FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Ashcroft Investigations

Caught in the Mouse's Trap

"So not that I'm objecting..." As the orange kitten padded along on all fours at the detective's side he looked around. Calex nimbly jumped over a log as they worked there way through a forest trail. "But why are we looking for a super villain out in the middle of the woods?"

"Oh that's simple!" Odin smiled down at the kitten. The wolf tilted his hat slightly over his eyes as he explained. "Most villains want their lair someplace where it won't easily be discovered. Some of them go for underground lairs or secret volcano islands. Those can be both expensive and logistically difficult to set up... Especially if you work on a smaller scale..." The wolf reached down to pat the kitten. "But if you want someplace that's cheap to set up and away from prying eyes a secret base in the woods is a safe route. Just get your minions to clear away a small part of the forest, build your lair, get a few generators and you're good to go."

"You talk as if you have experience in this area." The kitten's form shifted slightly as he stood up into a bipedal stance. "Wait... Do you have a secret woodlands lair?"

"What? Nooooooo." Odin avoided the kitten's gaze. "I'm just speaking of what I've seen from the villains we fought."

"But most of the lairs we've encountered were in the city." Calex replied flatly.

"OH LOOK AT THAT!" Odin gave a shout. "We've found the bad guy's base. Let's focus on that right now." He pointed ahead to where the tree line ended. There was a single rectangle shaped building being powered by a single gas powered generator outside it. The odd thing is the building wasn't much bigger than the generator. In fact the building only went as far up as Odin's knees. The front door to the building was only about six inches tall.

"Odin... What villain are we here looking for?" Calex asked suspicion growing in his voice.

"Ah well you see..." Odin looked in any direction except the kitten. "There's been a string of robberies lately... Usually jewelry or gemstones from museums... Well someone saw one of the suspects disappearing into the woods and-"

"A name Odin." The kitten's usual jovial nature dropped as he gave the wolf a serious stare.

"It's the Rat Burglars." Odin replied with a sigh.

"I KNEW IT!" Calex gave a shout "You always act so weird anytime we fight them!"

"I do not!" Odin huffed.

"You do too! Especially when their leader comes out! Your tail starts wagging, and you do that weird thing with your voice... And then start making goo goo eyes at her."

"You have no proof of that!" Odin blushed beneath his gray fur.

"And then you always let her get away every single time..." Calex whined.

"That definitely won't happen!" Odin responded. "I'm all business! We're here to stop them and take back what they stole! Nothing else!"

"Really?" The kitten eyed the wolf.

"Trust me!" Odin smiled. "It'll be fiiiiiiiine."

At this the kitten just fixed the wolf with a glare. "I know you did not just steal my shtick."

"Whaaat?" The wolf feigned being hurt. "I would never!"

"Ahem am I interrupting something?" A feminine voice spoke up.

"Nothing at all we just need a moment." Odin responded dismissively then stopped. "Wait a second..." He looked down. Standing atop the building was a mouse. She didn't have much on her. What clothing she wore was made from makeshift materials and didn't cover much. It mostly resembled a cloak and several belts formed of thread carrying random pieces of glass and plants. "Oh drat."

"Good to see you again lovelies." The mouse spoke with a smile. "But really you should know better than to stop in on a lady unannounced." She tore a few beads of glass off her belts and threw them down on the forest floor between Odin's feet. "But since you're here... Go ahead and slip into something more comfortable and make yourself at home." The glass marble shattered as it hit the forest ground. Immediately red smoke began to rise around the wolf and kitten.

"Ugh!" Odin covered his muzzle with his hands trying not to breathe in the smoke. It was too late. The potion was already taking effect. The wolf began to sag into his clothing and the kitten began to dwindle in size. "Briar! How did you even know we were here!?"

"It's Lady Briar!" Briar shook her head as she watched the wolf and kitten begin to shrink. "Could try to remember some common manners! As for how... You two were literally arguing right outside my front door. How could I not notice you?"

