Lexxi woke up in her comfy leather office chair, groggily shaking her head as she tried to regain her senses, fear and confusion racing through her mind. “What the hell just happened?” The lioness mumbled as the fog slowly lifted from her memory. One moment she was just lounging in her living room, enjoying a well-deserved rest after a long day of hard work (freelance journalists don’t have it easy, you know), when suddenly… A cold metal object poked Lexxi in her back. “Stand up and hands where I can see them. This is exactly what you think it is, dear.” The voice of a strange woman spoke slightly flirtatious, but clearly with a threatening undertone. “If you’d be so kind to cooperate, I can promise that all this will be over quickly and painlessly.” She rose up from her couch and slowly turned to face her would-be mugger, a white poodle in her thirties, with blonde hair, a loaded revolver in one hand and a length of rope in the other: Bianca was her name, theft and armed robbery were her game. “Really?” the lioness groaned, trying her best not to panic. ‘Trying’ being the operative word. “Yes, really.” The poodle replied. “Now, my sweet girl, if you’ll kindly walk over here in front of me, with your back turned towards me and your arms behind your back, then we can get this over as soon as possible.” “Fine, you win.” The reporter snarked at her assailant, but followed her instructions nonetheless and went to stand before Bianca, back turned and hands behind her back. Not that Lexxi planned to give herself up that easily: she quickly shoved the gun aside with her right elbow and planted the left one firmly between her attackers ribs. Bianca had little time to gasp for air, however, as a swift kick to her shins sent her tumbling to the floor as her planned victim bolted for her office, slammed the door and locked it shut. The burglar growled as she picked herself up. “Oh, sweet girl, you’d wish you hadn’t done that…” She plucked a bobby pin from her hair, took a handkerchief soaked in chloroform (which she always brought in case she needed to subdue particularly unruly victims) from the pocket of her skirt and purposefully strode towards her target’s hideout. “My phone! Where is my damn phone!?” Lexxi frantically shifted through the papers and drawers of the office where she often worked on her articles. “I swear I left it on my desk! Oooh, why can I never find anything I need even if my life depends on it!? Because it kinda does right now!” The mere thought of her only way to reach the police not being her current hiding place, but instead out there with the devious poodle filled the lioness with a terrible dread as she doubled her efforts. Unfortunately, in her panic she had not heard Bianca picking the door lock and sneaking up behind her. Lexxi only noticed when it already was far too late and a chloroform-drenched handkerchief was being pressed firmly against her muzzle. “What the- Hmmmf!” She tried to wrestle herself from the canine thief’s grip, but her strength diminished with every breath she took. “Mmmmmm…” Slowly, the world around her faded to black… Lexxi’s mind snapped back to the present as a particularly worrying realisation dawned upon her. “Shit! That dog could still be here!” However, a spark of hope ignited in her chest when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted the answer to all her problems peeking out from underneath her latest article: her phone! Relived, the feline freelancer jumped up to grab it… Only to have several lengths of rope yank her back into her chair after not even half a centimetre. Apparently, her burglar had already taken precautions and safely secured her while she was unconscious. Her arms were pinned behind the back of the chair, with additional rope looped beneath, above and between her breasts, causing them stick out quite a bit (which Lexxi couldn’t help but find kinda sexy, actually). Her legs were firmly tied to the chair has well, spreading them and making the poor lioness feel rather exposed and vulnerable. Lexxi struggled to break free, to no avail. “Argh! If I ever get my hands on that bi-“ Her curse was rudely interrupted as the chair was suddenly pulled back and turned around 180 degrees, bringing her face to face with her captor. “Holy shit! How long have you been standing there!?” The attempts to sound brave were shot down by the quiver of fear in her voice. “I never left, sweet girl.” Bianca’s usual threatening façade of kindness was back in full force. “I apologize for the chloroform. I always hate to use it, but your gutsy move back there left me with no choice. I would’ve gone so much easier on you if you hadn’t attacked me like that” A devious smirk formed on the dog’s muzzle. “O-okay. You... y-you got me. I give up! Ju-just take whatever the hell it is you want and l-leave me alone!” The feline reporter was properly scared now and had given up trying to hide it. “Oh no, my darling, you’re not getting off the hook that easily!” Despite the poodle’s sweet demeanour, it sounded more like a death threat. “A smart young woman like yourself should know it’s rude to hit a lady. I think I’m going to give you a much needed lesson in humility before I leave…” Bianca reached into a bag behind her and pulled out an offensively large white scarf and started to fold it, after which she slowly approached her captive, the enormous wad of cloth in her hand and a diabolical smile on her red lips. “Oh no. Oh, nonononono! Don’t you dare! P-please don’t!” Lexxi pleas for mercy where just as futile as her desperate attempts to struggle free of her bonds. “L-look, I’m sorry I hit you, I was just scared, y-y’know!? J-just put that back, please!” Bianca ignored the panicky apologies and slowly advanced towards her prey. “Somebody help me! Anyone!? Help!!” Her captor gently cupped the lioness’ muzzle with her free hand as she brought the wad closer towards it, smiling with a devilish glee. “Please! Listen, I’m sorry, okay!? I’M SORR-Mmmmphh!” And like that, Lexxi’s cries were turned into muffled whimpers as Bianca deftly worked the soft fabric into every corner of her mouth. “Mmmph-mmmm…” “I should probably confiscate that very nice phone of yours.” What was left of Lexxi’s courage faded with each word her captor spoke. “Hopefully you’ve got some friends coming over soon, otherwise you might be stuck here for quite some time. Serves you right for attacking an innocent lady like myself, I reckon.” “Mmmm! Mmm-mffff!” The bound lioness writhed in her ropes, fear in her eyes as she cast a pleading look at her attacker. “Mmmmmmph!” Her cries for help were stifled by the humongous scarf in her maw. “Uh-uh-uh!” The poodle chuckled. “Like I said, you are not going anywhere for a good long while.” Bianca playfully prodded into the stuffing filling her poor victim’s mouth, enjoying the resulting muffled moans and whimpers of despair as she did so. “Now, let’s see how much duct tape I will have to use to keep you sufficiently silenced.” “I think an entire roll will make a good start…”