They should have been farther along their planned route than they were. Teomitl’s feet almost itched with the urge to keep marching, to keep leading his troops along the campaign trail. But he wasn’t a fool, and he knew they needed rest and better food. The Totonac traders from along the coast were able to provide both.

That wasn’t all they had.

His reverie was interrupted almost immediately by the sight of a group of his warriors clustered around a tub, staring in apparent fascination at whatever was inside. Without thinking about it, he headed over to investigate.

The wooden tub was full of round, spiky...things. Things with little feet on the underside, crawling gently over each other. Things that had gently undulating spines.

Sea urchins. He stared at them, fascinated. He’d seen dead ones, but they were so different when they were alive.

“You want to buy?” the trader asked.

He agreed without a second thought.

(Acatl was predictably unimpressed with his failure to haggle, but he did agree they were both cute and rather tasty, so Teomitl counted it as a win.)