Mewsette in Writers Society
Stories by Mewsette

June

Shelter From the Storm

Three stood in the way of the approaching black clouds and flashes of lightning; three seen clearly against the wall of an unfinished building.

The largest one was a huge white dog, whose hulking form stood out vividly in the darkness. He was afraid of nothing. But he didn't like being outside with a storm coming. He hated getting wet. The dog had been just about to chase a cat away when he stopped to gaze up at the sky.

The next one was a small calico cat, who had stopped in her tracks at the ominous sound of thunder. She was even more afraid of thunder than she was of the huge dog. This was the first time she had ever been outside, and she vowed she would never sneak through an open door again because just see what terrors awaited her out there! She had been just about to chase a mouse when she heard the thunder.

The third form was a tiny grey mouse, who crouched, snuffling and trembling, with fearful eyes darting between the dog and the cat. He was afraid of absolutely everything, and just wanted to disappear, but he was too terrified to move. He wondered how on earth he managed to expose himself to all these frightful perils at once, and was quite sure he wouldn't live to wonder for long.

Where to run? What to do? Three pairs of eyes darted from one to another as the rain began to pelt them all. Wait, this was not rain! It was too hard! This was hail! The mouse squeaked in pain, the calico yowled in fright, and the sensible dog ran under a piece of siding propped against the building wall. That's the only shelter there was! The calico could see there was no other shelter for her, and the mouse couldn't see at all.

Where to run? What to do? Everyone knows calico cats are brilliant and creative. The calico thought swiftly, there was no room for her under the siding, but there was plenty of room for her under the dog. She streaked toward it, and hid herself under the dog's belly before he even knew she was there. Dogs can be a little slow.

Where to run? What to do? Everyone knows mice don't have a thought in their heads, and this one was no exception. But he opened his eyes and saw what the calico did, so he would do the same. The dog didn't eat her, maybe he would be as lucky. He streaked for the siding and hid himself under the cat. There the three of them shivered and waited out the hailstorm.

When the noise stopped and the sky became lighter, the mouse looked over his head into the calico fur, thanked his lucky stars that he had not been eaten, and backed out carefully from under the cat. Then he ran for home. The cat dipped her head and saw him move away, but she did not dare pounce for fear of alerting the dog. Then she looked over her head into the huge expanse of dog fur, thanked her lucky stars she had not been caught, and backed out carefully from under the dog. And she ran for home.

The dog looked over his head into the clearing sky, thanked his lucky stars he didn't get wet, and trotted forward from under the siding. He headed for home, none the wiser that he had provided shelter while he sought it.

As I mentioned, dogs can be a little slow.

July

Caught in the Middle

The day Angel came to live in our small house was the day that changed our lives. The house had been perfectly run for many years by the resident matriarch cat, Hyacynth. Hyacynth was an old tabby who took great pride in her ownership of the house, and had grown quite plump from her good food and easy life.

When she first laid eyes on the little blue-eyed white cat named Angel, Hyacynth hissed and snarled. "I will not stand for this!" she growled. "Another female cat! I am the queen of this house, and we don't need any more cats. Especially not another female! Pfffft!"

"Mew," whispered Angel, "you are the most unfriendly cat I ever saw! Why don't you like me?"

"Hsss," replied Hyacynth. "Because this is my territory and you don't belong here. Go away before I swat you!"

"Yewp", said Angel, "then I don't like you, either. And I won't go away. So there!"

Then Angel went to sit in a corner, and from that day on she was wary of Hyacynth. And from that day on, Hyacynth held a grudge. I know, because I was there.

My name is Misty. I had lived with Hyacynth all my life, and I really liked her. But in the days that followed, I came to like Angel too. She was polite and did not intrude where she wasn't wanted. But she was quite friendly with me, and lots of fun to play with. So one day I asked Hyacynth if she wouldn't reconsider and at least be kind to Angel, because I liked both of them.

"The subject of Angel is closed," she said. "I will never like her. You do as you wish."

One day I killed a mouse that got in our porch. I didn't eat him, but he must have been a sickly mouse because I got very sick. For days I lay miserably under a chair, and Angel would try to comfort me. But then she looked up to see Hyacynth glaring at her.

"I am the comforter here," Hyacynth warned. "Go away." And Hyacynth took over my care.

After I was better I said to her, "Hyacynth, you are a wonderful comforter, and I thank you. Don't you think you and Angel could have shared that duty? It would have been easier for both of you, and very nice for me."

"No," Hyacynth replied shortly.

"Never", added Angel, who had overheard.

Then the Big Move happened. That was a terrifying time for all of us. We found ourselves stuffed into carriers and driven in the car for a long way. Then we all had to stay in one little room while our furniture got carried in. I was so frightened and went to Hyacynth to lie close to her. "Come," I whispered to Angel, but Angel would not. When we were released into the big new house to check it out, they just glared at each other.

"How wonderful," I purred to the others. "I will like sharing such a nice big house with both of you! With so much room, surely we can all like each other and get along!"

"I agree," mewed Angel. "I would like that. What do you think, Hyacynth?"

"I think not," replied Hyacynth. "I'm glad to have more space so I can get away by myself. Don't bother me."

That was three years ago. Hyacynth is quite old now, very thin, and not in good health. I am no spring kitten myself. Some things that one wishes would change over the years simply do not. Angel has learned to comfort, and she would be a great comfort to Hyacynth now if Hyacynth would permit it. But she will not. Hyacynth does love deeply when she loves, and she could spare a little for Angel if she would. But Angel would not trust it. Yet they are both fine cats.

When I tell a story, I like for it to have a happy ending. But that would not be honest, because this is a true story. I, Misty, have told it.

August

Attila the Ant

Attila joined the army when he was a very young ant. He lived in a large colony in a hill at the side of a vegetable garden. Nearly all the ants of the colony were in the army, but there were no ranks. They were all simply called workers, and that is what they did all day. Of course, being a worker was very important, because it was their job to gather food for the entire colony as well as for their Queen and her babies.

The colony was ruled by a very large Queen ant named Maj. Queen Maj spent all her time deep in the hill, hatching out babies and raising them to be more workers. That is just the way of ants. The older workers, such as Attila, were responsible for guarding the entire colony, but especially the Queen and her babies at all times so no harm would come to them.

Attila didn't mind being a guard but he would have preferred to be a gatherer.The gatherers went far and wide in the garden and often brought back great prizes, such as a baby radish or tender young peas. It took a great many of them to get the little peas out of their pods and carry them home. So one morning Attila got a group of the guards together and they all went with the gatherers to help with the peas that day. There were so many guards, they were sure no one would miss them at the hill. They spent a satisfying day working in the shade of the pea vines instead of milling around in the hot sun at the hill. As they all helped carry peas home late in the afternoon, Attila was quite pleased with himself because he knew they had lots of extra peas.

But, as the gatherer workers approached the hill, they saw a great commotion. There was a huge beetle trying to get into the entrance! And there were not enough guards to fend him off! Oh, this was terrible! Queen Maj was in danger!

The entire troops of returning workers dropped all the peas and rushed to the assistance of the guards. After a terrible battle, they finally managed to slay the beetle. By then it was quite dark, and they could not see the peas they had dropped, so they all went into the hill for the night with no fresh food. The Queen and her babies were safe, but they were unfed that night.

Attila felt very badly, and so did the guard ants who had gone with him. They knew that they should have stayed at the hill and done their job, to avoid the calamity that almost befell the entire colony. Ater that, Attila never left his post again. He had learned his lesson.



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