Free The Catbyrd Seat by Emmanuel Sullivan Page B

got extremely drunk on catnip, and the big headed, arrogant young cat, decided he would order Mr. Byrd to be sent to his royal chambers, so that he could tell him as much in person.
    “As long as I am King, you will never be allowed to rule over the mice,” he snarled and slurred, spilling milk everywhere as he raised the goblet to his lips. “I don’t care what my father thought of you, nor what my sister thinks. Whiska will remain in charge of the Reservation, and what’s more, as soon as this stupid election is over, I’ll have Whiska change the law so that no one can stand against him again, and so that you can be convicted and thrown in the dungeons for insubordination. Now get out!”
    Mr. Byrd timidly turned and flew out of the Palace, all the way back to the Campaign HQ with his head bowed and his self esteem shot.
    “It’s no good,” he fluttered back and forth in the small book shop in Section D, as his core team of campaigners looked on sadly. “We might as well just give up now. Strip is going to disrupt the election process and as soon as the election finishes I’m going to be thrown in prison.”
    “He can’t do that,” Davetil protested.
    “That’s just it,” said Tails. “He can.”
    “Maybe if I quit now and leave Huntsville forever, that would be the best idea for all of us,” sighed Mr. Byrd. “The last thing I want is for you guys to get into trouble too, for helping me.”
    “We don’t care about that, Mr. Byrd,” said Piggles fiercely. “You’re our friend.”
    “Yeah, she’s right,” agreed Cociel. “We’re not going to give up on you, and neither should you.”
    “Don’t start this ‘don’t give up’ business again,” grumbled Mr. Byrd. “Don’t try to convince me it’s for the best.”
    “But it IS for the best,” Cociel protested. “If you don’t do this, all of the houses in Section D will be demolished and turned into hunting grounds for Whiska, that includes where Tails lives.”
    “That’s right,” said Tails. “Me and my family will have nowhere to live, and Whiska doesn’t care about that. He doesn’t care if we’re out on the streets and starving. In fact, he’d probably like that because then he can hunt us.”
    “I know, I know,” moaned Mr. Byrd. “But I just don’t see how it’s possible. I don’t see how we can win. At all. Grady’s been going around threatening mice that support me, and others have been won over by promises of fruit. And now Strip and Whiska are going to disrupt the election process anyway, so even if people DID vote for me, it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference.”
    “I’ll take care of the mice threatened by Grady,” Piggles volunteered, raising her trotter in the air. “I can promise them permanent shelter in the Kingdom if that’s what they need to help them feel secure. We can sneak them out of the Reservation, hide them in the Kingdom in protected houses with animals that will attack back if anyone attacks them first. And then, when it’s time for the vote, they can return.”
    “It’s a risky strategy,” said Davetil. “If anyone catches you sneaking mice out, there’ll be grave consequences for all those involved.”
    “Then we’ll be very careful,” said Piggles lightheartedly. “Besides, it’s only an offer. It’s only so they feel like they will be protected, if they need it. And I’ll reiterate what Mr. Byrd will bring victory to the Reservation with a victory; that they will never have to be bullied by Grady again, that they’ll never have to fear for their lives or their liberty or the lives of their children. But that can only happen if they’re brave enough to go out and vote.”
    “The promises of fruit, you can leave to me,” offered Davetil. “I’ve lived long enough to experience broken promises from Whiska before, so much so that I’ve simply got used to them as a way of life. I got so stuck in my ways that I almost didn’t want to change, and that’s the