In a cozy old garden, behind a tall fence, lived a tiny mouse named Pipko. He had little grey ears, a pink nose, and he was very afraid of the stripy cat, Murky.
Murky hunted every mouse in the garden. He was big, whiskery, and purred a scary purr. All the mice ran away as fast as they could.
One morning, Pipko was picking up seeds near the old apple tree. Suddenly, he heard a rustle. Murky!
The cat crept closer, his eyes shining. Pipko could have run to his mouse hole — it was right nearby. But he noticed something strange.
Murky had a sharp thorn stuck in his paw. He was limping and whimpering softly.
"Are you hurt?" squeaked Pipko.
Murky stopped. Nobody had ever asked him that before. He looked at the little mouse in surprise.
"Yes," grumbled the cat. "But it's none of your business. I'll catch you anyway!"
"Wait," said Pipko. "Let me see."
He hurried over to the cat's paw. His heart was pounding with fear, but he could see Murky was in pain. With his tiny paws, the mouse carefully pulled out the thorn.
"Ouch!" Murky flinched. Then he was quiet.
He stared at Pipko with big yellow eyes. Pipko fetched a soft plantain leaf and placed it on the sore spot.
"Why did you help me?" asked the cat softly. "I was chasing you."
"Because you were hurting," said Pipko simply. "I can't stand to see anyone suffer."
Murky sat down and began to lick his paw. Then he looked at the mouse.
"Run to your hole," he grumbled. "And don't let me see you again."
Pipko nodded and scurried home.
The next day, Pipko was picking up seeds again. Murky lay under a bush, watching. When another cat, a ginger one named Ginger, pounced at Pipko, Murky let out a loud meow:
"Don't touch that mouse! He's mine!"
Ginger ran away in surprise. Murky closed his eyes again, as if nothing had happened.
From then on, Pipko gathered seeds in the garden without worry. Murky always lay close by, making sure no one would think of harming the little grey mouse with the kind heart.
And in the evening, as the sun set behind the trees, Murky would purr softly, watching Pipko carry seeds home. The cat's paw no longer hurt, and somehow, his heart felt warm.