A shared meal

The smell of wood smoke pierced the...night, If you could call it that. Certainly, from where I left it would be night by now.
 
I was led through hewn stone halls by mother; the smells of meats and spices growing stronger with every step, clouding my senses. Hungry. So hungry. I remember the ache I felt inside, and with it, I began to ready myself for the fight to come.
 
She had said I didn’t need to fight any more but.... It was food. That’s how it worked.
 
We entered a large open room, with rows of tables and benches, and a wide variety of creatures sat at them, eating, drinking, talking. Not a single creature looked ready for combat; and then I saw what I’d smelled. Food. Huge mounds of it on silvered trays. Just sitting there. Ready for the taking.
 
I began to sprint toward it but Mother held aside a hand in front of me, and I was stopped in my tracks by some unseen force.
 
“Xerrakir, child, you need not fight here. You need not take to survive. Here, we share all our bounty, and are better for it.”
 
As she spoke, another creature approached. A dragonborn with pale skin like mine, their scales shimmering by the firelight. In their hands was a tray piled with food. A whole roasted beast of some kind, breads, soup, skewered meats and a wedge of cheese. They held it out toward me, and I felt the force lessen and leave me. They would... Willingly give me this much?
 
I did not understand. But I took the food, carefully. The dragonborn smiled and gestured toward one of the semi-empty tables. We sat and..shared a meal.
 
What a strange world I’ve found myself in.