"Don't go," said Alice, but she was torn. She worried a little, but she was so proud of them, and she didn't need to be told that two of the most handsome ones, Danny and Carlos, had a shine for her. They were already competing for her attention, trying to show who was the bravest.
"Don't be afraid for us," the boys said. "Anyway, we'll be back in no time."
That wasn't how it worked out, of course.