Ca'daan worked up the nerve to ask a long-haired axe wielder for the aid he sought.
Ca'daan was too nervous and decided not to ask the man with the axe for help. 
mnli hypothesis: Ca'daan was too nervous and decided not to ask the man with the axe for help.  premise: Ca'daan worked up the nerve to ask a long-haired axe wielder for the aid he sought.