It was the smell of “cat” that was so overpowering and made mouse feel nauseous
Cat poked his whiskers into the tiny hole and breathed in his prey
After the chase, mouse had scrabbled up into the nearest hole available in a stone wall
It was 6 o’clock and she’d been hiding for hours
Cat, stretching his full length up the wall to look into the hidey hole could see that mouse had a tail as long as her body. That she was brown all over except for a white furry spot on her head, had salmon pink ears and a nose that twitched constantly and she smelled … well - like a mouse
He was eager to catch his dinner and switched his tail impatiently
Mouse cowered recoiling as much as she could into the tiny hole and she flattened herself as only mice can and played dead protecting her 6 babies still in their princess pink birthday suits
The cat chomped and ground his jaws to sharpen his teeth
Mouse craved a piece of cheese and wondered where her husband was; she dozed off into mouse-land dreaming of ripe wheat pods, insects and fresh berries
Dad had repeatedly told his children not to go further than the gate post
Spurts of mousy urine trickled out of the hole and fell in slow drops down onto the stones of the wall and cat knew it was almost time
Big footsteps on the grass - and mouse heard the woman call the cat away from the wall
“Come on pussy leave that poor mouse alone - can’t you hear her squealing”
To no avail
The sharp stones in the hiding hole dug into mouse’s back and her tail was tucked into an agonising position - she squealed and squirmed with pain pushing herself as further back into the narrow hole as possible protecting her babies
Capture would be soon; the cat’s dribble trickled downwards making slimy patterns in the sunlight and his eyes were yellow like ripe gruyere cheese sweating with bloodthirsty glee
Mouse washed her ears and gave herself a hug - soon her little body would be stretched like bubblegum and chewed up into a ball - then blown into the air, played with like a soft toy, trodden on, flattened and rolled in the mud, thrown again up high near the sky - she might feel the sun rays onto her back providing a little warmth, hope …then she would not feel the teeth sink into her neck, nor see the blood seep from the wound and the cat’s mouth become as red as a cardinals hat - neither hear the babies squeal one by one as they were taken chewed, spat out and swallowed - whole. She wouldn’t see her husband cringe in their home safe and warm but terrified and sad watching her fate unroll before his eyes.
Cat discarded the corpse - entertainment provided for the day - the long wait rewarded with play having caught the object of its instinct he went home and curled up on the window sill.
It was the way it was and always would be.
