"I simply hope that she won't be haunted anymore by any remains of that fucking demon," Rick muttered, his face now showing the worry he hadn't let out while Ash was still around. "I'm glad Ni'ka's going along, at least until they're at Hometree."
Brenda let the swear-word go; she could be a little profane herself at times, but she tried to keep it down around the kiddos. "I hear ya," she responded. "You work that hard, you risk that much, you think you're getting somewhere--and the problem just sits back and laughs at you, and any good you've done already gets yanked out from under your feet..."
"Yeah...that's exactly how I feel," Rick nodded. "And it sucks..." He straightened his shoulders. "Well, now it's not in my hands to change anything, and I have full trust in the Tsahiks and even more in Na'vie. And we do have some things to take care of here as well."
"Like, umm, making these shacks look like they grew here?" Brenda smirked, remembering the task Enya had assigned - yes, assigned - her the day before.
"Yep." Rick grinned back. "I see you've been informed. The shacks, my poor fuel-less Samson, all that stuff. I know, it's gonna take time, especially the 'growing' part, but if we don't start it will never get done."
Brenda quirked a smile. "I've got the camo netting for my shack in there," she offered. "So I've got you at least partially covered; we just have to decide which part."
Kenten remembered the firewood and the weakened tree-branch Rick had shot down the day before. "And I dare say we can disguise the roofs of your dwellings with enough bark and wood-chips; that'd keep them from being spotted from above for the time being..."
"Be lots of leaves on ground in forest," Enya chimed in. "Is what we can gather today; can put those on top with wood-chips."
"Camo net, wood chips and leaves." Rick counted at his fingers. "That's a good start. And maybe we can add a few vines to keep it all together - from what I know that stuff grows on literally everything; they were actually a problem at a few of the remote stations."
"Grew, Rick," Kenten said tersely, eyes smoldering for a moment. "The cold has killed all but the thickest ones." He sighed. "But dead vines will serve the purpose here as well as live ones, I suppose..."
"I wouldn't put it past them to adjust," Rick mused. "I mean, I hope and pray it won't be necessary, but a plant that can tear apart massive concrete with just enough patience to grow through it... nope, definitely wouldn't put it past them. But for now you're right, Kenten. Dead ones will do the job quite as well."