“Lives are not
important to the Forest,” Oak continued, “But species are.
Balance is. Besides which, if you'd been paying attention to my
words, not just listening with your emotions, you'd have heard me
say the plan is to evacuate the area. Most of the unique fauna will
already have gone. Agents of the Forest, in some disguise or other,
will be going through the village, informing the residents that they
will not be safe if they remain.”
“But all that
damage,” my wife replied, “All those lives ruined. They'll all
have to start from scratch.”
“I think they would
be happy to be alive, were they to know the truth. And you people
have insurance policies, don't you? The people of Pompeii were not
so lucky, and the Forest was far less forgiving in those days.”
