Chapter 4

Gildedtongue excused hirself to the restroom, leaving Startail and hir mate with each other.  Things just seemed to be moving far too rapidly for the chakat's comfort as shi found shelter in the small tiled room.  After hir business and washing hir paws shi splashed some water from the sink on hir face, hoping to help wake hir up.  Shi took a long look at hirself in the mirror, memorizing various scuffs and burned places of fur all over hir face.  Hir lower eyelids sagged from poor sleeping and stress.  Hir once fiery red mane was peppered with white and gray hairs, giving hir a rather mature look for someone barely middle aged.  Shi grumbled a bit as hir whiskers were well singed down to hir muzzle, hir teeth yellowed from being unable to brush them since the dance.  Hir eyes glassy and worn and...
Gildedtongue shut hir eyes tightly and looked away, not really wanting to take any more inventory of hirself.  Shi discarded hir top and made hir way into the shower to see if shi couldn't scrub off any more charred fur and not have a bald patch.  The warm water invigorated hir flesh as shi loosened hir vocal cords to purr again.  The water and shampoo didn't seem enough to remove the feeling of filth all over hir body, but shi figured shi at least looked clean.  Shi squeezed some toothpaste on hir index finger to scour away the plaque from hir teeth as well as shi could as hir foreleg paws used a towel to dry off hir fur.  Shi left the bathroom a little tussled and unbrushed, but felt cleaner than in the morning.
Dreamweaver burst out of hir room, wearing a hastily thrown together outfit, and shrieked as shi ran smack into Gildedtongue, causing both feli'taurs to tumble heads over tails down the hallway towards the front door.  As the dust cleared, Dreamweaver found hirself firmly inside of Gildedtongue's arms and forelegs as the teen looked town at the leonine chakat.  Both of them couldn't find any words as they stared blankly at each other.  Gildedtongue's hearts started to race again as shi gulped back the swelling in hir mouth.  Another swelling in hir body slid out of hir sheath against Dreamweaver's rough loincloth, causing Gildy to moan in discomfort.  Dreamweaver's eyes closed as shi felt the knocking penis as shi rocked back momentarily.
"Dreamweaver!  C'mon, you'll be late for class!" the oblivious voice of Firefoot rang out and Dreamweaver was off like a rocket once more.  Gildedtongue used hir tail and hindlegs to cover hirself as shi lay in thought, feeling hir ears burn with blush.  A few mental calculations reminded Gildy that shi was in the middle of leaving rut.
"Well, somehow I don't think Dreamweaver minded that one bit," came a chuckling voice.  Gildedtongue let out a quiet meep of embarrassment as shi rolled onto hir bellies quickly to hide any evidence, yelping a bit in pain from laying on hir hind leg.  Startail shook hir head and smiled, continuing to laugh at the sight.  Gildedtongue gulped a moment and wished that shi could just get absorbed into the floor, after being caught nearly dryhumping hir hosts' daughter.
Startail stopped laughing, cocking hir head gently to the side as shi got a better look at Gildedtongue, "Sheesh, hon.  It isn't that bad.  Dreamweaver has had hir eye on you for some time."  Gildedtongue turned hir head away and hid it under hir hands, pulling lightly at the skin on hir face as shi growled at hirself.  Startail took a very concerned look at Gildedtongue, laying next to hir and resting a hand in hir mane, "Gildedtongue, are you okay?  Don't you think this is a bit overdramatic?"
Gildedtongue lay quietly for a moment, lifting hir head a bit as shi let out a quiet chuff of a sigh.  Shi looked up at the concerned chakat, then shook hir head lightly, regaining hir composure and covering hirself back up with the towel shi had brought with hir out of the bathroom.  "It still feels wrong, Startail.  I don't think that any amount of genetic impulses and ingrained preferences will really substitute a few decades of teachings that the flesh is a thing of sin and evil."
Startail didn't have a response to this.  Shi'd never come across a chakat who thought that with such conviction.  Gildedtongue pulled away from the hand on hir head as shi sighed again.  Startail saw the chakat turn to leave, realizing shi had to speak shi found hir voice again, "Di-did your parents teach you that?"  Gildedtongue paused, then shook hir head quietly.
