Three Sentence Ficathon

It was a strange sort of morning when instead of making their security reports to Susan and Edmund as usual, Willa and Sallowpad had gathered all four monarchs together for the following news:

“The Deer herds and woodland Animals of the Western Woods have been reporting an influx of Talking Animals arriving from seemingly nowhere at the Lamp Post,” Sallowpad said. “I flew over to see for myself and the new arrivals seem to consist of Animals of all types. The strange thing is, though they all seem to be fully grown, some speak in small bursts, or otherwise their speech is unintelligible, as if they are fledglings. Not all though – some are more eloquent, and from them, I learnt that they seem to have come from another land, called Oz, where Talking Animals are being prosecuted by a dangerous man who claims to be a Wizard.”

“A Wizard?” Peter asked, frowning deeply and trying not to notice Edmund clenching his fists on the armrests of his throne. “Of the same ilk as the White Witch?”

“I don’t have enough information to make that call, but I do advise being wary that they bring dangerous foreign forces upon their wings.”

“Oh, if the Animals are running away from oppression, we should think about helping them, don’t you think?” Lucy exclaimed. “They should be considered refugees!”

“I do not dispute your words, Queen Lucy, but even if these Animals are harmless — and even there, there is enough reason to question — we should also consider that they may also be the harbinger of others more malicious.”

“I think Sallowpad is right that we need to be cautious,” Willa chimed in. “Our Rats in Carlomen have also reported strange animals coming into Tashbaan from the desert but these act mute, even when our Narnian Talking Animals make contact. It seems they are all afraid speaking will get them killed.”

“That would be a correct assumption in Calormen,” Susan said with a dark, worried look in her eyes. “Which might suggest they are, as Lucy said, merely seeking safe refuge. But if they do not talk to us, then what we know about this Oz is also woefully limited and so should still be careful in our dealings with these newcomers.”

“Being careful and helping the refugees — if that is what they are — is not mutually exclusive,” Edmund said calmly before Lucy could protest. “We simply need more information.”

Peter nodded. “And I would like that information — pardon the expression — straight from the horse’s mouth. Sallowpad and Willa, see if you can entice a representative from those Animals who arrived in the Western Woods and those who arrived in Tashbaan to come here and speak with us, with the promise that if they only need a place to live in peace, Narnia will welcome them. But we cannot be careless and assume they are all harmless.”