“Here, Your Majesty.”

“What’s happening?”

“Why not let them tell you, Sire?” Paco smiled.

“Well, Your Majesty,” an orange tomcat said, “as you know, several nights ago our king was assassinated by snakes.”

“Yes, I know.”

“But, Your Highness, do you know what was behind the attack?”

“Snakes kill other animals. Every snake I’ve ever seen has wanted to bite me.”

“No, Sire,” Paco said. “Snakes don’t just kill a king. They had a reason: assassination, an act of war. They now believe our kingdom is helpless.” Paco’s voice became grim. “Benjamin…they plan to attack us on the next full moon.”

“They think we’re without a leader!” cried a frantic guinea pig close by.

Roscoe wanted to be heard. “Paco and I, and Clementine over there,” he pointed his horns at the pot-bellied pig eating cantaloupe rinds, “have decided we’re going to find Farangis’s hideout and kill him and his army before they come here.”

“Who?” Benjamin asked.

“Farangis,” Paco said. “He’s the great and evil giant leader of the snakes. Roscoe’s father is the only one who’s seen him, and that was long ago.”

Benjamin was shocked. “I’ve never seen any really big snakes around here.”

“He’s stayed hidden for many years and only Roscoe’s father knows where he lives. But we’re aware of his presence. King Pugsly told us little about him, but we know that Farangis has loyal servant snakes, and I’m guessing other animals, who do his dirty work.” The rat-terrier appealed to Benjamin. “He’s surely wanted to rule over all the land for a long time, but he’s never attacked our kingdom before, so why now? Did he believe that King Pugsly was strong enough to withstand him? Perhaps Farangis has been biding his time all these years, waiting for King Pugsly to grow old.”

“My parents and I thought he died because he was old,” Benjamin said quietly.

“I believe he still had years left in him,” Paco bowed his head, “but they have killed him. Now we’re his target.” A few animals gulped at Paco’s statement. “That’s why we will attack him first. Only we’re missing someone necessary to our task.”

“Who?”

“You, My King.”

“Me?!” Benjamin stepped back.

“You. You are something all snakes fear–human.”

“That can’t be true. They’re angry and mean whenever I’m around.”

“That’s because they know you can kill them. Humans have ways of killing that we could never imagine.”

“We leave tomorrow morning, Your Majesty,” Roscoe said.

Benjamin had trouble speaking. “Um, look…I…I can’t. I’m sorry…I just can’t.” Lips quivered in the crowd. “My mom would never let me, and my dad…well, he’s leaving for a week, but… “

“King Benjamin, we need you!” Roscoe stomped his hooves out of frustration.