"No, Startail, they really didn't teach me much of anything."  Gildedtongue turned to see the perplexed face of one of hir hosts.  Shi cleared hir throat and continued, "I wasn't exactly an expected child.  My parents were in their late nineties when I was conceived, and at that point in their lives, they were more concerned about their work than family."  Gildedtongue shook hir head a bit, "Of course I was loved, I just... needed to find someone else for guidance."
Startail nodded quietly to hirself as shi listened to the older feli'taur, "And, should I ask who you turned to?"  Gildedtongue nodded to hirself as shi started to walk towards the table, finding talking in the hallway much too awkward for conversation.
"I was enrolled to learn in the Federal Monastery.  There I found myself with the best of libraries, educators, and facilities the Kingdom has to offer.  Unfortunately, they also were very traditional in their values.  That loincloth they make Dreamweaver wear would have been a luxury.  They had their own devices to raise a beast of lust proper.  Wraps for the breasts have dulled their sensations, and various chastity belts have made me very stressed any time I've had an erection."
Startail shook hir head, "I can't believe this, Gildy.  Sounds like something out of a horror film.  How could your parents let you go through that, Hell, how could the Federation allow such practices in an allied nation go on?"  Gildedtongue nodded to hirself, taking the objection and digesting it.
"Well, for starters, communication in and out of the FM is well monitored and checked and rechecked for sinful or heretic material or text.  Visitors are not welcome to maintain a disciplined and focused sanctuary.  As far as Federation involvement, I have no clue.  We saw a few inspectors walking about, but I noticed most of them find their way to the Monastery's winery sooner or later."  Startail nodded, one of the biggest exports of the HCKNA is high quality wine, despite being located nowhere near wine country, they have developed very choice products.
Startail frowned quietly to hirself, "Very interesting.  It's still a little hard to swallow, Gildedtongue."  Shi went to get a few mugs of tea, handing Gildedtongue a mug of microwaved water and some teabags.  Startail drummed over hir mug quietly, "Seems I probably shouldn't have taken that contract here, considering the practices that seem to be all around the place."  Shi sipped from hir mug quietly, "And you growing up without love in a place your parents couldn't look into."
Gildedtongue shook hir head softly, "Well, I wouldn't call it completely without love." Shi chuckled to hirself as shi watched Startail's perplexed face.  Gildedtongue kept quiet while letting the teabags embitter the warm water.  "Frank and I had known each other before the Monastery, being neighbours.  We were both enrolled into the system at the same time, and while the rules do separate the sexes, apparently my penis trumped my breasts and vagina and I was in the men's barracks.  Frank and I remained fast friends, much to the chagrin of staff and teachers.  Anyway, as boys become men and kittens become chakats, so did Frank and I, and notice our maturities we did."  The older chakat giggled quietly to hirself, "This was early enough that those wraps and restrictors weren't in place, since they weren't quite sure what to do."
Startail nodded quietly to hirself, "Well, considering the environment, I couldn't imagine you two consummating your new found attraction."  Gildedtongue gave a kittenish smirk behind hir mug, sipping quietly.  Startail blinked a bit at this, "You did?  Where?"
Gildedtongue kept quiet, letting the memory sweeten the tea before setting the mug down, "We found that there was only one room in the Monastery that wasn't under digital surveillance, the Sacristy."  Startail nearly did a spittake as shi listened to the story.
"What, right there in front of Jesus and everything?"
Gildedtongue couldn't help but giggle again, "Usually there's people in and out of there all the time to pray, so there isn't much need for anyone to keep an eye out for vandalism or general hoodlum antics, but Frank and I timed the average time between prayer groups and figured we had twenty minutes."  Shi giggled again, "I guess there really isn't a force on Earth to keep randy teenagers away from each other."  Gildedtongue closed hir eyes and smiled wide, "God, he was trembling so as we snuck in, I didn't know how I looked like, but I could tell you that my hearts were ready to break my ribcages they were beating so fast."  Shi purred gently to hirself, sipping another mouthful of tea, "Two blushing virgins in the holiest room of the whole complex."
