After that night, Phura spent every spare moment he could by Gamba's side. Gamba wondered at his sudden devotion, but thought it might be because of Roka, and he appreciated the help. Roka stayed with Phura while Gamba went out with the gravediggers.
Each night brought another list of disappearances, and the list of orphans increased. Phura came back from singing lullabyes with two more children tagging behind him, and they made room for them and kept them warm and fed. Loremaster sadly accepted each child, but said little, and Gamba wondered why.
There was one eight-year-old named Kesha, and a six-year-old named Asta. Phura remarked that they were both named after Snowhobbits, but they came from different families. Kesha followed Phura everywhere, but Asta adopted Gamba, and Asta and little Roka soon became inseparable.
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...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.
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