Completed How Much Wood?

[Kesh Baldur]

Kesh's head snapped to the noise of breaking branches, it was the humans coming to see what was making the noise. His cover would soon be blown and he had to act, the cat in front of him was not doing well, but he did receive a good sign, it cried out indicating that it was still alive and moved closer to the branch, he tried to hold his hands up indicating he meant no harm. He looked down and saw that the wolves were now focused on the humans, but some of them were and they were starting to hit the tree hoping to knock the cat down.

Then, something unimaginable happened, where the cat once laid, now was a woman, a human woman! Kesh's eyes open wide, never in all his years has he seen such a thing happen. Her hair was shined brightly and when the sun hit it and her skin was pale, and covered in scars, how did she get so many scars. Who would do something to such an interesting creature.

He then noticed that she was beginning to lose her grip since she was no longer in her cat form, his teachings said to let it happen, but something else much stronger told him to save her, it was an opportunity for him to learn so much and thet the chances of him having an opportunity like this would not come by for some time. So he made a decision, to let go of his passive teachings for the greater good of gaining knowledge.

Before she began to fall Kesh was on the move.

"I've got you!" He cried as he grabbed her and cradled her in his left arm as he began his descent from the tree. He was right under on one the wolves barking at him thinking that he had just caught some easy prey, but the weight of this 525 lbs. beast was more than it could handle and was crushed with a quick cry of pain before it died. Kesh then did what he was taught to do in packs, make yourself big and loud and menacing, he stood up revealing his 8' tall true height and roared as loud as he could at the other wolves, to further prove he wasn't joking around and establishing his dominance he picked up the now dead wolf with his hand, picking it up with ease and threw it at two other wolves that were looking in his direction, hitting them with the carcass of one of their own. He then let out another loud roar and began pounding his chest.

He cradled the girl in a protective manner and made sure his left are would be between any of the remaining wolves and humans.

"Humans! These wolves have hurt this woman! I am not your enemy! Quick we must dispatch the rest of the pack before they can regroup!" He shouted in a deep low voice. He hoped that they would acknowledge his common tounge and help. He then began to loosen his chain in his right hand preparing for the coming battle. He roared again making another wolf back off from making a move on him or her.

"Do not die woman, hold on for as long as you can, I will protect you." He said as he put his back against the tree letting out another roar and prepared for the coming fight, he only hoped that the humans would choose to stay and fight.

[Karyk]

Karyk glanced sidelong at Dorrin, and could see that he was itching for a fight, probably to get his earlier frustration out. The wolves were still growling, when Dorrin snarled and stepped forward, mace raised. Karyk followed suit, growling in a feral manner, lurching forward suddenly, weapon raised. The wolves flinched again, and two of them stumbled over themselves turning to run away. Karyk swung at one of the remaining, but it lurched to the side, then lunged forward at him. Karyk twisted and turned trying to avoid the bite, falling forward from over swinging and throwing himself off balance. The wolf crashed into him. The pair fell to the ground, the wolf on top of him. It snapped at him again but Karyk managed to get his fist up to knock away the fang filled jowls. Using the same hand he managed to get a hold on the beasts throat. Years of swinging axes and hammers and building ships gave him a strong grip so he started to squeeze. The wolf started to panic, paws scratching at his chest, stinging pain spreading through him. Karyk raised the wolf up as high as he could with the one arm, and with the other he swung his axe up at it. There wasnt a lot of force from that angle, but he felt it sink into flesh with a pained yelp escaping from the wolf. He pulled it free and swung again a bit higher and it sunk deep, with no pained cry this time. The small wolf fell limp, and Karyk set the wolf on the ground next to him. Karyk had shallow grooves in his chest, tears in his shirt and was bleeding, as well as a fair amount of wolf's blood staining the stomach of his shirt. He started to sit up when a dirty hand was stuck in his face. He grabbed it, letting Dorrin lift him to his feet. His friend slapped him on the back, "That your first kill? Not countin all them fish of yours." Karyk nodded, touching at the shallow wounds in his chest. "Think the rest of them left too?" That was when Karyk heard a woman scream. He immediately took off through the brush, axe ready, Dorrin and the others following. After having scared off two and killing two, the group was emboldened. Karyk arrived at the scene to see another dead wolf with three confused and scared ones. But that wasn't what dominated the scene before him. There was a giant, furry... thing, that could talk, holding an injured, naked woman. It seemed quick to say that it wasn't responsible. And it was giving commands to rid them of the rest of the wolves. Dorrin burst through, saw the woman and the talking beast, and immediately started toward him, thinking it a monster. Karyk grabbed Dorrin's weapon arm and jerked him back, twisting the arm powerfully behind the man's back. Growling through his teeth, "Stop. He's not the problem, yet." Dorrin stopped struggling, before turning his attention to the wolves, and Karyk let him go. They both charged at the wolves, but with only three remaining, the other two survivors having run off, they tucked tail and ran full sprint into the forest. After all, wolves main advantage was numbers, and they'd lost that. But wolves don't forget a scent, or a slight. The men, accompanied by the other two, fanned out around the creature holding the woman, its back against a tree. They held their weapons ready, not sure what to make of the situation. Karyk took charge, not sure that Dorrin had the clear head for it, "You, whatever you are, put the woman down, and step away from her." Karyk had no idea how the situation had come to this. What was this giant creature that could talk? Where did the naked, scarred and injured woman come from? What happened to the treed cat? This day was turning into a mess, and they hadn't even found the trees yet. Karyk stood there, waiting for compliance or a response, his axe dripping with the wolf's blood.

