Puffy was already bounding through the snow towards the workers by the time he spoke, and so he didn't get an answer.  Forgath shook his head, taking the time to survey the progress of his minions.  A squad of ponies near the edge of the ring had begun digging downward with picks and shovels, and they had gotten further than Forgath would have expected.  Then again, between being ponies and having prior experience in mining, he supposed he really didn't know what to expect.  Another group of ponies was disassembling the tents and repurposing the cloth, or moving supplies into the new structures.  A few of the "houses" already had hanging cloth in place of doors.  Still others had taken it upon themselves to freshen up their water supply, and were heating chunks of ice in pots near the pillar.  A small group were wandering further afield in pairs, every so often stopping to chip down with their picks, seeking less-rocky terrain.