Plu-Keto's Macropus: A Narrative Fiction

Rick glanced up in surprise as Clip knocked on his outside entrance. The time was past dinner, and the sky was taking on a shady orange as the sun neared the end of its day’s journey. “Well, that’s a first,” he said with a smile, referring that Clip had knocked outside his open doorway. “Please, come in.” Then he noticed that none of the Macropuses were smiling, also a first, he thought. He asked, “What’s happened?”
Clip tilted its head. “We have a serious problem.”
“Is it life threatening?” Rick asked.
“Life threatening?” Clip repeated. “Ah, well no … not really … no.”
“Good, then we’ll find a way to resolve it. So tell me about it.”
The Macropuses glanced at one another in surprise. “But this problem is really serious,” Plu-Keto said earnestly.
The other problems may seem important, but compared to life threatening ones, they aren’t. Why don’t you tell me what this terrible problem is that brings all of you here?”
They turned to Clip. Clip spread its hands. “Keto won’t do as it’s told.”
Rick forced himself not to smile. “I see. And what is it that it won’t do?”
“It won’t become a parent,” Clip said. “We have told Keto it is its duty, but still it refuses. Keto is past the age when it can partake of the Ritual of the Parenting. It is time. In the old days, we would have gone to the Grand Counsel for a judgment, but that is no more. We have tried to explain to it why it must do as we tell it, but still it refuses. We have been discussing this all afternoon. Finally, when we realized that we had come to an impasse, we agreed that we will do what you decide. I leave tomorrow with you for the war with the NiLTs, and we feel strongly that this issue must be resolved before I