T-Bone was more prophetic then he ever dreamed. Only two days after the somber conference in the Mayor's office, the least expected omega blew into town on the tail of a storm.
For reasons of their own, no omegas had come out of the woodwork during the time of Feral's difficulties with the portal. But one enemy was apparently attracted to the energy flowing from that magical creation and he arrived to check it out.
The day had started fair but by late morning, storm clouds filled the sky and by lunch, lightning split the sky and rain came down in torrents. During this time, a special purpled tinged lightning occurred at the center of a tornado heralding the arrival of one of the worst omegas.
Riding a small dragon, the Pastmaster blew into their time period. His mount flew through the storm without any difficulty as the time portal disappeared behind it. The wizard directed the creature to where his watch indicated a center of magical energy was located.
Flying past the oblivious enforcer cordon, the Pastmaster landed near the portal and got off his mount. A peculiarity of the portal caused the rain to be diverted away from it so that within a twenty foot radius it was dry and calm.
"Hmm, how interesting. It's not from this world that's for certain." The Pastmaster mused as he studied the artifact from all sides. He carefully reached out and touched the portal rim and was rejected almost violently. Shaking his stung paw, the Pastmaster growled. "Another's magic holds this here and it would take far too long for me to breach it. Pity!" He said in annoyance.
Meanwhile, a sharp eyed enforcer had seen the Pastmaster. Knowing they could never take the creature without reinforcements, he reached for his radio and contacted headquarters. Feral growled in annoyance and no little fear when he heard the Pastmaster was near the portal. He quickly ordered his car (a chopper couldn't fly in this mess) and raced to the site of the portal.
Working with their doors shut tight, Chance and Jake were making quick work of their days intake when the urgent call came over the enforcer band. Hearing where the Pastmaster was made their blood run cold. Putting out a closed sign, they hurried to the hangar and were soon in the air.
Razor used his radar to get them through the vicious storm to the park. They arrived just behind Feral as they converged on the momentarily oblivious wizard. Fearful of what the ugly gnome could do to the portal, Feral 'ported to it ahead of his enforcers.
Pastmaster jumped in surprise as Feral appeared suddenly in front of him. Aiming his watch at Feral, a flash of light blasted from it only to be stopped by a shield wall of magic the Commander had thrown up. It caused the beam of deadly energy to nearly clip the arriving Turbokat.
"Crud! What was that?" T-Bone shouted as he took evasive action.
"It looks like Feral is confronting the Pastmaster and used his magic to divert an attack on him." Razor said in amazement.
"Well, crud! We never did ask Feral what else he was capable of." T-Bone said shaking his head and taking the jet down for a landing.
Shocked by Feral's use of magic, the Pastmaster jumped onto his mini-dragon and tried to escape. Feral used his warding off gesture to knocked the wizard off his mount landing him on his back on the wet grass away from the portal.
Howling in fury and fear, the Pastmaster shot at Feral again to distract him as the wizard conjured his time portal. The SWAT Kats and the enforcers arrived at that moment, charging ahead toward the battling pair.
Razor fired cement from his launcher in his glovetrix at the mini-dragon that was trying to get to the Pastmaster and was firing flames at the enforcers who were returning fire with their lasers keeping it in flight. The cement hit dead on and dropped the dragon to the ground. It flopped around helplessly as its wings were too heavy for it to move.
Meanwhile, the Pastmaster had managed to open his portal and tried to make his escape. Feral made a grab for the wizard's cape and snagged it only to be pulled up and into the portal. T-Bone and Razor leaped up to grab Feral's legs and were dragged along.
Feral felt a sickening sensation as they were dragged along through the time portal then dropped unceremoniously onto a field of some kind. The Pastmaster shook himself of them and wasted no time in making himself scare by using his watch to vanish.
The three scrambled to their feet but too late to stop the wizard.
"Kat's Alive, not again!" Feral moaned at the thought of being somewhere other than home yet again.
The SWAT Kats looked around and suddenly grinned.
"Hey! It's okay Commander. We're near Queen Callista's castle. What a break. If anyone can help us break the spell it would be her." T-Bone said excitedly as he and Razor began to run toward a huge castle in the distance.
Feral blinked in surprise but quickly ran after them. They ran for a good hour but were still a good distance from the castle when they slowed to catch there breath but kept on at a good clip.
"So you think she can help us? But will she?" Feral asked skeptically.
"Well, she does use magic, Feral. We can only hope she can come up with a way to help us and, yeah, she'll be willing to help us because we helped her last time we were here and better than that, she can get us home again." Razor said.
"Okay, but how do you know you're here after you'd been here last?" He persisted.
"Uhh, well we don't so let's not borrow trouble until we have to, 'kay!" T-Bone said, not about to have his good mood ruined.
Feral sighed and hoped they were right. He just couldn't be that positive since he'd been harmed by circumstances before.
It took them two hours to reach Callista's castle. As they came in sight of the ramparts, a horn was heard and soon a troop of soldiers rode out to greet the strangers. They continued to walk until the soldiers came abreast and circled to prevent them from proceeding further.
