The Stone Bears's Anniversary
A World of Draconica short story
By Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
Kodiak of the Stone Bears’s eyes glided from left to right, his muscles bulging as he tensed his arms. A dozen predatory eyes were fixed upon him; but Kodiak was no mere prey. As a Stone Bear, his muscles were such that even his little fingers could snap a bone with so much as a pinch. Across his bare shoulders was a brown pelt, the cap being the ears of the bear that he had bested to get this clothing. Underneath was thick, black hair, an equally thick beard covering his mountain-sized chin.
The predators were closing in on him fast, but Kodiak was ready. He slammed his fists together in ground-shattering bang, roaring with all the power his lungs could muster.
“Come and take me, monsters! Kodiak is ready for you!”
The predators charged into Kodiak, bounding together as one. They knocked Kodiak to his back and swarmed on top of him.
Kodiak laughed.
Many ‘educated’ people believed the Hillmen of the Firmir Mountains to be savages – but any who saw Kodiak playing with his children would think twice about that.
The youngest of his children was three and the eldest thirteen, all pounding on him with tiny fists. Hits as small as this would not hurt Kodiak, but he let on all the same.
“Take that, Daddy!”
“Surrender now!”
“Hahahaha!” Kodiak laughed, taking all his children in his mammoth arms. “My children are so strong! They blood of Kodiak flows through them. Ursula, your arms already have muscles, Burkett, you will be big and strong as your father!”
Ursula, the eldest daughter, smiled as her father lifted up her arms. Burkett, the eldest of the boys, but two years younger than Ursula, grimaced as Kodiak shook his hair. Bayley, the youngest, even tugged on Kodiak’s beard, as if trying to remove it. Kodiak was a traveller by nature, but when he was back, he spent every waking second with his family. Of all the Stone Bears, few were as doting a father as Kodiak.
“Children! Dinner is ready.”
From the stone and straw hut that was their home, a divine image for Kodiak stepped out. She was somewhat slimmer than him, but no less stronger. She wore the same furry pelt as her family (though more clothed than Kodiak) and had raven dark hair.
“Why there is a sight that pleases me!” Kodiak exclaimed, sniffing the air. “That smells delicious, Kam!”
Kam had put on a real feast tonight – the roasted pig sizzled as the children fought to tear a piece off it.
“Children, don’t fight!” Kam said sternly. She never raised her voice to her children, but her tone was such that no one would ever dare argue with her. “There is plenty for everyone.”
The children calmed down, but still battled for food in their own way.
“This is a fantastic meal you have for us, love,” Kodiak laughed, ripping off a piece with his huge hands and biting into it.
“Well, I thought I’d do something special for today.”
Kam looked at Kodiak knowingly – Kodiak stopped mid bite. “Oh no!” he gasped.
“It’s all right,” Kam said with a smile, “I’ve gotten used to you forgetting.” She noticed one plate was turned upside down, so Kam turned it over – gasping when she saw what was underneath.
It was a necklace with rows of teeth, the same that many of her tribe would wear. Except, these teeth were made of what looked like pure gold.
“Is that…”
“I had someone in a village make it especially for you on my last travel,” Kodiak said with a beaming smile. He took the necklace and placed it over Kam’s neck. “You like?”
“I love it!” Kam gasped.
“Happy anniversary!” He took Kam in his arms and planted his lips to hers. She responded with a kiss of her own.
“Ewwww, you two are gross!” cried Burkett.
“Daddy’s eating Mummy!” cried Tilly, the second youngest.
Billie and Leo, the middle children in terms of ages, just remained silent and ate their food, feeding Bayley.
“Children, did we ever tell you how we met?” Kodiak asked after the kiss. “It was many years ago. I always boasted about how I was the strongest in the village. Every day, I would challenge any man to arm wrestle – and I beat all challengers.” Every muscle expanded on his chest with a single flex. “Kodiak thought he was the strongest. But then, Kam challenged me. In my arrogance, I thought I could defeat her. She bested me in seconds, making me a laughing stock in front of the tribe. I had never felt so… so in…”
“Inadequate?” Billie piped.
“In… in… inbarrassed?” Leo then asked.
“It’s embarrassed,” Ursula roughly replied.
“In LOVE!”
Everyone gasped. “I knew there and then ‘This is woman Kodiak will marry!’ But I knew I had to be stronger to win her love – so I trained every day and challenged her. I kept losing, so I trained harder. Until eventually, I beat her! It was after that I proposed to her and we were married that day!”
“Yay!” Tilly said, clapping her hands.
“I am truly the luckiest man alive,” Kodiak said.
“Oh, stop it,” Kam chuckled. She handed Kodiak a plate. “Do you want to take this to our guest?”
