The men gathered around where Neve had pointed in the forest clearing. It was just in the middle of the small clearing, away from the tall trees.
They started digging immediately, their hands moving fast, pushing snow aside. The cold bit at their skin, but they did not complain. Neve was directing them, and when Neve directed, people listened.
He didn't know if they were obeying him because he was good at what he did or because they were simply scared of the dragon king's threat.
They spent the first few minutes pushing through snow before they hit something solid beneath.
Sand.
The bare forest floor underneath all the white.
They continued digging downward, creating a deep trench that went down several feet. The high walls of packed snow around the edges created a natural barrier against the wind. Neve explained it to them as they worked.
