>You take some time to gather yourself before peeking out of the doorway. Ari’s tail disappears around a corner, and you’re left with the handful of servants moving through the halls.
>Even the ones that seem to be rushing to some place else in the building move with an unconcerned ease. A Family dinner must be pretty common for the staff to be so practiced.
>Every now and then you notice someone not dressed in the same fashion as the vest and slacks wearing servants. Some in suits like Eileen’s or Ariannis’s, while others are dressed more in a style similar to yourself.
>Seems like the other guests are arriving now. Thanks to Eileen you showed up early, but it seems what little advantage in time it may have given you was wasted by the spat in the office.
>The evening’s events must be starting soon, if you had to guess. You better get a move on too, or you’ll end up showing up to dinner late. Don’t want to embarrass Ariannis by proxy.
>You wander the halls a bit, following the flow of foot traffic and looking for someone in a vest who looks moderately important. It’s pretty easy to tell the servants from the guests.
>You notice someone standing off to the side where they can monitor the crowd. It’s an older canine, some sort of scruffy hound. If you had to point at someone as a butler, he would definitely be worth a first draft pick.
>Honestly if you go this whole evening without running into another Aunt or Uncle, it would be fantastic. As such you attempt to be inconspicuous as you approach the canine gentleman. With diagonal steps at a steady pace, you very conveniently end up next to the canine.
>”Excuse me?” You ask, trying your best to act like you belong.
>”How can I help you, sir?” His response is immediate as he turns to you, giving you his full attention. You would be taken aback if his demeanor wasn’t so reassuring. 
--
>Whoever this guy is, you could ask him how to find the lost Nazi gold of World War 2 and he would have an answer for you after making a few phone calls.
>”Uh,” You keep your voice low so that passerby can’t eavesdrop on your inexperience or realize how out of place you are. “This is the first time I’ve been to one of these dinners. I…kind of don’t know where to go or what I’m doing.”
>As if you said the magic words, the butler nods and smiles, “Ah, that is exactly why I am here, sir. May I ask who your sponsor is, mister…?” He cocks his head, likely running through a list of prepared answers and instructions.
>”Uh, I’m Cousin Anon Ymous. And my sponsor is Aunt Ariannis.” Technically Eileen was the one who gave you a ride here, but something tells you that you shouldn’t try to come across as someone who is buddy buddy with multiple high ranking members of the Family.
>Saying Ari’s name causes him to blink reflexively, and the mask of an unflappable butler falters for a scant second as he tries to reassure himself that he heard you correctly. “Lady Labbate? It has been some time since she last brought a guest.”
>Christ, if you shot a hole in the butler’s poker face, then everyone else you meet tonight is going to have a stroke on the spot the moment you drop Ariannis’s name.
>”You must have left quite the impression on Lady Labbate; she hasn’t sponsored anyone since, dear me...” His gaze goes upwards as he plays through his memories, “Well, since she brought Lady Novak herself home from her business trip in Croatia. Hopefully your circumstances  for joining us are much better than hers.”
>Lady Novak? Ariannis never mentioned anyone named Novak to you.
>The scruff butler is definitely good at his job, since he reads your mind and answers your question for you before can ask it. “I believe you would refer to her as ‘Aunt Eileen,’ sir.”
>You let out a quick “Oh,” and nod before the implications of Eileen once upon a time being Ariannis’s guest pass over you.
--
>Was Ari the one who brought Eileen into the fold, then?
>Shaking your head, you add it to the pile of things to panic over when you go back home. “I think we’re getting distracted here.”
>”Of course, sir, my apologies. Unusual circumstances can make one ramble, after all.” He nods before turning and pointing his hand down a hall that the rest of the guests are funneling into. “The gathering hall is further down this path. Cousins are expected to stay near tables with white trims unless accompanied by their sponsors to other areas, such as to another group of tables or deeper into the manor.”
>Simple enough stuff. Stay near the simple furniture and try not to hear something you’re not supposed to.
