MountainTop

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Having just thanked the hosts for her share of food, Paloea wandered off in search of a free table. As much as she wanted to join a busy one, perhaps somewhat nonchalantly - it rested upon her wings to find one for the rest of her friends too. The unfortunate self-appointed fate of the first arrival.

It didn't take long before she heard a familiar voice call out "Hey, Paloea!", interrupting whatever banter she had managed to engage herself with at a nearby table.
"Misi? Didn't you say you weren't gonna come?" Pal tilted her head curiously.
"Not exactly my choice. Mir couldn't have been any less obnoxious about it." the coatl responded in jest.
"Let me guess, loud enough that you guys barely caught anything?"
"I wish." Misi sighed, the amusement fading from her face. "Not even one tadpole. We were forced to come back empty-handed!" she waved her hand in feigned annoyance.
"Wow."
"Yeah. I'll say."

After a short moment of silence, Paloea couldn't help but break out into laughter. Every time an event is coming up it's the same story; Mir somehow convinced his sister to let him come along hunting. He spends the whole time begging her to join the event. They end up not catching anything, and Misi is right where you'd expect her; at the event, complaining about her brother like it's the first time it's happened.
As much as it is an inconvenience to Misi and her love for hunting, the food stock of Firefly Keep can hardly notice a missing day or two. After all, the storage and it's surplus is widely commercial due to all the artisans they supply within the town.

Once her laughter subsided, Pal inquired with "Speaking of him, where is he?" as she took a sip of the lemonade the wildclaw had given her.
"Being someone else's headache." Misi replied with a lighthearted laugh, "Probably doing last minute persuasion of whatever unfortunate soul had crossed his path."
"At this rate he'll miss all the food!" Pal exclaimed half seriously, half jokingly.
"I don't think that's possible, Pal." taking a glance across the dragon-filled area, the coatl was almost in awe of the quantity and variety of food present.
"And what about you? Any idea what you wanna try first?"
"Stew."

Another silent pause as Pal stared at her friend.
"But Misi... you eat stew every day!"
"Well, yeah, that's exactly why." the coatl returned, confused why it seemed like such a surprise to Pal.
"Don't you want a little change of pace?"
"Not really."
"Not even a teensy tiny bit?"
"Nothing beats a good stew."

Paloea sighed in defeat. "I don't know how you do it. I could never sleep well at night if I knew I still had so much of the menu to try."
"You'd never sleep if that was the case."
"Not literally!" Pal protested. "But you know? What if that baguette I saw is the most delicious baguette in the world? Or that pizza? But I only keep taking pieces of this delicious turkey instead!" Pal felt the need to interrupt herself, just to gesture at her half-eaten turkey with a little side of whatever was left of the mac and cheese. Her expression serious, as this is a serious matter! Misi nodded in response, acknowledging how serious this is. "And then Mir will tell me 'wow Pal did you try that pizza? It was the best pizza in the world!'. But I didn't! And all of the slices are gone! Forever! Ohhh..." she covers her face with her arms, "I would NEVER live that down, Misi! Never! That pizza would haunt me for the rest of my life!"

Misi did not have the heart to mention any of the restaurants that Pal missed before she joined the Keep. No. That would of been far too cruel. Nor the ever-changing menus of present eateries with items that have long since been retired, never for Pal to try. Especially not the breakfast pizza; an old specialty of Daisy's before she chose to switch things up. Even the stew-loving Misi had given it a try once, and it was delicious. It would surely haunt the nocturne to know what she has missed. Unless she realizes that she can always ask Daisy to make it for her. But no, surely.

"Well, we'd best get in the line, then."
Paloea placed her hands back down on the table, seemingly having gotten over her food-induced distress. "But what about our table?"
"I don't think that will be a problem." Misi shrugged. "And besides..." she leaned in closer, a grave expression on her face "This feast won't last forever, Pal."