Unused Mousehunter story and illustrations

I’ve been having a clearout and I uncovered a stash of rough illustrations for a new short story featuring Emiline and Portly. I wrote a bit of it, but I think yetis or some other work got in the way.

And so here it is, all messy and unfinished, but I thought you might like it.

Emiline stepped over the slippy rocks and slid down onto the narrow beach. The rain was easing and the dark grey clouds moving on.

‘I love summer,’ she muttered unimpressed, tightening her jacket.
She shook her shoulder-length blonde hair in an attempt to dry it, and let her pet mouse Portly out of his Mousebox. He ran up to her shoulder and stretched out tall, breathing the fresh sea air.

‘Not much of a day off, is it?’ she said, walking towards the sea. Portly squeaked happily in reply.

In amongst the large rocks that scattered the beach, the damp sand was deep brown and glistening, still soaked from the recent downpour and the retreating tide. Emiline paced around a pool of water, her footprints leaving shallow, crisp impressions behind her. To balance herself she clutched a tall cluster of rocks, some up to her waist in height. Portly suddenly leapt from her arm onto a rock and squeaked loudly. Emiline stopped, turning her head to see him sniffing the air.

‘What is it?’ said Emiline.

Portly sniffed a few more times and then vanished behind the rock. Emiline leaned over and found her mouse sat on top of a large crate, built of wonky wooden planks. There was another crate alongside it, and Portly crawled slowly across both of them, his nose pressed to their surfaces.

Emiline noticed that one of the crates had the word ‘Mouse’ painted on its side in thick brushtrokes. She gasped in excitement, and as she did the crates started to squeak. There were mice inside…

…

If anyone wants to finish this story, please, feel free. I’d love to know what type of mouse was inside the boxes.