Mythlands: THE HEIST

Convention of Cats 4: The Aslanist State of Narnia

The Aslanist State of Narnia

At The Glass Cat's command, two costumed cats from the section at the back stood up. These clothed cats were known to the more traditional felines as Uprights and these two were amongst the most powerful of their kind.

The black furred (but white face, bellied and pawed) fellow was Atom the Cat. His short red trimmed with gold cape and golden M shaped mask gave away his powered status. Formerly the mild manned Tom Cat (one of several Tom's in the room and not the same as the mouse chasing tawny Tom who had spoken before), he had been exposed to atomic rays from a nuclear reactor and gained super powers, which he maintained by eating fresh fish.

Next to him was the white/grey Cosmo Cat in his red top with a small golden C, blue leggings, red boots, white gloves and a short black cape. Cosmo had gained his own powers of super strength, flight and invulnerability, which he topped up by ingesting his cosmic catnip pills.

Both were fiercely loyal to The Glass Cat and acted as his enforcers. They now left the room to fetch Styrr.

'Brothers!' The roomful of cats brought their attention back to the podium.

'Item One: The Narnia question. I call to the front our comrade Ginger.'

A ginger cat rose and walked to the podium where The Cheshire Cat kindly enlarged himself, so that Ginger could stand on his hind legs and lean against the great cat from Wonderland and move his fore paws without falling over.

'Welcome Ginger.' Bungle turned. 'For those of you who do not know, know this. Once Ginger had the power of speech and a powerful speechifier he was, indeed. However long decades ago the poor pussy suffered a trauma that robbed him of his speech and who was responsible?'

The Glass Cat paused for effect before saying. 'The tyrant Aslan ... the so called Great Lion.' He raised a glass paw. 'Now hear me brothers, though I am not a fan of the idea of a ruling elite, favoured only by birth, there are such creatures as enlightened monarchs. Take our good friend, the good king, Felis here. What separates Felis from the likes of Ozma or Aslan?'

Mrs Tabby raised her paw. 'May I answer please?'

Bungle smiled at her. 'You may indeed and in fact, but answer factually my dear.'

Looking nervous, Mrs Tabby spoke up. 'The king is my cousin and he is first amongst equals. He cares for the needs of all of his subjects and listens to our concerns.'

'Thank you Mrs Tabby, most eloquently put and now I hope to strive for equal eloquence to put my own case. Simply this ... Felis reigns, but at the will of the people. Government by the people, for the people and all are equal ... with cats running the show of course.' He smiled.

The smile turned serious. 'In Narnia, like Oz, this is not the case. You have all heard of the Great Rebirth of course? The renewal of Narnia, the return of heroes and creatures of past ages and the death or expulsion of so called evil. They call it a paradise my brothers and sisters, but what exactly is this paradise? Is it a paradise for our friend Ginger here and others, cruelly ejected from their so called ultimate version of Narnia!!??'

His voice rose to a crescendo and Ginger began to frantically wave his paws around.

'One moment brother.' Bungle turned to the crowd. 'Griffin J Cat, step forward please.'

A grey tabby with white paws and belly padded forwards. 'Mr Chairman, I'm ready.'

He took his place alongside Ginger.

'Griffin here is a newcomer to our circle, but has already proven himself invaluable with a skill set beyond compare. Set your skills young Griffin, to translation, if you will.'

The grey tabby nodded and turned towards Ginger with a look of concentration on his face. The Narnian Cat began waving his paws again, as Griffin flicked his tongue sideways onto his long whisker.

'He says that all those deemed evil or not deserving were expelled or executed. He says he was one of the lucky ones; he was robbed of his speech but his friend, the ape Shift was ... oh my ... eaten.'

Bungle shook his head sadly. 'This, then my brothers and sisters was the start of Narnia's new paradise. A purge of undesirables by the so called loving and godly Aslan. Since then Aslanism has become the dominant religion of Narnia and has changed it's face, entire. Previously a diverse and spectacular fantasy realm, now all creatures must adhere to the Great Lion's religion ... secular life is a thing of the past and pious piety the new order. It was Thomas Jefferson who championed the notion of separation of church and state, but in Narnia The Church of Aslan IS the state! Griffin?'

Griffin inclined a bow. 'Ginger says that the initial purge was followed over decades with more expulsions. At first the so called 'evil races,' and ...' He flicked his tongue out again as the Narnian's paws signed some more. 'The wives and children and old folks ... all that remained of the black dwarfs, the ghouls, the boggles, innocent hags and giants ... the non combatants, those who stayed behind when their warriors followed the White Witch Jadis ... they were rounded up, just because of their ethnicity. Some were ... were ... impounded? Incarcerated maybe ... there were camps. The old, the young, the weak and the sick, all forced together. Others were exiled, but it didn't stop there. I .... one moment please.'

The Glass Cat nodded and silence fell across the room as Griffin concentrated on reading Ginger's signing. His paws were working at a furious rate and tears were pouring down the Narnian cat's face. Now Griffin was crying and when the ginger cat finally stopped, the grey tabby hugged him, before turning to Bungle.

'I'm sorry Sir. What he said ...'

'Take your time lad.'

'Thank you Sir. I ... Ginger, he was there for a lot of it. Most were expelled after the great battle but Ginger and some Calormene soldiers, slipped the dragnet. They hid in the desert for a while and eventually he slipped back and lived in the forests for a few years, ever fearful they were hunting him. One day, when he thought enough time had passed he returned home to his wife and kittens, but the purges had already started. Now anyone who was deemed not religious enough or who didn't agree with Aslan ... the disappearances, public executions without proper trial. People in fear ... ohmigod ... I can't go on. What he said ...'

The Glass Cat placed a blue white glassy paw on Griffin's shoulder. 'I know my boy, I know. We've been in contact with the resistance and heard most of the horror stories, but I felt it best the convention hear direct from Ginger.'

Bungle turned to the room. 'Comrades, in recent times the isolationist Aslanist state has begun to open its borders to trade. Monarchs such as Ozma, the Nome King, Babar and even the board at MCI, have turned a blind eye to this horror. For nearly 70 years, all we've heard is rumour but thanks to brave individuals like our friend Ginger here, now we know and I for one shall not let this tyranny stand!!'

After the roar of the crowd had died down, the low rumbling voice of the Yule Cat called from the doorway. 'Troll is here.'

Moments later, a fearful Styrr, wrists bound, was thrust into the room by Cosmo and Atom.

The Glass Cat smiled and bade them approach the podium.