A Deer-Buck’s Report

At the Elephant’s call, a sleek and big-antlered buck stepped out of his family group and greeted the crowd.

"We are in an unusual situation,” Deer-Buck began, “because the Deer Populace is increasing. Who-Mans have not lost their impulse to partake of the traditions of the ancient hunt, and they perceive that killing us connects them with these protocols, thus they ‘protect’ our species. Yet few Who-Mans understand that the honored rituals of the hunt require them to look deeply into our Deer-Soul, to study it carefully and at length, for if they did, they would not deprive us of the company of our ancient WEarth-partner, Wolf.

"Wolf’s demand for our flesh keeps us running straight and true on our chosen Wild path--yet we wax while our WEarth-partner wanes. Now, increases in deer-population have compelled us to reclaim original territories that now lay within Rect-World, and to search for new ones inside that difficult realm. We move into the green wastelands around Who-Man shelters because we sometimes find small oases where food still grows--delicious root crops, corn, beans, leafy greens--but the more we enter Who-Man territory, the more the Shiny Ones attack us.”

Many animals shuddered at the mention of the Shiny-Ones, a Time-Eater species that hurtles its huge metallic bodies at animals, attacking with deadly force but torturous inaccuracy. Worse, Shiny-Ones have evolved methods of traveling off their hardened trails, invading animal homes on both land and water with noise and poisons, brutality and ruination.

Deer-Buck continued, “Since we are able, indeed, required to live near Who-Mans, we have used this proximity to transfer from our bodies to theirs a tiny hardbody whose bite weakens them. Assisted by Mouse Nation, we had hoped this project would keep Who-Mans from further invasions of our territory, but far from leaving our lands, they instead erect ever more massive shelters, dividing and destroying most of what remains of the Green Realm. In the process, they deprive many creatures of food and shelter by replacing rich plant-homelands with alien grasses kept impotent by fierce sharp-toothed, fuming Time-Eaters that bite off their seed-heads. Thus the Who-Man extends the toxic green spaces around their shelters until not a brave badger, a clever gopher, a humble mole, or even a tiny tick, can prosper there.

"If that were not enough, the Dom-dogs terrorize many of our Deer families. Last season three of them brought down a fawn belonging to one of my Doe’s and would have killed the tiny creature had not his brave mother landed a blow upon the lead Canine that turned the whining cowards away.

"As Wolf will tell you, it is not Death we fear, for she is merely a pathway back into the Green Realm, nor do we begrudge a true hunter his reward. Yet we fear these canines who do not understand the Taboo Regarding Unnecessary Termination or Harm (TRUTH). Dogs, recoded to maintain Who-Man-friendly puppy behaviors even when adults, kill not to appease hunger but to satisfy urges that they can neither understand nor control. And many Who-Man hunters are not unlike their canine companions in this regard.

"Our tick-plan to frighten away the Who-Mans has not succeeded,” Deer-Buck concluded, “for they invade the Green Realm with ever greater tenacity and destructiveness. We are at an impasse.”

The congress of animals let out a collective sigh. They knew the problems Deer-Buck described only too well!

Then, with a strange look in his eye, Grey Elephant said, “Let us now hear from the Frog Collective.”