Wylie wasted no time getting Tiger and Cole into training. As Tiger did pull ups, Cole ran a course Wylie had put up with Feivel keeping time though Feivel was more interested in watching Cole maneuver rather than keep time.
"Wow Cole, you're good."
Cole couldn't help but blush.
"Well, I was a good runner in my day, but speed is nothing if you can't avoid obstacles.", he answered before turning to Wylie, "How'd I do?"
Wylie looked a bit impressed.
"Good, now do it again."
After a couple more runs, Cole and Tiger got into push ups while Cole insisted on having a flame underneath him while he did his.
"Why is it you have that in?", Feivel asked him.
Cole was focused on his push-ups, but still he answered.
"Flames keep you from slacking.", he answered, "And it also helps you focus. Say, why don't you put your feet up on my back while I work?"
Feivel did so and seeing Cole bare chested made him look in awe before moving on to the next lesson. Wylie had Tiger run across a set of buckets while Cole gave Feivel a nod of approval as Feivel helped him get his shirt back on.
"Thanks."
Feivel gave him a smile back as they observed Wylie give Tiger a slingshot to practice with before Feivel and Cole set some glass bottles up for target practice.
"At the ready.", Cole said.
After a few tries, Tiger was able to hit each bottle in fast motion before blowing on it and socketing it like a pistol. Wylie got a rolled up newspaper and Tiger instantly got into a position a dog would use before asking to fetch. Wylie threw it and Tiger woofed as he caught it and scratched himself like a dog would which got Feivel to laugh and Cole looked amused. After setting up a scarecrow like Cat R. Waul, Tiger got in some punching practice and Cole did the same to a bag of flour as Feivel and Wylie observed.
"He's getting good isn't he?", Feivel asked.
"Well, he's come a long way in a short time.", Wylie answered, "Though your friend over there is more eager than that cat is."
Feivel then noticed Cole get his needle out and brandish it like a sword before looking Feivel's way.
"Hey Feivel, mind fencing with me?"
Feivel looked a bit curious as he came over and Cole gave him another needle.
"Fencing?", Feivel asked.
"The art of sword fighting.", Cole answered, "I need a partner and the flour is not a worthy opponent."
He then swung his needle in the air and turned Feivel's way and looking the young mouse in the eye.
"I am ready."
Feivel came forward, but Cole swung his needle and disarmed Feivel instantly.
"Funny, I used to use a stick against the rocks of Central Park to train.", Cole said sagely, "Now I see my blade as an extension of myself."
Feivel looked inspired.
"That is so cool."
Cole nodded and tossed his needle to Feivel before retrieving Feivel's and standing firm once more.
"Again."
/
After another few more rounds, Feivel was getting better, but was still lost so Cole decided to give another lesson.
"You're scared."
Feivel nodded, but didn't answer.
"I get it.", Cole told him calmly as he sheathed his needle, "But a fighter can't let fear stop him from defending himself or doing what Is needed to do so."
Feivel took his hand and was soothed.
"How do you do that?", he asked.
"I don't just think of it as a sword fight.", Cole answered before giving a twirl, "I think of it as… a dance. You're good yourself."
Feivel looked a bit surprised as he expected Cole to be a harsher teacher, but he put that behind him as they watched Wylie and Tiger walk side by side though Tiger looked more sure of himself as Wylie suddenly pulled his ears and they became more dog-like. He then took out a small box that he opened to reveal a collar with a tag reading "Fido" across its gold surface. He placed it around Tiger's neck before giving a salute which Tiger returned. Wylie then turned to Cole.
"Okay Cole, let's get you into your new outfit."
Cole nodded and as he dressed himself, Feivel was in awe again.
"Wow, you look like a real Western hero.", he said as Cole got his black shirt into position.
Cole took a moment to place the needle in his belt before Wylie came over with a black piece of velvet and cut it into a small cape which he gave to Cole.
"Thanks Sheriff.", Cole said as he got it strapped on before putting on his mask and hat, "Wow, I bet Antonio Banderas himself would be in awe of this."
"Who?", Feivel asked.
"A famous person I know of.", Cole answered, "But enough of that. We got a town to save."
Wylie then got out some cowboy coats and after a dress up, Tiger and Fievel were wearing coats like Wylie though Tiger and Wylie had spurs on their heels as Cole came to be by Feivel's side.
"I hope we make it in time.", Feivel said.
Cole put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, we'll make it. It's not sundown yet."
