Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply, endurance.
The weather has been unkind to us the past days and the cold that the winds bring have stiffened my muscles and chilled my bones, I've begun to fall behind as we continue our way to the great halls.
I do not know if it is my imagination or not but the higher we climb the harder it has become for me to catch my breath, I need longer rests and I have begun to feel weak from a sickness that I have caught from this cold.
Thankfully the medicine I was given by the woodland woman keeps me pushing forward, I will have to be certain to thank her when I see her again.
Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply, stubbornness.
For someone who has only traveled between the homes of my kin this track is harder than I had expected and at times I dread the thought of continuing but my companion continues to mock me in an encouraging manner and it has aided me greatly to push myself to continue through this snow and the unforgiving frost of the mountain.
Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply, will.
I continue to be impressed by my companion whose age surpasses mine by a whole century if not more. The tales our children hear of dwarves does not do them justice I've found.
To live and track up these mountains as they do, to endure such cold and continue to live well even when the frost of winter is upon them; I cannot help but be impressed.
Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply, vigor.
I was able to redeem myself, however. As I forced us to camp once more I insisted I would give my companion a good dinner to brighten his spirits and perhaps dwindle my own guilt for continuing to slow down our track. We've survived on dry rations and both of us have grown rather tired of the taste.
Although my plan was to make soup from what we had it seems luck was with us and I happened upon a rabbit here in the mountain, its fur as white as the snow itself. If it were not for the black of its eyes I might not have spotted it.
I waited until the rabbit became still to hide in the snow before sending an arrow flying and thankfully I could end its life quickly and my shot seemed to have impressed the dwarf as flattery was given my way when I returned with the rabbit.
But greater were the compliments I got after I had added the new and fresh meat into the soup. With the pocket-soup I always carry the dinner we had was far better than what we've enjoyed on the road.
He questioned me about how I had managed and I showed him the pouch of dried broth I carry with me, makes the simplest of stews and soups better when you are on the road.
Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply, song.
Over the time we've traveled I've come to enjoy many songs that he has sung both for me and himself and it has helped ease my mind from the cold as it creeps upon me. Enough so that I've had trouble with rest but he has been kind and when the cold was heavy he offered me his mantle to help keep warm. I of course tried to decline worried about his own health and warmth but he insisted and I knew better than to argue with a stubborn dwarf, it would have gone long into the night and neither of us would have found any sleep then.
We shall now be making a final push towards the great halls and I for one am looking forward to seeing the halls of the Blue Mountain, to meet with his kinsmen and hopefully we shall find allies among them for the battle that is to come.
Should anyone ever ask me what a dwarf is made of then I shall reply; They are made from the mountains themselves, their skin that of stone and their bones of iron. I will tell them that one shall feel honored should a dwarf ever decide to keep your company.
