With the middle of winter upon Xanadu Weyr, the temperatures have been hovering about freezing, though so far it has been a particularly dry winter - with little rain and even less snow to speak of. As the temperatures drop, however, so has the variety of food in the kitchen, and thus the options that have been hitting the dinner table.
With Rubicon River's loss of their main fishing vessel only two years gone, along with the majority of their able bodied men, means that the their intake is considerably lower, and there's less to trade with the Weyr. And so, rather than fresh fish, barrels of salted fish have been seen coming in from seaside holds north and south to augment the shortage.
Adding to the problem is that, a result of the storm and the destroyed enclosures, the herdbeast numbers were already low, meaning less beef on the tables, and with the felines well fed from the abundance of partially domesticated beasts, the cats have been on the prowl, making individual hunting parties all the more dangerous.
However, in an attempt to soothe the desires of many for some change in food, the leadership has agreed to compensate any rider or team who brings in a beast for the Weyr's use - though they haven't specifically said if the marks will outweigh the risk.