After they made it back to Green River, it was near sundown as they started walking up to the saloon where the cats and mice seemed to have gathered. Cole then looked Wylie's way.
"Hey, I should probably hide."
Wylie nodded and lowered a sleeve so Cole could scamper up and was out of sight. While they stepped toward the saloon, the wildlife of the town watched in anxiety as if they knew a showdown was underway. Waul had gathered the town's mice into position of his trap with Miss Kitty and Tanya watching from above unaware of the trio approaching.
"Jolly good.", he said before addressing the mice, "Now pay attention. Cats and gentle mice, lend me your ears."
/
The mice gathered in the trap unaware of the danger as Waul continued.
"It is my distinguished pleasure to invite all of you to share our din-triumph!", he said quickly covering up the last word before continuing, "Today we herald in a momentous new fea- oh, pardon I ment festival. To mark this brilliant and illustrious occasion, I will cut with these golden scissors, cut the ribbon."
Carol came forward with a couple of carts as she looked out at the mice and couldn't help but smile to herself. Coel peeked out of Wylie's shirt and looked alarmed as Waul began to cut the ribbon. Tiger seemed to see it too cause Wylie gave a nod and Tiger shot at Waul disarming the cat before Waul turned and noticed the trio before him.
"Oi, Cat R. Waul, we've come to close you down.", Wylie said with a firm expression.
Waul didn't look worried as his cats got ready to move in.
"Okay chaps, it's become necessary to put these dogs through obedience school."
Carol nodded as she got up on his shoulder and he snapped his fingers. The cats advanced as Cole suddenly saw a cat on the roof of the saloon.
"Cat, at ten o'clock!"
Tiger suddenly aimed and fired knocking the cat off the roof, but more cats opened fire making the team split. Tiger took cover before firing twice more and knocking a couple of hats off a couple more cats as Miss Kitty and Tanya watched from above.
"Who's that down there with Wylie?", Miss Kitty asked, "He's got some stuff."
Another cat came forward and tiger took aim as the cat pulled out his own slingshot and shot disarming Tiger instantly. He fired a couple more shots and Tiger's slingshot was shot out of town before the cats surrounded them and Cole fell out of Wylie's sleeve which Tanya noticed.
"That's Feivel?", she asked before seeing Cole, "And who is that?"
Wylie observed the cats surrounding them before talking.
"It's too tough, kid. Get out while you still can."
Tiger seemed to agree, but Cole then pulled him back.
"Hey, give them the lazy eye."
Tiger got his confidence back and after they all took a breath, all four did some crazy looks that got the cats spooked into running away. That was interrupted as Waul fired a shot from a giant pistol rubbing his eyes in disappointment.
"Morons.", he growled.
Carol suddenly spoke up.
"Trigger the mousetrap!"
Tanya and Miss Kitty gasped as Miss Kitty suddenly put two and two together.
"It's a giant mousetrap!"
"What?", Tanya asked.
"It's a giant mousetrap!", Miss Kitty repeated, "They're gonna squash the mice!"
Carol saw Tanya making her way out and she looked angry as she had an idea what Tanya had in mind. Cole saw that too and Wylie tossed Cole forward before Cole rolled right into Tanya's way.
"Oh, sorry Senorita.", he said giving a sly smile.
Tanya looked amused, but then she saw Carol tear off her skirt to reveal pants and pulling out a needle which Cole noticed too before he swung Tanya behind him and kissed her hand.
"Excuse me."
/
Tanya saw Cole engage Carol in a sword fight and as she was in awe, she suddenly remembered the mice. Quickly, she got up and started singing to get the mice's attention as Waul paused from cutting the ribbon which gave Tanya time to scream out.
"Flee! Run everybody!" she yelled, "Run for your live!"
They all did as Waul suddenly opened fire on his pistol. Cole was holding his own against Carol before Feivel was suddenly launched from behind a barrel and landed on Waul's gun before cornering the feline.
"Don't pull it kid or you've seen the last of Miss Kitty."
Everyone turned to look above to see Chula holding Miss Kitty near an edge. Tiger saw his girl struggling and calling for help before looking angrier than he had ever looked, took a deep breath and suddenly barked loudly and savagely. That was when Tiger attacked the cats one after the other before one cat threw a knife at Tiger which he caught in his mouth and spit back sending the cat along with the others he hurled onto the mousetrap and on top of Waul.
