Liebowoh was a Papa. A Papa was a lemming that had, despite the odds, lived to a very old age. If you became a Papa, you weren't one for very long. Old lemmings were easy prey for a predator. The Papas had two duties. The first was conducting the moonly tail counts. The moonly tails counts were far from accurate. They really didn't involve counting either.
Liebowoh made his way to the centre of the herdlet and asked: "Anyone missing?"
"I don't think so." someone replied.
The old lemming moved on.
So the moonly tail counts were far from accurate. Nor were they exhaustive. Some herdlets would see many moons before they were counted.
Being a Papa was position of respect. They could wander the herd as they wished; they were not required to stay with a herdlets. They would share stories with the young lemmings or gather with the other Papas to share the very same stories.
Liebowoh was a Papa of notoriety as he was also a Knoght. It was not unheard of, but very few Knoghts lived long enough to become Papas.
"The Knoghts sure are small and thin these days." Liebowoh often thought. Which was true, but not more so than any other member of the herd. Food was scarce. Every lemming was smaller and thinner these days.
Liebowoh missed being a Knoght. It offered him a release for his secret shame. Liebowoh liked to be alone. He had long ago stopped thinking himself a deviant. His weird desire only put himself at risk and didn't seem to affect the herd in any negative way.
He was able to keep his secret his whole life. He had a perfect pretence. As a Knoght, he offered to perform outward patrols by himself.
"Could be dangerous! No sense in all of us going. If I'm not back in a little while, count on a predator being close by." he would say.
This added to his reputation of being a brave and selfless Knoght. No one ever guessed that he did so solely to have time alone.
Liebowoh had not had the chance to go off since they made him a Papa. He volunteered to remain a Knoght, but the other Papas insisted.
"You've served your time, Liebowoh." they said. "It's time for you to take your place with us and let younger lemmings serve."
Liebowoh was at the herd rim the first time he saw Loganoh. He did not know his name but he knew about the young lemming that had been banished. Loganoh was walking outward. Liebowoh felt a pang of envy.
"Lucky son of a rat!" he thought.
Liebowoh sighed deeply and tried not to think about it. Someday soon, it won't matter anymore. The Great Run will begin and all of our troubles will be over.
As mentioned before, the Papas had two duties. The second was that the Papas were the secret keepers of the herd. They alone knew the truth of the Great Run... Or so they thought.
Liebowoh made his way to the centre of the herdlet and asked: "Anyone missing?"
"I don't think so." someone replied.
The old lemming moved on.
So the moonly tail counts were far from accurate. Nor were they exhaustive. Some herdlets would see many moons before they were counted.
Being a Papa was position of respect. They could wander the herd as they wished; they were not required to stay with a herdlets. They would share stories with the young lemmings or gather with the other Papas to share the very same stories.
Liebowoh was a Papa of notoriety as he was also a Knoght. It was not unheard of, but very few Knoghts lived long enough to become Papas.
"The Knoghts sure are small and thin these days." Liebowoh often thought. Which was true, but not more so than any other member of the herd. Food was scarce. Every lemming was smaller and thinner these days.
Liebowoh missed being a Knoght. It offered him a release for his secret shame. Liebowoh liked to be alone. He had long ago stopped thinking himself a deviant. His weird desire only put himself at risk and didn't seem to affect the herd in any negative way.
He was able to keep his secret his whole life. He had a perfect pretence. As a Knoght, he offered to perform outward patrols by himself.
"Could be dangerous! No sense in all of us going. If I'm not back in a little while, count on a predator being close by." he would say.
This added to his reputation of being a brave and selfless Knoght. No one ever guessed that he did so solely to have time alone.
Liebowoh had not had the chance to go off since they made him a Papa. He volunteered to remain a Knoght, but the other Papas insisted.
"You've served your time, Liebowoh." they said. "It's time for you to take your place with us and let younger lemmings serve."
Liebowoh was at the herd rim the first time he saw Loganoh. He did not know his name but he knew about the young lemming that had been banished. Loganoh was walking outward. Liebowoh felt a pang of envy.
"Lucky son of a rat!" he thought.
Liebowoh sighed deeply and tried not to think about it. Someday soon, it won't matter anymore. The Great Run will begin and all of our troubles will be over.
As mentioned before, the Papas had two duties. The second was that the Papas were the secret keepers of the herd. They alone knew the truth of the Great Run... Or so they thought.
