The music had barely resumed its lively pace when the Chief stood up from his seat, his silver ears perked with an expression of grand authority that demanded silence.
He looked around the square, his eyes lingering on the dragon males for a long, calculating moment before finally settling on Lin Wan. The air, which had briefly lightened during the feast, suddenly turned heavy with an expectation that made the hair on the back of Lin's neck stand up.
"Female Lin!" The Chief's voice boomed, carrying over the crackle of the bonfire and the distant sounds of the forest. "Since you have graced our tribe with your presence and shared your wisdom of that delicious spice, it is only right that we settle your status. In the presence of our guests and the honored elders, you may now choose a beasthusband and your guardian males!"
