The doors of the elevator opened, revealing an impressively large lounge bar and a wall of
windows that gave a breathtaking view of the night-time cityscape. Renee felt Dez place his hands
on her shoulders and gently guide her out of the elevator before she was able to blink the
amazement out of her expression.
'Impressive, isn't it?' He said to her in a soft voice.
'It's... amazing.' Renee replied, now looking from her right and slowly panning her gaze around to
the left. A lavish bar was along the wall to her right, divided into sections that accommodated people
of her own size as well as those a little smaller and a little larger. On the far side was a dance floor
with a nearby recessed area that had a piano, a set of drums and a few other instruments she didn't
recognize set up but not currently being used.
The wall to her left was essentially nothing but window, obscured only by the rows of tables and
chairs and their various occupants. Everything was lavish, trimmed with gold embellishments or
deep varnished timbers. Numerous chandeliers hung along the length of the bar and were sparsely
hung above the dining area, giving enough light to evoke a romantic or peaceful setting. And finally,
a short distance before them was the entrance behind a series of small bollards holding up a thick
velvet rope. A small standing desk was there where a stoat woman in a short red dress watched
them approach expectantly.
'This... this place looks amazing.' Renee repeated as Dez let go of her shoulders and instead
wrapped his arm around her.
'It's a place where we can enjoy ourselves risk free.' Dez replied as they stepped up to the
entrance. He took his phone from his pocket and held it ready as the stoat lifted her gaze from the
desk and offered a warm smile.
'Welcome to Smalltown Nightlife's premiere dance bar.' She began. 'May I offer you some help?'
'I have a room.' Dez replied, loading a digital registration form he had prepared. 'Dezmond
Classen'
'Uhh, yes.' The stoat woman quickly scanned the number with a glance and entered it into her
own terminal. 'Yes, Mr. Classen. Would the two of you like a table right away or will you be visiting
the bar first?'
'What do you think?' Dez asked Renee.
'Oh, I think some drinks would be a nice way to build an appetite.' Renee replied. 'Unless you're
hungry now?'
'The bar it is.' Dez replied. 'Would there be a table available in twenty minutes?'
'I will have it ready.' The woman replied with a curt nod. Dez and Renee each thanked her and
proceeded through past the edge of the tables towards the bar itself. Most of the tables were full at
the moment, with couples and groups of friends keeping mostly to themselves. There was a mix of
patrons, from larger rodentia to smaller breeds of predator, but Renee noticed that she and Dez
seemed to be the only couple who were one of each. And it was turning a few heads.
'People are looking at us.' Renee whispered to him as they took seats beside each other at the
larger end of the bar. It was still slightly too large for the rabbit, but she made do with it to keep
beside Dez. It would have been a little more awkward for the raccoon to try and sit at the smaller
section.
'Who wouldn't?' Dez replied. 'You are absolutely dazzling.'
'Oh, don't be such a doofus.' Renee giggled. 'They're probably all taking bets on whether I'll be
alive in the morning or raccoon food.' As if to illustrate how unafraid she was of the latter option,
she stood on her barstool and carefully stepped across, positioning herself to sit in the raccoon's lap.
As she did this, the bartender for the section approached. She was a small desert cat of grey fur
and silver hair cut short, closer to Renee's size and amusingly small for the bar she was serving at.
'Hello, can I help you?'
'Hi.' Dez replied. 'Whiskey please, top shelf and on the rocks. And Renee?'
'Let's make that two.' The rabbit replied.
'Right away.' The cat nodded with a small smile, retrieving a stepping stool from under the bar to
reach the higher shelves of the stock behind her. As she dumped the ice cubes into the glasses and
poured the amber liquid in over top, Renee tried to gauge how Dez was reacting to her expensive
addition to the order.
'Why do you look nervous?' He asked as the drinks were pushed forward. 'You wouldn't order a
drink you couldn't handle just to try and impress me, would you?'
