Though he paid attention, Caleb had no response to Meesei. He just held his arms around himself, brought his shoulders forward and tried not to cry about the trouble he had caused.

Vera curled her lips for a moment. She understood that her child would need to be punished, but she had more to say. "There may be a problem," Vera said, starting slowly, "Normally the punishment for grievously wounding another member of the pack is banishment. Caleb is young, so his sentence may not be as harsh. I know that Oswall would not be so cruel as to exile him. The clan's reaction, though..." Vera wiped her cheek and looked at Meesei directly. "Galsek might make the argument that we framed him, and the clan need only look at us to see that we might have offered Caleb leniency for speaking out against him. It may help to have Harriet denounce him, but even Harriet doesn't have to acknowledge that is was Galsek who put these ideas into Caleb's mind. I think it might be better to not announce a name, but mention there is a traitor who is poisoning minds before the trial. We might demand they come forward for punishment. The clan is more likely to view any influence from Galsek with suspicion from then on." Vera looked to one side and gestured, "Perhaps the others might have thoughts as well."