>While your head is turned towards the crowd, he continues to speak. “Dinner will begin sometime within the hour, and your meal will be brought directly to you after you’ve ordered. Please, enjoy your evening, sir.”
>”I will definitely try,” You say in thanks. It helps to be prepared though, so you throw one more question his way before joining the rest of the guests. “Is there anyone else I can ask if I have questions later?”
>The canine nods before pointing to an emblem pinned onto his chest. It’s a silver branch with some type of flower growing along the length of it, laying sideways on his breast. “Just look for anyone wearing a silver bushel of bishop’s lace. Any head of staff is wearing one, and will be happy to help any guests of the Family.”
>Once again you find yourself thanking him while you walk away. Now you’re armed with a few emergency options in case you end up over your head. All you have to do now is survive this meal without causing a scene.
>There are a few glances your way as you mesh back into the crowd, but everyone is too busy trying to get into the next room to try and decide if they know who you are or not.
--
>If you had to give an estimate to the body count going on here you would put it pretty close to a hundred people in attendance, not including the staff. This seems more like a gathering than a simple dinner party.
>Yet as you think that even your boring human nose can pick up the scent of something tasty in the air as you cross the threshold.
>Definitely something savory, but you’re too uncultured and/or poor to make an accurate guess. It could be anything from simple beef and vegetable stew or some exotic French nonsense wafting from the kitchen doors.
>In fact, the entirety of the room you’ve just entered is a blast to the senses.
>The first thing you have to process is the noise. There is some soft jazz flowing through the air, acting as the bedrock for everything else hitting your ears.
>Conversation, and a healthy amount of it. The crowd that you are a part of was almost solemn as they walked through the halls, but the moment people got into the hall they became chatty.
>Things aren’t raucous or anything, but compared to the relative silence ten seconds ago it is loud enough that it caught you off guard.
>Most of the conversation is rather casual, and you catch a handful of ‘how have you been’s and one or two ‘hey, how’s the kids’s buzzing in the air.
>This must be a friendly type of get together, rather than a business oriented affair. Everyone, human or anthro, looks rather relaxed.
>Although when you look around, you can see a few groups of people purposely keeping their voice down and huddle together, but you do your best not to stare or eavesdrop. The less shit you know, the less you can get in trouble for.
>People are dispersing now, shedding away from the crowd and splitting off into different tables or conversational groups.
--
>As your gaze follows them, you realize that this event isn’t using cheap rental party equipment.
>The star of the floor is a grand table made of dark wood positioned lengthwise towards the rest of the room, Last Supper style.
>If you had to wager a guess, you imagine that’s the council’s table, and where said council will be eating. Eileen called Ari the ‘third seat,’ didn’t she? That means she probably sits near the middle of that behemoth.
>It’s completely abandoned at the moment, barring some waiting dishware. It has only been a couple minutes since Ariannis and Eileen were called away for that meeting, so that isn’t too surprising.
>Still it would probably be best to stay where she can see you, in the case you need to be saved from loan sharks or something. Better get a seat near the side so she has a clear line of sight.
>You take a moment to recall which side her good eye is on before turning your attention to the other side of the hall.
>There, a sea of tables wait patiently for their guests, covered neatly with black tablecloths and surrounded by some five or six chairs each. After a second you realize that all the furniture is wooden, same as the grand table. It’s all the heavy, high quality kind at that. No shitty plastic chairs in sight, and it probably takes three to four people to move each of these tables.
>Your idle curiosity wonders how much the staff here get paid, and if they have any available openings. Wait staff for the Family has to pay better than working at a grocery store, after all.
>Remembering you’re supposed to stick to the tables with white trim, you lapse into a moment of panic as you scan the edges of the tables from your position on the side lines.
>From what you can tell there are multiple trim colors, and the farther away they get from the council’s table the less flashy they become.
--
>Closest to the council’s table, maybe three or four meters away, are two tables with golden trim. Definitely not just a bright yellow, since you catch a shimmer of light off of them whenever someone brushes past the tables.
