Nar Arslan rushed into the mouth of the cave and stopped as still as a temple idol. There lay his lovely Bolormaa with a tiny replica of her clutched to her chest. Even in her weakened condition, she held her sword before her. All she could see was his silhouette blocking the sun and she hissed, "Do not come nearer, leave us alone!"

"Crystal Mother, it is me." She still waved the sword and he held out his unarmed hands. "Me. Arslan."

The terrified woman uttered a strangled cry and began to weep. The sword fell to the cave floor and he rushed to her side and gathered her and the child in a tender embrace. The child uttered a sharp protest since her mother was still holding her tightly, in fear. He looked down at the tiny, red face of his suddenly irate daughter. She was so little and it was hard to imagine how such a wisp of a thing could be so angry.

He laughed out loud and said, "Let Papa hold his Little Mouse."

He scooped her up and she immediately calmed in the cup of his big, practiced hands as Bolormaa looked on.

"You found us."

"Thanks to young Qiang and the eagles. We barely made it in time. We saw Xiao Mian, weaponless, trying to distract an attacker then Qiang appeared behind them and dispatched him. At the same time our eagle dove from above. The bastard never stood a chance."

"Xiao Mian...she delivered our child, is she safe?"

"Safe but distraught. I gather she was leading the man to the stream below. From a distance, we could tell his intentions. He placed his hands on her. Qiang was lethal in her defense. But I am not sure about the damage to her spirit."

"She is my sister now, Arslan. Please make sure she is treated with kindness and respect. I would not have survived without her help."

"Then she is my sister as well. I believe all of us present today will shelter and protect her. Her brother and Lan Ge Ban are with her and Qiang will not stop embracing her. I think the young brat won this first skirmish with her heart today."

"I never doubted him, but I have been seeing a change coming on her part, even if she did not herself. And she was amazing, Arslan. So calm and confident. Her first time and with a child not yet at full-term. I must speak to Chief Anshi. The milking sheds are too good for that kind of talent."

"I will speak for her too. In the meantime, give me a few minutes to kiss my wife properly and get to know my daughter more."

"Gladly, however, I have a feeling she is already Papa's Girl!"

********

"Preserve evidence, Ge Ban. Carefully secure the dog's body, arrow intact." Anshi looked at his sister in worry. "With the other thief probably heading back to his tribe, I expect company. Send a messenger to Lan Sya Mu and have her bring all Guardians, and half the battalion. Leave the other half and all nomadic fighters there to protect the camp. We will not need them unless our meeting with the tribe backing the two thieves does not have a satisfactory outcome. However, I would prefer that any other solution is met here and not near our people. I would expect we would win a battle or deplete an enemy enough not to have them be a threat to the camp."

"Yes, Sir!"

As they waited, the travois was prepared and blankets laid out for Bolormaa and her Little Mouse, who were carefully escorted to the canvas. Ge Ban scouted the area until the stranger's horse was relocated. He was quickly commandeered and gotten ready to be the horse at the rear since the travois would now be suspended between Nar Arslan's horse and the new one; a much more comfortable alternative for the mother and child, than being dragged over rubble and brush.

"Unfurl the banners, please. We will announce ourselves, properly."

Lan Qiang gently led Xiao Mian over, still dazed and in shock, placed her next to Bolormaa, and wrapped her in a blanket. Bolormaa embraced her and quietly asked Qiang to make some tea for the both of them and he hurried off to rummage through the medicine kit. He chose the tea that would be restorative first and added honey and milk to heat. As the men were occupied Bolormaa spoke softly to the girl.

Sister, are you alright?" There was a barely perceptible shrug of her shoulders. "Ashamed."

"By what?" Neither saw Anshi walk up behind them,

"My actions."

"You need not speak of this right now. But I will. Nar Arslan told me of their observations. They saw him touch you inappropriately. They saw you try and lead him as far away from us as you could. You meant to let him ...well, you wanted him to leave me and Little Mouse alone, any way you could, did you not?"

"And he heard..." Whispered Xiao Mian.

"Anshi?"

Xiao Mian looked confused for a second. "No not Anshi. Lan Qiang. He heard. Of all people..."

"Let me tell you something. The men surmised it from a distance. They knew in an instant what you were doing. Do you know what my husband told me?"

"What?"

"That he had never been so impressed by a woman's actions in his life. You are someone he now admires above almost everyone. He also said he has never seen a young man so terrified for a girl, nor so angry at another man. If he could have killed him a second time, he would have. Lan Qiang has only had his love for you deepened."

A voice behind her interrupted.

Anshi stood there and turned to Bolormaa. "May I borrow my sister for a few moments?"

He held out his hand and helped Xiao Mian up and they walked away until they were private. He helped her sit on a stump and watched, his heart sore, as she struggled not to cry.

"Little Sister. There can be no secrets between us today. There will be another tribe, one associated with the two lamb thieves who will come seeking their fallen member. I must make sure that I speak the truth with their leader. That said, I wish to talk to you honestly for a moment."

His voice broke and his eyes filled with tears. "I am in great admiration of you right now. The courage it took to bring a baby into this world, under those conditions, knowing you were being hunted, knowing the child was early...It was the bravest thing I have heard of in a long time. The sacrifice you were about to make to save the two left helpless in the cave, was even more impressive. Such bravery is rare, in either man or woman. I have never been so proud of you in my life."

By this time, Xiao Mian was in tears. "Then you...don't think I... was shameless...wanton? After the fool, I made out of myself over you, cared so little for your feelings, I would not blame you!"

"Little one..."

"I wanted to tell you tomorrow, that I finally resolved those feelings. Then, after this afternoon, I thought, no. You probably would be so ashamed of me."

"It is good to hear, but I saw how tender you and Qiang appeared today. I sort of guessed I had been replaced. I have also never seen my brother so filled with fury and quick to action; not over anyone."

"I don't know if I am worth his, or anyone's attention, Brother."

"He looks at you with adoration. Trust me. His admiration is ridiculous right now."

He saw a smile flicker and how her glance was drawn to the boy heating the tea. "I will only ease into this slowly if he makes that known to me. I have made so many mistakes in love so far. All I know about my future is that I also wish to be a doctor someday."

"I hope for that for you as well. Would you like to apprentice under Dr, Lan after we get back?"

"Oh yes, but only after my obligation to Nar Arslan and Bolormaa is met. They will need my help. She had a hard time here today."

He kissed her cheek and grinned. "Spoken like a true Lan. Your
Fathers will be sad not to have heard this from you. And Mian Mian would be the proudest of us all if she were still with us. You are every inch her daughter. Almost exactly her in looks, the same courage in the face of possible derision and scorn. It is amazing how like her you are. Come join us when you wish."

Anshi went over towards the fire and nearing evening, he saw Nar Arslan signal from a high ridge. There was movement in his sight, and it was clear the force from the camp would arrive soon.

Lan Ge Ban turned at the top of a ridge facing the other direction. He had also spotted movement. It was a large force as well, and an unknown banner was out in front of them. The meeting, for better or worse, was inevitable this evening.