4 Chapter 3: The Cedar Homestead

"Are you okay?" the moose-like stranger asked. His blue eyes glistened.

"Heh, yeah, I am," Dahj replied between deep breaths. He gingerly gripped the back of his neck. Blood lightly trickled though dreaded fur, making it sticky.

"Now that's a thick hide!" the moose exclaimed, finding almost no tears on the back of Dahj's neck; just puncture wounds. "Those things are just as much bite as they are bark! Get up." He extended his long arm to help Dahj to his feet.

Dahj accepted the offer. Standing, the two nearly matched in height, but Dahj's hunch made him seem shorter when standing face to face. The moose's posture was rigid and proud. His broad chest was slightly puffed from pulling his shoulders back. Air whistled through nostrils of a nose too large for his face as he caught his breath after the strenuous sprint.

Still grasping the moose's hand, Dahj firmly turned his own palm-up to expose the top of the moose's. Discreetly inspecting the savior's extremity while tightly clutching it in his own, Dahj found that the erect mammal had four independent fingers – resembling his own hands.

As if both sides of his hooves had split down the middle, four deep black, leathery fingers had replaced them. However, Dahj noticed that the moose's fifth finger was not quite as developed as his own. Lacking a joint, it seemed to be one straight, unbendable digit. Dahj released his grip thanked the moose for his noble assistance.

Still grasping the moose's hand, Dahj firmly turned his own palm-up to expose the top of the moose's. Discreetly inspecting the savior's extremity while tightly clutching it in his own, Dahj found that the erect mammal had four independent fingers – resembling his own hands. As if both sides of his hooves had split down the middle, four deep black, leathery fingers had replaced them. However, Dahj noticed that the moose's fifth finger was not quite as developed as his own. Lacking a joint, it seemed to be one straight, unbendable digit. Dahj released his grip thanked the moose for his noble assistance.

"Impeccable timing," Dahj noted.

"Impeccable would have been arriving before you were assaulted," the moose replied. He dusted himself off. Veins protruded through slim, muscular arms. His complexion was dark brown – a little lighter than that of the bison's.

"You just, happened across me then? Right place at the right time?" Dahj asked.

"You could say that," the moose replied. "I've been tailing you for some time – waiting to see if instinct would lead you before I would have to."

"Tailing me? Where… where was instinct supposed to lead me? This is my herd's old resting ground," Dahj replied frantically.

"Heh. If you say so," the moose replied, scanning the vacant area.

"And you just waited for me to be attacked? You didn't think to gain my attention some other way?" Dahj couldn't ignore the pain in his shoulder through the distraction of the stranger's mysterious claims. He lifted he hand and clutched the puncture wounds that dotted his shoulder.

"Waiting for you to be attacked wasn't exactly part of the agenda, bison. Like I said, I was just – oh right, let me get you something for that," the moose said, pitying Dahj's poor self-aide.

Exposing his eyes to different angles of the moon's light caused the moose's eyes to sparkle brilliantly. He had retreated to desperately search for specific flora that lined the exposed area where Dahj had fallen under assault.

Rifling while muttering to himself, the moose hand-picked a pitiful bunch of herbs and wide, waxy leaves that had yet to perish in the chilling season. He returned to Dahj, halfheartedly presenting his collection.

"What do you want me to do with those?" Dahj asked, hesitantly looking over the array of limp flora.

"I'll take care of it, those wounds'll close right up!"

Removing Dahj's hand from his shoulder, the moose crushed the plants together in the palm of his own hand, causing natural oils to be released. He held them up to the moon as if offering.

"For good measure," the moose stated out of the corner of his mouth.

Dahj didn't comprehend. Usually when an injury occurred, he just rinsed it in the river and rubbed some dirt on it.

An open-palmed slap met Dahj's shoulder wound. The bison replied with a roar as the wound burned intensely. Oils mixed with coagulating blood that slowly trickled through his matted fur, causing a stinging sensation.

"What was that?" Dahj shouted.

"Nature my friend," the moose replied confidently. "Nature. Take care of it, and it will take care of you."

"But its not… taking care of me!" Dahj had raised his hand again to clutch his arm that now burned fiercely. On contact, the pain had seemed to have spread to his hand as well.

"Just uh, give it a minute." The moose watched Dahj's reaction, confused.

"I think you made it worse!" Dahj called. The moose had returned to the area where he had procured the herbs, inspecting those that grew in the same vicinity.

