Confused about this use of "depender"
 

In the passage below, I can assume based on the context that the bold part basically means "their trunks awaited a sharp axe", but I'm unclear why the verb "depender" is being used here. It makes it read like the trunks depend on the axe; like the axe is keeping them alive. But I'm not really finding any definition of "depender" that makes sense.


"La Regia, antes un paraíso a sus ojos, se había tornado en una prisión y la belleza del paisaje en un agónico preludio de su futuro, pues aunque los árboles se mostraran vigorosos y sanos, sus troncos dependían de una afilada hacha, los peces del riachuelo surcaban el agua tranquilos hasta que eran atrapados, y las liebres vivían su vida hasta que un tiro le ponía fin."

In this context, it's the life of the trunks what depends on the axe. They will cease to exist if the axe cuts them down, they will live if the person wielding the axe doesn't choose them... their life depends on this choice. :)