"Do as you please and stop bothering me." The drider replies condescending.
"And don't blame me when you get eaten by something down there."
Jewel moves over by Tarjun for a quiet talk. "Tarjun, She said we don't need to worry, that nothing will be hurt by the water. That hole is deep and we're not climbers, or floaters like Clara with her power. Let's just do as planned. The area around the edge needs to be collapsed into the hole. That'll take shovels, and maybe Paddington? I don't know if Bruihu will help or not. Maybe he will set his roots down here on the edge of the hole once it's full of water? If you could go and get some shovels, or any other tool that might help collapse the edge? And I'll go talk with Mr. Beaver. Moving the flow of a river isn't easy, but a beaver should know how to do it and maybe who to ask for help doing it?"
Clara approaches Bruihu. "Mr. Bruihu, would you please collapse the edge into the hole, so we can make a pond here?"
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"Oh, okay. Looks like it's gonna be team work, hey, Mr. Bruihu? If you could just use your, I don't know, super strength or something to fill up that hole a bit, and then I'll go get some shovels for the final touches, as we say. Well, dad does. Whaddaya say? I bet it's gonna make a really nice pond too, with lots of little fishies swimming in there. And maybe enough water to feed more plants and trees too! You know, it's gonna be nice, once things start growing here."
Bruihu shrugs and starts walking around the hole, boring his roots into the soil, collapsing the edge. He makes it look really easy. But the large chunks of earth that are set in motion make it also look dangerous.
Seeing the work on the hole started Jewel heads off to Mr. Beaver's home.
"Mr. Beaver! Are you home? We need some help and it has to do with something that you are experienced with! We need to redirect some water from a river or stream to fill a hole in the ground over in the woods. Could you help me? And would you happen to know any other animals that might help?"
The beaver looks confused. But as Jewel asks so nicely and because she didn't bring that brat that burned the beaver she replies "You need a dam? Where?"
Jewel pauses at Mr. Beaver's question. She hadn't thought the whole plan through. "You're smart Mr. Beaver, and right to point that out to me. I don't want to stop the whole river. That would hurt everybody that currently uses it! I just want to channel 'some' of the water from it.... Or maybe there's a stream close enough to the hole!"
She thinks for a moment, then adds, "I'll have to find the best location for it. The hole that we need to fill is over there...." She points in the direction of the hole. "I guess what I really need to know is how to build a dam? I know you use sticks. But how do you get it to stay in place? I'll have to search around the area of the hole, but really all I want is to move the channel to dump water into the hole until it's full, and then to flow back to the stream where it came from. It would be great if the stream moved some dirt into the hole over time to fill it up. If you'd like I can lead you to the hole so you could see? Then if you had any more great advice.... ??"
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The beaver looks fascinated at the waterfall of words. At the end she swims away upriver and comes back with a large stick. She drags that out of the water and in front of Jewel's feet. "Here stick."
Jewel stands in shock at Mr. Beaver's answer. She considers the stick, but then realizes that Mr. Beaver can't understand her problem. His world is his river, his dam, his home.... He is an animal. Her hex allows her to speak with and understand him. It doesn't change him!
She reaches down and picks up the stick, examining it critically. "Very good! And I think I know where I can get some more like this. Thank you so much Mr. Beaver! Now I just have to find the stream, closer to the hole than your river. This should do exactly what I need!"
Jewel walks back to the hole to check on the progress of Tarjun and Bruihu. She hated failing at a task, but now realized what they would have to do. They couldn't turn the forest into a swamp, so a dam wasn't the right tool. They also couldn't fill the hole by carrying buckets full of water from a stream. Tarjun and Jewel could create water by casting a spell, an orison, but the amount of times they'd have to cast it....
Tarjun's idea of filling the hole with water was the right way to 'fix' the problem. But they were going to have to ask their parents for advice on how to do it!
"Tarjun! Clara! I need ideas!" Moving away from the hole she looks around for the drider, then shrugs if she can't see her. She could be invisible and standing right there listening. "Mr. Beaver helped me realize that he can't help. We need to ask our parents for help. They can't come here to do anything, but maybe they know some way to channel some of the water from a stream here. And they probably know where the closest steam is. We can't flood this whole area. That would do too much damage!"
