There are three broad classes of loot that the Silver Divers are capable of taking on: resources, captives and trophies. But resources, while necessary, are not exciting, and captives cannot be carried off in bulk. So it is trophies that the Daughters of Ceron crave most of all: trophies which demonstrate their glory, their prowess, and their right to conquer.

Ember needs trophies, true, and she does encourage her pack to grab what they will: fallen arms, eye-catching decorations, hard-won feathers. But more than any of these things, she needs to bring Beri back to the [i]Plousios[/i]. So this is the edict of the Tyrant's Voice tonight, my girls: for every trophy you bring back, bring back something of Beri, too. Bring back collections of spoons, casks of wine, and bring back Dolce's stools and oven, while you're at it. Bring back gifts for the little people of the [i]Plousios,[/i] which can flow through the would-be alpha's hands like water. Take these things which belonged to Mosaic's people and show our glorious leader how well we can attend to her wishes and whims. Gouge out all that was good from this place, which we never ruled but lusted after, and leave a ruined hollow in the sphere's heart.

And if you've still got room to carry plunder, toss a cute Servitor over your shoulder. The people of Beri are under Mosaic's protection, and it will be nice to have some spoils of war around to pour wine and carry lamps and be bullied by the Divers, proof of the victory here today. That ought to peel some of the pack off from Plundering Fang and Sagetip. Their first task will to be to carry the choicest trophies on Corvii shields to the Observation Hall on the [i]Plousios[/i], and there the Triumph will be held. There, the people of Beri will be invited to come and receive plunder from Ember's own hands, and to marvel at the halberds and the shields and the regiment colors that decorate the tent which will dominate the center of the hall, and the whole pack will be invited to make merry, to drink Azura wine, and to sing praise to Mars, to Mosaic, and to Ceron.

Absolutely nothing could ruin this moment. After all, Mosaic survived her battle, and will be quite pleased to see her wolf taking charge and thinking of her town. They haven't had a moment to themselves, but that's part of what their positions entail, and they'll...

They'll have time. Later. Once Ember has divested herself of arms and has finished being the leader that the Silver Divers need. Then there will be a place and a time for just the two of them to be, like on that moonlit hillside, and the thought of it sends shivers all up and down, like the tongues of little voidfoals. (The voidhorse stoically accepted the plunder in exchange for more rations, and a bridle helps lead it back to the [i]Plousios[/i].) Maybe she'll even be praised, even if she couldn't bring down Armatii.

And [i]then[/i] Ember will present Mosaic with her very own new maid, seized during the fighting! Won't that be a perfect present?