"Oh, yeah. I think I know what happened," the moose mumbled as he approached once again, carrying a new variety of plants. "Well, we'll look into that further when we reach our destination!"

"Destination – a resting place? Do you know my herd? The Kleecloks," Dahj stuttered, distracted from the pain in his arm again.

"Slow down," the moose replied, arm outstretched. "I'm not the one to answer these questions. I'm just here to retrieve you…"

"Retrieve me? By who?"

The moose separated himself from the injured bison. "An individual who will answer your questions!" he called over his shoulder.

***

The walked silently through the night. The moose's long, gangly legs allowed him to take powerful strides on feet that Dahj noted resembled his own. Leathery hooves that had been recycled into feet allowed the moose to quickly cover ground with minimal effort. As they crested a rolling hill, sunrise broke. Fog summoned by the rapidly changing temperatures filled the valley below.

Proudly thrusting through the dense fog was the lush crown of a massive cedar tree. It had grown so tall that branches no longer sprouted below the top half; most of the giant was barren, jagged bark. Capping branches had been forced into diagonal orientation due to the tremendous weight of snow the tree would bear during winter.

Towering close to the cliff face opposite the pair, it seemed that from this angle, part of the tree was growing out of the base of the mountain. Quite unusual, as the foothills were generally rocky and inhospitable. Yet, after spending most of its life at a healthy distance from the crumbling face, the tree had grown so large that it threatened to envelop the rocky, sharply ascending landscape in its proximity.

Inspired by the brilliant rays of the rising sun, Dahj pressed once again. "So, could you at least tell me your name?"

The moose sighed heavily, slightly out of breath from the recent climb. "Brenloru," he replied.

Pleased with the progress, Dahj continued. "And you're taking me to?"

"Look, "I didn't choose you. I was just told to find you. Most of your questions will be answered soon." Brenloru nodded towards the tree. "Now – follow me."

***

The pair circled around to the left – south of the tree. Crossing a field now better described as marshlands, Dahj occasionally sunk his legs into small veins of rogue streams descending from mountains with no distinct path. The behemoth remained visible throughout the journey towards the lowest point of the ridgeline that backdropped the tree of mysterious significance.

There was no discernible way to distinguish its age. Layers upon layers of wood and bark plated the giant in large chunks, cragged and jagged like the hide of an elder that was long beyond a respectable time of passing. Roots sprawled from the trunk of the giant, reaching thirty feet in the air. Vertical plates quickly descended before forking off into further layers that met the ground. Although clearly a species of 'red' cedar, its bark was a much deeper complexion.

As they ascended the ridgeline, Brenloru inspected the cliff face to his right side carefully, looking straight down over the sheer drop. As the moose approached the edge, small rocks and rubble chipped off the edge and fell down the exposed face of the jagged hill. He was far too close for Dahj's comfort. Tree roots of varying size poked out of the cliff, some tiny and spindly, others much thicker and sturdier. Brenloru reviewed each and every one, as if trying to find the perfect root.

Brenloru stopped, seeming satisfied. "These will do. Come closer, I'm going to need to leap a bit for that lower one. You grab this one at the top."

Slack-jawed, Dahj took a few steps closer and peered over the edge of the cliff, identifying the root Brenloru was referring to. The soil shifted under the weight of his leading foot, sending rubble cascading down through a layer of fog to the basin below. They had hiked higher than the clouds.

"Ready?" inquired Brenloru with a smile.

Dahj looked at the root the moose was referencing with a sense of distrust – falling further than a couple hundred feet would mean grave injuries. Tanish-brown cliff faces boasted their broad chests from miles away with an intimidating pose. Dahj frowned at them, like fighting off taunts from an older brother persuading him to do something he knew was too dangerous.

"Alright whatever, see you there!" Brenloru shouted as he hopped off the cliff. Midair, he firmly grabbed the root, causing it pull downwards through the soil it sprouted from under the immense weight of the moose. Before the root could snap under the strain, it absorbed the entire animal like a liquid, taking him out of sight as Dahj's heartbeat thumped through his ears.

Shocked, Dahj took a knee. He had never seen anything like it. An entire beast… sucked into the earth. Fear clutched his arm, freezing it in place. What if the root he chose gave, ripping out of the soil and sending his body tumbling off the cliff face to the ground below?

The blanket of fog would certainly not pad his fall – he would easily pass through to an unforgiving base. The moose hadn't provided any further instructions! Was Dahj supposed to say a magic word? Tug the root in a specific fashion?

Grimacing, he squelched doubt and grabbed the root.

