The Long Way 'Round (2nd Attempt)

[shisteer of nothing much]

Tergen held his knife in his teeth as he quickly climbed a tree, pausing to cut a branch down whenever he found a suitable one. He noticed the branches on the north side were all battered by the wind, while the branches on the south side were more healthy.
Judging that he'd taken enough branches from this tree, Tergen slid down, landing in time to hear Maeus' question.
"Nay, we daon't 'ave enoogh cloth fer that. Stack the branches thick and coover them wi' leaves and pahn needles. Ah'd suggest puttin' the shelter awn the sooth sahd of a large tree."
The black squirrel set about making his tepee, following his own advice and propping his branches against the pine tree he'd cut them from.
Tergen's tail disappeared up another tree and more branches fell down, followed by the squirrel as he busily prepared his tabernacle and covered it with leaves and dry pine needles.
"Thah we go. Doos anybeast else woont soome help or should Ah build a fire?"

[The Skarzs]

  "I've never had it," said Plenith, stepping a little further away from Thrun. The fox was strange. "Look, I don't know you. I don't wanna talk now."
  He was momentarily saved from further discussion by Liten announcing it was time to stop. The pine marten gratefully threw his pack down, clearing some snow that had fallen through the trees. Instead of making a shelter, he began straightaway on finding dry tinder on his own before making a shelter for himself.

[Cornflower MM]

Lieseil had been lost in thought while gathering extra wood for the fire when Maeus spoke to her, and she blinked back at him before rolling her eyes. "What he said, unless you've got enough cloth in your pocket," she griped. She hadn't really appreciated Tergen butting in but hopefully that mean the conversation would be shorter. Lieseil supposed they could have used their cloaks or something similar, but they'd get too cold and it would defeat the purpose. And she wasn't giving up her nice, warm, dry cloak for everyone else! The other grumpily readjusted the load of wood in her arms and stalked off, to place it in the middle of their makeshift camp before going to gather more branches for the windblock.

[Verdauga]

After he finished building his shelter, Maeus searched for the intermediate firewood. When he came near to Plenith, he called, "So what did the fox ask you? Nothing too jarring, I hope."
"If the pine marten and otter didn't want to talk, they could have stayed home," he thought while filling his arms. "I have to tell them before nightfall anyway."

[shisteer of nothing much]

Tergen looked at his 'companions' and shrugged, crouching to arrange some stones in a ring formation.
"Ah guess ah'll build a fire than." he muttered to himself, stacking the smaller sticks into a tepee and laying the bigger ones to the side, ready to be added once the fire was underway.
Evaluating the amount of wood they had in reserve, Tergen rose to his paws and tramped off into the woods.
"Joost goin' t' get soome more wood. Ah'll be back soon."

[Jarky Thistlebrush]

Thrun retreated to a quiet corner of the makeshift campsite and sat, back against a towering pine. That hadn't gone particularly well. Of course, he should have expected it. He was strange. He knew that.
Realizing that the others were passing their time far more productively than him, Thrun resolved to pull himself out of his miserable stupor and lend a paw. Except before he could, the memories flooded back.
Fire. Screams. Red... Nothing.
Thrun rummaged through a velvet-lined pocket, pulling out a little metal disc with sharp edges. He wandered over to Liten and held it up. "Th' Claw ones be comin', an' this's th' only thin' that'll put out th' rain. Wan' a go?" Thrun tossed the disc into the air, his 'normal' self once again.

[The Skarzs]

  Plenith was no less in the mood for talking to Maeus than he was to Thrun. This wildcat seemed temperamental. But he answered him anyway. "Asked me something about a pie." He turned back to getting wood, hoping to show Maeus that he was too busy to be bothered anymore.

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Liten cursed himself inwardly, the voice was near impossible not to know at this point, having been really the only one talking outside of a complaint for the entire trip. The beast was clearly off his rocker, to put it lightly, but it wouldn't do to leave him at this point either. He pondered the strange statement of the fox's for a brief time, back still to  the mad beast. The wolf's head turned over his shoulder to offer something of a response, "I've got my own ghosts ta watch for, but we shan't get a drop 'a rain this far North, so ah'll pass." He'd gathered a fair amount by this point, and returned to the campsite. He dropped his findings near the block, ignoring those who'd chosen to construct their own shelters as he dug out a shallow pit for the sticks he'd been gathering.

