Tanja sits in the den between Vincent and Celeste, cleaning the last of her Master's mess from her glasses. The cougar pulls her over to cuddle as Vincent flips the flat screen from the adult movie they had been watching over to the news. “... three days with no sign of a rare, melanistic cougar that escaped the city zoo last Friday. While raised in captivity by zoo staff and well known for its friendly disposition towards people, the handlers have requested that no one approach the animal if found. Having no reliable food source he may resort to instinct and therefor should be considered dangerous. Authorities ask that if spotted, please call animal control immediately with details of his location and traveling direction.” The blue jay turns to his left, “And now over to Anna Lee with a breaking story.”

The camera switches to a husky black bear, “Thank you Tom. The Hawthorne City police department has issued a statement for public safety after a series of rape case have cropped up in the south-eastern metropolitan area. Reports say the attacks began near the International Airport with three middle-aged victims early Friday night. The next attack occurred later that night, four miles south near a high school when a senior student was walking home from a football game. According to the report, another four cases have cropped up over the past two days and still no eye witnesses. Worse still, the rapist seems to have no particular tastes in victims with a total of eight so far ranging from eighteen to sixty-three with both males and females of varying species. The only common thread in these brutal assaults is the late hours at which they occur and that no one has been able to describe their attacker. Police have asked citizens in the south-eastern region of the city to stay indoors at night as the perpetrator only attacks his victims outside in areas of heavy darkness. If you must go out, stay in lighted areas preferably in groups of five or more. Police hope to catch the assailant as soon as possible but analysts say he may have already left the city.” The picture cuts to video of a stuffy looking mouse the news bar claims to be a criminal psychologist, “If we look at the pattern, he is clearly on a path out of city proper. We believe he may have flown in late Friday evening, already planning to leave and is simply satisfying his debase urges with our innocent civilians.”

The two anchors, both looking a bit sullen, reappear on screen, “A horrible turn of events. We can only hope that the fine men and women of our H.C.P.D can capture this sicko before he adds anymore victims to his tally or worse, escapes to a new town to start his rampage all over... Thank you Anna. We'll be back with more right here on your morning news.” As the scene cuts to commercials, Vincent huffs and grabs his phone from the end table, “Excuse me ladies, it seems I have work to do.” The bare naked fox gets to his feet and slips into his robe, dialing furiously. Celeste sighs and pets on Tanja with a low purr, “It makes me happy knowing our staff lives on the grounds. I'd worry myself sick thinking of you or poor Liam going home at night with vicious animals like that out there.” The mouse giggles softly, snuggling into the ample bosom that is her pillow at the moment, “Danke meine Frau. It makes me feel good knowing you care so much.” A knock at the door draws their attention while Vincent busies himself on the phone with someone, so Celeste calls them in. Tanja's eyes go wide at the behemoth that ducks in through the door. A jet black reptile with vibrant, gold eyes straightens himself out as he pads over to the couch. At full height he must be nearly nine feet tall, his shoulders close to three wide. And as far as Tanja could tell, he was all lean, cut muscle draped in nothing but some loose shorts. More than a dozen two-foot long spines hang from the back of his head, including two notably longer spines that stand up like rabbit ears. As his large reptilian eyes focus on the mouse she quivers, a weak squeak escaping her.

Celeste pulls her between her massive cleavage with a gentle pat, “Hello John. I'd like you to meet Miss Tanja Samenträger, our new service maid. Tanja, this is John. He's... sort of an odd jobs man but we hired him to take care of the animals we keep.” A thin smile creases his lips, the lids of his eyes lowering just a bit. It was a predator's grin and it made Tanja wet, “A pleasure to meet you.” The smirk fades quickly though, “I'm afraid we'll have to get acquainted later however as the animals are why I am here. One of the goat pins was broken into last night. I found most of them wandering the field this morning but five were missing when I did a head count. I found a lot of blood and some inedible pieces of four in the pin. There's a short trail of blood leading into the wooded area at the back of property. I'd like permission to do a little hunting.” He hides the grin that springs up with his last word well, but his eyes light up like a child's at Christmas and the ladies could see it. There is an angry mutter behind them as Vincent calls from the other side of the room, “Permission granted John but I want you to take the dart gun. I'd prefer to have the culprit alive.” The large drake looks a little dismayed as he turns and nods, “Of course Sir.” “Tanja.” The mouse pokes her head over the top of the couch at the sound of her name, the Master now addressing her, “I would like you to accompany him. The darts come portioned for the animals we keep. With your veterinary schooling, I'd feel better if you were there to administer an antagonist if the dosage is too high.” Tanja frowns a little but nods her consent, “Yes Sir. I vill go dress in something more appropriate then meet you near the stables, ja?” John contemplates the mouse for a moment then sighs, “Alright. Wear thick jeans and shoes with good traction, the terrain is kinda rough once we get into the woods.”

