Standard Disclaimers Apply.

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/But Music Turns Her Head Like Ale/

"You little thief! Get back here!"

A young Nori dashed away from those he had attempted to rob to feed his brothers and himself in the wake of their mother's death, ducking down an alley that had plenty of places to hide for someone his size.

Nori ran, trying to get far enough ahead of his pursuers that they wouldn't be able to see where he hid, only to be pulled into a little cubby in the wall of a building by the hands of another.

"Shh, keep quiet or they'll find us," a voice behind Nori said as they clamped a hand over his mouth and pulled him further into the cubby.

Nori's pursuers ran past," Where did the little scamp go?"

And they kept going, having no idea that two hid from them in the shadows.

A few minutes went by before the hand on Nori's mouth moved and they both dared to breathe again.

A few more minutes passed before Nori turned around to thank his savior, only to be met with the surprising sight of a a young, very dirty and thin dwarrowdam, no older than himself, but probably younger.

They both studied each other, one surprised they had just helped another while the other surprised to have been saved by a girl who obviously lived on the streets, and had for a while.

This surprise, however, did not cause Nori to forsake the manners that Dori had crammed into his skull for as long as he could remember," Thank you," she nodded at him and then he asked," What's your name?"

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, trying to determine if he meant her any harm, but found only kind curiosity in his eyes, so she answered, not a little timidly, in almost a whisper," Pheema."

And that was it, no daughter of or from clan, just her name.

But young Nori smiled all the same, sticking out his own grubby hand with a charming smile on his face, her face unsure as she tentatively put her hand in his, a smile slowly coming to her face as he said," Well, 'ello Pheema, I'm Nori, son of Fitoria, an' it's a right pleasure to meet ya'," they shook hands.

She giggled a little, having not talked to someone so friendly in a long time, saying," It's a pleasure to meet you too, Nori."

And so began a friendship that would last a lifetime, strong enough that, when one went off on a quest that was never supposed to succeed and survived, the other would follow and they would work together in Erebor as they had in Ered Luin, leaving behind what they had created in capable hands to create it again somewhere else.

/And Makes Her Wave Her Tufted Tail/

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