By the time Athan finished sealing the second kiln with the last layer of mud, his arms and hands were streaked with earth, and sweat clung to his brow. He stepped back to inspect the work—two sturdy domes, each with its fire channel and enough space inside to cook everything they'd prepared.

A sound of rolling wood reached his ears.

He turned just as the cart climbed the small rise leading up to the kilns, its wooden wheels bumping gently over the uneven ground.

At the front, Lara held the bar tightly as she push it in front of the cart, while Kali pushed from behind with both hands, bracing her feet against the earth.

The cart was stacked high with firewood—thick branches, split logs, and bundles of kindling tied with vine. Enough to fuel both kilns for hours.

"We bring the forest!" Kali shouted with a grin.

Lara laughed. "One trip! Just one!"

"Best thing you made," Kali said, beaming. "No, second best. Table still number one."

"Maybe third," Lara added with a teasing glance. "Clothing is number one."

Kali gasped, mock-offended. "Both are comfortable. I say both win."

They laughed as they brought the cart to a stop beside the kilns, the wooden wheels settling into the dirt. Lara stretched her back with a quiet groan, brushing hair from her eyes, while Kali leaned against the side of the cart and fanned herself dramatically with both hands.

"This make fire work easy," Lara said, still catching her breath. "We bring a lot more and fast."

Athan nodded, already planning how much they'd need to keep the fires steady once the kiln was lit. "Good. One more load should be enough. Then we start."

"Leave cart here?" Kali asked.

"For now," he said. "Unload this. Then go again."

The girls nodded and got to work—cheerful, energized by the simplicity of the task now that brute effort had turned into something manageable. They unloaded the firewood quickly, stacking it into neat piles beside each structure—thick logs, branches, and kindling all sorted and ready. The air was already warm, and the work made it warmer.

As soon as the last bundle was off the cart, Lara straightened and looked toward the forest. "We go get more," she said, brushing her hands on her tunic.

Athan gave a nod.

The two girls turned the cart around and headed back down the path, their steps light, the wooden wheels bumping softly over the uneven ground. Their voices faded into the trees, cheerful and half-teasing.

Wade, meanwhile, had already stepped away, walking toward the fire pit at the center of the village. He returned a short while later, carrying a glowing bundle of embers nestled in a hollowed bowl of dry bark and ash.

While he was gone, Athan had begun feeding the fire channels. He crouched beside the first kiln, pushing thin sticks and dry bark deep into the tunnel, layering it with care. Then he moved to the second, repeating the process.

By the time Wade returned, both channels were packed and ready.

Without a word, Wade knelt beside the first kiln. Athan held a twist of dry moss ready in one hand. Wade tipped the glowing embers gently forward, letting them spill against the kindling. Smoke rose immediately, thin and white.

Athan leaned in and blew softly.

Flame sparked, caught, and grew.

They moved together to the second kiln, repeating the motion with practiced ease. Within minutes, both fires were alive—low at first, then building slowly as the kindling snapped and curled into orange light.

The warmth pulsed outward, wrapping the clearing in the familiar breath of stone and flame.

With both kilns burning steadily and the fire channels packed just right, Athan took a few steps back and sat down on a flat stone nearby. The heat washed over him in quiet waves, the crackle of flames filling the silence between each breath.

Wade remained standing a few paces away, wiping his palms on his tunic and watching the smoke drift upward. Athan glanced up at him, then spoke without needing to raise his voice.

"You can go help Yun and Ok now," he said. "They'll need you for the walls."

Wade looked toward the far side of the clearing where the house was being built, then back at the boy. "You sure?"

Athan nodded. "I'll stay with the fire. Keep it steady. When things are holding well, I'll come check how the house is going."

Wade gave a small grunt of agreement. "Alright."

Without further talk, the man turned and started walking toward the construction site, his stride slow but sure. Athan stayed where he was, eyes on the fire, listening to the steady rhythm of crackling wood.

