Captain of the Guard: A Balanced Diet

They broke camp. Vul stayed carefully away from Cedric as they headed down the road. Whisper and a couple of the other men scouted ahead to be sure that they were heading in the right direction. Occasionally, the Captain went back and consulted with the hound about whether they were still following Ro. Well, not exactly Ro, because the hound didn’t know Ro. They smelled “a man with a lot of rancid bacon.”

Which had to be Ro.

It was midmorning when they took another break and Cedric approached the hound.

Raven was deep in conversation with Emile. “Life would be so much better if people learned to live harmonious lives with every living thing.”

Emile nodded, “So true. If people could learn to approach all of creation with an open heart, think of what a wonderful world it would be.”

Marious looked thoughtfully on.

Pookie was looking like he was getting a twitch. “You two recognize that what you’re proposing is impossible? That life is essentially disharmonious?”

“People that say things like that, never accomplish anything.” Emile said sharply.

“If it can be imagined, it can be created.” Raven said piously.

“Imagine people not eating, let me know if that can be created.” Pookie sneered which was particularly alarming on his face.

“Eating is a natural function of all life. A way of drawing in energy and transforming it in a cyclical process that is a state of harmony.” Raven answered.

“Tell that to the rabbit I ate this morning.”

Raven looked disgusted. “Eating the flesh of another creature is disharmonious.”

“Yet so many animals do it. The hound,” Pookie paused for a moment, “eats the cat, the cat eats the bird, the bird eats the worm. How do you intend to stop that?”

“In a perfect state, that would not occur.”

“That perfect state sounds like it is only achievable through death.”

“No, it is achieved when everything is in balance.”

Pookie rolled his eyes, “Then what?”

Cedric coughed. “Do you mind if I interrupt?”