Alpine Lake Tokyo night train.

No, she countered gently, you don’t. That’s four against one, Rodyn. You don’t even need to wait on your allies. She sensed there was more to it than strictly the odds, though. If you need someone’s blessing to act, then take mine. This guy is a threat to his wife, his kid and everyone else in the pack. You need to do what needs to be done, even if it’s not nice. Think of it this way, if it helps: you’re taking out the trash for the common good.

She briefly thought of that day last winter, when Chakliux had been headhunting. She’d pledged herself to the cause. That impulse flared now too. Towhee owed Rodyn a favor. But she wasn’t a free agent these days. Everything she did would affect Sun Mote Copse and the careful peace there. She licked her lips, pondering it but saying nothing.