The sun rose over the Valley of Whispering Water, casting long, golden fingers across the meadow. For the past two days, Lin Wan and Wang had been using a small, shallow cave near the waterfall as a temporary camp. It was cramped and smelled of damp earth, a constant reminder of the life they had left behind.
Wang was already awake, standing at the cave entrance and sharpening his bone-knife. He looked out at the valley with wary eyes
"Wang," Lin Wan called out, crawling out from the pile of furs. She stretched, her joints popping. "We've spent enough time planning. Today, we start the real work. I don't want to live in this damp hole forever. I want to build a 'House', our home"
Wang turned, his brow furrowing in that way it did whenever she used a word from her world. "You mentioned this before, Wan'er. A nest made of trees and mud. But won't the rain just wash it away? A cave is stone; stone is strong, it won't be washed away by the rain."
