Cat Falls For Mouse

[jacktar48]

Long ago, when the earth was very new and all the birds and animals were about the same size and spoke the same language, just like humans, a cat saw a pretty little mouse scurrying through the forest.

His tail began to twitch immediately and he crouched down in the brush to watch her.

 

[jacktar48]

Miss Mousy was aware of him, of course. She peeped at him from the corner of her eye as she foraged for edible nuts and seeds.

She was a little suspicious of cats in general. She had heard rumors...

Cat admired her sleek body as she scurried to and fro. He imagined what it would be like to surprise her by pouncing at her, then running up a tree in mock fright. Could he entice her to chase him?

 

[LadyVer]

Miss Mousy slowly nibbled the succulent red berries on the forest floor.

Aware she was being watched by a creature others in her burrow referred to as The Damned, she weighed her options. She'd heard that spitting a chewed up fur ball berry into the eye of The Damned usually left the creature thrashing around on the ground howling. It was supposed to be great fun. While the creature thrashed and howled, the burrow dashed about grabbing up all the food, kicked the downed screecher in the guts, and then raced away giggling.

It was when her watcher twitched his tail, that Ms. Mousy considered the other options.

 

[jacktar48]

Cat sternly reminded himself that mice are different. While pouncing might be fun for cat people, mouse people might possibly find it offensive.

It should be noted that in those days cats did not eat mice. At least not...well. They were about the same size, and there were plenty of nuts, berries and edible plants for everyone. Cat was still a predator at heart, of course, but since the animals held councils regularly and all agreed on certain rules, Cat did not prey on his fellow forest-dwellers.

Usually.

The tip of his tail kinked and twitched as he watched. His haunches wriggled and he could not resist inching forward until he was exposed to her view.

At first she didn't see him, but he knew she would. She was so alert. She would be frightened if she saw him unexpectedly, and so close. He could run the other way. But he really didn't want to.

He sprawled out on his side in the grass, stretched, (being careful to keep his claws sheathed!) and purred loudly. He hoped the sound was as comforting to Miss Mousey as it was to him.

 

[LadyVer]

Miss Mousy watched The Damned kink and twitch his tail. She wondered what kind of mind led to such indolent behavior. Maybe he needed to learn about Gingko Biloba. Mousy bit into another fur ball berry and swallowed the delicious juice. And then she aimed.

 

[jacktar48]

Cat's eyes snapped open when the hard berry seed hit him in the tip of his nose. It was almost painful, and he sneezed.

The mouse was laughing at him! He stretched his toes and, quite involuntarily, his sharp claws extended briefly.

Miss Mousy sat on her haunches, her slender tail wrapped around her. She was just out of reach, and extremely alert.

Not that Cat was thinking about making a grab for her, or anything like that.

"Your fur is so sleek and beautiful, I just want to touch it," Cat purred. "Please come a little closer."

 

[LadyVer]

LOL Love it.

 

[LadyVer]

Maybe it was time for Ms. Mousy to get serious.

She looked at the creature and said, "Come here, you. I'll show you 'sleek and beautiful.'"

She unwrapped her tail and teased The Damned with it. In an out, in and out...

 

[LadyVer]

Ms. Mousy was beginning to think The Damned was afeard. Or maybe he had traveled to the Land of the Misbegotten. Maybe he didn't like in and out?

 

[jacktar48]

Cat playfully dragged himself along the ground, trying to look harmless. "I'd like to talk to you," he purred. "Lie down here beside me."

He rolled onto his back, his four legs pointing at the clear sky above the thick forest canopy.

"The time has come," Cat grinned, "to speak of many things; of ships, and shoes, and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings."

He tossed a dried leaf into the air and batted at it to keep it aloft.

"Have you ever been on a ship?"

 

[LadyVer]

Mouse looked at the Damned. Her brows refused to stay down. She considered swatting the creature. Then she said, " It's my understanding the big mechanical birds that take those weird humans across the sky are lazy, possibly spoiled. Those birds don't like to fly into and out of certain areas. You know, those areas that are considered Land Before Time outlier country. Where the Damned like to settle."

Mouse cracked her tail and blew a kiss to the creature. "I'll show you my ship, if you show me yours." She smiled at him, and waited.

 

[jacktar48]

"We'll sail the unknown sea in a pea-green boat," Cat said. "I once was quoted as saying I was a Cat who lived by himself, and all places are alike to me. But now I wonder...perhaps together we might discover joys unknown."

He licked his furry paw delicately, thinking that he would rather lick Ms Mousy. All over.

"The metal birds are an abomination and should be avoided. It is good to find a place they are afraid to go. We could find a clean and quiet forest where we both could live in peace. It may be difficult to find, but once we do we would never want to leave."

 

[LadyVer]

Mouse: "I guess this means you have a joyful ship you want to show me."

 

[LadyVer]

Mousy was wondering if the joyful ship had gone flat. Was it something that she had done, or said? But then she looked around and saw that the Damned seemed to be talking to himself. She smiled.