He'd keep the flames alive.

And soon, he'd rejoin them to see how far the house had come.

He continued watching the fire.

A few sparks danced out of the tunnel mouths and vanished in the air. The stone walls pulsed with warmth, and small flickers of orange could now be seen through the gaps between the rocks. It was holding.

Once he was sure the fire had taken well in both kilns, Athan stood again and dusted off his hands. Without a word, he walked toward the permanent kiln two step away from the temporary one.

He stepped around the base slowly, inspecting the surface of the new layers. The bricks that made up the fourth, fifth, and sixth rows were now hard and dry. The structure held its shape well. He tapped one lightly with his knuckle—solid. Not given way.

If the weather stayed clear, and if the bricks inside today's firing came out intact and the lime powder cook well enough, he could continue in two days. Layers seven, eight, and nine. One step closer for a permanently kiln.

He exhaled slowly and turned toward the baths.

The twin structures stood quiet in the sunlight, their stone bases smooth and clean. Athan crouched down and ran a hand along the outer edge. No moisture. No soft spots. The cement between the stones had cured evenly. He checked both baths in turn, scanning each seam, each wall, each corner.

They were mostly ready for more.

But he wouldn't rush.

Even if he had extra lime powder, he'd wait two more days before adding the final sealing layer. Let the stone rest. Let the air work through every part of it. Better to wait than see it fail.

His gaze shifted to a section of the bath, and the thought returned to him—the pipes.

They were inside the kiln now, baking beside the bowls and bricks. If they cracked... they'd be useless. But if even two survived the fire, he'd have enough to complete the drainage system for both baths. Enough to seal the overflow gaps with cement and start connecting everything properly.

He stood there a moment longer, eyes fixed on the silent stone shapes.

Then he turned back toward the rising smoke, already thinking ahead.

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Before leaving, Athan crouched beside each kiln, checking the fire channels. The flames were still steady—low and hot, just as they should be. He added a few pieces of wood to each and made sure the airflow remained strong. Satisfied, he brushed the dirt from his hands and stood.

The smoke curled upward without struggle.

Time to check the house.

He crossed the clearing at a calm pace, the sounds of distant hammering and muffled voices growing clearer as he approached. As he rounded the last group of shelters, the full structure came into view—and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

The roof was on.

Planks had been laid one by one, overlapping neatly, forming a clean slope over the wooden frame. Notched and angled just right to let water roll off instead of pooling. The pattern was exact. The pitch was strong. From here, Athan could tell: it would hold.

His father, Ok and Yun were working on the westside of the wall frame, each focused, each moving with quiet purpose.

They'd followed the model perfectly.

Better yet, they'd made it real.

As Athan stepped closer, both Yun and Ok looked up from their work. Wade was there too, holding a board steady while Yun drove a wedge into place.

"Hey," Athan said. "Everything going alright?"

Yun gave a short nod. "We good. Wood is strong. Fit nice."

Wade added without turning, "No problem here."

Ok straightened and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Got a question."

Athan stepped beside him, and Ok pointed toward the front section of the wall frame.

"This beam here—top and bottom of door. You want full piece for wall, or we cut small, make it fit with door?"

Athan looked, tilting his head slightly to get the angle. The upper and under beam they had installed earlier with the frame, were place exactly in the right spot for the doorway, but the final gap for the wall still needed adjustments.

"Cut small," Athan replied. "Yes. It has to fit around the door frame. The top and bottom both. The beam are where we'll fit the door and how we'll anchor it in place. But the gap should be close by the wall"

"Alright," Ok said with a short nod. "Can do."

But he didn't walk away yet. His hand stayed on the frame, fingers tapping lightly against the wood. He looked at Athan again.

"What door you want? Same like wall?"

Athan hesitated, then smiled. "If you have another idea, build a small model and show me. We'll look at it together, see what works."

Ok's eyes lit up at that. "Model? Good. I try something."

