Tar stood at the door of the Mousekewitz home. He had cleaned up was wearing clean clothes and had a clutch of wild flowers in hand. He knocked and the door was whipped open by Momma Mousekewitz. She eyed him a moment then shook her head slowly.

Tar frowned not sure what to make of this. He quickly gave her a cautious smile " Uh Ma'am? Can Tanya please come walk with me? "

" Tar!" Tanya saw him and smiled shyly peeking around her mother. To her shock her mother gave her a gentle nudge to get behind her.

" I know what you are warf rat!" Momma shook her finger up at him " Away with you! My daughter not have anything to do with your people!"

" Don't tell me you don't like my color either ma'am? " Tar asked giving her a slightly sad smile. " Seems like a lotta folk don't like having a black rat around but I promise you ma'am. I won't even take her out of the yard if you don't want me to." He tried to offer the flowers. To his shock and Tanya's dismay Momma Mousekewitz slammed the door in his face.

" Why that little bitch!" Tar said softly. The flowers dangling from his fist.

" Oh, do be careful she's a bit stronger than she looks."

Tar felt his face go slack with shock. Waul stood over him leaning against a post looking amused. There was a wagon next to him with various supplies in it. He picked up his monocle and studied the rat.

" You've been asked to leave I believe, scamper off now."

Tar sneered at him " Playing supply donkey Waul? Wow how appropriate for a broke dick fop like you. What next? Will you let her saddle you and be her pretty pony?"

Waul dug at one ear briefly " I'm sorry can you repeat that?"

" You heard arright..." Tar said giving him a nasty smile.

" Yes...yes I did...how interesting...yet another soul who knows me that I've never met...gracious me...my fame must be bigger than I thought. Tell me does Clay pay you in peanuts? Does he keep a little exercise wheel for you? I certainly hope so got to stay in shape when your so low on the totem pole."

Tars eyes narrowed hatefully. Before he could say anything the door flew open and Tanya flew out running literally into his arms while her mother shouted in Russian.

" Oh Tar! I'm so sor...Waul!" She pulled away quickly not sure why she was blushing and feeling guilty. " You're here."

Waul looked amused as he threw his arms out causing his cape to flare out briefly and the sun to pick up the designs on his vest. Clothes made the cat and Waul wore his perfectly.

" Indeed m'dear here I am! Have I come at a bad time? Introduce me to you little friend I don't believe we've met."

" Oh this is Tar, he's moving into town with his family. Tar this is my...my friend. Cat R. Waul."

The cat and rat nodded stiffly at each other. " Moving in with a family you say? " Waul studied the rat. He didn't think Tanya had any idea what she was dealing with. Warf rats practically overran London at some point and he had seen them at their worst first hand.

Momma Mousekewitz came out angry. " You! I tell you to leave! You're still here! Such disrespect!"

" Oh momma!"

" No no Tanya..she's right I shouldn't be here disrespectin' yer momma and yer house I'm so sorry ma'am." Tar said slipping back into his persona. He gave Tanya a sad smile and turned to walk back towards his home ignoring several ladies who followed him giggling.

Waul felt his lip curl up. " Dear Lord please tell me I don't look like that when I'm doing innocent farm boy."

Momma Mousekewitz actually laughed " You? Farm boy! Hahahahahaah! Not you Waul humility...not your thing...sneaky ... conniving snake oil sales man more your type. What do you have?"

Tanya blushed wondering just what was wrong with her mother today? Waul rather then look offended looked amused.

" You're quite right madam. Humility is not my style." He punctuated this by tightening his neck sting tie causing the emerald sparkling and matching his eyes while he gave them a charming devilish smile. Tanya giggled while Momma rolled her eyes. She went through the things he brought checking her list. While Tanya grinned up at Waul admiring his new duds.

" You got new clothes!"

Waul smiled pleased spreading his arms and turning for her perusal " Yes Alice has finally gotten her style sense up to scratch."

"Alice? Oh yes! The little girl."

Waul nodded his eyes looking around. He spotted Whylie and another dog lazing in the sun...on a...porch...again. Waul rolled his eyes. " Please excuse me m'dear I needs speak with someone. " He took his top hat off and bowed briefly at them before making his way to the dogs.

To their credit at least both dogs were awake by the time he walked up to them. Though Whylie looked about ready to drop back off to sleep.

" Wattya want?" The smaller dog was a young shepard and Waul had to loosen his collar slightly. He didn't like shepherds, bulldogs, pit bulls, Dobermans, or Rottweilers. Most other big dogs he had no issues with but the above named never failed to chase him up a tree, a roof, once he'd been stuck on a damn telephone pole. In the rain. Luckily this one was still practically a puppy. Waul supposed it was good to train them young.

