Kyu woke up stiff and cold happy to have the duffle then realized the book had spent the night outside, sat up and wiped off all the morning dew. Sampson was sleeping on the other side of the fire. so Kyu set some apples and venison to cook by the fire and wipe cleaned the dirt off their clothes. restocked the fire and took a better look at the many things hanging from the rafters

Kyu happily came back out with kettle in hand. a trip to the well and the guidance of another book combined to make some dandelion tea.

Kyu had to work harder to find anything that would work as cups finally giving up and thinking to drink from the pot. so Kyu took their life in their hands and attempted to wake Sampson “Breakfast!” putting the flagstone of a plate under Sampson’s noes.

Sampson grabbed Kyus wrist glaring at the kid tightening his grip on the delicate wrist, then seeing the food let go and took the plate. 

“Good morning. sorry to wake you but food is ready and I need to know where to get clay and stones like for the chimney. 

Sampson eat for a time really liking the backed apples “you can come with me when I go for more wood today   I’ll go down to the river and you can get things there”

so after breakfast the uncooked meat was hung from tall trees. then they made their way to a river. It was a stunning forest seen, the river cutting its way though autumn tone river rocks  and boulders, babblin and sparkling in the morning light . The water was icy but played magic on the rocks, if you took an ordinary rock from the bank and submerged it in the water it would clean to a gray blue, deep green or rusty red some with white bands and streaks. Kyu did this with so many peddles that Sampson laughed at them and then rolled up his pants and waited in the water dug around in the silt for a sort time did some odd shaking with his hands together and held them out to show the easily impressed Kyu. 

Kyu flush with playing in the creek excitedly leaned close to looking Sampsons hands. Expecting to see some kind of animal or frog but was stuned to see little flecks of gold! Kyu knowing that gold was right on the edge of currency so could be a death sentence to handle whispered “Is that really gold?” 

Sampson dunked his hands in the water letting the silty handfuls wash away “yes all these streams have small amounts.”

Kyu thought for a moment warming up and the river bank “it’s not the most useful mettle in our circumstances but it could be useful later on, I’ll have to remember that it is here.” then went to actually working going up and down the riven bringing back as many rocks as they could find. Most big enough to work with but not to big to carry. At one point Kyu even found a little side creek with clay. 

Sampson spent almost the whole day cutting fire wood with the dogged determination of one that knows how cold mountain winters could really be.

“Can I put the rocks in the wagon to take back?” 

Sampson thought for a moment but with both of them working the wagon would fill faster so he nodded. to his surprise Kyu first loaded the firewood Samson had already broken down then added the stones that would fit “is that going to be too heavy?” Kyu was struggling to fail at lifting the arms of the cart 

Sampson brought his axe and seeing the cart already full put it with his bow on the cart. stretched a bit summoning  more of his true strength than he had needed in a long while took a ferm grip on the handles and with great savvy muscles lifted and started back to the house towing the cart. Kyu watched in awe carful to keep from gaping the fallowed carrying two large rocks of their own. this night Kyu was unloading firewood while Sampson started cooking more of the venison both had agreed the dandelion tea was gross so no more of that was made. once the wood was unloaded Sampson pulled the cart to the new smoker location and tipped it out for Kyu to figure out. Sampson actually had to call Kyu to food as Kyu was already laying out stone in lines for later stacking. So focused on the task had forgotten about the food all together, still jovial and thinking though the next few steps walked over rubbing hands on pants “I think I’ll need two more loads of rock that size and I need a way to get the clay back.”

As Kyu sat, Sampson growled and grabbed their wist holding up Kuys hand it was bloody from the hard work, both stone and lumber had ripped at the lily soft hands through the day making blisters and cuts. 

Sampson caught that wrong blood smell, yes there was that sweet clean smell stronger then before but it was not the musk it should have been, something about it made Sampson irrationally angry. he growled deeper pulling Kyu closer but then he caught Vies sent and let go ‘this was hers!’ he respected that on a primal level. Kyu jumped up and chatted “sorry I should have washed my hands” heading for the well “no need to worry, I still heal really fast. that at least I got strong from mom. most of this will be gone tomorrow. that’s why I could throw myself in to it so hard hehe” Kyu was scared ‘Sampson didn’t like my blood, some alfas have been known not to be able to stand each other but I’m not alfa… Sampson really didn’t like my blood I’m going to have to be really carful.’