'Oh, not at all.' Renee replied, nodding her thanks as the bartender stepped back and turned to
another customer. 'I'm pretty sure I can keep up with you.'
* * *
The twenty minutes passed with Renee visibly failing to live up to her claim, needing Dez to lend a
shoulder once the couple's table was ready. They were given a small table for two right beside the
glass, giving them a spectacular view of the city facing to the east.
'Well, this is embarrassing.' The rabbit murmured as the raccoon helped her to sit. 'I've never
been so dizzy after only three drinks.'
'Top shelf whiskey's no joke.' Dez laughed, taking his seat opposite her. 'Maybe just a water or a
light punch until you've had something to eat, huh?'
'Fiiine, Mister Concerned.' Renee replied. Her eyes failed to co-ordinate in a comical fashion as
she picked up the menu and tried to read, her head and ears swaying slightly and making the task
even harder. 'Ugh, is there a chicken or a turkey dinner on here at all? You read for me.'
'Chicken?' Dez asked, raising an eyebrow. 'Didn't realize bunnies had a taste for poultry. Or any
meat for that matter.'
'These teeth and claws may not be good at hunting and killing like yours are, but that's not a
problem when someone else does all that work for me is it?' Renee retorted with a small smile.
'Touché Madam.' Dez nodded with a small smile of his own. 'Know what? Chicken sounds good.'
'Let's find a waitress.' Renee suggested. 'I'm hungry now.' Her eyes wavered as she tried to single
out one of the wait staff, while Dez easily identified a young-looking woman between tables in well-
dressed attire similar to what the bartender had been wearing.
She noticed, turning to face the pair and revealing a face similar to Renee's in its rabbit shape and
features. As she approached the table, she withdrew a notepad and pen from her apron pockets and
stopped beside them with a smile. 'So, what would the two of you like this evening?' If she had any
opinions about the pair being carnivore and herbivore, she gave no sign.
'We'd both like the chicken, please.' Dez replied. 'And some ice water to pad out our whiskeys for
a little longer.'
'Two...?' The rabbit asked.
'Yes, two.' Renee confirmed. 'Have you ever tried it? It's delicious.'
'I haven't.' The waitress replied. 'But, two chicken dinners and ice waters coming right up.' She
turned and left, this time unable to hide a modicum of distaste at Renee's demeanour and insistence
that she would eat meat.
'She seemed... a little off put.' Dez observed once the woman had left earshot.
'It's...' Renee began, seeming to sober slightly as the unpleasant matter came to her mind. 'It's
the fact that rabbits are so often prey, the thought of one of us becoming a carnivore is... It's like a
violation of some unwritten law, you know?'
'I don't think I understand.' Dez shrugged. 'Is it really that big of a deal? You know everyone thinks
squirrels are vegetarians, but that isn't true either.'
'Yea.' Renee nodded. 'It's not the same. I've always just had this fascination with predators. Like
Firros I guess? But he could have eaten me in one piece. And frankly, that thought was always as
terrifying as it was exhilarating.'
'You sound a bit like an adrenalin junkie.' Dez remarked. 'Most people like you just hit roller
coasters or go parasailing. But to try and date someone that could literally eat you alive? I must say
you're a braver person than me.'
'Well, I was always the stand out in my family.' Renee shrugged. There was silence for a few
moments as the waitress returned with a tray and deposited two glasses of ice water with straws
onto the table between them. When she was gone, Renee continued. 'I haven't even seen most of
them in almost a year. My parents visited once since I moved here, but they don't want to come
back.'
'You must have moved here as soon as the Equality Act was passed.' Dez remarked. 'Actually, it
sounds like almost... before?'
'My address was listed here while it was going through their Parliament.' Renee explained. 'But I
didn't actually move myself into the city until just after, when all the legal protections kicked in.'
'I'm impressed, again.' Dez raised his glass. 'You might just be the first rabbit to have moved
here.'
