The tour had been enlightening and enjoyable. They returned to the castle tired and hungry. At dinner the King and Queen asked how the visitors found their first real look at their kingdom.
"A truly spectacular place, your majesties!" Dr. Taglion said enthusiastically.
"Yes, I have to agree with the doctor. It's very beautiful and peaceful. I particularly liked the old ruins. It must have been a fascinating place in olden days. I was also impressed with the way you've been able to mix the old ways with the new and keep your kingdom clean and natural." Feral said.
He normally didn't care much for the hoopla of a tour anywhere he'd been but Tanlir's home was breathtaking and so very unlike Megakat City. The ruins were overgrown with plants but still retained enough of what it had been to be awe inspiring. The people were kind and friendly. He could see retiring here without a qualm. It would seem like paradise.
"So pleased you both enjoyed your outing." The King said warmly. "Did my sons have a chance to take you to Dreamer Falls?" He asked.
Feral's brows rose in question, "Dreamer Falls? No sir, they didn't."
"It was getting too late to do so, father, and you know it takes an hour just to get to them then you'll want to spend another few hours just walking around them. We thought that should wait another day." Prince Cymric chimed in.
"You're quite right about that, my son. It isn't something you want to view in a hurry." The Queen agreed.
"Sounds like a fun trip." Feral said politely as he ate his delicious main course of roasted chicken with fluffy mashed potatoes and a strange type of vegetable.
"I'll be sure you see it soon, my love. I wish I could show it to you myself but I'm going to be too involved in learning my duties as an Ambassador and preparing for the ceremony for your investiture as consort as well as the plans for our wedding next year." Tanlir said regretfully.
"That's okay, big brother, we'll make sure he and the doctor get to see it this week sometime before he's required to get involved with all the business of becoming royalty." Cymric said, cheerfully.
"That would be appreciated, Cymric and thank you." Tanlir said, smiling gratefully.
After dinner, Feral was more than ready for a hot bath and bed. The pregnancy drained far too much of his energy to his disgust. Tanlir washed his mate's body and kissed him senseless but withheld having sex. He refused to stress Ulysses further even if he was willing.
"I'm glad you had an enjoyable day, my love. Mine was really boring." Tanlir said while they soaked.
"Such is the life of a future heir." Feral said with a tired smirk.
"Yes it is but its compensations are well worth it." Tanlir grinned slyly as he stole more kisses.
"Hmmm...you do that soo well." Feral sighed when he could get his breath back.
"You inspire me, my love." His mate murmured, nuzzling Feral's face.
Tanlir help Ulysses get out of the tub and dry off. They cuddled up in bed and were soon asleep.
In a more militant country just over the mountain range, late that night...
"Leader Tormech, we are receiving a message from our spy in King Roender's court." A minion reported.
"Ahh, then let's hear what our little mouse has to say," A large lion-cross male purred, coldly. He walked out of his study and down a modern lit hall to an elevator, stepping in the car he pressed the button for the fourth floor of his fortress where he lived and ruled his country.
The elevator stopped, when the doors opened, his second in command was standing there waiting for him. He nodded as he stepped past the Kat and moved down the short hall to a secured door with two guards. They quickly saluted, one of them opening the secured door with a swipe of a special key card he kept around his neck.
Their leader swept through the door and went to where some highly sophisticated equipment occupied an entire wall. Seated before it was a communications technician.
Their leader came to stand behind the tech. "So, let's hear what our mouse has to report." He said giving a nod to the tech to engage the comm.
"Good evening my Leader," Came a deep voice through the speaker.
"So my mouse, you have news for me?" The imposing leader demanded.
"Yes my Leader. Prince Tanlir's consort is going to be taken to see Dreamer Falls day after tomorrow. His entourage will leave early in the morning and will include Prince Cymric, the foreign doctor, and two royal guards." The spy reported.
"Excellent. Very good work. We'll contact you if we need you." The leader told him and signaled the communication's tech to cut the connection.
"Sounds like a perfect opportunity, sir." His second said cautiously.
The leader stood thinking for some minutes. "Yesss...an opportunity indeed." He murmured then turned and strode out of the communications room briskly, followed closely by his second who smiled in anticipation.
Two days later...
