Rose sat in the empty café. Breakfast and lunch had been slower than usual. She knew that everyone was at the festival. She was jealous of George, who got to go, and she missed Rick. She understood the chief's reasoning for leaving her behind.

A fry hit her in the face. She looked at the twins, who sat wide-eyed and shaking their heads, while Steve looked away.

Thorn sat happily munching her fries, "What's the matter, pup?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Nothing that matters to you," she replied coldly, causing the twins and Steve to tense up, ready to run.

"The place ain't as lively without Bob and the Chief," the old shaman remarked with a smile, "and a certain little imp."

"Rose!" Rick shouted from the entrance. She jumped from her seat and laughed, seeing her imp, picking him up in a warm hug.

Bob, Richard, and George entered the cafe. They carried odd rectangular-shaped items.

"We brought everyone Piezzas," Richard announced, setting the boxes on the table.

Thorn sniffed, "What in the thirteen hells is a Piezzas, and what's that smell?"

Richard opened one of the items. Inside was a round, flat dough layered with cheese, assorted vegetables, and meats, with a red sauce visible underneath.

"This is a Piezza!" Richard announced.

The Orcs gathered around to look at the Piezza. Thorn leaned over the box and inhaled. Her grimace deepened as she glared down at the food.

"What is that?" She sneered.

"That is a Piezza. Grazia is a Fata, and she bakes these." Bob said. "And it's good."

"Nothing that looks like that can be good, even if a Fata made it," Thorn grumbled, but she hadn't left her spot hovering over the pie.

"Want a slice?" Richard offered.

"Blah," Thorn said, "But it wouldn't be proper to waste food, even something... like that."

Each orc grabbed a slice and began to eat, humming and smiling as they savored the unexpected flavors of the Piezza. Thorn was silent as she chewed her food.

"This is great," Ben said. "We should make this here." Betty nodded, reaching for a second slice.

Thorn had finished her first slice and licked her fingers. She reached for a second slice.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Good, huh?" Bob asked.

Thorn sneered, "Don't like wasting food, pup. I'll have one more, and that'll do."

Thorn grabbed the slice and began to slowly eat it. Richard and Bob looked at each other.

"So, how's the festival?" Rose asked.

Rick began to jump up and down, "It's so much fun. You need to come with us. They tell stories."

Richard shook his head, "We didn't know it was a storytelling festival. Apparently, there is a group of, uh…" He shrugged.

"Monks?" Bob suggested.

"Sure, monks. They come to town and tell stories about history." Richard continued.

"That sounds like fun," Rose said.

Bob glanced over as Thorn got another slice of Piezza. She glared at him, and he looked away with a grin.

"Get this," Richard said, "Battleax is going to tell the Barbarian story."

"That old fool," Thorn started with her mouth full. She stopped, chewed, and swallowed. "That old fool can't tell no stories. His brain is rattled. I'd watch just to see him forget where he is and start a brawl," she chuckled, taking a big bite of what was likely her third or fourth slice.

"Well, I would love to hear his story," Rose said, "Maybe we should tell our stories too."

"Don't be daft, girl," Thorn said again, taking a mouthful of food. She chewed and swallowed. "They don't want to hear about us."

"It might help them understand us," Rose replied, her tone sharper than intended.

"Understand us," Thorn said, reaching for another slice of Piezza, "They don't need to understand us. They need to fear us."

"No," Richard said, "we aren't going to make them fear us. We have this." He gestured around, "This is our future, remember?"

"Bah," Thorn said with her mouth full of food.

"Is it good?" Bob asked, grinning.

"Don't waste food, pup!" Thorn again said with a mouthful of food. She didn't bother chewing and swallowing this time, "I've been busy today, and I'm hungry. And mind your own business."

"Well, I would like to go into town and hear some of those stories," Rose said.

"Me too! Maybe they'll tell the story of our greatest warrior," Rick said excitedly.

"Imps have a great warrior?" Bob asked, genuinely interested.

"Don't be mean," Rose said.

"I'm not!" Bob said, "I'd like to hear that too."

"Is there any Piezza left?" Betty asked.

All the Orcs looked at the empty boxes in front of them and the empty box in front of Thorn, who was eating another slice.

"Don't waste food?" Bob said.

"Shut up!" Thorn said as she stood still eating the last slice of Piezza, "I'm going to bed." Thorn stormed out of the tent.

"It's not healthy to make fun of her," Rose said sarcastically.

"I wasn't!" Bob exclaimed. "I think she actually liked the food. We should find out how to make it. Maybe we can make her happy for once."

Rose glared at Bob, "You know she used to be happy."

Bob frowned and looked down at the table, "Yeah, I know. I miss her too."

"Who?" Rick asked.

The Orcs looked at each other. Finally, Rose spoke softly, "Bramble never came back. We don't know what happened to her."

"Who's Bramble?" Rick asked, curious.

"Thorn's wife," Chief Richard said in a hushed voice.

"Oh?" The little imp looked down sadly, "I'm sorry."

"It's what happened to many Orc families. Go off and never come back. Sometimes we would get word of what happened, and sometimes we didn't." Chief Richard continued, "I want us to never have to do that again."

"Orc Café," Bob said, raising his mug.

"Orc Café," the others echoed.

"Rose, Rick, Bob and I will go to the festival tomorrow. The rest will stay here," Chief Richard said.

"Stay here and do what?" Ben asked, "We barely have any customers."

"Well, you can start working on the new stoves we bought," Richard grinned.

"New what?" echoed Betty and Ben in surprise.

"You are going to love this!" Bob said, getting up and leading the twins to the wagon.