[Salara Kel'Halavath]

Expecting feted breath and ravaging teeth to meet her fall or the hard un-giving soils of the forest floor she instead experiences an overwhelming warmth and strength wrap about her that none-the-less jerks her abused body to and fro eliciting soft mews and whimpers as her wounds are twisted and stretched unmercifully. She felt as if she were a coney-rabbit being squeezed within the coils of a serpent while being shaken to pieces by a rambunctious hound at the same time. Fighting through waves of semi-consciousness she tries to remember where she was and what had happened, yet the only senses functioning were touch and smell as any attempt at sight was blinded by unending blonde hair. Her nose wrinkles at the unfamiliar heavy musk of the beast clutching her close as she struggles uselessly to push away from its constricting grasp. Even sound was disjointed and difficult to understand coming from all directions at once but most difficult to discern were the deep rumbles vibrating from the massive chest she was pressed tight to. ‘Do not die woman, hold on for as long as you can, I will protect you.’ Or mayhap she was more damaged than expected as the common tongue, man’s tongue was coming from the muscles below her cheek or were they the sounds made by the men she was just realizing were near? Wetting her lip between gasping breaths she only manages, “I’m not…” …dying, she’d meant to say before her voice is lost in the clench of a coarse hairy forearm. Maybe she was dying and hadn’t really realized it yet? She had never understood how creatures would go limp – play dead as it were - when their end was near. It never stopped her from completing a killing blow; but an inkling of understanding bloomed within her as pure exhaustion and her mind’s inability to deal with this confused drama relaxed all the muscles in her body. Head lolls while arms and legs go limp with only the depth of strong breath to reveal how tightly she held to life. Her rag-doll appearance only lasts a double handful of ticks though as she gathers and focuses her energies to regain some semblance of control. With a moan she weakly lifts a hand to push piles of hair from her face as feet and legs twitch reaching for the ground over which she dangles. Pale amber eyes – cougar eyes – open and widen as she gasps at the great visage looking down upon her from so close. She pushes and struggles briefly then turns to take in the scene beyond the beast’s great hairy arms. First she sees the heavy linked chain coiled at its? his? prehensile feet. The crushed carcass of the alpha female wolf lies nearby – that could be trouble if her mate still lives. Then up and out to see men who might normally be considered broad and brawny – in a normal situation – carrying long-handled axes. Several seemed wounded and one tall one in particular was drenched in crimson. A bewildered, “Wwwhat?” is about all she manages to get out.

[Kesh Baldur]

Kesh saw the men dispatch the wolves that were near them, glad that they stuck around and dealt with them made matters much better. He relaxed a little bit with the woman still in his arm. Up until the point where the men turned their eyes and weapons to him. One of the men even began to raise his arms and head towards him, but the other man covered in blood grabbed ahold of him.

I'm glad that, that one is around. He thought to himself, but time looked like it was going to get worse if he didn't do something. The man in blood asked him to put the woman down and step away. He looked down at the woman and realized that she had been struggling to loosen his grip, then seemed to go limp but managing to speak a simple word. He felt at this time it would be a good idea to comply with the humans, he gently placed her in a seated position against the tree and tightened his chains. Afterwards he lifted his hands, showing that he wasn't going to be hostile.