"Oh right..." Odin muttered.

"Alright looks like it's some kind of shrinking potion!" Calex spoke up as he and Odin shrunk. "So... Want me to go for the take down now before we get any smaller?"

"I think..." Odin thought for a moment. "We should wait and see how this plays out!"

"Seriously?" Calex tilted his head and gave the wolf a quizzical look. "You're usually more concerned when these things start happening..." Blades of grass were starting to reach up to the kitten's stomach as he continued to shrink. He wasn't that concerned himself about it... But he found the lack of concern in his partner concerning.

"Oh it's fine I think everything is under control!" Odin struggled at this point. He was trying to hold his clothing up... But it was difficult. The wolf's hat fell down over his face and then he vanished into his clothing completely as the now giant garments swallowed him up.

"You sure?" Calex asked. "Cause I feel like you don't have a plan..." The blades of grass were now reaching above the kitten's head. "And I'm okay with that! I thrive in chaos! But... This just feels odd."

"Oh yes it's fine!" Odin's voice came from somewhere inside his clothes. They now lay on the forest ground seemingly empty. A few moments later a now naked wolf crawled out from his coat's sleeve. He was now no bigger than the mouse... But both him and the kitten were still shrinking. "Huh... I think we're getting smaller than last time we fought her."

"New mixture." Lady Briar explained. She leaped down from the building landing in the grass. She walked over to the wolf smiling. Already he was now only chest level with her and getting smaller.

"Oh..." Odin's ears flattened and he blushed as he found himself having to look up to see into the mouse's eyes. "Um okay then hello."

"I do have to say..." Briar smiled wide as the wolf continued to shrink. Soon he was half the mouse's size. "I always do think you look cuter a little diminished."

"You don't have to do this every time!" Odin protested. "Wait... You think I look cute?" His tail began to wag slightly.

"Are... Are you happy about this?" Calex asked as he stared at Odin in disbelief. "Usually you're throwing a fit and going on about how typical this is when stuff like this happens! You're enjoying it!"

"Oh quite cute." Briar patted Odin on the head. "Maybe I should consider keeping you around more."

"Maybe I should consider keeping a closer eye on you!" Odin responded. His tail continued to wag weakly. He was now only knee high to the mouse.

"ODIN!" Calex shouted.

"Whaaaat?" Odin complained. "I mean... Purely as a protector of justice! I have to watch out for evil doers!"

"Is that all I am?" Briar whined. "Really, what's so bad about stealing a few trinkets. Don't I deserve to live just as nicely as the people they belonged to? They have plenty of money... They won't miss them."

"I can understand the nobility of your thefts..." Odin started. He was now speaking to her shins.

"She's not a noble thief!" Calex protested.

"But... I erm must... Insist you return what was stolen!" The wolf tried to maintain his focus. "And then maybe after I can help rehabilitate you..." By this point Odin was no bigger than an insect or the mouse's foot. The shrinking finally seemed to stop.

"Wait what?" Calex asked. The now insect sized kitten stared at his companion in disbelief. "Come on Odin snap out of it! This isn't any fun when I have to be the responsible one!"

"Oh the detective always trying to be a big wolf and control me!" Briar pouted. As she did she knelt down and pinched Odin's tail between her fingers lifting him into the air. "Have you ever considered maybe you'd be happier joining my little gang? We could use a mascot pet."

"Well...." Odin blushed heavily as he was lifted to eye level with the now giant mouse. "The thing is um hmmmm." He thought to himself as he considered what was being offered.

"ODIN!" Calex shouted.

"I wasn't going to say yes!" Odin protested. "Honest! I just... Thought it polite to fully consider her offer!"

"Liar." Calex growled.

"Look... Calex..." Odin swung around trying to see the kitten still on the forest floor. "I got this covered... I'm sure her minions must be around here somewhere! You love playing with them right? So... Go deal with them and I'll handle Briar."

