Tarou couldn't help but shake his head while hunting for more food.
'Ha! Even a weak creature like me has more common sense than Boss!'
Just when Tarou deposited more food in his stash, his whiskers twitched. The small mouse ran towards a dark corner before squeaking a warning.
"They're here!"
tak...
tak...
Tarou let out a deep breath when he heard the approaching footsteps. He scratched his stomach but something felt strange.
There was no other movement in the kitchen except for his scuttling.
'Then, Boss...'
'Could Boss be...'
With the sudden realization, Tarou reluctantly left his hiding spot and rushed towards Boss.
Tarou scratched his head at the sight.
The absentminded cat sat in front of the door as if to welcome anyone who enters.
"Boss, quick, hide!"
A sense of dread crept up Tarou's fur. He couldn't help but gnaw on a paw as the heavy footsteps approached the kitchen.
tak...
tak...
With both paws, he dragged the absentminded cat towards a concealed area in the kitchen.
When he felt the cat move, Tarou felt relieved. He fled right away without looking back.
Just then a foot entered the doorway.
Tarou could see everything from his new spot. And he could see the black cat, sitting in front of the doorway like it was the most natural thing in the world.
'Didn't Boss?'
Tarou gnawed on a paw while waiting.
'Of all places...'
"Boss, you're asking for death!"
Tarou warned Boss through barely audible squeaks but the cat remained in the same spot. But she stood firm ready to face the incoming enemy head-on.
'What is Boss thinking?'
'I dragged Boss away but this cat is so stubborn.'
'If this cat dies...Well, it's not my fault.'
Tarou winced when he felt pain from gnawing his paw.
'I can't let this happen.'
Tarou tapped a paw on the floor while considering his options but before he could come up with anything, he heard another footstep.
'Boss can't die just like this...'
'All my abundant days could come to an end without Boss.'
Tarou sensed that the enemy was getting closer and closer to Boss.
Immovable and calm, the black cat remained seated in front of the doorway.
Tarou could hear his heartbeat. The fast pounding was like a stampede.
Tak...
Tak...
With each step, Tarou heard the human huff.
'The footsteps... stopped?'
"Humans!!!"
Tarou covered his mouth to muffle his unexpected squeak.
The cat looked up at the human who barged into the kitchen calmly. The human looked down to the cat on the floor, sizing up the animal.
"Huh!"
The almost indistinct human sound conveyed a challenging tone. Tarou saw a large woman carrying a large smoking pot. Behind her, there was another woman behind who was holding on to a huge basket.
'Boss may have a chance!'
Tarou's eyes sparkled as he assessed the situation. He looked at the women and then at the cat and the smoking pot.
'But Boss might become blotchy and bald.'
Tarou shook his head but a catty hiss disturbed his thoughts.
"What's your business here?"
Boss meowed like a king talking to a lowly servant and Tarou couldn't help but take a closer look.
There was no movement from either party.
The food carrying women and Boss was at a standstill.
Curious, Tarou moved out of his spot but stayed behind Boss. With the slight change in position, a delicious scent assaulted his nostril.
But before he could savor the scent, the woman behind pointed at the black cat and shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Demoooooon!!!"
Tarou saw the black cat look at the two women lazily. Boss appeared bored while licking a paw.
The mouse snickered.
Boss can be dumb most of the time but this cat's combat power exceeded his expectations. He continued to survey the area.
With Boss in the way, these humans couldn't do anything to him.
He could continue raiding the kitchen!
Just when he thought everything was under control, the woman in front moved forward.
"Martha stop! Something unlucky will befall us!"
Blood drained from Tarou's face when his gaze caught something on the floor.
All his hard work was right in front of the human.
His stash!
How could he miss it!
"It's just a cat. Don't believe all that nonsense."
The human's reply made Tarou panic.
"Noooo!"
Hearing the urgent squeak, the black cat couldn't help but look down on the floor as if realizing something.
"Aaaaahhhhhhh....."
In record time the cat who stood like a statue in front of the doorway disappeared into an inconspicuous corner. Her shining eyes betrayed her location but her body merged with the shadows.
"It's too late!!!"
With a crestfallen face, Tarou watched the pile of food he collected was reduced thin skid marks on the brick floor as the woman's right foot slipped forward.
The woman gripped the pot's handle tightly. Her knuckles turned white as she tried to maintain the pot's balance not willing to spill the contents of the pot.
Half kneeling, the maid used her left foot for support and placed the pot on the floor.
The lid fell off the floor and a few drops of soup spilled from the pot. The maid finally loosened her grip on the pot's handle when she found a stable position. Her tensed shoulder slumped as she tried to keep her breathing in order.
The other woman stood like a frozen statue on the kitchen's doorway. Tarou stared at the cat's twitching tail while staring at the maid and scaring her off with a sinister meow.
Not knowing what to do, the maid grabbed something from the basket, looked at the cat, and stared at the item on her hand. After deliberating, she tossed it to the black cat staring at her and rushed out.
After a few seconds, the maid reappeared in the kitchen sneakily. She grabbed the hand of the other person on the floor dragged the other woman outside in record time.
The sound of running echoes in the kitchen and Tarou stared at Boss who walked closer to the pot on the floor. He couldn't resist the temptation either and ran towards the delicious food.
It was a red stew and it was hot enough to burn his tongue.
A bit of soup spilled on the upturned lid on the floor.
Without losing any second, Tarou rushed towards the site of the accident and sampled the spilled stew on the floor.
"This soup..."
Tarou struggled to squeak and looked at Boss who was about to sample the soup right from the pot. He was too familiar with the look on the cat's face.
Boss was ready to pounce.
His squeak made the cat stop and turn towards him. Tarou looked at the mighty black cat who was about to attack the fragrant soup with watery eyes.
"Boss... this soup..."
"What's wrong with the soup?"
Tarou swallowed and looked at the cat whose greedy eyes suddenly turned serious at his squeaks.