& I'm still scared of losing

Halo was too busy to really... sort out her feelings about the move. That was okay! She was okay, she promised. There were way, way too many things going on in her head, but she was okay. Too many feelings. Way too many feelings, especially after the conversations that Halo had with both Mort and Sen but... well, she'd squish those down for later. There was work to do. There was so much work to do. As long as Halo was working, then those thoughts didn't have time to creep up, they didn't have time to settle in, and they didn't have time to bother her. All of the projects that she'd planned for the winter could in theory be done at a higher elevation, right? Yeah. Right. Then it wouldn't stop her now.

Mort had been kind enough to help Halo set up the barrel to begin making lye, settling it sturdily over a foundation of rocks so it rested a good two feet off the ground. Beneath it, the healer would have space to bore holes and place a bucket to collect the lye water when the time came. They'd be able to continually add ashes from the fires to this bucket all winter, as soon as they were cool. Still, with the bucket already in place, Halo realized that she'd run into a problem.

That problem was, of course, she was too hecking short to finish her project. Mortis had been called away to whatever actual business he needed to tend to-- frankly, Halo felt guilty having kept him busy for so long. The Warlord's son had far better things to do than help the healer with her projects, tasks that felt menial in the scheme of things. Still, she's too short to continue on with her present task. Halo stood back for a moment, thinking to herself, before resolving that she'd carry on regardless. Couldn't let the doubt creep back in around the edges.

A bucket. Right, she'd go collect the pebbles for the bottom of the barrel from around the lake, but she needed a bucket. Well, she needed two buckets, really-- one for washing the pebbles, and one for the clean pebbles once they were done. Mr. Raccoon was camped out in one bucket, peering at her curiously. Halo could have sworn she had at least two, if not three more... but where were they? From somewhere just within the cavern she heard a crash, followed by a faint I'm okay! from Hazel. Wait... had... hm. "Hazel, have you seen my other buckets?" Her tone isn't unkind, and barely conceals a giggle.

"Halo"