"Ugh I hate those guys!" Calex protested. "Last time one of them hit me with an ironing board! An ironing board Odin!"

"It'll be fine!" Odin chided. "You'll have fun!" He then looked to the giant mouse. "Where are your minions anyway?"

"Oh they were just waiting safely out of range of the potion." Lady Briar responded. Then with her free hand she snapped her fingers. Immediately large (from Odin's point of view) rats stepped out of the grass. There were five of them. Each of them was easily twice Briar's size... And that made them look like Godzilla sized beast to the insect sized wolf and kitten. The rats were unclothed except for belts made of string around their waist which each held a bobby pin. "I think I'm going to deal with the detective inside. You guys take care of the brat."

"Lady Briar!" One of the rats spoke up. "Do you think that's wise? Maybe you shouldn't go off alone with him."

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do!" Briar hissed. "I have this under control! Besides, you guys love playing with the kitten right? Go have fun!"

"We hate that guy!" The rat protested. "Last time we fought half of us were limping for a month! A month!"

"Hush hush it'll be fine!" Briar waved dismissively with her free hand. She then opened the door and disappeared inside the building taking Odin with her.

"Good luck Calex!" Odin called. "I believe in you!"

"Uggggh." Calex groaned. "Every time those two... Making with the goo goo eyes and forgetting about all the important stuff going on."

"Yeeaaaaah." The rat who had spoken earlier sighed. "It's like Lady Briar doesn't even care about the business when he's around. The giant rats slowly closed in a circle around Calex. Each of them was big enough to step on the kitten like the bug he currently was... Yet each of them also seemed reluctant to make the first move.

"Well let's get this over with."Calex sighed. "Anyone have any requests?"

"Ummmm!" A second rat held up his hand. "I have a date tonight... So I'd be really appreciative if you could avoid the whole face area!

"Okay no face punching! Got it!" Calex nodded. "Rest of you good?"

"Can I sit this one out?" A third rat asked. "I really don't feel like this today."

"You know we'll all get yelled at if we don't go through with this." Calex responded. "Better to just to do it and be done."

"Okay um..." The rats all looked hesitant. "Gosh darn it men! He's small enough to step on! Are we rats or are we men? Let's get him!"

The rats all pounced upon the tiny orange kitten. However he was moving before they got the opportunity to try stepping on him. The kitten leaped through the air, landing on one rat's brown hairy leg and began to scale his body quickly.

"He's on me! He's on me!" The rat panicked and spun around. "Get him off!" A second ran swung a fist around trying to hit Calex right as he made it up to the first rat's stomach. The kitten leaped out of the way landing on the second rat's arm leading to the first one getting hit. "OOOF!" He fell to the ground like a sack of bricks. "Right in the solar plexus."

"Four to go." Calex muttered. He began to pick up the pace as he ran along the second rat's arm. The rat tried slapping at him with his free hand but the kitten weaved and jumped avoiding the large hand. Once he reached the shoulder he jumped into the air before spinning around and kicking the rat in the side of the snoot. Despite the size difference the kitten made enough of an impact to launch the rat off the ground and send him flying into a nearby tree.

"Holy carp!" One of the remaining rats shouted.

"Three more." Calex responded as he landed back on the forest floor. He then dropped to all fours running between the tall blades of grass.

"Where is he!?" One of the rats shouted. "I don't see him now! He disappeared! Who's idea was it to make him smaller!?"

"Look!" Another rat spoke. "We just have to stay together and we can take him! He's just one kitten! There's no reason for us to pa-" The rat didn't manage to finish talking. Suddenly, something grabbed onto his tail and he was pulled into the tall grass disappearing before the other's eyes. There was a screaming noise followed by loud thud. Then all was silent for a few moments.

"Do... Do you think he's okay?" One of the remaining rats asked.

"I don't know..." The other responded. "Maybe you should go check."

