With Bilbo gone, Fili felt alone in Bag End. He decided to go for a longer walk to get to know his new home. He went towards the Green Dragon Inn and visited the market there. He talked to some of the stall owners to find out which metal products would be needed the most. The hobbits were quite distrustful but answered his questions non the less. Fili hoped that the hobbits would accept him in their society one day.

After a quick lunch at the inn, Fili walked along the Water. He sat down under a tree and watched the ducks on the river. This was such a lovely and peaceful place. Maybe he could spend some time with Poppy here one day. Fili chuckled. He dreamed of a future with her all the time even though he didn't even know if she liked him or if she only wanted to be nice.

After midday Fili finally reached the forge. A small hobbit lass sat in front of the small pond and cried. Fili kneeled down next to her and smiled "I'm Fili, at your service. What's wrong little one?"

The girl looked at him with her huge brown eyes and sobbed "I'm Primula. My... my little bird fell into the water. I can't reach it and its wing is broken."

Fili saw a small wooden toy in the pond. Luckily his hands were long enough to catch it. He gave it to the little girl.

Primula smiled at him with red and puffy eyes . "But its wing is broken. What if it dies?"

Fili sighed. "I'm not a healer. But I can try to help your little friend."

"Really? Please save my bird!" The girl pleaded.

Fili ruffled her hair and fetched a little piece of wood and a knife. He hadn't worked with wood for years but a little wing wasn't too difficult.

Soon the little bird was fixed and Primula ran back to her mother. Fili still smiled and was glad that at least the small hobbits trusted him so easily.

#

Poppy stood behind her gate and watched the dwarf and little Primula. Fili was such a nice person. She didn't understand her feelings for him. She had never felt this way before. She wanted to spend time with him and she hoped that he'd stay in Hobbiton.

She smiled and decided to try to help him settle.

#

Two days later Fili had just finished cleaning the forge when someone knocked at the door. He wondered who might come to visit him and went to open it. It was Poppy with a basket full of knives. "Good morning Fili! I hope I don't disturb you. These knives need to be sharpened. Normally we have to bring them to Bree. But now that you're here, I thought that you might do it." Poppy explained with a questioning look on her face.

"Of course I can do that." Fili answered. He was so happy that Poppy had thought of him. He took the basket and inspected the knives. "Oh Mahal, these knives look like they haven't been properly mended in years. It will take a few hours but I promise that I can bring them back to the inn before dinner."

Poppy looked surprised "You can mend them so quickly? Normally we have to wait two weeks until we get them back. And you would even bring them back to us? That would be great. You could also eat supper at the inn. We're going to serve a delicious beef and ale pie this evening."

Fili smiled "That sounds wonderful! I will start immediately."

"Great! I don't want to disturb you any longer. See you soon!" Poppy replied and went back towards the Green Dragon.

Fili waited until she had disappeared out of his sight. He whistled a happy tune and started to work. A few hours later he took the basket with the now sharp knives and went to the inn. Poppy took them with a huge smile on her face and served him the promised pie. Unfortunately she was to busy to talk to him. He watched her for a while but then left. This place reminded him of the nice afternoon he had spent there with his brother.

#

During the next few days several hobbits came to Fili's forge and asked him if he could mend their knives and pans. They had heard of his good work from the innkeeper. Fili was glad that the hobbits started to trust him that soon and he wouldn't disappoint them.

Fili saw Poppy every day. Mostly they chatted about the weather and other unimportant things. The young dwarf didn't want to say something wrong and cause her pain again. Poppy seemed to like him. She blushed and fiddled with the bindings of her skirt every time they talked.

After four days Fili finally plucked up the courage and asked if she would join him for a picnic at the Water.

He wasn't sure if it was proper to meet alone with her but it would be in public. So he guessed that it would be all right. Poppy happily agreed and suggested that she would bring some drinks. She liked the young dwarf since the moment she had first seen him. He was so different from everyone else here with his long golden hair and the braids in his beard, that moved every time he talked or smiled.

Fili grinned like a Cheshire cat. He couldn't concentrate on his work properly and went back to Bag End earlier this evening to prepare some food. He wasn't the best cook but he found some easy recipes in Bilbo's kitchen. Fili spent several hours in the kitchen and made quite a mess. But in the end he was satisfied. He decided to have a nice long bath and redid his braids to look as good as possible. Fili was excited, he felt like a dwarfing before his first day of weapons training.