NEW PATHS TAKEN

Written by & copyright of Foxonian Foxonian@aol.com

Featuring Cassie, Foxonian (Cassie's husband), Cindy (Cassie's bassist), Victor (Cindy's fiancee),
Shiva (Cassie's security cheif) and Gandalf (Shiva's companion)

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

Please read the prequil, "The Bargain," featuring Rachel (Cassie's Keyboardist) and Dominic (Rachel's fiance')
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/the_bargain.txt
Please read the sequil, "Home Front," featuring Cassie, Foxonian (Cassie's husband) and Cindy (Cassie's bass player)
http://www.cassietherockvixen.furtopia.org/home_front.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 and Cloudchaser, who are created by and copyright of Cloudchaser Shaconage and
Victor & Ben, who are copyright themselves.

"New paths taken"

"I don't understand, Cass.  You mean to say that you are going to break up the band? Just what are you talking
about?"  A suprised Cindy asked from the sofa of her California beach house.  Next to the snowleopard, a large
white tiger sat wearing denim shorts and a grey t-shirt that said "Forever Surfing."  Cindy herself was wearing a
tan tank top, tan athetic shorts and like the tiger next to her,Vic, a pair of flip-flop type sandles.  Sitting on
the sofa across from them was a tall, red fox vixen morph with extremely long, black, full head-hair and light blue
cat-like eyes.  She wore a light blue t-shirt, light blue mini-skirt and sneakers.  Around her neck was a black
leather choaker with an oval blue centered gem.  Next to her was a tall human with shoulder length dark brown
hair accented by streaks of grey.  He wore a blank dark blue t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

As she took a can of diet soda that had been provided for thier guests by Cindy and Vic, Cassie began "Cind.  You
have to realize.  I'm going to be pushing 30 soon.  So are you and Rachel.  We can't end up being like the Stones
or even the ficticious Spinal Tap.  Cranking out the same old stuff for fans until were ready for Social Security.
That leaves us with eather two choices.  We either go radical experimenttal with our next album, or we pack it in
now and do a reunion show in about 15 years or so.  Quite frankly, Cind.  I'm growing tired of this prog metal
stuff.  Or performing in general."  "So, does this mean you are going to retire and spend the rest of your life as
an old married homebody?" the snowleopard asked, looking in Foxonian's direction.  "Well,I could say the same
for you,since you and Vic announced your engagement last month," Cassie replied.

"Just what are you saying, Cass?  This is new to me as well," The Rock Vixen's Human husband asked.  With an
exasperated look, Cassie said, "What I'm saying is I feel like we are all in a "rut" and it's begining to affect
my creativity.  Do you realise I haven't composed anything in over 6 months?  Each time I try,it sounds like
something we have already done.  I tired writing on our honeymoon, at home, nothing works.  And don't tell me you
have picked up your bass in that much time.  Everytime I ask, you and Vic are always surfing or working on getting
Vic's chain of waterski accessory shops going."  "I'll admit Cind has been a big help to me get the store chain off
and running.  We have stores in just about each mall in California and are looking tword going nationwide.  I mean,
we are the only surf shop that offers stuff made just for furry-morphs.  It's a huge demand to fill," Vic said as
he grabbed a can of diet ginger ale for himself and popped it open.

"I know were you are going with this Cass, but I still want the band to keep going.  I think we have a good 5
more albums in us.  You got to admit with you, me, Laretta on rhythm guitar, Vixina on fiddle and Rachel and
Alex bringing up the bottom line, we are a powerhouse.  Better than any other female act and equal to anything the
boys can kick out right now.  Am I right or what?"  Cindy asked leaning over to look at the Rock vixen with her
typical sly "you know I'm right" grin.  Cassie laughed before replying, "Okay.  You got me there.  But the
question still is,where do we go from here?   Our last 3 albums were all so simmilar in terms of both lyrics and
lyrical content.  We need to do something different."

"You mean like The Beatles Sgt. Pepper?  Or The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds?" Foxonian asked.  "Or Metallica's "Black Album" whatever it's title was," Vic added.  "That's exactly what I mean!  I think we have got to get out of this rut.  Any ideas, Cind?"  Looking thoughful for a moment, Cindy said "We could do metallic bluegrass," she then began laughing hysterically.  Cassie, however, sported a snarl on her muzzle and yelled, "WOULD YOU BE SERIOUS FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE?????"  At this point, everyone in the room including Foxonian stared in started suprise at this explosive outburst from the normally reserved Rock Vixen.  "I-I'm sorry Cass.  I didn't realise you were serious." Cindy said with a quiver in her voice.

