18 Human Affairs (1/2)

Picking up the letter using her mouth, Mina was about to speed towards the general's tent when something tugged on her fur.

”Boss,” Tarou called out weakly. ”We're animals.”

Mina's tail curved when she heard what the grey mouse had to say.

”Human affairs are for humans.”

Incensed, she let go of the letter and answered the clingy mouse. ”We have to bring this letter to my human. I need to know what's inside.”

”Why would you care so much for human affairs Boss? You're a cat, these humans despise creatures like us. Look,” Tarou pause before pointing his paw towards the horse, ”those animals receive better treatment, that's why they're arrogant asses!”

”Neigh. We're stallions, not donkeys!” the horse quipped almost instantly after Tarou's claims.

Scratching its head Tarou couldn't help but feel confused. Mina couldn't help but nod in approval towards the eavesdropping horse

”He's right.”

Tarou gaped at Mina. His clueless eyes widened with annoyance and Mina couldn't help but chuckle while trying to clarify the stallion's words.

”He's not an ass.”

Tarou's cheeks bulged as he let out an angry huff. Afraid of hearing another account of Tarou's horrible experience, Mina diverted the topic.

”Let's deal with this letter first. I need to find my human.”

”We can get food on our own. Why would we meddle with human affairs?” Tarou squeaked in annoyance.

Mina paused. Tarou's argument actually made sense.

She was a cat now --an animal, not a person. She had no business meddling with human affairs. But she couldn't help it! She wants to know what's inside the letter. As they say, curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. Yes, that's the perfect excuse.

Right now, she's just a stray following a guy home. She needs to make a move to be indispensable to the human.

The guy clearly values loyalty. Playing like a pitiful creature won't work, she needs to be cunning and this letter could serve as leverage.

While wrestling with her thoughts, Mina caught something in her peripheral vision. She snapped out of her philosophical state and saw Tarou's paw inch closer towards the letter. When she stared at the mouse, Tarou retracted his paw quickly and blinked at her with innocent eyes.

'And here I was thinking this mouse raised an important issue.' Mina sighed. She focused on the devious animal and realized its time for a lecture on strategic living.

”Tell me, Tarou, are you satisfied with this kind of life? Do you want to be a scavenger all the time? If there's no food you either have you go hungry or make do with anything edible--even paper!”

Tarou's ears were pointed downwards and he stood stiff as a statue while listening to Mina's passionate speech. She expected the mouse to admit his stupidity but to her surprise, Tarou looked at her and bellowed indignantly.

”That's my food! I risked my life for that meal!”

Mina was speechless, she was the foolish one.

'A hungry Tarou is an angry Tarou.'

Mina concealed a smile when she realized how Tarou must be feeling at the moment. 'So, that's actually what all this protest is all about.'