Feral said nothing as he was escorted back to Tendaji's home but as soon as they passed the threshold he turned and snarled in Dubaku's face.
"I'm tired of this! Why am I not told about the rules around here? I seem to keep being tricked, attacked, and blind-sided constantly. I hate it!" He shouted.
Dubaku blinked in surprise at the tirade. Feral was literally trembling with indignation and fury. He sighed. He had to agree with Feral that it hadn't been right to keep him in the dark. This was a warrior, something everyone simply kept forgetting. Not some female Kat who never would have had this done to her simply because they had enough respect for each other not to do it but Feral just wasn't your average Kat.
"I'm truly sorry, Ulysses. I can only suspect it has a lot to do with the fact that you are rare and..." Dubaku tried to soothe the furious Kat.
"I...am...fed...up...with that being the reason I'm always on someone's hit list." Feral's voice had dropped to a deeper level and his eyes practically glowed with barely restrained fury.
"Yeah, I'd be too. Can't be easy being an hermaphrodite in the first place let alone being the most prized thing outside Megakat City." Dubaku said in complete sympathy for the poor beleaguered Kat. "Unfortunately, you and I both know there's really nothing we can do about that now. The only comfort I can offer you is, that once you are bound to the pride no one can take you without causing a war." He said reassuringly.
"If you haven't noticed, that doesn't seem to stop some maniacs from trying anyway." Feral growled.
Dubaku could only shrug his shoulders. Feral was right of course but they could only do what they could and hope the nut cases would leave the Commander alone.
Before either of them could say anything else the females showed up behind Dubaku.
"Please excuse us but we must hurry and get you ready Ulysses." The Queen said with quiet authority.
Dubaku quickly stepped out of the way and bowed. "See you later, Ulysses. Try to calm yourself and save your ire and questions for Ten when you are once more alone." He said lightly then left them alone.
"I'm sorry about what happened, Ulysses. I would never have given you a quieting potion to aid you in getting rest if I even suspected you would be set upon. We've never had this occur in our pride before and it's a bit of a shock." The Queen said gently. "Right now though, we really do need to get you ready."
Frowning and unable to completely shed his anger, Feral complied with the Queen's wishes for now but Tendaji was certainly going to hear about it later.
He was quickly led to the bathing room and washed and scented then dried thoroughly before being dressed in the odd tunic, a pair of sandals and the heavy robe. Once attired, he was led back to the mansion.
As the Queen, Tandaji's mother and sisters escorted him into the main hall, Feral noted that every seat had been filled. In the center of the space a large pad that resembled a platform bed was waiting for them. The bed had a silk covering placed tightly on it and nothing else. Standing on the other side of the space was Tendaji.
He wore the same attire and stood with the King, his father and brothers. The two groups moved to the head of the bed and stopped. The King took Tendaji's paw and the Queen took Feral's. They moved the pair's paws toward each other and let go. Tendaji grasped his mate's paw and turned to look at the royal pair.
"We are gathered here to witness the union of Tendaji and Ulysses Feral. Ulysses will become the newest member of the Zuberi Pride after the union is complete. May our gods bless their mating with new life." The King intoned then he and the Queen moved to sit at two cushions waiting for them while Tendaji's family did the same.
Feral stood in shock as the words the King had spoken sank into his brain. He nearly jerked his paw from Tendaji's, his look was anything but friendly when he turned to face his mate.
Tendaji bite his lip to keep from saying anything that might set his mate off. He could plainly see the fury in Ulysses's eyes at being kept in the dark about what the 'ceremony' entailed.
"I will not be part of a public spectacle." Feral hissed between clenched teeth. He kept his voice low so only Ten could hear him.
"It is not a spectacle. It is a very real part of becoming a member of the pride. No one will make crude remarks, wolf whistles or any other hurtful sound. You are showing how much you care about being with me and accepting the ties that bind the pride." Tendaji quickly whispered, his expression serious.
"The only reason I'm here is to stop others from trying to take me or enslave me. I have not had any opportunity to care one whit about you. You're still a stranger as is your family and pride. I'm caught in a trap you made when you took me!" Feral snarled.
An uneasy murmur swept around the room as the pride noted the angry stance of Feral and unhappy look on Ten's face. The obvious discord between the pair made them concerned. The King frowned and made a move to get up but his Queen placed a paw on his arm and shook her head. Bowing to his mate's obvious desire for him to stay out of it, he resettled himself but the unhappy look remained on his face.
Tendaji was stunned! He could not accept his mate didn't feel their bond as deeply as he. Despite Dubaku's warning, he still felt Ulysses would come around but here they stood before the whole pride and his mate was in a fury. Unbidden, Dubaku's words from days ago, rang in his mind. 'He's a warrior! You must gain his acceptance and hope for his love but it will be on his terms not yours. It won't come easily for either of you!' Gods, he had been soo right!
A warrior stood before him, angry and upset about being literally dragged into a situation he hadn't wanted. Uly had done his best to comply with everything asked of him but he had reached the end of his patience and willingness.
'What on earth am I going to do now? Everyone is waiting for the next step but my mate is hostile and angry.' Tendaji wondered frantically.
He slowly let out a long breath then inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself and come up with a way to solve this dilemna quickly. His inhale however, caught a tantalizing odor. His eyes widened in surprise. 'So that's why Nakato went nuts and dared to take my mate! Uly reeks of a female in heat!' Tendaji gasped in shock, his body hardening with hot desire.
