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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 6264514" data-attributes="member: 2525">They do, but not nearly as well as they prepare for a known invader already sitting in their house.  Much like I lock my door and set an alarm every night, but if there is an actual invader in my house I call for help and flee, or I try and trap them where they are, or I try and attack them in a way that won't get me killed.  Once you know where someone is at, and that they are hostile, you can do a lot more to prepare than you can prior to that.  Because the things you do to deal with an invader are not conducive to everyday living.  In everyday living you sleep sometimes - but not if there is an invader in your house.  In everyday living the various people who live in a big house might be in many different rooms at any given time doing normal things like eating or washing clothing, but not when they know there is an invader in the house, then they gather together and grab their weapons and set a watch.  In everyday living a fire in your house, or a big trap, or breaking down walls, isn't so convenient for moving around and using your house, but it's often useful for dealing with an invader bent on killing you.  In everyday living waiting around in shadows all day for someone to come along means you're not getting anything done that you would normally be doing - but when an invader is in your house that's a good use of your time.So yes, intelligent creatures don't prepare all the time, in the same way they'd prepare if they already know an invader is in their house.  As for the first five minutes, that depends on whether they hear or are alerted to the presence of the invader during that time.  Often they are not aware - but they're told later, when someone who was just attacked and fled has time to run and tell them, or else when they casually enter that area of the house and see the slaughter, or if someone they were supposed to meet doesn't show up and they go looking for them.  The more time goes by, the more likely the rest of the house finds out there is an invader, and they react appropriately as I described above.</blockquote>

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