Long Tail Small Mouse...

Long Tail Small mouse… (Purdy, Symes and Wright - part 3)

by Peter Hunter

The looming shape coming towards me was unmistakeably Symes…
… even at a distance that masculine hulk, twice as much as I weigh - that arrogant swagger which only a successful hunter could convey, with its slightly crouched walk could only be my adopted brother…
… and the dead form of an unfortunate long-tailed mouse limply hanging from his lion-like mouth only confirmed it.
An idea - a chance…
… if perhaps… if by persuasion or theft the big boy cat could be persuaded to part with his trophy - if by chance I could steal or borrow it. I took the bold course. 'Symes my fiend - please lend the mouse to me for a few minutes… please.'
'No way, Purdey… it's mine, I'm going to eat it.'
My purring stopped. Symes I thought was being unreasonable. I only wanted to present the mouse to Mum. She would think I had caught it, call me 'Good Cat' then reward me with a piece of the strong Cheddar cheese she bought every Tuesday, on Salisbury market for Dad. After I had eaten the cheese I would return the little body to Symes for him to eat. My tastes were more refined than his and I preferred the cheese. Symes was too stupid to understand.
Another tactic was called for - so I curled back my gums showing the boy my teeth, hissed and lunged at him - expecting him to drop the animal, then run away...
… despite him being twice my size it usually worked...
… but this time it didn't. Symes ran off into the long grass to eat his mouse and I had to settle for Whiskas when what I craved for was a nice lump of cheese…

End

Peter Hunter's full-length thrillers are available on Kindle

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