“Everybody’s got their own nature,” Jack said, “and what you’re talking about, well, right there you’ve got the big difference between herbivores and carnivores.”

It looked like Raven was going to argue the point, but after a moment, he simply nodded.

“We need to close the door on this,” Jack said.

He put the cigarette he’d rolled between his lips. A flick of his Zippo got it lit. Taking a drag, he passed it around, sharing the tobacco smoke, sealing the moment among them all. Everybody had a drag, even the humans who probably only had the barest inkling of what it meant. But Joe knew he shouldn’t be too hard on them. They’d come here to stand with Cassie and him when none of them thought they’d survive the day.

When the cigarette was done and the butt stowed in Jack’s pocket, Ayabe put his arm around Walker’s shoulders.

“You should come with me,” he said. “There are quiet places of retreat by my lake—places to let your sorrow run its course without interference or distraction from the world at large. You can stay on any of them for as long as you need.”

“I . . .”

Walker’s gaze went to Minisino’s body, then returned to the moose lord’s face. He straightened his shoulders and nodded.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’d appreciate that.”

Ayabe pointed a finger at Jack.

“You’d better have a brother,” he said.

Then he led Walker away, and the pair of them were gone.

“What was that about?” Joe asked.

“Long story. The short version is my brother Jim’s left me holding the short end of the stick again.”

“You should let him take your place the next time Zella’s old man comes looking for you.”

Jack smiled. “Yeah, my mother’d really like that. You know how she is about Jimmy.”

Joe nodded. Jack’s mother doted on his brother. It was that old “the kid could do no wrong,” even when the proof was staring her in the face. He supposed there were worse things than loyalty, even when it was misguided.

“I have to see about this council,” Raven said.

“I won’t be coming,” Joe told him before there could be any talk of him showing up as a witness. “I’ve had my fill of this business.”

Raven smiled. “I think we’ll manage without you.”

Before he could step away as the cerva had, Grey moved toward him.

“I’d like to come with you,” he said. “If it’s okay. That old history between Odawa and me still needs to be resolved.”

Raven nodded and then the two of them were gone, as well.

“Well, that’s that,” Jack said. “But tell me. Am I the only one who thinks we shouldn’t have to go through this kind of crap in the first place?”