Rhazii let out a slow breath and bowed his head. While Do'rhajul did not directly do as Sabine said, his words were enough to demonstrate to Rhazii the motives for his defection.

Sabine nodded to Do'rhajul. "Thank you, Rhajul." She looked about as if just noticing the food. "Please, eat, everyone," she said, gesturing to the table.

Noise grew as the silent group around Do'rhajul slowly began their meals. Just as well; the food was especially delicious considering most nights were the product of their own individual cooking.

The dragon meat was unique in its slight natural spice, though to compare its quality to a well fed duck, cattle, or goat meat was to lead to disappointment. The muscles were made from large strings of fibre that sprang rubbery between the teeth and held little richness. However, the chefs made up for the meat's shortcomings by preparing it with expensive spices and perfect cooking. Elsewhere, the offal was almost universally average, if large, excepting a few organs. In particular, the great chopped cubes of sweetbreads the chefs made from the dragon's thymus and heart were a delicacy none could ever compare to. Though they, too, were tough, they held a small magical side-effect to them which gave the illusion in the mouth of seemingly random flavours of mild intensity. Some were not to the eater's tastes, most were a pleasant surprise. Every mouthful was different.

Of course, hardly enough time passed to discover all these subtleties before Janius caught Sabine's eye shortly after Do'rhajul had finished speaking.

"So, sister," Janius said before swallowing his mouthful of baked yam. "Now that it's in the public, have you made any motions to select more members for your new pack?"

"Sabine's leaving the pack?" Rhazii asked, suddenly confused and just a trace hurt.

"I will not be leaving the family," Sabine clarified with a small smile. "I will still be as close to all of you as ever, but..." She breathed in. "I must form a new pack to be Rhajul's leader." Her eyes glanced up at Janius. "I have not found anyone else yet. I have not given it much thought."

"What about Karl?" Janius asked.

Sabine's smile faded. "I...do not want him to be in the same danger I will be in. He has his own sounder anyway."

Karl could be seen seated with his sounder on a table separate to the leadership. He was talking and laughing with the same sounder Sabine mentioned, though he kept stealing glances up to the main table. He likely could not make out where Sabine was with his eyes the way they were.