Fifteen minutes later Tanja finds John securing a gas-operated pistol to his hip. He hands her a small briefcase, “Here. This contains the darts and a bottle of diprenorphine. Each dart is dosed to deliver three and a half milligrams of etorphine. Are you ready to go?” Tanja nods, a determined look on her face, “Ja. I vill do my best to stay out of the vay until the beast is subdued. But first I vould like to prepare a syringe of M5050.” John gives her a curious look as she digs out the small vial. After a careful measurement and recapping the hypo, she fits the items back into their foam-lined case, “Alright... einsatzbereit.” The blank look on the drake's face told her she had missed the mark with her statement making the inside of her ears tint pink, “Ah... I am ready.” John smiles and nods, “Okay then. Hop on and hold tight.” He then drops down onto all fours, crouching low to the ground. Tanja approaches hesitantly, looking him over in confusion and slight awe. Before she can delay any longer his muscular, prehensile tail lashes around her waist and drops her on his back. She has just enough time to press the case between her and the reptile's back before he takes off at a gallop, clinging to a length of rope lashed around his chest. Bounding off like a startled horse, his thundering gait eats the the mile's distance to the woods in just under a minute.

Tanja slips from his back, using a shaky hand to smooth out her wind-whipped fur. There is a quiet huff from John as he takes the briefcase from the trembling mouse. While she comes down from the adrenaline rush, he loads a dart into the breech and primes the firing mechanism. Clicking the safety on, he holsters the pistol and hands the case back to Tanja, “You okay?” She clear her throat and utters a soft affirmation, motioning for him to lead on. He hunkers down again and slinks into the forest just beyond the property line. As Tanja straddles the top of the metal fence she watches him move fluidly through the flora, much like a big cat on the prowl. His head rises to look back at her, “You coming?” She jumps down and rushes to catch up with him, keeping a quiet pace a few steps behind as he resumes the hunt.

Three hot, grueling hours pass with no fruit borne of the search. The light tank top that Tanja had chosen was little consolation on this late summer afternoon. While she has been trying her best to keep on the move, hiking over rough terrain with increasingly dense foliage is a far cry from what she is used to. As they come to a small clearing, she settles down onto a large rock protruding over a shallow stream, “I am sorry mein Herr but I cannot continue this pace. I am not in such good condition as you.” John does not hide his annoyance well, a low growl rumbling in his throat, “I know this is only the second break you've taken but I can't keep stopping. Every minute we waste the trail gets colder. I lost the scent of blood an hour ago as is and the animal's is already starting to blend with the area. Look...” He helps her back to her feet, leading her to a large oak, “I'll take you up a few branches and you can wait up there until I circle back. Another couple of miles and I'll be at the base of the mountain. If I don't find it by then I'll come pick you up and we'll head back for the night. Deal?” She frowns up at the nearest branch, maybe a foot above John's head. It really is not that far but that did not make her feel any better about it. Being so small, heights had become an ingrained fear when she was young. She never grew out of it. But the idea of being left alone in the woods with a large predator prowling about was worse yet. She opens the case to hand John the filled syringe, “If the animal is under five-hundred pounds, use to this mark here. It vill counteract the M99 enough to keep it alive but still sedated. If it stops breathing, administer another dose to here. If all else fails, restrain the animal und use the rest.” John studies the small dashes she had pointed out, committing them to memory before hefting her up over his head and onto the branch. The ease of which he can lift her stuns the mouse, she may as well have been a doll. She brings her legs up to rest along the wide limb and props up against the trunk, “If you forget me, I'll kill you.” John lets out a short, hearty laugh as he turns away, “Now that would be something.” With that he bounds away at a much faster pace, climbing into a tree and traveling through the dense canopy.

