The trapped mouse

In a quiet alley, two cats, Shadow and Whiskers, stumbled upon a small, trembling mouse nibbling on a crumb of bread. Their eyes gleamed with excitement as they pounced toward it.
“This mouse is mine!” Shadow declared, her tail puffed up in determination.
“Yours? I spotted it first!” Whiskers hissed, narrowing his green eyes.
The mouse froze, its tiny heart racing, as the two cats started arguing.
“Look at me, Shadow. I’m faster and stronger. I deserve it!” Whiskers growled.
“But I’m smarter!” Shadow countered, swiping a paw at him.
The argument grew louder, and soon the two cats began fighting, swatting at each other with claws unsheathed.
Meanwhile, the clever mouse saw his chance. While the cats were distracted, he slowly tiptoed away, squeezing into a tiny crack in the wall where they couldn’t reach him.
When Shadow and Whiskers finally noticed, they stopped mid-fight.
“Where’s the mouse?” Shadow gasped, looking around.
“It’s gone!” Whiskers wailed, slumping to the ground.
The two cats stared at each other, realizing their mistake. Their fight had cost them their prize. From his safe hiding spot, the mouse chuckled softly, thankful for the cats' foolishness.
Moral: Greed and quarrels can make you lose what you could have achieved together.