Chapter 3: I Know That I Know Nothing. Except Fish Are Tasty.

Eventually, the monster stopped, and the tall one picked him up again. Too worn out to struggle, Fanqi was lugged back outside. When he was set down, he saw that he was back by the feasting grounds. He recognized many of the calls of his colony! He was saved!

Everyone was watching him as he waddled around, regaining his bearings before turning back to the tall one. Surely now they would give him his tag? But the tall one just went back into its monster, and it started moving away. Looking around, he shrugged his flippers and slapped them against his sides before sliding on his belly over to one of the groups of his colony.

As he got closer, he started to hear muttering. "Do you see a tag?"

"No, tag?"

"Did he fail?"

"No one has comeback without-"

"-wrong with him?"

As he stood to join a huddle, it shied away from him. "What is it?"

After a moment of awkward silence, someone asked. "What happened?"

"Uh I got turned around." Shame filled his voice. "And a tall one found me and brought me back here."

No one said anything for a long time. "They didn't give you a tag."

A bit defensively, Fanqi responded, "Most of us don't have tags."

"They have never not given a tag to one they have taken." The muttering started up again. 

"Failure-"

"Unworthy"

"Unclean"

It didn't take long before he was soon kicked out of the huddle. Soon a group was heading back to the colony. Fanqi wasn't able to join them, but he followed. Surely his friends back in the huddle would hear him out. The way back was still long and difficult, but with a full stomach and not getting lost, they made it in a reasonable number of days. 

When the group he was following got an insight into the colony, Fanqi split off and headed to a different part of the huddle. Hopefully, if he didn't show up with the group from the feasting grounds, then this would all blow over. Within earshot of the nearest colony members, Fanqi started to call for his friends. It would be nice to see them again after his traumatic last couple of days.

He didn't find them right away, but someone else found him. 

"Fanqi?" A yellow flipper called to him in a questioning voice. It was someone he wasn't familiar with. 

"Yes?" 

"Ah good. The green ones want to talk to you." He squawked in a relieved voice. "Come with me. Glad I found you so quickly."

Fanqi did not respond. He was too busy smacking himself for not having the sense to keep his mouth shut. If he had just not been calling, they wouldn't have been able to find him so quickly. After a little bit, maybe they would have forgotten all about this, and it would have blown over. But seeing the seriousness in his escort's waddle, he doubted it. This was proceeding just like it would in a trial. 

While he had committed no crime, there were only two punishments that would come from a trial. He was guilty by his own admission, and with no mate or chick, there would be no grounds for mercy. He would either be exiled from the colony, or he would be sent south to kill the Dark One. Realistically they were the same; nothing but honor kept one on the track through the great interior of the continent.

Fanqi did have his own sense of honor, even if it didn't stop him from maybe taking a few liberties with some of the customs and rules. So the second half of the trip to see the green elders, he spent planning. Not for his defense but to perhaps save anyone who fell into the same fate as he had. At least he would be remembered. 

Once they had reached the spire, a small rock a couple of feet higher than the rest of the colony's home, his escort left him alone. In a few heartbeats, the area was surrounded by spectators. Any full member of the colony could watch the trial and even be heard, but it was the three eldest green tags that would decide his fate. 

The only three members who really showed any age. Their wiles and clever tactics had let them live far longer than any other members. They were still able to feed themselves and care for a chick, despite not swimming as fast as they once did. They stood in a line on top of the spire. The faded green tags around their flippers showed their station. 

Several other green tags stood nearby, watching and learning for when it became their turn to lead the colony. "Fanqi." The central elder addressed him.

"Yes, Patriarch. I have come as requested." Fanqi answered with a formal bow of his head.

"I see you have." As he spoke, he ran his flipper down his stomach in a thoughtful motion. "That you have, speaks well of your courage. Now we have heard some troubling stores about your interaction with the tall ones. Would you care to tell your story?"

This was more than Fanqi could have hoped for. If he was willing to, he could lie, and maybe something could happen, but they seemed completely willing to hear his story. But Fanqi could not lie, not like this. So he started to speak. Fanqi told them of his plan to stay and eat until he was needed back at the nest. To grow strong and get a headstart on the molting season and find a mate next year.

