After a brief stop in their room to change into more formal dress (which essentially involved wrapping togas over their regular tunics), Coeus leads Anisa, Aaron and Lucia to the first table on the south side of the hall, where the families and guests of the clan warriors sit. Once they're seated, the coney leaves them to join his own family, which is several tables further down.

The warriors' side of the head table is taken up by the group Anisa saw returning from the raid earlier, with Linnea near the center of the table. Next to her is a black Lapi male nearly as tall as she is and who bears a clear family resemblance. Roland sits at the far end of the table, next to Epimethius.

Anisa takes her seat between Aaron and the larger doe, smoothing out her toga – something she's never worn before. Looking around, she takes note of where everyone is, keeping quiet for the time being until she's sure it's alright to speak.

The hall begins to fill up, and there is that odd quietness to it that belies the number of people present. The smells of food begin to circulate once the kitchen doors at the far end are opened.

An older black buck with a white chin and white "gloves" sits down across from the trio, and adjusts his spectacles to get a better look at them. "Ah, is that you, Aaron?" he asks.

"Hi, Dad!" Aaron says in reply, genuinely happy to see the old Lapi. "These are Anisa and Lucia Snowshoe," he goes on, introducing the does. "No relation."

Aaron turns to Anisa, and says, "Anisa, this is my father, Esai Lightfoot."

"We've met," Lucia says, and nods her head politely to Esai.

Anisa visibly brightens at the sight of the patron Lapi, and offers her hand to him in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you! Aaron's told me quite a bit about you." She glances to Lucia, then back to Esai. "I must say, Aaron takes more after you than his mother."

The older Lapi chuckles and takes Anisa's hand, kissing the back of her wrist. "Well, I should hope he does! I'd much rather raise a son who is a lover rather than a fighter."

Aaron's whiskers twitch, but he doesn't appear to be as embarrassed by his father's comment as he normally would be.

The doe's ears blush, expecting a shake instead of a kiss. "Well, he's a bit of both it would seem, from his reputation." She grins to Aaron. "Do you plan on staying around for all the festivities?"

"Oh yes," Esai says, and leans back in his chair. "I've been traveling for nearly a week, and I look forward to just sitting around a bit and watching the women take care of things for a few days." The old man's eyes practically twinkle behind his glasses. "I take it you are a friend of Aaron's from Rephidim then? You seem fairly outgoing, and I mean that as a compliment."

"Yeah, born and raised there," replies Anisa. "He invited me to come along and experience the Amazonian New Year, I guess so he didn't have to make the trip alone." She grins, "I haven't been disappointed so far."

Servants and slaves begin marching up the central aisle, bearing platters heaped with food. There are dozens of kinks of bread, vegetable pies, breaded squashes and a number of dishes that Anisa has never seen before. They start serving at the head table, and then begin to lay out platters on the other tables.

"She invited herself, really," Aaron says hastily. "She's been training me in self-defense, and helping me out with the business and getting settled into my house. We're just friends."

Anisa arches her brow at the buck. "You're the one that asked me." She rolls her eyes, betraying a smirk. "But anyway, yes, I'm training him to be able to take care of himself better. Linnea seems to approve." The doe watches the platters of food, twitching her nose as the servants get closer.

Esai's graying eyebrows rise up, and he asks his son, "So, it's alright if I flirt with her, then?" As the platters arrive, he grabs a roll of black bread and breaks it apart, offering pieces to Anisa and Lucia. "This stuff is only made on these holidays, so is a rare treat."

The smaller of the does gives a small laugh. "I wouldn't mind I guess, since Aaron doesn't want to." She takes the offered bread, gives it a quick sniff, then takes an experimental bite.

Lucia accepts the bread with a smile, and says, "Thank you, sir." Several bowls of dips and dressings are laid out next to the bread platter, and more food is arriving.

The black bread is somewhat peppery, but not as spicy as kyootcumber would be. It has chunks of some dark vegetable in it which tastes like sweet potato, as well as several kinds of wild rice.

Aaron takes some bread for himself. "How was your shopping trip to Sylvania, Dad? Still keeping Kerebos ahead of the competition?"

Anisa takes a bigger bite of the bread, this time trying it with some of the dip. "Competition?"

