Dwalin threw his wood upon the pyre and looked around. Rhavaniel, still shaken about the revelation and death of the leech that morning, was curled up next to her Warg. She would not help them with the fire, or even look in their direction when Gandalf offered up the prayers.

Dwalin approached her. The baby was sobbing softly and would not eat the porridge and apple sauce she offered.

Warg growled at Dwalin.

"Shhh." Raven tried to sooth both Warg and baby.

"So, Bilbo thought I should ask you if you had any questions...about...Dwarves." Dwalin offered. He waited awkwardly.

"I heard what you said last night." Rhavaniel told him. "It was a small camp."

"So I've been told. Probably a good thing you did hear - cleared the air."

"You were right about one thing. It was not Kili's fault. I led him astray. I am sorry for disrespecting your traditions...and for disrespecting Dís."

"Hmph." Dwalin nodded in grudging acceptance.

"I do have a question." Raven hesitated, then asked, "When do Dwarflings cut their first tooth?"

Dwalin was taken aback. He was not expecting his offer to be taken up at all, really. "Oh, that is a good question. A very good question. At two, I think, but I shall have to ask the others - the ones with children - to be sure. Anything else?"

"Bard's people rub whisky on a baby's gums to ease the pain of teething. Is that safe for Dwarf babies, or is there a better way?" Raven asked.

'More questions on teeth. Damned if I know.'

"I'll get back to you." Dwalin replied. He had to admit, Bilbo had the right idea. The girl did not know anything about Dwarves and here she was trying to raise one. Dwalin would have been short-tempered about her ignorance, if not for the fact that he also did not know. He found himself grudgingly respecting that she swallowed her pride to ask him, for the sake of the baby.

"Thank you." Raven replied.

Dwalin turned and walked away. This would have gone better if he had answers, he thought. But it gave him an idea, that one good idea he had been looking for. He turned and walked back to Rhavaniel, and sat on the ground in front of her.

"A grandmother could answer every question you have on Dwarflings - questions you haven't even thought of yet. You sit down with that baby's grandmother for one day, just Dís, no other Dwarves. Bard can arrange it and we would honor your terms, I swear it. Give up one day, and you will know when he's supposed to walk on his own, and talk, and grow a beard. Don't answer yet. You think on that and get back to me."