"I have put her down but will not move away without knowing who you are and have your word that no harm will come to her or me." He spoke to the men, as he motioned his hands towards the girl who seemed to be resting at this point "look, she seems to be alright now but who knows how wounds react with someone like her. So I will be brief, I am Kesh Baldur, I am a Jamoura, I can speak common tongue, you may not have heard of our kind but we do exist outside of this area. I mean you no harm, those animals were after her, your people and I heard her cries and came to check it out and here we are now. When she comes to she can explain the situation further." He explained as best as he could given the situation, hiding the fact that he had actually been observing them from the path, it just seemed like information that would further complicate things. He then remembered that men are more easily to agree to help out if you offer them something in return. "If you tell me what I asked for and help us out, in return I will help you, I am ten times stronger than any one of you and quite resourceful, would that be more satisfactory?"

Kesh then became less tense but still stood up on his two legs and would not come down until he received an non-hostile response from the group of men that were standing in front of him.

[Karyk]

Everyone heard the confused word of the woman before she passed out once more, likely from injury and exhaustion at Karyk's best guess. Karyk watched as the creature set her down against the tree and raise his hands. It seemed that it could clearly understand. Perhaps it wasn't a creature after all. When it spoke, it only confirmed this belief. It... He spoke calmly, clearly, and logically, things that Karyk couldn't always manage. He'd not heard of the Jamoura, but the world was big and he'd seen other nonhuman beings, so it didn't terribly surprise him. He registered the name to mind, Kesh Baldur the Jamoura. He'd need to remember that. When it told him that he was ten times stronger than them, Karyk found that claim hard to believe. Perhaps a boast to prevent being attacked. Because if that were true, with their childish wielding of their weapons, he could easily kill them all. But... That also meant he could help if those wolves came back or anything else came after them. Karyk also wondered just how much lumber this creat... Jamoura could carry. Probably a lot. As a show of a good faith, Karyk put his axe on his belt and raised his hands. Dorrin glared hotly for a moment before grunting and falling suit with the others. Karyk spoke, having taken charge, "No harm will come to either of you. I have no idea where she even came from, and it seems she's not with you? Either way, she's hurt. And naked." Karyk slung his pack off his shoulder and began digging through it to the bottom. He pulled out the spare set of clothes and cloak he always packed, the only spares he didn't have being boots. He set the folded shirt, undergarments, and trousers on the woman's lap, then draped the cloak over her. He wasn't terribly worried being this close to this Kesh, for if it wanted him dead, he'd already be dead. He then grabbed his waterskin from his pack, and tipped the woman's head back, dribbling some over her face, then touching the skin to her lips, to try and get her to drink, maybe wake up. "I don't know much about injuries, but I hope she's not terribly injured. I don't think any of us have any healer training." Karyk took this moment to study the woman's lolling face. Creamy skin, albeit tired and ragged seeming, understandably so. Angular and fierce, with lots of hair everywhere. She was certainly an attractive woman. But why was she out here in wolf country, alone and naked? It made no sense to the shipwright. Whispering lightly, "Come on miss, wake up."

[Salara Kel'Halavath]