"Oh, it was a fairly uneventful trip," Esai remarks after dipping his bread in a bit of vinegar. "The other clans, my dear," he notes to Anisa. "My little trips ensure that Kerebos curries the most favor from the gods, you see," he adds with a sly wink.

The doe arches a brow. "What exactly do you compete against them for?" She takes another bite of the bread. "I thought that the clan only had to do with Linnea's side of the family."

"It's why Mom's family leads the clan right now," Aaron says, before finishing off his bread. "Because Dad can bring in stuff from outside of Amazonia."

"Oh," Anisa replies. "So basically, you bring goods in from outside, and that gives you a leg up in trade?"

Platters of fried and breaded squash begin to circulate, along with bowls of some sort of cold vegetable chowder. Lucia takes a large helping for herself of each.

"Not trade so much as … status," Esai notes, and takes a bowl of chowder. "Although I also sell some of the clan goods abroad as well, which helps."

Anisa heaps a rather large portion of the foodstuffs onto her plate as well; she's known for having a sizeable appetite. "So more stuff equals higher status? Guess that makes sense." The doe takes a bite of squash. "You ought to sell those Angoran tunics in Rephidim; I bet they'd sell great."

Aaron tries some of the squash, and then adds some cream dressing to it. "Remember what happened at the temple in Olympia, Anisa? Well, Dad found a way to increase the number of sacrifices Kerebos can offer without them having to use actual people."

"Oh, we do sell the fur to Rephidim and Gallis," Esai chuckles. "Only nobles can afford it, though."

The doe's ears set forward in curiosity. "Without using real people? How so?" She tries the chowder, then wipes her mouth. "I have to say I was a bit, er, surprised with my encounter with them."

Lucia perks her ears as well. "Ah, I have heard of the 'secret' of Clan Kerebos. It is why I chose to join it, although I have not seen the secret yet. In Valkyria, sacrifices must be groomed from childhood for many years before they are ready."

"That is true of the Dianusian Clans as well, Lucia," Esai says. "But they do not have access to outside trade. You will see the secret after the meal, when the warriors and guardians choose their offerings."

Aaron ears go back, and sets down his slice of vegetable pie to say, "I'd forgotten about that part. At least we don't have to go to the temple with them."

Anisa flops her ears sideways in mild annoyance, but then shrugs and turns her attention back to her meal. "This doesn't have to do with all the Dagh stuff, does it?"

Esai nods to Anisa. "Indeed it does. Warriors make offerings to Him on this night to receive the blessings of stealth and subterfuge, while the guardians do so in order to see through such trickery."

Anisa sets her ears back as well. "Can't say as I'm looking forward to that part."

"We won't have to go," Aaron assures the doe, then appears to rethink that and looks to Lucia. "Err, are you going?"

"I am not part of the Clan yet, and have nothing to offer up of my own," Lucia explains, shaking her head. "However, I may wish to attend the ceremonies, since this is to be my new home. I do not expect you to come with me."

The smaller doe frowns, smoothing her ears back with a sigh. "I guess we should go, or at least I should. It'd give a better grasp of what this place is like, and that way Lucia doesn't have to go alone." She smiles to the bigger Snowshoe.

"I never go to those things myself," Esai says, and drinks some spring water. "Bunch of nonsense to me … except for the ones for Ashtoreth. Now those people know how to put on a show."

Lucia returns Anisa's smile with a look of mild surprise, and nods to her. "Very well then."

"I'd better tag along then too," Aaron says with a sigh.

Anisa looks to the buck. "You don't have to," she says. "I can tell it's not something you're looking forward to. I dunno that I really want to see it either."

Chuckling, Esai reaches over to pat his son's hand, and says, "Don't look so down about it. Girls always appreciate someone who brings the bucket and holds their ears back for them. Although they do tend to be depressing affairs."

"I would not wish to put either of you through something you will find unpleasant," Lucia says, looking concerned. "I can go with Roland, or wait until the New Year ceremony."

Anisa blinks at this, placing her food aside as the older buck's words already cause her to become sick to her stomach. "No, I guess I can go. If I'm gonna know what Amazonian culture is all about, I guess it's part of the deal."

"I'll go too then, so Anisa has someone there who can sympathize with her," Aaron says, a bit more confidently than before.

