The Tale of The Stonekin and the Dawnfolk
by Ken Sheetz
Grandmother Nala tucked Mira into bed, smoothing the blanket around her. Mira’s face was scrunched in frustration, her cheeks still damp from tears.
“Grandma,” Mira began, “Torin said I’ll never beat him at anything because I’m too small and weak. He called me a runt.”
Nala gave her a knowing smile, sitting down beside her. “Let me tell you a story, one that’s been passed down through our family for generations. It’s about Kala and Thrak—two people who proved that cleverness and love can overcome even the strongest challenges.”
“In the time of the great glaciers,” Nala began, “two peoples roamed the Earth. The Dawnfolk, like Kala, were clever and quick. They thrived by thinking their way out of danger. The Stonekin, like Thrak, were strong and powerful. They could wrestle mammoths and crush stones with their bare hands.”
Mira’s eyes widened. “The Stonekin sound scary!”
“They were, but they weren’t all bad,” Nala said. “And Kala? She was clever, just like you. One day, their paths crossed in a way no one expected…”
Kala crouched by the icy river, her spear in hand, tracking a deer’s hoofprints in the snow. But instead of prey, she found a Stonekin man sitting on a rock, his leg bleeding from a gash. His arms were as thick as tree trunks, his face fierce, but his eyes were filled with pain.
Kala froze, her heart pounding. The Stonekin raided Dawnfolk villages. They were dangerous. But this one—this Thrak—looked up at her and said in a low, rumbling voice:
“Please… I can’t walk.”
Cave people
Kala hesitated, her grip tightening on her spear. “Why should I help you?”
Thrak groaned, his voice softer now. “Because you’re not like me. You’re better than me.”
Kala narrowed her eyes but stepped closer. She tore strips from her tunic to bandage his leg.
“You’re as big as a mammoth,” she said, her tone teasing to mask her nerves.
“And you’re as small as a sparrow,” Thrak rumbled back, a faint smile on his lips. “But sparrows are fast.”
Kala chuckled despite herself.
Over the next few days, Kala returned to bring Thrak food and water. He told her stories of his people’s strength, of wrestling bears and carving homes in the cliffs. She shared tales of her people’s cleverness, of setting traps and using fire to outsmart predators.
“Your people are strong,” Kala said one evening.
Thrak’s gaze softened. “And yours are smart. Together, we’d be unstoppable.”
But as their friendship deepened, they knew their peoples would never accept it
One day, Kala’s brother, Elan, followed her and discovered the secret. He stormed back to the village.
“Kala has betrayed us!” Elan shouted. “She’s been helping a Stonekin!”
Thrak’s people also found out, and their leader, Grak, roared with anger. “The Dawnfolk are weak! We take from them, not join them!”
The next day, the two clans met on the frozen plains, their warriors armed with spears and clubs. Kala and Thrak stood between them, their faces pale but determined.
“This is madness!” Kala cried. “We don’t have to fight!”
But her words were drowned out by the roar of the warriors charging forward
Kala grabbed Thrak’s hand. “Follow me!”
They ran toward a narrow pass where Kala had prepared a trap. The Dawnfolk had dug pits and covered them with branches. As the warriors gave chase, Kala and Thrak led them straight into the traps.
When the warriors realized they’d been tricked, they stopped. Kala climbed onto a rock, her voice ringing out.
“You see?” she shouted. “Strength alone isn’t enough. We need each other to survive!”
Thrak stepped forward, his booming voice silencing the murmurs. “We are stronger together. Let the Dawnfolk’s cleverness guide us, and our strength protect them.”
The warriors muttered, then lowered their weapons.
Kala and Thrak knew their love would always be controversial, but their actions inspired both clans. They began working together, sharing food, knowledge, and shelter.
In time, Kala and Thrak built a life of their own, blending the strength of the Stonekin with the wisdom of the Dawnfolk. Their children carried the best of both worlds, shaping the future of humanity.
Her tale complete Grandmother Nala smiled at Mira. “So you see, even when it feels like the world is against you, cleverness and courage can change everything.”
Mira’s tears had dried, and a small smile spread across her face. “So I just have to outsmart Torin, like Kala?”
“Exactly,” Nala said, kissing her forehead. “Brains can win over brawn, my clever little Dawnfolk. And don’t forget, even the strongest of us need love and kindness to thrive—just like Thrak did.”
Mira giggled and snuggled into her blankets. “Goodnight, Grandma.”
“Goodnight, my brave Kala.”
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