The Story

Trying to muffle the screech rising in his throat, Derek dove under the nearest leaf and willed himself to not shudder. The owl asked for Hoo several times, whooshed about for a bit, apparently searching for Hoo, before flying off.
Pff, all this, he thought, just a little bitter, and I didn't even get any Honey Seeds. Bother. Next time I'll-
Someone was coming, and not just another mouse: the ground he was standing on was shaking.
Great, what now?
Hoping that the owl hadn't decided to check back in on Hoo, he scampered up the tree that had provided his original shelter and tried to see what the approaching danger was. It was terribly dark, he was terribly frightened, the thing was terribly dressed in black. Goodness, what was it, a black cat front with a grey cat back and brown cat spots? Ugh, whatever it was it was ugly.
Ah, well, that explained it. It was a black cat, in front, a grey cat taking up the rear, and several smaller brown cats in the middle.
What were cats doing in this part of the country? Derek had always thought that cats had gone extinct round here, no doubt due to the heroics of the legendary Lickey Mouse- or something like that. He was pretty sure that was the name... after all, his Pa had told him that the hero had 'Licked the cats good,' which had probably mussed the cats' hairdos so much that they'd either died of horror or run screaming to their Mummy.
Maybe he should follow them... you know, to be the next Great Big Hero... or be lunch.
No, he took that back; he'd be dinner at this time of night. Hmm.