The doe smiles to Aaron in silent thanks, then turns back to Esai. "You don't spend much time here, I take it? Does Linnea travel much with you?"

"Ah, youth," Esai rambles. "I remember when I would seek to pit myself against my own sensibilities. Good thing, too, or you wouldn't have been born, Aaron."

Anisa stifles a giggle at Esai's comment.

Aaron almost chokes on his pie.

"I have heard that Linnea traveled as a mercenary after her marriage," Lucia says, looking to Esai. "But I do not know why she left to travel with you. How did you even meet?"

"Yeah, I'm curious about that too," adds Anisa. "Aaron gave me a little picture, but never told the whole story."

"Oh, it was one of those rare encounters," Esai says with a grin. "I was trying to make a name for myself by taking a caravan directly into Olympia to load up on wine, rather than go through a local merchant. Of course, I didn't know that the wine country bordered Amazonia at the time."

Aaron settles back into his seat and twitches his whiskers. He's heard this story before, but listens anyway.

Anisa perks her ears forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in her palm as she listens.

"My men were simply not prepared when a raiding party of giant women on Vykarins came screaming down on us," the old Lapi says, shaking his head. "We were completely stunned into immobility. It wasn't until a giantess as black as night dismounted and raised her sword to strike me down that I remembered the loaded crossbow in my lap."

The doe raises her eyebrows at this, remaining silent to let Esai continue.

"I fumbled for it, and it went off before I actually had a chance to aim it, but fortuitously it struck my attacker in the leg and halted her charge. My other men were not so lucky, and were taken prisoner," Esai recalls. "The rest of the raiders vanished into the hills, leaving me with a wounded and very dangerous doe and her equally nasty Vykarin mount."

Aaron smirks at this part.

Anisa cracks a smile, leaning back in her chair as she takes a sip from her cup.

Winking, Esai says, "She did calm down eventually, thanks to some blood loss. Being the gentleman that I am, I offered her aid and apologized for shooting her, and got her Vykarin drunk on mead as well. She was quite pleasant when she wasn't trying to kill me, it turned out, and we traded stories into the wee hours."

"Did the others ever come back?" asks Anisa, leaning forward again.

"Oh, perhaps they did," Esai says. "I didn't stay to find out. My attacker felt shamed at being defeated by a mere merchant, and wasn't ready to return to them either. I didn't realize then that she was the notorious Black Linnea, scourge of the Languor Coast," he adds with a chuckle.

Anisa grins, nudging Aaron jokingly. "So what happened next?"

Lucia's eyes are wide as she listens to all of this.

"Oh, she traveled with me awhile," Esai says. "I was penniless then, having lost nearly everything in the raid. But there was always need for someone with a good sword-arm, and I became Linnea's manager. By the time we made it back to Abu Dhabi, we'd run out of cultural differences to shock each other with and got along fairly well."

"I'm sure Abu Dhabi was quite a shock for her," says Anisa. "Not to mention a lot of other things."

"Of course, once Alexander was born I had built my trade back up again, and we were able to return to Dianus and get married," Esai says, then chuckles at Anisa. "Oh, she absolutely loved Abu Dhabi. She was a real hit there as well. All of the knowledge she picked up on our travels was enough, she felt, that she could use it to her Clan's advantage, and make up for her defeat."

"Did they think she was dead?" asks the doe. "I'd imagine being gone that long then suddenly returning was surprising."

"Oh, there was surprise at her return, certainly," Esai says with a nod, "and calls to expel her from the Clan for taking an outsider as a mate. But then she cut off old Ursula's head, and that was that. She was the new head of the Clan, and it helped that her brother Xerxes was the commander of the guardians. I doubt anyone's regretted her takeover, either."

Anisa sticks out her tongue at the head chopping part. "Erg, um, lovely. But I guess if that's how it's done around here… " Forgetting her prior nausea, the doe starts in on her meal again. "So Linnea's pretty world-knowledgeable. No wonder she's top doe here."

"Xerxes runs most things, really," Aaron comments. "Mom isn't exactly the managerial type."

"Ah, but she's a fine figure of a figurehead, Aaron," Esai says, turning to blow a kiss to Linnea at the head table.

