- I'm Naamaa, please follow me - she bowed slightly to us, then turned around and started walking deeper inside.

Hailwic just went inside. Everybody else first looked at Humma, but he only invited us to go with a gesture, so we all followed them in the end.

The researchers, grunting and moaning with pain followed at the very end because they had to get down from the cart.

The first toom inside was empty and had a passage to another, with four long benches on each side and three holes instead of dors leading to the left, right, and ahead of us.

Naamaa went left, and we all after her, to another transition room, this time filled with potted plants filling almost all of the space, and leaving only a narrow pathway to go further. Then the next chamber was a large one, with one very long table filled with food with many stone benches on both sides.

There were a lot of people already waiting there, standing and clearly waiting for us. As soon as we entered the person at the top of the table, Uhmian women in very light, white robes, again, dark green hair, with many beads, shiny bubbles, and colorful strings carefully braided in, spoke.

Her voice was incredible. Soft, delicate, jet so powerful we all could hear her clearly.

- Welcome humans. I'm Naalaa, the elder and the head of this community. Please sit at our table, and share mahuu and milk with us.

- It's an honor to receive your invitation - responded Hailwic, and then she bowed slightly, just like Naamaa did not too long ago.

We followed her example, and also bowed, then we followed the invitation, and everybody found a spot for themselves at the table. I quickly found out that Ole was among the Uhms with whom we were sharing the food.

We exchanged nods while doing the traditional justice. After everybody ate the bread and drunk the milk, Naalaa spoke again.

- Why do we owe this visit? Are you again curious about our past? Or is there a different reason this time?

- We came because of those people - said Hailwic, pointing at some of the researchers with an open hand. - They are wise men and women from our home planet, and they are very curious to learn about your culture and language.

I quickly translated their words.

- Wery well. We will let you witness our culture - said the elder, and smiled. - Please eat. Fill your stomachs after the long journey, and rest.

- Thank you - said Hailwic.

Naalaa's title wasn't really working for me, since she was too young for an elder, and was actually very hot. It was hard for me to understand why she is called that, but at that time I actually knew very little about the customs of their culture and tradition.

With her words, we focused on food. The researchers started taking photos, after first asking if they can.historical

There were actually a lot of different types of food. Boiled mushrooms that tasted like meat, although were chewier. White mush that was some kind of boiled semolina. They ate it with big leaves, taking a spoon, putting it on top, and then rolling.

There was also raw and smoked fish. Wine made out of the tall flowers, and some kind of hooch made out of the same grain that strange mush was.

There were cut and boiled pieces of some kind of orange vegetable, similar to pumpkin, but way bigger. It was actually in size of a human and could grow even bigger. They were growing only in a village on the edge of their lands, and that's why I never saw it before.

They had other stuff similar to tomatoes, and courgettes which they just put as a whole thing, or cut in smaller pieces and seasoned with spices.

There were also baked goods. Different types of traditional mahuu bread. A type of pie filled with a mix of vegetables, and many more that I forgot.

We drank milk and alcohol. All except Tihana, whom I watched closely, and made stay out of the stuff she shouldn't have at her age.

Naalaa kept talking with Hailwic, and I got stuck translating for the researchers, who just kept asking questions left and right about the food, plants, mushrooms, and every freaking else. It went to the point that I was about to knock a few people out, so I could just eat in peace.

Tihana enjoyed my frustration, giggling when somebody asked a new question, looking at me and expecting to translate. At some point, I just started ignoring them. This led to a strange situation where they tried to communicate with Uhm's using gestures, which was completely pointless since both sides couldn't understand each other.

They were about to ask am again to help them, but Ole came to rescue.

- It's good to see you again, Peter.

- You too, Ole. Who have you been?

- Good. Life runs slowly here, but I noticed that your sapling is growing bigger, the dome is grabbing more and more land.

- Yes. We had to upgrade it, so we could open a path to our home planet. By the way, you should visit it.

- I'm sorry Peter, but I would prefer to avoid gating under the dome again.

- I understand that.

- I'm happy you do, although it makes me sad that you didn't take our invitation to live here together, far from the influence of the sapling.

- We decided to carve our own path. Different from the one you chose, and different from the one Bahumdabars chose. We want to use the sapling but live peacefully with those around us. We won't be enslaving other races.

- I hope that your words are true, and you and your people will honor them.

- I'll make sure of that - I said and rose a mug with some wine in it.

He responded with the same gesture, and then we drank together.

The whole fest lasted few hours. Eventually, Hailwic had to describe to Naalaa what exactly our researchers would want to do here, and see. We also had to explain to her the technology they were using. Cameras and voice recorders.

She designated Naamaa and Ole, to show us around as soon as the eating and drinking stopped. For researchers, it was mostly the end of the day since they got drunk.. Hunters on the other hand needed way more to even began being tipsy, so we still had plenty of time to spend on looking around.