'No.' Renee smiled and shook her head. 'There were plenty ahead of me in line, chasing the
money opportunities of the big city full of rich cats.'
The next hour was a peaceful one, the simple conversations of two people on a first date steadily
getting to know one another over a well-cooked meal. Renee recounted details of her early life in
her small hometown well outside the Eastern Sovereignty's influence but for minor trade routes, and
Dez in turn covered his own quiet life in a similarly small town to the south.
When they had finished eating, conversing, and enjoyed another drink each, their gazes both
panned to the view outside once more. City lights were everywhere, like a brighter artificial
reflection of the sky above. Renee noticed the irony that the city lights actually obscured the stars,
the brightness from below making it difficult to see the natural beauty above.
'You look tired?' Dez said suddenly. 'Do you want to head up to the room and appreciate it a little
before you fall asleep?'
'If it's as fancy as everywhere else here, then yes.' Renee nodded, slowly bringing her eyes back to
his and blinking slowly. 'But you might need to lend me your shoulder to get there...'
The room was as luxurious as the restaurant had been, and as the raccoon helped the rabbit
through the door and towards the polished timber kitchen counter, she found herself looking
through another large window. Dez stepped away and left her leaning on the counter for a few
moments before he stepped to the other side and took her hands.
'Jump.' He said, tightening his grip. She nodded with a smile, then used his assistance to jump and
land in a sitting position on the counter top before leaning across to lean on the raccoon's shoulder.
Renee could not stop herself from giggling, the alcohol addling her mind and limbs especially after
the effort of jumping with such a full belly. 'Ohh, I hope you're still strong enough to carry me
completely if I collapse.'
'Is that dinner sitting alright?' Dez asked, lowering one of his hands to the distended shape of the
rabbit's abdomen. The dinners had been the same size, and he had handled it much easier and
faster than her.
'Oh, the dinner was amazing.' She answered. 'It's the drinks I think I overdid it on.'
'Then your limit is three.' Dez nodded, pulling her across the counter and closer to himself. 'I think
that's a good thing to know. For both of us. Now there's another thing I'd like to know.'
'Oh?' Renee felt herself pulled, her back against his chest as he took advantage of his extra height
to stand behind the counter and hold her in place. His chin rested on her shoulder briefly before he
moved his muzzle closer to one of her ears. His left hand rested on her belly, and his right wrapped
around to grip her left shoulder.
'A cooked meal like that... doesn't really compare to live prey, does it?' He whispered.
Renee felt as though she had sobered two drinks worth in an instant when he dropped the
question. Her mind raced, matching the sudden adrenalin fuelled beating of her own heart as his
grip tightened very subtly, but enough for her to notice. 'W-what do you mean?' She managed,
turning her head very slightly.
'Did you forget?' He asked. 'Security. I watch the cameras. Imagine my surprise when a young
rabbit floor manager gives sanctuary to an office worker, they move off camera to sleep, and then?'
'Ohh...' Renee realized what he was referring to almost instantly. 'This is about Karson?'
'I didn't look into who it was.' Dez shrugged.
'So... are you gonna report me?' Renee asked. 'Or have you already? Or are you just gonna...?'
'Relax.' Dez whispered again. 'I just wanted you to confirm that you did it. You did, didn't you?
Turned that mouse into a midnight snack? How did it feel?'
'It was...' Renee began to pant with the memory, feeling the same arousal at the thought as she
had during the act itself. 'It was amazing. The way he squirmed. Pleaded, tried so desperately to
fight back... I never felt so...'
'I'll bet.' Dez grinned. He leaned closer, losing his composure for a moment and running his
tongue over her cheek. 'Oh, Renee. You are absolutely delicious. And yet I can't help but be intrigued
by your decision to play cat.'
'What happens now...?' Renee asked, feeling her fear begin to mix with anticipation.
'I think... we should take our clothes off and check out that bed.' Dez answered, gripping Renee
even tighter to his chest.
