Hidden in Plain Sight
By: Monica Vix


It was late in the evening, sunsetting over the horizon of trees, casting an orange-gold glow across the large house filled with multiple cars. All of it was abandoned. Reduced to nothing but rusting vehicles and broken hollows within. Not a soul was in sight as a gecko crept along the once tamed grass, the now wild blades obscuring her leopard print coloration. Strong arms dug into the ground, muscling rippling with power as she crawled towards a relatively well-kept tree. Sweat stained her strong body as she stood gazing at the base of the repurposed wood. It had holes carved into it for tiny windows and a plethora of structures outside for farming and general surveillance.


Gale, the gecko creeping along the grass, continued to inch closer and closer. Her slim yet powerful body was almost unnoticeable from any window or perch from the entire tree. Orange eyes spied the windows and saw the hollowed-out interior of the partially alive tree, seeing the glint of candle light within. This tree was anything but ordinary to the overgrown and desolate landscape, the number of creatures living within its bark walls also being an oddity. Upon getting closer to the wood, now within the trimmed and cared for grass of its ‘lawn,’ Gale could hear the voices of five, perhaps six, rodents inside. She had the size advantage over the mice that would be inside, able to easily overpower them within a moment, but some of the rats would pose a much greater challenge for the hungry assassin.


She was tasked with killing the main leader of this tree, the one who oversaw this entire area and held a horde of tasty treats within the hollowed plant. The lack of food she had on the trip here was starting to get to Gale as she got closer and closer to her location of interest, staring forward at the tall tree. It was almost fifteen feet tall, the entire core of it hollowed and replaced with an estate of a house within! Standing as she approached and skulking towards a window, the orange eye spied in and listened out for any figures within the lower floor. The stench of fresh fruit, almost an alien smell to Gale, stung at her nose and dragged her attention within the building.


One leg going through the window, the tall gecko slipped in effortlessly, her mostly bare body on full display. Dull, spotted scales covered with grass weaved cloth to hide the sexual parts from view. Completely exposed within the wooden walls surrounding her, the stuffy feeling of being within a tree like this was overwhelming to the gecko used to the vast plains completely bare other than grass and people going about their lives. Claustrophobic, the assassin made her way towards the smell of fruit, listening to the sounds coming from what she could imagine is the kitchen.


Distant chatter of a pair of rodents poured out of the small kitchen on the bottom floor, preparing the sweet fruit into a concoction similar to a root beer float with sap aiding the taste and texture. Peaking in while avoiding sightlines of the mice within, Gale spied a little blonde mouse with a slightly taller brown and white one, the two clad in only aprons that seemed to be made out of leaves. The lack of rules regarding any inhabitants that weren’t guards or the owner themself allowed the gecko to make a decision. It was a dubious decision that brought a sadistic smile to her lips, focusing her gaze onto the pair of unaware mice.


Approaching without a sound, the huntress clad in grass approached from behind the blonde mouse. Watching her little form hum away without a care in the world brought a slight laugh into Gale’s mouth as her hands were raised in the air, ready to strike! Tan scaled hands wrapped around the small mouse’s throat, squeezing it and rending it quickly to the side with an aggressive snap! Bone crackled as her head was wrenched to the side, leaving the neck at a precise right angle as the trained killer instantly eliminated her prey. The small creature fell helplessly onto the counter before sputtering down to the hard floor, her neck being snapped and popping back into place, looking like a crushed soda can.


The brown and white mouse directly next to the freshly made corpse took a moment to react, a scream barely leaving her lips as the leopard patterned gecko struck again! Gale’s hand crushed the windpipe of the small mouse, lifting her into the air with a singular, powerful fist. The gleam of the devil shone in the gecko’s eye. She grabbed the hip of the brown and white furred girl, just past the apron of leaves, before taking her down with a quick and effortless move. The comparatively tiny rodent  had her back slammed against the counter like cracking an egg, breaking her spine in two right under the ribcage! Mercifully, the tan hands grasped the muzzle and shoulder of the mouse, preparing for the killing twist. Turning the head completely around without any fanfare, the second mouse fell now facing backwards!


Allowing the second victim to collapse onto the first, Gale took up the cup of rough bark into her hand. Slurping up the mixture while pushing the pair of corpses to the side with her feet, the gecko let out a groan of pure pleasure upon drinking what was essentially ambrosia! It was so sweet and had so much flavor packed into the single cup, the fruit and sweet molasses like sap filling her stomach and giving her energy to go on. Leaning over the pair of mice, a single glob of the sappy drink was poured onto the corpses as thanks for the meal. Gale would then walk away from the bodies as the sticky goo stained their well-groomed fur.


