#Chapter 41 – Not the Obvious Answer

Lila Rows of tiered seating ringed the space above us, shadowing the faces of the judges and spectators. Somewhere up there, I knew Damon was watching. The center of the room had been transformed into a living map; raised terrain etched with ridges and markers, depicting the territory of two neighboring Packs, not-so-creatively named the ‘Green Valley’ and the ‘Red Valley’. A wide painted river cut the landscape in two. It was rich in resources. Sacred to one Pack. Strategically vital to the other. A disaster waiting to happen. We were to simulate a real negotiation, acting as mediators and representatives. I had been paired with a tall candidate from Nora from a powerful Pack. She stood next to me now, straight-backed and self-assured in her navy dress, arms crossed as the moderator explained the scenario. “We’re here to mediate a standoff over this contested river valley,” he said. “Your goal: reach a sustainable agreement before tensions escalate. There are no script