"Use scraps," Athan added. "No need to waste the good wood."

"Yun help," Ok said, glancing toward his partner.

Yun grinned. "We build best door."

Wade chuckled low. "We see."

Athan stepped back a bit and folded his arms, still watching the frame. The air smelled of sawdust and fresh-cut wood, and the midday sun hit the angled roof just right.

Things were moving forward.

As Athan turned slightly to check the alignment of the beams one last time, something clicked in his mind—an unfinished thought, a detail he hadn't yet shared.

He looked back at the three men.

"Actually… come with me. I want to show you something."

Ok raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Yun glanced at Wade, then shrugged. "We follow?"

Wade nodded once. "Let's go."

The three of them exchanged brief looks, curious now, but didn't question him. They set down their tools and stepped away from the wall frame, brushing dust from their hands as they fell in behind the boy.

Athan didn't say anything at first. He simply led the way, cutting across the clearing at a steady pace, his eyes already focused ahead.

Whatever he remembered—it mattered. And they could tell.

Athan led the group along the wall, the forest on the other side and the village expanses stretching behind them. The sound of the chopping wood fading slowly as they walked, replaced by the quiet murmur of flowing water.

Once at the near the end of the wall they walk by the trees which opened up ahead, revealing the river.

Here, it was wide—about five meters from bank to bank—but calm, its surface gently rippling under the afternoon light. Smooth stones lined the shore, and reeds swayed softly in the breeze.

Athan stopped near the edge and turned to face the men. The others came to a halt behind him.

He pointed across the water. "We need to build a bridge here. A simple one—just long trunks, laid across from one side to the other. Something solid, so we can cross without getting soaked."

Ok frowned slightly, eyeing the span. "Long trees."

"Yes," Athan said. "But it'll help a lot. I want the next trees for building materials to come from that side. We've cleared a lot near the door of the wall already."

Yun looked across the water, arms crossed. "We carry them back over log on water?"

"That's the plan," Athan nodded. "Once it's in place, we can bring logs back more easily. So we don't drag them through the water."

Wade stepped forward a bit, staring downstream, then back at the wall. "You think we continue wall there?"

Athan turned toward him and pointed beyond the river. "Exactly. When the house and the toilet are done, we'll keep building the wall. It'll stretch across from this point, then meet the cliff again—just like we did on this side."

Ok scratched his beard. "That make camp full circle."

Yun added with a slow nod, "Safe. No gaps."

"That's the goal," Athan said. "Safer. Stronger. And it gives us access to more space, more trees, and more ground for planting if we ever need it."

The three men stood in silence for a moment, looking across the river. The vision was clear—and now it was shared.

Ok tapped his knuckles against his palm. "We build it. Need big trees. Strong rope."

Wade nodded. "Tomorrow?"

Athan looked at the sky, estimating the light left in the day. "Tomorrow. We can start clearing and measuring."

They turned back toward the village, quiet and focused.

Plans were shifting again.

And the village would grow with them.

After explaining his plans at the river, Athan watched as the three men quietly nodded and turned back the way they'd come. Ok and Yun veered toward the construction site to continue work on the house, while Wade took a moment longer, then followed them without a word.

Athan, meanwhile, walked back toward the twin kilns. The rising smoke marked their position clearly.

As he approached, the sound of wood bumping over dirt reached his ears.

Rising the slight hill in the clearing, he found Lara and Kali beside the cart—already mid-task.

The second load of wood was nearly halfway unloaded. Kali stood on the cart, dropping logs and branch down, while Lara crouched beside the nearest kiln, feeding new pieces into the fire channel with practiced care.

The scent of burning wood had thickened in the air, and Athan could tell by the glow that the fires were still strong.

"You fed the kilns?" he asked as he approached.

Lara looked up and gave a short nod. "Was time. Fire low."

"She say I do it wrong," Kali added from the cart, smirking.

"You almost choke it," Lara muttered, hiding a smile.

