Upon returning to the Gathering, Yineh, Kion, and Reteh made their way to the common where they were met with an invite to join Vivica, Lina, Chyla, and Demoron for last meal.

After sitting down at her usual spot, Yineh looked around the table and noticed that Demoron was practically glowing, whereas Chyla looked as though she wanted to hide under the table.

```

Yineh: So~ how’d everyone’s moon go?

Vivica: It was actually a lot of fun here. Li-su had started obsessed with me, but actually swapped for Te-su after being around him for a while.

Yineh: Not surprising, girl obsessions are usually pretty weak if there’s a guy around.

Vivica: Yeah, but then Pet-su showed up and Te-su decided to turn the moon into a training exercise by setting up challenges.

Yineh: Seems kind of pointless with you around. No offense to anyone, but in a fair challenge, Viv’s more or less impossible to beat.

Chyla: *pouting* She didn’t compete.

Yineh: Petra is the next one I’d think would win given that she’s a rammu-jhu.

Vivica: Nope, Li-su won!

Yineh: Huh, didn’t see that coming... no offense Li-li, but I have a hard time seeing you beating Pet-su at anything she’d be willing to do on a full moon.

Vivica: Chy-su and Pet-su were evenly matched, so they lost to Li-su in most cases because they were too busy focusing on each other.

Yineh: That’s pretty impressive, actually. So, Chy, why so grumpy if you proved you’re already capable of matching a rammu-jhu? Was there some kind of special prize for the winner or?

Vivica: No, she’s just upset because she’s super embarrassed about how she acted in front of Te-su.

Yineh: *perplexed* Did she somehow act worse than Pet-su? Pet-su gets so over the top competitive it’s hard to imagine anyone embarrassing themselves more than her. *bombastic laughter*

Vivica: The only one who usually comes close is you. *playful raspberry* Speaking of, I noticed you’re the only one of you three who looks like a complete mess.

Yineh: Ye~ah... *long trailing off awkward laughter* I kind of went overboard and got my tail saved by Mirra-su... a few times. On the bright side, I learned a lot about what branches—not to jump to. Anyway~ in the end Mirra-su got tired of saving me and decided to catch me and burn me out herself, and Re-re wound up catching Ki-su. Overall it was fun. I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to burn out with Ki-su, but it’s hard to be upset about anything when you get burned out by Mirra-su.

Chyla: Why’s that?

Yineh: If you’re as competitive as Pet-su you’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure. *knowing smile* *epiphanic* Oh, right, sorry about snapping at you, no hard feelings, right? *seductive* I’d be—more than happy to make it up to you tonight if you were interested. *seductive smile*

Chyla: *blushing heavily* I... I was hoping to get a chance to apologize to Teran tonight.

Yineh: You’ll want to wait until tomorrow if you’re hoping to give him the same kind of apology I’m going to give you. *knowing smile* Since he was around for the full moon, and didn’t get his normal guy’s time, he’ll be spending the night with Wa-su. Which I’m assuming is why they’re both missing. *perverted chuckle*

Chyla: In that case, I’d be happy to accept your apology.

Yineh: *excited clapping* Score! *stunned* I mean *clears throat* I’ll meet you at the trainee building after I get cleaned up, unless you like my current look? *swagger smile*

Chyla: Cleaner would certainly be nice.

Yineh: Clean it is. Now onto the next mystery De-su~ why are you so glowy?

Demoron: I had a wonderful time with someone special this moon.

Yineh: *suspicious hum* I thought all the older rammu were all on border watch?

Demoron: Perhaps.

Yineh: *unamused glare* You’re not going to tell me, are you?

Demoron: Nope. *boyish smile*

Yineh: *contemplative hum* Enky’s kind of young for your tastes, but he’s the oldest not on border duty... I suppose it could have been someone from another village. I have heard they come up to visit your get-a-way house from time to time.

Lina: Get-a-way house?

Yineh: Yeah, the boys often spend their moons up at a decommissioned watch house way up on Entraca Heights. It’s a really cool place to check out.

Vivica: You can see some of it with the scope at the Gathering’s watch tower. While Yi-su’s cleaning, I’ll take you and Chy-su up and show you.

Chyla: That sounds fun, thank you.

Demoron: Yi, Ki, or Re-re, I’m curious as to why Mirra-su didn’t come back with you?

Yineh: She took off out of the blue about halfway back. Didn’t say anything about it, just told us not to do anything reckless.

Demoron: *concerned hum* Strange. I checked the board when I got back and she’s only marked to be watching you.

Yineh: Any particular reason you’re feeling paranoid about it? It’s not exactly unusual for her to vanish out of nowhere.

Demoron: While getting permission to leave early, we heard that there’s been increased activity on the borders. Te-su said there was nothing to worry about, but you know how I can be.

Yineh: Viv, you hear or smell anything unusual today?

Vivica: *thoughtful stare* I did hear a strange high-pitched noise a few ticks before the last bell.

Yineh: What kind of strange noise exactly, since that matches up to when Mirra-su left.

Vivica: I guess now that I think about it, it kind of sounded a little bit like a whistle call, but it was a really weird sound, nothing like any of the whistles we use, so I brushed it off as being one of those annoying mimicky birds. It was very faint. I don’t think I would have noticed it at all if it hadn’t been so quiet when it happened.

Yineh: You think black rank rammu might have their own unique whistle calls the rest of us don’t know about? Enky’s supposed to be back today too and-

Enkoro: *echo* He arrived back when he was intended to be back.

