“No! Absolutely not! I refuse,” Murdock yelled. Everyone had finished eating and the children were put down for the night. The adults had gone outside to enjoy the evening while the pile of brush finished burning.
Declan had sympathy for Murdock’s plight. Mei Lee had sprung her idea of leadership of their little tribe on him.
“But why?” Mei Lee asked quietly.
“I don’t want it,” Murdock snapped back.
“From my point of view, you don’t really have a choice,” Mei Lee responded sedately. “You have been the leader for as long as I’ve known you. All we’re saying is that you continue as you have been. You have served us all quite well and we wish that to continue. Consider it a vote of confidence!”
“I’ve only done what I thought best for my family,” Murdock countered.
“Exactly, you’ve been a
