Man or Mouse?

"There you are you little shit." With a swift pull of the trigger, a snake was sent flying into the air. Zero smirked. "Hah! That's three, Mouse. You counting?" Mouse just panted, what appeared to be a huge grin on his face. "Hey listen," Zero began, "if you're going to go on hunts with me, you gotta be counting how many strikes I get. Gucci?"

Mouse looked at him and licked his nose for confirmation. Zero chuckled, "good boy. Let's go home, buddy."

Zero slung his MA 41 over his shoulder and grabbed his water bottle as Mouse ran in circles, chasing his own tail. Zero smiled and nudged Mouse gently to the car, which Mouse happily obliged. Zero sighed softly to himself as he opened the back door of the E350. Carefully, he unloaded the clips for the .9mm and the semi automatic he'd brought, before emptying the MA 41 as well. Mouse jumped in the driver's seat, wagging his tail weakly, and Zero gave him a look. "You're going to have to move, buddy, because you ain't driving us home. I've seen your driving skills; they reek like your breath."

Mouse tilted his head curiously, and Zero closed the back door before coming around to the driver's seat, but Mouse stayed put. Zero shrugged, "your funeral." He slowly started to sit in the driver's seat, pretending he was going to sit on Mouse. Mouse yowled and pawed Zero's pants, making him yelp softly and move Mouse. Zero pulled the door shut, holding Mouse in his palm with one hand. He was going to miss holding Mouse like this as the kitten got older.

"Mouse, what's with you, buddy? Do you just not want to go hunting today?" Zero asked, and Mouse pawed his mouth. Zero took Mouse's paw. "Stop it, Mouse. Come on, buddy. Seriously? Chill out, it's okay."

Zero started the car and drove steadily back to base, holding Mouse with one hand. Mouse began to squirm a bit halfway through, and Zero sighed. He hopped on the freeway, easily gunning and matching the speed of the rest of the traffic in the Mercedes.

Mouse didn't cease his squirming; it got worse, and Zero set the kitten down to turn on the radio. "Let's put on your favorite track, buddy. That'll calm you."

"Lose Yourself" by Eminem started playing on the third track, and Mouse lay like a Sphinx in the passenger seat.

"I know, Lieutenant. I'm really sorry. I promise he's behaving right-oh, god, please don't put me with him-! No! Lieutenant!" Zero aggravatedly threw his phone in the backseat, covering his face with his hands as he rested his head back against the headrest of the parked car. Mouse panted as he looked up the hunter, and Zero turned to glare at the kitten. "This is your fault. I wasn't even supposed to take you with me to training and now you've screwed my next mission up because I have you put you in my report," he said, and Mouse began to lick his own paws. Zero muttered to himself and got out of the car.

"I can't believe I have to go to a meeting with that bastard. Why Kuran of all people!? Can't he handle himself!? He's a freaking pureblood for crying out loud, I-" Zero stopped his ranting, turning abruptly. "Mouse-!?" he called, but the young kitten didn't respond. "Mouse!? Mouse!" Zero called over and over for the kitten, looking for him back in the car. Then he saw it. Zero's heart sank.

Mouse was laying splayed on the floor of the driver's seat, just under the emergency brake. The kitten was stiff, and when Zero placed two fingers to this soft chest, he couldn't feel a heartbeat.