"Well, we're here." my companion says after a long period of silence where I may or may not have once again fallen asleep. Such is the danger of traveling atop a mobile pillow, constantly warmed by body-heat: No matter how much you want to take in the world around you, and how alert you wish to remain, it's so difficult to resist that urge to close your eyes, just for a moment, snuggle into that thick, fragrant fur, and relax.

"Huh? Where's here?" I ask, bolting upright.

"I think you know." the creature replies. I turn my head on reflex towards the familiar scent of mice, I can tell that the city, my city, lies just ahead.

"But... why? I'm supposed to be food." I say, feeling a growing sense of anxiety, bordering on panic in my chest. "You told me that I'm your emergency rations! I thought that you needed me! I... I thought that someone needed me..." my voice trails off.

"You are my emergency rations. If an emergency arises, I'll know exactly where to find you." he says. "...and you are still food. My food. You know what that means? It means that you're not allowed to be eaten by any other creature, and that means no more unescorted trips outside of the city."

"You've done so much for me..." I say, despondent, "You took me on your back, you helped me listen to new sounds and music, and you even fed me... once again people go out of their way to help me, and I can't ever seem to give them anything in return..."

"Oh, please. You weigh practically nothing, you ate some garbage that I found which I didn't want, and I only took you to places that I was already going. My goal was never to do you any favors, and it still isn't. I dragged you along because I wanted to, pure and simple. If someone helps you, it's because they want to, pure and simple. If you help someone else, it's because you want to, pure and simple. It's no more complicated than that."

"Still, it just doesn't feel right somehow." I grumble, still seated on that soft, warm back.

"Oh, nothing ever feels right to you... that thing about one leg being longer than the other, and the longer leg constantly changing? I'm sure that's all in your head. You've made some major logical leaps to justify things feeling unnatural, but that one? Well, that one is just a bit too far."

"Hey, it's true!" I say. I'm rather sensitive about that disability, after all!

"Heh, yeah, yeah. Anyways, my point being, you seriously overestimate how much of a burden you are..." he says, grudgingly adding, "...and how much you give to others in return."

The sickening thing? My first reaction was, once again, to argue with him. To tell him that he was wrong or even lying, but I manage to catch myself. It's pretty twisted that a compliment from such a strong, wise and wonderful creature like him stings more than an insult. That it feels so impossible that I instinctively want to challenge it. In the end, I know he's right, after all: I'm not important enough to be a significant burden. That might just sound like more depression, but it's a liberating concept, in many ways. Sure, in a perfect world, we would all think highly of ourselves, and believe that we were doing great things, but sometimes, often in fact, just knowing that you're not hurting anyone, and not making the world worse? Well, that's more than enough.

"Right..." I say, a sort of uncomfortable mirror to the earlier reaction of my friend to the idea that he deserves happiness. Maybe a mirror in more ways than one. I smile a little, "So does that mean that you enjoyed our time together?"

He pauses, and I expect a bit of a snarky reply. I'm not disappointed, but am, secretly, a little glad that it doesn't have much of an edge to it. "I've had worse experiences." he finally says.

"Heh. Yeah. That sounds about right." I grin a little wider. the best part? I know that he's not lying this time.

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"Well, there you go. You had fun, I had fun, there's no guilt and nobody owes anyone anything. That's the way I like it. Things are so much easier that way." the large creature says, sounding pleasantly content.

"So... what happens now?" I ask, even though I'm pretty sure that I know the answer.

"Now, we go home. I've got some dinner waiting there, and I'm starving!"

"Heh," I say, teasingly, "I thought you said you weren't hungry enough to eat me?"

"You're all skin and bones anyways. Maybe if you ate a bit more often, you'd have been a little more tempting." I can sense the smile of the dark lord underneath me.

"I'll make a note of that." I smile back, even as it fades as I turn towards the city. "So... is this goodbye? I'm pretty sure that dark lords aren't allowed in the city, and you told me to avoid leaving it. It might be hard to us to see one another again."

"I don't intend for us to. I always thought that goodbyes were underrated. Sometimes you need to quit while you're ahead, and relationships are no exception. If they drag on, you'll fight or drift apart or someone will die... but if you leave early enough, well, you can just look back on the experienced fondly, and imagine that the other person has lived and long and happy life without any of that perky reality getting in the way." he says.

"So... how does your long, happy life go?" I ask shyly.

"Hmm, well, I go home for a nice delicious dinner and get a good nights sleep. The next day I go back to walking my route, reminiscing about all the good times I had today. That's when I see her, that lovely women we met earlier... maybe she'll resist my advances at first, but I'm persistent, and will win her over eventually. From there, some time passes and we've raised a nice, big family, and I, surrounded by a loving wife and adorably little kittens, tell all of them a lovely story about a strange little mouse named 'food' who's patiently waiting for just in case I find myself in need of an emergency snack."

I can't help but laugh. "You liar!"

"Heh, yeah." He chuckles back. "She's not really my type."

"Well, if you ever do decide that she or anyone else is your type, you'd better not be afraid to speak your mind!" I tell him, giving the fur beneath me a fluff with my comparatively tiny paws.

"You know, I still don't buy that whole theory that we lie because we're afraid." he replies.

I nod in return. "Well, I don't buy the theory that I'm afraid of try."

"Heh, fair enough." he says.

Another brief silence, as he helps me slowly climb down to the grass. "So... how do you think my long, happy life goes?"

Another chuckle. "Isn't that supposed to be your job? I swear, you always make me do everything. Well, let me see... I imagine you're going to fall down a lot, both literally and figuratively, but you'll also keep getting up, and eventually, hopefully sooner than later, you're realize that life isn't quite as hard as you thought."

"Well that's not fair! Why is your future so much elaborate than mine?" I tilt my head to one side.

"Hey, that's why you're the food and I'm the predator! If you want a better future, you've got to make it for yourself."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I smile, turning once more towards the mouse city. "Do I really have to go back?" I ask in a hopeful tone.

"Well, I suppose I could still eat you... what do you think? Want to die right here, or do you think that you can handle another five minutes?"

"Hmm, tough call." I say, scratching my ear before shrugging. "I guess another five minutes doesn't sound so scary. It's the lifetime that follows which is terrifying."

"Well, you're already made it through an awful lot of minutes of life so far." the cat says, "Do you have any particular reason to believe that the next batch will any be more difficult than those which came before?"

I give the matter some thought, smiling once again, before giving the truthful answer of: "No. No, I can't say that I do." I add, "Although I can't deny that I'm still a little bit scared."

"You're the one who said that dishonesty comes from fear, right? Maybe it works backwards too, and you won't be so scared if you just start being honest with yourself."

"I'm not sure that it works that way... but I'll try." I say. I take a single step towards the city before turning and running back to hug my arms around the thick fore-leg of the feline. "Thank you for everything. I'll never forget you..."

"Sheesh, come on now..." he says, but I can't help thinking that he sounds just a little choked up. "Oh, and do me a favor, would you? Be sure not to tell anyone else about this. We dark lords have a reputation to protect, after all."

"Heh, yeah, I promise." I say, releasing him. I stand in that place for a few minutes, long after I heard the heavy paw-pads step away, and my would-be killer left my life forever, off to engage in his own romances, discoveries and grand adventures. Or so I assume. More likely just food and naps, in truth, but who am I to judge the adventurous standards of others? I turn back to the city with a sigh, but not an entirely sad one. I guess that I can handle another five minutes.