Adonvdo, ever since AniWaya had met up in their little section of the wapiti-stuffed reserve, had been able to detect the slightest disturbance in the careful equilibrium that Dohi always had. In fact, the man meditated for longer, and more periodically, than he had before; this was not due to a revelation that he had reached a perfectly peaceful state of mind after his time of training. He should have been a priest, he supposed, and found himself suddenly wondering if it was too late to change; but of course it was. He would have to be entirely retrained, rebooted as if from start and he, sadly, didn't want to have to do it. It was far too much trouble on the tribe. The Appaloosa, of course, was restless as a result.
Nvwadohiyadv, on the other hand, was more than fiery. Her proposal had been very carefully worded and yet still not thought out — now's the time to strike down and claim what is rightfully yours. You have to be tough sometimes; you deserve that position more than anybody — enough to make Dohi consider it. Lucifer was the new leader, a leader who had taken the position he had always worked toward, and that was all there was to it. He wouldn't raise a finger to the newcomer if there wasn't a reason to.
Still, a dark cloud had planted itself into the doubtful part of Dohi's mind which, up until a handful of days ago, hadn't resurfaced for over a year. It left him sitting on the ground, surrounded by the bleating of the distant wapiti, with his hands on his knees. He didn't know what to think about the newcomer that had taken the place he had so dearly wanted to have, but nor did he want the conflict in his head. It was like poison to him, seeping through his bones and into his marrow, shocking him, paralysing him.
The Ulagahasti's eyes slowly opened to the midafternoon sun, and the grass that swayed around him, and he very nearly cursed his headache.