Friends of a feather

"Absolutely, lead the way," he responded, happy to follow along as Shaye lead the way back towards her pack. It would be good to know where his newfound allies actually resided anyway.

She expressed interest in crafting which was good, as well as in the gladiator battles he'd spoken of. Ignatius smiled a thin smile that belied the mixed feelings he still had about the culture of his puphood. "Well, there were a few different types of battles that took place in the arena. The more common one was actually between prisoners who were captured. It was... believed that all should earn their keep one way or another." While Ignatius didn't think anyone should get away with slacking in a group, he wasn't always certain how he felt about pitting prisoners against each other. Of course, maybe he wouldn't mind so much if he had captives of his own. Hard to say. It would certainly not be the same with him making the rules though. "The battles were fierce, some to the death. However, the other types were significantly less brutal," he assured her.

"It was often seen as an honorable way to show the strength of our warriors and proclaim the kingdom's might. Anyone from low ranking soldiers to highly appointed generals were welcome to join in the battles, and I've heard that even before the neighboring kingdom was made an ally that they were invited to spectate. I understand why; my father wanted them to see how well trained our fighters were at the time, and it worked." Mars, no matter how much Ignatius disliked him on a personal level, had always been excellent at what he did, from fighting battles himself to ruling the great southern kingdom. How far would he have taken his people if he'd known that there was such a great expanse of lands here in Boreas? "During those... displays, everyone far and wide was invited to watch the battles that would take place. Feasts, trading, and general partying were also par for the course around that time." he chuckled.

"Of course it was also a serious matter. The battles almost always happened at or after dusk, by the lights of our many torches. There were some religious elements attached as well, offerings and praises given to certain gods. Oh, and any who wished to participate had to successfully enter the ring by walking over a bed of coals to get to the arena." Images of those fights, always made that much more dramatic by the flickering light of the fires, would flash through Ignatius' mind as he spoke. He imagined it would be an unforgettable sight to those who had not grown up with it.