A splash of freshness upon her face and a gentle whisper, so incongruent with the harshness of the last few bells, clears her mind as nothing else could. Salara’s lips part to accept a swallow through slightly pointed teeth as her eyes open clearly onto the long-trimmed bearded man. The normalcy of his face, the kindness in his eyes, bring the hint of a smile to her lips, which then twist into painful grimace as various wounds come to her attention. “Nothing a little rest and some care won’t fix,” she comments wryly. “Truly I have been through worse. May I have another drink?” Assumedly the gentle man with tough callused hands would help her tip the water skin to her lips allowing her several deep swallows. She manages to avoid wincing as she shifts for more comfort already more than a little ashamed at the weakness she was revealing. The change in position brings the hulking black beast into view over the lumber man’s shoulder. She had heard somewhat of it’s… his… explanations, “And you, Kesh Baldur. There was nothing I could do when they came upon me during my hunting but flee. I’m not certain how much longer I could have held onto that limb.” Her eyes drift up to said limb to see how extremely thin it really was, hardly more than a branch. “And then I saw you….” She didn’t mention her unknowing terror at the time. “I know not what you are or from where you came; but I am in your debt. I owe you my life and so would call you, Friend.” Having held on so long unmoving upon that branch and now again as her wounds begin to stiffen she was beginning to feel the need to move. Clasping the cloak to her chin she carefully sits up more straightly; grateful for the cover as well as his generosity for the clothing upon her lap. Nudity to those of Salara's race was inconsequential; but even a Kelvic knew the naked human form could elicit various forms of discomfort in others. Yet before she could get appropriately decent, “Bandages might be in order.” She looks upon the man in his ragged blood-soaked shirt with a bit of concern as her ever inquisitive fingers reach out as of their own accord to softly brush across the shallow wounds upon his chest, “for you as well as me it seems.” Surely with the nature of their job at least one of these wood cutters would be prepared for dressing field wounds until more effective healing skills could be employed? In the distance a lone wolf howls. It’s sound soon echoing from the throats of the remaining pack. Her keen ears, familiar with the nuances of a wolf’s call, recognize in it both threat and promise. Turning her head towards the sound she confirms what they all must realize. “He has lost his bond mate,” the twinge in her own heart at such loss adds a shade of sorrow to her comment. Then her eyes harden and flash as she looks around the group of men and Jamoura, “But such is life. They will hunt us until the end unless we get them first. Our safety is in our numbers and I would not wish to delay your tasks further by asking escort back to Mirahil Pass. Although wounded I am far from defenseless. If you would have me, I could join you and act as watch guard without too much effort or burden from my injuries."

[Kesh Baldur]

Kesh stood as the man walked over to the girl and gave her some water and she began to wake up, feeling that things were alright he came back down to walking on all fours making his height now seem like 6' tall.

"I thank you for your kindness, during most of my travels I was told to stay clear of your kind in case they became hostile. I am glad that the one group I met is not as this." He said as he saw the girl was coming to and gave herself an explanation of what was going on and that she was alright to move just needing rest.

He then heard the howls of the wolves that were still alive. "I unfortunately have to agree with the girl, these wolves may hold a grudge after what I had done to the aplha's female, such a shame and waste of life. But that is sometimes the way of the forest, we must do what we need to in order to survive." He explained with a frown on his face, as much as he hated that he must fight such mindless creatures, it was for survival, he could only hope the forest would forgive him. He then looked at the group of men and then back at their leader.

"You have the numbers, and it seems like you have a scout and me as well. It is your call at this point, but talk to your men first and see what they think, either we find the pack of wolves or we continue on and hope that your wolves don't hold grudges." He said as he looked on into the woods listening to the howls. He shook his head at the situation, he did not plan this going the way it did but was thankful that at least no one was killed or seriously injured. All of sudden it occurred to him that he was still missing his pack back at his hiding spot.

""*chuckle* uh I guess then as you discuss this with the men, I have forgotten something back in the woods and should retrieve it before you make a choice. I can go alone, they have gone in the other direction and I will only be a couple of minutes at most. Wait for me..." He said as he began to walk in the direction of his pack.

He soon was back into the woods sniffing to find his pack, after some searching he found it where he had left it, luckily untouched. He gathered his things and holstered the pack to his back and made his way back to the group. He took a few moments to look at the calm of the forest and took a deep breath, for he might not see it so calm in the near future.

"Goddess forgive us, we do not wish to harm others but circumstances have changed our fates as I ask that you grace us with your blessing." He said to himself and jogged back to the group.

[Karyk]

