The Cat

This ability became very useful for me. I could communicate with the mice that share the same nooks and crannies as us. They weren’t the brightest creatures to communicate with but we came to a mutual agreement. I was smart and they were fast. We could gather more food if they let me ride on their back and tell them where to go. I could also look behind them, keeping a look out for our shared enemy, Tilly the cat.

One day however, we were caught unawares. We had ventured out into the dining room and were collecting the scraps from underneath the table. The humans has had guest over to play games and eat snacks the night before and we were reaping the benefits, and providing a cleaning service free of charge. My sack full of Bits of crisp and M&M. I mounted squeaker’s (the mice named themselves and this was the chatty one) who has eaten his fill and prepared to scurry back to the hole behind the bookshelf before the humans came downstairs and cleared up the rest. Cheesy, Sweet tooth, runner and whiskers (the other mice) were still all eating. As squeaker left the safety of below the table, Tilly pounced on us from the top of the table. The other mice scattered leaving us to our fate.

“That was worth the wait,” said Tilly smugly. She had squeakers pined under one paw and me under another. “I’ve finally been able to catch one of those tasty looking tiny humans and a mouse too.”

“Please, let me go,” I begged hoping my ability to communicate with her would surprise her and grant leniency.

“You talk?” Tilly remarked, confused.

“Yes, I can, just me not the others, isn’t that interesting enough to keep me alive. Waiting for us must have been really boring, at least make the wait worth it by listening to what I have to say.” You bargained.

“It wasn’t boring it was fun, planning this ambush, lying in wait, hearing the mice squeak with joy at the feast and plotting my ambush, waiting for just the right time. And now I get to eat you.” Tilly mocked.

“But then you will never get to hunt me again.” I shouted and the cat’s jaws gaped over my head. I could see down her dark pink throat, sharp fangs framing my view. “ know the humans feed you well, so your clearly not hunting for food. This is fun for you, a way to pass the time between being fed and being petted. If you eat me and my mouse now, you will never catch a talking borrower again. That’s what I am, a borrower. However, if you let us go, you can plan hunt after hunt. I will know to check the table top now, before going under. These mice are dumb, predicable and boring. Do you agree.” You explain.

“I agree that hunting mice had become boring. But what is stopping me from eating you and then just hunting the rest of you little humans. ” Tilly replied.

“ I am the only one who can talk to you. Leave the mice alone, hunt and release me and we will learn together. I will get better at avoid danger and you will become a better hunter and not get bored. ” You explain.

“ Interesting, I propose a little game. I hunt you 100 times. If I am successful over half of the time then it’s not fun any more and I get to eat you. If your successful I will let you, your people and the mice go any time I catch them but will still try to catch you for fun. ” Tilly gave her deal.

“ Ok I will agree one c ondition. You will allow me to order you to do one thing when I win and if you win you swallow me whole, I don’t want to be ripped apart.” You gave a counter deal.

“Agreed, I’m sure you’re tastey . ” Tilly agreed. She lifted her paws. Squeaker sighed in relief and scampered off to the hole.

“Your crazy James, she’s going to gulp you down. But thanks for saving me” Squeaker said as he scampered into the bolt hole.