This was met with a surprising amount of approval. He had expected a neutral reaction, but it seemed his attempts to better himself were well received. The Niao colony did need more members, after all. 

When the monster approached, there were gasps and mummers of disbelief. When Fanqi spoke of the garbled noises the tall ones made, many of the tagged ones confirmed his story. He spoke of the ride in the monster. And was met with awed silence. 

Eventually, Fanqi's story ended with him being deposited in the feasting grounds. After he finished speaking, a chorus of squawking erupted from everyone.

"By his own words-"

"The tall ones saved hi-"

"-begone-"

"-unworthy, if we get no more tags then-"

"Not around my chick!" 

This went on for quite some time. The elders and the green ones studying under them tried to reign in the crowd, but it took them a long time. As the order was slowly restored, Fanqi listened to the crowd. A few voiced support for his innocents. The tall ones hadn't judged him to be unworthy; they were just doing a good deed. Others agreed with that but didn't think they could risk it. Those were the minority, though.

The vast majority called for his conviction.

Once order had been reestablished, the Patriarch looked down at Fanqi. "We must now vote." Turning to the other two elders. "Do you need to think more about your votes?"

Both shook their heads. Elder Laoren spoke first. "I believe that the tall ones were not judging young Fanqi and believe we should celebrate their kindness and…"

Fanqi listened to Laoren's continued explanation with all the rest who had gathered around, but he wasn't really absorbing the words. It was a beautiful argument, but the other elder had clearly already decided, and he doubted it was not anything the Patriarch hadn't already thought of.

When he was done. Bainyuan gave a simple statement. "I find him guilty of dishonoring the colony."

One vote for, one against. Fanqi waited on bated breath for the Patriarch's pronouncement. "I too find him guilty."

Before the crowd erupted, he raised a flipper for silence and continued to speak. "I am not sure about dishonor, but it is a risk for the good of the colony we can not risk. Now Fanqi, there are only two punishments, do you understand?" 

Fanqi nodded, but the Patriarch was giving him a chance to speak. This was what he had been waiting for, planning for. There was a chance they would find him innocent, but that was a slim chance indeed. "So you leave it to me to choose my own sentence. I have but two options. Exile or death. 

This was not a choice that Fanqi was enthusiastic about; realistically, they were the same thing. It would be nearly impossible to find another colony, and if he did, it would be hard for them to take him in. If he did, would he even be able to find a mate? So if he made a choice, it wasn't going to be a selfish choice if it ended the same for him. No, for once, he would take the honorable route and leave the colony a bit better as he left it. If he could convince enough of them that condemning him was wrong, then maybe the next poor soul wouldn't be left to the same fate.

Waddling back and forth, Fanqi collected his thoughts as he prepared to speak. Feeling the eyes of the crowd following him and the hushed anticipation for his response. Not for a second did he mistake their attention to that for admiration. No, how could he forget that these were the ones calling for his head? This was the malicious glee of a bloodthirsty mob just weighing for their entertainment.

"If I say exile, I must indeed be blinded by the love of life. If I were to consider that you, my brothers and sisters, cannot endure my presence, let alone my words and my shame, so much so that none other would be likely to endure me. No, indeed, members of the Naio colony, that is not very likely. If then I were to run to another family, what life should I lead? A stranger, waddling from feasting ground to nesting ground, ever an outsider. Forever fearful that my shameful past may come to light and be driven out!

"Alas, many of you say just clamp your beak shut. Why must anyone know of your past? Well, I am quite sure that wherever I go, they will ask me from where I hail. If I shall speak, clearly they will drive me out as you have done. Shall I hold my peace, then, however, shall they trust me? Or would you have me lie? To preserve my life and palace in the world, I would stain my honor and that remaining of this colony. 

"No, I think not. My choice is clear as there is yet only one option. I shall go to kill the dark one!" Fanqi finished with a raised shout, and a hush fell over the assembled colony.