He eyed his angry mate in confusion. 'Odd, it didn't seem as if Uly is aware of his condition. Could it be he's never experienced a heat cycle like this before?' Ten wondered curiously.
"Uly, are you aware you are in heat?" He asked softly, reaching out and caressing his mate's chest briefly then backing off.
Feral startled at the sudden change in subject then goggled in shock at the question. 'Was he? Was that why he felt so hot and needy? Damn, what a time for this to happen.' His mind foundered in dismay then flashed into renewed anger and frustration. 'As if I didn't already have enough problems.'
Just as his anger was being reignited by this final straw, Tendaji quickly took advantage of his mate's momentary distraction to ignite something else that would derail the anger he could see beginning to flash in Uly's eyes.
He moved closer until his body was bare inches from his mate's then leaned his face forward to nuzzle the thick neck, nipping it a little. Feral thoughts were completely derailed as he twitched violently from the hot spark that shot through his body at the touch.
Feral had a brief moment of rebellion at this attempt by his mate to get him to submit in front of all these people before Tendaji succeeded in turning him inside out by touching his already inflamed female genitals with a sneaky finger that had slipped over his mate's buttocks and down between the thick legs to the dripping orifice.
The dark tom moaned helplessly in desperate desire as his heat cycle overwhelmed him. Growling happily, Tendaji pulled Ulysses into a scorching kiss. A need as old as time forced it's way into Uly's brain, melting away the last of his resistance. His body needed...demanded satisfaction...it had been pushed on hold for too long and it would no longer be denied still he attempted one last effort.
"Please don't..." He begged softly as his body began to writhe against his mate with desire.
"I'm sorry my love but I must do this." Tendaji murmured tenderly. He kissed his mate's chin and pulled his head closer so that Uly wouldn't be able to focus on the crowd around them.
Feral felt like he was drowning in fire. His body ached fiercely causing him to rub desperately against Ten's body for relief. Sighing inwardly, Tendaji worked to ignite his mate's need to mate to a fever pitch so that he wouldn't resist when it came time to join their bodies.
Feral forgot completely the humiliation of being watched as he and Tendaji mated. He had never experienced such an intense need to breed...to be taken over and over again until the unrelenting ache was assuaged. All thoughts were wiped away by that all consuming urgency.
He lost track of time as the fire within built higher and higher demanding release. He felt a softness under him and Tendaji over his body. They were locked together as his mate found and thrust deeply within his hot core. He growled and whined frantically as Ten pounded him into the bed forcefully. All that he heard was their pants, groans and growls. As Ten had promised, there was no sound from the audience.
They mated furiously for some time until they collapsed in exhaustion. He jerked reflexively for a moment when the room filled with the sound of roaring. Blinking in confusion at the noise for a moment, he tried to focus but it was too much effort and he forgot about it when Ten tightened his hold and pulled his mate closer. Feral let him, dropping his head to Ten's chest and falling into deep slumber.
Sighing in relief, Dubaku went to the bed and draped a warm blanket over the pair. He stared down at them for a long moment. 'Ahh, Tendaji...you are in for a really rocky ride.' He said softly, shaking his head then leaving the pair alone.
It was hours later before, Tendaji and Ulysses woke. Their stomachs growling in unison.
"Hmmm, sounds like we need to get some food." Ten said with a yawn.
Feral looked around the room and saw they were alone in the huge hall. Their bodies were covered with a beautiful blanket and it was eerily quiet. He remember very quickly what had happened here. He turned back to his mate.
"I've never been so humiliated. It was worse than what the SWAT Kats do to me." He growled bitterly.
Sighing unhappily, Ten reached out and stroked his mate's face gently. "Please love, you mustn't see it like that. It was a beautiful experience, a truly magnificent joining of two souls and you are now a part of the pride. I love you." He said softly.
Feral sighed and shook his head. He just couldn't see it like that, at least not yet. Hopefully, he would later. He felt dirty somehow while at the same time wonderfully sated and complete. Basically he was thoroughly confused.
"Breakfast sounds good...or is it dinner still?" He asked in resignation.
"Hmm, it's breakfast and someone will be along soon with it so let's just relax." Tendaji said wrapping his arm around his mate and nuzzled Uly's cheek, blowing warm air on his mate's neck.
Feral shivered. Despite how many hours they had mated he felt his body reignite.
"Ohh, smells like someone is not through yet." Ten growled low in his throat.
Feral groaned hotly and allowed Tendaji to drag him back down. The mating this time was slow and leisurely ending in another nap.
It wasn't until a little later when the smell of food pulled them back awake.
"Ohh yes, that smells soo good. Here love," Ten said feeding a crisp piece of bacon to his mate who ate it hungrily.
A full breakfast was laid out for them and it didn't take them long to devour it. Once replete, they pulled on their robes and left the building for Ten's home. No one bothered them or came near, giving them space to be alone.
Taking a bath together, Feral sighed as Ten gave him a soapy massage.
"So now that my duty's done, can I go home now?" Feral asked hopefully.
Tendaji paused in his massage to sigh. "Yes my love, we can leave tomorrow if you like."
"Good! I have a lot of catching up to do." His mate said with satisfied relief.
Tendaji just shook his head and returned to caring for his mate. Uly had forgotten one important thing. If the Gods had favored them, he would be pregnant and carrying twins would make it difficult for him to continue as Chief Enforcer. He would have to be prepared to deal with a very surly mate when that happened.