Dinner Time is Family Time

After their dance session, the group of friends went to the communal dinner. The multitude of platforms where this took place had tables around the perimeter where the prepared food and drink where stationed, much like a simple buffet. It consisted primarily of fruits, nuts, and other plants, their main diet. Most grown in their treetop gardens; however, some dishes, especially the mushrooms and protein ones were hunted from the ground floor by those trained to safely navigate the dangers which lurked beneath their secure haven above. The water, the only beverage they ever drank, was easy to come by thanks to an ingenious system that collected rainwater, high humidity condensation, and certain plants that housed it; it was one of the wettest places in Helias after all.

The Vaux would eat seated organically all about the floor in the center, in no particular order that could easily shift and change throughout the dinner. They would mingle and socialize with one another, spanning all the generations. And of course it was all done in silence, with the occasional voice or emotional expression, made possible by their primary means of sign language communication.

This was a valuable time of enjoyment, rest and learning. They would share their days events, thoughts and feelings with one another; making memories and spreading good cheer. It was a consistent time for them to delight in each other and to give thanks for what they had. Occasionally not all Vaux could attend, for example due to sickness, injury or pregnancy. In these instances volunteers would put together and bring meals to them, and if possible stay to provide them company.

The Vaux way of life was centered around togetherness. The entire community was family, with a covenant commitment towards one another. Everyone helped one another. Their cultural norm was to looked out for the needs of others, more so than to their own needs. This selflessness that permeated their society was deeply rooted in their ancestry, magnified in their isolation from the world, and passed on from generation to generation. They had no concept of money, not even a barter system. When needs, and even wants, arose then the entire community would rally to the cause of filling them. This saturating generous spirit produced a high quality of life both inwardly and outwardly. In contrasting comparison to the outside world, it could potentially be described as heaven on earth.

Qualestrel, and her best friend Gonyaul, nearing the end of the dinner found their way to where the rest of their peer group had eventually gathered.

Almost all of them were assigned to cleanup for the dinner afterwards. Rruelyn and Zendayul would not be joining them, because tonight would be their first evening of additional training, similar to premarital counseling, with the older Vaux teenagers that were undergoing the process of the matchmaking. In the next year, or two, the others of their group would also begin the intensely focused course on relationships for life long partnership, love and procreation. Like many things in their training, it was not based on age as much as it was based on passing certain milestones in one’s individual training; hence why Rruelyn wasn't starting till thirteen, while Zendayul was starting at twelve. It usually took on average five years to complete the counseling, with some finishing earlier or later.

Gonyaul was excited to share that he had made a surprise and invented a little game to make their chores more entertaining, though he was only sharing enough detail to increase their anticipation, withholding the particulars. Of course Qualestrel already knew, one because she had helped him with the setup, and it was common knowledge the two of them shared everything with one another. Myrcelni, Adwenln, Jaewyndl, and Xaveltis were noticeably excited. Taewyln, the quietest and most reserved of the bunch, seemed unfazed. At least until Myrcelni poked him a few times to get him to smile.