Startail shook hir head softly, "Heh, how sacrilegious.  Were you two caught?  I mean, you were banking on averages and Murphy certainly should have stepped in at some point."
Gildedtongue purred quietly to hirself, shaking hir head gently, "I swear, the trinity was just enjoying the show.  No one had stepped in there while we were in there.  Apparently the archbishop had made a surprise visit, and everyone was at the other side of the complex listening to some speech.  It was hours before we stepped out, and no one afterwards suspected anything, though I swear the room must have reeked of sex."  Shi chuckled again to hirself.
The darker chakat nodded to hirself as shi enjoyed the amount of bliss emanating from the usually dower chakat.  Starry bit hir lower lip softly as shi cocked hir head to the side, "Two virgins, eh?  So, you were each other's firsts?  So, what happened afterwards?  I mean, did you two still find places to make love?"
Gildedtongue shook hir head slowly, looking down at hir mug, "Thanks to the uncovering of events in the 20th and 21st century, new ministers and nuns are to undergo, ah, 'voluntary' sexual suppression therapy.  Frank hasn't had an erection since he was seventeen."  Gildedtongue sipped from hir mug again, "He has aged well, and had he not become a priest, he'd be staving off suitors from left and right."  Gildedtongue's ears were tinted with blush as shi looked down into the mug, "Anyone in the world, really, and yet he chose me."
Startail smiled and sipped from hir mug a bit more, "Well, if you were that chakat I was seeing during this little trip down memory lane, I could see what he saw.  You're going to have to come out of this shell sometime, Gildedtongue."
Gildy nodded softly, "Yeah, I know."  Shi continued to look in hir mug, "Startail, I know I don't have a place to say anything, especially about Dreamweaver, however, I do see a lot of me in hir, and a lot of my parents in you two.  You love hir dearly, but..." Gildedtongue bit back the words, looking at the concerned face of the parent in front of hir.  Shi had come this far into the sentence, so shi might as well finish it.  "You love hir, but I think you two really need to show hir more.  Keep hir from class and take hir to work for a day.  Talk to hir about hir flights of fancy and hir hobbies.  In my short time teaching hir, shi seemed to always drop by my room to talk about things more fit to be heard from a parent, and I think it's because I'm the only one shi can talk to.  You both do need to go on your career, which includes many trips, I know, but... You do have another job."
Startail closed hir eyes.  Shi looked a little hurt, but as shi thought to hirself, hir face softened a bit to resignation, nodding quietly, "I guess you're right, Gildedtongue.  I don't know, my parents were always a bit too inquisitive in my affairs, so I guess I'm trying to give Dreamy enough space to grow, but maybe I do need to peek in a bit more, Firefoot too."  The sound of a PTV shutting down outside the house alerted Startail's ears as shi looked out of the window, "And speak of the devil, that must be Firefoot with our other guest."
Gildedtongue had a confused face, not knowing that they invited someone else, but didn't complain.  Shi followed Startail to the front door, looking out the window.  Firefoot stepped out of the driver's side and a skunk'taur padded hyr way out of the otherside.  Gildedtongue thought shi could recognize hyr as the skunk'taur that helped hir earlier in the trial, Tarkiee's relative, Zool, though the exact relation escaped hir, as did hyr name.  Gildedtongue retreated back into the bathroom shi showered in and pulled out the shirt from the floor, pulling at the wrinkles with hir hands before donning it.  By the time shi got out, the three others were at the table.  The skunk'taur stopped the conversation, giving a polite but curt nod to the oncoming chakat.
"I suppose you're the reason I'm here.  In many ways I was hoping that our time in the cell would have been the only time our paths would meet, but seems that fate has mingled our threads once more."  Hy closed hys eyes, relaxing a bit after seeing the nervous face of the older chakat, "I know I shouldn't blame you for Tark's mother, but in a way it is difficult not to.  You didn't ask for any of this."  Gildedtongue nodded dumbly as shi sat down at the table with the other three.  The skunk'taur looked over a PADD, grumbling a bit to hymself, "You lost just about everything in that fire, if what Firefoot and Frank says is true.  That should make things a little more complicated but still probably workable.  Name?"
