The Muffles

"QUICKLY! OVER HERE! RUN!"

Pressing themselves up against the large wooden slats of a huge platform, the two tiny beings stood unmoving. Covered in soft silky fur from head to toe, fear filled their wide brown eyes that were made to absorb even the darkest evening's moonlight. Their vision was made for nocturnal life which was a benefit to them since they lived in a world of creatures of monstrous size that dominated the lands. The pointy tufts of hair at the tips of their ears twitched nervously. A small flat black nose sat upon the shortest of snouts, testing the air, on alert.

The younger of the two moved slightly, crunching a dry leaf underfoot. "Shhh....," scolded the one to the other, "they will find us if you are not quiet."

Despite a brisk chill in the air, the two felt no discomfort due to their fur which would grow out in dark tan tones in the fall and winter, and then thin out with a greenish tint in the spring that would carry them through the summer. Camouflage was vital to their ability to remained undetected, and in turn surviving. None of their kind had ever been seen by the "Monster Creatures" as they called them. Clothing was not a necessity even down to their feet upon which four toes grew with soft pads underneath. It was, however a dangerous time of year, where the occasional soft white snow that might fall overnight would expose their tracks if they were not extremely careful.

BAM!

The large door slammed as "The Dark One", as they called him, slipped through the entryway that had been opened by "Tall Monster."

Dark One swept past them in a hurry, sprinting in the opposite direction. Without warning it stopped abruptly and circled back on all fours, sniffing the air and headed directly towards the two. Tall Monster, and others like him were not so difficult from which to hide. It was the four legged creatures that accompanied some of them that were the tiny beings main threat, and now there was one coming right for them!

A faint hissing squeak of fear came from the young being. Frozen in place, it mattered not since there would be no escape.

"Breaker!!! Get out there and do your business," yelled Tall Monster at the Dark One from the deck on which he stood. "I'm late for work. Get going." Turning away, the rottweiler made for a large oak tree on the opposite side of the yard.

The two Muffles had gotten lucky. Very lucky.