When Mr Mole Met Miss Mouse


-Chapter 3 - In the Wild Wood-

The next morning, Mole awoke to find that Miss Mouse had left. There was a note on his kitchen table saying that she would be back before nightfall (for real this time). Mole had spent the day with Ratty and Badger, both of whom had taken to waiting patiently for Toad at his house.

The day went by rather quickly, as the trio busied themselves with trying to find any amount of money inside Toad Hall, so that they could buy or build a new home for Miss Mouse. But no such money had been found. Badger found this odd because Toad didn't trust banks and insisted on keeping his heritage within the household. They began to wonder if Toady's obsessions had gotten the best of him and if there was even a shilling left to spare.

In the evening, Ratty walked Moley home, since he inwardly was worried for his friend Mole, after being confronted by the weasels alone before. He didn't mention it to Mole, of course, and excused it by saying he wanted to be sure Miss Mouse had arrived at Mole End safely.

The sun had long since set, and Miss Mouse still hadn't returned home. Ratty was angry at her because he cared too much for his friends, and he and Mole set off to look for Miss Mouse in the wildwood.

"It's too quiet," Ratty commented as they ventured further into the wood, "We'll have to move quickly if we want to cover more ground. She could be far from here right now …"

"Ratty?" Mole asked, "Perhaps we should split up? That way we could find her quicker."

"Are you sure, Moley?" he asked hesitantly.

Mole nodded confidently, "Those weasels don't scare me anymore," he assured, though deep down he was still very much afraid of them.

Rat looked at his friend questioningly, and nodded, "Well alright then, if it's alright with you …" he rummaged through his coat and held out a small silver whistle, "If anything happens, blow this whistle, and I'll come and find you. I'll search around a bit on my way to Badger's house."

Mole glanced around fearfully, "Dreadful thing to be lost in the wildwood so late at night. I should know." He said, biting his lip nervously.

Ratty patted Moley on the shoulder comfortingly, "Don't worry, friend. We'll find her. She can't have gone too far …"

--

Mousey was wandering aimlessly, somewhere deep in the wood. She had never walked so far before. She really shouldn't have gone far but … well, she was really hopeful to find some place to live. She had heard there was a different world beyond the wildwood, but she had yet to come across it. She wanted to get as far away from the area as possible.

Something grabbed her up at the collar of her cloak and she let out a squeak of fright. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by weasels. Their yellow eyes glinted in the moonlight, and their teeth gleamed as they glared threateningly at her.

"Oh Mousey, where's our payment?" the new head weasel, Clarence, asked, poking his cane under her chin, tilting her head up.

She stared coldly at him, and smacked the cane away, "I told you you'll receive payment once Toad gets back."

"Not soon enough, I'm afraid," he said sadly, grinning almost insanely, "You've been waiting years to pay us for your daily dues- we can't wait any longer, Mousey."

She groaned angrily, and shouted, "What do you want me to do? I haven't got any money on me! You'll have to sit tight and wait for Toad to return- he's due back any day now."

Clarence shook his head sadly, "No, can't wait any longer, Mousey. It's off to the dungeons with you."

"You understand that what you're doing is illegal?" she snapped.

He cackled, "You're a spineless nobody, just like the rest of the river dwellers. Who'd ever listen to what you have to say?"

Amidst their talking, Mole had heard the voices and soon came upon them. He hid behind a large tree trunk, his brown eyes wide with fear behind his round spectacles. He knew he must blow the whistle to alert Ratty … but what if Ratty didn't hear the first one? He'd surely have no time to do it again, for the weasels would've heard it first and gotten a hold of him before he could do that.

Nervously, he brought the whistle to his lips and gave it an almighty blow. A piercing ring ran through the forest, and before he knew it he was being grabbed up by the scarf. Instinctively, he scrambled violently to get free, and the two weasels backed up in surprise. Mole stepped backwards a few steps, and he heard Mousey shout, "Watch out!!"

But it was too late. A weasel had tripped him from behind and he fell hard onto his back. He felt as if he had the wind knocked out of him, and he looked up to see faint stars. He stumbled as quickly as possible to his feet, frowning deeply as he met the head weasel's eyes, "Let my friend go." He ordered.

Clarence laughed wholeheartedly, and the rest of the weasels joined in. Mole blushed slightly, feeling rather embarrassed and foolish. He looked up at Mousey and she stared back, terror in her eyes. While the weasels laughed, she mouthed the words, "Go now!"

He mouth held firmly shut, he shook his head in response, bringing Clarence to his senses. He looked from Mousey, and back to Moley again, brow raised in suspicion. "Go home, Moley," he sneered, "before her business becomes your business."

"I'm not leaving without her." He stated firmly, standing proud.

"Yes, you will!" Clarence snapped. He didn't like being bossed around, much less by a spineless creature like Mole. Not wanting to get himself too angry, he sighed deeply, waving carelessly to his cohorts, "Go on, get rid of him for me, will you?"

As the weasels circled in on him, Mousey shouted, "Mole, get OUT of here!!"

Mole hated being told what to do. He'd put up with it for most of his life, mainly because he was too scared to do the opposite of what people asked him to. But Mousey's life was at stake, and Ratty probably hadn't heard his cry for help. He had one choice left- to be brave and fight against his tormentors. And he did. Rather unskillfully and clumsily of course.

He ended up ramming his head into the chest of one weasel, knocking him to the floor. Another grabbed his arms and others joined in to tackle Mole.

Mole was always keen to find jewels in the dirt, and though his eyesight wasn't so great above the earth, the shiny glint of moonlight that shone off of the fallen weasel's gun did not escape his eye. He struggled out of the weasel's grip and scurried over, scooping up the pistol and turning it upon his enemies.

Clarence had Mousey in a headlock now, his pistol pressed under her chin. She stared at Mole, eyes wide with fright, struggling to keep herself standing by hanging on his arm.

"Put the gun down, Moley …" he ordered, "I don't anyone to get hurt …"

"How do I know that??" he shouted, hysterical, "You weasels are nothing but a pack of lies!"

"I'm not like the old chief weasel," he reasoned, "I don't want anyone hurt. I just want her to pay off her debts …"

A shot rang out and Mousey let out a bloodcurdling scream … but it wasn't her that got hurt. Moley collapsed onto his knees, grabbing his arm, his face contorted with pain.

"You idiot!" Clarence yelled, releasing Mousey and turning his gun onto one of his cohorts, "It slipped, honest!!" the weasel cried, looking horrified.

Mousey raced over to Moley's side, just as Ratty and Badger appeared. Badger fired a warning shot into the air and the weasels fled.

"Moley, are you alright??" Mousey asked fearfully, "Let me see," she said, reaching for his arm. Mole slowly removed his gloved hand. His coat had a rip in it from the bullet and it was quickly being soaked with dark blood. He quickly held his hand over it again, wincing in pain.

Mousey backed away on her knees as Badger and Ratty kneeled down to help him up. She held both hands over her mouth, shaking her head as her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't believe what she had gotten herself into. She should've never gone to Toad Hall for help. She would've never known Mole. She would've never gotten him hurt.

Badger approached her and brought her to her senses, "Miss Mouse, are you alright?" he asked.

She nodded, but she really wasn't alright. She was hurting with sympathy pains for Moley.

Badger offered a hand and she took it gratefully, and he helped her to her feet, and she swayed a bit, covering a hand over her mouth again, a silent tear ran down her cheek, and she instinctively buried her head into Badger's shoulder, trembling. He comfortingly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, rubbing her gently, "He's going to be fine, my dear …"