“So, when will you be leaving?” Brutus felt an ache in the vicinity of his heart as he gazed at the young Queen’s profile.

            “All Healers, Warriors, and anyone else who can fight have been ordered to the Citadel,” he answered, turning to gaze out over the water, missing the tears glistening in her blue eyes.

            “So, I’m supposed to go as well?” she murmured, tossing a rock out into the water.

            He nodded. “Yes, Lanta. You’re a Healer, are you not?”

            “True,” she bowed her head. “Although I haven’t fully developed my Gift.”

            “I know, but we’re going to need as many Healers at the final battle as possible,” he told her, turning his gaze back to her. “Atalanta, your Gift will be needed, whether it’s fully developed or not.”

            The white and gold Queen fought back a sob. “I’m scared. With Softpurr as the Healer here, I’ve never really done much in the way of Healing except as an Apprentice. What if I mess up?”

            “Lanta, listen to me,” he gently gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. When her head remained bowed, he raised it with a hand under her chin. “You’ve been training to be a Healer ever since your 10^th birthday. You will do just fine.”

            “Still, a mistake could cost someone their life,” Atalanta pointed out, the breeze ruffling the golden fur of her mane and shoulders. “I don’t know if I can handle that kind of responsibility.”

            “You’ve been kit-sitting Jestore and Harle haven’t you?” Brutus pointed out with a small smile, the tear tracks in the golden fur on either side of her pink nose breaking his big heart.

            Despite her tears, she had to chuckle. “Too true. That duo’s gonna be trouble when they grow up,” she answered as he realized he was still holding her chin and dropped his hand. She sighed. “But why can’t I go with the Expedition?”

            “For the same reason you’re worried about messing up,” he sighed. “You haven’t developed your Gift enough.”

            She bowed her head again. “So, it’s developed enough for me to need to be at the battle, but not enough to go on the Expedition?”

            He nodded. “I’m sorry. I would love for you to be on the Expedition, but Charumcah and Redtail already decided on a Butter Calico named Jellylorum and an Orange Tortie Tabby Queen named Jennyanydots.”

            Atalanta’s head snapped up. “The Jellylorum and Jennyanydots?” she asked, blue eyes wide.

            “You’ve heard of them?” Brutus asked, noticing that Atalanta’s golden tail, which had been drooping, had perked up.

            “They’re two of the most famous Healers on the Continent,” she answered with a relieved smile, her golden ears rising from the flat position they’d been in. “You’ll be in good hands, I’m sure of it.”

            “Still, I wish I was going to be in these hands,” he replied softly, wrapping her gold-furred hands in his, green eyes serious. “The trip to the Citadel is a long one and I would like you to share it with me.”

            She inhaled sharply. “Wh-what do you mean?”

            “We’ve known each other since we were little kits,” he answered softly. “We grew up together, played together. I can’t remember you ever not being in my life. After all, I was the first person you Healed without an experienced Healer’s help.”

            She dropped her gaze and tried to pull her hands out of his. “You know our pact.”

            “Yes, but I can’t forget it,” he countered, refusing to release her hands. “After that boar gored him, I thought I would never see you again. Next thing I knew, you were hovering over me, exhausted but happy.”

            “I couldn’t let you die,” she responded, finally getting one hand free.

            “That’s why I want to be yours,” he told her. “Even when I’m long gone, I’ll be yours through the ages.”

            Her hand went to her nose, surprised. He was asking a lot from her. Could she return the Mating Pledge, even though they would be separated all too soon? She slowly shook her head. No, he should be free to Mate with one of the Queens on the Expedition. “No, Brutus. I will not bind you.”

            “But, Atalanta,” he tried, but failed to hang on to her other hand.

            “No, Brutus,” she gently cupped his cheek. “I will not shackle you.”

            He covered her hand with his own as she stood and walked quietly away, hanging on to it until the last moment. His eyes followed her pale figure until it was lost among the trees. He turned back to the water, tears glistening in the fur on either side of his nose.

*          *            *

            “What’s with you and Brutus?” Softpurr questioned several days later.

            “I-I-I don’t know what you mean,” the younger Healer evaded, blue eyes focused straight ahead.

            “Yes, you do,” Softpurr gently rebuked. “Before we left the Keep, you two were always the best of friends. It was difficult to find one without finding the other. Now you two hardly ever talk to each other, let alone spend time together. What happened?”

            Atalanta sighed, smoothing the skirt of her dress as she rode. “Brutus proposed to me the night before we left the Keep.”

            “Isn’t he going on the Expedition?” Softpurr asked quietly.

            “Yes,” the Gold-White Queen nodded. “And I’m not, so I told him to ask one of the Queens going on the Expedition.”

            “That was stupid,” Softpurr gently rebuked her Apprentice once again.

            “What do you mean?” Atalanta looked sharply at her Mentor. “I didn’t want to bind him to me in a Mating that wouldn’t last very long.”

            “So? You two have been happiest when you’re together,” the Calico Healer countered. “Even if it’s only until the Expedition leaves, isn’t it worth it?”

            Atalanta turned from her Mentor, gazing straight ahead, right at Brutus’ broad back.

*          *            *

            Brutus poked listlessly at his campfire, longing for Atalanta’s company. Ever since they’d left the Keep, she’d been avoiding him. The life that had been so happy and sunny was now cold and dreary; all because Atalanta was no longer a part of it. “Brutus?”

            He turned and saw Atalanta’s pale figure standing in the shadows at the edge of the circle of light his campfire shed. “Come share my fire, Lanta,” he offered, holding his hand out to her.