At her desire for another drink, Karyk nodded and tipped it up more for her. Once she was done, he set the water skin next to her in case she wanted more. Karyk stepped back to give her a bit more space, as he listened to her speak. It seemed she was a hunter. That still didn't explain her lack of clothing or gear. He turned to check up on everyone else. Dorrin seemed to have cooled off, and was pretty much whole. The other two were still terribly nervous and unsettled, as if a stiff breeze might blow them over or scare them off. Karyk turned back as the woman continued to talk, just as her curious fingers brushed over his light wounds on his chest. It stung, but not enough for him to flinch. It was a strangely intimate gesture, one that was unexpected but not unwelcome. This woman was certainly different. At her words, one of the other shipwrights pulled out a few simple bandages, "I-I-I can patch you up." He quickly patched up Karyk, which wasn't terribly necessary, and it was a slapdash job, probably only slightly better than any of them could've done. Then the man offered to patch up the woman as she continued to speak. Karyk was already nodding at the woman's offer to aid them, she had an intelligent head, probably more so than him, on her shoulders. But what really solidified it was the determined look Karyk saw in her eyes. Before he could respond, Kesh was speaking as well. And it seemed he was including himself in their group. That was a good thing, he'd probably be the most helpful, more so than himself or the other loggers. When Kesh said he'd left something in the woods, Karyk made no mind of it, turning back to the woman, just as last of the bandages were used up. "You're more than welcome to join us, you'll help a lot." As soon as he finished saying it, the shipwright that bandaged them up spoke, "K-k-karyk? Me and Sorven are g-g-gonna head back. This is too much for us." Karyk sighed and hung his head slightly. He couldn't blame them. None of them were warriors or even combat tested, not even Dorrin. He was just hot headed. "Alright. Go, be safe and move quickly. We'll be fine, especially with our new companions." The two turn and trudged back through the woods quickly, to Zeltiva, leaving the group count at four. It did make things riskier, but at least those that were left would be more reliable, hopefully. Something was nagging at him though. "Should we just... leave these wolves? Seems like a waste... My sister could cook them up for us." Karyk knew to never waste food in Zeltiva. Times were never especially great and non fish based meat wasn't exactly common. He grabbed some rope from his pack, made a small loop with it, and laid atop the standing end of the rope. He ran the end of it through the loop, then wrapped around the standing end. He inserted the rope end back through the small loop, and moved over to the wolf that the Jamoura had killed. He slipped the loop of the bowline around the wolf's neck, and tightened the standing end so it was snug beneath the skull. He lifted it up onto his shoulder, lighter than he expected, maybe fifty or sixty pounds. Dorrin tied a two more bowlines, offering one to Kesh who'd just returned. Once Dorrin had his wolf strung up, Karyk looked north, "Let's try to make good time to the location. If we're lucky, the last team got the lumber cut already and we can just drag it back. But we need to move." Turning to Dorrin, "Keep us on track, let us know when we need to go westward." To the woman whose name he'd not yet gotten, "Try and keep your eyes and ears open as our scout. We don't need to be ambushed by wolves again." To Kesh, "Guard our rear. You're biggest so you can see more from back there." And with that, Karyk let the group have a few moments to ready themselves, be it getting dressed or gathering their things. Once everyone was ready, he turned and pushed northward, the sun on his right heading high to the sky. He tied the free end of his wolf rope to his pack and hiked it up on his shoulders. He pushed through the brush roughly, one hand free, one with his bloodied handaxe, a determined gleam in his eyes. He set a quick pace, trying to keep to what seemed to be a natural game trail. Every so often he could hear a wolf call in the distance, but he wasn't sure how far it was, or if it was the same wolf each time. But each one pressed him to push on. But it wasn't just one wolf. It was several. The survivors had joined up with another larger pack, and they were all hot for revenge. And they had the scent of their fallen all over Karyk. Many excited yips and yelps were had. But they'd be careful this time. Watching and following at a distance, never letting the group get too close or too far away. They'd wait, until the perfect time to attack.

[Salara Kel'Halavath]

