An update, for all one people who cares, ho ho. This story left off here, where Mouse was charged with an important task of a vague nature. The “story” “arc” begins here.

Mouse faced the Meadow. When she went to start mucking out the big cats it was morning, which made her think she had been off visiting the Owl for many hours. Now it was deep night time. The moon was full and seemed to be peering at her like an eye of the Owl. Mouse saw bats swooping around, and what looked like other owls. She hoped that they knew she was coming and would let her pass, as Owl had promised. She could see the stand of trees that she was to make for, but it seemed ridiculously small, as if the trees were mouse-sized like her.

Mouse wondered what was out there in the Meadow. She worried that if she didn’t set off right away, the Owl would think she wasn’t serious about her task. She nibbled on some grass seeds that bobbed their heads toward her while she thought. She supposed that she could wait until morning, which would probably make the Owl angry. “The Owl will probably find me and eat me, and find another mouse to do this,” she thought. “But if I start now while it’s dark, I might be able to sneak and hide.”

Mouse decided to sneak and hide. To forget about how frightened she was, she decided to think about what the Owl had said, and what her tasks were. “I need to find some laundry,” she thought. “Or was it a laundress?” Her head still felt fuzzy from all the smoke that was in the Owl’s place, and she could feel a lump on one side of her head where she had fallen. It was throbbing.

She crept forward carefully, moving from shrub to shrub, while keeping one eye on the stand of trees ahead, and one eye on the swooping bats and night birds above her. Most nights, Mouse liked to poke her head out and watch the moon as it winked at her from beyond the thorny berry bushes that grew around her burrow. Out in the open, the moon was unfriendly. It shone on her and threw a shadow behind her, making her feel naked.

Suddenly, a pointy and melodramatic shadow was cast over her. How had she not heard such a large creature approach? Perhaps it was because her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears. She froze, hoping with every bit of her that the shadow, which was now blocking the moon, would move on without noticing her. The creature snorted.

“What are you doing out, Little Mouse?” said a wan sad voice. The creature bent her head close and Mouse could see it was a unicorn. She snorted sour air out of her nostrils, making Mouse’s whiskers and fur rustle. The unicorn turned her head to peer at the little mouse closely with one giant liquid eye.

“I have a task that I have to start right away,” Mouse replied. She tried to think of something else to say to the unicorn, to keep her there and perhaps delay being eaten by something nasty. Mouse was so relieved that she wasn’t about to become a quick crunchy mouthful who had failed her task that she could only stand still and try to slow her heart and breathing. “I–I don’t mean to keep you,” she finally managed to say to the unicorn, which was not true at all.

“Oh, that’s all right,” the Unicorn sighed. “I have this sucky job now that I have to do and I hate it. Anyone’s nicer to talk to than those fucking fairies.” She paused for a moment and her face became softer as she gazed down again at Mouse. “So you’re not keeping me. I welcome distractions out here.” She pointed around the Meadow with one hoof and shook her head slowly.

“What’s your job?” asked Mouse, relieved to be providing a welcome distraction for the Unicorn. Though Mouse could see that the Unicorn was sad, she was beautiful to watch and made Mouse feel warm and safe. Mouse thought the Unicorn might chase off any owls that dared swoop down while they were talking.

“See this little pack on my back?” the Unicorn asked, nodding at a leather sack that was securely lashed and buckled to her body. “Guess what’s in it.” She paused. “No, really, Little Mouse, take a guess.”

Mouse could see the Unicorn was gritting her teeth and looked like she was about to cry, so she was afraid not to answer. What would be fit for a unicorn to carry? When she was little, Mouse’s mother had told her and her brothers and sisters stories about unicorns in battle, and knew that they were fierce fighters with magical powers. She tried to think of something important the fairies might entrust her with. “Jewels?” she squeaked, finally.

“HA!” shouted the Unicorn, making Mouse jump back and clutch at a fallen leaf, which she briefly considered hiding under. The Unicorn pawed at the ground, raising dust and tearing up grass. Mouse hoped fervently that the Unicorn would not forget that she was near her hooves. “You might think that would be a good thing for a unicorn to carry. Do you know what’s in this sack? LAUNDRY! I am carrying tiny fairy skirts and aprons and hats and underthings! Do they have any wells for me to purify? NO! Any virgins around for me to consort with? Not bloody likely in the FAIRY BOWER, is it?”

Mouse watched helplessly as the Unicorn burst into wailing sobs. Her makeup streamed down her face and giant tears plummeted to the ground, splashing Mouse with dirty drops. Mouse wished she could pat the Unicorn or comfort her in some way, but this was extremely dangerous and would probably go unnoticed anyway.

“So I am reduced to this,” the Unicorn continued. “Official Royal Carrier of Dirty Knickers. What an end.” She snuffled and shook her head again, as if to clear it. After a few moments she turned back to Mouse.

“Well, what is it?” said the Unicorn, crossing her front legs. “Your task.” The Unicorn sniffled as she waited for Mouse to answer.

Mouse’s head swam a bit. What should she tell her? Was this task a secret? Mouse figured that since she didn’t know what she was supposed to be fetching anyway, it was a secret from her, too, so she could probably tell the Unicorn a little bit. Besides, the Unicorn didn’t like the Fairies one bit, and so would probably not tell them anything that Mouse had told her.

“I am going to see the Laundress,” Mouse said. “The Owl sent me. I was told the Laundress lives over in that grove of trees.” Mouse stood up on the tips of her toes and pointed to the stand of trees. The grass was taller here than where she had started out, and she she had to stretch up high to keep her bearings.

“Fabulous!” said the Unicorn. “Of course I have to go there, too. Let’s travel together, Little Mouse. I will grant you a ride on my back.”

Mouse was delighted at the prospect of safety and company, but she had nothing to trade. “I cannot give you anything in return or pay you,” Mouse said. “I have nothing.” The Unicorn thought for a minute, and Mouse wondered if she had offended her or if the Unicorn would walk away from her because she couldn’t pay.

“I hardly see anyone but fairies anymore,” the Unicorn said. “If you ride on my back I will have someone to talk to tonight. I will tell you my story and why I am reduced to this lowly task.” She lowered herself to the ground. “Climb up on the straps and you can sit on my back. You will be safe with me.”

Mouse scrambled up and was amazed by the view from the unicorn’s back. The whole Meadow opened before her! She could see the grove of trees now, very clearly. She could see the ground all around her, and the night birds above her. The moon looked friendly again and the air seemed cooler above the grass.

“Are you hanging on?” the Unicorn asked. Mouse squeaked that she was, and the Unicorn began walking at the slow, silent pace that she used to sneak up on Mouse in the first place. Mouse was greatly relieved that the Unicorn did not seem inclined to run, because the ground was now farther away than it had ever been.

“We’re off,” the Unicorn said.