[13+] Taezan & the Mice [Kim Taehyung] Christmas 2022

December 17th

The silence was crisp, buzzing with nervous energy.

Taezan could feel it, but also see it - the vibrating blue coming off the crowd in massive waves. They were upset, and he knew at that moment that it wasn't directed at Mosu, but at him.

"I'm telling the truth." Taezan tried, but as he looked between the faces of his new friends, the words ebbed away. There was no way they would believe him. He knew that, and could see it in their eyes and in their distrusting, green auras.

"See, he can't even defend himself!" Mosu continued, his voice victorious. "You should have built your lie better, before speaking it."

"I knew there was something wrong with him." Shay called out. "He was acting weird! And he ate my raisin!"

"There you see - a thief as well as a liar." Shaking his head disappointed, Mosu addressed his mice. "Is this someone we want among us?"

"No!"

"Thief!"

"Liar!"

The words felt like one stab after the other, each one making Taezan's legs weakened. Would he be thrown out? Would he have to fight the beast to survive out there?

Looking up at the window, there was nothing but darkness as they were still covered by snow. Not knowing what to do, he scanned the mice for a friendly face, but couldn't seem to find any. Until...

"He's done nothing wrong!" Kaya made her way through the angry crowd, stopping as she reached Taezan. "Just because he's special, it doesn't mean he's bad."

"Yeah!" Relieved that at least one of them supported him, he tried to help. "You all like Kaya, right?"

The room fell silent, and Kaya turned to him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean?" The question came from Ivan, and it was followed by an even heavier silence.

"Well... How come you can't accept me not being a mouse when-"

"Taezan, stop!" Kaya sneered through her teeth, giving a nervous smile.

But Taezan did not listen. It didn't make sense not to tell them. He just needed to make them see reason, and when they did, they would accept him, right? "-when you accept Kaya for being human?"

"What!?"

"She's human!?"

"Why does she look like a mouse?"

Taezan realized, a little too late, what he had done. Kaya had told him not to tell them! They didn't know - it had been a secret!

His heart ached, pierced by guilt. He couldn't believe he had sold her out! Without thinking, he had been afraid and just acted on instinct. Never had he meant to drag her down with him!

"So we have TWO outsiders in our midst?" Mosu looked pleased, and a scary smirk appeared on his lips before he turned to the crowd. "It all makes sense now! It all started after they arrived."

"Yeah!"

"You're right!"

Taezan swallowed hard. What would happen now?

"First the moth attack on the same day Kaya showed up, and then, just days after Taezan arrived, we're in a snow crisis. How can we know that they aren't behind it? If he can see 'auras', what other witchery might Taezan possess?" Leaning onto his cane, Mosu continued: "And now cheese is missing from the pantry, and I bet they're in it together!"

The crowd became angry, raising their paws in demonstration.

"I believe I speak for all of us when I say." Mosu pointed firmly at the exit. "That you are both sentenced to exile!"

Exile? No! That was what Taezan had wanted to avoid! And Kaya too? Poor Kaya was be to thrown out too? "No!" Guilt washed over him in waves. "Please, don't do this!"

"Ivan, take them both out of here." Mosu ordered. "And make sure they don't sneak their way back in."

The guard nodded, grabbing one 'outsider' under each arm, and carrying them away.

"No! Wait! Don't!" Kaya tried, her face in a shamble as her eyes desperately searched the crowd. "I haven't done anything, I-"

"Human!" Shay shouted.

"Traitor!" A female echoed. "I can't believe I thought you were my friend!"

"We haven't done anything!" Taezan tried a last, desperate attempt. "It was Mosu and-"

"Quiet!"

It was all for nothing.

Nobody listened.

Ivan carried them to the exit, and as they passed the other guard, Kaya was pleading. "Please, Marv. It's lies, it's-"

"Silence." Marv cut her off, his eyes furrowed in as he looked at them with distaste. "I can't believe we let you in."

Stepping past him, the gigantic mouse didn't spare them another glance before throwing them out into the cold snow. "And stay there!"

Their teeth already shattering, all Kaya and Taezan could do was watch as they blocked the entrance, effectively barring the nest.

They were locked out.