CONTEMPLATION

Written by & copyright of Foxonian Foxonian@aol.com

Featuring Cassie, Cindy (Cassie's bassist), Victor (Cindy's boyfriend)
Shiva (Cassie's security chief) and Gandalf (Shiva's companion)

Cassie, the Rock & Roll Vixen
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org

Please read the prequil, "undercurrents," featuring Cassie, her band and Foxonian at
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/engagements.txt
Please read the sequil, "The Tide Turns," featuring Featuring Cassie, Foxonian, Cindy (Cassie's bassist)
Victor (Cindy's boyfriend) and Shiva (Cassie's security chief) at
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/the_tide_turns.txt

All characters created by & copyright of Earl Bacon except Laretta, who is created by
and copyright of Andre' Cotton, Alex, who is created by and copyright of Donna Fritz,
Vixina, who is created by and copyright of Cloudchaser Shaconage and Victor, who is
copyright himself.

"Contemplation"

Cindy sat at her breakfast table.  It had been a month since she finnished the tour.  What
a month it had been.  Ever since Cassie pointed out her relapse, to her trying to finnish
the tour sober.  Cassie had insisted that the last three shows be played, despite
Cindy’s objections.  At first, the snow leopard bassist was shakey and her performance
was less than stellar.  But that wonderful tiger Cindy loved, flew out to give her the
support she needed.  Cindy drank her coffee as she watched Vic prepare the eggs in
the kitchen.  She felt so guilty for being so hard on the large tiger that first few
weeks.  She could see herself screaming obscenities at him, every time he found one of
her hidden “stashes” of liquor.  Through it all, however, Vic remained calm but firm, telling
her it was her life at stake and that he loved her to much to see her commit suicide.

“My God, I love that man so,” the snow leopard thought as she saw Vic enter with the eggs
and toast.  “How are you feeling this morning, Babe?” Vic asked as he lowered large frame
onto the table chair next to Cindy.  “Better. At least my hands have finnaly stopped
shaking.” Cindy said as she sipped her mug of coffee.  “Good.  How about your head?” the
tiger asked as he looked into her eyes.  “Just fine, doc.  Wanna see the rest of me?”
Cindy said with a smirk as she began to play with her bathrobe.  “Glad too see your
sense of humor is back.  Hated all the vulgar stuff.”

Cindy wrapped her arms around Vic and kissed him before saying, “ Sorry about all that,
but you know that wasn’t me talking.”  “Yes it was, Cind.  Don’t try to kid yourself.
You know where it leads,” Vic said as he stared into her feline face.  The snow leopard
turned away from the tiger to stare out the large glass sliding doors that led out the
large wooden deck that over looked the lapping waves of the Pacific ocean.  “Damn.  Why do
you still love me?  I such a lousy girlfriend.  All I give you is grief and you treat me
like I’m a princess.”  Cindy asked with a wavering voice as she continued to stare out at
the ocean.

Vic gently turned the snow leopard head.  He saw the tears running down her furry face.
He bent down and lapped them as he said, “because I see everything I have always wanted in
a woman in you.  You are smart, funny and one hell of a muscian.  Plus, you like my
eggs.”  Cindy let out a slight chuckle in between sniffles as Vic continued.  “Hang on,
Babe.  You can do it.  I have and I know that you want to.  If not for me, then for Cassie.
I know how much you care for her”  “S-she’s been the best friend I have ever had.  I know
how hard it was for her to have that talk with me,” Cindy replied as she laid her head
on Vic’s chest.

“And make you finnish the tour.  I heard you really argued with her near the end.”  “She
took it just like you.  I called her every name under the sun, usually in private.  But,
she just kept being so damned nice!  I feel like such an ass,” Cindy replied.  “Have
you talked to her since?” Vic asked.  “I-I don’t know.  I don’t think so.  I can’t
remember.  It’s been such a blur,” Cindy said quietly.  Vic gave Cindy a kiss on her
forehead and said ”Well, I have been keeping her informed.  She’s been calling just
about every day.”  “Thanks Love.” Cindy began, “but, could you get me the phone? I know
a certian vixen that I need to talk to.”

In the small room, a silver blck vixen morph with very long white head hair stood at
the enterance of her small cabin.  The vixen was dressed in black leather pants and wearing
a black lace blouse.  On her right hand was a rather large leather glove.  As she scanned
the morning sky, Shiva wondered where Gandalf had gotten to.  Since she came back from
the tour, he had been taking longer twilight voyages.  “Mistess.  I approach.  Be
ready, please,” a voice replied in the silver black vixen’s mind.

Acting almost on instinct, Shiva raised her gloved black furred hand paw and waited
patiently. Less than a minute later a barn owl came down from the sky and landed on the
glove.  “Where have you been today?” Shiva asked in her mind as she stared into the
owl’s large flat eyes.  “Many places.  Much to see.  Much to eat,” Gandalf replied as well
as sharing with Shiva some of his tastes and smells in the link to the vixen‘s mind.
While this usually didn’t bother her, the owl’s thoughts of whatever he last consumed
tended to upset her stomach.

“Please, spare the details of that last squrrel you ate.  Did you see anything that I should know about?“ Shiva asked as she carried Gandalf back towards the little cottage she was staying in, coutesy of Cassie.  “No Mistress.  I see them not.  The one’s you told me of,” the owl sent.  As she reached the door of the cabin, she took a quick look around the perimeter.  She was scheduled to have a meeting with her security staff later today.  There were a few lapses by some of her people that will have to be corrected, before the band went out again in late July.