The small doe giggles at the patron's antics, then finishes off her squash. "No wonder I get along with Aaron so well; both his parents are as likeable as they come."

Ears down, Aaron complains, "For pity's sake, Dad, do you have to do that while I'm trying to eat?"

"Now now, Aaron, you'll be married someday, and learn to appreciate the advantages of being with a mature doe," Esai says in a sage tone. "You'd be amazed at the tricks you pick up over time, and what you can do when you don't have to worry about having kids anymore."

Aaron tugs on his ears. "Gah! You shouldn't say stuff like that. Anisa will have nightmares about her parents now!"

Anisa laughs. "I'll be having nightmares? My parents are still fairly romantic with each other, flopear." The doe grins at the buck. "Besides, it's cute!"

Lucia actually seems to be in shock at the realization. "Do you mean… at your age… but… " She takes a drink of water and shakes her head to clear it. "This romance must be a powerful potion then."

Anisa grins at the larger doe. "See what you've been missing out on? It's a rare thing, though. Most guys are like Xavier and avoid it."

At the flopear remark, Aaron straightens his ears and holds them both erect, then blinks at Anisa. "Hey, I don't avoid romance. I'm very romantic!"

"Sure you are," replies the smaller Snowshoe, "as long as it doesn't get you into any kind of commitment!" The white Lapi stifles a giggle, enjoying her taunting of the buck.

"Perhaps you would consider traveling for awhile before joining up with a Clan again, Lucia," Esai suggests to the Amazonian.

Aaron's ears turn red. "Well, I have a proper house now, so I can be more serious about these things," he says, somewhat defensively. "You're just jealous because I haven't been romantic with you, Anisa."

Lucia quietly thinks about Esai's suggestion while she chews her food.

Anisa takes a sip of water, her eyes betraying her grin underneath. "It's hard to take romance seriously from someone you get to punch at every day." Trying not to laugh, she turns back to Esai. "I say she should come visit me in Rephidim one of these days. We might even be distant cousins!"

"An Amazonian on a Sky Island?" Esai asks, smirking. "Could set a disturbing precedent. Linnea might want to go next."

Aaron's ears pale once more at the thought of his mother visiting.

"She ought to," says the smaller doe. "That is, once Aaron gets better settled into his new place."

"Fly to a sky island in one of those magic boats?" Lucia says, a look of horror on her face.

Anisa places a consoling paw on top of Lucia's. "Hey, if you can ride a Vykarin, you can fly in an airship. It's actually pretty fun!"

"Perhaps I could visit some places on the ground first," Lucia says, not looking reassured.

"That's probably not a bad idea," Anisa says, turning her attention to the vegetable stew. "Maybe travel along with Esai. I'm sure he could show you places."

"And you don't need any help intimidating the bucks on Rephidim anyway, Anisa," Aaron points out, grinning.

Anisa smirks. "I never said I did. You guys are pushovers."

Esai nods. "Linnea and I will be traveling again not long after New Year's, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind a little extra company."

Turning his ears back, Aaron crosses his arms and says, "Well, we'll see about that tomorrow during the boxing exhibition."

"Exhibition?" Esai says, perking his ears forward and grinning.

"Before Epimethius's trainees, in the wrestling circle," Lucia adds helpfully.

Aaron's ears droop once more, as he realizes his mistake.

Anisa keeps one ear on Esai and Lucia, and another on Aaron. She grins, and looks up to the patchwork buck. "Yeah, I think we will! You'll finally get a chance to take on your master, in a way." The doe crosses her arms. "I hope you're ready for it."

"Your mother and I will be sure to attend then, Aaron," the old buck says.

Servants begin to collect the empty platters, now that most of the diners have finished. Apparently, Amazonians haven't discovered the concept of "dessert" yet.

Aaron hmms, wondering who needs to impress his mother more now; himself or Anisa.

"I hope you don't mind," says Anisa to the elder buck. "We promised we'd show what unarmed combat was like to Epimethius' students. Plus, I'm trying to see how much of Aaron's mother is actually in him." The doe grins.

"Oh dear! Not much, I hope," the old buck says. "Not that I mind him killing now and then, when necessary. Just so long as he doesn't give out a victory yell or keep souvenirs."

