“Timaris looked back on the first match of Autumn with mixed feelings. After a near perfect first half, resulting in a 1-0 lead at halftime, things changed in the second half. "Where did it all go wrong this time?" Timaris sighed. Grand Celestial Delegate had left an opening in its defense, so Timaris had urged Vanhir to push through and force a 1d strip on the ballcarrier. Anything but a skull would have been enough, but he didn't even get that far after snaking a dodge. Perhaps it had been reckless? "Nonsense", he replied to himself. "Every elf worth his salt aims at sacking the ball. And that certainly applies on wardancers."

As always, as if a snake by itself isn't bad enough, the Meddlers were out of position and vulnerable. Next turn Morlanna, the other wardancer, got blitzed and badly hurt and Jokleel got fouled off the pitch. The rest of the drive was a Catheyan stall until turn 16 for the draw, all the while focusing on fouling Vanhir, so that he wouldn't get another chance to leap in.

The one-turner effort failed when the tree knocked himself down in a 3d block. "Not the best start of the new season, but it could have been worse", Timaris concluded. At least the team left the pitch intact. More chances next time. A pity he didn't find the opportunity to snatch away some secret ingredient somewhere during or after the game. After all, how many times does one face an exotic team all the way from mythical Cathay?”