Apil watched a steady stream of servers, carrying drinks out to the courtyard. Coulda been a convention in town or something. When Apil looked out the door, there was only one young, lil' gal out there, with lots of empty glasses on the table in front of her. Hmmm, if she's not careful, she could end up like me. Just then, he heard a Roman enter and say something about ostriches, which caught Apil's attention He perked up when he heard the man mention good methods for preparing ostrich meat. Greetings Roman. I've started an ostrich ranch, well....for non-meat uses. But everytime I've tried cooking them, the meat comes out all tough. And it's got this silvery sheath-lilke stuff covering all the individual muscles. Do you mind if I pick your servant's brain a bit?

If you're willing to provide a bird for the house, Addisonius said, Nausaebundus will show you how to prepare it.

Nausaebundus and Apil both exited the place at the same time, Apil to bring the bird, Nausae to retrieve a rather large package of cloth-bound cooking utensils from the back of a camel. Sometime later, Apil approached the tavern with an ostrich on a leash. It would have been foolish to kill it, then have to carry it back. Apil figured he'd kill it on a tarp out in front of the tavern, then get help carrying it in. On the walk back, Apil sang the bird a folk song:

On a wagon, bound for market,
there's a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him, there's a swallow,
winging swiftly through the sky.
How the winds are laughing
they laugh with all their might.
Laugh an' laugh, the whole day through
annnd half the summer's night
Dona, dona, dona, donaaaaa
Dona, dona, dona, donnnnn
Dona, dona, dona, donaaaaa
Dona, dona, dona, donnnnn
Stop complaining, said the farmer.
Who told you, a calf to be?
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
never knowing the reason why.
But whoever treasures freedom,
like the swallow, has learned to fly

Well, Apil said with a bit of a lump forming in his stomach, Unlike the calf, you've even got wings, so don't blame me.

Those inside the Kash Bowl heard the approach. Then heard, Ok, now just stand on this tarp.........That's it. Now then......HUUUMMMMMMPH This last sound was followed by the sound of a body crumpling to the ground. Then Apil was heard again, Wait a minute, that's NOT how it was supposed to happen. HUUUMMMMMMPH. OWW! Wait....NO, leggo that! What're you.....AHHHHHHH! Apil burst through the door, with the bottom of his tunic having been pulled up over his head by the ostrich, and hid behind the wall. Looking back at the silent crowd, Apil said as he lowered his tunic back into place, It's a lot easier to snap a chicken's neck. I think I need some military help

Just then, a triumphant giant bird walked into the Kash Bowl with Tomi's sash drapped over his neck, looked at the feathers on the arrows in Tomi's quiver, then looked him in the face, rather puzzled. Deciding Tomi wasn't a bird with a quiver full of nestlings, the bird calmly walked over to Lotus' table and dipped its rather sizeable beak into her kash. Apil looked over at Tomi and yelled, C'mon Tomi. Ostrich eggs are a lot easier. Help me carry some back. I wanna see Cail try to crack an egg into a frying pan anyway.