Hidden Valley

Setting aside their disagreement about the possibility of it being the bandit's camp or some innocents, the two caravan guards, disguise the distinctive messenger's horse with mud and scramble to the top of the sandstone rise. The sight that greets them when they get to the top is unexpected. A steep-sided canyon opens up like a wide crack in the stone and within the crack are ancient buildings. So old they have started to fall apart.

A plume of smoke issues from the roof of a partially fallen down house and in an open ruin next door they can see three horses corralled with feed and water.

To their left is a steep trail winding down the side of the narrow canyon to the tiny hamlet within. A ghost town of some kind.

https://i.imgur.com/e7xhCkh.jpeg