[Verdauga]

Maeus stifled a growl. He could have gone on this journey with paving-stones for the sake of conversation. Still, he had Tergen and Liten. Thrun, he figured, wouldn't be able to help much, but if he was the last option, Maeus would take it. He carried his bundle of firewood to the camp.

After laying down his load, Maeus glanced around for Tergen. He spotted the squirrel and rose to follow.
"What d'you think of this crew, eh? Not much for conversation, are they?" He said while gathering another bundle of firewood.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Tergen shrugged, studying his companion as he replied.
"Noo, though ah'm sure they'll warm oop as tahm goes. In the meantahm, silence can be good fer a beast's mahnd, or you could talk t'me."
Tergen added another piece of wood to the pile in his arms and headed back for camp.
"This should be enoof wood t' last oos a whahl."

[The Skarzs]

  Plenith had come back to his chosen spot and sat down, looking around at everyone else. No one had a fire going yet. The pine marten took from his pack some flint and tinder, and busied himself with catching a spark in the charcloth. The only thing that had saved the tinder from being soaked was the small wooden box it was stored in within his pack. But that did not make it any less frustrating when he could not seem to get a spark to light it. Finally, however, after several strikes with his knife on the flint, the cloth smoldered, and he bundled it up in a pile of dry moss, blowing on it until it burst into flame in a flash. Plenith relaxed a little. At least he would have a fire going in a few minutes.
  He set the burning pile down and added bits of wood to it, gradually getting a small fire burning, enough to warm the claws and possibly dry out some of his clothing.

[Dannflower Reguba]

       Firepit now complete, Liten set about propping up a second fire near where the majority of the group would be sheltered. Noticing that Plenith had managed to get a spark and subsequent flame, he walked over with a small stick, setting it alight with his companions fire, nodding his appreciation. Upon returning to his own work, he simply dropped the small flicker into the ball of pine needles at the center of his construction, quickly flaring up. The wolf spied Maeus returning again with yet more wood, easily collecting enough to supply the group for the night. He spent the next half hour or so tightening looses, sometimes quite literally, until everybeast seemed to be settled in. As the others wound down, he stood from warming at the fire to briefly address his cohorts, "Ah'l take first watch, switching every hour an' 'alf is likely best. If nobeast volunteers I'll pick one of yeh at random come the time. I'd advise stayin' out the firelight, back an' ears ta'y the way we came lookin' across ta the path afore us. He turned to take his self-appointed post, hoping they figured something out behind him, and more so that nobeast would try to volunteer Thrun.... at any point.... ever.

[shisteer of nothing much]

Tergen glanced up, shrugging.
"Ah'll take second watch. In the meantahm, Ah'm goin' tae git soom sleep. Goodnaht."
Tergen settled down in the shelter he'd built, taking a few minutes to look after his weapons before falling into a light sleep.

[Verdauga]

When Tergen claimed the second watch, Maeus stared at the evening sky, occasionally glancing at the fire. After a few moments, he rose and walked over to Liten.
"Liten?" he asked, "Why don't I take your watch? You prob'ly need the sleep, and besides, it's best to enjoy the fire while it's still warm."

[Dannflower Reguba]

OOC: I'm going to PP a bit here making assumptions based off of character personality, assuming no objections. BIC:

       Liten saw the approaching wildcat, and found the first opportunity to really analyze his fellow traveler. His eyes casually scanned Maeus, seemingly genuine enough, nothing much out of the ordinary, "Yoo seem somewhat wary of my presence... A fair stance tuh be shoore." He stopped talking over his shoulder, turning to face the other before continuing with his gravelly voice, "Ah appreciate the offer, but I've a couple a' personal reasons ta go first... Aside from tha', I'd much prefer yeh take last." The wolf glanced back toward the fire, gauging everybeasts distance quickly, "Can't say teh much at the moment.... but.... the wind's been arguin' with me." He gave the wildcat one solemn look for mere moment before melting into the darkness.