It was quiet except for the low voices of the watchers and Feral's moans of pain. Some thirty minutes later Feral suddenly raised up and grunted. He strained for many long minutes then relaxed only to do it again. He did this for some ten minutes without results. From Pensler's perspective he could see the egg appear then disappear on each of Feral's contractions.
On the last contraction, Feral cried out in pain. Sunsinger looked scared as did Feral when the contraction passed. The pain increased as did Feral's cries. Something was wrong. The watchers straightened in concern. Pensler could see Feral straining, struggling to pass the egg but it appeared to be stuck. He climbed into the nest.
"Let me have a look Tye!" He said gently pushing the anxious mate aside. Very carefully he probed the swollen passage and watched as Feral again tried to push the egg out this time screaming in agony, terror on his face. Tye quickly wrapped his arms around his mate's upper half to try and calm him.
"Tye! Ulysses needs to try and relax a little. Is there any pain meds I can use on him?" Tommy asked him urgently.
"No! There are none safe enough to be used on us. Let me use my healing magic to see if I can ease some of his pain." Tye said as he leaned his head against his mate's and concentrated. Trembling, Uly panted and whimpered. After what seemed a long time, Feral finally seemed to relax a little.
"The egg is too large, Tye. The only way to save them both is to make a small cut like they do in female kats when a kitten is too big. It's the only choice." Pensler warned him.
"Alright, do it. I'll try and pour as much healing strength as I can into him to keep him calm and not rip your head off." Tye said grimly.
Pensler realized Tye was serious. Swallowing nervously he grabbed a scalpel and made a small clean cut. Almost immediately Feral pushed down and the egg finally dropped to the nest floor. Feral slumped exhausted. Sunsinger tenderly caressed him and looked down at his friend and smiled in relief. Smiling back, Tommy sat back on his heels and waited for Feral to deliver the rest of his eggs. The watchers gave a collective sigh of relief when the egg appeared.
"Wow! That would have been real bad." Razor whispered
"Yeah! Man that was scary. They both could have died. Can't believe we are that concerned for our antagonist but I guess everyone worries when a mother is giving birth even if it is Feral that's the mother." T-Bone snorted softly. Razor just snickered.
"Hey! This is history in the making guys. Gryphonskats are soo rare I doubt there's been a birth in a very long time. Megakat City is going to be the center of a lot of attention when this gets out." Chris Clawfur said.
"Oh yeah! That's all Megakat City needs but hey, the publicity will be good for the depleted coffers of the treasury. Mayor Manx will be pleased." Razor said derisively.
"So true!" T-Bone smirked.
They returned to quiet conversation as they continued to watch the pair in the nest. One of the squad produced a pack of cards and soon the group was playing on the floor. It was an hour later when Feral raised up again and grunted.
Soon another egg appeared next to the one in the nest. In quick succession, spaced by about thirty minutes, Feral laid two more eggs. After an hour of waiting for more, Tommy felt certain Feral was finished and gently sewed up the small cut he had to make earlier then quickly climbed back out of the nest.
Sighing in exhaustion, Feral slid down until he was laying over his eggs with his wings spread like a cover over the nest. His mate nuzzled him happily, very grateful that the worst was over. Feral growled at him.
"I'm hungry!" He grumbled.
"Of course, my love. I'll get you something to eat immediately." Tye soothed keeping his smile hidden from his grouchy mate.
Climbing out of the nest he walked over to his squad and the waiting SWAT Kats.
"I need to get food for Uly quickly." Tye said.
"Sure we'll be happy to hop over to a fast food joint and get something for him..." T-Bone volunteered but Tye cut him off.
"Thanks, no...he needs freshly killed meat and not butchered." Tye said
Grimacing in distaste but realizing these were predators and after what Feral had been through the protein was probably badly needed to replenish his strength, Warren Teeks spoke up, "Okay fresh it is. Know where we can get a deer SWAT Kats?"
Tye interrupted again, "There are herds of deer in the lower foothills north of here near the fresh water lake. Know where that is?"
"Yeah! No problem." T-Bone answered then turned to leave. "I take it you are a sharp shooter?" T-Bone asked Teeks, as he, Razor and three others of the Phoenix Squad followed them out to the Turbokat again.
"Yap! I like to hunt on occasion. So let's hope our luck holds and we find a buck right quick." Warren answered.
An hour later, the group returned successful. They'd wrapped the carcass in a tarp so it wouldn't drip everywhere and carried it into the pair waiting at the nest. They laid it on the floor near the nest and quickly stepped back to the door once more.
Feral smelled the fresh meat and wasted no time climbing out of the nest and ripping the deer apart ravenously. Tye wisely stayed back and let his hungry mate eat first. The watchers raised eyes at Feral's less than elegant table manners as he wolfed his food down getting blood on his face and chest. His hunger finally sated Feral stepped back into the nest and settled onto his eggs and began to groom himself. Tye availed himself of what was left then wrapped up the kill for disposal.
"Thank you! Would you please dispose of that for us?" Tye asked his squad and received a nod of agreement as two of them came and hauled away the full tarp to the Turbokat to be carried away. Tye turned to the guard, "Could you contact Dr. Sinian and have her come here please?" The guard nodded and pulled out his cell phone.
Tye faced his squad and the SWAT Kats. "Thank you all for your help. We will be staying here for the night and tomorrow, if you wouldn't mind SWAT Kats, take my mate and I to our new mountain home with our precious cargo?" Tye asked them.
"We'd be glad to." Razor said quickly before his partner could object. "Just call us on your communicator. Have a quiet evening and congratulations." He said tugging his partner out of the room.
