Celestial's Prayer

Fission

Every time Maddy ran away, she would feel freedom from the mismatched pairing with Sardenel, the jaguar consul and her father’s fourth in command. She would always end up running on previous paths. Paths that all lead towards Kay’s community. After a while, if her father’s sentries couldn’t find her, he would send her sister, Mina.

Maddy cringed, her sister Mina, someone who she should feel jealous of but didn’t. Someone who was more than her sister and always understood. She reflected on the last time that she and Mina had time alone together. Maddy had confided to her the real reason why she would leave for so long.

It was cold that evening with the smell of spring, she remembered. She had just burst through the doors of her parent’s living quarters after another long and heated debate with her father. She couldn’t get him to understand that Sardenel wasn’t someone who she wanted to be with. His serious nature and strict beliefs would never suit her, and it wasn’t for her lack of trying to be happy. She did try, she tried to connect with him many times. He would never respond to her or anything she did to him. Always brushing her off. He’d never be a match for her.

Maddy let her body transform effortlessly, as it was always easy when her emotions ran high. She sprinted, trying to forget her father’s words and held back tears. She allowed her breath to become rigid. Her body became starved of oxygen. She found her favorite tree, a cedar, that always managed to calm her down. She climbed as high as the branches would allow her to.

Leaping from branch to branch, her breath became even again. She was enveloped by the cool smell of cedar wood. When she got to the top, she laid down on her belly and stared at the stars. She watched the moon make its slow rise into the sky. She was lulling into a soft sleep when a shift on the branch next to hers startled her. Looking over, she saw Mina in her jaguar form there, settling down on her hunches. Her sharp blue eyes sparked with concern at the moon’s brilliance.

The larger cat carefully made its way to her branch, its enlarged belly scraping the branches lightly. They bent slightly at the addition of so much weight. Mina brushed Maddy’s shoulders and transformed back into her human form. “Will you sit here and talk with me sister?” There were lines of stress in Mina’s round face, ones that Maddy had been observing for a long time now. Mina sat down carefully, her legs lightly draped across the right side of the branch, her back against the trunk of the great cedar tree. Maddy watched her for a minute then transformed into her human self, the branch groaning back into place. “Thank you,” sighed Mina as her head leaned back against the tree, gazing up at the sky, the moon catching her eyes again.

“What would you like to talk about?” Asked Maddy as the silence dragged between them.

Mina made eye contact with Maddy, a ghost of a smile touching her face but didn’t reach her icy eyes. “You know why I’m here. You and father. You run away all the time. The smell of the same human on you.”

Startled, Maddy asked, “Father, does he recognize that it’s the same scent every time?”

“No, thankfully, he nor mother see that, but there’s talk, Maddy.”

“Humph, talk! That’s all people ever do about me here is talk! No one bothers to ask me!”

“Well, now I’m asking. What is going on? I want the full story, not the practiced half- truths or lies you tell everyone else.” Maddy sat there watching her sister, fragile by her pregnancy. The stress of trying to wrangle with her father and Maddy was visible on her face. It was easy to forget that Mina was one of the best fighters the clan had because of the toll her pregnancies have taken on her. However, the clan members easily remembered that she was the gentlest and most trustworthy soul the clan has ever seen. She was affectionately known as the Maiden of Peace within the clan and whenever someone needed help, she was always there. She worked in the education center helping with the clan’s youngling's growth. She taught them the true meaning of peace and the sacrifices that war always took. She knew better than most the horrors of war, being closest to their brother Fredrico before he was sacrificed.

With a sigh Maddy began her story about meeting Kay after she had left for the first time. Mina’s eyes grew wide with shock as Maddy continued. She revealed her true feelings for Kay. She explained the happiness she had when she was around him. Maddy’s speech stuttered as she recounted the time they had almost been caught together.

“It was like the third or fourth time we had seen each other that winter. I had smelt Kay coming towards our secret place. I began to approach him when I caught another scent, this time coming from the south. I had just caught it when, all of a sudden, I heard a gunshot and a bullet ricochet just above my head. I turned and started running like a mad man. I heard someone shout, ‘Kay careful man, there was a large mountain cat stalking towards you!’

“This registered in the back of my mind as I continued to run many, many miles towards the west. Caught in terror, I didn’t stop, didn’t register any smells, nothing. That is, until I ran and jumped on top of you by accident.” Maddy looked down, no longer able to make eye contact with her regal-looking sister. Tears hid themselves behind Maddy’s dark hair, once again the guilt racked through her body. Mina reached and grasped Maddy’s hand, the warmth and kindness there comforting her.

“Madeline, look at me. It’s alright, everything happens for a reason. I believe that you and this human, Kay I mean, have met for a reason. I believe that you and Kay have a path that links, or, if anything, is parallel to each other. When the time comes, they will converge and something powerful will come out of it. I will not tell my father or mother of this. But-“

“Nor Samuel please?”

Mina nodded, “Nor Samuel. But I want you to promise me something please.” She looked at Maddy dead in the eyes, all softness gone from her face.

“What is it?”

“Please promise me that until I have given birth and the cub is of 6 full moon rotations you won’t leave again? For my sake? I will speak with father, and ask him to forget this pairing and allow you to be my midwife and the care taker of my cub when I cannot do so. After that, I do not care what you do. But for me, can you do this?” Mina's eyes grew softer. Her voice became more pleading, but she sat straight, her head held high.

Maddy met her sister’s eyes and nodded. She fully grasped what Mina was asking her. Most cubs were lost either during pregnancy or between the fragile times from the first moon change to the last of six full moon rotations. Essentially, every Celestial cub was created human, but the blood of the parents’ beasts was not always embraced by the cub in the womb, or transversely, the cub’s body couldn’t withstand the demands of the call of their parents’ blood. All in all, cub rearing in the clan was difficult, and all too often, cubs were lost, usually with devastating or even deadly results to the mother.