Even though she wished to gorge herself on whatever else remained within the small kitchen, the gecko had a job to do. Slinking out of the small room, leaving a pair of bloodless bodies in her wake, Gale started to search for the stairway or ladder or whatever way to ascend the tree. Orange eyes scanned over every corner, keeping an ear out to make sure there were no rodents to get in her way as her stealthy mission continued. The first thing to snag her attention towards a winding, spiral staircase was the lovely aroma of food! A scent of what seemed like freshly baked bread wafted its way down towards the leopard patterned gecko’s nose.


Tan scales effortlessly slipped past the wooden walls. The only thing to potentially reveal her location were the dried grasses clinging to her chest and waist. Almost camouflaged against the grain of the wooden walls, Gale stepped up the staircase while approaching the scent. Trying to focus on it, the sound of footsteps accompanied the scent of bread, the creature carrying the food slowly moving away. Turning the corner to stand at the top of the stairs, almost hitting her head against the low ceiling, Gale looked to see a small white furred mouse! She was even smaller than the others. The bottlecap tray the rodent carried held a steaming loaf of bread, glistening with what the gecko could only assume to be butter. 


Sliding behind the absolutely diminutive mouse, Gale forced her hands forward to grasp the bottle cap tray, using it as a wedge to clamp down the throat of her third victim! The pure shock that shot through the tiny white mouse was like a bolt of lightning, the twitch and instant struggle being more than the gecko bargained for. One tan hand reached forward and grabbed ahold of the loaf, stealing it away for herself as she tried to act nonchalant about fighting the struggling short-stack. 


“Shh, shh, don’t fight and it won’t hurt.” Gale said with a loving tone, the threat still apparent despite her tone. The hand grasping the cap tray dropped the metal, pulling back to firmly grasp the white furred neck of the mouse. As the metal cap clanged and made a loud noise, almost like a tiny gong, Gale regretted her decision. “Well… thank you and goodbye.” The gecko said while strangling the mouse, lifting the white furred squeaker up off of her bare feet! Tan hand acting like a noose to the little short-stack, dark brown eyes of the victim grew wide with breathlessness.


To Gale, this was normal. It just came with the job! The only difference this time is she had a snack while strangling the squeaky mouse, taking a juicy bite out of the fresh loaf. Walking onward with the slowly dying mouse held close to her chest, soft breasts being the pillow of the rodent’s deathbed, the gecko continued about her business. Gasping, groans, and all-around great noises of terror filled the air from the small mouse. Gale started to get annoyed after a certain point, simply rolling her eyes as she pushed towards the next staircase. Feeling the strangling mouse slowly lose life in her iron grasp, the indifferent gecko began to ascend to the next level of the great tree.


As she got to the next floor, the white mouse was just a limp doll with dull eyes in her hand. Gale would set the rodent down next to the stairway, starting to step away. Then she heard the sounds of the corpse falling down each and every step. The mouse fell down the spiral stairs, neck and bones cracking as the white furred body was tossed about like a pizza being prepared by hand. From below, there was a commotion as the corpse helplessly fell against the ground of the second floor. Peeking over the railing to see the mouse, Gale smiled upon seeing the neck and back jutting at awkward angles. If she didn’t die by choking, she was certainly dead after that! A few rats and mice started to surround the corpse, wondering what happened and why all the noise.


Disappearing from the scene of the crime, Gale’s eyes scanned along each of the doors of the third level, trying to find anything that seemed interesting or important in some way. The thudding footsteps of large rat guards made her hide away in a small storeroom, surrounded by discarded wood and bark clippings. Another close call involved her using the tan scales on her body to hide against the pale wood interior, barely sneaking past another guard that held half of a plier as a spear. Each close encounter brought her up closer and closer to the top of the tree, the penthouse suite in a sense.


Up near the top, almost six floors up the massive tree, the gecko stood loitering in a quiet doorway. The air here was still, despite the wind blowing outside the open windows. Gale wasn’t able to hear anyone or anything moving while up here, effectively being desolate other than the gentle gusts of wind outside. The quietness was unsettling. Not running into a rodent on this floor yet made the gecko uneasy, on guard for some sort of surprise. Great doors carved from the porous wood of the tree stood at the end of the hallway of the final floor, brass rings repurposed into door knockers. 


Gale was easily tempted. The fact that this was such an obvious place of rest for the person in charge was drawing her to approach, even to be as bold as to knock on the door! What was the worst that could happen? A little mouse would barely give her trouble, and a rat was hardly more of a challenge for the fit, startlingly strong gecko. Striding up to the large doors, her head barely touching the ceiling, Gale stepped with confidence and a hint of cockiness. Grasping the large brass handle, the socket empty of a gemstone rotating against the door, the leopard patterned gecko slammed the brass into the wood! The thud of it was loud, almost like striking a drum. 


