“It’s certainly hard to tell, isn’t it? The fog just won’t lift. But I’d estimate it would be late morning if we could see the sun.”
“How can we help you?” Slypaws felt like turning pleasant. The canvasser was a well-mannered if innocent sounding girl. She was just doing her job, whatever it was.
“Are you citizens of the City?”
“I don’t know – are we, Twitch?”
“I’m sure I’ve been here long enough to qualify. I don’t know about you.”
“I’ll put you both down as Citizens. It’s obvious you aren’t Migrants.”
“Oh!”
“Second question (this won’t take long): Are you aware of the Declaration tonight? It’s happening at the riverside park, as soon as the Primates leave. The Protector is going to be officially named.”
“Yes, we’re aware of that.”
“Would you be going by any chance?”
Slypaws looked blankly at Twitch. “We honestly don’t know.”
“That’s okay. You don’t have to be there. But can the Protector count on your support?”
“NO!”
“No?”
“I’m not a tree branch for him to walk over.”
The nice young girl looked puzzled.
“You asked ‘Can the Protector count on my support’. So I’m answering your question as you worded it. No one but my children can count on my support.”
“That’s right,” Twitch said. “We don’t want to be taken for granted.”
“I quite understand, ma’am. I’ll put you down as undecided. You’re still considering your options.”
“Don’t put us down as anything, sweetie. We just want to live in a city where freedom to choose our leaders matters. That means a society where words have meanings.”
“I have to put you down as something,” the girl said.
“No, you don’t. Just pretend you never saw us.”
“She can’t do that, Twitch. She has to report she canvassed us, otherwise she’s being derelict in the performance of her duty. She’s a soldier.”
“I understand where you ladies are coming from. I don’t want to have to choose sides myself. I’m losing buddies left, right, and centre. Leave it to me – I’ll think of something on your behalf.”
“What if instead of supporting one leader against another, we forced our leaders to collaborate on policy solutions?” Slypaws asked.
“That’s a great idea! I’ll pass it on to my supervisor. Thanks for giving me your time. Have a nice day!”
“Such a sweet girl,” Twitch said when she was gone.
“Let’s get some sleep,” Sly said.
***
“Shut your muzzles and descend the tree in an orderly fashion. You’re under arrest.”
“Frig off! We’re Citizens, not Migrants.”
“What’s the charge?”
“You’ll find out at the station.” Then in a lower voice to a subordinate, “Anyone else in this tree?”
“Two ladies in the lower cavity. Said they were tourists. Couldn’t explain themselves.”
“What’s happening now, Twitch? Celestial Mother, a person can’t get a decent day’s sleep in this city!”
“What’s going on is I think we’re about to be arrested.” Twitch pulled her head in from the hole opening. “You shouldn’t have told the nice canvasser that we’re undecided.”
“You shouldn’t have told her not to report us.”
“You shouldn’t have told her we were Citizens.”
A grizzled alpha face at the hole. Clearly a police sergeant. “Alright, ladies. Break it up! You’re going downtown.”
“My dear sergeant – Good morning! Do we look like criminals? We’re decent, law-abiding tourists doing our very best to respect the customs of your fine City.”
