'What's this?' the young Ori pointed at the plate of food in front of him.
'This, little dwarf, is cake.'
Ori tentatively reached out a finger and poked at the cake. 'It feels funny. Is it meat?'
The human baker who had caught Ori's attention with the strange looking delicacy, threw his head back and laughed heartily. 'No, no … come here.'
Ori took a step forward, but kept his grip tight on his faithful slingshot. Fíli and Kíli had told him about how their Uncle Thorin had warned them against mixing with anyone who wasn't a dwarf. He seemed kind enough, but even so …
'Here …' The baker cut out a slice and pushed the plate towards Ori. With slow and careful motions, Ori placed his slingshot on the table and stood on his tiptoes to reach for the plate.
The baker watched Ori's face closely, eager for his reaction. He could see the thoughtful look on the dwarf's face as Ori chewed the chocolate cake thoroughly.
'I … I don't know if I like it,' Ori said quietly, wanting to be truthful but at the same time not wanting to hurt the baker's feelings.
'That's alright, lad,' the baker said cheerfully, tucking his thumbs into his belt. 'It's most likely different to the usual stuff you eat, eh?'
Ori nodded. 'We eat meat. Lots of meat. I don't like green food –'
'Not many kids your age do,' the baker chuckled.
'Hey, Ori!'
Ori turned around to see Fíli and Kíli waving at him by the pub. Fíli was holding his little wooden toy sword while Kíli had his roughly made bow and arrows in his hands. Kíli had taken to the rather undwarf-like weapon, much to Thorin's initial displeasure, who considered it a purely elvish form of combat.
'I have to go,' Ori said softly, pushing the plate back as far as he could at his height. 'Thank you for the …'
'Cake.' The baker ruffled Ori's hair. 'Have fun with your friends, lad.'
The baker fondly watched the young dwarf run off towards his friends. He laughed, not unkindly, as Ori jogged back with a blush on his face when he realised he forgot his slingshot. He would miss them when they left.