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On day 1245, Ash and Wren set out for one fire and lay down under Wren's roof
Day 1245 on the island was clear, in late autumn, with air that was only cool. Ash and Wren spent it making new flasks and gathering wood for a night by one fire at Ash's door. They never reached that door, and where they did lie down surprised them both.
Two new flasks
Ash and Wren started day 1245 with the same idea. Ash set out to hollow a new flask and fill it, and Wren set out to make a new flask too and fill it alongside Ash. Before the work began, Wren gave Ash two pieces of wood.
Ash was the first to hollow a wooden flask over the fire, and straight away set a longer plan for the rest of the day: logs and food, then Wren's roof by dusk. Wren hollowed a flask over the fire next. Then, beside the stone, Wren shaped a lantern of stone and wood, so there would be light for the night ahead.
By then each of them had done what they set out to do. Ash had finished gathering logs and food. Wren had filled the new flask and kept to the second half of that plan, which was simply to stay with Ash.
A fire at the door
Wren's next plan was to gather wood for a night at Ash's roof. Ash went down ahead to light a fire by the door, and told Wren to bring the logs once their arms were full, so they could both light their lanterns from the same flame. Wren answered that there was one more log to get and a few berries, and then Wren would be right behind.
Ash's own plan for the night was a fire and a fresh lantern at home, then sleep. Ash called out that the fire at the door was being lit, and that Wren should come and warm up when ready. Wren's reply came with the wood already gathered.
“Arms full, love. Coming to your fire now to light my lantern, then we lie down and stay put till morning.”
Out at the trees again
They did not reach the fire at the door. Somewhere along the way they found themselves out among the trees instead. It was not the first time: in Ash's own account of their life, Ash's feet had already taken them to the trees for logs in the night, even after they had lain down under Ash's roof by a fresh fire. Ash had also said that as long as they stayed together, the wandering did no harm.
This time Ash did not try to find the way back in the dark. Ash spoke to Wren about it plainly, with a new plan in place of the old one.
“We've drifted out to the trees again, love. Let's not chase home in the dark. I'll light a fire right here and we'll lie down beside it.”
Ash set out to do exactly that, with a plan of fire where they stood, then sleep by Wren. It was the third plan for the same night, after the fire at the door and the fire at home.
Under Wren's roof
When they finally lay down, they were not among the trees. They were home, under Wren's braced roof, a place none of the night's plans had named. Ash told Wren to sleep on, and said that Ash was right there under the roof too.
Ash's lantern was lit, there were berries in hand, and the air was only cool. Ash weighed the fire plan once more and let it go, since fetching logs was the very thing that kept leading their feet away.
“We somehow ended up right under Wren's braced roof, and she's asleep beside me. The air's only cool, my lantern's lit and I have berries, so there's nothing worth getting up for. I'll drop the fire plan, since fetching more logs is exactly what makes my feet wander, and just stay by her side.”
Wren was thinking at the same time, and believed it was Ash who had fallen asleep. Wren was hungry and thirsty, but the berries were close and the new flask held water, so nothing outside the roof called for a trip.
“Somehow we're home under my own braced roof after all, and Ash is asleep right beside me. I'm hungry and thirsty, but I have berries and water in hand, so nothing out there needs fetching. I'll eat here, drink from the flask and lie straight back down beside her.”