Salara’s thoughts and emotions bounced from one to another as the group got underway. The break while Kesh retrieved his possessions had been a welcome respite. While not particularly worried for his or their safety in the brief parting, she had to admit she felt a sense of relief when he rejoined them. Having such a powerful ally was comforting. She was disappointed that they did not have more time to converse because she found him intriguing. She was pleased at the efforts of the fellow who had graciously bound her wounds. Poor fellow did very well for hardly looking as he patched the areas of her back she had been unable to reach on her own. He had certainly been flustered and she had tried her best to remain covered and unflinching to limit his distress for being near her naked form. The bandages might not last but for now they were effective in staunching further blood loss. It was a shame the pair had refused to continue on because their addition to the party would have improved their safety; but if they were not confident enough to be depended upon it was probably for the best. She had taken the time to try on her borrowed clothing. Being about the same height as Karyk, if not as broad, his canvas shirt didn’t cover her sufficiently to allow her to bypass wearing his trousers which were now tied about her waist with a twist of vines which also bound her hair in a thick braid down her back. She blushed a little at the fact that his smallclothes were tucked within a fold of the cloak he had loaned her. The idea of wearing a man’s underclothes felt scandalous; besides, should she have to shift without warning to defend their party her cougar form would have more trouble getting free of the additional layers. Karyk, she had heard the men call his and Dorrin’s name, had confounded her senses. It had been a long time since she’d interacted so closely with a man and her blush deepened at how forward her delinquent fingers had been in reaching out to touch him. She always had trouble keeping them where they belonged and her gratitude at his lack of reaction was paramount in her thoughts even as her fingertips still felt the heat of his flesh. But there was more in his attitude and that of his companion that she appreciated. There were no questions, suspicions, or distrust of her nature when so many looked down upon her race. These men and Kesh took her for her word at being a valuable member of this expedition and she felt she would push herself regardless of her wounds to prove that she was. She hardly remembered when she had last been a part of a team finding she missed the camaraderie. While she applauded Karyk’s desire to not waste the carcass, she knew it would increase their danger and wondered if ultimately it was worth the price they may pay. As her calloused feet trod determinedly ahead and around the group she kept him in her sight more than the others knowing he would be the main target of any attack. Regardless of her injuries and being in her human form, with the knowledge and grace of a wild one she found it easier to move through the brush and trails than her companions. Salara listened closely to their pursuers knowing the gap between them was closing; but it wasn’t until they could see the pines in the distance that she approached the three with warning. Making an effort in not slowing their pace she steps alongside Karyk while indicating the others move closer. She speaks just loud enough to be heard and emphasizes her words with hand motions, “A wolf pack works as a coordinated team by shadowing their prey. Several members will move around and ahead of us while the Alpha and key members ready an attack. Typically they are largely successful in that they try not to interfere with each other, putting as much space between each member as they can. Be aware that one may not follow in the path of another but come at various angles.” She looks into each of her companion’s eyes, “Remember they know this territory better than we. We are fortunate that they do not yet know our destination, and so once we arrive please do what you must as quickly as you can. Above all once battle is joined Do Not let them tempt you away from our position of defense or you will essentially be ‘cut from the herd.’ If the Alpha is killed, the others may retreat.” She begins disrobing by loosening the cordage and stepping from the trousers, “I will continue scouting a close perimeter as we approach the pine copse and you begin your tasks. When they begin to circle us I will return to fight by your side. Pray to your gods and goddesses as you may. We will need all the help we can get.” She hands Karyk his garments lastly pulling his canvas shirt over her head and looks to each in turn. “By the way, I’m Salara and I hope we get to know each other better.” If there is any meaning beyond the obvious - to live to speak again – it is lost as her body shimmers through bright light and the bandage wrapped cougar slips away silent as a shadow.

[Kesh Baldur]

Kesh rejoined the group and they carried on their way with Salara ahead of the of them and himself in the back, the howls of the wolves would grow with each move Northward.

He noticed that the sounds of the forest became silent, meaning that another smaller animals were being driven out of the area due to the rapid movement of the wolves, he was given the information from the man closest to him in the rear about the woman saying that the pack they had originally come across was joined by another in the search for their blood.

Oh why did the one I had to fall on be the Alpha's mate, it could have been any other one of those wolves and fate had to decide it would be her. He thought to himself as he let our a grunt, better to not think of the past and put that aside, he needed to be in the now and he needed to relax.

Kesh then reached into his pack and brought out his pipe, packed some of his natural herb into it and lit it with a flint that was stored in his pack as well, and began to inhale and exhale, steadily. The man that was closest to him looked back at him, probably wondering what the hell he thought this ape was doing.

"They are hunting us anyway, probably surrounding us now just waiting for their time to strike. But don't worry you have me here. I take this because I need to be loose and ready for when things happen, this helps me relax and focus on the task at hand. And it will make chopping wood much less boring. I would offer you some but I fear the effects would be too much for you, but if...when we survive this I will let you have some in celebration."

He inhaled for a couple seconds and let it sit in his lungs for a couple seconds, then exhaled a cloud of smoke. The effects began to take hold, the colours of the forest grew brightly and everything became more sensitive, he could feel the wind hit the hair on his arms.

"Ah, much better." He said as he continued their walk. I pained him in his heart that he would be chopping trees, but humans were an interesting bunch, needing to rely on the resources of other things in order to build, create and survive. So he took it as a learning experience and continued on waiting for them to reach their site, or meet their angry howling friends, either way he would be ready.