“Alright, I can do that but I’m going to have to tell Kay, so he doesn’t come find me or stray into the clan’s domain.”

“That is fine, go tonight, but please do not tarry and be back tomorrow by dark.” Maddy nodded and transformed. “Oh and do go with caution, father has you being tracked by Lleno.” Maddy’s cat eyes grew wide. Lleno, the lead tracker of the clan, is only called upon when things are desperate. Maddy had shivered and left her sister in the cedar tree staring at the moon as it made its decent in the sky.

Maddy had run that night along a long path that had crossed many rivers and brooks but she avoided the tree tops, mindful of Lleno’s preferred way of tracking. She desperately tried to make a confusing track and cover her scent, even attempting to swim across one of the smaller rivers. By the time she had arrived at Kay’s house, she had mud between her paws, and was covered head to tail with muddy water. She was tired and out of breath but she didn’t allow that to slow her down. Seeing the lights of Kay’s community through the trees, she sprinted the rest of the way to Kay’s house at the opposite end of the community.

She approached Kay's window on the south side of the house and pawed relentlessly at his window. After a few moments, he began to stir. He sat up and looked out his window. Surprise and wonderment filled his face, but then it was taken over by concern as he saw the state that she was in. She stepped back from the window and shook herself off as best as she could, just before a soft click came from the window as it opened. She waited for the two taps, reassuring the coast was clear before silently pouncing inside the window. Instead of landing on the carpet, her paws blissfully landed on a towel laid down on the floor next to the window. Her eyes scanned the room, weary of strangers, but stopped when she caught sight of Kay walking out of his closet with another towel. He sat down in front of her and she walked right into his open arms, purring as he started to wipe off the mud from her fur.

Somewhat clean and dry, Maddy transformed into her human form. Where there once had been mud caked on claws, there was now mud annoyingly gathered underneath her nails, but she ignored this as they embraced each other in a long-needed hug after many weeks of separation. Kay began to speak, but she pressed her hand to his mouth and shook her head. Pointing out his window, she locked her eyes on his and he nodded in understanding. She transformed back, crawled out of his window, and settled herself into the bushes, waiting for him to leave his house.

Tiredness had begun to enter her bones as she waited with all her senses weary of being tracked. Half an hour later, Kay appeared on the road walking towards his school, and that's when she left her hiding spot and took to a tree, following him as he veered from the road down to the path of their newest meeting place. As he approached the edge of the small river, Maddy scanned the area before she dropped from the trees just on the outskirts of the river bank and transformed. Kay had settled himself under an old rock jetty, partially hidden by vines. Hastily she walked towards him. Having heard her coming, he had stood up and opened his arms to her for another warm embrace. She sighed, relaxing into his arms as the funny feeling in her stomach blossomed into a dull happiness, dampened by the news she was bringing him.

Gathering her strength, she spoke wearily, "Kay, my visit is going to be short this time. I'm sorry."

A look of concern crossed his face as he absorbed her mood, "Why? What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is as best as it can be at the moment. But I made a promise to my sister and my father is having me tracked by the best tracker in our clan."

Sighing, he straightened his back and nodded, "What did you promise your sister?"

She was silent a moment, trying to form the right words. "Last night my sister came to me and asked if I could stay home for the remainder of her pregnancy and for the 6 complete moon phases after that to help her recover. The stress of the fights with my father is getting the best of her and I fear another miscarriage if Mina isn't careful." A wildness entered Kay's as she spoke and she could hear the desperation in his voice when he spoke next.

"But-But-But that's like almost 6-9 months! I don't understand! Why is it so important for her to have a kid! Why does your father care so much about your pairing! 9 MONTHS!" He was breathing heavily now, and to calm him down she stroked his face and arms.

"Look, I never told you this, but my father is ancient and our family is. . . " She trailed off, hesitating to reveal her biggest secret and burden. " Our family is the, as you would call it, the Royal family. My father is the Alpha and Mina's mate is slated to be the next Alpha, but only after they've produced a healthy heir. Me, I am essentially a princess, it is important that. I have come into my own and prominence in the clan. Unfortunately, though I have not been the best clan member, I can't seem to fit in anywhere. Therefore, my father's solution to my behavior is to pair me with a Jaugar Consol to settle me down if you will."

Kay's eyes grew big and didn't have anything to say. He bowed his head as they sat there in silence as the sun grew higher in the sky. "All this time... I've been seeing a princess of the clan that my people revere as Gods." He said this slowly resignationly as he looked at his hands.

"And I've been falling in love with the soon to be priest of the Followers of Ovid, one of my clan's most bitter neighbors. Forbidden in every aspect."

Kay froze at the word love, and she nuzzled his neck, taking in his scent. They sat there in silence, absorbing each other's words and the meaning behind them. The breeze turned from the east and Maddy caught a very faint whiff of a familiar scent, Lleno. Her nose flared and she stood up, "Kay, I have to go. The tracker is close and I was told to be back at my clan by night fall today."

Sighing, he stood up and took Maddy's hands and placed something in there. She opened them to find he had placed his ring, the ring that distinguishes him as a priest in the brotherhood, and the most important thing to him. "Here, keep this safe for me and bring it back in 9 months. I'm going to need it so they can add my jewel next year."

Giving him a half smile, she slipped the ring on her thumb, "I'm sorry I can't be here for the induction on Monday."

"It's alright, we'll celebrate when you come back." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, but before she could pull away, he quickly moved and captured her lips. She gasped in shock and he deepened the kiss before he suddenly broke away, their breath heavy. Stumbling, she turned away and left, her mind in a fog.