"Chakat Gildedtongue, child of Gladelong and Creekstripe."
"Birthdate?"
"26/7/55"
"Federation ID Number?" the skunk'taur asked, lifting hys eyebrow.  Gildedtongue swallowed softly.  Shi'd seen it on a few cards but never really needed to put that to memory as shi had little need to travel interplanetarily.  The skunk'taur sighed to hymself and bit hys lip, trying to think of how to get it.
Startail blinked softly, "Shouldn't you know your Confirmation ID?  That should be cross referenced in the Kingdom's database."
Gildedtongue nodded softly and with a rhythm recited, "Jude 566-46-4665."
The skunk'taur chuckled to hymself, typing in the number, "Patron Saint of lost causes, if I remember right."  The Federation officer got quiet as hy looked over hys PADD, stroking hys chin softly, "You're also dead."
Gildedtongue blinked quietly before unconsciously pinching hir foreleg.  The skunk'taur felt a grin widen a bit more as hy relaxed, "They probably found scraps of your fur in the debris, and since you didn't stick around, they declared you legally dead.  On the bright side, this should avoid needing to fill out emigration papers.  We will, ah, point out the clerical error after you've arrived at your destination, so long as you keep quiet until you leave for..." the officer trailed off biting hir lower lip again as shi looked up at Gildedtongue, "Where was it that you were going?"
Gildedtongue had no clue where the location came out of hir.  Shi had been too confused by the chaos of yesterday to really come up with a reasonable answer, however the word had bubbled in hir lungs and sprung out of hir mouth before shi could find time to filter it.
"Chakona."
The skunk'taur lifted hys brow quietly, leaning back, "A chakat with a history of violence against children wants to go to the chakat homeworld?"  Firefoot and Startail glared at the skunk'taur, the fur on their tails poofing out.
"How dare you say that Zoolhook!"  Firefoot spat.  Gildedtongue meekly looked at the conversation, but was happy to finally hear the full name of the officer shi was talking with.  The skunk'taur, Zoolhook, sighed to hymself.
"I know why there is the history, that doesn't get rid of the fact that it is there, and Gildedtongue, in the trial, had admitted to dealing severe damage to Miller's hands.  As long as the person in charge of your case is willing to do the extra work to read why you did it, maybe you have a shot, but it certainly is a black mark on your record."  Gildedtongue nodded and frowned to hirself.  "But, with this information, and the information I'll get putting this into the database, I might be able to find a sponsor to speak on behalf of you to make things more smooth."  Zoolhook said, closing hys PADD and stood up.
Gildedtongue blinked at how rapidly this is going.  Hir brain finally caught up with the pace before shi looked at Zoolhook, "How exactly am I going to afford the transport to Chakona?  I don't think that the Federation is just handing out tickets."  Zoolhook nodded to hirself, dusting off hys uniform.
"Very true, Gildedtongue.  However, there are a number of supply vessels that run between here and Chakona.  It might take awhile longer, and you'll be working your passage, however you should also be able to earn some extra money to get an apartment in Chakona, and find work there.  You certainly aren't the first broke chakat who decided to make a new start on their homeworld."
Gildedtongue nodded softly to Zoolhook, watching the officer start for the door.  Zoolhook paused for a moment, looking back to Gildedtongue, "I'm sorry if I seem a bit cold, Gildedtongue, Valtee's death is still very fresh upon my soul."  Gildedtongue gave a sympathetic nod as the skunk'taur left, Firefoot following to drive him back to the base.
"So, I guess Dreamweaver convinced you, eh, Gildedtongue?" Startail chuckled to hirself, smiling to the older chakat, "Guess you're going to go to the homeworld like shi suggested."  Gildedtongue nodded meekly as shi looked at the walls quietly.  Startail continued to give a Cheshire grin before leaning back, "Mmmmm, well, I suppose a proper send off is now required, considering you'll soon be amoung the stars.  Should give your friends a warm farewell, eh?"
