During that time of year, the queen would once again enter the forest, but she would not go alone. Women from across the kingdom, nobles and commoners alike, would join her in the now-domesticated woodland. Together, they hunted the creatures that lived within it, some still dangerous, others tamed but untamed enough to test skill and courage.
When the hunt concluded, the women would return to the city bearing their catches.
There, they were welcomed by the men of the kingdom, dressed in traditional cultural attire. The men received the spoils of the hunt from the women's hands, skinned the beasts, and prepared meals from their flesh. Those meals were then served to the women, honoring them as providers, protectors, and participants in the kingdom's survival.
The ritual carried layered meaning. It reminded the people of the queen's near loss. It honored the king's wrath and restraint and it reaffirmed the balance between strength, care, and devotion that defined Osita's rule.
