Not since my graduation from college pre-law school have I felt this nervous. Then, I hoped I wouldn't trip over my robes, or have clammy hands when the Dean of the Liberal Arts College handed me my diploma. That was easy in hindsight. Walk across the stage. Scan for Mom and Dad and Damon in the blur of faces in the bright sunlight. Accept my diploma. Handshake. Smell the Dean's breath. He'd had a breath mint just before the ceremony, apparently. I could still smell the tobacco smoke.
It was still a zoo with people in their best clothes. Not all that different from tonight.
In the archway to the ornate, richly decorated ballroom, I wait beside Kaline. She wears a pretty chocolate brown dress trimmed with gold and silver. Leggings peek out from underneath her skirts, as if at any time she might be called on to do something where leggings would be an advantage. From what I've learned about Beast Balls, this is a possibility.
A ribbon drifts into my eyes and I bat it off to the side with my paw. Jewels and crystals feel heavy in my fur. And the soap from the hour-long bath is so strong that I'm still gagging. I smell like the perfume counter in Wonders Department Store.
In front of us, Demos looks no less bejeweled and no less uncomfortable. Resplendent in violet velvet, Vedette also has opted to wear leggings underneath her gown. An orange and red beacon. Gussie perches, as ever, on Lamant's shoulder. She looks like someone took a bedazzling kit and covered her in jewelry and glitter.
Oh, the glitter. I forgot to mention the glitter. It's in my mouth, and it tastes disgusting. It's lek having sand in my teeth and on my tongue.
Glory to the House of Riddlehoeven. I hope this is all worth it. At least I don't have to wear any clothes. Yet.
Grand, baroque music plays. The chamber music kind. Maybe not baroque, but medieval. Horns and lutes and drums. Medieval, then, with a touch of baroque. You can tell I took a Music Appreciation mini-course.
"Blaze!"
Kaline's urgent whisper snaps me back to reality, as does Demos' ursine behind moving quickly in front of me. No way will I let him rib me over being a slowpoke. I walk as fast as I can without tripping over my feet or my tail.
Inside the ballroom, a billion candles and other lights in crystal globes surround us. The large crowd has parted to create a wide aisle for the Beast Parade.
"LAMANT RIDDLEHOEVEN AND GUSSIE OF HOUSE RIDDLEHOEVEN!"
A huge cheer goes up from the applauding crowd. Lamant must be popular. The people are actually doing The Wave in their finery. Minette is somewhere in the crowd because she has not yet found a beast. But I swear I can hear her cheering us on.
"VEDETTE RIDDLEHOEVEN AND DEMOS OF HOUSE RIDDLEHOEVEN!"
Another big hand and more cheering.
"KALINE RIDDLEHOEVEN AND BLAZE OF HOUSE RIDDLEHOEVEN!"
The crowd erupts. Explodes. My God. They are going insane. All for Kaline. Her joy floods me, and I want to leap around and do a victory dance in the end zone. But there is no end zone, and I have to walk like a show pony.
Head up, tail waving, I promenade beside Kaline. I'm not on a leash. Neither are most of the other beasts. I know because we all gathered in the staging area outside the ballroom before the big event while waiting for our cue. A handful of beasts strained against leashes and ropes. Most everyone else ignored them. Demos confided in me, with an air of superiority, that to have a beast n na leash reflects poorly on the tamer.
[Think about it. If you, the tamer, can't direct your beast and make it behave through your guidance and the bond, you're not doing a good job, are you?]
I was fascinated, eyeing the leashed beasts. [I suppose not. So, those are problem beasts?]
[More like problem tamers.]
With irony, I replied, [Humans. They just overcomplicate things.]
Jaws snap at me from behind, and I scoot forward, trying not to somersault and faceplant.
[HEY, who did that?]
A loud, arrogant male beast voice answers. [Me. Move your tail, you slug. What is your house thinking, letting a whelp like you walk in the Parade?]
I can't look behind me to see the obnoxious owner of the voice, so I ignore it. That's the thing to do with bullies. Ignore them. If it happens again, I'll tell Kaline. Or I'll tell Demos.
Walk. Walk. My fur curls. The heat feels so oppressive. Maybe it's just the candles and this many people and beasts crammed into one room. That must be it. Just keep walking.
We parade in a spiral to the center of the ballroom, and then, one by one, our tamers withdraw to stand at the front of the crowd. Kaline pets my ears. "You can do this, Blaze!"
Thanks for the vote of confidence, based beast tamer girl! I rub up against her and purr, then follow Demos back through the spiral. No problems. Everything is going off without a hitch.
AHHH!
My tail just got caught in a door! A door with teeth. What is this even?
[I told you. Stay out of my way.]
Seriously?
My blood is boiling to match the throbbing in my tail. But i won't let this bully get the best of me. I belong to Kaline!
With even more determination, I keep walking, following Blaze and Gussie, who really is our beacon and our guide even though she's only Level 1. She wouldn't let this bully clip her wings, and neither will I.
I complete the final turn in the Beast Parade to wild applause. Wow. How did I manage to keep it together? Instinct, I guess. Tiger ferocity. And the promise of Kaline greeting me, rubbing my ears as a reward. "You are the best, Blaze!"
Demos is to my left. Gussie has resumed her perch on Lamant's shoulder. Rotating my body, I glance at the beast on my right. A hulking wolf pup with sharp teeth. Overgrown for his age. He gives me a baleful look.
I turn to Demos. [You see the wolf next to me?]
[Hmmm. Impressive.]
[Tell that to my tail.] I wave it at Demos.
Examining the bites, his eyes widen, and he growls, then jumps up and puts his paws on Vedette's legs. Glacing down, she silently communes with him.
I hate to be a snitch, but that bully broke the rules, and I'm not going to stand for it!