Roy swung the heavy axe over his head and down hard on the foot-thick log. Earlier that day a neighbor's spooked steed had run across his farm and into one of their fences. Timothy and his sisters were out rounding up the birds that had gotten loose while Katreena had returned the beast to their neighbors and stayed to help tend to its injuries.

"Greetings Commander," a deep voice said from behind him.

Startled, Roy raised the axe in a defensive posture and quickly ...