stars as Vin knew about high stakes poker matches. Each had seen the other, but neither had personally engaged in one.

“For your own safety, Mr. Tanner, I suggest you refrain from sharing what you are thinking,” Ezra stated with a smirk, sliding Vin’s arm over his shoulder before guiding the injured tracker to the centre of the tiny clearing.

“And what do you think I’m thinkin’, Ezra?”

“That I am incapable of assembling appropriate accommodation for us this evening.”

“Accommodation?” Vin chuckled. “I ain’t ever heard bunking under the stars called accommodation.”

Ezra assisted Vin to the ground. Tanner grimaced but this time it was accompanied by a groan. Ezra crouched down and examined Vin’s injured foot for himself. Already there were signs of bruising and swelling. “It’s swelling.”

“I just had a horse stomp on me. What do you expect?” Vin grumbled.

Ezra was a little surprised. Vin was rarely ill-tempered. Ezra had been riding with the tracker long enough to know that. “You are sure it’s not broken?”

“Yeah.” Vin flashed his friend an apology. “Don’t mind me. I ain’t mad at you. Of all the dumb luck. If he’s lame I’ll have to walk tomorrow and...” Vin sighed. “Ignore me. I’m just feelin’ a bit out of sorts. The sun’s disappearin’. How about you set camp and I’ll go get us some wood for a fire?”

“I think not,” Ezra disagreed, rising to his feet. “I think you better sit there and I’ll do what needs to be done. Contrary to popular belief, I am not helpless in the wilds. ”

“We’re running out of light.”

“A perfect reason for me to get underway.”

Vin shook his head and attempted to stand. He yelped and crashed onto his backside, his hand supporting his side.

“Are you quite finished?” Ezra asked.

“Shut up.”

“With pleasure, but I want your assurance that you will not attempt to rise again.”

Vin grumbled something under his breath as he reached down for his foot.

“I will take that as an affirmative response. If you will be patient, I will collect your bedroll and saddle, and then canvass the area for firewood.” Some moments later, Ezra deposited Vin’s things beside him and then set about laying out the blankets.

Tanner watched him curiously. “I can do that.”

“No need. I’m done. I suggest you take this opportunity to rest while I attend to other matters.”

Vin frowned. “You’re startin’ to sound like Nathan.”

“Perish the thought. However, despite the fact I do not share our healer’s knowledge of illness, I do recognise someone who is physically drained after our long ride. Rightly so, considering your experiences over the past weeks.”

Vin exhaled slowly. “Thanks, Ezra. Look, I’m okay... really. You collect the wood and I’ll catch us some dinner.”

“You are trying my patience, Mr. Tanner. You are not to move. Please don‘t be so selfish and think of me.”

“Huh?”

“I had to listen to an hour and a half lecture from Nathan before leaving this morning, and the topic of his harangue was your well being.”

Vin snorted. “Nathan just likes to fuss.”

“Granted and I was ready to dismiss his sermon for that very reason, until he reminded me of one small fact.”

“What was that?” Vin asked curiously, stretching his leg out to find a comfortable position to rest his foot.

“Two weeks ago in that cave, you came this close,” Ezra stated, raising two fingers about an inch apart, “to meeting your maker. A man doesn’t recover from something like that overnight. If I return you to Four Corners in ill health, I shall never hear the end of it. And then, of course, there was Mr. Larabee’s advice.”

“Chris? How long was his rant?” Vin grumbled.

“On the contrary, it was very short, succinct and to the point.”

Vin grinned. “Yeah? What did he say?” Tanner could guess.

“Something that can not be repeated in polite company.”

“I ain’t polite company,” Vin chuckled.

“Very true, but I am. The essence of his eight well-chosen words was my premature death should I allow you to overexert yourself. So, for my sake, please remain seated and rest while I take care of everything.” With that, Ezra strode across the clearing.

“Ezra...”

“I know what I‘m doing.”

“Yeah, but Ezra...”

“I am more than capable, Mr. Tanner. How hard can it be to collect firewood?” Standish insisted, disappearing into the bush.

“Ezra, hang on a minute!” Vin shouted.

“Have some faith.”

Tanner shook his head, attempted to rise, but there was no way his foot was going to hold him. “Great. Just great,” Tanner grumbled.

Fifteen minutes later, Standish returned with a small bundle of... twigs. Unceremoniously, he dumped the six of them in front of Vin. “Don’t say a word.” Ezra looked down at his filthy hands. There was nothing but tree trunks in the surrounding area. All of the lower branches looked like they’d been deliberately stripped and there was nothing at all on the ground. How was he supposed to find anything small enough to burn? How could finding firewood be such a difficult task?

“Can I say what I was gonna say before you left?” Vin asked, picking up one of the twigs casually to examine it.

Ezra’s eyes narrowed.

“My axe is tied to Peso’s saddle. You might want to use it to cut some wood. You won‘t find a lot of smaller branches in this area. We’re still close to town. The townspeople will have stripped the area for firewood ready for winter.”

Ezra glared at the seated man, his ice green eyes blazing with ire. If looks could kill, Vin Tanner would have died a thousand deaths. Standish stormed across to the saddle, grabbed the axe and disappeared again.

Vin grinned and shook his head with amusement. “It’s gonna be morning before you get this fire started,” he called after his friend.

**********

Vin stoked the fire, the light from the flames illuminating the clearing in its flickering glow. Night had descended half an hour earlier. Vin paused to listen. He systematically eliminated one sound after another until he identified...

“... of all the undignified....”

