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Lord God. We have done what was said could not be done. We have died for the people of Israel and we have been their host of war. It is time to allow the Golia to live free once more.”
    Joshua touched the shoulder of the much larger man. “You have taken the Jeddah and camped far from the other tribes this night. I had prayed that you would be among the children of Israel after your long journey into the land of Canaan. You have not broken bread with the other tribes since the Exodus from the land of Pharaoh.”
    “You and the prophet before you know the many reasons why the Jeddah cannot live among the people. It has been this way since the days of Joseph, and before that, Abraham. They too found it a matter of convenience to hide us and the animals away until needed.”
    “Your people, your tribe—are they not part of the chosen? Are they not a part of the plan of Moses, and therefore of God? In essence the Jeddah are God’s people … therefore, my people!”
    “Do not overstep your bounds, Joshua. Moses found himself punished and banned from this land for far less arrogance. The Lord God of Hosts did not mean for us to kill off his greatest creation outside of man, the Golia.”
    “Enough, Kale, I am not Moses! I do not have the gift of divine intervention. I am but a man—a very tired and worn man at that. No prophet.” He lowered his eyes, unable to meet those of Kale. “Some would even say no war general,” Joshua finished ashamedly as he finally looked up into the face of his greatest soldier. “We … no, I have need for the Jeddah and your—your very special kinship with the Golia one last time.”
    “No!” Kale said loudly as he took a step back. “We have fought for the people since we fled Egypt. Now there are but two hundred men, women, and children left in the tribe of Jeddah, and half of those will not make it to see another summer.”
    “It is your animals that are needed. The walls of Jericho must fall tonight.”
    “The Golia are dying, dying for the tribes of Israel. They are dying, being killed off by the enemies of the chosen people. And what is the reward we offer them for their service to God and all of Israel? You offer the one thing the animals have come to hate, Joshua. They hate death. They hate their dishonor. They are sickened by what they have been asked to do against our brother man. You offer yet more carnage and then and only then can the Golia’s days of peace commence for an animal we turned warlike in nature. Only there will not be one animal left to cherish that peace, and their caretakers, my Jeddah, will not be far behind them in death.”
    Joshua’s anger was legendary, but Kale did not flinch as the new leader of the Hebrews bound to his feet. The only movement Kale made was to lightly touch the bronze sword just under the folds of his large robe.
    “Jericho must fall … it must fall tonight!”
    “Then you had better marshal all your soldiers, old friend, because you take the city without the Jeddah and absent the Golia. I will not risk one more man of my tribe and not one more of the remaining animals will ever do murder for the people again.”
    “Is it murder to kill for the sake of seeking a home for all of the children of Israel?”
    “Find a home, but live among the people of this new land. Soldiers of the enemy may need to die, but not their women and children—a murderous task you have become rather adept at, Joshua.”
    “Kale, after this night you and the Jeddah are free. The Golia will make the sojourn to the north with you. Take them and go as brothers.”
    Kale stopped at the tent’s entrance but dared not ask the price of this surrender by Joshua.
    “If you allow the Golia to accede to my battle plan, this city will fall tonight. After the walls of Jericho fall and the city burns you will be tasked with an even greater mission for the people of Israel.”
    Kale allowed his shoulders to slump as he was now informed of Joshua’s true