Chereads / Frost : Algid Rex / Chapter 22 - Cutting down the woods

Chapter 22 - Cutting down the woods

Next day at settlement large area was cleared out and they removed the snow till they dug out 5 meter (16 feet 4.85 inches) deep snow then they saw soil on the ground.

It has been long time since they have seen soil on the ground. Even the huts they made was on top of snow cause its useless to remove snow when they don't know how deep soil might be below their feet.

Claude looked at the Carl and Ave working on the making teleportation circle here, people did offer them help but they declined the offer.

Like many people Claude was also looking at the Ave and Carl working from little bit distance afraid of disturbing them.

"Hey, kiddo you have any work today?" Brian asked Claude from his behind Claude didn't even realised when Brian got here.

"No"

"I don't have any work for right now."

"That's good to come with me, help me out with cutting down trees."

"We need lots of wood for making new huts cause most of them got destroyed and we need log too."

"Do we have go outside the barrier for this?"

"That's obvious thing Claude, we are going outside barrier."

"Don't worry weather is good, we won't have problem."

Claude doesn't know what good weather is like here cause for him everything looks same, he really miss earth now.

"Mmm okay I will come with you uncle Brian but first I'm going to change my robe."

"Sure, Claude came back after you change but remember dress like onion like I'm wearing right now."

Brian wearing clothes with thick wool and sheep skin robe and pants, hand gloves and hat to survive cold outside only his face was visible right now.

Claude was given same type of clothes too he just never wore them before but he doesn't want to take risk now cause what they were wearing inside the barrier won't save them outside the barrier, even if this clothes are considered warm.

Claude return to he's hurt quickly wear his his beige colour wool and sheep skin robe on top of his normal robe and his pants and hand gloves and hat, only thing that wasn't covered was he's face.

Brian and Claude walked outside the barrier, Claude turned around to look at visible yellow barrier dome like he was going to see it for last time.

"Scared kid hahaha."

"Then you shouldn't be, same expression appears on boys who leave barrier protection for the first time and well grown up does that too."

"But anyway you should get to used to this, you already went outside many times I heard and that with just your simple robe."

"For moment I thought we have man among us not a kid who's brave enough to go outside without dressing like onion." Brian laugh while walking infront.

"Here hold this axe and backpack."

Claude hold the axe and backpack that Brian just gave him and backpack was quite heavy for Claude but it wasn't heavy enough that he couldn't even walk it all thanks to work out he's doing for past few months.

Claude had bit problem walking straight while wearing so many thick clothes and heavy weight on his back.

Few minutes later both of them were standing infront of giant tree, tree trunk was quite big compare to one in its surroundings.

"Boy just put down the bag on snow now and give me my axe."

Claude put down heavy backpack on snow gave axe to Brian.

After taking axe back Brian start to hit the tree trunk with axe seeing Brian cutting down big tree Claude couldn't help but ask out in confusion.

"Uncle Brian why you are cutting this tree it has really big trunk and it would consume more time why don't you cut the birch tree over there."

Brian look at Claude and hand him over the axe, "Claude hit this tree with your all strength don't hold back."

"What this has to do with my question."

"Well, just do what I say kid."

Claude hit the tree with axe and axe got stuck in trunk.

"Now try to hit with all your strength to that birch tree over there."

With axe in his hand Claude walked towards the birch tree he saw this birch has purple colour not the one he saw on earth but this is not earth so it might be different because of it but they do share comman name here though.

Claude looked at the trunk and with his all strength he hit the tree trunk and just as axe edge hit the birch tree trunk shock wave pass through Claude and axe got thrown out of his hands almost hitting him and Claude also fall on to the snow below him.

"Hahaha"

Claude looked at the laughing Brian, " What the hell is wrong with you."

"I almost died the axe almost hit my head and you are laughing about it."

"Sorry kid not gonna lie but it was quite funny sight to see."

"As you just experience what happens when you try to cut this tree, its not your normal birch tree."

"It's Iron wave birch tree."

"The wood is as strong as iron so its hard to cut it down and when you hit the trunk of tree it send shockwave at you."

"Only strong warriors can cut trees like iron wave birch tree."

"This is really creepy I never thought there's something like this."

"I don't like this at all and despite knowing this you told me hit the tree with all my strength."

Claude got bit angry as he just got tricked by Brian into this and laughing at him.

"This is called fuck around and finds out."

"Don't tell lumberjack what he should do or not cause he knows what he's doing." Brian said with letting out bit sigh.

"Okay I got it but the thing that I don't understand is why after cutting down the tree they send village warrior to retrieve the tree from here instead of just telling them in first place to cut down damn tree."

"It would be way faster to cut the woods with their strength." Claude asked.

"Kid it isn't simple as you think, everyone at base have their own work to do and warrior do their work too they can't just do all the work in settlement cause they have enough stamina and power to do it."

"Society doesn't work like everyone needs to contribute at different levels here."

Claude got into deep thoughts as he heard Brian words cause he contributes to settlement in least amount compared other people in village.

"If this tree is really strong then why no-one makes home from it, it would be sturdy and last more than the hut we currently have." Claude asked with bit curiosity.

"We don't use them in making home cause it's too precious to be used for home iron wave birch tree is used for making weapons and they sell for quite good amount of money too. "

"Instead of just keep on blabbering your mouth why don't you cut the tree with axe."

Claude stood up and picked up the fallen axe from snow.

Then he made clean horizontal cut on tree and keep on hitting the same spot over and over again Brian didn't said anything just kept looking at him how he does the work.

Brian was really disappointed at him one can see this from his expression within few minutes Claude start to breathing out loud and sweat start to drops like rain droplet from he's head.

Claude couldn't even hold axe anymore as his palm skin under gloves had calluses it has been many years since he last time saw them, he's palm hurts a lot just as he tried to hold anything.

"Ohh, you got delicate hands kids." Brian said while laughing.

"You see man hands are rough and tough like mine here." Brian remove his one gloves and showed his right hand Claude can see Brian hand is tough and filled with scars too.

Claude didn't said anything just nodded his head at Brian.

"Claude you hit with good strength but your technique is wrong you are wasting your time and efforts by hitting the tree trunk like that."

"Do not drive the ax straight into the wood, but instead cut on an angle about 45° to 50° from the edge of the log, watch closely just like this."

Brian start hit the tree trunk with his axe, he used his strength and speed to cut the tree down in just two minutes.

"That's how you do it." Brian said with smile on his face.

"Now, its your turn so do it just like how I did."

"Don't think much just get on the feeling and rythem on how you hit and make V notch or U notch."

Just like that day passed and it start to get dark.

"Its evening already didn't even realised how much fast time passes when you are teaching new boy."

Brian look at the Claude lying on the snow with his eyes closed as he is complete exhausted from work.

Brian turns back as he hears footsteps sound on behind him, he turned back and only to see Gilliam walking towards him

"Gilliam this time they sent you to carry the trees back to the settlement." Brian asked with usual calm voice.

Gilliam just nodded his head in acknowledgement of Brian question and start to ties trees with rope he had with him.

Even though village lumberjack is Brian and few other like him but to carry this cut down woods to settlement is job of warrior.

As it works as their training and they have enough strength to carry or drag one or two at the same time to the settlement.

Just like that two weeks pass by Claude spent more time with Brian to help him out in his works.