Chapter 3: The Feast

The boys continue cycling between javelin throws, although Alunya tires of sitting still and starts serving as the runner announcing the distance. That is, until Reia calls out to them.

“Alunya, Antares! C’mon, the feast will start soon and there’s something we have to do first.” Reia announces.

Alunya looks over at her with a frown. “Awww! Can’t we go a little bit longer?”

Reia looks back towards the center doubtfully. “ ... I don’t know if there’s time, the feast won’t be in too long. But alright.”

Reia lets them go on a single other round of javelin throwing, and then, despite Alunya’s protests, takes her two sons back down to the monument in the center of the village, where the preparations for the feast are almost all done. Tables have been covered in food, which Alunya stares at salivating, until Reia pulls him along. “Don’t worry, my little ‘lunya. It’ll be time to eat soon enough. Here, I have something for you.” Reia states, kneeling down and opening the satchel she carries with her. Alunya watches curiously as she withdraws a small lantern, hanging on a cord, which she places in his hands. Alunya looks up at Reia, both excited and a little confused.

“Go on! You can place the family’s lantern on the monument this year!” Reia cheers, and Alunya’s eyes widen in excitement.

“Really? Me?” Alunya asks in an awed tone. Reia smiles, ruffles his hair, and nods in confirmation, so Alunya bolts up, and scurries off to the massive statue.

But instead of placing it near the base like Reia had planned, he immediately scurries straight up the statue, pulling himself up by every nook and cranny while Reia goes white in sudden fear.

“A-Alunya!” She shouts out, “Get down from there!”

But Alunya is already on the way up, and won’t be stopped now. He leaps up to a higher handhold, one of the ‘tendrils’ that came off from the central orb, pulling himself up to stand precariously on top of it. Looking down at his mother from above, he wonders what has her all worked up, but just shrugs it off; he can figure that out after he finishes placing the lantern!

So, once he reaches the top of the statue, he places the lantern, haphazardly balanced way up on top of the orb itself, before scurrying back down the statue head-first, pausing near the bottom before hopping to the ground while Reia rushes over to him.

“By Hylicia, Alunya, never scare me like that again!” Reia scolds, wrapping her arms tightly around Alunya protectively.

Alunya frowns in confusion. “Huh? What did I do wrong? I just placed it on the statue, like you asked!” He protests.

“I meant just place the lantern on the base, I didn’t mean for you to put yourself in such danger! If you fell, I’d never be able to forgive myself!” Reia admonishes, squeezing Alunya tightly.

“Mom- stop- can’t- breathe-” Alunya forces out. After a long moment, Reia reluctantly lets him go, and he takes a deep breath in.

“Never do something like that again, ok?” Reia lectures, staring at the boy with disapproval.

“Um, yeah, ok...” Alunya mumbles, looking down at his feet. He still doesn’t really get what he’d done wrong, but he doesn’t like being lectured like that.

But before Reia can continue her tirade, the conversation is cut off by the ringing of a bell. Alunya perks up immediately, jumping up. “Yay! Feast time! Feast time!”

Reia looks frustrated, but relents after a worried look at Alunya, and takes her two boys’ hands in hers as she walks toward the tables where the food is piled up.

Reia and her sons are quick to the buffet line, given that they were already standing near the middle of the festival grounds, but even so they are not the first to reach the tables where food is laid out. Alunya hops from foot to foot, impatiently, looking around the festival grounds. Just then, he spots Yuvia, one of the family’s neighbors, already with a full plate of food—she must have started dishing it up before the feast bell even rang, allowing her to beat the crowds.

And of more interest to Alunya, on her plate is a helping of guanaco ribs. Without warning, Alunya takes off to go see them. “Alunya!” Reia calls, but Alunya is already gone. “Ugh, not this again ... Antares, can you go fetch him? I need to keep our place in the line.” Reia asks. Antares looks over at Alunya, nods, and heads off.

“So? So so so? What do you think of the ribs?” Alunya asks, beaming at Yuvia with an eager expression.