The plan was coming together perfectly; while the sturdy stone may be tougher, it was also heavier, and that would be its downfall. Much like the intense Battle of The Nest, the guardian turned its hope now to the skies. Though its bark may be cracked, it was by no means out of the fight, and spotted a wayward hawk swimming through the grey above. With all the mental might it could muster, the stalwart stick summoned its feathered brethren, but nothing happened for several minutes. Finally the stars aligned, and a hopping hare alighted upon the branch, cautious eyes flitting about the grass, but with nary a thought to gaze above; foolish. Onyx talons ripped through flesh and intestine as they pinned the dying rabbit to the wooden warrior, and white-streaked wings beat their way ever skyward. Soon, the resilient rock wouldn't be leaving that hole ever again.

A pair of young teenagers wandered into the clearing, dressed in plain wool and laughing as they talked. The branch distrusted them immediately, the evil things. It seemed they must be some facet of the sly stone's wicked plot. Sure enough, the two spotted the soaring stick almost immediately, and as one pointed and spoke, the other laughed in disbelief. Then, the foul beasts walked over to the land-locked rock and pried it from its damp prison; a more cunning and terrible plan the bark-encrusted battle-branch could not imagine. Its noble grain gazed on in horror as the dastardly deviant reached back and sent its mortal enemy flying. The spinning stone arced up into the air, and struck the hawk as it circled back to its nest. The guardian's hopes fell as fast as its rounded foe, and even the leaves of its tree grew still in their shock.

A thump echoed through the forest as the solid stone landed, and a few moments later the stick struck ground a few paces away. It sank into soft soil and stood firm in defiance, despite the thorough thwarting of its prideful plan. Long moments passed as the two humans walked over to the felled bird and rabbit, then wandered off with the animal's corpses. Brown bark paled to think of what twisted schemes the wicked ones had for those cooling cadavers. As the footsteps faded the wind returned, and the gnarled guardian cast a long and wary gaze at the slippery stone. Surely, the presence of such a carefully carved warrior was no mere chance. The bold branch worried this invader might carry an army in its wake, a concern its over-treer had also seen in its wisdom. Already branches stretched in the wind, and leaves reached for the waning sun to gather what strength they could before the swirling winds of a sudden storm overtook the sky altogether.