" Whylie my good fellow I'd like to speak to you privately...can I get you a drink my good sir?"

" Probably He'll poison it!" The younger dog growled.

Whylie rolled his eyes while Waul smirked. " Dear me, my reputation proceeds me apparently."

The pup had the look of someone who wasn't sure if Waul was being funny or sincere.

" Jack...go patrol..." Whylie growled getting up. Waul winced as the old dogs joints all popped and crackled.

" Arthritis still bad old chap? " He asked politly.

" Better than sand fleas bitin my ass." The dog replied heading to the saloon. Waul's eyebrows arched for a moment not sure if he was expected to respond to that but he smoothly followed the old dog in the saloon. He winced.

His beautiful stage was full of garrish curtains and garrishly dressed cats and dogs kicking up their heels to display their pretty garters. Most of the drinkers were playing cards and not paying the least mind to the stage.

Waul sniffed haughtily at the obscene travesty that had been to his entertainment dream and sat at the bar removing his hat. An old greyhound came over and gave them their drinks. Waul cautiously sipped it and wrinkled his nose. Someone had gotten cheap. The brandy was watered down.

For a moment he had this absolute ridiculous urge to cry like a baby but that was something he got hold of quickly and squashed. No crying. No whining. What was done was done.

" Hey! What are you doing in here!?"

Waul glanced at the little mouse who had come running up to whylie his little slingshot out.

" Ah my young gun, I'm pleased to see you as I have some information I think you and the rest of the law should have to protect this so fair town."

Fieval frowned at him but pulled a cork over and sat down in front of Waul. He didn't understand why Tanya had made a deal with this conniving cat. He did admit though Waul had certain charm that he had bespelled even him until he found out that Waul intended to turn the town into mouseburgers.

" Ok Shoot."

" Bang." Waul said pointing at Fieval and clicking his thumb. Even he had a sense of humor. Fieval gave him a wane smile for the effort and Waul sighed and shrugged before sipping his watery Brandy again.

" First off my young sir are aware there is a warf rat paying attention to your sister? "

" Warf rat?" Whylie asked. He blinked sleepy eyes. " What the tarnation is a warf rat?"

Fievals frowned. " So...like a rat that comes from...a warf? "

Waul gazed at them in disbelief, For a moment he had the urge to throw his hands up and walk away. He didn't even live in this cursed little town how was it he was suddenly the most knowledgeable about what was and was not dangerous?

" Yes Mr. mousekowitz a warf rat is just that...a rat that lives on ships and warfs. They are quite dangerous."

" How dangerous? " Fieval asked leaning forward interested despite himself.

" Rattlesnake dangerous." Waul said dryly. " I believe he is to spy in your little town. I highly doubt any family is going to show up. More then likely he's here for a short period of time and then he will take what he knows to an individual who I fear is going to make my plans look like a walk in the park...as it were."

" You think the mice are in danger? " Whylie asked draining his drink. He belched causing Waul to wrinkle his nose.

" Actually I believe everyone is in danger. The individual is a desert Lynx. Goes by the name Clay McGregor."

For a long moment whylie and Fieval just stared at him. He stared back. Finally flustered he quickly took another sip of his brandy. It was awful he fought the urge to gag.

" What's a Lynx? " Fieval finally asked.

Waul found himself leaning his forehead against his hand briefly. Why had he come out here again?

" Wild desert cat son. McGregors dead."

" Yes well I'm sure all the McGregors YOU know are dead old chap but I assure you the Lynx I chatted with the other night is very much alive and appeared to have small posse with him."

Whylie motioned for another drink. Waul glared at him. " Well what are you going to do? "

"Do?"

" Yes do! You're supposed to be the law I'm bringing you information...despite my obvious dislike of this little waterhole...that potentially puts it in danger. So what are you going to do? "

" We'll look into it! Won't we Whylie?"
" Yea ya might want to check it out son."

aul stared at then askance. " Him? You're putting this boy in charge of...but here...I'm being unfair ...after all you did have me cowering underneath a human gun before you so unceremoniously flung me and my boys into a mail bag. With luck you'll run the Lynx off with a few well placed pebbles.."

Fieval frowned up at Waul. " Your being sarcastic aren't you? "

With a snarl Waul scooped his hat up and marched out of the saloon. " Well that was a perfectly wonderful waste of time." he muttered.

He had made the edge of town when he heard his name. He turned and blinked surprised to see Tanya running after him as fast as she could.