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Few folks wandered deep into the woods lest they really had to. The dangers were prominent, poking and lurking around every corner of every bush. Worst was once the sun fell beyond the horizon, and the dark slowly set itself upon the sky. First when the moon shone bright was it that the real dangers crawled out of their hiding spots. And once upon a time, Clarity was warned of these dangers. Ironic as it was, as he was one of many dangers preached in the human tales, but even between his kind there were certain things they ought not to do- like wander near a mountain at night, lest the mountain start moving. Trolls, was what it was. Nasty fellows of massive sizes, snoring when the sun stood high, and gruffing in their midnight wakening. When just a little lad, Clarity remembered the clear warnings from his mother, as these creatures could reach all between twenty to forty meters high. Making Clarity appear a mere ant for their feet, and his song would never be able to reach.
Of course, said tales were just that, they were tales. And none had lived to confirm said tales, therefore Clarity deemed himself no fool for venturing when it best fit him at night. He was no fool, he stayed clear of the mountains as his mother had preached him to do. But never did he account to meeting a tiny man, merely ten times the size of the Huldra himself. He never thought to stand beneath a man the size of a grand slope, wondering if perhaps his bones would be used as tooth picks after a tiny snack for the monster.
That was, of course, a long time ago. And by now, the Huldra had learned about the male troll, and the softer side accompanying his dear friend. Though there was a challenge in friendship with Norton (That’s what Clarity had chosen to call the man, as his grunts made noises similar to those) since the troll was quite, well, tall. Even now they were traveling together, Clarity’s legs crossed as he sat on broad shoulders. One hand yanked the long bushy hair from Norton to assure he didn’t fall, and the Huldra sang a songbird’s tune in reward for the darling troll.
Neither of the friends spoke much. Clarity because he couldn’t- A huldra’s faith to lure men in by their song, never to speak as humans did not enjoy those antics. And then Norton, who’s voice rang so deep he was scared it would frighten the little bird. Hence why he seldom spoke, even if Clarity enjoyed the man’s words.
Just like that they made their friendship work. A short troll of merely ten meters tall, an outcast of own kind and left half blind for his unfortunate height. And then there was the wandering temptress, who had walked his path alone up until now, always thinking a lonely path was the only path. But now, in the most peculiar friendship, they both helped one another out.
Clarity dragging the tail of a stubborn troll, a troll now covered with fresh scrape wounds, he tried to help his friend the way he usually would. Another beating, Clarity guessed- though he could not tell, as the troll refused to speak about it, just as he refused to speak at all. It was annoying, truly, how the stubborn rock wouldn’t lay down before the plenty tugs to his tails. After one tug too many, Clarity climbed the massive boulder now laying down, climbing up towards his face, feeling a draft of air with Norton’s huff. That bugger. If he blew Clarity off Clarity would personally give him a beating.
Applying ointment took hours for the little man, just to deck every scratch of Norton’s poor face was more work than either of them truly bothered, but yet Clarity pulled through. By the time it was all covered, the little man was tired, and the sun was soon to rise. But before that, Norton lifted the man and carried him in his palm. Carrying him off to a lakeside, putting the Huldra down on the ground so the man could light a fire, while Norton reached his hand in the water to grab a fistful of fish. Just like that they cooperated between themselves, no words needed, as they communicated in their own special way.
Both went sound asleep before sunset. Norton settled a comfortable spot to hide his trace, Clarity finding his comfort at the slope of the hill, cuddled up where he knew the troll sat in the slumber.
Life was comfortable like that. It felt just right for the lot of them, both finding that perhaps solitude wasn’t always the best option.
So when Clarity went off as he sometimes did, Norton sat there patiently waiting for his friend. Wondering just what went down in a Huldra’s routine. All he knew was the little guy seemed to have bloodier hands than him, at least when he came dragging back what Clarity liked to offer as food for the giant. Norton was never fond of people, he preferred animals, but a Huldra did what a Huldra did, and every now and then Clarity would bring a snack.
Norton sat there patiently waiting for his friend, starting to wonder when Clarity would come ‘home’. Could they call it a home? It wasn’t anything like the little caves humans made out of logs and hay, nor anything like what Norton once called his home . A river stream where bastards would sleep during the day and eat at night… No, that was nothing close to the cozy feeling Clarity brought the giant, so perhaps he ought to build a log cave.
After a few hours of dragging up trees and rearranging them Norton noticed how the previous darkness was slowly turning light. He ought to sleep, the troll thought to himself, but found himself looking around for Clarity once again. Where he had gone the troll didn’t know, but he sat down between what he had built of a tree cave for them. Figuring that if he slept, Clarity would be there once he awoke.
He was alone.
