Heron Lake Plateau plight of the lemon children

Quixote's brain was working overtime to try to analyze basically everything.  First of all, he looked over and didn't even acknowledge him really -- not a nod, not a, 'Hey, one sec,' or anything -- just nothing.  Then he made Quixote wait.  Did he have like... no self-preservation instincts at all?  That irked Quixote as a person, to say nothing of what that must have meant Screech thought about his status.  Quixote was alpha, Screech was pretty close to being nothing, and the lack of anything even resembling respect made him wonder if maybe he should be a bit more demanding about it.  But you know what?  Not yet.  He'd toss a bit more rope in case Screech wanted to hang himself for no reason.  Or maybe this whole attitude was caused by something that Quixote wasn't privy to and would soon be revealed.

Screech's words, though, gained a more direct frown.  Still no greeting, and that was definitely not the way Quixote would ever speak to a leader.  Quixote was pretty sure that he'd been doing a pretty ok job so far as alpha, all things considered, so what had he gone and done to deserve what he saw as a pretty dismissive attitude?  Old news, but yeah, I suppose you're gonna be.  Not too thrilled, I take it?  Raven had done her best to convince him that Screech was just some dumb kid that needed some guidance, but if he was going to be an empty robot instead of being happy for his sister, maybe she was wasting her time even trying.