"Souvenirs? Not of our bout, I hope." The small doe smirks.

"That reminds me," Aaron says, and switches to Standard to whisper to his father, "Alexander sent me the you-know-what, just so you know."

Esai nods to Aaron, but doesn't say anything.

Anisa perks her ears at the sudden change, and turns to look at Aaron. "The what?" she whispers in Standard. "Not the … armor?"

A gong is struck somewhere near the end of the hall, and even the mild noise of hushed Lapis dies off. Aaron nods quickly to Anisa, and then raises a finger to his lips in a "hush" gesture.

Anisa's ears spring up at the gong, and she mouths an "oh" before turning to the source of the sound.

A group of dark-robed Lapis makes its way up the center aisle. All of them have black fur, but vary in gender, height and age. One of them even has the long fur of an Angor. Each one carries aloft a black spear, the butts of which they knock on the floor in time with their steps.

Behind the half-dozen spear-bearers is another group – apparently acolytes, as their robes aren't as fancy. They carry several large wicker baskets.

Anisa blinks, watching the scene with close interest. Her brain fills up with many questions, but she refrains from asking them while the ceremony continues.

The priests reach the head table, and thump their spears a final time. At this signal, most of the warriors and guardians stand up from their seats and begin to file down to the floor of the hall.

Unable to stay quiet anymore, Anisa leans over to Aaron. "What are they doing now?" she whispers into his ear.

Turning to face each other, the priests touch the tips of their spears together to form an archway. One by one, the warriors and guardians pass underneath it in silence, while the acolytes set down their baskets and remove the tops.

Aaron barely turns towards the doe, and whispers, "Choosing their offerings to Dagh."

The burly Lapis pause to inspect the contents of the baskets, and then each reaches in to pull out … a rabbit of the non-anthropomorphic variety. Specifically, they choose rabbits who have markings similar to their own.

Lucia's eyes go wide again, and her nose becomes a twitching blur.

At this, Anisa does a double take. She had heard of four legged smaller Lapis before, but had never actually seen them before. Like Lucia, her nose speeds its pace rapidly.

The warriors and guardians form up into two lines behind the acolytes, cradling rabbits in their arms that bear uncanny likenesses to themselves. The gong sounds once more, and the entire procession does an about-face and marches back towards the far end of the hall.

The seated Lapis begin to stir once the ceremony is over, and begin to trickle out of the hall.

Anisa scratches her ears in confusion, looking at the father and son bucks. "Were those things … little Lapis? Where did they get them at?"

"So now you know the secret, Lucia," Esai says. "Each warrior and guardian is able to offer up a sacrifice, while the other Clans can only provide one, at best, for their entire Clan."

"Sylvania," Aaron explains. "They can only be found there, and apparently won't breed anywhere else."

Anisa shakes her head. "How does that help the Clan though? It still seems kind of … mean."

"I see now why Kerebos is favored by the Gods," Lucia whispers in awe.

"It's a status thing, mostly, since only Dad can bring in the rabbits," Aaron says. "But there's a certain sympathetic quality to the sacrifices, since they have similar markings to those offering them. And maybe the gods really can't tell the difference, or are impressed by cleverness."

The smaller doe frowns, but then shrugs. "I guess it's better than killing people, but it'd still creep me out. It'd creep me out to even see one of those little things that looked like I do."

"The other Clans offer up produce, or other goods usually," Esai adds. "A Lapi sacrifice is only used for a specific deity, and takes years to groom. They can't offer one up every year."

Linnea comes up behind Esai, and leans down to kiss him on the top of his head. "Welcome back, husband. You cut it close again."

"So this all actually works?" Anisa's interest deepens, but at Linnea's arrival she quiets her questions, and smiles up at the large doe. "Hello again, ma'am. Your husband is quite the charmer!"

The black doe raises an eyebrow, and asks, "Has he been flirting with you, Anysia?"

"That depends," replies the smaller doe. "Will it get him in trouble if I say 'yes?'"

Esai rolls his eyes, "Really, dear, I was only being polite."

Linnea pats Esai on the head, and smiles toothily to Anisa. "Lightfoots are always in trouble, regardless."

Standing up, Lucia bows to Linnea, and turns to Aaron and Anisa. "If you still wish to accompany me to the ceremony, we should leave soon."