“Do you have my meal?” A small voice came from within, the sound of grandiose pompousness in the feminine tone. “It’s about time. Taking forever for that dessert. I’ll have your tail for that, Quint.” The threat felt palpable, as if it would happen the instant the words came out.


Even though the voice implied a mouse, Gale could feel a shiver roll down her back just from the sheer aggression that came out of a tiny package like that! “Well…” She said, taking a deep breath. Steeling herself, the gecko ripped one of the brass rings off of the door, powerful leg lashing out and striking the other open! A small metal latch fell away, the pin of a ruined earring. Gale now stood before what looked like a small brown mouse, the smallest yet. “I’m not Quint, but I’m the… quintessential threat to you.” A stupid smirk was on her face as she spoke.


“Oh. I knew something felt off.” The mouse spoke simply, matter-of-factly. She looked up through glasses made from what looked like translucent green jewelry. Her eyes were obscured under the thick glasses, an ornate looking dress across her body. The attire was that of a noble, most likely coming from a dress up doll with the intricate patterns for such a small scale. Green cloth covered her body as the mouse stepped back, grabbing what looked like a long and thin nail, the point and shaft contorted into what looked like a single edged blade. “I’m Tepid, you horrid assassin. Ms. Tepid. Call me by anything else, and I’ll make sure your death is slow.” Tepid spoke with a firm, iron grasp on the nail blade. Eyebrows narrowed over green tinted eyes, the mouse looked ready for a fight.


Simply stunned by the boldness of a creature less than a third of her size, Gale just stood there. As Tepid gave her introduction, the gecko could only blink in shock with the energy and pure hate the small mouse had. Rolling her shoulders in a nonchalant way, the tall assassin began to enter the office like area of the mouse, having to lower her head to not hit it on the doorway. “Nice to meet you, bitch. I’ll give you an offer: you stop now and your office won’t get all messy.” Gale teased, holding the brass ring as if it was a brass knuckle. “You seem like you run a tight ship around here. Shame that… Quint, was it? Had to die for me to get a tasty lunch. If anything, you pitiful fucker, you have good taste in dessert!” She tried to egg on the mouse, forcing Tepid to make a misstep and attack first.


“Of course, my tastes and my home are to the liking of lowly, brutish trash like you.” Ms. Tepid seemed to take it as a compliment as she began to turn the brewing battle into a dance, holding the nail out as if it was a sword. “And you ought to clean your mouth. Speaking to me like that would only get you killed. Here, I’ll give you a hand, since you seem so eager to die.” The mouse said, lowering her blade to the polished floor of the office, spitting towards the towering gecko!


Saliva falling to the ground was the only signal Gale needed to put the brown mouse in her place: the grave. Closing the gap with a few quick and firm steps, the gecko held the ring forward and preemptively swung it through the air, cutting the tense air like a knife as she parried the nail raising up to strike her! The metal clanged together, the sound filling the air as Tepid stepped backwards like a fencer. Her weapon had more reach than the aggressing gecko’s, giving her a slight advantage. The rippling muscles across Gale’s back tightened as she brought the ring up, thrusting forward to catch the sharpened nail blade in it!


Upon getting closer to the mouse and grasping the nail through the ring, Gale’s grin grew wider. Using her superior strength to twist the brass ring around, the iron nail was wrenched out of the brown mouse’s hand! “I got you beat, you cocky bitch.” The gecko said flatly, being a little cocky herself. That was until Tepid balled up her fist, knuckles turning white under the brown fur. Punching out towards the gecko, the small mouse was able to land a surprisingly painful blow to Gale!


“I would much appreciate it if you stopped calling me a bitch.” Tepid stated dryly, spite boiling up in her voice as she reached behind her. Grasping a needle that was meant to stir the coals and embers of the fireplace that the mouse was close to, she held up her flimsier weapon out. Thrusting forward with a grunt, the eyes hidden behind green plastic lenses grew wide upon seeing a tan fist rapidly approaching her face in return!


Gale punched the lights out of the tiny mouse! Breaking the twigs holding the glasses together over the brown mouse’s face, the gecko watched as her prey was sent spiraling into the charred wood of the fireplace. Laughing as the mouse was sent to the ground, the mostly naked gecko stood proud over her prey. Kicking away the needle weapon and tossing away her own, Gale took her opportunity to crouch down next to the tiny mouse. Forcing her hands behind her back and holding them together with a single hand, the orange eyes looked down with a pleasurable grin.


