[Short story] A bowl for all

Community Events and Fan Creations
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Hope you’ll enjoy a short story I wrote. Comments and advice are welcomed since English isn’t my primary language.

The sharp cutting edge formed a groove in a millisecond before its cold steel cut through the mushroom, dividing it into a bundle of quarter cuts with swift movements. The spongy surface of the mushroom was always a bliss to work with, and the colours of white, brown and yellowed mushrooms slowly piling up in the bowl was always a satisfying sight. Another quartered mushroom joined the small hill, sending the pieces tumbling along the surface of the table.

“Hey, where are you going there little buddy?” a hearty voice spoke softly with an undertone of playfulness, “We can’t just have you escape the meal like that”.

Chef Xeroth Ironmist pinched the tumbling piece of mushroom in mid-air between his thick fingers. Turning it appraisingly in his hand before his eyes, looking over the texture and the cleanliness before with a wide grin, throwing it the air to be caught in his mouth. He savoured the texture and the flavour, right now it was quite bland with a taint of dirt but they’d do great work once being cooked. His greatest fascination of food was how they changed in flavour after cooking them, oh, and of course the eating of food.

The chef took a few light steps as he leaned over for a bundle of leaks with one hand, over exerting himself to reach for a few onions with another. His mighty paws taking a hold of three large onions, one claw piercing it to send its juices trickling down his hand. He hated that, onion juices stuck in his fur. He grumbled as he spun around in a refined balanced move, licking his paw clean of onion juices on his way back to the cutting board.

A loud chuckle echoed through the kitchen as he permitted the vegetables to tumble across the cutting board. There was no better feeling for him as a bountiful pantry, cooking was his calling. The sharp knife chopped up the leaks and onion with grace and precision. One pile was pushed towards a little slide together with the mushrooms, and the other pile joined a handful of sizzling chilli, ginger and oil on a pan. The floorboards creaked as he leaned over to one side of his small workspace, moving away his ingenious idea of a vegetable slide, giving him room to take a sniff at the great cauldron in the corner.

A broth flavoured by beef and venison was bubbling away in the darkness of the oversized put, it was thickening up to be a good hearty stew and just needing to be bulked up for a good meal. The ladle spun through the thickening stew and sent potatoes, carrots and diced meat tumbling and bumping around. With a wide satisfied smile, he let loose a small storm of fine pepper corns, salt flakes and a green leaf of his own secret ingredient into the bubbling meal.

The famous Ironmist family secret of a wiggling nose and tail meant the next stage was ready to be added to the stew.

Chef Ironmist leaned over to reach for his skillet that had turned into a mix of aromatic joy as the chili had mixed well with the ginger, softened up with the diced onion and curry leaf to spice it more. He guided the aromatic mixture into the stew with an experienced flick of his wrist, letting the wooden spoon escort the colour mix of flavours into the mighty cauldron.

The big pandaren softly sang as he swayed to the tune, a song a heart that was beautiful on its own but this song was also perfectly timed with another song for when the food was done. The first was a song about brave wanderers that he walked too far that their paths forward once more was pointing home and the other was a song about Longstride the pandaren, and the ‘never empty’ bowl of lintels.

Men, women and children slowly gathered at the big colourful food cart, witnessing the cart swaying from side to side in a rhythm of a softly sung tune. Its axles straining and creaking under the weight of the chef as well as his workshop within. A cloth drape was closing out prying eyes and their view of the magic going on inside but magic it was, and it smelt delightful.

A blond haired girl reached for a wooden bowl that was settled at the side of the cart in piles, spoons stacked in a barrel next to, or more, it looked to be latched on to the cart with ropes and leather straps. It made the girl giggle softly as she had to sway a little in rhythm to be able to reach for a spoon. She was shortly after joined by others who’d followed her suit. There was no hostile or grumpy people, the ones trying to act so was slowly pushed further away.

Street urchins gathered around near the cart with wide eyes, giggling softly and some even humming to the tune of the singing bear within the small house on wheels. They knew they were welcomed and were bringing the news to others who felt shy about it, or ashamed of asking for help.

The blond haired girl screamed loudly in surprise as an older man lifted her up on his shoulder, giving her a better view of the cart and helping her closer. She saw it all. The rice paper lamps swaying from side to side, belts and pictures swaying with the rest. This wasn’t just a cart, this was actually a small house on wheels. A giggle escaped again as she saw the rather large rear of the chef within, just able to be spotted between the cloth curtains. His little tail wiggled at her.

