Upon Witnessing an Historic Title Fight

My calico cat(recently becoming an outdoor calico cat)has many challengersfor champion of our back yard;an important first steptill she takes over the streetfrom the road – toughened strays.This morning she is playing
with a grey field mouse.Playing is a more apropos wordthan fighting,though I suspect the tiny thingwill be dead just as soonas Cali decides it.*bat at*claws in, just paws*scurry, bounce, and chase.*The thing’s little bodyis shaking immenselyas it runs for cover under my slightly raised foot.I could squash it,I consider,but this is not my place in the world.But neither is saving itfrom my calico cat,whom I believeis just toying with it now.The pitiful thing tries to hideunder ivy growing wildat the edge of my driveway.It gets awayfor a second or two,and then my girl finds him.She gently grabshis entire little framein her mouth,like one of her own.Amazingly she does not kill him herebut rather brings him into the open,to the middle of the drivewaywhere she drops him, unceremoniouslyand continues her assault.Now,he is disoriented.His running becomes labored,while she*bats, bats, bats.*This cycle continues onat a slower and slower pace.He moves,she pounces.He stays still,she searches,seemingly losing himin the grey of the driveway.If he’d just stay still,he might stand half a chance.But then soon,he will stay stillfor a very long time.