"What a breathtaking sight!" Dr. Taglion said in awe.
"Amazing and soo beautiful!" Feral echoed him as they both stared in wonder at the glory that was Dreamer Falls.
The falls plunged down a steep rock face some fifty miles above where they stood. At its bottom was a large lake where the water rocketed down then hit the rocks at its base causing it to spray outward as high as twenty feet in the air before falling. This had the effect of causing a wall of mist that gave the falls a look of mystery. Surrounding this was a deep forest of tall conifers. At the lake's edge were green lawns mowed short by the animals that grazed there.
From the landing pad that had been built for visitors to more easily reach this natural wonder, they had hiked some five miles to behold this awesome sight. The falls were located at the far end of the kingdom at the foot of the mountain range.
The hike had been fairly easy and allowed them to see the wildlife that were not too shy due to the constant presence of visitors. Deer were prevalent as well as many types of birds and other small creatures. Besides animals, there were a plethora of beautiful and exotic flowers that lined the pathway to the falls. Huge clumps of ferns formed a forest of their own near one side of the falls.
The roar of the falls made it hard to hear anything so one had to lean close to each other and shout to be heard. It was due to this that they didn't hear the large group of camouflaged soldiers slipping up on them.
If it hadn't been for Feral's uncanny sense of knowing when danger was near, they would have been caught by the marauding invaders.
His skin had prickled under his fur and made Feral jerk his head back the way they had come. He caught a glimpse of armed Kats before they vanished into the surrounding forest. Leaning close to the guards just behind him, he quickly gave a warning.
The guards shot a look behind them in concern but saw nothing, however, they didn't doubt the trained soldier's word. Worried, they quickly forced their charges ahead faster. Prince Cymric frowned in concern and looked around quickly as the group moved to the water's edge.
"There's a place I know that will provide us protection and is easy to defend. Follow me!" He said hurriedly as he led them toward the roaring falls at a run. He moved with surety as they ran past the lake and up to the rocky cliffs of the falls themselves. It didn't take them long to get drenched by the heavy mist and spraying water as Prince Cymric began to climb a barely seen rocky path to one side of the falling water. The path was slippery and dangerous. While one guard remained at the bottom watching for the ones following them the other guard aided the less physically capable doctor up the rock face, insuring he didn't lose his footing.
After some ten minutes of climbing they reached a hidden cave behind the falls. Some moments later as the group was catching their breath, the rear guard arrived.
Shouting to the prince he reported what he had seen. "Your highness, there is a group of some thirty soldiers of the Republic of Lionar looking for us."
Prince Cymric's face reflected angry fury. "That bastard!"
"What's going on, Cymric?" Feral asked, moving close enough to be heard.
"Leader Tormech of the Republic of Lionar is always trying to make a bid to take over our country. Theirs is a technologically based society and they covet our unspoiled resources. They have stripped their country bare and must import much of what they need from other countries." Prince Cymric growled bitterly.
"Ahh...so they think to kidnap us in a bid to blackmail the King into surrendering something they want or need." Feral said in understanding. "I doubt very much he will try to go for a complete takeover of your country based on a kidnaping but something important you have he might make a bid for." He said, speculatively.
Cymric eyed his brother's consort thoughtfully. "You are probably correct. We have just developed a way to increase crop production and built a new prototype chopper. Either of which the Leader might be interested in." He said. "We need to inform my father but our radios don't work in all this rock." He added in concern.
Before they could decide on a plan of action, two soldiers appeared at the cave mouth opening. Immediately, the guards engaged them and managed to shove them back but more began to push their way into their small shelter.
Feral with Cymric at his side joined in the battle. Dr. Taglion wasn't a fighter and wisely kept back out of the way.
The soldiers hadn't expected such a fierce defense so weren't prepared for a lengthy battle. This gave Feral and Cymric a slight advantage. They managed to hold the entryway to the cave against the advancing army but Feral was quickly becoming exhausted and his chest began to hurt.
Back at the castle, Prince Tanlir was listening carefully as the head administrator and his father briefed him on his duties as Ambassador to Megakat City. They were sitting around a worktable in his father's study.
Tanlir suddenly gasped and jumped to his feet causing his chair to fall backward to the floor with a muffled thud. His eyes were wide and he gave a scream of fury and anguish.
