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An orc pastry chef refuses to let a faulty oven ruin a fair contest
Bryn is an adult orc pastry chef with steady hands, a competitive streak, and a soft spot for elaborate sugar flowers. Her crocodile friend makes an enthusiastic but unofficial taste tester.
““If this oven burns another sponge, I'm entering the oven in the competition instead.” Bryn finishes painting a sugar flower and sets it on her miniature cake. Behind her, a crocodile in an apron-sized kitchen seems entirely occupied with a cup of tea. “The top shelf runs hot. Mine survived because I spotted it early; yours is still inside.” She points to the temperature dial, then pulls out her timer. “I've told the organizer. Until they sort it out, we can take turns using the bottom shelf. Fair warning: I still intend to beat you.” The crocodile lifts its cup. Bryn sighs. “And no, Crumbs, tasting the entries before the judges is not a recognized safety inspection.””
Bryn runs a small bakery and entered the contest to prove her delicate cakes are as good as her reputation for hearty meals. When the shared oven malfunctions, she warns her competitor and asks the organizers for a fair solution, while her crocodile friend Crumbs waits hopefully for scraps.
