Things to Come – Part 10 – The Trial of L.

The Parliament of Mamas huddled closely together to speak; as they always did.  Occasionally they would, each in turn, raise a head to peer at Loganoh.

The sun had set in the time Loganoh had been waiting.  It was impossible for him to hear the Mamas’ whispers.  The droning of the herd numbed his ears.  It gave an oddly quiet quality to the evening here in the herd core.

The safest part of the herd was always the herd core and that is why the Parliament of Mamas always met there.  In the herd core, you were certain to hear of a predator before seeing it.  At the herd rim, you didn't see or hear the predator until it was too late.

Two Knoghts flanked Loganoh.  He recognized them as members of the Roughnecks.

"What's going on?" asked Loganoh.

"You're standing before the Parliament of Mamas." said the Knoght.

"I know that, but why?"

"I don't know.  I thought you did."

"They didn't tell me anything."

"Well, what did you do?"

"Do?  Do what?  My herdlet Mama just brought me here.  She didn't say anything.  I didn't do anything."

"Well, you must have done something."

"Why's that?"  Loganoh sneared.

"Because you're standing before the Parliament of Mamas."

Loganoh started to worry.  He longed to see a friendly face.  "Hey.  Do you know Washoh.  He's from my herdlet.  He's in the Roughnecks."

"Not anymore." replied the Knoght.

"What?"

"Washoh was eaten in that last fox attack."  The Knoght noticed Loganoh's disappointment.  "He was a good Knoght.  Very brave.  He was always the first to head off the predators.  Very brave indeed."

His mind drifted back to the day Washoh was dubbed a Knoght.  Strange.  That was the day Cricetida, Washoh’s mother, cried so bitterly.  It wasn't long after that when she disappeared and Miriao became his herdlet mama.  No one knew what became of Cricetida, but she was probably dead.  There were not too many other options.  A missing lemming was a dead lemming.  It was probably better this way.  If Cricetida cried when Washoh became a Knoght, her heart would have broken to hear he was now dead.

Three of the mamas stepped out of the group and toward Loganoh.  Miriao was one of them.  Muroidea, who the oldest mama known, was the second.  The third was a mama Loganoh did not know by name.

"The Parliament of Mamas will now render a verdict." announced Muroidea.

"Verdict?" yelped Loganoh.

"In the trial of Loganoh of Mirao's herdlet..."

"Trial?"  He shouted.

"The accused will remain silent.”

"But I haven't said anything at all yet!"

"Nor will you.  This is a trial not a debate!"

“But I haven’t done…”

“Knoghts!  Bite him!”

Loganoh nearly jumped his height when his saw the Knoght on his left charge him.  He evaded the Knoght’s teeth.  The Knoght that stood at his right, however, bit him squarely in the haunches.

“Yaa!” Loganoh squealed.  He cowered low to the ground.  Two more Knoghts approached and surrounded him.  They waited for Muroidea’s next command.  Her face was locked on Loganoh, tempting him to make another sound.  He would have continued to protest had he not looked at the third mama.  She gave Loganoh soft eyes.  She blinked slowly and tilted her head.  There was something in her look that made Loganoh think that things would be all right.

“In the trial of Loganoh of Mirao's herdlet, the accused has been found guilty of Herd Crime.” stated Muroidea.

Herd Crime, thought Loganoh.  He had never heard the word before in his entire life.

Metropolis - Chapter 11

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It's been a while...
I've got a new job, which means I have less time for everything.
My wife and I are expecting.  And that means I'll have even less time for this.
But I enjoy this too much, so I'll probably just cut back on video games.
Enjoy the latest exciting chapter!!!!!!!