“Ssstep on in, pleasse.  We need to get ssssstarted.”

Snake called the members to task.

“Bat.  Bear.  Fisssh.  In your placess, time’s a wassting.  Rat has big plansssss to raid a nessst at ssss-ssundown.”

Rat laughed the biggest rat laugh and flashed her best rat smile.  She pulled a single black whisker from Dog’s fluffy snout and flossed her agile teeth.

Dog hung her floppy dog ears and howled to herself.

“Anhh!  Uh-uh-uh!” Rat barked back.  “No one’s hurting you, bitch.  So sensitive – our Dog’s a softie, she is.”

“That’s right, that’s right!”  Sargent at Arms Weasel chimed in.

When the members were seated, Weasel looked to Snake for approval.  “I hereby call the Sanhedrin to order!”

With a single pounding of the gavel on Turtle’s back, the session opened.

Weasel called roll.

“Bird.  Aye.  Squirrel.  Aye.  Chameleon…Chameleon?”  This was nothing new.  “Put a note in her file,” he droned with a sigh.

With 70 ayes and one tardy Chameleon, Snake took his rightful place.

“It has come to our attention that cccer-tain memberssssss of the Sssanhedrin are acting outsside of their rolesss.  I am Pressssident of the Animal Sssanhedrin for thisss territory.  And thiss iss my right-hand Rat.  Your job iss to communicate with the memberss of your sss-ss-sppecciesss.  Our job isss to make the decccissionsss.  Thisss makessss for a sa-sa-satisssfied territory.”

You could cut the tension with Gator’s tail.

For eons the members voted.  But the new serpent President and his rodent toady were business consultants with an eye on efficiency.  There was no need to bother the team with details.

“We undersstand you are sstill asssking your cons-cons-conssstituentss for their input.  Do not worry yoursselvess.  We know what they need.  Your job isss to sshare the plan.  Any quess-quesss-tionss?”

The members sat mute.

Rat got her back up.  “The times are changing, animals!  It’s the way of progress.”  With coy assurance she added, “You trust us, right?”

The wise owls of Sanhedrin School overlooking the proceedings nodded their heads in unison.

Snake hissed.  “RAT!  I will remind you I am your Press-sident, and I have the floor.”

True to form, Chameleon broke the tension, scampering to her seat amid the semi-circle.  Once settled beside Frog, she glistened a soft green.

“So sorry – had to do that one last thing.  It won’t happen again.”  She earnestly passed the animal crackers.

Rat smiled, Dog’s whisker falling from her teeth to the ground.  “We’ll let it slide this time, sweetheart.”

Snake continued.

“From now on we have a new format.  I.  Old businesss.  II.  New businessss.  For each of thesse there are two considerationssss: general lawsss and ssspeccific infractionss.”

The animals shifted nervously.

“Thisss month and thisss month only, we have ssomething different – our territory’sss sstrategic plan.  It’s a ssstraw man.  After today’s review, you will take it to your sss-speciess and get them on board.”

His tail encircled the printed copies.  “I need a volunteer with opposss-ssable thumbs, pleasse.  Monkey?”

The administrative work always fell to the ape.  Job security he called it.

Snake slithered over to start the PowerPoint.  Rat stretched back to watch the show, her round rodent belly bared to the sky.  Weasel took notes.

One by one the slides flashed.

TERRITORY PRIORITIES

1. SAFETY
2. PUBLIC RELATIONS
3. BOTTOM LINE

Each species was given a role and outcome measures.

Dog would train his young pups to reinforce the perimeter.  Outlying bands of wild dogs wanted in, and the borders must be secured.

Chameleon and her smiling cohort would connect with the media to share the innate supremacy of Territory A.

The hermit crabs would increase income two fold by tapping the strengths of the beasts.

Clan by clan, the 69 learned their new roles.

At the close of the presentation, Snake concluded, “Thiss iss our plan.  Any quessstionssss?”  He scanned the semi-circle with piercing eyes.