Gildedtongue nodded quietly to hirself as shi stayed quiet for a moment, "Not that there will be many to say goodbye to.  I've been so much the recluse I honestly don't think many are going to notice." Shi chuckled to hirself, but stopped at Startail's frown.  Shi looked down again, gulping softly, "Well, obviously I'd like Frank to be there, you, Firefoot, and Dreamweaver, even though we've only recently met, we seem to be friends in need."  Gildedtongue stroked hir chin softly, "Peter, definitely, I certainly wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."  Gildedtongue mused a bit more to hirself before shrugging quietly, "Other than that sadly, I can't think of many else."
Startail frowned slightly to hirself, "Heh, alright, well, I'll see if I can't contact them."  Shi stretches a bit, "I'll tell them to bring some guests as well, just to liven it up a bit more, if you're comfortable with that?"  Gildedtongue nodded and smiled quietly.  Shi got up to stretch again, feeling much better after all of that talking.  Shi gave Startail Frank's information, but wasn't sure about Peter's, but figured that they would be able to look it up.
------
The next few days went relatively uneventful until the party that was scheduled on Friday.  Gildedtongue was a little uncomfortable not being able to contribute much, but Startail and Firefoot insisted that shi wasn't a leech, just someone in need of help.
"I can't see much of a difference," Gildedtongue muttered under hir breath, then let out a yip as shi felt Firefoot's tail swat against hir rump.
"Hush you, and go put on something nice, now, they should be arriving in half an hour," Firefoot chided a bit, shooing the older chakat into the bathroom.  Gildedtongue let out a meep of protest before the door closed behind hir.  Shi looked at a shopping bag before hir, peeking into it.  Startail had gone out shopping earlier that day and brought home some clothes for their guest, much to Gildy's embarrassment.  The declaration of death had ruined much of any chance for collecting any insurance, or any funds in hir account, being absorbed by the Kingdom due to a lack of will, or next of kin.
Inside the bag was a gorgeous maroon blouse that Gildy could hardly believe shi should wear.  Shi closed hir eyes and shucked off the shirt shi was wearing all day, quietly putting on the blouse, buttoning up the front.  Shi grunted slightly as the shirt felt a size small, blushing firmly looking in the mirror at how it certainly made hir smaller bosom perkier.  "So, that's how Startail shops for Firefoot," shi muttered under hir breath, giving a small chuckle.
After giving hir fur a vigourous brushing, Gildedtongue left the tiled room to find that Frank had already arrived.  He was smiling and went over to give his friend a firm hug.  Gildedtongue closed hir eyes tightly, purring loudly as shi returned the hug, giving Frank a nuzzle before they broke the embrace.  "Well, looks like you'll be able to escape from here after all.  I'm really going to miss you."
Gildedtongue blushed firmly, looking down and away for a moment, still standing close to hir oldest friend, "Well, don't miss me yet, Frank, I'm still here."  Shi purred a bit more, keeping hir smile wide.  Frank nodded and ran his fingers through Gildedtongue's mane, giving hir a kiss on the forehead.
"Can we get you something to drink, Reverend Johnson?" Dreamweaver asked, approaching the two, stepping hir way between hir parents.  Frank closed his eyes as he smiled wide, letting out a quiet chuckle.
"Please, Dreamweaver, tonight, I'm just Frank.  This isn't a night proper for titles, just for people."  Frank chuckled a bit, then added in a moment of afterthought, "And whatever beer you have available would be fine, I haven't had a larger in, Lord knows how long."  Frank started to take off his collar and traditional shirt, revealing a button down blue shirt underneath.  Firefoot insisted on taking the removed clothing as Frank smirked, "Certainly feels nice being in something more in the less department."
Gildedtongue started for the table as the rest of the group joined hir.  Dreamweaver rendezvoused them there, handing Frank his drink.  Shi blushed and looked at Gildedtongue, "Erm, I invited 'Kiee here and Zoolhook, I hope you don't mind terribly."
Gildedtongue shook hir head quietly, "No, I don't mind at all.  Heh, will be nice to see more people who were involved."  Shi purred quietly to hirself, looking out the window quietly.  "Frank, since I apparently am dead, there must've been a number of questions directed to you about your whereabouts."
