It started just like every other day in the sowing season. Gaoul woke first, pawing at the countertop beside him for his cane. Yin follows suit shortly after, walking around the bedframe and putting Gaoul's walking stick back from the floor from where it fell some time the night before. They get dressed, call their children, set breakfast and their constructs out, and begin preparing for the fields.
They both pull thornstriders up over their legs, heavy fabric coveralls that keep the barbs of the spikestalk grain from poisoning them. The fabric causes their coats of fur to itch like fire, but it's worth it for the protection they offer. Over that goes a belt styled similarly to the guardian's around each of their waists with various implements dangling off small loops. There are some commonalities between their belts- seed pouches, seed boosters, and a dibbler to make holes in the soil; however, Yin also carries various trowls, garden rakes, and other devices while Gaoul has two constructs that tingle slightly where they rest on his hip.
In the meantime, Lirriam, the eldest of their offspring, emerged from the children's quarters. With twelve winters behind him, he is almost ready to start helping on the field proper.
He shuffled towards his parents with a yawn and a stretch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he greeted them.
"Are you sure you don't need my help today?" Lirriam asked, "I asked Grais if she wanted to play by the brook but she got in trouble with her parents yesterday so I can help," he continues, making his way to the kitchen to start breaking eggs and chopping meat and vegetables, going over the purple leaves twice to make sure he didn't miss any of the tough fibers.
"No my sweet," Yin replies. "Dad and I are good for today, why don't y-"
Gaoul cuts her off - "I think there's some good earth we still need to bring in from the last expedition," he offers.
Yin glances at him, lips pursed as she regards her husband and son. Gaoul in turn sets a small cooking fire into a pit which lays below a stand for a metal pot suspended overhead.
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She sighs, adding "And send for any other boys that aren't too busy so they can help."
The land is blooming well before what manual labor could accomplish thanks to their construct Yin managed to keep when they fled their home, the large machine sitting idly under cover of a shed now that its job is done. Several other constructs occupied their home, one dedicated to cooling, allowing for food preservation. Another acts as entertainment for the children, emitting music and strobing colors to occupy their attention while Larriam cooks breakfast.
The rest of the family unit emerges at their own times, meandering to the entertainment constructs where they plop themselves down and fiddle with the various bits and bobs the construct produces for them.
Lirriam is calling to his siblings for breakfast when a loud crash resounds through the house from outside. Gaoul quickly hobbles to the window while Yin rushes to grab her weapon, a long-handled cultivator. Lirriam's eyes shoot open, and he cowers below the tabletops sobbing with his siblings.
When Gaoul gets to the window, a massive metal construct makes a beeline to the closest house, which so happens to be theirs. In its wake, a body lies still in a pool of crimson blood. Its massive metal arms flail wildly, destroying everything in its path.
Gaoul curses under his breath, realizing that the construct is not a solitary faultforged, but rather sporting the tell-tale inorganic mark of their pursuers.
"Get to the tunnels!" Gaoul shouts to his family. "I'll try to hold it off. More must be close behind, go now!"
Yin whips her head around, her gaze drifting from Gaoul's broken leg to his sun tanned face. Tears pool in both their eyelids, both afraid of what might come. He wouldn't outrun it anyway, the best choice was to stand and fight. She steels herself, nodding sternly as she ushers their children to the back door.
His family quickly running to the escape tunnels, Gaoul exits onto their porch to face the construct. He knows that it's a losing battle, but he can't let his family be hurt. He will do whatever it takes to protect them.
As Gaoul makes his way towards the construct, he can hear the sound of other farmers rushing to defend their farms. He knows that he's not alone in this fight, and real help is fast on its way in the form of the guardians living on the edges of the fields. He just hopes that they may hold long enough to see it.