"Jon, we've gotta stop here," Kalen said, sometime during the afternoon. "At least just for a little while, the horses are getting tired, and she needs a break." He explained. "Fair enough." Jon said. "On, whats going on?" Lena asked, waking up. He arms were locked around his waist like glue. She had fell asleep sometime after they left. "We're stopping for a little while, everything's all right." He replied, then got out of the horse and then helped her down. "Stay right here, I'll be right back." He instructed, and walked over to Kalen. "Kalen, I know you just didn't stop for the horses." He said. "What else is it?" he asked. "Somebody else has been here, lately." Kalen answered. "I saw their tracks." He finished. "Could you tell how many there was?" on asked. "by the amount of hooveprints, there couldn't be no more than two or three," Kalen answered., "but my uncle always told me to stop and put some distance in between, in case its mountain people." He explained. "It's very unlikely we'll cross paths doing that." He farther explained. "Are you sure you know where you're going? "Jon asked, a little skeptical. "Yeah, why?" Kalen asked. Then Kalen's horse started braying. It leaped and started running. "It'll come back." He said. "If we don't run into any trouble, we should be there by in the morning the day after tomorrow," he assured. His horse ran back, braying and snorting. Then ran away again. "I'm going to go check on Lena, best go get your horse, "Jon said as he walked away. "Petrova!" Kalen yelled as he walked away. Lena was petting her horse, and she looked happy for the first time in a while. "You're such a pretty horse." She said, stroking its back. "I know you miss mamma, I do too." She said, not even noticing Jon was there. "I'm going to run and hide if she talks back to you." Jon said, making her look up at him. She smiled. "I didn't even notice you were there." She said, still petting damara. "I saw," he said. "She means a lot to you." He said, walking closer. "Mamma always talked to her animals like they were human, even when I would find a baby turtle in the yard." She explained. "Did she look like you?" he asked. "Little." She answered. "She had long blonde hair and green eyes," she recalled. "And the purest ivory skin I've ever seen." She added. "My mamma was a beautiful woman." She answered. "Her name was Lutessa'." She informed, confirming Kalen's theory. "I never knew mine." He said. "I'm so sorry." She said. "It's all right, my father must have didn't know much about her either." He replied. "oh." She said. "I just wish my father would have stuck around, or at least came back, momma wouldn't be looking out her window three times a day waiting on him to ride back up." She said. "Lena, please don't die before we get you there." He pleaded. "Jon, I can't change fate," she said, calm. "If I do, I just do, I'm tired." She said, with little tone in her voice. "I don't want to, I really don't, but things happen, Jon, and they happen for a reason," she explained. "And neither one of us know why, but sooner or later, you'll figure it out, Jon. "She finished. "Lena, just hang in there, Kalen knows exactly where those people I told you about are, you just have to hang in for another day." He said. "And in whats in it for me?" she asked. "I have no family, I have no home to go to, I have no money, and I have nothing but my horse, and my momma's jewelry, which I'm not selling." She said. "That's not true, you have me." He answered. "Jon, you're in the night watch, it's not exactly like you can lug me around everywhere." She said. "There's nothing left of the night guard, we were forced to leave the wall, when the king sends someone in too see, he'll surely end the night guard." He explained. "We'll start with getting you better than go from there." He said. "Jon, you've already done enough for me." She said. She was finally talking like she was in her right mind. Talking more like her old self. The tough, don't tell me what to do, you worry about yourself, and I'll worry about me girl. "Can I ride my own horse?" she asked. "If you go to sleep, or fall off it's on you." He warned. "But I'm gonna keep her tied up to mine." He said. "Jon. It aint like I'm going to run away, I'm dying!" she said, laughing. "I know it, but I don't think your judgment is well enough to for the reins right now." He explained. "You about ready? "Kalen asked, walking over with his horse. "Yeah, I recon so." Jon said. little did they know, that they were being watched.