The leader peered at them through his helm then gasped. "Why tis Sir Razor and Sir T-Bone. Tis good to see thee again but why art thou here?" He asked in surprise.
"The Pastmaster!" Razor said flatly.
"Ahh...so the evil wizard has made off with thee again, heh! Well the Queen will wish to see thee so please hop on with one of my officers so that we may get there faster." The leader ordered.
"Thanks!" T-Bone said gratefully as he chose an officer and leaped onto the horse behind him.
Razor and Feral did the same and soon the troop wheeled around smartly and galloped back to the castle. Very quickly they arrived inside the forecourt and leaped off their rides. They waited politely for the leader to dismount and lead them inside the castle throne room.
Queen Callista was holding court and looked up in surprise as did her supplicants as the odd group approached her throne.
Your majesty, look who I found heading toward thy castle. The Pastmaster has done them evil again." The leader said bowing to his Queen.
"Why Sir Razor and Sir T-Bone, I never expected to see thee again and who is thy companion?" She asked.
Feral stared at her in amazed shock. The Queen was the spitting image of Calico Briggs. Well that explained the Pastmaster's fascination with her.
"This a Commander Ulysses Feral. He was trying to capture the Pastmaster when the little creep managed to carry us all off to here again, but actually, this isn't a bad thing since we could really use your help with a problem we have and I don't mean just getting home." Razor explained.
"Ahh, I see. Well, I am still conducting court at this moment. Lord Farthin will take you to my study where you may wait for me. I shouldn't be too much longer." The Queen decided.
"That will be fine, my Queen." Razor said bowing to her politely. Following Razor's lead, T-Bone and Feral did the same.
"Please to follow me, good sirs." Lord Farthin told them as he led them from the throne room and to a set of stone steps. They followed him as he led them upward a distance then down a short hall where he opened a heavy door that led into a richly decorated room lined with old books and an ancient oak desk with a heavy, padded and decorated chair behind it.
"Please do not handle any of the magical artifacts in here. The Queen will be here very soon." Lord Farthin said as he turned and left them, closing the door behind him.
They looked around the room with interest. In one corner near a window was a marble basin filled with clear water set on an ornate pedestal. Around the room were various implements used in the magical arts. A pair of slit windows looked out over the Queen's domain. Some comfortable, thick chairs were positioned in front of a huge fireplace in one wall of the room.
They studied the artifacts without touching anything. Feral found the books very interesting and pulled one out that had to do with spells. He took it to one of the chairs and was soon deeply immersed in it. Razor scanned the books as well fascinated by the variety of subjects. T-Bone looked at all the strange artifacts keeping his paws firmly behind his back. When that lost interest for him, he went to a window and looked out.
It was an hour before the Queen finally appeared. Behind her came a servant with a tray of food and drink.
"My apologizes for keeping you waiting so long. I have had the evening meal brought for us to enjoy while we talk." The Queen said with a smile as the servant served everyone a bowl of stew and a flagon of milk leaving the pitcher on a shelf then quickly leaving the room.
"Oh yeah, Pepper Pot Stew. Be careful, Commander it's real spicy." Razor said digging into his helping and panting after the first few bites.
Feral took a healthy bite and his eyes watered immediately as he quickly grabbed his flagon of milk. "Woah! That is spicy but good!" He commented when he could breath again.
"Oh yeah! Great stuff!" T-Bone said as sweat dripped down his face and he continued to shovel the delicious stew up hungrily.
"I am pleased thee are enjoying our humble repast so much." Callista said with a smile as she ate her own stew without any visible sign of distress from it.
In very little time they had finished their meal and had drunk copious amounts of milk
"Now, shall we discuss what has brought thee to my kingdom once again?" The Queen asked as she settled into her chair to listen.
Razor quickly described the battle and how they got there. He paused and looked to Feral to see if the Commander wanted him to continue. Feral indicated he would take up the story from here. In a flat, dispassionate voice he related his problem. The Queen's eyes showed pity and sorrow for the Commander when he finally finished his explanation.
With a deep sigh, she asked him some pertinent magical questions which Feral tried to answer as best he could. Frowning she rose from her seat and strode to the far side of the room and stared out for a moment. Turning back to them as they waited anxiously in their chairs by the fire, her face took on a serious mien.
"Please come stand before me Sir T-Bone and Sir Feral," She said quietly.
Feral and T-Bone stood and quickly moved to stand before her. Razor came over too but stayed back out of the way.
"I want you to hold very still while I do a magical scan of your bodies." She told them quietly. She muttered an incantation and held up her amulet shining its emerald glow over the two toms. She studied the strange swirls of light that surrounded the pair in deep concentration. After what seemed like a very long time, she finally extinguished the light. Both Feral and T-Bone had felt a strange warmth spread over them but nothing else while the light was on them.
"I can break the binding spell but I cannot do anything about the portal created by this King from another realm. I fear thee must still become pregnant to prevent thy return to his kingdom." Callista said seriously.
Both T-Bone and Feral sighed in partial relief. At least one of their problems was going to be solved.