The next day came, and there was no Clarity laying close at his feet. Even when he looked out not to stomp the little guy to death, he saw no Clarity.
No troll was good with emotions, hence why many creatures feared their instability, and Norton was no different. There was a heavy cloud damping at his chest. A faint stick he could not quite explain.. Why did he feel the way he did? He could not tell. He would not tell. Instead, the big troll reached for another tree, yanking it up with such might any bird within the tree felt their heart drop in fright. Norton dragged many trees up, throwing them down again with a heavier force than before as he continued to balance the trees to make their ‘home’. He would finish it, because that way Clarity would thank him when he returned- not verbally, but staying by Norton’s side forever would certainly be thanks enough.
Whole night went to ripping up and flinging trees, and at the end, when Norton had finally made a rectangle wood cave, there was still no Clarity. Why . Why, when the troll finally found the meaning of a home, did his home not return? Norton sat near the river, right outside wooden cave, a cave he had worked hard on, to give Clarity something similar to what the humans had. Maybe it was the hay. Clarity left, knowing he would build them a home, and would not return until the cave was complete. So a roof made of hay, that’s what was needed to bring him back.
Like that, the second day passed, and Norton went to sleep alone once more. The night day would come, and the third day would show him love.
And the third day came, and it stayed the same. No Clarity at sight, even when Norton tried to peek in the darkness for the faintest hint of the Huldra. Still Norton near the village, attempting not to wake the folk of the place. Humans were a pest if they saw you, starting to throw dull sticks and sharp grey ones if you got too close. Norton prefered none of that, so he was quick in plucking up the entire lawn of a poor farmer’s crops. Hoping the crops bore enough hay for his and Clarity’s roof. Poor Clarity. The wooden cave was big, so it was nothing like the tree caves Norton looked at in the village now, but it was the only way for the both of them to fit. Norton wished he could be the same size as his friend, as now he was neither big enough to be accepted by his own, nor small enough to be like Clarity.
Now with hay in his hands, Norton walked back to the spot of their home, getting started on mending together a roof. He found quickly that due to the massive size he did in fact not have enough hay, so instead he used some of the grander branches as make do. Setting the hay aside for other usage. He could make a pile for Clarity to rest at, like birds used to do (another tiny creature, with pretty tunes to sing just like the Huldra), but then he would have to clean the dirt filled straws, so Clarity didn't get dirty.
Walking to the nearby river, Norton went to clean the hay as planned. Not expecting to finally meet his friend first then. So Clarity had never been that far, had he?
Throwing the hay in a pile nearby, Norton let out a groan to say hi. To make the blue haired man raise his head and look up at him.
Clarity seemed to be deaf, still laying face first on the water side.
Another gruff passed the troll’s lips. Crouching down to lift the Huldra, he picked his friend up, placing him in a cup hold of both hands. That way he could hold all of the man, but Clarity didn’t move to sit up as he used to. He didn't move at all, to be precise.
Moving Clarity around, Norton tried to nudge his friend with a finger. Still looking for any reaction- maybe a song even, after Clarity had left him for the three days.
Still there was no response.
Norton gave another grunt, looking for any response. His finger nudged more at the limp body in his hand, but all response he got was water being spat in his hand. Oh .
Reaching down, Norton put Clarity in a loose pocket on his pants. Washing the hay in the river as planned, bringing the now clean hay along with him on his path to show Clarity their resting place.
Few huffs and grunts left the big troll, echoing what felt like a rare feel of a silent forest. There was still an effort to keep his noises down, as he was never fond of being loud around his friend, hence why he still refused to use his words, but he was too fond of telling Clarity of their wooden cave. The place they could lay down and find their peace.
At their new home, Norton put the freshly washed hay down. Tearing some apart and fiddling with some of the remnant mud, he tried his best to shape the comfiest little oval he could make. One to fit Clarity’s size so his friend got the best comfort. He never got quite pleased, as it was too plain now. He did wish to decorate it more, but he doubted he could get so detailed in the small crafts, as every flower Clarity would deserve would crumble between his grip.
Giving up, Norton gave the best nest he could. Placing it down in a corner where he hoped it would be warm for his friend.
Then Norton fished the little man up from his pocket, holding him for quite a while, just adoring the little face. Nudging a finger against the man again, still with no reaction. Hopefully his face would dry, as having your head in water was never a pleasant thing.
After a few moments of admiration, Norton placed his friend down in the little bed, letting him lay for rest, hopefully comfortably so. Then he sat down next to Clarity, sat down the way he always did when the two prepared for sunrise.
Except this time, Norton never closed his eyes. Letting the sunrise come, he let himself turn stone. Settling for an eternity next to his friend just like that. Forever, in their wooden cave.