10 Minute Tales

May 25 - Unlikely Colleagues

Stoutstone sat in the tavern, drinking happily from his third flagon of ale. His loyal hound, a fierce grey wolf he had tamed not too far from where he drank, laid at his feet with a slowly wagging tail as he gnawed on a bone.

"Stoutstone!" a voice demanded, high-pitched and irate. "Where are you, you useless son of a..."

"I'm in here, shortstuff!" he replied, laughing loudly in his drunken stupor. "Tryin' to get away from your damned yellin'."

"Ugh, really?" the speaker came around the corner. Though Stoutstone was a dwarf, Sizzlesocket was smaller still. "Remind me why I hire you?"

"'cause there ain't no better hunter in town. Not one you can hire, at least, ya cheapskate." He drunk again, belching quietly afterwards. Sizzlesocket tutted.

"Well, load up. We're heading to the loch." Stoutstone paused, staring at the gnome over the rim of his flagon.

"Y'can't be serious. The loch, from here?"

"Yup. Hope you brought some snow shoes."

"You can live in your fancy technowhatsit all you want, girly. I was born in that cold. I think I can handle a bit o' snow."

"A bit, maybe." Sizzle folded her arms, annoyed. "What about a blizzard?"

"Eh, a bit o' snow, a lot o' it." he shrugged. "When I finish this, I'll be ready for action."

"I most certainly hope so." the gnome grinned, slipping a pair of thick, wooly gloves on. "We're leaving in five minutes."

"Five? C'mon, lass, at least give me ten. Can't rush a good drink, and this..." he raised his flagon. "This is a good drink."

"Didn't I say five minutes?" she started to object. The wolf's soft growl quickly silenced her, though. Stoutstone grinned. Serves her right.

"Aye, y'did, and I said ten. So ten I'll take."

"You wouldn't be half as dangerous as you are if it wasn't for the mutt."

"Y'ain't wrong there, lass. Timber there's the reason I keep doin' what I'm doin'." He reached down and stroked the wolf, who wagged his tail happily. "Who's a good boy, huh?" he grinned, petting a little firmer. Despite herself, Sizzlesocket was intrigued.

"So what's the story?"

"What story?"

"Behind the wolf."

"Aye, well, that's a heck of a story." he sat back, grinning. "If you're willin' to stay for another round, maybe I'll tell ye about it." He had learnt one thing about his partner from their time together; she couldn't resist a good story. Same with most gnomes, they wanted to learn everything they could. This would be an example. Sizzlesocket hesitated, but soon grunted in frustration, slamming a silver coin onto the table.

"Fine, you win. Just... tell me." She hopped up onto the seat opposite.

"Aye, y'have me word, but first..." he took the coin from the table and stood. "I'm gonna buy me a decent drink."

"Just hurry up. My project must be realised sooner rather than later." she drummed her fingers on the table, already impatient. He laughed as he walked away, humming a jaunty song. Another dwarf recognised it and hummed along. Sizzlesocket sighed. "Always with their drinks... the only thing weirder is their fascination of beards."