Charles Riggle entered next.He'd only been on the board for a couple of weeks, and Thano hadn't been able to determine if he was an annoying human or only a stupid one.
Next, Raven entered, and Thano nodded in greeting.He wasn't pleased they had two birds on the board, but both Raven and Fala had wanted a spot and few others did, so...Ravens weren't as easily distracted as crows, but Thano still didn't like it.
Conal and Tuur entered next.Conal was the only wolf they had left.After Tatwulf had tried to get rid of Romeo last year, the wolves had left.First, about half of them had stalked away during the night without a word, then the rest in the following days.Conal was the only one who'd remained.
It worried Thano a little.They didn't need wolves at The Moonlight Ranch, but the wolf pack had been second only to the crows in number, and they'd been in contact with humans.Without the wolves, some things got harder.And for Conal personally...Wolves were pack animals, and he was the only one who'd remained.He wasn't as happy nowadays as he'd been before.
Tuur was a bear, massive and quiet.Thano didn't know him well, but Armelle, the leader of the bears, trusted him, so Thano believed he was a good fit for the board.
Last to arrive were George Hillburn and Theodore Carner who came together.They were rough-looking men, both of them.Their clothes were worn thin, and their bodies looked like they were used to hard work.Both of them had cold, unflinching eyes.Thano was sure these were men Romeo would avoid.
Romeo knew humans.He could often tell if someone was dangerous or not simply by looking at them.Thano had tried to catalog things about the people that made Romeo stiffen when they were in town, but he still hadn't mastered the skill.Maybe he should bring Romeo to a meeting simply to see his reaction, but it wasn't important right now.
"Are we ready to start?"He looked around the table once everyone was seated.
There was a murmur, and Mabel brought out a notepad.It always surprised Thano when she did.Pens and papers were forbidden, but she had some, and she did nothing to hide them.It was something about her being the secretary and therefore having the right to make notes for the sake of the settlement, but where did she get them?If one human could get them, surely the rest could too.
"Last week, we discussed having the people from Fisherman's Lake pay a fee to moor at the dock."She tapped her pen.
"I don't think it's a good idea."Charles glanced at Thano only to quickly look away.
"We need the money."Mabel stopped tapping.
"We also need to eat."
"With a better economy, we can make Last Hope better.If the city core is in better shape, people might want to come here--"
And off they went.Thano tuned them out and looked out the window.Why humans couldn't trade favors like normal individuals, he didn't know.He could see the lake between two buildings.He'd only been to Fisherman's Lake a few times, and it had been many years ago.It wasn't big.A few farms and a cluster of smaller houses near the lakeside.Thano believed about fifty people were living there.
"Let's vote."Mabel's voice cut through his thoughts.
Thano caught Raven's gaze, and she gave him a barely-there shake of her head.What had he missed?
"Vote about what?"
Mabel huffed."The toll."
"What would the consequences be?"
Charles nodded and gestured at Thano only to then pale as if Thano would bite his hand."Exactly.Consequences."
"We've discussed it--"
Thano cut Mabel off."Who would be affected by this?"
"Everyone!"Charles curled his hands into fists."Since a great portion of our food comes from Fisherman's Lake, Eli would have to pay more to get it into his shop--"
"No, they're paying the toll, not Eli."Mabel sounded angry now.
"Don't be naive.They have to live just as much as we do.If they need to pay a toll, they'll raise their prices so the profit is the same, then Eli has to raise the prices so his profit is the same, and then we have to pay more for food.Unless they take their products somewhere else altogether.Then we'll starve."
Thano nodded.It sounded logical.He might not know a lot about the human system, but if the people of Fisherman's Lake could make more of a profit by selling their products elsewhere, then it made sense for them to do so."Has anyone asked Eli?"
"Asked Eli what?"George was annoyed.
"What it would mean for the shop if there was a toll for everyone coming over the lake?What would it mean for his business?"
"He'll adjust."
