Although she had no face to beam with, Mae made her pride palpable to her comrades in other ways. "Dahaha, thanks, boss!" she gurgled happily, her hands in a double fist-pump energetic enough to send her bulk swaying. The eminent voice and mighty being through which the Supreme One spoke only served to magnify her praise as far as Mae was concerned, and the headless horror was unafraid to show her adulation. After all her worries about measuring up to the others in terms of significant work, she'd been assured that doing one's duty with a full heart was all one needed. [i]Lady Faetalis is the best![/i]

Good news couldn't last forever, though. Barely had the guild arrived and begun to stabilize itself in this world, it seemed, than trouble decided to come a-knocking. [i]We are being set upon.[/i] Mae's elation twisted into a mixture of alarm and anger. They were already under attack?! She applauded Faetalis for keeping her composure, but in its current state the guild couldn't hope to repel a typical threat. Was whoever did this coming to finish them off? When her master began to issue orders, however, Mae reigned herself in. Faetalis shared little in the way of details, but the chef realized that if making the terrain near the mountain impassable was enough to stave off this 'invasion', these unwelcome guests couldn't be [i]that[/i] much of a threat.

Her conjectures came to an end, however, when the boss turned her way. She stood just a little less still than a statue as Faetalis outlined her own assignment, trying to hold in her growing excitement. Out of everyone present, she and hers would be trusted to make first contact with whoever these intruders were. For the first time since her creation, Canology Mae would be supporting the guild not from the kitchen, but from the front lines! She would have swelled with pride at being given the opportunity, if only she could get any more swollen. Already her flesh-hooks were singing for fresh meat! But then again, it sounded like Faetalis didn't want them hurt. "You got it, ma'am!" she roared. "You want 'em gotten rid of subtle-like, huh? Piece a' cake! Me'n the girls'll spook 'em so bad, they'll wish we did fillet 'em." To the comment about being a monster she gave no response, since surely the good lady knew she was being too polite. Monsters, after all, were what the cooks of the Gorging Trough were, and a chance to be themselves was as good as gold. "I'll hustle right on over an' tell Gamma, now. Be right back!"

Despite her declaration Mae left the meeting at more of a hasty trundle than a hustle, and she made straight for the insect's domain. On the way, however, her blindsight swept over the familiar contours of her sous-chef Head, tactfully having placed himself within her path. In so doing he could communicate that he needed her attention without so much as a spoken word or lift of his fingers, all in that politely pragmatic fashion that was so very Head. Mae slowed down. "Heya. What's cookin'?"

"A statement from the venerable Gammaton, chef," he responded drily.

Mae could sense the paper in his hands, but not what was on it. "A message, huh? Guess you'd better read it then," she told him.

"Quite." Having received Mae's permission, Head unfolded the letter and read aloud.

Conscious of the main task at hand, Mae processed the information as quickly as she could. "Creatures, huh? Well, they better not get consigned just yet! Kill 'em all for monster burgers and we'll eat for a week, but if we can start raisin' some livestock we'll eat forever! A steady line a' rare monsters is just what we need while we're short of ingredients!" She pounded her fists together, hyped up about her idea. "Alright, brainiac. You pay Gammaton a visit 'n survey the pens. Bring along whoever knows a thing or two about monsters. Figure out what beasties're practical to care for and raise long term, an' what we oughta kill off."

"Very good," Head told her, whatever he really thought thoroughly masked behind that cold veneer. "Since you're going that way, I'll follow you shortly."

Mae shook herself approvingly. "Great. See ya."

With a parting wave she waddled on over to Hivehill, searching for where Gammaton was overseeing the work of her ants. "Hey, Gamma! Boss got us a mission!" As she drew near she followed the concentration of the oversized workers in an effort to find their foreman. "Gamma! I'm here to getcha. Faetalis wants us to go and scare off an expedition that's comin' this way. Didn't say what of. Humans, I reckon. Anyway, we can bring our guys, too, and I guess we oughta be quick about it."