```

Yineh looked around the room looking for the source of Enkoro’s voice, only to come up empty-handed.

```

Yineh: *disapproving* Enk~y, you’re doing that weird voice throwing thing I don’t like.

```

Hearing footsteps, Yineh turned to see Enkoro, a tall dark grey male with blue eyes in a pitch black uniform.

```

Enkoro: First, there is no such thing as special whistles for blacks or any other rank. Second, it’s nice to meet you, Chyla and Lina. My name’s Enkoro. I’ll be taking Bora’s place for a few days, therefore if you need anything at all please use a two and a half point green whistle call, as unlike Bora, I’m rarely found in one place for long.

Chyla: It’s nice to meet you, Enkoro-mu.

Lina: Jsha, likewise.

Enkoro: You may address me as Enky like everyone else. Digressing. Does anyone have any questions before I go about my business?

Yineh: You know anything about Mirra-su’s disappearance?

Enkoro: I do not, unfortunately. I’m intrigued by what Vivica heard, however, as I myself heard no such sound. What else can you remember about it?

Vivica: It was complex like a birdsong, though if I were to convert it to our whistle call code, it would be. 

*Vivica softly whistled for several moments*

Enkoro: Interesting... that would certainly be nonsense in our code. It may indeed be one of those rather annoying birds. Though, in the future, please notify either myself or Bora of any such noises you hear.

Vivica: Understood.

Enkoro: If that is all, I’ll see you all tomorrow.

Chyla: You’re not going to eat with us?

Enkoro: I only eat prepared food of any sort for special occasions.

```

Yineh smirked as she watched Chyla stare entrancingly at Enkoro until he was out of sight.

```

Yineh: Te-su has competition as your top crush?

Chyla: *dazed* Wha-what? N-no... Does he always smell like that?

Yineh: *curious sniffing* *epiphanic* *perverted giggling* He smells like he was recently playing with Te-su and Wa-su, so it’s their scents mixed together. Which isn’t—too unusual, Enky’s like Freone in that he’s only aroused by other guys. Which is why you’ll never see him around for a full moon. On the opposite side of things Carilon, and Heneh are the only girls with no interest in guys. They're both older and have already gone through the “change” so you’ll also never see them around for full moons either.

Lina: I thought you could retire after the “change” happened?

Demoron: Can retire and do retire are entirely different things. If everyone who could retire did, then we’d be seriously understaffed here. It’s interesting to think, but right now there are more active trainees than there have been new rammu in the past thirty cycles, and if no one decides to quit before their initiation moon is up then trainees will make up for around twenty percent of the ranks.

LIna: Wow, there are really that few rammu in Ankarok?

Demoron: Indeed, historically speaking since the establishment of the farmers coalition Ankarok has only had an average of five new rammu per ten cycles, and before us there had been two historically low cycles in a row where there were only two new rammu per ten cycles, and before that there had been a historically long run of fewer than average rammu as well, all of which has caused more rammu who could retire to hold off on doing so.

Yineh: Kind of depressing to think about.

Demoron: Unless we’re the start of a trend and not just a one off fluke. Which I’m leaning on the side of a fluke. There haven’t been any male honor children since Kion. Lina is a once a century rarity. Vivica and Reteh are both equally as special, *somber* given their circumstances, and I’m willing to wager a moon of double regime that Chyla wouldn’t have become a rammu if not for Kion. Which means there’s only three commoner rammu amongst us, which matches the downward trend.

Vivica: You only counted trainees. My brother and Pet-su are both from the past ten cycles too, and they’re both “commoner” types. Which gives a total of five.

Demoron: Good point, though still one average cycle in a long run of below average isn’t very encouraging. Especially since I’m a bit on the fluke side as well. I may be a normal villager, but I can tell you from experience, while rammu are well respected legends, and a major source of excitement, no one wants to become one.

Lina: Nee one at all?

Demoron: No one I ever met, and of all the current Ankarok rammu, excluding trainees, only two are village born and raised.

Chyla: Which two?

Demoron: Isalla and Moonica.

Vivica: Moonica wants to retire to the village and become a teacher. Perhaps she’ll change a few young minds.

Yineh: Change their minds about becoming a rammu after she tells them about Mirra-su’s training? *bombastic laughter*

Lina: Moonica was Mirra’s mentor, wasn’t she?

Yineh: Ye~ah, but word around the Gathering is that Moo-su learned more from Mirra-su than she learned from her.

Chyla: The more I hear about Mirra, the more I’m unsure if I’m excited or terrified to meet her.

Yineh: The latter, you should definitely be the latter. Anyway, are you ready to have some fun?

Chyla: After you clean up—remember? 

Yineh: *disappointed* Darn, I was hoping you’d forgotten about that. *raspberry*

```