The Saga of Socks
Chapter Three: The Tomcat
“Don’t worry, Socks will be fine,” Thomas said.
“Are you sure? He’s still so small.” Maggie bit her lip.
“Not as small as a few weeks ago. The barn kittens at the dairy are way smaller than he is.”
Maggie nodded, slowly. “I suppose you’re right.”
Socks sat at the door with his chest puffed out. The humans planned to let him outside today. If all went well, the humans would let him spend the night in the shop, too!
Maggie crouched down and pet Socks on the head. “Stay safe,” she said as Socks batted at her hand.
Thomas opened the door and Socks sprinted out before either of the humans had a chance to change their mind. He heard the door click shut behind him. He knew it would open again soon, as Maggie and Thomas needed to get to work. Socks decided to be far from the house by then.
Pausing a moment to peer around, Socks realized Thomas and Maggie lived in the middle of a cornfield. The tall stalks rustled in the morning breeze and the sweet smell of earth surrounded the small homestead. The dirt driveway circled around the entire house and shop, and on one side of the home was a small, unfenced yard with a bit of grass. The crisp autumn air tickled Sock’s whiskers.
“Moo!” a loud bellow sounded from the west side of the house. Socks perked up his ears, there must be cow here!
Socks crept through the grass surrounding the house until he came around to the back of it. There, along the other side of the clearing, he spotted a small barn. That must be where the lumbering cattle were calling from! Socks leapt off the yard and onto the dirt path leading to the cowshed, eager to see the cows up close.
Cows lived on Socks’s old farm, but his mama cat never let him too close to them. She said they were too dangerous.
“She’s not here to stop me now,” Socks meowed, nearly to the barn.
A large, furry, and ratty animal leapt in front of Socks, just as he was approaching the barn. It knocked him roughly to the ground.
“Hey!” Socks puffed up his tail and hissed, while flailing on his back.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the large beast hissed back; it was a fellow cat.
Standing and shaking the dust off himself, Socks got a better look at his assailant. The cream and grey cat standing before him was missing a ragged chunk of his left ear.
“I’m going to see the cows,” said Socks.
“Oh, no you don’t!” the large cat blocked his way. “No one gets in to see the cows, not on my watch.”
Socks flicked his tail.
“What makes you think you can stop me?” Socks challenged. He took a few steps more forward.
Quicker than lightning, the old cat lashed out at Socks, catching his left eye. Socks’s eye stung terribly, but he wasn’t ready to back down from this fight. He lunged at the tomcat, sinking his claws into his enemy’s shoulder.
“Quit that!” the old cat tried to bat Socks off him, but Sock dug in tighter.
The large animal rolled on the ground, pinning Socks down into the dirt. Socks squirmed, but couldn’t get free.
“I’m supposed to protect the cows,” said the old cat. “So, you understand, I can’t just let anyone in. But how about we call a truce? Maybe let me get to know you a little better, and then maybe someday I’ll take you in to see the cows?”
Socks squeaked out his reply, like a little mouse. “Deal.”
The old cat stood up and Socks released his grip.
“My name is Rex,” said the tomcat.
“I’m Socks.” He felt his eye gingerly with a paw. It seemed Rex had split his eyelid right down the middle. “Did you have to swipe at me so bad?”
“You needed to know I meant business,” said Rex, closing his own eyes lazily. “You need to learn not to mess with cats bigger and stronger than you.”
Socks sniffed, hopefully this new injury wouldn’t keep him inside tonight. He could see Maggie making a huge fuss over this.
“Where do you live?” asked Rex, coming closer to Socks and sniffing him.
“The house by the shop, up that way.” Socks looked over toward Thomas and Maggie’s place. “I’m going to be a mouser for the humans living there.”
“Ah! A noble profession,” said Rex. “Have you hunted mice before?”
“No,” admitted Socks. “But how hard can it be?”
Rex gave him a Cheshire cat grin. “It may be harder than you think, especially if no one has ever shown you how before.”
Feigning unconcern, Socks started licking his tail. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”
“Whatever you say, just know you may need my help learning. I’m here if you need me.”
Eye still smarting, Socks turned and darted back to the humans’ abode. The nerve of some cats!
I can take care of myself just fine. I don’t need help with anything. Socks’s bitter thoughts swirled in his mind like a buzzing wasps’ nest. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t even see the dog, until it was too late.
The large, imposing beast leaped out in front of Socks, snarling and barking. Socks backpedaled as best he could, but tripped over his own four paws and sprawled out on the ground.
“Get away from me!” Socks hissed, scrambling back up again. The black-and-white dog loomed closer, unintimidated by Socks’s warning. Socks’s heart thudded in his chest, there was no way he could take on this massive dog alone.
Rex appeared between Socks and the dog faster than the blink of an eye. Socks was surprised the old cat could move so quick. “You heard him, get!” Rex swiped at the dog’s snout.
The dog yelped, bounded back and growled. After some hesitation, she decided it wasn’t worth attacking a cat that would fight back. She slunk back down the dirt driveway.
Rex nudged Socks with a paw. “Are you alright? That was a close call.”
“Who was that dog?” Socks asked.
“That would be Darla,” Rex sniffed in disdain. “She is completely bonkers. She chases all the cats staying around the cow barns. Darla belongs to the farmers down the road and they let her roam free like the other dogs, but they really ought to rein her in. She’s dangerous and doesn’t listen much to reason.”
“She sure is different from the dog on my old farm,” Socks agreed. “Old Louis never bothered us like that. He usually kept an eye out for us while Mama was hunting field mice.”
The two cats sat in silence a moment before making their way back to Thomas and Maggie’s property.
“We should be safe up here,” said Rex, leaping up onto an old tractor beside the shop.
Socks followed the old cat.
Maybe I’m going to need some more help after all, Socks thought as the two cats spent the late morning and into the afternoon cat-napping in the sun.