Wanted: Purrfect Cat Guy 36 Saved By One Nightmare

Tarou felt the shift in temperature, signaling the start of another day. It took the tiny mouse almost all night to make the tree nook feel homey. He has been busy moving his pile of grains and testing out which plants around the area were good enough to eat. After he cataloged the plants from the most palatable to horribly inedible, dawn was breaking over the horizon.

From his position, Tarou noticed that the activities in the manor began at the crack of dawn. There were people going about their ch.o.r.es even while it's still dark outside. Since the early morning hours, there has been much activity in the stables as opposed to other areas outside the manor.

The manor was a lively place teeming with activity, but Tarou found the place relaxing. The tree he claimed as his own was more comfortable than the small nook in the hut where he first met the black cat.

Tarou caught the scent of ripe fruits waiting to be harvested. He could tell from the scents surrounding the area that there were a wide variety of plants in the estate. He caught the scent of herbs, fruit trees, and flowering plants.

From the fruity scents and the aromatic herbs, even a mouse like him would think that he is in one part of the forest. Combined with the delectable scents wafting from the kitchens, Tarou couldn't ask for more. Human food for convenience and ripe fruits and grains for a healthy mouse diet. He seems to have hit the jackpot by following Boss to this place.

The satisfied mouse continued to bask in the delicious scents of his new home, he detected a despicable smell which made him stiffen in terror.

As if a beautiful dream was replaced by a terrible one, Tarou opened his eyes. His whiskers detected movement towards him and true enough, he heard a series of neighs shortly after. Among the series of neighs, one stood out from all the rest.

"Mouse" a loud, trumpet-like sound neighed.

The greeting caught Tarou off guard. He couldn't help but detect the air of superiority from that particular neigh.

Only one highhanded horse would greet him in a sarcastic manner.

'Nightmare' he muttered under his breath as if it was a curse. True enough, he heard a gallop headed towards him and the scene from the night before flashed through his mind. He could still remember how Nightmare looked at him as if he couldn't wait for the opportunity to turn him to dust.

Conflicted on how to deal with the situation and terrified that he would flee into the wrong direction, Tarou's body froze on the spot.

'Don't stomp me....please please please,' the tiny mouse begged in his mind, still clinging on to the tiny hope of escaping unscathed.

Clip...

Clop...

Clip...

Clop...

The sound of the horse hoof coming in contact with the ground made Tarou's heart beat faster and faster. With each step, dust rose up from the ground and Tarou could see dark, powerful hooves closing in on him.

The sound struck fear in his heart but he stood firm as if to take a stand. His paws were shaking with fear so powerful it rendered him immobile.

'Paw move, move!' he scolded.

Tarou wanted to seek cover somewhere, but he was frozen in place. His paw wouldn't move no matter how much he wills it too.

As Tarou tried to wait for his death to collect him, he caught the scent of his human but the man seems to be too far to help him this time. Just one more step and he will be squashed under Nightmare's foot.

'What's the better way to die? Staring death in the face or closing your eyes hoping for a peaceful way to go?'

While going back and forth between these thoughts Tarou saw the horse show descend and he only managed to have his eyes go half closed. He squeaked as loud as he could but the human Barca seems to be too far to hear him.

"Human, Bury me with my treasures!"

Tarou crouched down to reduce the impact and waited.

One... two... three...

Tarou has almost reached the count of twenty but nothing happened. The clip-clop sound already stopped. When Tarou opened his eyes, he was under some sort of shade. He saw strong, black legs on all four sides.

Shortly after, he heard a thunderous chorus of clip-clop sounds as several horses made their way out of the stables. Tarou could see the legs of different horses as they pa.s.sed beside Nightmare who seems to have no plans of moving. Tarou had no intention of leaving his position either in fear that one of the horses would squash him if he flees.

It was only after the last horse left that Nightmare decided to leave Tarou and catch up with the rest of the horses. As Tarou looked at Nightmare's swishing tail as he went to follow the rest of the horses, he couldn't help but think about what just happened.

'Did that Nightmare just save me from being stomped to death?'

'Why?'

Just then, one of the stablehands brought out something and placed it on the ground before going back inside. Tarou could hear a combination of chattering and hissing from what the young man delivered.

When Tarou went closer, he saw a rodent as large as a kitten with a thick body, short ears, and blunt snout. The rodent seems to have detected Tarou's movement as it turned to look at him. Tarou looked at the creature captured inside a small prison, but what surprised him was the rage in the rat's eyes. All those emotions seem to be directed entirely to him.