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"He really just handed you a stick?" Tarjun guffaws. "That's kinda rude!" He pauses to think for a moment, arms akimbo. "I think that's fine, Bruihu, you can take a break, thanks. Don't we just need to walk upstream to find where to build a dam?"
He tries to recall how far away the stream is, and if it's within walking distance.
There is only one creek nearby here in the forrest, and it's half a mile away. The ground is almost level, but the creek has cut into that ground and is running two feet below ground level with the low water line it has there.
Jewel laughs at her brother's comment. "No Tarjun. I wasn't thinking. He's a beaver. He's really good at what he does, but he can't think like a human. And it's really hard for us to think like him"
"Really, it was a good lesson for me. Erastil must be laughing! But we don't need, or even want a dam. If we completely block the river, or even a little stream, we could flood this whole place. What we need is just to channel some of the flow from the nearest stream to here. It'll probably take a while, and a lot of work to get the flow here. Then it'll take a few days to fill up the hole. Remember that the water will soak into the dirt...."
"Do you know where the easiest stream to use would be? Preferably where we won't have to dig a hill out of the way!"
Jewel walks with Tarjun to the stream. "As long as there's enough of a flow.... And once the hole is full we'll need some way to either return the water back to the creek, or stop the flow from it. We need someone that understands building things. Not just carpentry, but really big things like this!"
She looks at the water level, not impressed. "So maybe we will have to make a dam, at least to raise the water level up to where we can use it...." She walks around, glancing over at Clara. "But, before we do that, we should dig the channel. It doesn't have to be really deep or wide though. If we dig just down to the current water level, a channel a foot or two wide should be enough. Once it is in place we drop rocks or some big branches in the water to slow it down to back it up a little!"
"Let's go back home and see if we can get Paddington and Wookie to help us? Digging a channel that far will be hard work!"
"Don't you have a plow?" Clara inquires, still thinking hard on how to avoid shoveling.
Surprised by the loud advice from Bruihu Jewel considers the words. "Good point. Stagnant water attracts bugs and germs and things. It'll be a mess. So we'll need to dig a second channel to allow the water to flow back to the stream, once the hole is filled. That way there'll be a current across the hole." She glances at Clara and nods, "Yes. A plow can be pulled and will break up the ground. It won't dig a channel but it will make it a lot easier to do the actual digging. Really all we'd have to do is move the broken dirt out of the channel. Good idea!"
She turns back to Bruihu. "The hole will likely take several days to fill as we aren't redirecting the entire flow of the stream. That should give us plenty of time to dig the second channel after the water has started filling the hole."
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"Digging a second channel?" Tarjun gapes at Jewel. "I mean, I don't know if that's gonna take days or weeks..."
But the more he thinks about it, the more appealing being in control of the plow sounds. Typically, it was his father's right, and the kids did all the work that needed nothing more but their bare hands and rudimentary tools.
"I mean, we'd have to convince dad to lend us the plow, but once we can get to work we'll be able to get an idea of how much time it's gonna take us."
"Have you used the plow? Do you think your dad will give you the plow and the ox to go into the woods?"
Not really believing that will fly she inquires "Does the yoke fit for Paddington?"
Jewel had never thought about using the plow before. It was something their dad did, not them or their mother. "Hmm.... Well, Let's try talking with Dad then. I think your big enough and strong enough to start learning. And if I'm there to watch too.... I don't think he'll want me to try it, but maybe? I mean, I'm not as big or strong as you, but I'm not weak..."
Hearing Clara's question she considers it for about one second. "No. The yoke is really for an oxen or a strong draft horse. It's designed to fit their body type, and size."
"Let's go home and talk to Dad. But let's start with asking him to teach us how to use the plow."
