I helped pick apples and watched the haying machines haying every piece of open grassy sections they could get to. Roland had decided that since the bandits were coming, that we were not going to make their attempt easy. We were harvesting anything we possibly could and hauling it inside the gates.

They would find no food for themselves, and the stubble from our intense haying would make poor grazing for their horses. We had a lot of hay bales inside the fence though. I had helped pump water this morning to water the grass of the meadow. It was lush and green even this late in the fall due to all of the water.

Green grass wouldn't burn and it would also provide enough grazing for the livestock for at least a month if we were locked inside. Sentries were posted almost twenty kilometers away with horns. Over a hundred people were hard at work as we collected the last of the edible food around Sanctuary. All were ready to run for the gates at a moment's notice.

The main gates were open and the number of armed sentries on top had been tripled. It was a waiting game right now. Tension was rising in Sanctuary. The bandits were on their way.

Everyone knew we were the next target and we had word via a pigeon from a Messenger spying on the bandits that almost all of the fighters had left their base eight days ago. Other Messengers were stalking the bandit attack party, but kept out of sight. Once they made it three quarters of the way, someone would release more pigeons to both Sanctuary and Wainwright.

Wainwright Fort and two of our trader groups who were currently stationed there were waiting for their pigeons. The steam trucks had three modified car hauling trailers with two levels and they would make good time bringing a small battalion of fired traders and Wainwright's own fighters to the rescue of those enslaved.

We were going to let them camp outside of our gates until Wainwright sent us a pigeon to let us know that the rescue had succeeded. At that point we were going to make our guests realize that we did not welcome their company. They expected that we would be hosting our company for about five days to allow them to complete the rescue. Or that was the plan at any rate.

Everyone outside of the gate was armed. Most were fired and planned to run into the forest to act as hit and run fighters if any of the bandits approached the cover of the trees. Several camps had been set up deep in the forest for our fighters to use.

I glanced over my shoulder and whistled a short tune that sounded a lot like a song sparrow. A couple pairs of amused blue eyes flashed over to me as they moved to the other side of the tree. I grinned at them as they successfully remembered the code.

They chuckled as they kept working. The last few weeks they had been hard at work honing their fighting skills, hand signals, camouflaged bird calls, and other forest skills. Most fired people were like ninjas in the forest now. Their speed, Heartfire assisted alertness, and ability to disappear at the drop of a hat was almost creepy.

Diane paused and pointed at something in the sky. Those around us peered up. I immediately spotted two pigeons flying towards the pigeon coop on the cliff top. They had come from the east and both had message tubes. The attackers were about a three day ride out. It was both a relief that we knew exactly where they were as well as a worry that they were getting so close.

Three days until the bandits tried to take our home from us.

~

I looked up at Diane in worry, "Do you have to go?"

Diane crouched down so she was at my level and gave me a sad smile, "Yes, I will be hiding in the forest. Don't worry, I will be fine."

I didn't want her to go in case she never came back. I tried again, "Can I come too? I can hide really well."

Diane shook her head, "I need you to stay here. If they somehow break down the gate, you will have to make sure that everyone escapes over the back of the cliff. Okay?"

I didn't like it, but I knew that I was useless if it came to a fight. My skill with a sling was good, but I could never bring myself to use it to harm someone. I also knew that she didn't want me out there in case I got hurt. I was worried about her for the same reasons.

She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug, "I won't be far. I will just be outside the cliff and I will run if I need to. Have the rope ladder ready in the evening, and I will come to visit. It is just like at Wainwright Fort, I will be close by."

I returned the hug and clung to her tightly. It felt like we were being separated. Neither of us liked it, but it seemed to be a necessity. I mumbled, "I don't want you to leave."

Diane chuckled slightly, "Neither do I, but I have to. I do want you to make a promise for me though."

I let go and leaned up to look at her, she rarely asked me to make promises. Her bright blue eyes gazed steadily into mine with an intensity that reminded me of both her deep love and the day the Swift had attacked me when she had been furious and protective, "Promise me that you won't leave Sanctuary unless the battle is over or unless the bandits break into Sanctuary."

I nodded slowly, "I promise." I knew she wasn't asking this lightly, and I also knew that the bandits were dangerous. She didn't want me out there with them. I understood – I really did, but that didn't mean I liked it.

Diane stood up and took a step back. I could see she was reluctant to leave, but she grinned, "I will see you tonight. Make sure you drop the ladder for me, or I will have to climb up the hard way and tickle you."

My responding grin was as shaky as hers was. Most of those who planned to hide in the forest had already left the gate. It was just our group left, but no one interrupted us. Ace watched silently as he stood beside Trish and Nathan.

Diane glanced at Ace before heading towards the forest to the west. Ace ran beside her as they went to lie in ambush for the approaching bandits. I watched them go sadly. Trish walked up beside me and rested her hand on my shoulder in silent comfort.

Several sentries on the ground started to close the massive gates. They closed with a resounded clang and the sentries started locking and securing the doors with bolts that connected the doors to each other as well as throwing huge bolts deep into the ground. The smaller access door had been welded shut earlier today.

We had sealed ourselves inside since we were expecting the bandits to arrive in about three hours. Several ladders had been rolled up on top of the cliff and we could push them down and escape into the forest if we had to. There were also ropes for those brave enough to rappel down the cliff.

Nathan headed towards the ladder that headed up to the top of the palisade wall. He carried a heavy crossbow and was going to act as an additional sentry. That left Trish with me.

Trish tilted her head at me with a grin as she tried to lighten the mood, "So I get to babysit you, huh?"

I giggled, "How about a game of tag?"

Trish made a face, "I'll pass. I'm too old for such activities."

"You are about the same age as Diane. Sometimes even Amber plays tag with us and she is older."

"Yeah, but I am not the roadrunner and you have far too much energy."

I giggled and skipped around her just to rub it in. She groaned, "Just what did I do to deserve this?"

Nathan leaned on the railing above us, "I believe you volunteered for this actually."

She scowled at him, "Oh, you be quiet up there. You are supposed to be a sentry, not a smartass – whoops." She clapped a hand over her mouth and glanced down at me, "You didn't hear that word, okay?"

I tilted my head and grinned at her mischievously, "What about that word that Nathan told you this morning to never use again?"

Trish went pale, "There was no one around us. How did you hear that?!"

I carefully danced out of immediate reach, "You didn't check beneath the deck, did you?"

Her jaw dropped, "What were you doing under there?"

I giggled and twirled around, "Eavesdropping." I had been doing a lot of that lately to try and find out exactly what the status was on the bandits. Diane would probably have told me if I asked for details, and she did give me a basic update, but I didn't want to make her try to explain the fine details. Other people edited far too much.

"You better forget that conversation young lady..."

I grinned before darting off, "You got to catch me first!"

Trish gave chase and we hadn't even gone a kilometer before she slowed down as she huffed and puffed. I tilted my head as I stopped and waited for her to catch up, "I think you are out of shape. I seem to recall you being in much better shape when we were living at Wainwright Fort."

Trish was panting, "I am- in decent- shape."

"You are sure breathing hard. Are you pretending to be the big bad wolf who was going to huff and puff and blow the little piggy's house down? The pig pen is right here if you want to try."

"Are you- sure you- don't have something- you should be- doing instead of- torturing me?"

I giggled, "But you promised Diane you would look after me! You can't do that if you can't see me!"

Cathy giggled from where she sat in a wrap on Trish's back. Trish glanced back at her, "You are supposed to be on my side."

Cathy gurgled and blew a raspberry at her mother. Trish rolled her eyes and shook her head as she kept walking towards the end of the meadow.