"Thank you guys and you especially Tommy. I'm glad now that it happened here instead of in our home." He shuddered when he thought how bad the outcome could have been.
"You're welcome Tye. Glad I was able to help. Feral needs a lot of rest after all that. When are the eggs due to hatch?" Tommy asked curious.
"In about three months." Tye said proudly.
"Will Feral be sitting on them most of the time?" Chris asked.
"Most of the time he will be but I will be spelling him of course so that means I won't be available for any calls. Think you can handle it on your own?" He joshes his second in command.
Chris snorted and smiled, "Of course. Well I guess we should let you guys get some rest. Keep in touch and let us know when we can visit."
Tye smiled and waved his squad goodbye just as Dr. Sinian entered the room. She smiled and waved goodbye as well then strode across the floor to stand before Tye. "You needed to see me?" She asked glancing over to the resting Feral. "I heard you had a bit of excitement?"
"You could say that. Was very glad my physician was standing by. It was a very bad scare." Tye said quietly.
"I bet it was. What can I do for you?" She asked.
"We are going to need to stay for the night. We will leave sometime in the morning tomorrow. The SWAT Kats are going to help me transport my family to our new home in the mountains." Tye said. "I wanted to insure we are left alone. Uly can be very dangerous at this time and very protective." He warned.
"Yes, I know! It's not a problem. I've already prepared a sign to close this exhibit and my guards know not to enter here for any reason. I've even had the camera in this room turned off. You won't be disturbed. If you need anything please don't hesitate to ask a guard for assistance." She said warmly.
"Thank you so much for your help and your quick thinking. I wish you a good evening." Tye said just as warmly back.
"You're very welcome. A good evening to you too and congratulations." She smiled and turned and walked out closing the door firmly behind her.
Sighing happily, Tye climbed into the nest and snuggled next to his drowsy mate. "I love you." He murmured. Feral sighed and nuzzled him back before laying his head down to sleep. After a little while, Tye joined him.
Early morning...
Feral woke and slowly stretched his wings and body. His mate lay on his side still asleep. Feral smiled down at him and at the eggs under him. 'Four eggs, wow!' He thought shaking his head in amazement. He yawned and carefully climbed out of the nest to stretch more fully. He went to the door of the exhibit and poked his head out. A guard coming down the hall toward him started a moment before stopping a little ways away.
"Can I help you Commander?" He asked politely.
"Yes! Where are the rest rooms?" Feral asked.
"Go down this hall, turn to the left and they will be a little ways down that hallway. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" He asked.
"No thank you, I'm fine. My mate is still asleep. What time is it?" Feral yawned behind his paw as he stepped out into the hall.
"It's about six a.m sir." He answered not able to look away from the amazing creature. This was his first time seeing one of the Gryphonskats up close.
"Thank you." Feral said flicking his wings tighter to his back and walking down the hall to the bathrooms.
Shaking his head the guard decided to turn around and go down another corridor so he wouldn't seem like he was following the Commander.
Refreshed, Feral walked back down to the room his family was in. He would be glad when he and his eggs were safely in their mountain home. He stepped into the room and saw Tye was just getting up. Smiling at his mate, he walked to the nest and stepped in. Tye pulled Uly into a warm embrace kissing him passionately. Their were panting a little when they parted.
"I'm so proud of you love. Four eggs...what a bounty!" Tye said proudly.
Blushing, Ulysses hugged his mate close, "I'm glad you are so happy. Wait until they hatch and see if you still so happy about it." He snorted.
Tye just laughed. "Where did you go my love?"
"Oh the bathroom. I really need a shower but it was better than nothing. Be glad to go home. It's just after six a.m. by the way." Ulysses answered.
"Well let me go get cleaned up too then we can roust the SWAT Kats from bed so we can go home." Tye said and was pleased to see excitement on his mate's face at that prospect. Uly gave him directions and off he went.
Thirty minutes later the SWAT Kats were landing on the lawn of the Museum. Tye had already asked the guard to open the doors so they could leave. Razor had thoughtfully provided a deep, softly lined, nest box for the flight but when they offered to help transfer the eggs they got a rude surprise.
As they walked up to the nest, Feral hissed at them and flapped his wings in warning. The SWAT Kats stopped moving immediately. Tye quickly placed himself between his mate and them.
"Sorry, guys. Uly is very protective. It's instinct nothing personal. He will carry two eggs and I will carry two. Don't get close to him...he might bite." Tye said quietly warning them off.
"Wow! Feral certainly carries motherhood to extreme." T-Bone said shaking his head as he and Razor retreated. "Okay, we'll just wait for you outside." He said as they turned and went back out to the Turbokat.
Their arms full with their precious cargo, Tye with Feral behind him walked out of the museum doors, strode across the lawn and up the ramp into the jet. Warbling to himself as he placed his eggs in the temporary nest, Feral settled down on top of them for the flight home.
At their mountain home, Razor used the basket to lower first Feral then Tye down into the circular space in the center of their home since there was no where for the jet to land. Tye thanked them and closed the dome.
"Quite the place they got there, eh Razor?" T-Bone said as he turned the jet back toward home.
"Yeah really impressive. Maybe we can get a tour one of these days." Razor said wistfully. T-Bone just snorted.
In their mountain home, Tye watched his mate get comfortable in their nest. "Would you like me to make you breakfast, love?" He asked.
"That sounds heavenly. Bacon, ham, eggs, coffee, please." Uly sighed.
Laughing Tye nodded and headed for the kitchen.