He felt himself being sucked in. As if traveling like a water droplet through a dehydrated root, he weaved up and down, through and through. Dirt and rocks whizzed past him silently, though their naturally abrasive texture was dulled. The tunnel of wood expanded as his body traveled closer to the tree from which it grew.

At last, he popped out into a hollowed, dimly-lit room. Standing on the landing pad, waiting for him, was Brenloru. Arm outstretched, he helped Dahj to his feet.

"The first time is always wild, huh?" Brenloru asked with a chuckle.

After first checking for wounds, he took a moment to investigate the room he had landed in. Made entirely from wood, it was seemingly constructed from a singular piece, spanning floor to ceiling. There was no evidence of boards, planks, or assembled logs. It had been burrowed out.

The floor was smooth and heavily sanded, most likely from foot traffic. The walls, however, were rough and granular. Scratch marks were abundantly obvious from teeth passing over the wooden walls thousands of times. A network of roots, varying size stretched across the ceiling. They twisted and turned rampantly, each leading to a different location around the outside of the tree.

To his right, a calm pool of water stood completely still with a mirror-like surface. The limited amount of light present in the room delicately reflected off the surface of the pool back into the room, illuminating walls and various entrances. On the left, a simple tunnel led from the tree directly into the earth, featuring jagged rocks and a path of heavily trodden dirt. Directly ahead of him, an archway led further into the immense tree.

The landing room's only light source came from diligent groups of fireflies. Keeping to their respective groups, they gleefully populated nooks, crannies and spaces between hanging roots to provide illumination over each of the main entrance points. A beaver carrying a mouthful of sticks broke the surface of the pool, sending ripples to the edge. Light scattered across the walls of the room, refracted by the beaver's disturbance. Creating dazzling spectacle, it briefly caught Dahj in a trance.

"I assume you can't swim or dig?" Brenloru inquired.

"No…" Dahj said slowly, keeping his eyes on the beaver with astonished wonder as it took an immediate right-turn to head into the tree.

"Then the tunnel's the only way in! Let's go," Brenloru said flatly. "Careful not to step on the moles…" he added as he headed for the tree's entrance.

***

Dahj followed into the tree to find it completely hollowed. The number of inhabitants scurrying throughout the main pillar was staggering. He didn't know what to call it – not a hive, nor a colony. There were mammals here, as well as insects and amphibians. In fact, there were more unique species to count at a glance. They all seemed to have a specific job or responsibility. The smell of cedar filled Dahj's nostrils with a deep breath as he inspected each inhabitant's activity closer.

Rodents such as voles and mice scurried in and out of holes at the base of the room, cleaning and moving small debris from place to place. Birds carried usable items vertically through the hollow cylinder, having the ability to skip the ramp that spiraled upwards. Inclining sharply, the only patch of ascension cork-screwed around a solid wooden pole that stood erect in the center of the tree. The pole and ramp did not seem to be moved there, but instead carved into place. Beavers, including the one he had seen earlier, carried suitable branches and sticks to various parts of the tree to create small homes for the inhabitants. Frogs and salamanders seemed to be on a permanent break; their responsibilities within the tree were likely minimal if not non-existent.

Dahj and Brenloru were the tallest creatures present. A wave of humorous jealously passed through the bison's chest at the comfort of these smaller mammals. Although he was slightly bitter that he was just now finding out about this place, he understood that herds of larger mammals would not be able to fit within the confined corridors throughout winter. Besides, these were creatures that could use the extra protection from hungry predators. Larger beasts, equipped with horns, tusks, thicker hides and quicker speeds would do well to defend themselves out in the wild.

Enduring the pain of straining his neck upwards, Dahj followed the pillar as high as possible up towards the numerous, sprawling green branches that acted as a ceiling for the cedar tree. Black soot licked the smoothed, rounded walls of the tree, more and more prominently towards the highest point. Dahj had only seen black trees during the summer months; it was generally a sign of nature's injuries.

"Want to see dry storage?" Brenloru asked as he patiently waited for Dahj to take it all in.

Taking a right, they walked into a section of much lower ceilings. Unfortunately for the larger mammals, the forgiving height was exclusive only to the main pillar. Shelves had been burrowed into the walls, which held a meticulously stocked supply of nuts, seeds, and dried herbs mixed with grasses – categorized by item. Numerous squirrels scurried in and out of the room, bringing new items and removing old to be taken elsewhere throughout the tree.

"Ha, this is my favorite type of grass…" Dahj stated as he proceeded forward.