            She hesitated a moment, wondering if what she was doing was right. She finally squared her shoulders and stepped into the light. “Softpurr talked to me this afternoon and made me see that denying what I felt was just plain stupidity. I’ve come to tell you that I am yours, if you’ll still have me.”

            A broad smile slowly spread across his face and he opened his arms to her. “And I will be yours, always.”

            Smiling, she ran into his arms, glad to finally express the emotions that had been roiling inside her since they’d left the Keep.

*          *            *

            “I love you, Brutus,” Atalanta told him.

            “I know,” he answered quietly, stroking her side from breast to hip, gently combing through the white fur. “I still wish you were going on the Expedition.”

            She sat up and gazed down at him, memorizing every detail of his face. “We’ve already been through this. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots are two of the best Healers on this Continent. Since meeting them, I know you’ll be in good hands.”

            “Still, I would feel a lot better if you were coming on the Expedition,” he answered, sitting up and facing her. “But, since that’s not going to happen, this time with you has been the best of my life. I’ll never forget you.”

            “Neither will I, but don’t feel like you’re cheating on me if you ask one of the Queens on the Expedition to be your Mate,” she answered, running her fingers through the fur on his broad chest. “Once you’re wherever you’re going, I release you from our bond. I give my blessing to you and whomever you choose to be your Mate.”

            “I could never ask another to be Mate,” he protested. “The only Mate I want is you.”

            “Shh,” she laid a finger against his lips. “Don’t make vows rashly. No matter what happens to me, I’ll die knowing you’re safe on another planet. If the rumors I’ve heard are true, then I may be born into a different Jellicle Life on that planet. We may be together again in another life.”

            He nodded. “I am, as I ever was and ever shall be, yours. Nothing can change that,” he told her, green eyes locked with her blue ones. “Even though I may ask another to be my Mate, I will always carry your memory in my heart of hearts.”

            She nodded, unable to look away. “I, too, am, as I ever was and always shall be, yours. No matter what happens to me, whether I die in the coming battle or live through it, you will always be in my heart.”

            Just as they kissed, there was a knock on the chamber door. “Come,” Brutus called.

            A young Queen, about Atalanta’s size, poked her head in. “Lady Atalanta? You’re needed at the Healers’ post.”

            “Thank you….what’s your name?”

            “Geneva,” the Queen, not much more than a Princess, answered.

            “Thank you, Geneva. I’ll be there shortly,” Atalanta replied.

            “Yes, Lady Atalanta,” the Princess giggled and disappeared.

            “I must go now, Beloved,” Atalanta slid off the bed. “All I ask of you is that you be happy, no matter what happens to you.”

            “I wish the same for you,” Brutus countered softly as he slid off the bed himself.

            Slipping into her Healer’s garb, Atalanta smiled at her large Mate. They shared one last embrace before she left for her post. Brutus stood in the center of the room for a long time before changing into his Warrior’s garb. He laid down on the bed and rested, waiting to go on the Expedition.

*          *            *

            When the Citadel exploded, Atalanta knew Brutus was gone. “I release you from our pledge, Beloved of the Heart,” she murmured as she huddled protectively over the Warrior she was healing to prevent the falling debris from harming him. Time passed and she knew that the Pollicles were not far. She could hear them coming.

            “Come!” Softpurr, the senior Healer, called out, “We must evacuate the wounded before the Pollicles can come and finish what they started!”

            Nervous but determined, Atalanta helped her patient up and guided them to the “bolt hole”. A “bolt hole” is really a tunnel that led to a protected place outside the walls. Once she was sure her patient was safe, Atalanta turned back to help the other walking wounded. Some were unable to be moved and the Healers, no matter how much they didn’t want to, were forced to leave them. Once all of the walking wounded and Healers were out, the hole was filled in and all of them disappeared into the woods, the Healers helping the wounded along. Some fell and could not get back up. They had to be abandoned, but it tore Atalanta’s heart to do so. She found herself helping a Charcoal Tabby Tom along with Softpurr on his other side. “Lanta, are you okay?”

            “Sure,” Atalanta panted. “Why do you ask?”

            “Have you checked yourself out since you and Brutus Mated?” Softpurr countered with another question.

            “No, why?” Atalanta questioned, curious.

            “You might want to think about doing that the next time you have spare moment,” Softpurr advised, stumbling over a rock in the dark.

            “What’s this Healer talk about?” the Tom rumbled.

            “Never mind, Talkiin,” Softpurr patted the Tom’s back. “You’re fine.”

            “Good,” he rumbled.

            The group traveled deeper and deeper into the woods, pausing only for short rests. They finally reached the Citadel’s Sanctuary. Atalanta spent the next couple hours making the wounded comfortable and helping the other Healers if they needed it. Exhausted, she finally sat down next to Softpurr. “Here, this will help you get your energy back.”

            “Thanks,” Atalanta took the flask from her Mentor and gulped half the contents down in one go. “Boy, nothing like a battle to make one a full-fledged Healer.”

            Softpurr chuckled softly. “No, there certainly isn’t.”

            Suddenly recalling Softpurr’s earlier question, Atalanta placed her hand on her heart and began to give herself a check-up, stopping at the pelvic bowl. “Blessed Cat!”

            “What is it?” Softpurr asked with a small smile.

            “I’m pregnant,” the younger Healer told her friend. “He gave me one last gift before he left. Now I’ll have something to remind me of him, no matter what.”

            “Congratulations, Lanta,” Softpurr hugged her friend.