The feast of the raising of banners was anticipated from Ochpaniztli on. The priests fasted and laid branches down on the mountain tops and the circular altars. On the day of the feast they sang and danced to the Tlaxotecayotl, the song of Huitzilopochtli. The victims who were to die were bathed with water from the spring Huitzilatl, in a cave at Huitzilopochco, the place of Huitzilopochtli. At the foot of the Coatepec, at the base of the stairs leading to the temple of Huitzilopochtli, they were painted and dressed like the 400 Huitznahua. They were brought up to the summit and back down. On the day of the sacrifice, near dawn, Paynal, the double of Huitzilopochtli, came down from the summit of Coatepec to the Teotlachco, the sacred ballcourt. From the ballcourt he ran to Tlatelolco and Nonoalco. At Nonoalco, the ixiptla of Cuahuitlicac, elder brother of Paynal, joined him. Together they went to Tlaxotlan, and to Poptlan, Chapoltepetl which is Chapultepec, to Tepetocan, Coyoacan, and Mazatlan. They doubled back to Acachinanco. As Paynal ran his course, the Huitznahuac battled along his route, scattering when he arrived. The captives who were to die were taken around the base of Coatepec. The xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent, descended from the temple of Huitzilopochtli, along with the image of Paynal. And then the captives climbed the stairs of the great temple.