Looking downward in submission, Dog raised a single paw.

“What, Dog?  What do you have to say?” sneered Rat.

“Let her ssspeak,” countered Snake.  He slithered close to Dog’s face.  “Go ahead, it’s okay.  Whissper it in my ear.”

A timid Dog began.  “It’s just that the Sanhedrin, we have a mission.  We’re supposed to make the territory happy.”

“HAP-PY SCHNAP-PY!” Rat snapped, standing on the table, one claw pointed toward the canine.

“That’s right, that’s right!” Weasel added.

Snake whipped around, backing Rat away from the table.  “I will handle thisss.”

Returning to Dog’s fluffy ear he said softly and quietly, “Go ahead, my dear.”

Dog reluctantly resumed.  “My pack will guard the perimeter.  But sometimes, just sometimes, we could also help the carrier pigeons organize or get to know the possums.  It would help us be better dogs.”

“I sssee,” said Snake.  “Thank you, Dog.”

Snake raised up above the Sanhedrin and slowly slithered to his authoritative position at the head table.

“Our Dog – this MUTT – thinksss we are not doing our jobssss asss leaderss of the Sssanhedrin.  Who elsse hasss input from the ss-sspeciesss or criticcisssm of leadersssship?”

The forum fell still.

Possum played dead.  It was his only defense.

Rat moved close to Snake and stood unified with her leader.  Without permission she spoke.  “Snake is right!  We are your chosen leaders.  Who else would challenge us?”

Snake leaned closer to Rat.  “Yessss.  Who?”

No one moved a hair.

Chameleon broke the silence.  “We think you’re doing a great job!”

“Thank you,” said Rat with a smile.  “We have noticed your good work.”

Chameleon glowed orange with satisfaction.

“Well then it seems there is no criticism of us, except from Dog.”  Rat took another risk.  “Do any of you know of any infractions from this canine – anything the Sanhedrin should hear?”

Snake nodded in solemn agreement.

One by one, the members lay down their grievances.

“That Dog, she’s always barking up the wrong tree.”

“Just today she howled before the Sanhedrin.”

“Her species does a poor job of covering their poop.  The rest of us still have to live here.”

The final blow was delivered by Weasel.  “She challenges the sovereignty of the Sanhedrin!  This is a risk to us all!”

The wise owls of Sanhedrin School nodded in unison.

“Thank you, Sssanhedrin.  Pleassse excussse Rat and me while we confer in Executive Sssessssion.”

Snake and his vice-rat exited the circle, their silhouettes regal in the late-day sun.

Chameleon distracted the members by passing more snacks and consoling a defeated Dog.  She shared Chipmunk’s gift of chipperness.

It seemed to the members a thousand minutes passed, all held in surreal suspension.  Their most loyal member – Dog – was a traitor.

Bunny hid behind Horse as a lone Snake returned to the head table.

Rising high above the Sanhedrin, their President made the long-awaited announcement.

“Dog, it isss my duty, asss Presssident and governing leader of the territory to announccce that you are unanimouss-ssly found guilty of community endangerment and insss-inssu-inssssubordination.  You are hereby dissssmissssed and banisshed to the Far Reachesss Foresst beyond Territory A.  We will find a ssssuitable replaccccement.”

Snakes eyes glowed red as he gave his final command.  “Remove yoursssself!  Immediately!”

Dog looked up at last, her sad dog eyes tearing, and scanned the faces of her fellow animals one final time.  She lowered her head, tail down, and placed one paw before the other in the direction of the Far Reaches Forest.

“Now then,” said the President.  “Let uss return to our sssspecciesss and get about the bussssinessss of a sssuccesss-ssful territory.  Thisss meeting of the Animal Ssssanhedrin is hereby dissssmisssed.”

A final crack of the gavel cleared the air.

Snake led the recessional into the night, his full and satisfied belly aglow in the rising moonlight.

© Mitzi Viola, 6/24/12