The ranger didn’t understand how he was still alive. He knew his frail old body was used up. A day ago he lay on his litter high in the mountains, waiting for the last breath to leave his old lungs in the cold winter. Waiting to be at peace. It had been a good life, and this was as happy an ending as he had any right to.
He laid in a trance, unaware of time passing. Hours? Days? Unimportant. He savored each ragged breath. The transition was slow, and with his mindful focus on the present moment he didn’t notice his lungs strengthening.
Eventually he lost focus and opened his eyes. The snow was lighter, the air had a springy tang to it. He ignored the confused voice tickling near the surface as it asked, “how is it spring? Which spring is it? How many springs?”
Standing, feeling more spry than he had in decades, the confused voice continued to squawk as he stretched “we’re fledglings again?”
This time he responded quietly, “Ha! This feels more like the beginning of middle age, my friend, but it’s been long since we felt this good. I’m not surprised you don’t remember, but I’m as confused as you.”
He felt driven to move, a distantly remembered feeling of wanderlust. This was more specific though, there was a sense of being led. Not led exactly, commanded? Summoned?
After some travel, he spotted tracks. They were well hidden in the hard packed mountainside, but his hard worn eyes had never dulled, only becoming keener with age. Not sure what was driving him so, he made his way into the light breeze as he followed the track. Faint scents of leather, iron, and hot stones wafted. He smiled warmly. Those smells brought back fond memories of time spent traveling the dwarven holds, learning their ways.
Getting closer to his quarry, he slowed and became little more than a ghost. Passing from rock to rock silently until he spotted them ahead.
Two dwarves, one with mousy blonde hair and a golden beard, the other fiery red from head to the tip of the long braid at the end of his chin (her chin? maybe? Despite all the time he had spent with dwarves, the ranger still found it nearly impossible to tell them apart).
The dwarves began to speak. The ranger narrowed his focus, pulling at the threads of nature around him, and their voices became clear.
…
“This is the place,” the blonde dwarf’s voice was a rumble. He could feel the lines of Earth that met under his feet. The strength and symmetry of them. “This is where He has led us. The rocks are strong. Can you feel it?”
“Hmm, there are rich veins within range, but I will never feel the rock lines as you do my darling,” She laughed as she stroked her vibrant red beard.
A wide grin split his face, “Which is why He chose us to be together, I hadn’t noticed the veins.”
Taking a large diamond from his pouch, his last gemstone, he placed it on the rock between them. She nodded and did the same, the two brilliant diamonds gleaming in the clear mountain air.
The old ranger watched as they locked eyes and after a few moments began to chant. Separately at first, but over time they came together. First the rhythm of their words merged, then their voices began to match resonance. As they continued, the old watcher felt the stones under his feet start to resonate as well.
Slowly, an avalanche of sound breaking free of it’s anchor, the volume continued to build until it thundered in his ears. An incredible choir of grinding stone and singing pebbles.
As the dwarven song reached a crescendo and the rocks danced their roaring jig, the diamonds between the dwarves grew bright.
Suddenly, from the center of the diamonds, a flash and a shockwave that blew him over.
“He answered, he accepted, he has given us a Clanstone, we are a clan!” Shouted red beard. She looked down at the space where the diamonds had been. They were now fused together, pressed into the boulder and smeared into a pattern on its surface.
“He accepted,” said blonde beard, reserved. “He has given us a Clanstone, but he has not made us a clan yet. In the diamond vision, did he share with you as well? Do you understand what he is asking?”
A nod from red beard as she spoke, “We will separate,” a catch in her voice, “ for a long time, to gather what is needed. I will go into the mountains to prepare the veins, and begin the new mines.”
Blonde beard nodded, red beard continued, “You must cast out of the mountains to find something? Some things? I don’t understand what it is, power? He has also blessed our clan with a sentinel to watch over the Clanstone while we are away.”
“I’ve spent many years praying to Him, listening to Him, seeing His visions. But this time I understood less than you, only that I must leave and come back. I’m happy he told you, at least, that I am to find something!” His hearty belly laugh made her smile as well. “He did show me the sentinel as well. A human, though, how strange.”
The old ranger, gradually regaining his senses, had a hard time making sense of their meaning. He watched as the two clasped arms. It struck him as two mighty warriors reuniting after a glorious battle. But to these dwarves, it was the tender embrace of a scared young couple slowly realizing the responsibility that they now carry together, alone. A responsibility for the future, for their future.
“Thokuhm, you will travel and return as asked,” Said the red beard.
“Bertranda, you will dig and discover as asked,” responded Thokuhm.
Without another word, he turned and began to walk back along the trail. He passed the stunned human crouched on the ground, “Thank you, Sentinel, for your service. We are honored by your watch and you will be honored by our clan. He will guide you.”
The stunned old man watched the young dwarf march away. When he turned back, the other dwarf was gone as well. Only the Clanstone remained.
As the ranger walked forward, a majestic bird came to land near to the glinting monument. The confusion in the other voice was gone now as the bird studied the Clanstone, it squawked, “That is pretty, we will guard it.”
“We will”, agreed the ranger as he approached his companion. “I don’t know why… I don’t understand any of this… but we will guard it.”