Frank nodded quietly, "Absolutely, though most don't question the work of missionaries out to convert others."  He winked quietly as Gildedtongue giggled a bit.  The five began the evening exchanging conversation, and bottles of beer, juice, and soda, some more restricted than others.  It wasn't long before the doorbell rang again and Dreamweaver got up to answer the door.  The familiar voice of Peter greeted Dreamweaver while sneaking out into the kitchen area.  A young, feminine voice accompanied it as Gildedtongue cocked hir head a bit.  Standing next to hir former attourney was a stunning morph of a vixen.  She stood about a whole head taller than Peter and was full of curves.  Gildedtongue barely pried hir eyes off of the newcomer to greet Pete.
"God am I so glad to see you, Gildedtongue.  When I first heard you had died I... well, let's just say how happy to see how wrong they were."  Peter's hand was like a vice around Gildedtongue's before he pulled the older chakat into a tight embrace.  The vixen giggled to herself, watching the human practically molest the chakat, not that shi was minding much.
Gildedtongue chuckled and eventually pulled out of the hug, nodding to the vixen, "Peter, you must introduce us to your companion," shi chuckled and ruffled through his hair quietly.  Peter nodded and moved next to the vixen, gesturing to her.
"Heh, of course.  Everyone, the vixen you're all salivating to is Theresa.  She and I have been mates for the last six years.  Heh, we'd be more if the Church would let us marry."
"Well, I think we're married enough to God and everyone else, who cares what those stuff shirts say."  Frank seemed to laugh the loudest as Firefoot leaned next to Theresa, whispering in her ear.  The russet vixen's green eyes became like dinner plates as her ears splay against her skull.  "Present company excluded, my apologies."
"None taken.  Though I think the only stuffed shirt here is on you."  Gildedtongue blinked a moment at Frank.  The monsignor chuckled and shrugged, "Hey, no amount of therapy is going to remove a good appreciation of pretty things."  The party grew in laughter again as the two skunk'taurs stepped in the door.
"Seems like we're late for the joke," Tookiee smirked, moving to give Dreamweaver a hug.  Hy glanced a bit at Gildedtongue, giving a sheepish wave as the older chakat gave a nod back.  Zool approached Gildedtongue, offering hys hand.
"A good day to you, Gildedtongue.  I hope our presence here isn't unwanted."
Gildedtongue shook hir head, "No no, Zoolhook, quite the opposite.  If it weren't for you, I'd probably be in a cell somewhere gathering dust.  I can't express enough how much I owe you."  Zoolhook nodded quietly to hymself, giving a small chuckle.
"Just keep out of trouble and a low profile from now on, that's all I ask."
Gildedtongue chuckled and nodded quietly as the party started properly.  Conversation ran as freely as wine and cards were exchanged in games of poker and Sheepshead.
It was one thirty in the morning before things quieted down.  Dreamweaver was sitting on hefty trove of points earned by the card games and the adults playfully accused hir of hiding the good cards in hir headfur.  Laughter was held by all as Peter and Theresa got up.
"Well, I need to head to the office in the morning, so I'd best be on my way."  The human cracked his back and ran some tired fingers through his hair.
"Heh, I can't imagine you doing all that well after getting a morph off, though, Peter," Firefoot said, leaning against the table they were playing at.
"Quite the opposite, rather," Peter chuckled a bit to himself, "See, certain bigotries are overlooked when you're considered good enough to save a hopeless case."  Gildedtongue blushed a bit to hirself, but nodded in understanding.  Peter rummaged through his jacket for a moment before finding a slip of paper, giving it to Gildedtongue, "Not sure if gifts are appropriate at these sorts of gatherings, but, ah well, no give backs." He snickered.
Gildedtongue opened the paper, eyes going a bit wide as shi blushed hard, "Erm, an IOU for two thousand credits."  Gildedtongue gulped a bit, "Ah, heh, I don't think you really should have, Peter."
The lawyer shook his head quietly, "I should and I am.  Actually, that's half of a bet I had with someone in the office.  Heh, I guess he's rather regretting having shook on that."  The group laughed loud again, as available tails swished in the celebration.  Peter continued, "I would have transferred that to your account directly, but, it's a little hard giving money to a dead person."
