"Not yet," she said. "We're still beat. Cold got to us more than we expected. We need one more day to rest, regroup."

A pause.

Then Jake's voice again, relaxed, trusting.

"No problem. Take the time. We'll hang back too--give the trail a day to clear up more. Keep warm. Stick close to Marcus--he'll get you through it."

She didn't need the reminder.

She was sticking close whether he said it or not.

"We'll check in tomorrow," she said, glancing at Marcus as he cleaned the blade in silence. "We'll be ready."

The river ran warm under the late sun, soft ripples brushing over skin still marked by the morning....