Ankyra Sound manticore

he felt a perverse sense of his own weakness fill him at her quizzical expression and following words. sense they held, but he was ever an emotional beast. peregrine's explanation for the murder of junior swam unbidden into his mind -- even with no sense of kin between donnelaith and this assailant could lasher find a reason to slay the woman. shame coloured his cheeks beneath his dark fur, flushed the tender flesh of his ears, but he accepted her words.

"i would not negotiate with him if his answer was no," lasher murmured, and the sting of her chastisement, for that was how he had taken her rebuttal, was plain upon his features. "and i would slay her without question if she struck again, but i do not wish to allow her that luxury." 

taltos knew what it was he must do, but his heart vied with the primality of his wolf's-mind, and he was torn.