"Just two." The kitten's high pitched voice came from the ground directly between the two rats.

"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Both rats shouted and ran in opposite directions from each other. They didn't get far. Their tails had been tied together! As their tails went taut they both fell onto the ground landing on their stomachs. The kitten wasted no time as he jumped into the air and did a diving kick against one rat's snout. He turned to do the same to the other then paused and considered him.

"You're the one with the date right?" Calex asked.

"Uh huh." The rat whimpered as he looked at his very small orange colored doom.

"Okay then!" Calex leaped into the air and this time brought himself down doing a drop kick on the rat's back. The rat let out a groan of pain before going limp. "No face!"

"Appreciate it..." The rat groaned without opening his eyes."

"No problem." Calex responded. "And that makes zero." The forest was now filled with the sounds of five groaning rats as the kitten looked around. "Now... I better go save Odin from himself." He took off running for the building. The door was still open making it easy for him to get inside.

"Next time we're expecting those two..." One of the rats complained. "I'm calling in sick."

"You and me both." Another replied.

The inside of the building did not look much like one might expect. The Rat Burglars were small and their construction capability was limited. The building itself might have been made of plastic... Meanwhile the furniture inside was often made from whatever they could get their hands on. Beds were made from cotton balls and matchstick boxes, chairs from bottom caps and tables from small canned items like tuna. This made the stolen gems within the building look highly out of place piled around the room next to the makeshift furniture.

"What shall I do with you?" Briar swung the wolf idly by his tail as she entered her lair. She dropped him atop one of the can tables before taking a seat on a bottle cap. She threw her feet up onto the table next to the diminutive wolf and looked down at him. "You know, I was halfway serious about keeping you as a pet."

"There are worse things to be..." Odin muttered.

"What was that?" Briar's ears twitched.

"I mean! You know you'll never get away with this!" Odin growled. "So maybe you should consider surrendering now?" He looked hopeful. Meanwhile he started to edge his way slowly towards the end of the can.

"Now where be the fun in that?" Briar smiled. "Besides you know these little games we play are the highlight of my life." Briar moved one of her feet to pin Odin down by his tail.

"MEEP!" Odin went rigged as he felt himself pinned.

"You wouldn't be thinking about sneaking off to do something clever would you?" Briar asked. "Because that would absolutely break my heart."

"Now that is one thing I would never break." Odin offered. His ears lowered slightly as he looked up giving Briar a sheepish expression. "But surely you must tire of this life?" Odin then looked very nervous as he spoke the next lines. "Of course... We could always use another set of hands at the office."

"HAAAA!" Briar slammed a hand down on the can as she laughed. She nearly fell out of her chair and her foot shifted just enough for Odin to free himself. "Oh my gosh are you serious? You don't think I'd give this up for a moment do you? Besides, me and the brat would kill each other."

"This is sadly true." Odin conceded. He began to edge towards the end of the table again.

"Of course..." She smiled. "You could always join the gang. Surely we make more in one night than you do in an entire year working your cases! You could live in the lap of luxury! My little pet wolf." Briar snatched Odin up off the table as she spoke. She then rubbed one finger gently beneath his chin.

"Ohhhhh." Odin blushed hard at this suggestion. "But oooof... I... I shouldn't." Odin looked away.

"If it makes it acceptable I suppose you could bring the little one along with you." Briar rolled her eyes. "Maybe he could make a good safe cracker."

"He's literally just crack the safe in two." Odin responded. "There might not be anything left inside after."

"Well that's problematic." Briar sighed.

"Buuuut..." Odin looked sheepish. "He's at an impressionable age and I try to set an example!"

"Then show him how this world really works!" Briar responded as she stared down at the wolf in her hand. "Better he learns it now and adapts! I know for a fact you're no scout! So why play one and live in poverty when you can live like a king?"

"You make a compelling argument..." Odin rubbed his chin. "But I really must decline. I have to do the right thing here."

