The water which supports a boat can also sink it

[Claudius Aston]

WC: > 300
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[/html]He was having a bit of trouble adjusting since he was still trying to work everything out in his mind. It was happening again: Dawali was being removed all from an external force: by a Great Tribe that he had never seen. It seemed almost wrong, but after spending time with Vigilante, Savina, and Ulilohi, he hoped it was the right decision to make. He knew he wasn't meant to lead permanently: the spirit guides had not chosen him and he was only here until a decision for a new leader had been made. And it had been: Ulilohi was to lead and he was to relinquish control -- well, sort of. She was to report to Savina, Vigilante, and him, so this too felt like he was betraying the spirit guides. He just wished he could reconcile his faith with his desire for peace in the tribe. Nonetheless, he was a little relieved. Even though Vigilante and Savina had been there the whole time, he had been so worried he would do something wrong.

No, what Claudius worried about the most was the reaction from the other tribesmembers. What would they think?

Soon enough, Ayasha spoke up. He hesitated, not wanting to speak. He had no special title or role to play; he was just passing things along. He breathed a sigh of relief when Ulilohi spoke up. Savina, too, added her own bit and for a moment, Claudius panicked. She sounded so cold and almost angry with them that it made him hurt just a little. He felt like he knew Savina a bit -- not too much, mind you, for she was a very proper and polite lady -- but he wondered how the rest of the tribe would feel. The good AniWayans had done what they could to thwart Maska's plans, so he felt a little betrayed knowing that there would be some members of other packs that might dislike him out of principle. It hurt to know that there could be such resentment.

Claudius wanted to speak, but he didn't know what to say. He brought his left hand up to his right elbow, slowly tracing the puckered and rough flesh. The scar extended up his arm: it was faint, but invisible. He couldn't help but wonder if there would be faint, but invisible lasting scars between these three packs. It made him horribly sad. [html]

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