Andrew's POV:
Rowan and I walked round the group, making recommendations and reviewing the work being done. We strengthened the joints by adding extra layers where they appeared weak. The stretcher had to be flawless, there is no space for error.
The air was thick with stress, but we worked swiftly, motivated by the fact that Gaius's life relied on it.
We tested the stretcher by pressing down on the frame to verify it would hold. The wood creaked slightly under the strain, but it did not give way.
A faint sigh of relief poured over me. It wasn't really sophisticated, but it was reliable enough.
The four guys, who had previously volunteered to carry the stretcher, exchanged looks before going up to the stretcher. They raised it off the ground with a team effort and hoisted it onto the