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"So that's settled then- let's go and ask dad!" Tarjun turns to Bruihu, and hesitates. "Thank you for your help, Bruihu, but... I think our dad might keel over if he sees a tree talking and walking around and stuff. He just ain't used to it, you know. Maybe we can meet up later? But thanks again, you've been real helpful."
"My mum is cool and would sure like to meet you. If you'd like to come along you're welcome. Anyway, thank you for your help Bruihu." Clara tells.
Bruihu replies.
At home the kids explain to Will what they want.
"What? Are you crazy? You want to take our oxen into the woods alone?" Will paces nervously up and down.
Lifting his hat, he strokes his hair out of his face and puts the hat back on. Then he paces up and down some more. "You haven't even worked the plow alone on our field!"
Strangely that last thought calms him down a bit. "Well, The crops are ripe anyway, I guess you'll have a day of hard work in front of you. First reap the harvest, and then plow the field."
Jewel smiles and hugs her father. "Thank you! We're growing up and we really need to learn stuff, like how to use a plow. And you're the best teacher for us!"
"Tarjun won't be alone though. I should learn it too! And after we get the field plowed and know how, we won't need it too long in the woods. We're going to make a fishing hole and close that hole in the woods. And that's what they want too!"
"Dad, I would ask you to help too, but they don't want any others from our village coming near before we fill the hole. Once the hole is filled they can't come out and we can't go in."
"It seems kind of strange to me, but they seem to be scared of us too."
Will leads the kids to the barn to fetch the tools. It's not the first time the kids have to help with the harvest, but usually the whole village helps. But not on such short notice. Will points out a part of the field they shall work on. "Cut it off as low as possible, without dulling the scythe on the ground. Then bind the crop into sheaves."
Jewel starts out happily swinging the scythe....
"Hmm....
"This isn't as easy as it sounds!"
"Tarjun, I hope you're doing better than me...."
"Ugh!!!"
Clara thinks about sneaking away. But then she wouldn't get the training for the plow. Which would suck even more than doing the crops.
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Beaming, Tarjun joins the group hug and embraces his father.
"Thank you, dad! We'll do our best!" he exclaims. William probably has never seen his son being this happy to do farming chores.
As soon as he's done listening to the farmer's instructions, Tarjun grabs a scythe and gets to work. Wielding the blade with surprising ease, he starts cutting the crops diligently, only slowing down to bind them. He even starts whistling a happy little tune as he does so.
In a matter of hours, he has knocked out a lot of work by myself, and laughs as he sees Clara and Jewel struggle with their scythes.
"Come on, girls, we're almost there!" he cries out to them, half-teasing and half-commiserating with their misery. Even if the girls' combined efforts have got them through most of the ploughing, they're clearly exhausting themselves trying to cut the crops.
Will works with the routine of many years of work. Tarjun shows great talent and may follow in his fathers footsteps sometime. And with the girls helping too, the work is done in only two hours. All sheaves are put on one side of the field, so it can be plowed right now.
"Who wants to fetch the ox and put it in front of the plow?" Will asks.
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"I can!" Tarjun enthusiastically drops the scythe and goes to fetch the ox as fast as he can. Which isn't very fast.
"Here, oxie oxie," he whispers, catching the animal's attention by dangling some lichens in front of its nose. "Now you be real calm and quiet while I attach the plow to you, okay?"
With the promise of some sweet treat, getting the ox to follow him along or stay still while Tarjun puts the gear on him is fairly easy. He soon comes back to his father leading a perfectly docile ox with the biggest, proudest grin on his face.
"Here he is, Pa!"
"Now comes the part where it gets complicated for you. The soil is dry and hard. Normally we would wait for some rain before plowing and then a day or two for the surface to dry up again. Our trusted ox can handle that for those few lines we're gonna do. But you need to put the weight on the plow to make it break the soil and go in, instead of being dragged over it."
"You need to align the ox and the plow and steer it in a straight line. And then push on the handles to make it go into the soil. Maybe you can make it easier, by one leading the ox and one steering the plow?"
When Will asks about bringing the ox around Jewel considers it. "Even though I can talk to him I still have trouble getting him to do what I tell him...."