Vin grinned. Ezra was still wandering around out in the darkness trying to catch their dinner. Tanner had called out several times, offering to help, but this was now a personal battle between Ezra and the faceless creatures who were refusing to be caught.

Tanner sighed and leaned back against his saddle. His foot was throbbing and his side aching, but more than any thing else he felt exhausted. The tracker wasn’t used to feeling so weak. After all, it had only been one day in the saddle and he was used to weeks at a time. Still, he conceded that perhaps it was to be expected after losing so much blood.

Ezra’s raised voice wafted into the clearing on the wind. “... could not possibly...” His intermittent curses were strangely reassuring. “... if I live to be a hundred...”

Tanner’s thoughts drifted to his other companions. They’d been riding together for almost three months. What had started as a job to earn five dollars to protect an Indian village had become... what had it become? Vin frowned. He was beginning to feel settled and he had never felt that way. Was he ready to lay down roots in these parts or...?

“... I swear that if...”

Vin stared into the fire. For the first time in a very, very long time, Vin could admit to not only being happy, but also feeling safe. Safety was a luxury many men took for granted. Vin had too, before the threat of being shot in the back by anyone after the bounty had consumed his life. Consumed. It had consumed his every thought for almost two years. Vin had lost faith in humanity. Unexpectedly, he had stumbled across six men who had taught him that not everyone in the territory was after the money on his head. Chris and the others had proved they would not betray him for the bounty. On the contrary, they had risked their lives to protect him from bounty hunters.

“... wandering around in the wilds like a common...”

Vin had had friends before... before the bounty. People he had thought he could trust because of years spent hunting the plains together. He had learned the extent of their loyalty when they had double-crossed him and tried to turn him in for the five hundred dollars. He had never thought Larry or Michael would betray him for money. How wrong he’d been. But then, they hadn’t been true friends. They had simply been two men he'd been riding with for a while. Now, Vin knew what it was to have ‘friends’. Buck, Josiah, J.D., Nathan and Ezra would lay down their lives for him and he for them.

Vin’s brow furrowed. Then there was Chris. His friendship with Larabee still perplexed him. Their pasts could not be more different. Larabee had grown up in a large family, married and had a family of his own. Vin had been orphaned young and had wandered the Texas plains largely alone. However, both men had suffered different, but equally shattering injustices; Larabee in the loss of his family and Vin in being framed for a murder he hadn’t committed. Each man’s life had changed forever through no fault of his own.

Was that it? Vin wondered. Was it because life had dealt each of them an injustice that they had found a common understanding? Or was Josiah right and it was more than that?

“... come back here, you ungrateful fowl!...” The sound of a scuffle followed. “Ha!”

Ezra’s cry interrupted Vin’s thoughts. Moments later, the gambler appeared, but stopped at the edge of the clearing to glare at Vin. He looked like he had been rolling on the ground. There were bits of leaves and twigs attached to every part of his clothing. His face was smudged with mud and in one hand he was holding a dead fowl of some description. However, the bird wasn’t much bigger than his hand. “I warn you, Mr. Tanner, should you open your mouth to comment on my appearance or this pitiful morsel I have secured for our dinner, I will have no hesitation in shooting you.”

Vin grinned. “What took you so long?”

Ezra snorted, walked into the middle of the clearing and crouched down beside the fire. He dumped the bird on the ground and rubbed his hands together in front of the flames. “It is freezing out there.”

“Yep, air’s cooling down. So, is that all... I mean... did you want me to go and see what I can find?”

Ezra picked up the bird and studied it. “A meagre mouthful,” he muttered. The important thing was he’d caught it. The battle was his. Now, he could accept assistance. “I think perhaps that may be a good idea or we are going to feel somewhat ill satisfied by morning.”

“I won’t be long.” Vin reached for his sock. Unfortunately, when it came to his boot, he found he couldn’t force the swollen appendage into the confined space. “I think we have a problem.”

Ezra glanced across and his eyes widened. He hadn’t realized the extent of the now obvious damage. “Hell.” Ezra moved across to Vin and eased his foot back onto the blanket. “Are you sure it’s not broken?”

“Not as sure as I was before,” Vin admitted.

“How’s the pain?“

“Bearable.“ Tanner glanced at the bird. “Looks like it’s broth tonight.”

Ezra smiled. “Broth it is. “

“You want me to pluck it?” Vin asked as Ezra returned to the other side of the fire.

“Pluck it?”

“Unless ya thinkin’ of eatin’ it feathers an' all.”

Ezra made an unimpressed sound in the back of his throat. “Mr. Tanner, as I captured this pullet, I shall prepare it.” Ezra picked up the bird and stared at it from three different angles. He had never plucked anything in his life. “So, I just pull them out?”

“Pass it over here. You get some water boilin’ and I’ll prepare the bird.”

“That sounds fair,” Ezra conceded. At least, he’d won part of the battle.

The pair worked in silence for several minutes as the night closed around them. “You’ll have to show me your technique for catchin’ birds,” Vin stated seriously. “I ain’t never seen anyone get himself into such a state.”

“I am pleased my discomfort is a source of amusement,” Ezra grumbled, good-naturedly.

Vin grinned and leaned back against his saddle, his eyes focused on the stars above. It would be half an hour before the meal was ready. “Ezra, I’m just gonna...”

“I’ve got your back, my friend,” Standish stated, earnestly.

“Thanks.“ Their eyes met briefly and a promise and message of thanks were exchanged. Vin tipped his hat forward over his eyes and expelled a long deep breath. Ezra’s face flashed with certain amount of relief. Finally, Vin was prepared to rest.