"Pity... I would have loved having such a cute pet around." Briar remarked.

"And I would have enjoyed a partnership with a beautiful woman." Odin nodded.

"Flatterer," Briar stuck her tongue out... Then gave the wolf one affectionate lick atop his head.

"WHAT THE HECKLES!?" Despite his tiny size Calex's voice rang out across the entire building. "I'm out there fighting and you two are in here making kissy faces at each other!"

"Calex!" Odin shouted.

"We were not!" Briar hissed. "I was... Simply getting ready to destroy him! That was all!"

"And I was about to slip away and discover the location of the stolen gems!" Odin responded.

"Uh huh..." The kitten stood on the floor and looked up at them giving them a disbelieving look. "The same stolen gems just piled all over the place in this lair?"

"Yup that's them!" Odin responded. "Good job Calex! You're turning into a fine detective after all!"

"Alas! How could my plans have been undone!" Briar shouted in a voice that sounded less than genuine. "With the treasure discovered now best I can do is escape."

"Yeah... I don't think that's happening..." Calex responded. "We're going to arrest you... Right Odin?"

"Um riiiight..." Odin responded.

"Now what?" Briar hissed to Odin.

"Quick throw me!" Odin hissed back.

"Throw you?" Briar asked. "What would that accomplish?"

"Just do it!" Odin replied.

"Um yeah! Well!" Briar took a moment to recover her composure. "You may think you have me cornered... But what if I do... This!" She then tossed Odin across the room.

"Oh noooooo!" Odin said in what started as mock terror and soon became real.

"ODIN!" Calex shouted. The kitten ran across the room and leaped into the air. He was much smaller than the wolf, less than knee height when they stood side to side. Still, he managed to catch the wolf in his arms before tumbling to the ground.

"We'll meet again you fools!" Briar made a run for the exit while the kitten was distracted. She then paused at the door and looked back at Odin. "Oh! And call me!" With that she was gone.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Calex asked.

"What!?" Odin said. "That could mean anything!" The kitten fixed him with a glare then took off running after the mouse. By the time he got outside though Briar as well as her Rat Burglars had already disappeared into the forest. Currently as small as he was Calex had no way to catch up.

"They got away again..." Calex muttered. "Why does it feel like we never actually catch anyone?"

"It's okay!" Odin walked outside and patted the kitten on the head. "You did a good job... a good really fast job... Maybe slow down and take your time next time."

"What?" Calex asked.

"Nothing!" He looked down at the kitten. He did feel kind of bad for the little guy. There were just some things he was too young to understand! Still... As Odin looked around and saw the towering grass above their heads he was reminded of how small they were. "Huh... Really should have tried to grab a potion to reverse this before she ran off.."

"If only your head was in the right place." Calex huffed.

"Whoa where is this attitude coming from?" Odin asked. "Still... Nothing I can't fix in the lab once we get back to the office." He thought about that... They were going to have hike through the woods while being as small as ants. Then once they reached the edge of the woods it wasn't as if they could drive like this. It was going to be a very long trip back to the office.

"What's wrong?" Calex asked with a hint of a grin as he saw Odin noticing his dilemma.

"Nothing!" Odin huffed. "But was just thinking! Since you were such a good kitten today and helped defeat those villains... Maybe you deserve a treat! So... How about a micro camping trip in the woods for a few days!" Odin realized he didn't have too many options since it'd probably take them a month to get back to the office anyway.

"I feel like you're just trying to distract me today's events..." Calex muttered.

"Do you want fun camping adventures, or do you want to just rush back to reverse this as fast as possible?" Odin asked. "Make your choice."

"Hmmmmm." Calex considered for a moment. "FUN CAMPING ADVENTURES!" He gave a shout and ran ahead of Odin on all fours.

"Heh. So innocent. So pure." Odin mused as he watched the excited kitten. "Never change Calex."

The End