Defeating Dragons

Chapter 6 - Feast

I follow Vaneesa and Nashta to the feast in the grassy area in the centre of the town.

I smile as much as I can when being wacked on the back. I know they are trying to be friendly, but I quickly lost Vaneesa and Nashta as many Lakamhaans came by to say hi. They pat me on the back, surely. It's just that they have much larger frames than mine. With alien strength that is a bit much for me to casually handle.

I am eventually squished onto a table.

There is a lot of food. Almost as far as the eyes can see. It is dark, so not that far. Just enough to see the large table across the grassy area with many a fancy dressed Lahamhaan all rammed in the table together. that I can't tell any face from another. The lights on and around the table are dim lights of a dark yellow, almost orange colour. Then it's dark, and far in the background, between buildings, are some dimly glowing trees of green, pink and purple. A couple of building lights go off, then more 'hello's and 'welcome's and 'what a feast' excited exclamations are followed.

Guess they like to make things atmospheric.

I look back at the food. I'm pretty sure it's all food, although no one seems to be eating yet. There is much chatter and laughter though. The food is so rammed onto the table that there is hardly room for plates and glasses. Although the glasses are all filled. I hope it's not alcohol. I can't smell any yet, so I guess that's good. There are fruits between everything - a lot of the fruit from the centre tree.

I didn't think there was that much fruit on the tree. Is it fast-growing, or do they save it, or are there others of the same tree?

I look to where I think it is, then see it has a bunch of low light blue lights hanging from it. A couple have purple-ish rims to the light, and a few more have the yellow-orange colour of the main lights around the table, as its rim. It does look pretty cool, except I can't see all of if due to the heads of the people around me.

There are large chunks of meat stacked on the table, probably from monsters. And large things of a variety of colours. I have no idea what they are, but I assume they can be eaten cause the stuff I can recognise can be.

I look up to the other side of the table and see Vaneesa sitting there, squashed between two huge guys. She's smirking at me.

'Wait,' I can see her mouth move, but I don't know if I actually heard her, or my brain added her voice as she's who I've been listening to the last few hours.

I look around but can't see Nashta. Then a light from the top of a staff expands and I squint to see who it is.

I think it's Nashta. I hear a lot less chatter. Laughter stops. But I can feel the anticipation rising in the air.

She steps back. Then the biggest head dress I've seen so far comes forward. I think that's the Chieftain. I mean, even if I didn't recognise him I would still think to be the case. It makes sense.

My stomach grumbles. I salivate a little as some meat smells waft over.

"Welcome, friends. And welcome dear Earth Traveller." He points to me, and everyone looks. I give an awkward smile and half nod. I worm an arm out from beside me and give a small wave.

He gives a lengthy speech. There were many cheers. I also cheered when he said we can all eat.

I may have heard Vaneesa laugh, but there were a few laughs amidst the cheers, so who knows.

The man to my left turned to me, raising his glass, "I'm Turmec, Nice to meet you Traveller."

He raised his glass and I looked to mine. Something must have shown on my face as I heard a whisper from my right, "It's non-alcoholic. The tribe was banned from giving alcohol to Travellers a few centuries ago."