Anisa grins. "In that case, yes he was, but only a little. And I think more to embarrass Xavier than for anything else."

Aaron hrmphs.

Nodding, Anisa gets up from her chair, ruffling Aaron's ears in the process. "Yeah, we'd better get going. Still coming, Xavier?"

"Ah, there is little challenge in embarrassing my son!" Linnea says with a laugh, and then looks at Aaron. "You are going to the ceremony? Perhaps there is hope for you yet, Xavier."

"Yes, I'm coming along," Aaron says, standing up and offering his hand to Anisa.

Arching her brow, Anisa takes the offered hand, smiling lightly. "Are you coming, ma'am?"

"Oh no, I've been to enough of them before," Linnea says, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture as Aaron helps Anisa up from her seat.

"I guess we'll be on our way then," says the small doe. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Esai, I hope we get to see more of each other, but I'm sure we will. You have a few things left to teach Xavier." She grins at Aaron.

The ride into Dianus on the back of Lucia's Vykarin, Hudak, is quite an experience on a full stomach. Even with the Valkyrian in front of her and Aaron behind her, Anisa was still bounced around enough to make her think her tail was going to fall off.

Being mounted did give them a better view of things, however, since the foot-bound crowds around the Temple of Dagh quickly made way for the Vykarin.

The temple itself is faced in expensive black marble, with numerous brass braziers providing light and noticeable heat – although nothing near the heat put out by the blazing pyre that was serving as an altar for the holiday. Lesser pyres are set out for the common people to leave their offerings, but most of the people seem to be there to see what the Clans would be offering.

Anisa watches the crowds from the back of the mount, feeling a bit sandwiched in between the other two Lapi. "So everyone makes sacrifices, not just the warriors?"

"Everyone who wishes Dagh's favor," Lucia says, "although most people don't need it. Dagh isn't a very popular deity to them."

The main pyre flares up as several large Lapis hurl baskets full of fish into it. The smell is less than holy.

Aaron covers his nose. "Well, that must be Gogran up there now."

"I can't imagine why," the smaller doe says sarcastically. The smell of the fish causes her nose to scrunch up in disgust, and she pinches it shut (although breathing through her mouth is almost worse.) "Are they gonna … throw those rabbits into the fire like that?" The doe sets her ears back nervously.

The buck doesn't answer. Another group approaches the pyre after the priests bless the fish-hurlers. This one is made up of smaller Lapis – or normal sized ones, from Anisa's perspective – bearing finely crafted terra-cotta pots full of grain and rice. This offering goes a long way towards combating the burnt-fish stench, and raises a cheer from the crowd.

"Hydron," Aaron explains. "They're the most mercantile of the Clans, and pretty big in the Gladiatorial games."

"They seem so much smaller than everyone else," comments Anisa. "Are they considered a lower status?"

"No, they're one of the more prominent Clans actually," Aaron says. "They are well known for their cleverness, and have a lot to do with the running of the city."

"They are good artisans as well," Lucia adds, admiring the vessels used to hold the offerings.

Anisa nods. "So I guess size isn't everything then."

The Kerebos group arrives next, larger than the preceding ones, since almost every warrior and guardian is there. Each receives a blessing as they hand over their rabbits, which do not go into the fire. Instead, they are carried into the depths of the temple itself with much reverence.

"Well, that doesn't seem so bad," Aaron says.

The small doe squints as the priests disappear with the animals. "They do it where no one can see. Maybe it'd be too much of a shock to see your alter ego get done in."

"The priests use the animals for divination rituals, I imagine," Lucia comments. "It would explain why they are seen as having such a high value."

Anisa blinks. "And I guess those would be more revered than anything else. It's kind of creepy." The doe fidgets in her seat uncomfortably.

The next group arrives in full armor, bearing a standard with a two-headed monster on it. They carry a bound and gagged doe, dressed in a different style of armor and bearing a different standard on the breastplate.

Aaron urks. "Kimera. They've been fighting with Cyclon for generations, and it looks like they captured one of their warriors," he says, sounding ill.

Anisa jolts to attention at this, her ears springing upwards at the arrival of the captured doe. "Wait… wait a second. She's not even part of their clan, and they're going to sacrifice her?" The doe looks back to Aaron. "Can they do that?"