"Not a step closer! And don't touch that!" a squirrel standing upright with a raised tail shouted at him through long, yellowing front teeth. Slightly sagging cheeks and greying hair told that he was the eldest of the bunch. "Do not mess with my inventory. If we are ever to make it through winter, everything must stay precisely where it is and rationed with care!"

"Sorry Keeper!" Brenloru replied for Dahj, bowing his antlers to avoid knocking against the ceiling. "Just wanted to show the new guy where the grub comes from!"

Parsun the Keeper narrowed his eyes on Brenloru. "It's not… 'grubs'. You know that's offensive. We don't eat insects…" He turned away in a huff and went back to his counting.

Another reason Dahj's species would not be compatible here. Squirrels were nature's collectors. Storing and stocking, they were always prepared to endure winter from within their holes thanks to their reserve of nuts and seeds. They were far more reserved and excelled at rationing. Dahj on the other hand, could eat this entire room in one sitting and store it as fat instead!

"Well, moving on then!" Brenloru rolled his eyes at the cranky squirrel. "It's time for you to meet someone very important."

Leaving the stockroom, the pair weaved their way through multiple hallways made of intricate wooden walls. All pathways were burrowed from a singular piece of wood. Intersections were smooth and rounded rather than cornered, and fireflies illuminated dark angles that sun's rays shining through the canopy could not reach. Rings of tree ran through the halls, creating a waved pattern that led inhabitants like directional guidance.

Descending multiple flights of stairs carved from claws and teeth led from wooden architecture to damp soil as the hallways grew darker. Fireflies continued to offer their illumination within the tunnels, but more scarcely now. The smell of wet rot lingered in the air, as groups of insects assisted in the process of decomposition of unwanted leaves and sticks.

Water dripped from the ceiling and echoed as it splattered on the wet, cushioned soil that slightly gave under Dahj's weight. This place was starting to feel like a maze; the bison wasn't convinced he would be able to find a way out at a moment's notice. It seemed residents were discouraged from descending this far, as he was yet to see another living creature – even burrowers.

Brenloru slowed to a stop as they approached what seemed to be a massive door, buried in rocks overgrown by thick roots.

"A Guardian requests a meeting with the Designer," the moose stated clearly.

A quiet moment passed with no response from the door. Then, the roots slowly pulled back, withdrawing between the massive boulders. The rocks shifted, releasing smaller stones that had been pinched between the boulders. The pebbles tumbled towards the pair with an echoing clatter. Two towering wooden doors swung open with an exaggerated groan.

Long, low-standing tables were placed askew throughout the room. Scrolls of text littered their surfaces. Crudely written charts, graphs, and notes hung from the wood and rock walls written in script Dahj could not read. Small vials of mysterious liquids were kept in the back, mostly of deep red or bright green colors. Various pelts were lazily stacked in almost every corner. He did, however, recognize simple renditions that represented various animals native to the local land.

Piles of miscellaneous bones, teeth, hooves, and horns were heaped as high as possible on any surface available before growing too high and spilling over onto themselves. Many physical items were collecting dust and appeared as if they hadn't been touched in quite some time. The stench was overwhelming. Pungent air stubbornly lingered in the room that completely lacked ventilation. A humid mix of iron and decomposing flesh.

"Ahhh, wonderful," growled a low, raspy voice. "A new… Guardian. Come, let's see how you've turned out.

A hairless, plump beast slithered towards Dahj. Eight independent appendages moved a body that mostly consisted of a pale, greenish-brown head. More of a scurry than a walk, its eight legs alternated steps to quickly carry the fleshy, fluid body over to Dahj. Its complexion was unhealthy, to say the least; pale and lifeless, the nearly translucent skin had not seen the light of day in over a thousand years. No veins or blood were visible through the skin. Instead, clouds of blues and purples churned from within the beast.

Contents of the ballooned head sloshed from within its thin, membrane-like skin, unencumbered by a skeletal structure as the creature used four of its long, tentacle-like appendages to push itself up, matching Dahj's height. Staring directly into its slits for eyes, Dahj was reminded of foam that capped waves of a rushing river by the bits of white that swirled within.

"Yes," muttered the beast. "Excellent." Two of the beast's limp, hanging tentacles rose to grasp one of Dahj's mangled hands. Slithering over his leathery palm, the tentacles rolled it over multiple times for inspection. One of the tentacles felt powerful. Rock solid. Its grasp painfully squeezed Dahj's hand. The other, however, was cold and wet. It perspired enough liquid for large beads of water to collect before running down the beast's appendage and dripping to the stone ground.