A loud laugh echoed out from the small house on wheels as the curtains were flung open in a majestic and artistic reveal of joy and welcoming personality. Unlike the house and all its colours, the pandaren within was dressed in his white apron and a brown shirt. His black fur always had a different story and his scarred eye just as many. Rumours has it he was cut along the eye as he fought a large crab that he had decided to cook for a meal. Most of the kids around had decided that it had to be the real story.

“WELCOME ALL!” he almost sung out in a cheerful tone, “Seems you all brought some friends with you, eh? Hope ya’ll hungry then!”.

Many in the crowd yelled in agreement as the masses stumbled a little closer to the cart. The bear within wielded his ladle with precision, filling three bowls at a time with that of a steaming thick stew. This wasn’t what some served, not much of a soup or broth but a hearty stew with a broth thick enough to stick to the bread, so stick to the bulkier vegetables and meat. The serving was always a little messy as the chef loved to put a show on for the kids. Telling stories about the great islands he had seen, and fairy tales about some heroic fight between him and the vegetables within this stew.

“Oh, glad you were all here. Might’ve needed ya help. The darned carrots were rebelling!” he spoke out loudly and playful. “… luckily I was supported by the army of rolls. It was a glorious battle!”

Bread rolls were almost by magic produced with a quick flick of his wrists, letting one dump into each bowl as they were passed along. His steady eyes kept scanning the crowd to be sure that people were getting their bowl of food and no one were to bullying them from their meal. There were a few rowdy people in the back but nothing a precision throw of a carrot stump couldn’t halt in time.

“Ya better quit that or I’ll dunk your head in the dishwashing water… AFTER YOUR DONE WITH THE DISHES!” he shouted out, ending in a growl as his bulk was half way out of the small house on wheels.

They all seemed to take his demands serious, slowly stumbling backwards to sit against a wall while eating under his surveying gaze. His serious gaze was broken rather quickly as a small girl was yanking at his apron, smiling wide once his eyes met hers. He sneakily passed her a spare bread roll before his large paw patted her head, ruffling her hair and sending her laughing the most purest laugh.

He leaned against one wall of the cart, this is what he sought, tranquillity and peace. Xeroth was no fighter but this war was a war he could fight. Making sure people are able to get through the hardship that is rippling through the people after each war has claimed their victims.

Chef Xeroth Ironmist smiled widely, reaching for something to nipple on himself while he was watching over the many that had come to visit him today, and tomorrow it would maybe be more. His funding was gathered between many orders, guilds and houses of lords to make sure the citizens were taken care of. He sank his teeth into his snack. The brown wides went wide as he quickly knelt down to the floor to spit out the raw celery stalk that he had bitten in to.

“Hopefully there’s gonna be more left for me than… Yuck… Celery” he laughed as he pulled himself up to the cauldron to see the rich stew was still plentiful.He let his wooden ladle stride through the stew to fish up the tender meat and vegetables into his own small bowl. the thick broth hung onto the chunks as he should.

He licked his lips before leading his spoon for a grand mouthful, savouring the flavours and texture of the meat and vegetables, letting the broth to be slurped up in a few gulps happily and pleased.

“Just like mama’s… “ he spoke softly and dug in for another mouthful.

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Very wholesome story! It’s good to see a fan story that focuses on something more peaceful, and with great detail!

The criticism I have is your use of “A small house on wheels” repeatedly, do you mean “Carriage” or “Wagon”? I know English isn’t your primary language, but this is the only mistake I can see. Still very nice :smiley:.

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Oooh what a nice story, I really love how you describe the whole cooking process and how his reactions are during the cooking :relaxed:

And the little allusions to his past that might or might never be answered… And it doesn’t matter, because the serene cook in this moment is what matters :smile:

I would love to read more stories about little moments like this :slight_smile:

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Oh, I know the other terms but they didn’t do it just. Imagine a small cabin but balancing oddly on the frame of a wagon. That is how I imagined it.

@Moothilda (Apparently I can’t comment too much yet)
I love to write but in the end, I like to take grasp on the things that just feels like you sat down and just… waited. Taking in things.

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Yeah, I know what you mean :slightly_smiling_face:
This is a precious moment you made.

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I’ve got many of these ones. Dunno, for me it is easier to escape the mind. I’ll share more as time goes if people aren’t going to be scared away by them.

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That’s pretty cool. Now I wish Ironmist was in WoW, traveling between each capital with his house, giving away his snacks… That would be such a nice sight to see. :grin:

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