Hmm. Now I'm wondering if I've read *too* much into that breadcrumb trail. I'd pegged the car crash as the final major point of divergence (in the sense of getting the alternaverse to where it is now) but had gotten the impression that there were already trust issues (and divergences) prior.

Honestly, I'd been guessing that the first major divergence was that AlternaGiles did not keep AlternaXander's hyena memories a secret, thereby never giving AlternaGiles the status of trused adult, and thus laying the groundwork for AlternaXander having to earn his keep with the group. (The maps and so on.)