[Primrose Bolger]

Ginger examines the 'gift' from Cullen

Everyone had stopped what they were doing at the child’s squeal. Several of the servers’ eyes went wide at the sight of the rather large dog carrying what appeared to be a disheveled Hobbit boy. Ginger went right up to the dog, who sat as she approached him. Cullen had dropped the little Hobbit at her feet, and sat looking happily at her, his tail swishing back and forth on the kitchen floor.

‘Well, now what’s this?’ Ginger said, crouching down to see better the rag tag bundle the dog had dropped near her. Cullen leaned down and nudged the child with his wet black nose toward Ginger. She stood the child up and turned him round about so that he faced her. He was pale beneath his layer of grime, possibly with fright and was determinedly holding onto his bag.

Buttercup bent down and brushed the tangled curls back from the child’s face. ‘What’s your name, laddie?’ she asked with an encouraging smile