27-VON DER NOSESCORES AGAIN!

VON DER NOSE SCORES AGAIN! At that moment, the young countess whirled her way through the crowd. She was like a small tornado in a ballgown. "At last, I have found you! What are you doing here in the kitchen?" she asked Trap. My cousin dropped his spoon and ran to her. "My dear countess!" he squeaked, kissing her paw. "You are the most magnificent mouse I have ever met. I loved you from the first minute I saw You. But I am not rich. I am just the cook." But Snobella did not seem to care. She was staring at Trap as if he were the best thing since sliced cheese! "Who needs money, my dear Trap," she said.

"Love is all we need to survive." By my side, I heard Thea snorting. "He's going to need more than love to live with that evil rodent," she grumbled. I couldn't take my eyes off my cousin. I had never seen him so in love. He seemed so sincere, so sweet. Nothing like the obnoxious pest I knew. Could he really be a changed mouse? With shining eyes, Trap bent to give Snobella a hug. And that's when the truth came out. In her excitement, the countess opened her cape wide. Two gigantic, dark wings unfolded in front of our eyes. The countess wasn't a mouse at all. She was a bat! "AAAAAAAH!" Trap cried, My cousin took one look at those wings and fainted. For once it's not me, I thought. Then I ran to help him.

Trap came to with a start. The countess stood over him. "Now I understand," my cousin mumbled. "You're a family of bats. That's why you eat bugs!" Snobella waved her paw. "So what's wrong with a few mosquitos now and then? Have you ever tried grilled grasshoppers? Don't knock it until you've tried it," she said. My cousin shook his head. "This is never going to work," he groaned. "We are too different, you and I. I like to travel around, going from adventure to adventure, while you prefer to stay at home in your comfy castle, Plus, for all I know, you probably sleep upside down! And I don't hang out with BLOOD drinkers and it looks like you drink BLOOD by the gallon!" He pointed to a pitcher filled with a red liquid.

Now the countess was angry. She wrapped her cape around herself and sneered at Trap. "That's tomato juice, you ninny!" she hissed. "And, for your information, sleeping upside down improves your circulation!" With that, Countess Snobella stalked off toward the kitchen door. But before she could leave, Schnoz von der Nose grabbed her by the paw. Then he kissed the bottom of her cape.

"My dear Snobella," he crooned. "Forget that nasty rodent. I'll always love you just the way you are!" The countess never gave Trap a second glance. She spread her wings and took off with Schnoz. Beside me I heard my sister snickering. "Ah, two bats in love," she sneered. "Isn't it romantic?"