"Fire needs more wood," Kali said, tossing another log down.

"It doesn't when you stack it too tight," Lara shot back.

Athan let out a soft chuckle and moved to help, grabbing the next bundle and setting it in the growing pile beside the kiln.

"Thanks for jumping in," he said. "You kept it steady."

Lara stood and wiped her hands on her tunic. "We know how now. Not first time."

"Nope," Kali said proudly, hopping down from the cart. "Now we kiln experts."

Athan raised an eyebrow. "Careful. That means you're on the night shift."

Kali froze. "No! Lara do night. I sleep."

"You wish," Lara replied, nudging her.

They laughed as they finished unloading the last of the wood, the pile now tall enough to feed the kilns through the rest of the day.

With the fires under control and everyone in motion, he felt the rhythm of the day settle into place again.

Everything was moving forward.

With the last of the wood unloaded and stacked neatly, Lara stretched her arms above her head, letting out a quiet sigh. "That's it for this trip."

Kali wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Cart stay here?"

Athan nodded. "Yeah. No need to move it. We'll need it again later anyway."

Kali clapped her hands together. "Then we go."

"Go?" Athan asked, glancing up.

"Dandelions," Kali said, already turning toward the forest. "And fish trap."

Lara adjusted the pouch at her hip and followed. "We saw some near the waterfall last time. They should be in bloom now."

Kali grinned. "You want bitter drink, yes? We find more root."

Athan gave a small smile. "Good idea. I'll stay here a bit longer."

Lara stepped past him and patted the edge of the cart. "Don't let the fire go out."

"I won't."

Without another word, the two girls slipped off into the trees, their steps light, already deep in conversation as they headed toward the river bend where the trap was set.

Athan remained near the kilns for a while, crouching now and then to check the fire channels, adding wood when needed. The flames were steady, the structure holding up well under the heat. The quiet rhythm of the burning logs and crackling branches grounded him.

Some time passed before movement caught his eye.

Near the firepit, a small group had gathered—figures moving with quiet confidence, bows slung across their backs. The hunters had returned. Two large birds, freshly killed, hung from a wooden pole between them. They set their catch down on the table beside the firepit, and a few voices rose in low congratulations.

Athan stood and made his way over.

As he approached, Ulf looked up and gave him a short grin.

"Two in one trip?" Athan asked.

Ulf nodded proudly. "Yeah. Big ones."

"How are the hunts lately?"

"Better," Ulf said, rolling his shoulders. "We train more. Bow feel right now. We miss less."

Athan smiled. "That's great to hear. Keep at it."

Ulf's grin widened. "Thanks to you. Bow's a good thing. Big help. More meat now."

Athan glanced at the birds, then back at him. "Glad it's working. Listen—can I ask you something?"

Ulf tilted his head, curious. "Sure?"

"Do you remember the forest well? Like… where things are? Paths, rivers, where the good plants grow?"

Ulf frowned a little but nodded. "Yeah. Walk it all time."

Athan hesitated, then stepped closer. "I was thinking… could you make a map of it? Like I did for the village. Show where things are—streams, good hunting spots, where the small river goes after it leaves camp. Plants. Roots. Landmarks."

Ulf blinked, caught off guard. "Map… of forest?"

"Yeah. Doesn't need to be perfect. Just enough to help us later. You and the other hunters know it better than anyone."

Ulf rubbed the back of his neck, thoughtful. "Never draw before. Not like you."

Athan nodded slowly. "I know. But I think you can. Talk with the others. Work on it together."

Ulf stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. We try."

Athan smiled. "If you need bark paper or ink and quill, ask my mother. I left my things with her."

"Alright. Thanks."

"Thank you," Athan said, giving him a nod before turning back toward the kilns.

As he walked away, a small breeze passed over the village, rustling the trees and carrying the scent of smoke and earth.

The fire still burned strong.

And now, the forest would begin to take shape on paper too.

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