As part of the celebration of springtime was cooking. So much cooking. As the grip of winter faded and food became more readily available, it was traditional to celebrate with food. Bloodstone lead the way to Boti's tribes kitchens, chattering cheerfully to Whiteout and Splash who looked around with interest.

Neither of them had been this deep in the tribe's tunnels, winding through the orange and gold sandstone of the hills. The kitchens, what with the heat the ovens radiated, and the cold the refrigerated sections needed, were located deep within the hills. They were carrying some ingredients off the transport pad, and followed Bloodstone as she deposited them into a certain corner of the walk-in refrigerator.

"It's cold," Whiteout said, shivering, but also eyeing the other items around them with interest.

Splash, insulated by their blubber, shrugged. "It is a fridge."

Bloodstone looked up from where she was fitting their ingredients juuuust right in one corner of the shelf. "Yes - but I'm done here."

The three piled out and Whiteout tilted their head at Bloodstone. "Why'd you fit it in there so snugly?"

"Well, we got here earlier than most who come to Issiq do for the celebrations. So there's room now, but it'll very quickly fill up."

Splash and Whiteout blinked slowly.

"It's really that popular?" Splash asked doubtfully.

"Well, here at least! Especially since they struck gold, people from alllll over come when they wouldn't have before. Currying favor or whatever the saying is."

"Huh."

"Yeah, I know. Not great."

They wove through corridors quarried out of red and gold sandstone, the carpets on the tunnel's floors bright contrasting colors to the monotony of the walls. Even if there were few windows, Whiteout reflected, it still managed to feel comfortable.

They had a few day's rest before the preparations for the potluck began, and then there was no time for talking. Splash had had the idea to take a traditional Rekes dish and instead make it with the vegetables and protein found in Issiq, while mixing the spices from both areas. Bloodstone was leading Whiteout in the preparation of a small cake, teaching her about how to use decorative frosting tools to decorate it.

Their time spent in the kitchen was a blur of elbows and fighting over cooking utensils, and soon it was time to bring the food out.

Splash brought the roast out, placed it on a table and spoke about their inspiration to those who gathered around, interested. There were many such tables scattered around the wide room, with people roaming freely and little information cards by each dish. But there were those who wanted to hear such things from the cook's mouth, and they clustered around Splash and listened intently.

When they were done, they helped Bloodstone and Whiteout to convey the cake to its own table. Though it was small, it was a contrivance of decorative frosting and delicate spun sugar, and half of the appeal was watching it be delicately ferried through the crowd. The two explained how it was a recreation of the massive thunderheads that often formed over the Rekes mountains, and that it had been made with only ingredients found in Rekes.

Whiteout presented the knife to Bloodstone, and she began to slice out pieces.

Their parts completed, the three snagged plates and went around the room, sampling dishes. Soon, they had settled in a quiet corner of the room, watching the other people around with interest.

"So," Splash asked a rather frazzled looking Whiteout, "ready to do this next year?"

Whiteout, fur stained with a few food coloring mishaps, groaned and hid behind their plate. "No thanks…"

Bloodstone laughed and nodded at some friends in the crowd. "You'll get used to it. Maybe sometime… you'll actually have some fun, eh?"

"It'll be a while," Whiteout said gloomily, and started eating to avoid talking.

"That's what you think," Splash sniffed, wrapping their tail around their legs. "But it's not as bad as the first time makes it seem. Fights over kitchenware end up being part of the fun!"

Bloodstone and Splash began to swap cooking mishap tales, pausing to chat with folks sampling their dishes and explain the thought process again. Whiteout looked on, eyes wide and learning as they listened to others give presentations. Perhaps they wouldn't cook here again… but it would be nice to come and listen.