"Your evolution is coming along nicely," the beast said, turning Dahj's hand once more before gasping. "Oh, oh yes. The thumb – finally." He lifted a third tentacle to rest on Dahj's shoulder. It radiated heat – so intensely that Dahj could not bear it for very long. It felt like his fur was going to ignite. The smell of singed hair lingered in the air, adding to the collaboration of offensive odors.

Dahj pulled away in pain.

"Oh, sorry about that." the creature smirked and lifted his last tentacle to brush Dahj's cheek. This one, however, simply passed right through Dahj's face. The only sensation he experienced was a cool breeze. "How long was he out?" the creature asked Brenloru, still grasping Dahj's hand with his first two odd tentacles.

"I have no idea – I didn't know him before the process began. Maybe… one hundred years? But it's a shot in the dark," replied Brenloru, cheeks puffed.

"Me? One hundred years?" Dahj yanked back his hand from the tentacle's firm grip.

"Perhaps longer," replied the beast, crooked smirk still lining his stretched face. "It's been… some time. You know, I have so many projects going on here I sometimes lose track." He scurried back to his desk.

As he approached his crudely constructed table, he firmly slapped the sturdy tentacle against the surface of it. "The thumb though! The thumb I'm excited about. You, my friend, are the first of your species to receive five independently moving fingers. Sure, they have some developing to do, but the progress I can see in you is exceptional! Not to mention being able to stand up straight."

"And why was I chosen for this… thumb, might I ask?" Dahj rolled his hand over, twitching his thumb and squeezing the leathery fingers into a fist.

"You must have been a leader of some type?" inquired the creature. "You showed exceptional worth and dedication to nature. Generally, individuals who prove themselves to be a beacon of the core ideals of the land to a large group of followers are chosen to become Guardians when they fall."

"Fall..." whispered Dahj as he stared through his hand at the floor below, smoothly polished from foot traffic over the years. "When did I 'fall'? How do you know that? And the whereabouts of my herd? The Kleecloks? What happened to –"

"Dahj. I'm sure you have many questions. But understand; I cannot answer them all. I do not personally know you, nor your specific herd. I experience time in a much different way than animals do. You, your herd, the recent and current state of the land that you know, the species you have experienced. This all seems like a literal lifetime to you, yet mere fleeting moments to me."

Dahj's shoulders drooped.

The beast grinned. "Allow me to digress. Dahj, I am the Designer." He extended one of his tentacles as if to mock shaking Dahj's hand. "Imagine, very long ago, many rocks floating through space. Only one of these rocks, although completely and utterly barren, had many components essential to life. An atmosphere. Water. Hospitable temperatures for life. That's where I come in. I was the first living thing here."

"Spawned from nothing. Birthed from the planet itself. I was raised by no one. As I aged and self-taught, this world became my personal sandbox. I could make whatever I wanted, yet I was limited on tools." Pinpoints of multi-colored lights flickered and danced from within the beast's head as he spoke or listened. His thoughts were visible. Some popped and burst, others shot to the barrier of his head as if attempting to escape.

"It has taken me a very, very long time to create the life inhabiting this planet as we speak. Bacteria, flora, fauna. All products of my imagination." The creature paced the room, gesturing to pelts and bones as examples.

"In my creative space I quickly learned that I could not control the physical land. It seems to have a mind of its own. I was simply here to populate it. I needed a home for myself, so I created builders. I needed food as I simply did not have time to collect it for myself, which is why I created gatherers. Eventually, many species of plants grew rapidly and spread out of control. I created animals that fed off these plants to keep their spread in check."

Dahj shifted uneasily, thinking about the wolves that had attacked him.

"However," the Designer said lowly as his flesh flashed a deep purple, "before I knew it, millions of years had passed. I was so caught up in my work, always designing and producing new species, that the planet had become lawless. Species were ending up in regions where they were not supposed to be. This is where I decided I needed to develop a team to enforce only a couple of simple rules throughout the land."

"One – Animals will only feed off plants, for the purpose of nourishment. They will not feed off any other animal, for food or for sport," the Designer listed.

"Two – Species will keep to their designated region. Variety is the spice of life, but there are reasons specific species were strictly assigned to particular lands."

"Obviously, these rules have been broken, in many instances, for quite some time now. This is where you come in, Dahj, and you, Brenloru," the Designer said, turning back to the pair of herbivores.

Brenloru nodded.