Gildedtongue nodded to hirself as shi tucked the paper into hir blouse, "Well, means that I have to contact you when I get planetside, no?"  Peter nodded and gave a bit of a wink.  Zoolhook got up slowly, stretching a bit hymself.
"Since we seem to be giving good news and gifts, I suppose I should tell you that we've found you a transport vessel willing to take you on their crew, as well as a sponsor when you reach Chakona.  You'll be aboard the Purgatory.  An ore transport vessel that stops in Chakonian spaceport about nine months from now.  She's a large ship with plenty of families on it.  More than likely you'll be tutor to the children.  She'll launch at nine hundred hours prompt on Sunday."
Gildedtongue nodded quietly, giving a small smile mixed with jubilation and fear, realizing that all shi's known is going to be gone so soon.  Shi cocked hir head to the side, "Erm, who is the sponsor?"
"You'll be called tomorrow morning concerning all of that.  Right now I'm absolutely bushed and 'Kiee, your sire will kill me for keeping you out this late."  The teen grumbled a bit as hy nodded, giving Dreamweaver a hug as the skunk'taurs joined Peter and the vixen.  Frank was rather quiet during all of this, looking deep in thought.  Gildedtongue noticed this in hir friend as shi approached him.
"Frank, something wrong?"
Frank signed a bit before giving his oldest friend a firm hug, and then smiled quietly.  "Back when I decided to go to the monastery and become a priest, my father had taken me aside and given me this."  Frank took off a small necklace he wore.  It was rather plain, a gold chain and a small Byzantine cross hanging from the bottom.  Gildedtongue blinked softly, never having seen Frank take if off since he first started wearing it.  Frank continued.  "My grandfather gave it to my father when he went to join the military, telling him that his child was dead and his son had been reborn as a man.  My father told me the same as I left home.  Now, since I have no one to offer the same, I am going to tell you Gildy, that my friend has died and has been born anew as a free person that I hope will be my friend again."
Gildedtongue fought back tears, feeling the necklace slowly rest in hir hands.  Shi wrapped hir arms tightly around hir friend, finally feeling tears run freely down hir cheek.  Frank coughed in the firm hug, but returned it with vigour.  The two didn't hear the quiet applause or see looks of approval.  Gildedtongue finally broke the embrace, feeling hir hands tremble as shi tried to put the chain on, nearly dropping it.  Frank smiled and took it from hir, slowly putting the necklace around hir neck, then kissed hir once more.
"You are going to keep in touch, aren't you, Gildy?"  Gildedtongue could only nod mutely; wiping hir face messily before the three sets of guests left the house.  The house went dead as Startail and Firefoot started to clean up.  Gildy was still slightly in shock from the events.  Dreamweaver approached the middle-aged feli'taur, gulping to hirself.
"Gildedtongue?"  Shi asked quietly, breaking Gildy's trance momentarily, bringing hir focus onto Dreamweaver.  The younger chakat felt rather foolish for a moment before regaining hir resolve, taking a deep inhale, "I don't have anything as useful as Peter's or Zoolhook's gifts, or as meaningful as Frank's, but," Dreamweaver paused for a moment.  Gildedtongue blushed as shi saw this train from a mile away, but wasn't sure what shi'd do until it arrived.
"Gildedtongue, I want you to be my first."
Gildedtongue blinked, not quite expecting the train to be that one.  Shi had figured that Dreamweaver already had hir first, shi had a number of boyfriends and girlfriends, and hir parents were supportive enough for that sort of action.  Gildedtongue was momentarily confused, but gazed into Dreamweaver's eyes.  This wasn't a kittenish infatuation, but a look of intimacy and love.  Gildedtongue nodded quietly before speaking finally, "I'd be honoured to be your first, Dreamweaver."
Gildy avoided the coy approving grins of Dreamweaver's parents as shi took Dream by the hand as they retreated into hir bedroom.
---
Gildedtongue slowly blinked hir eyes awake as shi felt the cobwebs drift from hir head.  Shi felt sore in a number of places, not having that sort of exertion in a long, long time.  Dreamweaver's snoring was broken by long bouts of purring as shi still slumbered.  Gildy slowly crawled off of the sleeping pad, making sure that Dreamweaver was still asleep.  Shi crept to the bathroom to perform hir usual rituals, feeling considerably more relaxed than ever before.  Shi certainly needed some sort of intimacy and was glad to have such an energetic and caring lover.
