Editing Chapter 1 (section)

==At the feast...==

...that night, the engagement of Ping and Lian was celebrated with homemade beer, roasted boar, song, and music.  While the village laughed and danced together, the five amalgams sat at the edge of the crowd.  Selara, Ye, and Wing were resting their feet, which were quite sore after tromping through the countryside all day, scouring for beastman spies and nearby villages.

Zhou Wing leaned on one arm and said to his fellows, “Well, that could have gone  a lot better, but I suppose it ended well.”

Selara nodded, but watched Toruna carefully.  “I’m beginning to think that perhaps Rivers isn’t quite as careless as I had thought...”

Shu Zhuang nodded impassively, watching the bonfire through lidded eyes.

Yao Ye was content, for once, not to comment.  She held a hen in each hand and her ruddy cheeks were greasy with bird fat.

Sun Lian approached with a crown of daisies on her brow.  She was glowing with excitement and exertion from the dance.  “Thank you all for joining us today, and for trying to help.  You should come back next summer to see our firstborn.”

Yao Ye smiled.  “Mmmm... I love babies.  We’ll be here, for certain.”

A look of sadness darkened Lian’s face, “Yes, it must be hard on you then, knowing the sacrifice that you have made.”

“What?  What sacrifice?”

A half smile began to sneak across Wing’s face.  “Yes, well, it wasn’t much of a sacrifice for her.  There really wasn’t much of a chance of her... well...”

Ye blinked her eyes rapidly, fighting back tears.  “You really think I’ll never be able... wait a minute!”  Her cheeks darkened to the color of her petalled hair.  “Zhou Wing!  Tonight, you die!”

Turning in rage she began clubbing him with the chicken in her right hand, scattering bits of skin and bone across the grass with each blow.  The dance stopped as the villagers watched in amazement at the glory, the wonder, and the absolute weirdness of... the Daybringers.

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1. [[Chronicles of the Daybringers]]

2. [[Heaven's Mandate]]