Another hour goes by before Tanja begins to worry. John seemed a very capable hunter but was there a chance he had been caught off guard? The thought does not sit well in her stomach and every minute that crawls by without his return her tension worsens. As the second hour alone approaches, Tanja contemplates leaving the safety of the tree. While she was no outdoor explorer, she knew the house was just north of the small mountain range that buffered the city from the coastal region of the state. And with the day waning, she could easily discern which way north is. She finally decides to go through with her plan, lowering the case of tranquilizers to the ground as gently as possible before going herself. As she lays her belly over the branch to lower herself a noise from a higher branch draws her attention. For a brief moment, time slows and her mind locks up as it tries to process the impossibility staring her in the face. Then terror grips her, tremors wracking her body and weakening her grip. A massive, black cat leers at her with silvery blue eyes. A deep rumbling sound emanates from the poised feline, its large paws kneading into its perch. It is ready to pounce.

As time catches up with her she lets out a horrified shriek. In her panic she tumbles from the branch, landing on the hard case below. Her back screams as stars swim through her vision. Tanja rolls onto her stomach, grabbing the case as she stumbles to her feet in an attempt to escape. Her hands fumble with the latches as she aims to put distance between her and the beast. In her haste though the case flies open, spilling its contents. As she fumbles for one of the falling darts a weight crashes into her back. Pain shoots up her arms and the wind is knocked from her as she hits the ground. All attempts to get up are met with stalwart resistance, the weight source now pinning her arms. Tears well up in her eyes as a hot breath rumbles out and cascades down the back of her neck. Choking back sobs, she reaches for one of the scattered darts. Her outstretched fingers tremble as they barely brush one, only to knock it further from her, “NEIN! Gott en Himmel bitte... JOHN! HELP PLEASE!” She looses control as her cries are answered only by fangs grazing the back of her neck.

The sharp implements drag through her fur until they hook the neck of her shirt. She shrieks as the cat snarls, jerking suddenly, expecting to feel her flesh split. Instead there is a quick tightness at her arms and collar before the sound of tearing fabric reaches her ears. She cranes her neck to look as one large paw releases an arm, planting on her right buttock. Four sharp pricks make her whimper as her jeans are shredded, her soft rump escaping with only light scratches. It repeats this process, cutting away the loose scraps until her backside is entirely exposed. Tanja props herself up on the freed arm, looking back incredulously, “Was machst du da? Verpiss dich!” Its head tilts curiously, tongue lolling slightly as it pants. It then chirps, as if asking permission. The odd noise throws her off and during her confusion the cat makes its move. With a heavy paw, it pushes her back down into the dirt, shifting its weight behind her. The broad nose nuzzles the back of her neck again and it is now that Tanja realizes she has been mistaking the signs. It has not been growling and snarling. It has been purring. As the maw parts and teeth prickle her neck again she can feel it scooting its haunches forward. It is not trying to eat her, he is trying to mount her. Suddenly the news reports make sense, Tanja realizing this must be the pigmented cougar. And as his hips thrust, his narrow tip rubbing at her underside, she figures he must be the 'predator' the police were looking for as well. The thought actually makes her laugh despite her position. Which seems much better given what she thought was happening. She will take semi-consensual sex over a painful, visceral death any day.

Tanja tries to relax as he jabs at her loins, squeaking loudly when he hits the mark. In her back door. She claws at the ground as the short and slender shaft prods her in rapid bursts. Her eyes water again as the spines rake along her insides, biting her lip as he erupts. A slippery load stings her raw hole while he remains perched on her rump, waiting to finish his business. Tanja sighs heavily, sending dust and loose vegetation scattering in a small cloud, “Scheiße... I'm going to need a few days off after this. Please pull avay slowly, ja?” Were it not for the scraping, Tanja imagines this might actually be enjoyable. He was not big even by average standards, but the incredible warmth and excited pulse made him feel like a heated vibrator. The pleasant thought sends a shiver through her, causing her muscles to clench. The purring in her ear grows noticeably louder at this and suddenly the cat is thrusting again. Tanja squeaks and whines, thrashing her forearms to try deterring him from another round, “Vait... You're supposed to get off now!” As if on cue he does just that, laying another light load in her. She groans as the fresh wave of heat begins to sooth the soreness now, taking some of the bite out of the barbs. A moan escapes her lips as the puma continues to pump her this time, acting on her more receptive behavior.

