I watched a small mouse slowly make its way towards the small bit of food I had placed there moments earlier.

     I crouched down as it began to nibble at the stale bread, sneaking towards the rodent.

     It was much easier to do this in my feline form, able to balance much better.

     My tail flicked, and I pounced on the small animal. It squeaked and attempted to escape my jaws. 

     My teeth were loose around its slim tail, it could easily escape. But it didn't. 

     Instead, the mouse went limp, having fainted.

     I chuckled, setting it down on the ground. 

     A quick shift to my mortal form and a check of my pockets resulted in the small mouse having a bit more bread then it originally wanted.

     "That poor creature. You scared it half to death." Verse said glumly from the higher branches of the tree I stood beneath.

     I rolled my eyes, "If it's survived those annoying crows and pigeons, it can certainly survive lil ol' me." 

    Verse sighed, turning over on their stomach, ghostlike arms lazily swinging in the air.

     The spirit had been watching me for hours after we reached the island. It was inhabited, but the forest that surrounded it was almost deserted.

     Apparently it was off limits, a historical area. The forest had been here since the Choosing was originally formed.

     That explained why the trees were so whiny, and the animals were so cranky.

     I left the mouse alone and went to find something else to bother. 

     The new cloak that sat on my shoulders flared behind me quite nicely. I enjoyed things like this, feeling all badass and intimidating.  

     The only problem? It was old and had to be patched. A lot.

     Verse had visited their temple earlier, bringing a variety of clothing from when they were alive. 

     I glanced at the spirit now. They were chatting with a brightly colored bird that perched on their temporarily solid finger.

     Had they been rich in their past life? The chests they brought had been filled with extravagant clothing, and jewelry.

     I admired the ring that I had also "borrowed" from Verses' chest. A nice sapphire, surrounded by rubies and set into a golden band.

     But in their spirit form, Verse themself wore a torn tunic, tucked into casual pants with a belt and boots.

     Maybe the luxury didn't appear to them.

     But it sure did to me.

     I was deathly bored. That mouse didn't have anything on me.

     Back to mortal watching.

     It was fascinating what they did in a day of work.

     Earlier today, I watched a human get up at the crack of dawn to put up decorations in their home. 

     They hung up lanterns, origami animals they took from a basket (I spotted a lion in there. Might take it later on.), and other stuff I was too distracted to see.

     Now, I watched them rush through the venue of the Choosing, a large clearing that now shone with fairy lights.

     Before it was a rank old clearing with tons of trash and annoying birds.

     The birds were still there, just less annoying.

      Verse had "borrowed" some food from the venue and we were now sharing in in the branches of a large oak tree that gladly let us sit there.

     The oak spirit told us some of its stories, then drifted of to sleep, lying dormant in its leafy glory.

    Verse gave me the rest of their snack, the spirit of the food being the only thing they could really eat.

     I took it gladly.

     Our small lunch lasted us until around midnight. 

     Well, I was hungry. Verse was dormant.

     I made my way down the trees thick branches, slowly and gently, as not to wake it.

     Oak spirits hated losing their new friends. Apparently, a bunch of old oak trees housed mortal beings, and then found themselves unearthed the night their new friends had left.

     In reality, the mortals had cut down the trees.

     It was a sad story.

     The small mouse from earlier squealed, trapped underneath my paws.

     I pressed down harder, waiting for the tiny cracking noise that allowed a small trickle of guilt to enter my heart and soul.

     As I lifted it, the guilt vanished like smoke in a draft, hunger taking over my senses.

     The mouse was gone, and only its skeleton remained.

     The walk back towards Verse and the oak tree was one filled with spitting out fur.

     Eugh.