>These ones are rectangular, but definitely lack the sheer size of the council’s table. They’re mostly occupied, with only a few chairs left available. It’s also the only area where waiters bringing the people sitting at the two tables drinks with extreme haste.
>You avoid staring, but from a quick glance you noticed that there is at least some sort of large green reptile at one of the tables, as well as several humans and some sort of deer or moose. Something with antlers.
>After that are tables with black cloths and red trim. Not reflective, but it stands out for sure. There are three of them, and while they aren’t particularly spaced away from the tables with golden trim, there is a distinct separation with how they are arranged.
>These tables are also mostly occupied, leaving only a few chairs spare. There is someone at every table, though. You do a double take in your quick scan of the occupants; there was that man with the high and tight who stuck out like a sore thumb due to his hair cut, but a pair of red fox women who look damn near identical tripped you up.
>Even with just a glance, it was obvious they’re both beauties, but you keep your eyes moving once you confirm you aren’t hallucinating. You’re not exactly in a rush to see how well Ari handles wandering eyes.
>Still, the people at these tables seem to be occupying themselves. There are signs of telltale hand gestures and head nods that indicate conversation between the ones seated.
--
>Then come the bulk of the tables. Black with brown trim, you would have to stand here and count how many there are to be precise. A few people are seated or are finding a seat, but it’s pretty empty compared to the first two rows. The majority of the guests are still up and about, catching up with each other in casual chatter before getting seated.
>Brown trim must be where the bulk of Nieces and Nephews go, then. That means red trim tables must be the Older Nieces, Nephews, and Cousins, most likely. From the summary of roles Ari texted you, that means they’re the right and left hands of an Aunt or Uncle. That would explain their punctuality and why they’re already sitting down.
>That leaves gold trim to be the Aunts and Uncles not on the council themselves. Head honchos of their own little sectors of business. Who are fitting squarely into your mental box of ‘do not talk to.’ If your interactions with Eileen and Ariannis are anything to go by, it would be best if they stayed out of your life completely.
>The white trimmed tables for Cousins seem to be at the far end of the room. There are far less of them than there are of brown trimmed tables, but you still have a selection of completely free tables to yourself.
>Some other Cousins must have the same idea, as there is a distinct case of high school loner syndrome going on. Of the three occupied tables, only one has more than one person at it.
>Well, time to add to the problem, since you’re looking to take an edge seat, and the table that sticks out the furthest on Ari’s good side is lacking for company.
>Slipping through the rest of the guests, you make your way over the tables.
>A hamster or gerbil sitting at one of the tables offers you a nervous wave that you return. He gestures for you to sit with him, and you stop to consider your options.
--
>You REALLY want that edge seat so you can keep a clear line of sight between you and Ari, but you’re in desperate need for company, or at least someone you can use as a disposable distraction in a worst case scenario.
>While you’re thinking things over, his head tilts and you can’t tell if there is something on your face or you’ve insulted him with your hesitation.
>”Don’t be shy; you might as well get to know some of your peers.” The silken voice of a woman creeps into your left ear, and your soul shoots out of your right ear as you jump in surprise.
>Well, you would have jumped, but a hand wraps itself firmly around your upper left arm and restrains your reaction. A hand you are distinctly certain was not there half a second ago.
>You turn to see who just joined the list of people from the Family who have almost killed you via heart attack, and come face to face with one of the two vixens you had noticed earlier.
>It’s a sign that you’re adapting to this nonsense when you’re already recovering by the time you lock eyes with the fox. Golden brown eyes, you find yourself noting, that go very well with her curled, almost messy brown hair.
>Part of you wishes you had the time to sit there and stare into her eyes. Sure, she just got you with one hell of a jump scare, but you could probably spend a good half hour noticing every little trace of color in her gaze.
>Unfortunately, you’re building a bit of experience and tolerance for dealing with beautiful women and a adrenaline at the same time. The wonderment ends swiftly.
>She opens her mouth but you can’t help yourself at this point. You had sworn to behave and keep a low profile, but if you’re being singled out by a high ranking member so quickly your usual filters don’t have time to catch everything.