Ten minutes and a few shots of cat cum later, Tanja pants heavily into the dirt. The sloppy mess drooling out around the feline cock rolls over her hot love lips, making her quiver. With the 'gentler' pace and rest periods, she has been denied climax. Her body now yearns for release, preferably through the application of something large stuffed in her ignored puss. She drags her nails through the fine fur on the black cat's head, whispering her wants to him, hoping to entice him into her other hole. He simply purrs loudly in her ear. It turns to a snarl as his body spasms suddenly before wavering and going completely limp throughout. He slumps over on his side next to her, ceasing to move entirely as he settles. It takes her a second to realize what is happening, the red fletching on the dart telling all. John scoops her up into a seated position, keeping her upright with an arm. But as he clamors to make sure she is alright, he receives a response he is not expecting. The mostly naked mouse puts one hand on his chest to stabilize while the other pushes the loose inseam of his shorts into his crotch, “Aw... Was ist das? Big, burly man but no manhood? Someone as big as you, I thought you'd have ein groß swchanz...” John frowns at the accusation, pushing a syringe into the invasive hand, “It all tucks in when not in use. I told you we'd get to know each other later but for now you need to use this. There's no way that cat is eight-hundred pounds...” He moves over to the drugged animal, hefty it into his arms to get a feel for it, “I'd say closer to three-hundred. Look... the Doc usually inoculates the animals, his hands work better for the finesse stuff.”

Tanja whines and pouts, leaning over to administer a dose of the antagonist agent. She brushes through the black fur until she finds a good vein. When she is done she gathers up the spilled 'hunting' materials to pack them for transport, “You have thirty minutes before he vakes. May I suggest you get us back before time runs out? He is... friendly enough but I do not know how he'll react to the sedatives.” The drake wastes no time, using the rope to secure the large feline to his back, “Alright, it's pretty dense foliage between here and the goat field but I think I can make it. We've got a trouble pen for aggressive and unruly animals we can keep him in until we figure out what to do with him.” Tanja lets out a despondent sigh as she climbs onto his back once more, lodging herself slightly under the dozing cougar, “Sehr gut. Let us go then.” The rough ride home distracts Tanja from her problem for a time as John takes to the trees once more, traveling far faster than their trek in. When they hit the treeline he really lays on the speed. They arrive back at the stables with time to spare, allowing them to get the puma settled and secured in his new cage.

John finds Tanja a saddle blanket to cover up with before calling Vincent out to inspect their spoils. When he and his wife arrive, John administers the last of the diprenorphine to rouse the cat. He quickly clears the cage as it thrashes with sudden energy, scrambling to its feet and scanning its surroundings. Though jittery, it calms slightly at the sight of the four looking in on him, his eyes focusing on Celeste and Vincent. The fennec eyes him back with a slightly bemused look, “That's him alright, the melanistic cougar we treated as a cub... What... Three years back?” Celeste nods, putting a hand through the bars to beckon the creature forward, “Yes. The breeding that lead to his coat had left him with a serious congenital dysfunction. I still can't believe you let that loon work on a four-day old cub.” The cougar is hesitant to approach his polar opposite, though recognition lights in his eyes and he nuzzles into her hand. John watches apprehensively as Vincent joins in petting the large cat as if he were just a kitten, “He looks happy and healthy to me. Hmm...” He takes the cat under the jaw, bringing their eyes level, “You understand what we're saying pretty well don't you? You've spent a lot of time around people. You like them a lot now, don't you? That's why you raped all those people. You think we're viable because we're all you know.”

The cougar licks his lips, staring up at the fennec with a placid gaze. Vincent nods, “Of course. Would you like to go back to your handlers? I'm sure they miss you.” His ears droop a little and his purring stops as he looks between the couple. Celeste lets out a soft laugh, nudging Vincent, “Look at that face... You like it outside don't you sweetie? Why don't we keep him? He's obviously quite docile as long as he isn't hungry.” Tanja grumbles, “Or horny...” Celeste pats her shoulder in a calming manner, “Yes, well I imagine Doctor Spaaz can help us with that. I will train him to remain on the grounds and,” She turns to a displeased looking John, “eat only what we feed him, when we feed him.” Vincent sighs and nods, “Unfortunately, if we turn him in they will likely euthanize him and I'd rather not see that. If you can behave yourself, you can stay here. That means no more eating goats and tearing up the residents. Understand?” The loud purring resumes and he turns to Tanja, an eager look in his eyes. She groans and turns away, “Forget it. Dein scharf Stock ist zu schmerzhaft.” Vincent chuckles, something sadistic in his voice now, “Oh don't worry Miss Samenträger. I think the good doctor will have something to help with that. We'll have him come down tonight with some of his gene benders to take care of that problem.” Tanja looks back with a slight frown, the puma licking his maw eagerly as he stares after her. She points at him and glares, “I know vhere the chemicals are now Schatzë. You stay put until you're more user-friendly.” He simply licks his lips again as her watches her limp away.