Vitmori POV

It looks like things are going smoothly for Basti and her kids. From what I can see, Aug and the kids managed to set up a giant game of hide and seek around the camp. Though some of the adults had to join in to make sure none of the kids went too far out.

In the meantime, Zasutir and Basti work together to contribute their excess mana to my work as I finally manage to finish up the longhouse. It didn't take too much since I was just finishing up the roofing and flooring. Though I continued to work on the interior, really dedicating all the extra stone and wood I had left to the details.

Inside the longhouse was quite a simple but effective setup. A third of the floor space was dedicated to communal sleeping quarters, with a simple barracks-style design for men and women on opposing sides of the longhouse.

Next was a dedicated area for cooking, I had gone ahead and built up an interior stone fire pit. I was using some of my stores of purified iron to make a spit rack, which could also hang a stew pot over an open flame. I also prepared a raised iron skillet, which can be slotted into the fire pit brick to allow a variety of cooking. Finally, I prepared a brick oven, the chimney going smoothly up out of the longhouse. With all this, I hope they'll be able to expand the variety of meals they can prepare and improve overall morale with the rise in quality.

Finally was the communal dining area; it was a simple arrangement of a few tables with long benches on the long sides of each table.

By the end, Zasutir looked somewhat winded, and Basti was slinking off to have a nap somewhere.

'Zasutir, how do you feel? Think you're up for some more planning?' I ask, reaching out to him somewhat softer to not bother him too much.

'Hm? I'm feeling alright, Vitmori; I'm thankful to you for looking out for me.' Zasutir thought back as he curiously looked around the longhouse, admiring the strange style of architecture and the facilities themselves.

'Good to hear, Zasutir. Since we still have plenty more to discuss, you'll probably need to discuss with the others what you all need.' I explain, my mind swirling with ideas of defenses, fortified walls, watch towers, and facilities like a workshop. They probably don't need an exercise area, considering how lacking they are in surplus. Any electrical wiring or lighting is not required yet either. I'm still not too sure about the average technology level for the typical person, and I'd rather not paint a target on their back with something too eye-catching. No need for a garage either since they use carriages. It's almost limiting to what I consider worthwhile, hence why I need the perspective of someone from here.

Zasutir, who already looked worn out, was now looking strained as he held his head in both hands, grunting under the weight of some of the concepts coming from me. 'Oh great one, I appreciate the concern, but could you think a little slower... You started to lose me after you started to think about lightning magics being used to make light.'

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Oh shit, I'm hurting him somehow. 'My bad, very sorry about that.' I say apologetically as I do my best to wrangle my runaway ideas.

Zasutir smiles to himself as he checks out the interior fire pit. 'It is fine, Vitmori. I appreciate the amount of forethought you've put into this.'

I couldn't help but be impressed with how patiently Zasutir carries himself, a small smile forming on my nonexistent face.'Of course, a lot goes into a Haven, and you all get the advantage of having someone like me to even move all the supplies. Just know this, I'm letting you decide what you need next. Should we build fortified stone walls around what we plan to be the rest of the Haven? Or should we build up some more independent and private housing? We could also set up something like an apartment building so everyone can have a form of privacy. Or do we build up some facilities? Like a forge or workshop? Things like that.'

Zasutir massaged the sides of his head a little more at the influx of that info and nodded a bit. 'I see; well, I'll certainly bring this up to the others around dinner tonight, and we should have an answer for you tomorrow.' Even as Zasutir spoke, the others began meandering into the longhouse, admiring their new, if not temporary, home.

The kids seem to run inside excitedly as they look around, soon followed by the cubs, who seem to appreciate how much of my mana is in the structure and the air.

The ones that seemed the most impressed were Remi, and Luna Moon, the wolfkin woman. Tears were in her eyes, her fur notably damp along her cheeks as she shook Remi's shoulder. "Look at that! Over there, is that an oven!?" She gushed, her tail swishing actively as she wandered back and forth between the fire pit and the brick oven.

Remi couldn't help but smile at the woman's enthusiasm. He was rather excited to have proper facilities now. The limitations of a fire pit and a pot were getting to him. He heard clawed feet clacking up from behind him and glanced over to see the Shepherd. "Good day, Shepherd; the longhouse looks amazing!" He expressed cheerfully.

Zasutir nodded sagely as he patted Remi's shoulder before looking at Luna as well. "I'm glad you like it; Vitmori has expressed to me that you two are the most important people in the Haven, as food will be vital to keep our spirits and bodies strong." He explained as he pulled his hand away.

At that revelation, Remi and Luna glance at each other, standing a little taller before bowing their heads slightly. "We understand, Shepherd; we'll continue to do our best." With that, they stepped away to start preparing lunch, gathering the already collected logs of firewood to bring inside.

Oururu POV

'Another day, another set of worries.' Oururu slithers out of the newly dugout burrow within Vitmori's main chamber. The fine stone sand was always pleasant against his scales, though soon enough, he found his place before Vitmori's pedestal. Coiling comfortably before Vitmori, he looked out to the triangular entryway as the sunlight flowed inside, adding a warm glow to the generally green-lit chamber.

'Now, it's time to focus… I need to find an answer before I can bring this to Vitmori.' He knows Vitmori hasn't given him much attention, though it's not like he needs it. Just grateful to no longer be lost to the simple drive of hunger and mindless starvation. But now he's got too much on his mind, he thinks too much and too hard, and it worries him.

Coiling tighter into himself, he brings his tail up to his mouth and bites down, the pain driving a sense of focus into his worried mind. With it now calm, he begins to swirl his mana along the length of his body, starting from his heart down to the tip of his tail. But then, he guides the mana into his mouth and back down to his heart again, turning himself into one big mana ring as he closes his eyes and looks beyond himself.

From within the safety of Vitmori's chamber, he can freely look around far faster than he could ever slither. His eyes wander as he checks in on the spider trees today. It was still there, writhing and squirming and slowly expanding as its webs encompassed more trees. However, they're still far from the people or the mountain, so he looked elsewhere.

He then looked over to the putrid bog. It was an odd place he could remember, even in the haze of hunger. A strange thing to be in a forest, but the more he looks at it, the murky, bubbling water looks unnatural, and it worries him. But it isn't doing much yet, so he turns his attention away.

Finally, he looks down the mountain, where he failed to see trouble. It was so quiet there before, and he couldn't see the danger until it started calling attention to itself. He tried hard to look in again, yet he was being blocked. There was a wall between him and the danger, and he hated it. The more he poked and prodded, the more he could feel whatever was behind it working to hold him back. 'Good, waste your mana on me. I'll learn your secrets soon enough.' That's when he felt eyes looking back up at him, though he only hissed with contempt. 'That's right; I've got my eyes on you.'