His father and the administrator froze in stunned surprise before jumping to their feet and rushing to the prince's side.
"Tanlir! What's wrong?" His father asked anxiously.
Tanlir felt Ulysses' fear and pain. It frightened him that something serious was happening to his mate and he couldn't actually see what was going on. A burning fury built within him. He had to get there now! He was moving before he realized it but was stopped by a strong pair of arms wrapping themselves around him.
Eyes wide with frantic need, he pulled his attention back to the one holding him. "Let me go father. I've got to get to Ulysses! Somethings wrong...he's afraid and in pain." He shouted angrily, trying to push his father away.
"Tanlir...son...if your mate is in trouble then we will go together to rescue him. Calm yourself...give me a moment to gather a rescue team." His father ordered, shaking his son gently to get him to listen.
Tanlir took deep breaths trying to calm himself and nodded at his father. Nodding back in reassurance, the King released his son and went to his intercom. He summoned his general and ordered a rescue team be mustered immediately.
Within fifteen minutes, the King, Tanlir and his brother, Torr, with a squadron of choppers were in the air and heading for Dreamer Falls.
The squadron consisted of six Blackhawk fighter choppers and two Hueys. The King and Tanlir were in one of the Hueys that were armed with a pair of gatling guns. Prince Torr was aboard the other Huey. They flew in close formation and at top speed for the falls.
As the rescue squad raced to their location, Feral was forced to stagger back from the fight, pressing a paw to his chest. Prince Cymric could only spare the suddenly ailing consort a worried look before returning his attention to the battle before him.
Dr. Taglion quickly rushed forward and helped Feral to the back of the cave and lowered him to the ground. Feral panted hard and moaned in pain. Taglion was extremely worried. It was obvious that the pregnant Commander had been stressed too far and his blood pressure had dropped causing his heart to labor hard trying to keep his blood flowing.
The situation looked grim as Taglion got an IV inserted and started infusing a bag of blood platelets he had brought with him into the Commander. He watched the cave mouth worriedly as the attackers forced the Prince and his guards further back into the cave.
"Give it up Prince Cymric! You cannot win against us!" Growled a deep voice at the rear of the attackers.
"I will not! I will guard the consort with my life!" Prince Cymric shouted as he clawed and shoved aside yet another soldier.
"So be it!" The voice snarled then barked an order. A surge of soldiers pushed in and overwhelmed the prince and guards.
A big red-colored tom with some lion mix in his genes, strode forward into the small space. He studied the struggling prince for a moment.
"You put up a mighty battle, young one, but to no avail." He said mildly, shouting to be heard over the roaring water. He moved away and walked toward the back of the cave to Dr. Taglion's side and stared down at the pair with narrowed eyes.
Feral was still moaning, paw pressed hard against his chest, eyes closed in pain. Dr. Taglion glared up at the invader.
"What ails the consort?" The squadron leader barked.
"He's pregnant and the stress of your attack has endangered his life. He needs a hospital now." Taglion shouted angrily.
The squadron leader's brows rose in shocked surprise. He hadn't been told the consort was a rare male hermaphrodite much less that he was pregnant. Sighing inwardly at being placed in this position by his Leader he quickly ran through his mind how he would evacuate the ill consort out of here and not kill him in the process. He did not want to contemplate what his Leader would do to him if he allowed that to happen.
Before he could make a plan however, a blast shook the cave and the air was filled with shouts, dust and debris. He ran to the entrance and saw attack choppers taking out his small force waiting at the bottom of the falls. Two other choppers were dropping the King's soldiers by grappling lines to the base of the falls.
Scowling, the squad leader pulled his head back and counted the number of soldiers he still had with him. Counting himself, there were ten of them against the King's forces. He signaled two of his soldiers to remain at the entrance and for the rest to form around him at the rear with the consort, doctor and Prince Cymric with their two guards as their prisoners at the center.
They only had to wait five minutes before the King's advance forces rushed the entryway and took out his two guards. They halted in consternation when they saw the squadron leader of the invaders holding a weapon trained on the consort.
One of them stepped back and contacted the King, explaining the situation. Both antagonists stared balefully at each other as they waited, the roar of the falls the only sound heard.