Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.31.1: A Rauvuren Dinner

Red velvet curtains in elegant drapes adorned the dining hall windows. Two chandeliers hung high on the ceiling and lanterns hovered amongst them. Empty tables each had a beige tablecloth with large maroon flowers weaved in the fabric. Wooden chairs flanked both sides, and adult and child Rauvuren occupied most. They all sat in silence. Only a few coughs and squeaky fidgeting of chairs could be heard.

A table near the door was almost full except for three open seats. The one at the head was decked with sapphires and gold specks along the rim. Xohr led Pinti to one seat, Daero next to her, and he took the head. Opposite her sat Emphrelius who squared his shoulders back and clasped his hands in front.

With a slight click, the lights went out. Pinti twitched her whiskers as a tingling sensation buzzed around her. She could hardly smell anything apart from the faint scent of thyme. There were excited murmurs all around. Anticipation made her fur prickle. Every Rauvuren seemed to be waiting for something.

A spark of flames came skidding across the table, startling her.

"Heizak!" she whispered, bristling.

The flames shot up, hitting the chandeliers, and making them sway. Pinti's heart thumped against her chest.

What was that? Silence followed. Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness. Vague purple lumps—Rauvuren—sat around grayish tables. She caught Daero making a light in his paw, trying to see what was going on.

A warmth surged from atop the table. Rauvuren cheered and the lights snapped back on. Instantly Pinti was overwhelmed with all the color but most of all, the scents. Savory, sweet, sour, spicy, nutty—any scent that she could ever identify and more which she couldn't.

Where did all this food come from? She glanced around the dining hall, but there were only walls and no doors as far as she could tell. Despite the delicious scents enticing her to eat, Pinti didn't feel all that hungry. She did eat not so long ago and she still wasn't willing to fully trust Xohr, much less Emphrelius.

"Attention all," Xohr's booming, cheerful voice echoed off the walls, "tonight is a celebration feast. Not of Wegginfaezerie City's carnival," he said and Rauvuren booed, stomping their feet on the floor.

Emphrelius shouted, "Damned Sorcerers!"

Xohr chuckled and gave a wink. "Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of Kathula." He nodded to Pinti and Daero. "Exhaustion has certainly gone to our heads. The past century has been filled with more skirmishes between us than ever before." His face clouded and his ears drooped. Emphrelius reached over to pat his paw. They exchanged saddened smiles.

"But now, the time has arrived. It has been foretold by the Lunar Goddess that when a Kathula comes to Rauvuren Yava, our time has come to an end. Rauvuren will be freed from their debt, I can pass on the powers, the duty of the Keeper, and I can finally lay down to rest."

When he paused, there were a few sniffles coming from different parts of the room. A heavy sadness was felt along with the sour stench of fear. Pinti wondered what they could possible be afraid of. They were going to be freed!

Maybe fear of the outside world? she wondered. Having been secluded and then somewhat freed herself, she did understand that kind of fear.

Xohr panned his gaze around the room and raised his glass. "A cheer to Kathula and a toast to all Rauvuren who have, even in our darkest times, kept Rauvuren Yava in good enough spirits to keep us going," he paused, "one may say, kept us going until this day."

Everyone took a sip except Pinti and Daero. They did raise their glasses, but the contents had a strange scent both sour and bitter. They lifted it to their lips but didn't tip it back. Pinti smirked at herself for remembering this technique she learned from watching Humans.