"She is no longer a warrior of Cyclon if she allowed herself to be captured alive," Lucia says calmly. "That puts her in the same class as an animal."

Indeed, there are several warriors near the front of the crowd wearing the same armor as the captive, and they appear unmoved by the plight of their former comrade.

Anisa fidgets even more in her seat, ears set back in aggravation at the sight. "We can't just let them … kill her like that!"

The Kimera warriors roughly strip the armor from the captive, which doesn't resist at all. Finally, a burly warrior snaps the sacrifice's neck with single quick twist of the head, and lets her drop to the ground.

"There's nothing – " Aaron begins to say, then he turns away from the sight.

Several acolytes appear and carry the corpse into the temple.

Anisa winces hard at the sight of the sacrifice, and turns quickly backwards, burying her face in Aaron's shoulder. "That's … that's terrible!"

"A merciful death for a fallen warrior," Lucia comments, bowing her head for a moment.

Aaron puts an arm around Anisa and stays quiet. On the steps of the temple, more Kimera warriors offer up baskets of coal to the fire.

Still shuddering, the doe cautiously looks up and back at the pyre, a sinking feeling in her stomach, as well as a nauseous one.

After the blessings, the party from Clan Cyclon arrives. Their offerings of cloth and leather are fed to the fire by a coney dressed in the robes of an acolyte, and there is a small ceremony where the boy is formally given to the temple to become a priest.

They also quietly collect the armor left behind from the previous sacrifice.

After the Cyclons leave, the head priest of Dagh steps forth and appears to deliver a sermon, but the roar of the pyre renders it inaudible from this distance, even to Lapi ears.

Anisa watches the induction of the boy, wiping some tears from her eyes and shuddering a little less. As the head priest appears, however, the shudders return, and the doe doesn't even attempt to listen in.

Lucia clicks and clucks in accented Vykarin to Hudak, who begins to move back through the thinning crowd towards the Kerebos gate. She apparently isn't interested in the sermon either. "Your ceremonies are much cleaner than in Valkyria," she notes.

"They're not our ceremonies, Lucia," Aaron notes, as he offers Anisa a handkerchief from a pocket in his tunic. "We just pay taxes on Rephidim."

Anisa takes the handkerchief, and wipes her eyes with it. "Yeah, we're not Amazonian. We usually celebrate things like this with parades or games or something."

Lucia nods, looking apologetic. "Forgive me, Xavier. Still, the wealth of the Dianusians is impressive, that they can give such offerings. This is surely the land of milk and honey." Here, she turns to look at Anisa. "Parades?"

The smaller doe hands the handkerchief back to Aaron, then nods to Valkyrian. "You know, where people put together floats and walk through the streets while everyone else watches. Trying to see who has the most colorful or most fun display."

"And these are your offerings to the Gods?" Lucia asks, sounding confused. "By… walking with boats?"

Aaron almost snickers behind Anisa.

Sniffing a last couple of times, Anisa gives a couple of laughs, the topic seeming to cheer her up. "No, they aren't really offerings or anything, they're just for fun and to celebrate."

"Ah, to celebrate or commemorate a victory over your enemies?" the larger Snowshoe asks, in a tone of "this must be what Anisa means."

Anisa shakes her head. "No, just to celebrate in general. We don't do much in the way of battling."

It takes a few moments before Lucia brings herself to ask, "If you celebrate your generals, then surely you have some battles?"

The smaller doe gives a quick loud laugh, but then slaps a paw to her mouth, stifling the rest into giggles. "Sorry, I didn't mean 'generals' in the military sense. I meant … hmmm … I mean we celebrate just as an excuse to celebrate. To be alive I suppose." She looks back to Aaron. "Any input?"

"It's all a scam to sell flowers and candy," Aaron explains, "and to distract the populace from their everyday problems and complaints. Sort of like the coliseum, but with better food."

Anisa rolls her eyes. "Don't listen to him, he's jaded." She grins. "It's an excuse to have fun, and if it's a scam, then he profits handsomely from it."

"You come from a very complicated world," Lucia concludes, as Hudak passes through the Kerebos gate and picks up speed, once more doing his best to rearrange the internal organs of his riders.