It was hard enough to keep a watchful eye on Cindy and her ’difficulties”, but now the
band’s drummer Alex was becoming worried about her cop boyfriend’s “undercover work.”
This last issue was important, since the undercover work that Rafe was doing was actually
for Shiva and Alex’s prying could put both the lynx cop and the little arctic fox drummer
at high risk.  Senseing her troubled thoughts, Gandalf sent “All not well,
Mistress?”

“Nothing that need concern you.  I have your dinner prepared.  Hungry?” Shiva said as
she ented the cottage and placed the owl on his perch. “Of course.  Much flying alawys
makes one hungry,” Gandalf sent as he turned his head 45 degress to see the rabbit parts
that Shiva was bringing.  “Enjoy.  I’ll be in the next room.  Please wait until you
are finished before sending to me, okay?“ the silver-black vixen sent to the eating
owl, before she filled her thoughts with scented roses and other flowers.

Cassie held her old ovation acoustic guitar over her lap.  She was working on the intro to
a new song in the small studio in the basement of the ski lodge that her and her fiance',
the tall human named Foxoinan shared.  Her better half was in town doing some shopping.
It was a warm spring day in the Berkshires, yet Cassie didn’t feel like leaving the
lodge.  The red fox vixen morph placed the guitar on it’s stand and stood up.  She
adjusted the hemm of the dark blue slevelss mini dress she wore.  As she slightly adjusted
her neck choker, she thought again about Cindy.

Why did she refuse to talk to her? The snow leopard had been out of the hospital for almost
a month, yet every time she tried to call, it was Vic who answered.  Although he usually
told Cassie how Cindy was coming along, each time Cassie wanted to speak to Cindy, Vic
usally said she was sleeping or was with her AA partner.  While that might have been true,
it still seemed a little odd.  Cassie pushed her extremely long black head hear back from
her face as she bent down to put on the white sneakers that were on the floor in front of
her.  Cassie felt a little odd not wearing her garter belt and either light brown or
light blue nylon stockings, especially since she wore them most of the time on tour.

However,this little dress’s hemline ended at mid-thigh,so her garter staps would really show, instead of being partially concealed by the folds of her long ankle length thigh slitted dress.  “However, if I went goth and painted this little dress black, I could get away with it.  Have to ask Rachel what she would think of me in that getup!” Cassie thought to herself, especially the look of her gothic doe keyboardist's face at the news.  That brought a chuckle to the  Rock Vixen’s mouth.

*RING*

Cassie quickly last up her right sneaker and made a dash to the phone.  “Hello?“ Cassie
asked as she held the reciever.  “Guess who?” came a familiar voice.  “CIND!! How are you?
I have been so worried about you!“ Cassie replied excidedly.  “Better.  Listen Cass.  I
would like to apologise for all that crap I put you though or all those things I said to
you, but I have done that too many times to count.  I think that for the good of the band,
I should just say my goodbyes.”  Cassie was silent for a moment before saying, “So,
are you requesting to leave the band?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s what I’m saying,” Cindy said in a low voice.  “Request denied,”
Cassie replied.  “Cass,  C’mon.  You know it’s for the best,” Cindy began before
Cassie interrupted, “For you, not for me.  I need a bass player that I can count on to carry
a concert, that’s you.  I saw how you did after you stopped drinking for those last thee
days.  Sure it was hell for you, but you still payed  better than most.”  “You’re just
saying that to make me feel better, right? Cindy said quietly.

“No, I’m not.  Listen Cind.  I don’t know what it’s like to have a drinking problem, but I
do know how hard you have worked to beat it.  And I also think that you feel like you let
me down and runined our freindship.  Am I right?” Cassie asked.  “You always could read
my mind.  So,what do we do now?” Cindy said ina very tired voice.  “Well, since I
still consider you my best friend and I don’t think you let me down, I don’t see a problem.
I just don’t want you  to quit.  I care for you too much."

The Rock Vixen took her left black furred hand paw and began to curl it around the phone
cord as she waited anxiously for the snow leopard to answer.  “Cass, you are the
most wonderful person I have ever known.  You’re right.  I can’t leave you.  If you want me
to stay, then I will.  I care for you a lot, too.  I can’t make any promises, but with
Vic supporting me and your belief in me, I’ll give in another try.  Thanks for believing
in me, Cass.  I love you for it.” Cindy said excidedly.

Cassie had a fanged grinn on her face as she said, “You just lsten to Vic and stay out
of trouble.  Oh,be sure to call more often.  Else, I’ll have to come out and see you
in person.”  “Hey!  That’s an idea!  How about you and Foxonian come out to see me Vic
for some beach fun? You still got that one-piece light blue swimsuit?  The one with the
large black c-cleif  across the torso?”  “You mean the one with the low strappless back?
Yeah I got that.  Still got that black string bikini?” Cassie said with a slight laugh.

“You bet.  I also bought Vic a pair of those lifeguard-like red trunks, but he always likes
to swim in bluejean cut-offs.  Still can’t figure that one,” Cindy said with a laugh.
“Well, Foxonian likes those blue trunks I bought him, so I guess I have my man well
trained,” Cassie replied with a giggle.  “Okay.  I’ll call you back, so I can set it up
with Vic and you can get that fiance of yours to agree.  Gotta run.  Thanks for being
there, Cass.  Bye!” Cindy said.  “Okay.  Bye Cind!” The Rock Vixen replied before hanging
up the reciever.  Cassie looked at the acoustic guitar.  She picked up the guitar by
it’s strap and headed up the stairs tword the front door.  Yes, Cassie thought, it’s too
nice to be playing inside.

THE END