"I never taught him that one.", Wylie said in amusement.
It didn't take long for Tiger to get rid of the other cats before he turned to Chula.
"You harm one patch of fur on her, and I'll tear you apart."
Chula spat a web in Tiger's way, but Tiger grabbed the web and yanked Chula away before lassoing him onto the cat pile. Miss Kitty fell, but Tiger caught her and Coel had by now disarmed Carol who was now looking less sure of herself.
"Don't hurt me, please!", she begged as she backed up a bit, "Please, have mercy!"
Cole swung his needle across her front and in three seconds, the shirt and pants came off leaving the very scared lady mouse standing in her underwear before she gasped and ducked behind a rock.
"Viva Zorro!", Cole called out holding his needle high before turning to Wylie, "All clear Wylie!"
"Let her rip, kid!", Wylie called to Feivel.
"Yes sir, Mister Burp, Sir!", Fievel answered.
In one motion, Fievel pulled the gun and it shot the ribbon clean through which triggered the mousetrap sending the cats flying into the sky as everyone watched in total awe before they fell down into a mail bag hanging by the water tower.
"And now-", Waul started as he suddenly poked his head out of the bag.
He was cut off cause a passing train suddenly grabbed the bag and Waul was out of sight like a bad scoop of ice-cream in the middle of the desert on a hot day. Cole then saw Carol starting to sneak away, but she tripped and rolled until she landed in a bottle with the top up and she was trapped as the other mice came forward and carried her away.
"Well, that worked out nicely.", Cole thought as he heard running water.
He turned to see the water tower had broke when the train went by and water was flowing in a waterfall making the land bloom as the mice cheered before he made his way over to the Mousekewitz family as Feivel had.
"Oh, Feivel, my baby!", Mama Mousekewitz said before hugging her song.
"Our Feivel isn't so little anymore.", Papa Mousekewitz said joyfully, "And a regular Western hero."
/
Tanya went to a thimble of water just as Cole came up from behind her, but paused as he observed Tanya take a handful of water and wash the makeup off her face. She then got her father's violin before she saw Cole and paused. Cole moved so she could pass which she did after kissing him on the cheek and then Papa Mousekewitz spoke as Tanya handed him his violin.
"Now it's time for music.", he said, "Let's celebrate!"
That seemed okay to everyone as they all joined in a good old Western dance as Tiger suddenly revealed who he was to Miss Kitty.
"Tiger!", she said in total surprise.
She and Tiger suddenly were on the ground hugging and kissing as Cole noticed Wylie walk off. Feivel did too and they started after him. They caught up to him just as Wylie had taken a rest on a flat rock large enough for them to stand beside him. Wylie suddenly removed his badge and set it before them.
"Here, I… I want you to have one of these.", he said.
"What's the occasion?", Cole asked.
"We're not heroes like you.", Feivel added.
"Maybe not.", Wylie said smiling, "Maybe's a real hero's the last one to hear about it. But you two pulled me out of a gutter, and for that I am grateful. Just remember, one man's sunset is another man's dawn."
The trio looked out to the setting sun as Wylie continued.
"I don't know what's out there beyond those hills, but if you ride yonder, head up, eyes steady, heart open, I think one day you'll find that you're the hero you've been looking for."
Feivel seemed to understand as he removed his hat that went to it's familiar one and Cole felt a feeling again as he heard Tanya suddenly coming up with the rest of the Mousekewitz family.
"Look Mama, there he is."
Cole turned as the Mousekewitz family climbed the rock and were with Feivel and Wylie before Cole felt the feeling again. Knowing he was leaving, he removed his mask and his hat as Tanya looked his way surprised.
"Cole, that was you?", she asked.
Cole nodded as Feivel looked Cole's way.
"What's up Cole?"
Cole sighed before answering.
"Well, it's time for me to say good-bye."
The Mouskewitz family gasped though Wylie looked understanding.
"Where you going?", Feivel asked, "Can't you stay?"
Cole shook his head, but didn't look sad.
"Hey, I'll be around and in here.", he said pointing to Feivel's heart before turning to Wylie, "Farewell Sheriff."
Wylie gave a salute as the Mousekewitz family exchanged goodbyes as well, with Tanya looking a bit anxious. Cole felt the feeling come stronger now, but as the sun set with its last light, he came forward and a rose came to his hand which he gave to her before he vanished like a ghost.
(A/N: I'd like to thank Ashoriotrey for the suggestion used here.)