::Hey Chanur, anybody ever tell ya to let a sleeping dog lie?::

In the basement of Cat's Lair, the party was in full swing. Dr Zhie was on the podium, playing base to the pre-recorded music, while Thunderwolf backed her up on the drums. The lion pounded on the set with such force, he'd already killed Snarfer and Wilykit without ever touching either of them.

At one of the tables, Benni sat wit h Ayanna and Peachyra, sipping catnip and tapping her foot along to the tune. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find the new author, Chanur. The leonine Hani grinned at the tigress.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked.

********

Across the bar, Fianna and Sher Kahn were savoring some delicious mocha mudslides. Kahn wiped his lips with a paw and said, "What, no stout?"

"Bailey's Irish Cream," the dog grinned. Then he noticed two figures moving onto the empty space cleared for dancing. He set his glass down and moved quickly to the stage, fishing in his pocket as he went.

"Uh oh," Kahn said as he took the dog's drink and poured it into his own cup.

Benni and Chanur were just beginning to dance when the music suddenly stopped. They looked to the stage to find Zhie and Thunderwolf waiting while Fianna positioned himself on a wooden chair at the front. The caninoid then put some dark Rayban sunglasses low on his snout, and tapped out a beat with his foot. On the fourth tap, all three began to play, Fianna joining the others on his harmonica.

"That song sounds familiar," Chanur said.

"I like southern rock," Benni smiled. "Dance with me!" They began to move with the music, just as the harp section stopped, and they heared Fianna begin to sing.

********

"I was puttin' on airs at this place called the Lair, with a girl named Bengali."

"When in walked a guy wi-ith death in his eyes and he was looking right straight at me!"

(The lair basement door crashed open and RD Rivero stormed in , resplendant in his red housecoat and Bunny-Ra slippers. He zeroed in and Chanur and spoke.)

"He said 'Hey there fella with the fur colored yella, what you tryin to do?"

"Cause that's my tiger, son, and with my elephant gun, well I'm about to blow a hole in you."

("Excuse me?" Chanur said weakly while Benni sighed in disgust and went back to her table. Fianna continued to sing.)

"I was scared and fearin' for my life! I was sweatin' like a pig in June."

"Cause he was short and bald and pretty small, yeah, but GAWD THAT GUN was huge!"

(Chanur began to tremble in terror. Raising his hands placatingly, he began backing away slowly. He blurted out:)

"Hey there pally, I never touched Bengali! I didn't know that you cared!"

"So here, be my guest, and I'll make one small request, and then I'll get right out of your hair."

"Wontcha gimme three steps, gimme three steps RD, gimme just three steps I pray?"

"Gimme three steps, gimme three steps Rivero, and you won't have to blow me away!"

("Out of what hair?!" Tee Tee yelled from the crowd.)

("Hey, no help, okay?!" Chanur yelled back as Rivero's eyes narrowed dangerously. Meanwhile, Fianna resumed his song.)

"I was desparate afraid and I started to pray, but Chris wasn't having none."

("Chris?!" Chanur yelled. Peachyra leaned over to Benni and said, "See what I mean? Talking to himself again.")

"And I'm telling ya boy, you won't find any joy staring straight down an elephant gun!"

"But he turned and blasted Tygra instead, and I made my break for the road."

("That hair!" RD snapped at the Thundercat's headless corpse as Tygra's scalp landed on the stump of the neck.)

"And you could hear me screaming a mile away as I heard him start to reload."

"Wontcha gimme three steps, gimme three steps RD, gimme just three steps I pray?"

"Gimme three steps, gimme three steps Rivero, and you won't have to blow me away!"

********

Chanur was out the door and gone as RD snapped his gun shut and took off in pursuit. The band played on, the music punctuated occasionally by increasingly-distant echoes of gun blasts from outside.

The End...For Now...

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