“With pleasure,” Kodiak said, “he must be hungry.” Kodiak left with the plate.
“Is that true, Mum?” Ursula asked when Kodiak left. “About Dad beating you at arm wrestling?”
“Well, of course, love,” Kam replied.
“Then, what was that smile you gave when Dad told us he beat you?” Ursula was incredibly observant for her age, and few things got past her.
Kam looked over her shoulder, making sure Kodiak was out of ear shot. “Can you children keep a secret? I mean a REALLY big secret.”
The children nodded. Checking over her shoulder one more time, Kam leaned in and kept her voice low. “I let him win.”
The children gasped again. “I knew it!” Ursula said, clasping her fist.
“So, Dad really is weak?” Burkett grumbled.
“No, not at all,” Kam replied, “on the contrary, he’s the strongest man I know – I just happen to be stronger!”
“Then why did you let him beat you?” Ursula asked.
“Well, at first, I wanted to put him in his place,” Kam replied. “But the more he challenged me, the more I got to see his gentle side. In the end, I actually enjoyed being with him, so I decided to give him a little of his pride back. Although proposing to me straight away took me by surprise.
“And besides…” Kam took her children in her arms and embraced them in a large hug. “…if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have you all. So, I don’t regret it in the least. But let’s keep this from your father, right?” She winked.
“Excuse me, friend,” Kodiak said as he pulled back the curtain to the sleeping quarters, “are you awake?”
The body on one of the straw beds stirred, lifting to a seated position.
“Sorry, I did not mean to wake you,” Kodiak apologised.
“No, it’s fine, I could not sleep anyway.”
At full height, this man was almost the same size as Kodiak, Kodiak only having a few inches on him. His thick, muscular body was ravaged with scars and lacerations. Thankfully Kam was a master of medicine, and she knew more than a few ways to help. How he was alive in the first place was a miracle. When Kodiak found him, he was so badly injured that it was a wonder anyone could survive. He guessed it was sheer will that kept this man going – though what his task was Kodiak didn’t know.
“We brought you some food.”
The man took the plate and started ripping it apart with his teeth. The speed he wolfed it showed how hungry he was – although, Kam did cook very good meat!
“Slow down, friend. Plenty to go around.”
The man finished chewing. “I am in your debt for helping me back to health, but I must get going soon.”
“There’s time enough for that once you’ve had a chance to recover,” Kodiak said.
“I’ve spent too much time resting,” the man said, “I must return home.”
“Where is home for you?” Kodiak asked.
The man lifted up his head, the light catching on the metal plate forged onto the side of his face. “Baalaria,” he replied.
The predators were closing in on him fast, but Kodiak was ready. He slammed his fists together in ground-shattering bang, roaring with all the power his lungs could muster.
“Come and take me, monsters! Kodiak is ready for you!”
The predators charged into Kodiak, bounding together as one. They knocked Kodiak to his back and swarmed on top of him.
Kodiak laughed.
Many ‘educated’ people believed the Hillmen of the Firmir Mountains to be savages – but any who saw Kodiak playing with his children would think twice about that.
The youngest of his children was three and the eldest thirteen, all pounding on him with tiny fists. Hits as small as this would not hurt Kodiak, but he let on all the same.
“Take that, Daddy!”
“Surrender now!”
“Hahahaha!” Kodiak laughed, taking all his children in his mammoth arms. “My children are so strong! They blood of Kodiak flows through them. Ursula, your arms already have muscles, Burkett, you will be big and strong as your father!”
Ursula, the eldest daughter, smiled as her father lifted up her arms. Burkett, the eldest of the boys, but two years younger than Ursula, grimaced as Kodiak shook his hair. Bayley, the youngest, even tugged on Kodiak’s beard, as if trying to remove it. Kodiak was a traveller by nature, but when he was back, he spent every waking second with his family. Of all the Stone Bears, few were as doting a father as Kodiak.
“Children! Dinner is ready.”
From the stone and straw hut that was their home, a divine image for Kodiak stepped out. She was somewhat slimmer than him, but no less stronger. She wore the same furry pelt as her family (though more clothed than Kodiak) and had raven dark hair.
“Why there is a sight that pleases me!” Kodiak exclaimed, sniffing the air. “That smells delicious, Kam!”
Kam had put on a real feast tonight – the roasted pig sizzled as the children fought to tear a piece off it.
“Children, don’t fight!” Kam said sternly. She never raised her voice to her children, but her tone was such that no one would ever dare argue with her. “There is plenty for everyone.”
The children calmed down, but still battled for food in their own way.
“This is a fantastic meal you have for us, love,” Kodiak laughed, ripping off a piece with his huge hands and biting into it.
