It’s #BookQW and a safe ‘capture’ of small animals is a wonder!
More from Chapter 22, a scene of tree climbing and care for wildlife:
Ash arrived and greeted him with a smile and another pruning saw. He reviewed the lines and Cor’s saddle, approving the layout and connections, then he glanced over the limb. “Did you do a wildlife review?”
Cor shook his head. “Lady Pina didn’t seem concerned. Would anything have had time to move in since the damage happened only a few weeks ago?”
Oy snorted, and Ash pressed his knuckles to his chin. “Pina never concerns herself with the lesser creatures, just her giants. You know how to do a magical scan for life?”
He did, he’d just never thought of doing it on dead limbs. He touched the break in the limb and swept magic outward to the tips of each dried needle bundle. Little pricks of glow lit on anything alive.
His breath caught. There were so many—insects, salamanders, and even a mouse. As his dad had to remind folks, a forest wasn’t just trees. Every organism interacted and produced energy for the habitat. “I’m embarrassed I didn’t consider doing this earlier. I’ve surveyed insect populations to determine if a tree has an infestation, but we only ever found insects and maybe a squirrel or bird we overlooked.”
Ash laughed. “Welcome to the big-tree habitat. ’Tis different than even our Forest management, but Mimosa believes everyone should consider their whole habitat. Leave the insects,” he instructed. “They’ll hold on well enough or fly off.”
He and Oy tossed pellets of magic, dotting the damaged limb in yellow and pink. Cor added his own honey-gold pellet to one nearby, pleased to capture a young salamander. He brushed a two-inch moth into flight—it’d been camouflaged only a foot from his hand. They collected the wiggling magic balls and carried them to nearby trees.
“Clear,” Ash confirmed at last. “May I suggest tying this limb so once it’s cut, it can’t fall on anything below?”
Er, right. After that check, it was clear a falling limb had a good chance of hitting wildlife, or bouncing onto the nursery trees. Suppose I’m not as up on everything as I thought. Cor tied it off, then rolled the lock on his saddle’s carabiner and secured himself to the climbing line. He looked along the limb one last time. “Did those creatures come all the way up from the ground after the storm, or were they in the tree all along?”
“Salamanders are so slow-moving they had to move locally,” Ash answered. “Who knows with the flying insects?” He handed Cor the saw he’d brought. “New blade. Have one for Pina’s saw as well. She never changes them.”
The sharper teeth made the sawing quick, and soon the limb was swinging on its line. Ash instructed him to spread the cut limbs out in this section of the pinewoods so the dead wood could continue to be used by the insects.
He nodded when Cor returned to the tree. “Good to finally have this grove’s care underway. Pina usually keeps her trees pristine, but for months she’s been immersed in healing her ailing giant. It’ll be a boon for the enclave if she pulls it off.”
If his sister, Hazel, were here, they could know for sure. “You don’t think she will?”
~~~
If you love big trees and exploring the woods, pick up Guardian of the Pines today!
On a personal note: It’s my first post of the new year! I took the holidays off and lazed around with the family. Nothing exciting to report.
I’m working my way back into my stories and an ads course to get the word out about my novels. Unfortunately, being found is the greatest challenge for independent authors! If you’re here and reading this, I really appreciate your support!
Read on and stay safe, my friends!
Leave a Reply