>”Okay, wait wait, before you say anything,” You interrupt her quickly, “Is the other one behind me?” You gesture over your shoulder with your free hand.
--
>Your answer comes from behind, “Oh, look at him. He thinks he’s clever.” The snark is comes from a similar, if a bit huskier, voice.
>As if you’ve earned your freedom, the vixen in front of you lets go of your arm. You turn around, and sure enough, there is a second fox looking highly unimpressed with your savvy guess.
>Her eyes are just as golden as her partner’s, if a bit darker. That little imperfect match is also happening with her hair; hers is straight and cut shoulder length in comparison to the free flowing locks of her partner. Both of them plant a hand on their hips, crooking their bodies to an angle as they examine you.
>This is when you notice that they’re both wearing dressed armed with weapons grade slinkiness. It can be either their bodies or the dresses, but something needs a license that requires approval from the ATF, because it should be illegal for anything to fit so well. The clothing is practically a body suit the way it’s squeezing their frames.
>” I told you I saw him looking at us.” The fox in front of you speaks up. “I wouldn’t call it gawking, but I definitely saw some admiring going on.” She purrs, her tail flicking.
>”He’s a man, Seri. Of course he noticed us.” The second one chimes in dismissively.
>You shake your head and raise your hands in innocence, “Sorry, I was just looking for where I’m supposed to sit. This is the first time I’ve been to one of these dinners.”
>The first vixen, Seri apparently, leans in, “Oh, I love new members to the Family. Especially when they’re good looking. After things are all said and done, you want to join us for some dessert?” That last word almost rolls off of her tongue, coated in plenty of innuendo as her eyes light up. “I know Kay over there seems a bit rough, but she needs to watch first before she opens up. In all the right ways, I might add.” Once again, a soft purr slips from Seri.
>If you were a lesser man, you would dive right into that offer. Hell, if your guard was down and you hadn’t just been witness to Ari and Eileen’s argument, your mind would already be wandering to the possibilities.
--
>But you were already preparing yourself the moment you noticed these two. Not for these vixens specifically, but you didn’t need word of you flirting with some random women to reach Ari’s ears.
>Tonight, Anon is an iron fortress of chastity.
>”I’m sorry, I don’t think my girl would approve much of me running off with some vixens. I mean, she would understand why, but she wouldn’t approve in the slightest.” You put on evasive maneuvers and fire off the flares as best you can. The faster these two, or at least Seri, loses interest, the sooner you can sit down and play the loner.
>”Aw, what’s so special about her?” Seri’s traces a finger along your tie as she teases, and you take a step back reflexively. “She can’t be all that great if doesn’t want her man to have the night of his life.”
>Your face scrunches up at that line. You have distinct memories and the phantom sensation of Ari’s squeezing palm on your face the last time she even thought about someone taking away her toys.
>If Ariannis steps around a corner and sees you flanked by these two women, all three of your are going to end up in chopped up and dissolving in a big bathtub in some warehouse on the edge of town.
>”Uh, sorry Miss Seri. I don’t think Aunt Eileen would be very pleased with her beau playing with a pair of vixens.” You say, not pleased that you had to name drop Ariannis so early into the evening.
>Seri’s demeanor immediately changes and the finger playing with your borrowed tie flicks both it and you away as she stands up straight, all playfulness disappearing in a flash. “Smart answer, Anon. Enjoy your meal.” Her voice is still lovely, but it is completely empty of the charm it had just a few seconds ago.
>Completely done with you, Seri turns around and begins walking back to the red trimmed tables of the elites. You turn to see if Kay is leaving as well, and find her spending a few seconds looking you over once more.
--
>Maybe it’s just your imagination, but she didn’t look as disgusted with you as she had when she appeared. Still, she is done with you as fast as Seri was and walks away as well.
>It takes you some processing and putting two and two together, but eventually shake your head as you turn around to join that rodent from earlier.
>If that’s how your relationship with Ari is going to tested and probed, this is going to be a very exhausting evening.
>At least they kept the twin speak to a minimum, you suppose.