The cats gathered in the cave were restless. That stopped when the sound of a match striking a rock brought their attention to a Desert Lynx lighting up a cigar. He wore a blue unbuttoned slicker and two six shooters strapped to his lean hard frame. Unlike the domesticated cats he was larger a more bestial looking as befitting his nature. His coat was a sandy brown lighter than Waul's and the tip of his ears were graced with tufts of black fur. His fangs hung over his lip giving him a slightly vampiric look.

His eyes were as bright and yellow as the sun and even in the shade of the cave they gleamed with cold hard ruthlessness. He lounged back in a chair blowing out the smoke letting a black tipped paw rest carelessly over the side of the large chair he sat in. When he spoke his voice and purr were so deep they seemed to come from the very bowls of Hell.

" Let me be sure I understand this fiasco." He drawled. He waved a paw and suddenly some small desert rats ran around and began lighting some of the oil lamps hanging around the cave.

" You were following this immigrant...a...a..." He motioned with one finger at a large black rat that had appeared at his shoulder. The rat was sneering at the trembling cats. He also wore guns and there was a white cowboy hat on his head. His own slicker was blood red as was his eyes.

" Cat R. Waul. "

" Cat R. Waul...an immigrant...a British immigrant at that who had you chase the mice to the sewers of the city, give them fake tickets to bring them out west, and had them building a...what was it again? "

" A better mousetrap." The grinning rat said. His red eyes gleamed with malice.

" Then low and behold that dog..."

" Wylie Burp." The rat volunteered.

" Yes came out of retirement, stood down an entire gang of cats with another cat and the trap was not sprung because this arrogant British immigrant..."

" Waul."

" Yes had a what did you call it again Gray? " He pinned the one eyed gray cat who was cowering in front of the chair.

" Uh was in love with one mouse? "

The Lynx and the rat exchanged looks and than began to snicker. The other cats began to laugh.

" Love? Oh be still my beating heart!" The black rat picked up his mug and leaned on the chair. " I'd have to see it to believe it. A mouse and a cat? What a disgusting thought I mean..what would their kids look like? "

He laughed unpleasantly again and drained his glass.

The Lynx suddenly brought his fist down and all was instantly silent and still. He looked at the only other lynx in the crew, his younger his brother.

The smaller lynx took a sip of beer and shook his head " It's true Clay. Seen it with my own eyes."

The large lynx named Clay raised an elegant brow " Brother as much as you're in your cups I would not trust your eyes too well however I do believe the fault of loosing the grip on the town before I could get there lies in the this Cat R. Waul as well as those mice...and..."

He suddenly stood up and shot down the gray cat with one eye. " Weak felines who cant follow simple orders. When you came out here and needed to find the town where you would have water and food I left a simple order did I not Jonathan? "

The smaller Lynx nodded " Ya did Clay they were to hold the town till you came back with the rest of the gang and whoever didn't want to join you was to eat dirt."

" Very good Jonathan obviously your brain isn't so pickled it cant be relied on occasionally. "

Clay stood up the black rat hopping on his shoulder glaring at the cats with his red gleaming eyes and sneering at them showing broken teeth. " The rest of you were supposed to meet me at the Potax river to pick over the spoils of a stage coach robbery. Between that and the wagon train we had plenty of mice, chicken, fish, and various morsels. We could have had more but I was missing men. Why was I missing men?"

Suddenly he whirled around his ears looking like horns as he roared at them " BECAUSE THEY WERE BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP! WITH A TWICE DAMNED UPPITY IMMIGRANT!"

The cats all cringed together fur sticking every which way in fear. They didn't relax until Clay settled back down into his chair a fresh mug of beer in his hand.

" Tar my little friend..." Clay held his paw out his claws barely sheathed but the large black rat eagerly hopped on anyway waiting. " I want you to do a little errand for me. Get to know this mouse Waul is so fond of. While your at it get as much information on the town as you think will be helpful. It's going to be much harder now to take over with so many blasted humans running around and the new economy booming. It might be prudent to bring a few others perhaps make a family settlement."

The black rat named Tar sat up and saluted with his small mug " You got it Clay...when do you want me to report to ya? "

Clay stroked his chin briefly. " A week. I can decide what to do from there. I daresay our supplies should last a while..in the meantime I do believe I should pay this Waul a visit and test his mettle." A rather evil grin came over his face. " Little brother why don't you tell me the trail this British imposter is using? I might decide to...run into him."

Jonathan grinned " Oh oh can I go?! can I go!?"

Clay smiled indulgently at him. " Of course...you and the boys are welcome to tag along...just don't get in my way or someone other then Waul might get...hurt."

" Here here!" Jonathan cheered " We're gettin our town back!"

The other cats joined him while Clay shook his head. Tar came back from filling his own mug up.

" Problems boss? "

" A little too optimistic." Clay said sipping his brew watching the cats celebrate.

" Maybe you should shoot a few of the scrawny ones." Tar suggested.

Clay shrugged almost knocking Tar off. " No if their is a problem...we'll take care of them one way or another." His gold eyes strayed to a stack of boxes next to the wall. Stamped on each one were the words TNT.

He began to purr which came out like a menacing growl and Tar laughed a squeaky laugh. Meanwhile the rest of the cats cheered and drank, practiced shooting bottles, and set up card games.