Tales from the Mouser: Island Shore leave 2006, Part One

"LAAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDDDD HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Bellowed Imp from the
crow's nest. Cats and kittens scattered to the side to peer into the
distance.

"I see it!! I see it!!" said Qui Gun Kit "I see the island!"

"YAY!!!!" All the kittens started cheering and running around and
dancing.

"CAP'N ON DECK!!!" bellowed Sergeant Huey, and all cats and kittens
snapped to attention. Cap'n Pine Cone strolled out onto the deck.

"In a few hours, we will be arriving at the island." he announced. "I
know how anxious you all are to get ashore for some much needed shore
leave, but there still is work to be done. Once we arrive we need to
set up a perimiter, unload supplies and set up camp. Only, and ONLY
when all the work has been completed, will we release you in groups for
shore leave. Understand?"

"YES SIR!!!!"

"Okay you kits!" said Huey. "Listen up! Caliban, Miranda and Samwise;
you help Mischief shake out and repair the tents. Captain, Lily and
Claudius you go report below deck to help Mimi and Boyfriend sort out
the food stores for the island. Dante and Stanley, you help Smokey
with the rigging."

"What about me?" piped up Qui Gun Kit. "You and I will go below to
check the map gear. The island might have changed since we last
arrived and we might need to make a new map of the area" said Huey
"Everyone, DISMISSED!!!"

As cats dashed to and fro to complete their duties, Imp watched at the
island grew larger on the horizon.

Mischief led the kits as the tents were unpacked from bags and the dust
shaken out. They started sewing up the holes, when Caliban suddenly
jumped and pounced and began clawing at the tent.

"Caliban, WHAT are you doing?" asked Mischief. "There was a GREEBLING
under the tent. I swear it was there! I almost had it too."

Mischief sighed, "Well your little greebling hunt tore two more holes
in the tent. Why don't you get started repairing them?"

Caliban gulped sheepishly and sat down to start sewing. Miranda who
was next to him, smacked him on the ear. "Nice going, dummy" she
whispered angrily.

Mimi and Boyfriend sorted out a number of food stores for the island
and the kittens brought the boxes up on deck.

Dante stopped coiling the rope he was holding. "Whoa....." he poked
Stanley. "Look!" he said.

Stanley turned to see Captain and Lily shoving a large box of
something. "Oh my......" he said, and both he and Dante dropped the
ropes they were holding to run over to the box to read the scrawled
letters painted on the side.

"T-U-N-A," read Dante. "TUNA??"

Captain grunted. "Yep, There are four boxes below that are going
ashore." he stopped pushing, and lowered his voice. "And from what i
hear, it's the GOOD stuff!"

Danta licked his lips and looked over at Stanley, who was grinning.
"Um, hey Captain?" said Stanley, "You really sure that there's tuna in
there?"

"Of course he is, silly." Said Lily, "Mimi and Boyfriend told us to
move this box, and it's painted on the box."

"Well....but maybe it's a misprint...." said Stanley with a smile.
"And.....shouldn't we open the box? You know, to just make sure what
it is?" Captain grinned at Stanley, and they turned to see Dante with
an equally large grin on his face.

"Oh NO you don't!" said Lily, "You're gonna get us in trouble!"

"Aw come on, Lily," said Dante, "Just a little peek?"

"And a little sniff...." said Stanley

"And maybe a little taste....." said Captain.

"A little taste of WHAT?" All four kitten suddenly cringed, and then
slowly turned to see Corporal Sammy standing behind them.

"Don't even THINK of opening any of the food stores," said Sammy, "They
are for dinner tonight and NO one will do any prior sampling. Now get
back to work!"

"But...." stammered Stanley.

"Do you want me to get Sgt. Huey?" asked Sammy. "NO SIR!!" said the
kittens. "Then MOVE!!"

The kittens scrambled back to work and Sammy shook her head.

Meanwhile, below deck, Huey and Qui Gun Kit were in a room with a large
map stretched out on the floor in front of them. Huey pointed to a
spot on the map.

"Right here is where we will dock," he said "And here, nearby, is the
grassy spot where we will set up camp. There's a fair amount of trees
around so a perimiter shouldn't be too hard to set up."

"What's that dark spot on the other side of the mountain?" asked Qui
Gun Kit. "THAT is a spot that is forbidden to all crew members," said
Huey "It's a spot supposedly that was at one time occupied by Hoomins."

"Hoomins? What's so bad about that?"

"These were NOT nice hoomins. They kept and raised lots of BIG DOGS,
and there are tales that the hoomins ate cats."

Qui Gun Kit gasped "They ATE cats?"

"That's the rumor, but in all likelihood, its just talk to keep curious
cats away. There's even talk of treasure being buried there; guarded
by giant ghost dogs but it's all a bunch of hooey. However, its very
dangerous territory, so Cap'n Pine Cone doesn't want anyone to go
there."

"Wow......" said Qui Gun, staring at the dark spot. Huey looked at him
for a moment then said sternly, "That means NO ONE is supposed to go
there, UNDERSTAND, kit?"

"Sir, YES SIR!"


Cap'n Pine Cone stood by the bow, and watched at the island grew bigger
as they neared it. He took a deep breath and reveled in the sea air.
He was looking forward to the island. Hunting pheasent, sunbathing on
the sand, lounging in the shade on the branch of a tree, drinking fresh
water from the stream and enjoying the peace and quiet......

CRASH!!!! "WATCH IT!!!!" Cap'n Pine Cone turned. A box containing
small cans of milk had broken open after getting tangled in some ropes.
Some of the cans had broken open and spilled onto the tent that had
been laid out for repair. The rest of the milk was all over the deck
and the kittens were furiously lapping it up.

"What's going on here?" demanded Corporal Sammy.

The kittens all started talking at once.

"Dante purposely strung the rope so we would trip!"
"Did NOT!! You weren't watching where you were going!"
"I was trying to catch a greebling and it ran under the box!"
"It's all Captain's fault, he deliberately dropped the box!"
"I didn't do anything! I was trying to avoid the rope on the ground."
"You've got milk all over the tents, you dummy!"
"Stop calling him names! It was Stanley's fault!"
"Was NOT!"

The arguing continued with paws being pointed at each other and each
kitten declaring that they weren't at fault. Mischief and Sammy looked
at each other, shook their heads and then turned and looked up at Cap'n
Pine Cone. Cap'n Pine Cone let out a sigh and turned back to the
island.

Peace and quiet? he thought.

************

So much for Part one. Part Two to come later!!!

Kristi

************

So much for Part one. Part Two to come later!!!

Kristi


Kristi, these are great. Missy and I are much looking forward to the
next installment!
--
Sam, closely supervised by Mistletoe

"Sam" wrote in message
...
************

So much for Part one. Part Two to come later!!!

Kristi


Kristi, these are great. Missy and I are much looking forward to the next
installment!
--


Us too! More please.

Tweed