The War of .Zip (Working Title)

Chapter 3: Gallivanting.

''You are called to the castles court.''

That was a phrase Jasper never expected to hear said to him.

''One more time...'' Jasper said, twirling his whiskers within his paw.

The mouse sighed before reciting the scroll he held from memory.

''You are called to the castles court.'' He rolled the scroll up. ''So, will you comply?''

Jasper stood up and walked into the light. He was a good bit larger than the mouse in both height and weight. Additionally, his puffy white fur was much more pleasant to look at than the almost interchangeable brown coat that most rodents had.

''Tell me, who issued this?'' Jasper grabbed the scroll from the mouse's grasp and held it up, letting it slowly roll out to reveal the three lines of text scribbled on it.

I need to learn to read.

''From the king.'' The mouse spoke without fear. Jasper didn't like that. He hadn't spent his last few lives on some of the most dangerous bounties to be placed for small mice not to fear him.

''...And you work for the king?'' Jasper bent low then, looking the mouse in the eyes. Little black balls stared back. Jasper let his pupils narrow then, making them but two black slits in a pool of emerald.

''Yes, been there most of my life.'' The mouse didn't budge.

''...And if I was to kill you, would you say you'd lived a good life?'' Jasper began to purr then. He knew how to play with a mouse's mind and this was one of the easier ways of doing exactly that.

''Then I'd die.''

Jasper stared into the mouse's eyes for a few seconds longer before standing at his full height once more. This mouse was either odd or well trained. Either way, he was no fun.

''Tell the king he has his cat. I'll ride at sunset.'' Jasper dismissed the mouse with a gesture before returning to his seat in the tavern.

''...How am I to get back then?'' Squeaked the mouse.

''Oh? Are they scared that someone will skewer the messenger?'' Jasper envisioned it. His purr intensified at the thought and then slowly died out.

The mouse didn't reply.

Jasper leant over the table, his claws slowly extending from his fingers.

''Do I look like someone who gives a toss about some rodent? These paws have been coated in blood of your kind so many a time that now they look odd to me without it. I am a legend. Let them try and kill me and I'll rise to feast on their still warm corpses. I fear nothing in this world and that means caring about even less.'' Jasper held his pose, waiting for a reply.

''...Please...'' The mouse pleaded.

Jasper retracted his claws and body slowly, returning to his original position.

''...We leave in the hour.'' Jasper said, signaling to the closes wench to bring him two flagons as the mouse visibly showed his thirst by salivating at the passing trays of drink.

She brought them over a few seconds later and he gave her a few coins and a squeeze before passing one of the flagons over to the mouse and picking one up himself.

''Drink, you'll need your strength.'' Jasper said, inspecting the milk for imperfections. None could be seen on the surface pool of pearl perfection.

''I'm lactose intolerant...'' The mouse replied.

''Who said it was for you?'' Jasper raised both flagons to his mouth before dipping his tough into each with extreme speed, little grace and a reclining amount of precision. Once done he slammed the flagons onto the table and threw a few coins with them for good measure.