The morning after the attack did not feel victorious.It felt exposed.The fence still stood. The beams held. No blood stained the ground. Yet something had changed.The illusion of distance was gone.They were no longer a quiet settlement on forgotten land. They had been measured. Tested. Found resistant.That meant they would be remembered.She rose before sunrise again, though sleep had been shallow. The wind had moved in restless patterns through the night, tapping against wood, dragging dust along the outer wall.She stepped outside and inhaled the cold air.The sky was pale and hard. No clouds. No storm.Still, tension lingered like a faint metallic taste.Several others were already awake, inspecting the western fence where the first blows had landed. Splintered edges marked the impact points. Not deep enough to break. Deep enough to warn.The older woman stood near the damage with arms folded.They will not rush back, she said without turning. Not immediately.She joined her.
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