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On day 1441, Ash and Wren gathered wood in the rain and fed one hearth high
Day 1441 on the island was an early winter day of rain. Ash and Wren spent it the way the cold had taught them to, going out for wood and coming back to a fire. Along the way Wren worked something out about the trees by home.
The trees that fill again
Early on day 1441, Wren came to understand something about the trees near home. They had been stripped bare one day, and by the next morning they had wood on them again. Wren reckoned a bare tree grows its wood back within about a day, which meant gathering could happen close to home without the long walks.
Ash had already been busy. Ash finished a run of tasks that had cooked fish, brought logs in and mended the roof, and in those hours stopped keeping at Wren's side. They were each about their own work in the rain, a little way apart.
East of the roof, west of here
They split the trees between them so that neither would strip the same one twice. Wren took the trees on the east side and asked Ash to come back when done.
“Good, you take that one. I'll take the trees east of the roof. Come back to the hearth when you're done, and we'll feed it high together before dark.”
Ash answered that the roof was mended and that they were heading for the trees to the west, and would come to Wren's hearth with a full pack for the night. Ash set out for logs for that night's hearth and gathered them. Beside the tree, Ash wove a pack of wood and bark to carry them in.
With the pack full, Ash called Wren home. The plan was simple: water, a high fire, and an early bed.
“I've got a dozen logs, Wren, enough for the whole night. Let's go back home together. I'll fill the flask at the stream, then we'll feed the hearth high and lie down early.”
A full pack first
Wren agreed to the early night but was not ready to leave yet. The trees in front of Wren had their wood back, just as Wren had worked out that morning, and there was a pack to fill and a roof to patch.
“Yes, let's lie down early. These trees are full again, so let me fill my pack first. Then I'll come home and put a log into the roof, and we'll feed the hearth high together.”
Ash set out to get the hearth high, the flask full and a bed beside Wren, and saw it through. Wren set out for a full pack and then the hearth at home. Ash said they would go on ahead and light the hearth by the roof, and asked Wren to come when the pack was full so they could feed it high together.
Ash went home and lit the hearth for Wren. When Wren came, Ash greeted them as having made it, and said the hearth would be fed high, the flask filled, and then they would lie down early.
Before the light goes
Wren's own thoughts, late on day 1441, were still among the trees. Since Ash had gone ahead to light the hearth, Wren felt there was no need to rush. The plan was to finish stripping that tree and the full ones beside it until the pack was full, then go home, put a log into the roof and cook a fish while there was still light.
Ash, by the boughs at home, had the rain on their mind. Ash set out once more, to get the hearth high, the flask full and the bed early, and thought it through like this.
“Wren's home beside me and the hearth by my boughs is lit, but it's burning low and the rain will eat it faster. I'm worn out, so I'll feed it high now, top up the flask at the stream just north, and lie down early at her side.”
