All characters referred to in this story are copyright Daniel Pering. Any unauthorized alteration, or

distribution constitutes as theft and will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Enjoy but don't mess

with this stuff.

CHAPTER VII

"The council has something to announce!" a squirrel said as he popped his head into Lillian's hut,

without asking first. Lillian hated being disturbed without reason or permission. Lillian was not in a bad

mood but was rather perturbed at the disturbance. She had been sitting cleaning some leather for making

some new cloths when the squirrel had disturbed her. She pounced from her sitting position and clobbered

the squirrel, pinning him down on his back,

"Next time KNOCK!" she said. She let the squirrel up and headed toward the bon-fire where the council

always announced important events or decisions.

Lillian was excited, 'This must be about the human. I wonder what they are going to say?'

However her elation quickly changed to annoyance when she saw the crowd.

Standing room was non-existent, so Lillian opted to do what most of the squirrels and opossums

were doing, sitting on top of the surrounding huts. Lillian climbed onto the nearest hut. She knew if she did

not choose her footing carefully she would go right through someone's roof, and that never went well.

Every hut was built on the ground, around one single tree trunk, Lillian climbed onto the trunk of the hut-

tree and listened as carefully as she could. It was getting very cold and she had neglected to put on anything

specific other then her regular skirt and makeshift-bra, so she was quickly becoming cold as well.

Lillian looked around at the crowd of furrs below her. Literally everyone was there. She saw

Omuse, an old kittenhood friend who was huge but as gentle as a newborn, Savanna, a gazelle who would

be extraordinarily beautiful save for a long scar that ran down her entire right side. Roy was there, as was

Erica, Jacob, and Carla. Most of the furrs were standing around making conversation. Lillian had no

particular interest in making idle conversation with someone about the weather. Her interest peaked when

Ruth came into view from the elder's hut.

Every furr became quiet when they saw her. Ruth slowly walked over to the bon-fire,

"Ah this feels good." she said rubbing her paws together by the fire. She straightened up and addressed the

village,

"The council has become aware of some odd occurrences today. The most notable of which is the existence

of humans, not far from our village." the crowd gave an audible gasp. Ruth continued, "How these humans

came to live so close to us for so long seems to be inexplicable, however the fact remains, these humans

exist. What do you think we should do?" she asked. Lillian's ears folded back against her head as she heard

the shouts of aggression against the humans.

Ruth held up her paws for silence, and the mob obeyed,

"The council suspected you all would react this way. Let me explain how these humans were brought to our

knowledge. Where is Lillian?" she asked. Lillian almost fell out of the tree 'I am being called to explain?'

she wondered. Still if the council requested something she had to comply. Lillian leapt down from her

perch and approached Ruth through the crowd,

"Here I am." Ruth smiled,

"Ah, good, will you please tell us all how you discovered the human?" Ruth asked.

For the next hour Lillian was the target of the entire village's questions about the human. Most of

the questions she could not answer due to her lack of knowledge about humans,

"How old was it?" one asked.

"I don't know, but it was a he." Lillian was becoming angry because she could not answer the questions as

well as she wanted to,

"Can't you tell us anymore about it?" they persisted. Ruth jumped in, this is exactly what she had hoped for,

"No! She cannot."

"We want to know!" the furr shouted. The rest of the village cheered the idea. Ruth had them right where

she wanted them,

"Well then let's learn about them." she shouted. The village roared approval. Ruth grinned hugely,

"Good, then we shall capture these humans and begin studying them." The village immediately fell silent.

Ruth spoke quickly,

"You have already given your consent. Now, before you reconsider think about this. Humans can do things

that furrs cannot. They can use their paws far more extensively then we can, they are stronger than us, they

are incredibly inventive and versatile. Plus we outnumber them al least two hundred to one if they get out

of paw. If the council has assumed correctly, the humans should readily adapt to our society, and thrive.

We could have them harvest our crops, and build things for us. They could fight for us to save the lives of

our villagers. In time we could have a whole colony of humans to work for us but, there is a price. Most of

the humans are very young and will require special care for a good while. We will need to be very gentle

and patient with them. I will need several mature females to volunteer to care for one human each, and at

least one good-natured male to guard them at all times. The council will speak with anyone who wishes to

volunteer tonight." she finished, "The mouth of the council has spoken." The village finished the final part

to the ancient chant in unison,

"So let it be written, so let it be done."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lillian walked with Ruth back to the elder's hut,

"Matriarch, may I be involved with the care of one of the human kittens?" Lillian asked. Ruth looked

thoughtful for a moment,

"Well I had intended for you to do something else. The kits will need care indeed, but the real task will be

to train the eldest to our ways." she took a breath and sat down seeing as they were in the elder's hut, "The

male knows you, and I think, may eventually trust you. If you help intervene this will be far less traumatic

for the kits and the male. He will probably be more willing to learn about us if he thinks he can trust us.

The kits will be his first priority, and his natural reaction to any unwelcome visitors will be to attack

especially, if he feels the kits may be threatened. That is why I don't want anyone storming in there and

forcefully taking the kits. I want you to prevent that."

"Prevent what? Him attacking?"

"Great Spirit no! Prevent him from feeling the kits are in danger. Get to know him. He is probably very

young and naive. Figure out some way to communicate to him that living with us is a good idea. Honestly,

I hope Roy and his hunting party won't be necessary at all. Have Roy show you the way to his den

tomorrow morning, then come back here at night. Make contact with the human, he probably won't kill you

since he knows you some, and gain his confidence. Try to do it in less than one week, after that the village

may become impatient for results." Ruth said. Lillian was aghast,

"You want ME to convince the human male and the kittens to come live with us in one week? Oh, and that

is assuming that he doesn't kill me outright, which he very well may. Is that right?" she asked sarcastically.

Ruth smiled,

"You are smarter than you look. You got it in one." she stopped to remember Lillian's expression, then said,

"Well goodnight." and with that she went off to her hut to laugh herself to sleep about the look on Lillian's

face.