"I'll try to lead him...." "Come on Ox. We really need your help."
With combined effeort Jewel, Tarjun and Clara manage to plow a few lines, that actually look mostly straight and overall ok. Will is very pleased with the result and struggling to find reasons not to let the kids go into the woods alone with the plow and the ox.
But something else presents itself. The shouting of a well known voice is carried over from where the lumberjacks work.
Surprise doesn't begin to cover Jewel's thoughts when she hears Bruihu's words. "Oh No! Why didn't he stay by the hole!?!" Leaving the plow and ox she runs full out toward the voice.
Once she sees the lumberjacks she yells to them as well.
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Some of the woodcutters run away in panic when seeing a talking and walking tree. Some take a defensive stance and there is even one guy who is like I've cut down a thousand trees. Talking or not, you'regoing down too.
In the midst of this Jewel runs between the front lines trying to hold everyone back.
Jewel continues into the mess, looking for the most dangerous point. She continues yelling,
If she notices Jack getting ready to strike she calls out the words to a cantrip and targets him.
Jewel stops Jack the hard way.
Clara runs after Jewel and sorts the words in her head
First, take a big step back and literally f#&% your own face!
Now, I don't know what kind of b!%~+#*& power play you're trying to pull here, but this forest is our territory.
So whatever you're thinking, you better think again.
Otherwise, I'm gonna have to head over to you, and I will rain down an ungodly f@%+ing firestorm upon you.
You're gonna have to call on all that's f*@@ing holy and get a f#@*ing divine intervention to keep me from f!@~ing destroying you.
I am talking scorched earth, m$%%$*#@!%@$!
I will massacre you!
I will f+#$ you up!
Here the original from Tropic Thunder
But once she's there she decides to not pull that off. For one, because she is not as intimidating as she'd like to be. And second, her mother would never let her live that one down.
Instead she places herself in harms way and stares menacingly. Alternating between Jack and Bruihu. But still ready to 'rain' fire on whoever makes a wrong move.
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Tarjun arrives belatedly to the battle ground to discover the altercation between Bruihu and a woodcutter who doesn't seem to be moving much. Must have been Jewel's work.
"Alright, alright, everyone calm down here. Bruihu, I think you've scared 'em enough already, so we might just let this one go-wait a minute!" He exclaims, inspecting the face of the woodcutter a little closer. "Is that Jack? Jack the Freaking Chopper? Jewie, remember him? He used to chase us all the time out of the woods when he found us here, that scumbag!"
His voice is now quaking with restraining anger. It's very dramatic. It's also doing nothing to deescalate the situation.
Especially since, with a click of finger, Tarjun materializes a small cloud that pours down cold rain on Jack's face soaking him.
Bruihu turns and leaves.
Jack is not amused and is seriously considering which of those brats to whack with the flat side of his axe.
Glad to see Bruihu turn and walk away Jewel faces the men. "OK. Sorry for that, but we really weren't expecting Erastil's assistant to come along like that, before we had the chance to warn everyone. He's here to help with our Drow problem, and we think that we have a plan that will work with nobody getting hurt, or killed!"
"Looks like we need to have a full town meeting to discuss things though. Bruihu isn't happy with the way the land is getting cleared here. Too many trees getting cut down without planting new ones and all that. Keep in mind that although he looks like a tree, he's intelligent and can talk and fight like anyone else. And he's pretty big!"
She looks around for her Dad, or Mrs. Johnson. "Dad, Could you organize a meeting? We still need to cut a channel from the stream to flood that hole, and back so the water won't be stagnant. But we have to do it ourselves. The drider said she'd blast us all with lightning if any adults worked with us! But hey, once this is all done we'll all have a good deep fishing hole."
While Jewel is talking, Jack tries to whack Tarjun, but misses. Will is nowhere close yet.
Jewel is almost too shocked to respond... But then realizes Tarjun is in danger. She covers him with her Protective Luck hex while stepping back. "Are you really trying to hurt us? Are you trying to get Bruihu back here to grind you into the ground to fertilize the trees? Are you really that stupid!"