Just Another Day

One by one, each cub was called forward to demonstrate her grace, manners, and how useful she was to her family. There were cubs from every class. The gathering cubs told of how they could reach fruit, plants, and mushrooms in areas too small for an adult. The hunting cubs told of how they provided much of the small game for their families' meals. The scribes' cubs told of how carefully they helped keep the ink and paper orderly. The crafting cubs told of how carefully they minded and cleaned the tools. Banhi was one of the few whose skill lay in working with goats and sheep, and she told how she helped birth the kids and lambs, milk the mothers, and work the sheared sheep wool.

Various adults would question the cubs about different parts of their duties to see who was actually helping their parents and who was just trying to make themselves look good.

The daughter of a leather worker ended up proving herself the most capable assistant of the cubs. The daughter of a crafter was considered to be the best dressed. And Banhi spoke so kindly and politely, she got her wish as being considered the most graceful. Their reward was to each have an apple tart, much to their delight.

"Good job," Nari congratulated her when she rejoined them. Banhi grinned broadly, her smile covered in gooey apple pulp.

"What was that about being Miss Manners?" Muso teased.

"I didn't wipe my hands on my dress, so I still count!" Banhi snapped after she swallowed her bite.