-Note- This story takes place between TA 2051 and 2052. More short stories will be added to this later, but for now, there is only this one. :D

­­-Disclaimer- If you recognize it, I don't own it. I do, however, take the blame for the two lines of song. /cringe/

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Worth

"Great One, we give to you our own…"

Deep voices rose in a mournful plainsong, callused hands piled stones over the freshly turned earth. The few who were not building the cairn- the company numbered less than ten now- stood back, singing the familiar tune and watching.

They had pursued a company of orcs across the land for a fortnight before they made their attack in the very place on which they stood now. The carcasses of the enemy had been stacked and burned after the skirmish, and now all that was left was to bury their two comrades. They had died, minds fogged by poppy, half a day later, each with wounds too grave to heal.

"…protect and guide them, as they did us."

The last stone was laid, the group dispersed quietly to where they had settled for the night, a quarter mile from the field they had fought in. Halbarad made his way to Aragorn, who remained.

"I didn't know you knew them well," Halbarad said. "You haven't been traveling with us for more than a year."

"I didn't," Aragorn replied quietly. "You?"

Halbarad shrugged. "You learn to live with it. I've spent my whole life amongst the Dúnedain; often does a father not return to our camps."

Aragorn said nothing. Halbarad was older than he; twenty four years to his twenty one, and he seemed to understand his chosen way of life in a manner that Aragorn did not.

"Each of us must learn to accept our mortality…if we do not die today, we give thanks; but tomorrow is always a great unknown."

"And do you, Halbarad?" Aragorn asked, facing him.

"Do I?" he repeated, eyebrows raised. "No, but with every day, I am learning to."

A gust of cold, damp air blew their hair across their faces. Halbarad stuffed his hands into the pockets of his cloak. He watched the sky closely. Heavy, gray, and dismal, it cast the land into a sickly shade of green. Aragorn's gaze shifted back to the new graves.

"Halbarad…"

"Hmm."

"What do we do now?"

Halbarad turned back to him. "What we've been doing for a thousand years. We go on."

A drop or rain fell on Aragorn's nose, but he did not bother to swipe it away. Halbarad brushed one from his eyelashes.

"Our cause is the right one, I have never doubted it," he said.

"But is it worth it?" Aragorn asked.

Halbarad grinned half-heartedly, in a way that made Aragorn sick with despair.

"I do not know yet," he said. "I do not know."

The conversation was over. Drops began falling in earnest. Halbarad drew his hood over his head.

Aragorn began to walk away, to cover his blankets and set up his canvas sheet to protect his few belongings from the rain. Over the persistent sound of drops hitting grass, he could hear the soft dirge as it was hummed by his friend. He stopped short, ready to go back to him, then decided against it.

Silently, he went to rig up the sheet. First Halbarad's, then his own.

--

Following the fall of Arthedain (TA 1974), the Dúnedain were scattered. Aranarth, who was Arvedui's son, became their first chieftain. Only later did they become the Ranger and clandestine protectors we see in "The Lord of the Rings".

This group, numbering ten (without casualties), could be considered rather large, as the company Halbarad led south during the War of the Ring numbered only thirty (excluding the sons of Elrond). I like to think that the Rangers were larger in number at the time of this story, and that the reason for Halbarad's small group was at least partially due to the attack on Sarn Ford in TA September 3018.

When camping (with tents, anyway), it is always nice to have a spare rain fly to string between trees and use as additional shelter/storing place. I have adapted that to fit here- carrying a full tent could be an unwanted burden for Dúnedain on the run. The stones were placed over the grave not for decorative purposes, but rather in the hopes that they might keep away hungry scavengers.