THE POLITICS OF PARADISE POND

                                   

                                                                    Chapter Six
                                                                       The Pact

Peter and Frederick moved slowly forward, aware that they were now well and truly back into stickleback water.  Their carefulness was in part a sensible precaution, but more than that it was because of the difficulty of waving a flag as big as themselves in such a way that it would not seem threatening. Even Frederick, with his far superior skills found it more difficult to maintain an even rhythm in an upright position than he expected.
          Slowly they moved forward until they reached the spot from which they were so recently routed. Then they saw them; like a cluster of darts thrown from a giant hand they came, shooting and spreading until once again they were all around them.  But the boy and the frog stood firm, shaking with fear but keeping the gentle motion of the waving flag going.
          They were surrounded now by hundreds of angry fish, darting every which way, in and out, round and round, their sharp teeth ever on show, until Peter and Frederick nearly dropped the flag through dizziness.
          But the sticklebacks did not attack.  Instead, after a little while they withdrew, keeping themselves in view but just out of immediate range.
          Then one of them detached himself from the horde and came closer.
          "What do you want?" it said, rather curtly.  Bigger than most of the others, and more colourful; it was quite a magnificent creature.
          Peter, astonished at the beauty of a creature that previously had only interested him because of its natural habit of swimming in large groups, heaved a sigh of relief.
          "At least they are talking." he said quietly to Frederick.  Then, in a much louder voice he addressed the lone fish.
          "Are you the leader of the sticklebacks?"
          "And what if I am?"
          "I would like to talk to you."
          "Who are you?"  came a brisk reply  "and while you are at it; what are you?"
          Peter was quite taken aback by the last question, but upon reflection he realized that unlike Frederick and Giles, the stickleback would never have been out of the water and would not have encountered a human. 
          Peter relinquished his shared hold on the flag so that he could communicate more easily.
          "My name is Peter, a human, from the rest of the world, and I have heard that there are problems in Paradise.  I am here to see if I can help."
          A few minutes went by as the stickleback swam back to converse with some of his own, and then he returned.
          "We have heard of humans but we thought them to be much bigger than you."
          "Yes that is true, but in order to be of use I had to become your size."
          "How did you do that?"
          'Oh dear' thought Peter.  How could he explain something to them, that he could not explain to himself.
          "It would take too long, and in any case it is not important.  The main thing is that I am here, and we need to talk."

          The tension had dropped considerably, and Peter was hopeful of a breakthrough.
          "Alright; were talking! what do you want to say?"
          "There is trouble in the pond,"  he started, and paused, "because the newts are trying to dominate Paradise. They have been attacking the frogs."
          He half expected to hear 'what has that got to do with us', but no.  There was a different reaction to this opening statement, as Peter's opposite number turned quickly back once more and engaged in a hurried confab with his people. Presently he came back and without any delay announced, "They have been attacking us too."
          This was the breakthrough that Peter had been hoping for, and he moved forward.
          "Then we have a common enemy; we should join forces."
          "Perhaps, lets talk a little more."
          "But first there is something else."  Peter waited for some response, an inquiry perhaps as to the nature of that 'something else', but there was no such reaction.
          "A little while ago when we first approached, we were attacked.  No doubt you thought that it was we who were attacking, and you were defending ... " he waited again, but still there was nothing.  The stickleback leader was being very cagey, not yet trusting, so Peter carried on.  "Two of our number did not escape." He waited only briefly, " Did they perish?"
          Once again the leader opposite returned to his side to consult, but this time when he returned, he was not alone. This time there were two, swimming easily and unhurriedly as they returned.  The newcomer was not as big or as colourful as the other, and was, Peter thought, somewhat older.  It was he who spoke.
          I am Sol; leader of the stickleback community.  My son has been acting for me.  You ask about our prisoners?"
          "Prisoners you say, then they are still alive."
          "Yes."
          "Did your son explain why we are here?"
          "Yes, he did."
          "And do you ... Sol ... believe that we wish you no harm, but that we have to stop the leader of the newts for leading his people into warlike ways?"
          Sol and his son spoke quietly for a moment, and then the younger of the two swam back and disappeared behind his ranks.  The excited mood of earlier had changed completely, and the majority of the sticklebacks, who had been constantly on the move were now still. It remained that way for a little while until the son reappeared, closely followed by the two missing frogs.  At this, the wall of sticklebacks became a shimmering bank as they all, seemingly as one, started to move within each other.  In and out, up and down, round and round they swam, until they seemed to blur into each other.  Peter was transfixed by the beauty of this gold and silver wall.  It was clearly some kind of display but he could not make it out.  Two things however were clear to him.  In returning their prisoners they were no longer hostile; and that they were now on the side of the frogs.
          Despite the earlier insistence of his neutrality, Peter knew that he had now changed his stance, and it was soon agreed that a meeting would be called for all the communities of the pond, and that Giles would be 'invited' to attend. The purpose was to introduce a new order of harmony for the whole community in Paradise. Those not willing to comply would be told firmly that they must mend their ways or be thrown out.
          “Together”, Peter assured his new allies, “they would have the power to force any detractors into submission.”
          "So much for democracy."  Peter could not help thinking, and not without some guilt, but it had been a good day and was very pleased with himself.  He was also pleased with Frederick, who had, in his eyes, proved himself worthy to be 'king' of the frogs.
          With a lightness of mind and in jolly mood the four of them moved to rejoin the others in their party, who were still waiting just behind south point.  Peter just couldn't resist doing a few spins and twirls, and though he knew he would never be a match for his new friends, he loved showing off a little, ignoring the 'there he goes again' looks .  Even now, after all this time he still marvelled at his ability to defy gravity and to perform feats the like of which none of the famous swimmers he knew could better.
          Ahead he could see the slope of the south point coming into view, and in a moment he would be rejoining his other comrades, then soon he would be home. He knew that the water beyond the north and south points which divide the pond into its unique shape, was shallower, especially between frog island and the swamp, and as he saw Frederick and the two others go round the point, Peter could not hold back one more flourish before he left the deeper water.  A thrust of his legs sent him high up, and as he approached the surface of the water he put his arms above his head and arched his back, causing him to break the surface before his curved body sent him plunging down again.  From above the only evidence of this was a flash of light and a series of ever widening rings; the equal of anything a trout could do.  Below, as he plunged downwards Peter twisted and turned, enjoying the moment, and quietly savouring the coming court-room confrontation with Giles. 
          But it was a confrontation that would have to wait a while, for the devil, as devils are wont to do, was making work for idle hands.