<div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">A Few Weeks Prior</span></strong></div><br/>It had been a pretty incredible battle.  Celeste remembered watching from the stands, a small inlet section right on the arena field where, before and after the battle, the housemates of those fighting could prepare and tend to them.  Niassa had come into the house with a great deal of skill already and once she'd allowed the gator to help train her, seemed to take to battle like a natural.  Of course, the matron of the house had done her research and the hyena-like wolf did have good cause to exhibit such a proficiency.  It actually got Celeste excited, thinking about what could be done with someone like that on their team.<br/><br/>What was better, in the gator's opinion, was the wolf's opponent.  He was no pushover and he was giving Niassa a run for her money.  The way Celeste saw it, and with her experience she felt pretty confident in judging Niassa as the favorite to win, when the wolf was victorious, her opponent would become a valuable student.  Someone Celeste could help train and bolster the ranks of her still-small house.  In the end, when Niassa had won, she'd gained Celeste's favor, not just because it had been good for the house, but because she'd proved Celeste right and that was always something that put the gator in a good mood.<br/><br/>The resulting meal, which had been specially prepared as a celebratory feast for Niassa, had included also a decent vintage of strong spirits and by the end of it, the entire group, was, at the very least, a tad tipsy.  That was when Celeste stood and made her speech.<br/><br/>Raising her last glass, the gator smiled at those around the table, "I want to congratulate Niassa, once more, on a well-earned victory.  The world saw what this house was worth tonight, what you're worth, Niassa.  I'm proud of your work and I'm more than impressed with the prowess you showed.  This feast was just a preamble to the real celebration, though.  For that, let's go upstairs and prepare.  To the baths!"  She commanded, tipping her head back, finishing the drink and turning to lead the way up the steps and into the other already steamy room.