The group lingered near the edge of the training grounds, the captains gathering loosely in a half-circle.
"I've been reviewing the unit reports," Aren said. "We've pushed back three beast waves, held the southern pass, and completed wall reinforcements. Morale's high."
"Boars are getting harder to manage," Skarn added, arms crossed. "Might need better stables soon. Those nine, what're we calling them, the Warboars? They're eating three times the normal feed."
"I'll draw up new paddock plans," Old Man Dan offered. "We've got the timber stockpiled."
"And what about the scouts?" Lumberling asked.
"Zarn's training them off-site," said Takkar. "New recruits aren't ready to meet you yet. He's planning a forest-wide map expansion."
Lumberling nodded slowly. Each voice, each update, it was proof that the machine was running. Even without him.
"You've all done well," he said again, simply.
They stood taller at those words.