Though neither of them, for the rest of their years, will ever consider that evening the best sex they'll ever have, it will certainly rank high up on the most emotional encounters they've had.
Gildedtongue stepped out of the bathroom slowly, running into Startail, who was grinning like a proud kitten.  Gildedtongue quickly found out where Dreamweaver's smile came from.  Startail asked playfully, "Sooooo, it was good?"
Gildedtongue could only give an embarrassed nod and a large gulp.  Shi had just deflowered their daughter and the sire was completely nonplused by it.  This had been very contrary to what Gildedtongue had believed.  Of course shi knew that most chakats were more concerned about emotional relationships and physical relationships are just a common result of such a relationship, but Gildy was still a little wary in this field.  The older chakat gave a guttural grunt that could have meant anything before retreating back into Dreamweaver's room.
The dark, cross-striped chakat slowly blinked hir eyes open, smiling a bit more at Gildedtongue's backside as shi certainly enjoyed that look in the morning.  Shi purred a bit more, reaching to rub Gildy's exposed ankle, making hir jump a bit in surprise, treading on fingers, emitting another yelp from Dreamweaver before Gildy fell backwards onto the waking chakat.
"Mmmph, sorry," Gildy muttered as the chaos settled.  Dreamweaver giggled between grunts of pain, but smiled at the silliness of it all.  Both chakats slowly got out of the bed again as Dreamweaver rubbed hir flanks against Gildedtongue.  Both chakats left the room as Dreamweaver went to the bathroom and Gildy went to the kitchen.  Startail was there at the skillet, frying a number of eggs, bacon, and potatoes.  The older chakat slowly sat down at the table.
"Sorry for leaving the mess all for you and Firefoot last night," Gildedtongue muttered, trying to wake up a bit more.  Startail chuckled and scooped a portion of the concoction onto a plate and set it in front of Gildedtongue with a large mug of coffee.
"Think nothing of it, I guess that's Fire's and my gift to you, a bit of sanctuary," Startail chuckled as shi went back to rouse hir still slumbering mate.  Dreamweaver smiled and kissed Gildedtongue's cheek as shi walked by, helping hirself to some of the breakfast.  Gildedtongue only then noticed the undressed state of everyone in the house, but was rather calm about the whole thing, munching happily on the food.
"Thank you, again, Gildy.  It wasn't exactly how I dreamed it, but it had it's own charm."  Gildedtongue stuck hir tongue out to the sassy teen, but nodded softly.  Both chakats sat close with each other, inhaling each other's scents as they purred happily.  Firefoot stepped out of the room, not even covering hir cavernous yawn as shi held onto Startail's shoulder for support in hir escape of the warm siren's call of bed.  The offer of coffee and breakfast snapped hir away from thoughts of slumber as shi drank the hot bitter brew with gusto.
"So, you're going to be leaving pretty early tomorrow, Gildy.  Without traffic it's still a good four hours from here to the starport.  So we'll be getting up pretty early."  Firefoot said behind hir mug of coffee, feeling the sand dust from hir eyes.  Gildedtongue nodded quietly, also realizing shi'll need a good night's sleep, so probably not a good idea to sleep with Dreamweaver again.  The four continued to eat in silence before the viewscreen chimed happily.  Firefoot excused hirself and went to answer the phone.  A few moments shi came back and smiled at Gildedtongue, "It's from Chakona, I do believe this is your sponsor."
Gildedtongue got up and made hir way down the hall to the viewscreen, a small chill ran up hir spine as shi spied a familiar white tiger patterned face staring back at hir.  The chakat on the other line purred and gave a happy wave, "Good morning, sleepy head.  Guess I'm going to have to look after you."
Gildedtongue felt the fur on hir neck and backs rise in ire as shi swallowed a growl.  Hir fists bunched and hir claws pierced hir pawpads in both surprise and anger.  Shi stared at the screen for a moment before finally speaking.
"Hello, sister."
