Snippet #1795146

Seemingly disinterested, Tribune tapped his chin with his index finger while Antonica presented her concerns. When she had concluded her short but passionate soliloquy, he cleared his throat, reverberating a deep, guttural vibration around the room.

“I’ll take note of your trepidations, Antonica. But what you have just told the council does not substantiate the action you want us to take.” Tribune folded his hands, sternly placing them in front of him. “First of all, I will state again that judgement for Convel, his pack mates, and any other parties that surround the circumstances of last night’s murder must and will be reserved until they have been given a fair chance to be cross-examined by this esteemed court of law. Given that Lindville is in need of healthy and hard-working citizens, we cannot establish preconceived opinions regarding the morality of Convel and his fellow travellers based upon the frailty of anecdotal evidence.”

“I would also like to make you aware that if you participate in a “challenge” with Convel, you are jeopardizing your responsibilities as pack leader. Should you lose, the outcome raises severely uncertain consequences, and the integrity of the survival bargain must not be threatened merely to preserve this particular ritual of pack culture. Nor will I allow the hatred between the two of you put others in danger. If the council decides to admit Convil as a full citizen of Lindville, you and your pack must acknowledge his full rights.”

“All this being said, Antonica, I do find value in your concern that if Convel is of the character to disturb the peace, then having access to the pack’s mind may be dangerous. As such, I will leave the final decision of whether or not to accept him Convil into the pack to you.”