Silver Hollow wasn’t much on the map, just a small ranch tucked between red mesas and endless sky, but it was enough. The woman had come to this place for the same reason she’d now brought Valor here—because it was quiet, removed from the noise of the world and the echoes of battles fought both abroad and within oneself. Here, past and present could coexist, and perhaps in their meeting, find a way to peace.

As she guided Valor out of the trailer, the horse hesitated, his hooves testing the unfamiliar ground. She stood with him under the vast, starlit sky, letting him breathe in the new scents of sagebrush and open air, letting him feel the safety of this place. It was the first of many moments they would share, learning each other’s stories without the need for words.