Bitt gets time off and we meet Tossuis' family.
**************** Item: 23477825 – claw. Believed to befrom an Allosaurus. 29 centimeters long. Late Jurassic period Age 145 to 145million years. Provenance: Unknown. Item:23477826– Oreodent Skull, 12.7 centimeters long by 5.08 centimeters wide. Late Mioceneera 8 to 5.3 million years. Provenance: Unknown. “A full week’s leave!” Bitt said withdelight. The fox was relaxing on his bunk. “What are you going to do?” Tossius asked.The lion was packing some clothes into a small backpack. “What?” The fox asked without getting up.“I’m not sure.” “Why not come with me?” The feline asked.“You’re welcome to visit with me and my family.” The fox sat up in bed and looked at hisfriend. “Really?” Tossius nodded his head. “My parents wouldlove to meet you. I must warn you. They’ll put you to work.” Bitt jumped down from his bunk. “Where isit?” ************* The farm of Tossius’ family was a mere day’swalk away. They left just before dawn and started walking. The road was goodand the weather pleasant. Soon the fortress was left far behind. Bitt was enjoying the cool morning air asthey both walked along. “Are you the only one in your family in the Legion?” The lion shook his head. “I have two cousinsand an uncle as well. Our family always seems to have at least one in everygeneration serving.” “Why did you join the legion?” Bitt askedand handed the lion a sack filled with watered down wine. Tossius took the wine and sipped some of it.“Necessity. There was a hard drought and we simply couldn’t feed everyone.” They turned off the main road and onto asmaller side road. At first the sides of the road were lined with pasturesfilled with feral goats and sheep. The pastures were soon replaced by fieldsfilled with long rows of grapevines. After a few minutes of walking they cameto the farmhouse. The actual house was made of the same, tancolored stone that every other building in the area was. It was three, twostory buildings arraigned in a horseshoe shape around a courtyard. The open endwas closed off with a shoulder height wall. The entrance being a gate closedwith stout wooden doors. With the gates shut the whole place would make a nicelittle defensive spot. Not capable of standing a siege but good enough to keepbandits and raiders at bay. A tall tree of a type Bitt had never seenbefore stood in one corner and gave cooling shade to the whole courtyard. Thecourtyard itself was filled with lions and lionesses of different ages movingabout on different tasks and errands. A young lioness near the gate saw them andlet out a shout. Work came to a stop and all eyes turned to the twoLegionnaires. Soon the two arrivals were flooded with felines of all ages andboth sexes. A lion and lioness, their fur tinged withthe gray of age came forward. They hugged and kissed Tossius happily. Theyspoke for a few moments. “Bitt,” Tossius said cheerfully as he turnedto the fox. “I’d like you to meet my father Tamas and mother Marfa.” The fox bowed deeply. First to the lion andthen the lioness. “I’m honored to meet you and your fine family,” He said inwhat he hoped was understandable Aramaic. “This is Bitt,” the lion said to hisparents. “My fellow legionnaire.” The lion stepped forward and gave Bitt apowerful hug. “Welcome!” The lioness bowed. “You are an honored guestin our home.” Bitt bowed again. “Thank you. I’m honored.” Bit was introduced to a score of brothers,sisters, cousins, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles. He quickly lost track ofwho was who but he listened and greeted each politely. “You’re just in time for dinner.” Marfaexclaimed. Dinner was served on several large tablesset in the courtyard. Bitt was offered a place under the tree in the shade. Aplace of honor. Dinner itself was chicken and lamb with a wide variety ofvegetables like carrots, chickpeas, lentils along with a large wheel of what hewas told was goat cheese. It certainly didn’t smell or taste like any cheese hehad ever eaten before. What truly confused him was the bread. “Something wrong?” Tossius asked. Bitt was holding up a piece of bread. Hecouldn’t really call it a loaf. The bread was flat. Obviously well baked and ittasted good. It more resembled a griddle cake than a loaf of bread. “It’s flat.Is it supposed to be flat?” “Yes, it is,” the lion answered. “It’scalled Pita bread.” He pointed to a small pottery bowl placed in front of thefox. In it was a tan colored paste that had a small pool of olive oil in thecenter. “You break off a piece and dip it into the hummus.” Bitt broke off a piece and dipped into thepaste. It had an interesting nutty flavor to it. “Good.” To drink Bitt was given a pewter cup filledwith a nice, red wine. “My son says you are from the far north?”Marfa asked as they ate. “Yes Ma’am,” Bitt answered. “From theCalumbria prefecture.” “Where exactly is that?” Tamas asked. “It’s the northern most part of the empire,”Bitt explained and pointed to the north. “It’s not the end of the world but youcan see it from there,” he joked. “What are you doing so far from home?” Thelioness asked as she dipped a piece of chicken in the hummus and ate it. “I wanted to see the world,” the foxexplained. “And the governor took my request to go far a little TOO seriously.” That drew laughter from the rest. Bitt laughed too. “Seriously. I wanted to goand see more of the world than my small part.” “What have you learned?” A young lionessasked. “That’s it’s a very large world out there,”he said. “So many new and different things to see and do.” “What do you intend to do while you’rehere?” The elder lion asked. Bitt shrugged. “I’m not sure. It’s good tobe away from the duties of a legionnaire for a while.” “You can help us press the grapes to get thewine,” the elder lion commented. “I am glad to help,” Bitt responded. “How dowe do it?” *************
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