Day two of Inktober Inklings. Prompt: Scurry

Our driveway is littered with hickory nut shells. It’s the squirrels’ doing.

They sit in the branches high above and crack the nuts, dropping unwanted shells to the ground. They could sit anywhere in the trees, but they’ve chosen one specific place over the road that runs past our back porch.

Perhaps its to spite the cats. Rather brave and cheeky of them–to have lunch directly in front of the creatures who would seek to make them into a meal. Leo, the biggest of the cats, refuses to give up, but he hasn’t caught one yet.

Sleek and gray, he flattens himself to the ground and creeps toward the bushy tail in the grass. His own tail twitches, his paw-steps light and soft on the autumn earth. When he’s almost within pouncing distance, the hunted squirrel spots him.

She shrieks and scolds!

“Chit! Chit! Chit!”

She scurries up the nearest tree, where she hangs facing the powerful predator in the grass, teasing him. Cats can climb, but not like squirrels can, and she’s daring him to try.

On his part, Leo relaxes. His tail flops to the ground and he begins to wash his paws, just to show that he didn’t really want to catch her anyway.

But both squirrel and cat know that he will try again as soon as he gets a chance.

docendo disco scribendo cogito

(I learn by teaching and think by writing.)

Millie Florence