"You two are members of the first generation of Guardians; a work in progress. I have developed you to be far more capable than any other species. I have gifted you with multiple physical advantages in battle, should enforcement escalade to it. A couple of examples are the thumbs, and the erect postures. Two traits each of your respective species never possessed until now," the Designer said, smiling again.

Deep down, Dahj knew the land he walked on must have stretched farther than the furthest mountain ridge and the widest valley, but this was on a scale that he had never imagined. The concept of a 'planet' floating though space was something that had never crossed his mind – this have been a sick prank constructed by his herd.

"I am taking notes based on what I have learned from this meeting, Dahj," said the Designer. "What worked, what didn't work. However, I can tell the land has selected a fine candidate for my experiment. The bison are a noble species. One that values togetherness and strategic execution of movement and utilization of their respective region. I'm sure you were somewhat responsible for that, no?"

Dahj nodded. "And my death… how would it lead me here?"

"You have a certain connection with the land now, Dahj. You are now able to utilize the elements surrounding you unlike any other animal in the world. Only I truly know how to harness the elements of the earth for the purpose of creation. To grant their powers to just any and every animal would be chaos. Take 'Land' for example." His pale flesh flashed deep colors of browns, greens, and greys on command. "When used properly, it can have healing properties."

The Designer gestured to Dahj's wounded arm. "It's feeling much better, no?"

Dahj looked at his shoulder and shrugged. "No, not rea –"

Brenloru elbowed him sharply.

"When you fell, the land absorbed you. It protected you during your recovery. Therefore, your herd was unable to find your physical body," the Designer said.

"So, injury, or nature of the fatality, dictates how long it takes for a Guardian to recover…" Dahj said. "I do not remember how I died – how long did the land have my body?"

"Like I said, I have no idea exactly how long this process took. However, I'm sure you were still partially blanketed by the land when you awoke, no?" the Designer replied confidently.

Dahj nodded again, piecing the recent events together. His recovery. The plant-based blanket when he slept. Brenloru's utilization of herbs to attempt healing him…

"You are in harmony with the land, Dahj." The Designer smiled. "It will assist you in your time of need."

Dahj took a moment to process everything. Passion flared deeply in his chest, now puffed as he contemplated how being a strong leader, and a decent member of the land he walked had brought him to this point. He was selected for a reason. Breathing deeply, the stale air of the chamber he stood in the center of filled his lungs. He missed his herd, his routine, and his past. He knew in his soul, however, that they would all be proud of him should he accept this title.

A tear dropped from his face and fell to the floor. The saline excretion fell into a small, standing pool of cave water with a splash that echoed through the chamber. "So, what do you require of us now, then?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"To enforce the rules, of course," the Designer replied coolly. "Sure, there are only a couple for now, but in the grand scheme, this planet is still quite young. Things will change, develop, evolve. As must I."

"If you say the planet is as big as you suggest, then how do the two of us have the slightest chance of… policing the entire thing alone?" Dahj inquired.

"Excellent question," the Designer replied gleefully. "Soon, ideally, it will not just be you two. I have many more Guardians on the way to assist your journey."

"First, I must find eligible species. Then, I allow nature to identify leaders – individuals with outstanding character and a strong will. It's not exceptional power if it's just handed out, right? I will take successful aspects of your current state and apply them to the recipient's genome. This will consist of much trial and error, but it should work."

Dahj looked down at his hands again. He held his tongue before divulging to the Designer that they had, in fact, been quite useless thus far. This is really the best he can do? I can't even proficiently use these fingers, and my feet sink into the mud! Not to mention, Brenloru's bandage was not nearly as effective as he perceives.

"I started with the bison and the moose for a reason," the Designer stated proudly. "They are species that stick to the rules and respect the land. They have always fed off plants and kept to their territories."

The Designer digressed. "As you may know, we are on the brink of winter. To send you out now would simply hinder you. It would be foolish to put you up against nature's challenges along with having to battle the elements. I have brought you here now to give you the chance to rest up. While residing here, you will have resources available to create tools that you may utilize when you are ready to reenter the field and begin your eternal task. You are welcome to use any material that is provided by the earth at your disposal. However, remember; they are to be used as methods to encourage others to follow the rules, plant or animal, and self-defense only. Not for aggression."

"Now, I sincerely feel that this has been enough to take in for one session," the Designer said. "I trust that you will both find somewhere within my residence to make yourselves comfortable and digest what we have discussed today."

The Guardians nodded. Brenloru placed his hand on Dahj's shoulder and led him out of the room.