“Doesn’t matter what you want. You’re not the hunter here. I think… you know what you are now, you little prey~” Gale rubbed it in, sitting down on the wooden floor, dragging Tepid closer to her body. The cloth of her fancy clothing folded and got ripped from the rough treatment, as well as catching on the rough edge of the fireplace. “I’ll give you the pleasure of choosing your final words~ And surrendering control of this lil tree you have before I steal it all for myself.” The gecko’s tongue licked across the wide ears of the mouse, teasing her further.


Snarling and struggling after she was restrained and came out of her dazed state, the noble looking mouse was floundering. She was beaten so thoroughly. There wasn’t even a way for her to land a hit against Gale! “L-let me go! Let me go!” The demanding and commanding voice faded into nothing but pure terror, panting and whining for her release. “I’ll give you what you want!” Tepid tried to bargain at the last minute, still struggling and not making it easy at all for Gale to hold her down. “Just let me go and it’s all yours! A-all the mice, rats, food, everything!” The panic and fear were palpable, almost the best dessert to the gecko. 


“Tepid, you stupid little mouse~” Gale started to rub it in, moving from ear to ear with a sultry voice. “I was going to get everything I wanted anyways~ I don’t need your permission, but I DO need those words! Keep begging for your life~” The gecko giggled, her free hand rolling down the green dress of the humiliated mouse. “Squeak, lil squeaker~ Beg for your life while I kill you~”


Eyes wide, staring ahead at nothing, Tepid could barely make a sound. She began to sob as the powerful gecko contorted her body like a little doll, able to hold back all of her wiggling and flailing with ease. Having her neck forced between the thick thighs, the strong and rippling muscles of which acted as a vice, the crying mouse was sent to her grave. “P-please, please don’t! Don’t kill me! I-I’ll, uh, I-I’ll be your slave! I’ll submit and do just… a-anything, anything at all!” Tepid started to break down fully, sobbing in helplessness as the tan thighs began to squeeze around her neck.


“I can’t hear you down there, you rich little shit. Try screaming louder, ask for help!” Gale humiliated the mouse by turning onto her side, forcing Tepid to face the ruined doors at the front of her old office. Hearing the pitiful squeaks, struggles of breathing and suffocating, the gecko rolled her eyes. Releasing the mouse under her body from her hands, Gale only squeezed the guillotine of her thighs just a little tighter around the neck of her prey. “What a stupid little mouse~ Not even knowing how to call out for help. Or are you just enjoying this too much, you silly little thing?” The gecko brought a hand down onto Tepid’s ass, making it jiggle through the partially ripped dress.


Suffocating and slowly dying, the brown mouse’s hands helplessly grasped at the powerful thighs ensnaring her neck like an iron gauntlet. There was no way to grasp any of the weaponry used in their momentary skirmish, being completely helpless outside of this futile attempt. Tongue lulling out, tears welling in her eyes, Tepid’s struggle for life continued fruitlessly. It was over. Being released wouldn’t change anything for her. Gale was fully set on making the little mouse struggle and suffer in her final moments, not even caring about giving her a quick death. Even just being shoved so close to the grass covered loins of her murderer was overwhelmingly humiliating! Blush flooding her cheeks from both the strangling and lewd situation she was in made Tepid just wish she could have it all over in an instant.


Without making her wish aloud, the mouse had it granted. The thick thighs twisted, snapping the twig like neck of the brown mouse in an instant! The middle of her neck was shifted over a few inches, spinal cord being stretched to the point of snapping and the bones of her spine being forced apart. Death came quickly after that. Eyes dulled of life, tears and drool falling onto the polished floor. Tepid’s body spasmed for a moment as death took her like a prize, the brown body covered in green fabric quickly going limp in the deadly grasp of Gale’s thighs.


Taking a deep breath in and a long sigh, the gecko simply stood up while dropping the limp corpse onto the ground. “Oh. And I meant to paralyze you, not outright kill you.” Gale said in a careless tone, simply shrugging it off. One hand reached down to grab the collar of Tepid’s ruined dress, hoisting the mouse up by her dress to look into the dead expression of fear and the slight hint of relief. “Pretty eyes. Shame they’ll never blink again.” The gecko forced a kiss onto the dead lips of her prey. Unceremoniously, Gale dropped the corpse to the ground, the height of the fall resulting in a loud thunk of a drum, the arms bending in uncomfortable positions as the gecko humiliated the dead mouse just a little more. Striding out without a scratch, the empowered Gale would celebrate with her new servants, reveling in the potential terror she’s caused with her little rampage. She would be worshiped as a goddess!