'Uncle Fo! Uncle Fo!' Sam-lad burst into study, blood-colored tears streaming down pale cheeks. Frodo barely had the chance to look up in surprise and alarm before he was bowled over by the sobbing mass of hobbit child.
'There there!' he comforted, patting the dark-curled head with a four fingered hand. 'Whatever is the matter?'
Sammie withdrew from his uncle's embrace long enough to point a shaking finger at his mouth, where the left top eye-tooth had gone noticeably missing.
Frodo's brow furrowed in sympathy. 'Oh dear, that will make things awkward.'
Fresh tears threatened to spill from the young hobbit's eyes and he wiped roughly at red-stained cheeks. 'Oh Uncle Frodo, what'll I do now? I didn't mean to loose it, honest! I just bit into one of new pears just coming in and it fell out! Now Daisy and Eli and Frodo and Merry will all laugh at me!'
Frodo laughed softly. 'Come now, it won't be that bad! All your brothers and sisters had to loose their biting teeth too, you know.'
Sammie sniffled. 'Even Meli and Molly?'
He nodded. 'The whole lot. And they all thought it was the end of the world, just like you did, that someone would have to help them bite into their food for a few moons. Yes, it's a little strange at first, but then the new teeth grown in longer and sharper, ever so much better for biting. See?' He pulled back his lip to display long, pointy eyeteeth, prodding a little at the gums to make them unsheathe to their full length.
Sam-lad's eyes rounded with wonder. 'Will *my* teeth grow back to be like that?'
His uncle chuckled. 'Of course they will, and then you'll be able to hunt bigger and tastier game. But until then I'll help you slit your meals' throats.'
Sammie smiled, the effect a little lop-sided because of the missing tooth and the sharpened canines emerged at the mention of food, but still carrying his usual bright sparkle and charm, the tears chased away. 'I'd like that, Fo.'
~