Cassie then put her left paw hand to her forehead for a moment and relpied, "No.  I am sorry.  That was very rude of
me.  I don't know why I got so mad.  It's just that this change means a lot to me and I have to have you with me
100% so, I can sell it to the other girls at our band meeting next month.  If you start wise cracking after I trot
this out, I'm sunk.  I need all of you to do what I have in mind.  You backed me before, Cind, I need you now."
Cindy nodded and came over and gave the rock vixen a hug and said, "You know I'll go down in flames with you, Cass.
You are my best bud," Cindy said, turning to look in Vic's direction," Excluding you of course!"  The large tiger
let out a laugh.

As Cindy, Cassie and their S.O.'s continued to talk, a sliverblack vixen with long white head hair, wearing a white
one-piece high thigh swim suit cut low in the front so her chest and 1/2 of her black and white furred breasts
showed along with her golden fox head pendant.  As she turned to walk away, the swimsuit was strapless and even
lower cut in the back revealing her black furred back almost down to the base of her large, fluffy black
furred-white tipped fox-like tail.  At least the bottom of the swim suit covered her furry butt like a athletic
swimsuit did.  Or regular bikini bottom.  As stood on the beach in her swimsuit and in the sand in her bare
human-like feet, Shiva scanned the area of the beach house.

Even though the vamp war had ended with a truce being declared on both sides and securty had been relaxed on Dominic
who was now with his betroted, Shiva still felt she should stay close to cassie and Foxonian.  She cared for them
far too much to ever let them out of her sight.  As she finished her scan with both her eyes and senses, she walked
over to her beach towel and streached out on it.  Lying perfectly flat on her back, allowing the sun rays to warm
her.  She was grateful that furry vamps weren't affected by the sun rays as their human counterparts were.  It was
that one advantage that caused the human vamps to sue for peace when they could have easily been wiped out.  Why
Dominic pressed to have them let off easy, she still didn't understand.  Not after what was done to her.  Not after
how she became what she was.

"Mistress.  Are you asleep?" came a familar voice from within the silverblack vixen's head.  Opening her golden cat-like eyes, she saw a barn owl perched on top of her beach umbrella.  "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Shiva reponded telepathically to Gandalf her owl.  "Air to nice to sleep.  Also, hours not right here.  Feels later than is!" Gandalf replied tilting his head from side to side.  "I never thought owls could get jet-lag.  Anything to report, since you are up?" Shiva asked.  "Nothing mistress.  Enemy is long gone.  Why ask?  Only one near is that human up there in building you were next to."  The silverblack vixen looked up to see Foxonian looking at her from the balcony of the beach house.

As she looked at him, she could feel her heart begin to race.  Feeling that she was pleased that he thought her
so alluring.  As she smiled at him and he smiled back before returning into the house, Shiva's eyes opened wide.
What was she thinking?  He's married to the one woman who showed her any kindness.  And yet Shiva had to admit
to herself that she did want Foxonian.  Was that why she was still here?  She had no rason to be.  And yet, she
kept telling herself he was in danger.  As she thought of him, the silverblack vixen closed her eyes and began to
reach up with her black furred paw hand and began to push down the front of her white swimsuit and massage her
furry breasts.  She then took her other hand and began to move tword the area between her long black furred legs.

Between her own lustful thoughts and the warmth of the sun,she began to feel her whole body arch and her fangs began to grow large.  "Stop!  Mistress!  Stop!!  You are losing control and you are outside!!!  Please Mistress!!  You are the danger to Human now!!!" Gandalf cried in her mind.  With sudden shock, Shiva opened her eyes and jumped up.  Looking at the balcony, she began to weep.  "You are right *sniff*.  My good friend.  We will leave at once.  Go to your cage.  I will change and say my farewells."  "At once Mistress.  And thank you for coming around."  Gandalf spoke as she flew toward the open window in the guest room of Cindy and Vic's cottage.  "No.  Thank you, my friend," Shiva replied and then with a sigh, picked up and folded her beach umbrella and slowly rolled her beach towel.  With a quick glance at the ocean behind her and with a heavy sigh, the silverblack vixen walked toward the beach house, her black, white tipped fox-like tail jutting out a small slit in her swimsuit moving from right to left like a metronome.

THE END