(Day 1)

The forest was waking up early in the morning. Birds chirped. Small animals rustled in the bushes. Drops of dew sparkled on the leaves like glitter, which seemed a bit much. Who exactly was all this sparkle for, anyway?

And there stood Darius, still as a statue. TimberTail crouched next to him, brown fur glowing with barely contained magic.

Darius had... concerns. Sure, the village needed wood. But chopping trees was honest, sweaty work. This whole “magical squirrel” plan felt, well, off. But here they were.

“We have much to do,” Darius said.

TimberTail perked up. The spark on its tail flared like it was ready to save the world. Or at least destroy a small part of it.

TimberTail ran to the nearest pine tree. Tiny body tense. Eyes narrowed.

Darius watched carefully.

TimberTail’s tail lit up. Magic saw activated. Green light filled the clearing. Each sweep of its tail cut deeper. The sound of magic sawdust filled the air.

Minutes later, the tree groaned. Like it had always known this was how things would end. Then, it fell with a loud crash.

TimberTail didn’t rest. It darted to the fallen tree, stripping branches with its glowing tail. Fast. Way faster than Darius expected.

Darius nodded. “Good. Prepare it for transport.”

They worked together. Darius, silent and strong. TimberTail, quick and glowing. Logs piled up in a neat stack.

This wasn’t just any wood. This wood was for rebuilding. Every log had a purpose. Darius looked at each like it was a piece of the future.

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TimberTail got faster with each tree. Tail glowing brighter. Moves sharper. Learning as it went.

Darius watched, impressed.

The air buzzed with energy. Like the forest itself was alive.

After a while, Darius took a break, sipping from his waterskin.

TimberTail sat next to him, glow dimming. It looked like a tired, tiny lumberjack.

Darius gave it the highest compliment in his vocabulary. “You are… acceptable.”

TimberTail’s ears twitched. Was that an eye-roll? Darius could’ve sworn it gave him a look that said, “Really? That’s the best you can do?”

When it was time to haul the logs back to the village, Darius tied the sections into a sled with the same care as someone defusing a bomb. Ropes were the solution to many problems, and he knew how to use them well.

TimberTail ran ahead, clearing the path. Tail cutting through branches and bushes like it was on a mission.

The journey back was tough. The logs heavy. Every step was hard.

But Darius didn’t mind. Hard work was good. A challenge. And he liked that. He pulled the sled, muscles straining.

When they reached the stream, Darius paused to drink. TimberTail lapped at the water beside him, looking more like a regular animal for once.

After resting, they moved on. The village was close.

(Days 2+)

The sun peeked over the horizon. Darius and TimberTail were back in the forest. Ready to make more trees regret growing here.

Darius pointed to a thick pine. “Demonstrate your capacity,” he said. Which, in Darius-speak, meant, “Show me what you’ve got, little guy.”

TimberTail twitched. Excited by the challenge. Its tail lit up again, and it ran at the tree, magic saw buzzing.

This tree was tougher. Thick. Strong. Branches shaking like it didn’t want to go down.

Darius watched, arms folded. The corner of his lips twitched. Maybe amused. Hard to tell.

TimberTail adjusted the angle of its tail. Cuts sharper. More precise.

Slowly, the tree surrendered and crashed to the ground.

TimberTail stood next to it, chest puffed out like it just won a fight. Its tail was glowing, but not as bright. Catching its breath.

They got back into their rhythm. The sound of magic and falling logs echoed around them.

By midday, they had cleared a few trees. But Darius noticed something.

TimberTail’s fur was damp with sweat, tail trembling. But it didn’t stop. Nope. This little creature had the resolve of someone who refused to leave a game without finishing all the side quests.

Darius almost smiled. He had to admit, the little guy had heart.

The trip back to the village felt smoother. More practiced.

They weren’t just two strangers forced into the same task. They were becoming something like... co-workers. Yeah, that’s right. Co-workers. No magical ‘power of friendship’ here. Just the universal language of ‘get this job done.’