“Well, I thought I’d do something special for today.”
Kam looked at Kodiak knowingly – Kodiak stopped mid bite. “Oh no!” he gasped.
“It’s all right,” Kam said with a smile, “I’ve gotten used to you forgetting.” She noticed one plate was turned upside down, so Kam turned it over – gasping when she saw what was underneath.
It was a necklace with rows of teeth, the same that many of her tribe would wear. Except, these teeth were made of what looked like pure gold.
“Is that…”
“I had someone in a village make it especially for you on my last travel,” Kodiak said with a beaming smile. He took the necklace and placed it over Kam’s neck. “You like?”
“I love it!” Kam gasped.
“Happy anniversary!” He took Kam in his arms and planted his lips to hers. She responded with a kiss of her own.
“Ewwww, you two are gross!” cried Burkett.
“Daddy’s eating Mummy!” cried Tilly, the second youngest.
Billie and Leo, the middle children in terms of ages, just remained silent and ate their food, feeding Bayley.
“Children, did we ever tell you how we met?” Kodiak asked after the kiss. “It was many years ago. I always boasted about how I was the strongest in the village. Every day, I would challenge any man to arm wrestle – and I beat all challengers.” Every muscle expanded on his chest with a single flex. “Kodiak thought he was the strongest. But then, Kam challenged me. In my arrogance, I thought I could defeat her. She bested me in seconds, making me a laughing stock in front of the tribe. I had never felt so… so in…”
“Inadequate?” Billie piped.
“In… in… inbarrassed?” Leo then asked.
“It’s embarrassed,” Ursula roughly replied.
“In LOVE!”
Everyone gasped. “I knew there and then ‘This is woman Kodiak will marry!’ But I knew I had to be stronger to win her love – so I trained every day and challenged her. I kept losing, so I trained harder. Until eventually, I beat her! It was after that I proposed to her and we were married that day!”
“Yay!” Tilly said, clapping her hands.
“I am truly the luckiest man alive,” Kodiak said.
“Oh, stop it,” Kam chuckled. She handed Kodiak a plate. “Do you want to take this to our guest?”
“With pleasure,” Kodiak said, “he must be hungry.” Kodiak left with the plate.
“Is that true, Mum?” Ursula asked when Kodiak left. “About Dad beating you at arm wrestling?”
“Well, of course, love,” Kam replied.
“Then, what was that smile you gave when Dad told us he beat you?” Ursula was incredibly observant for her age, and few things got past her.
Kam looked over her shoulder, making sure Kodiak was out of ear shot. “Can you children keep a secret? I mean a REALLY big secret.”
The children nodded. Checking over her shoulder one more time, Kam leaned in and kept her voice low. “I let him win.”
The children gasped again. “I knew it!” Ursula said, clasping her fist.
“So, Dad really is weak?” Burkett grumbled.
“No, not at all,” Kam replied, “on the contrary, he’s the strongest man I know – I just happen to be stronger!”
“Then why did you let him beat you?” Ursula asked.
“Well, at first, I wanted to put him in his place,” Kam replied. “But the more he challenged me, the more I got to see his gentle side. In the end, I actually enjoyed being with him, so I decided to give him a little of his pride back. Although proposing to me straight away took me by surprise.
“And besides…” Kam took her children in her arms and embraced them in a large hug. “…if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have you all. So, I don’t regret it in the least. But let’s keep this from your father, right?” She winked.
“Excuse me, friend,” Kodiak said as he pulled back the curtain to the sleeping quarters, “are you awake?”
The body on one of the straw beds stirred, lifting to a seated position.
“Sorry, I did not mean to wake you,” Kodiak apologised.
“No, it’s fine, I could not sleep anyway.”
At full height, this man was almost the same size as Kodiak, Kodiak only having a few inches on him. His thick, muscular body was ravaged with scars and lacerations. Thankfully Kam was a master of medicine, and she knew more than a few ways to help. How he was alive in the first place was a miracle. When Kodiak found him, he was so badly injured that it was a wonder anyone could survive. He guessed it was sheer will that kept this man going – though what his task was Kodiak didn’t know.
“We brought you some food.”
The man took the plate and started ripping it apart with his teeth. The speed he wolfed it showed how hungry he was – although, Kam did cook very good meat!
“Slow down, friend. Plenty to go around.”
The man finished chewing. “I am in your debt for helping me back to health, but I must get going soon.”
“There’s time enough for that once you’ve had a chance to recover,” Kodiak said.
“I’ve spent too much time resting,” the man said, “I must return home.”
“Where is home for you?” Kodiak asked.
The man lifted up his head, the light catching on the metal plate forged onto the side of his face. “Baalaria,” he replied.