While ideas were being tossed around, a scout reported seeing a herd of wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and a ragtag group of dinosaurs heading for the community. It was fairly obvious that this presented an additonal dramatic effect of a life and death nature on the pending first major conflict they would be facing, and so was an upward climb of the narrative arc; except perhaps for those few who were too silly to recognize the facts and insisted they wouldn't budge.

There were, of course, minor conflicts within the group as they discussed their options and argued for or against the proposals. Sideline stories developed as families divided on their opinions, much as what happened in certain borderline states in the American Revolutionary War whch came much, much later than this foreshadowing statement. At any rate, these complications were pretty much character-driven, and we don't even have a protagonist here yet.

So here's where they stood: Should they head for the cold and dangerous northern tundra? Or would they be better off felling the few remaining trees, building themselves some ships, and embark upon the unknown dangers of the sea to the south?