"I thank you for whatever you are able to do Queen Callista. I am deeply grateful. I just wish the last would happen soon. I'll admit to losing hope as the time runs by quickly and I still have not conceived." Feral said heavily.
"Now that I might be able to assist thee, Sir Feral. My scan indicates thee are coming into heat, as strange a thing as that is for a male. I can heighten thy fertility to insure conception." She said warmly.
Feral stared at her in shock. "Really! That's...that's wonderful. I don't know how to thank you." He finally managed to stutter.
She smiled and demurred, "It would not have worked Sir Feral if thee and Sir T-Bone were not already bonded."
T-Bone blinked in confusion and asked, "Does that mean you can't remove the magical bond until Feral and I mate again and he conceives?"
"No, Sir T-Bone! This bond is not the magical spell King Bloodnor has placed on Sir Feral. This bond is one that has been forged between thy souls when thee were forced to mate to transfer the spell casting." She explained.
"What?" Feral and T-Bone said together in stunned amazement. Razor's mouth hung open in shock.
"Aye, tis a rare occurrence. It isn't often that two souls find each other and bind themselves. We call such couples soul mates. It is a wondrous thing and much more binding than any spell or wedding vow though I will admit I've never heard of such occurring between males before." Callista said in bemusment to the completely pole-axed males before her.
"You mean, Feral and I...we're mates for real?" T-Bone finally squeaked out. Feral looked like he wanted to faint.
"Yes," Callista said in mild amusement. "Do thee wish for me to remove the spell now?" She asked.
"Oh, yes...definitely!" T-Bone said, still reeling from her stunning revelation.
"Yes! I don't know about this other thing but I want that spell gone." Feral said fervently.
"Very well, please stand before my magical pool." She directed them.
They moved quickly to stand on one side of the basin filled with water. She stood across from them and raised her amulet again and pointed it at the water. It steamed and bubbled then sprayed them both with a fine mist. As it did so, Callista spoke an incantation which caused a blue light to cast itself over Feral and T-Bone making them glow for a few minutes. At first nothing seemed to happen then suddenly both males cried out in pain and writhed for several minutes as Callista's voice raised to shout a command in a different language then the light winked out and everything was calm again.
Feral and T-Bone had collapsed to the floor and were moaning softly. Razor moved to their sides quickly to check them over.
"They are unharmed, Sir Razor. It was painful for them to have the spell pulled from their bodies but they will be fine after a night's rest." She reassured him.
"But my Queen, we need to get back." Razor protested.
"It matter's not how long thee stays here, Sir Razor since I can send thee only moments after thee left. Besides Sir T-Bone and Sir Feral must have my assistance come the morrow to aid them in conceiving a kitten when Sir Feral comes into heat." She told him firmly.
"Oh, that's right, my apologizes. In all the excitement, I had forgotten that part." Razor said blushing in embarrassment.
"Thee are forgiven. Shall we escort thy tired friends to a room and perhaps thee and I may visit for a while..." She asked him raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
Razor blushed for an entirely different reason as he nodded and helped his companions to their rocky feet and down the hall as the Queen led the way to a nicely appointed bedroom. Razor made sure they were alright before he left them to follow Callista.
When they had been left alone, Feral just stared painfully at T-Bone who looked back just as blearily.
"Crud, that hurt!" He whispered.
"Yeah! But it's gone!" Feral said huskily back.
T-Bone managed a wane smile in triumph. "That little creep actually did us a favor for once."
Feral couldn't help but smile at that then frowned.
"What's wrong?" T-Bone asked in concern.
"I'm an idiot or just too addled by everything that's happened in the past few hours. Just a second..." He said ruefully as he remembered he could make their pain vanish and did so quickly. T-Bone gave a gasp of relief and stared at Feral in surprise.
"Sorry, I would have done that sooner but as I said I was too stunned to remember." He said in apology.
"Hey! At least you finally remembered and that's a really great talent there. You know, I wonder how long you'll remain magical? We should ask the Queen before we leave here." T-Bone said thoughtfully.
"You're right! It might wear off or never disappear." Feral said, surprised he hadn't thought of that himself but then he had so many more important things on his mind including one other important event. "The Queen said I was coming into heat and that she'd help me conceive. I'm overwhelmed by our good fortune. What were the odds that a solution to both my problems would be dropped into our laps right when we needed it." Feral said shaking his head at the strange whim of fate.
"Hey! It's like I said before we live a fairly charmed life and things seemed to happen just when we need it!" T-Bone said cheekily.
"I wouldn't say that too loudly. It might run off and leave us one day." Feral snorted. "Anyway, I'm bushed, let's get some sleep because tomorrow is going to be a strange day."
"Hey, shouldn't we be getting home?" T-Bone said anxiously.
"Don't worry, T-Bone. The Queen can send us back at the time we disappeared no matter how long we've been here." Feral said confidently.
"Crud, how would you know that?" The tabby demanded.
"The book I was reading is her Gremorie, Book of Spells. Now let's get some sleep." Feral said firmly putting an end to the conversation and vanishing their clothes for the night.
Shaking his head, T-Bone sighed and settled down behind his mate.