Tending

tending

you have to say "tending the fire" if not in context

but if you're by a fire, preferably holding a stick (but not a food cooking stick), and someone from a distance calls out "watcha doin?", you can shout back "tending"

but it's disappointing

you are right

https://twitter.com/GnomonChronicl1/status/1586404757152808960