Any mistakes in this are mine. This is the brainchild of listening to 5 different versions of "The Foggy Dew" and watching "Braveheart". I didn't exactly beta this, so if grammar check and spell check didn't catch it, neither did I. I don't own a cotton-pickin' thing. Reviews stimulate my ego-thingy.
Nyte Kat
"Aw crud," both Swat Kats said in unison as they were, once again, sucked into one of the Pastmaster's doomed vortices. There was no telling when in history they would end up.
Behind him, T-Bone could hear Razor sucking in a breath. The g forces were pulling them into a dangerous spiral. "Hang on, sure shot." He called back as he tightened his grip on the throttle. Razor made another sound, and T-Bone was sure he'd passed out. Unfortunately, he was soon to follow suit.
The sense that pulled T-Bone from his slumber was his sense of smell. He jerked awake at the smell of smoke. "The Turbokat!" He unlatched his harness and released the canopy, stopping short when he realized there wasn't any smoke coming from his beloved jet. After quickly surveying his surroundings, he recognized a huge plume of smoke billowing up from behind the tree line. "Razor," T-Bone dropped back down into the cockpit to rouse his partner. The smaller vigilante mumbled a nasty reply but remained asleep. "Jeez, you're grumpy when you're asleep," T-Bone patted Razor on the cheek a few times until a pair of sleepy green eyes appeared behind the mask. "We need to figure out where we are and then how to get back." Razor nodded his understanding and unlatched his own harness. T-Bone had just hopped onto the ground when a sharp snarl of pain erupted from where Razor sat. In a flash, the burly tom was back on the wing of the Turbokat. "What's wrong?" He leaned in to inspect the situation.
"I think a tree broke through the fuselage," Razor pointed down to his leg.
"I think you're right," T-Bone frowned, "but I'd hardly call that a tree." In fact, a rather thin branch had pierced through the jet and clean through Razor's right calf. T-Bone looked thoughtful at the wooden shrapnel before raising his glovatrix. "Hold still," he ordered Razor. "Should I bite down on something?" The trepidation in his voice was a near shock to T-Bone. "Relax, sure shot. I'm not cutting off your leg. I just don't know how to get it out." He deployed a mini buzz-saw missile, wincing as it sliced through the branch and the floor of the fuselage. "Well, now we have two holes to patch," Razor glared at him. After an awkward moment of T-Bone trying to help Razor out of the cockpit, and Razor trying to get out on his own, they were both on the ground where T-Bone could get a good look at the injury. T-Bone grasped the twig, and then quickly let go when Razor gasped. He tried again, and then stopped. "Could you stop that?"
"What? It hurts when you touch it. Quit being such a kitten and pull it out already!" Razor hissed.
"Fine, pull it out on your own." T-Bone crossed his arms, looking smug. Razor narrowed his eyes and huffed out an indignant sigh before gritting his teeth and gripping a paw around the offending branch. With a grunt, he pulled it out, nearly gagging at the sickening sound of tearing flesh. "Damn it, T-Bone," he hissed, curling into himself. T-Bone stared in shock, the skin beneath his blonde fur paling. A mixture of guilt and relief swelled in his gut. "I, uh, don't think we have anything the clean that out with." T-Bone ripped off a sleeve and began to tie it tightly around Razor's leg. "Can you stand?" Razor took a deep breath to reign in his adrenaline and pulled himself up. It hurt, but he could stand. "Lets take what we need, cover up the Turbokat, and figure out where we are."
"You mean 'when'," T-Bone corrected. Razor rolled his eyes and limped forward.
They didn't have a long walk before reaching the line of trees that separated them from whatever was burning. As stealthy as one could be wearing bright red and blue in a lush green forest, they crept forward. In the distance was Megalith Castle in all her glory, but outside the walls of her kingdom lay a field of destruction. The grim results of a battle covered the grounds with blood and fire. "What the hell happened?" Razor whispered; the shock was evident in his voice.
"I don't know. We need to find Queen Calista and find out," T-Bone motioned to his left, indicating that they should stay in the cover of the trees until they reached the castle.
Their trek was short and quiet, and they reached the castle walls without confrontation. The problem, however, was gaining entrance.
"Who goes there?" A deep voice boomed from atop the walls.
T-Bone hesitated for a moment before announcing themselves, "Sir T-Bone and Sir Razor! We need to speak with Queen Calista!"
There was silence and then the bridge began to lower slowly. An elderly kat in peasant robes awaited them. "It has been a great many years since you helped our kingdom. I'm afraid much has changed since then."
T-Bone and Razor looked at each other, a feeling of unease in the pits of their stomachs.
"Please, follow me. Her Majesty will be pleased to see you after all this time." They were led past the thrown room and up the stairs to the Queen's tower. "Please, wait here." The kat entered a large wooden door. Razor tried to listen, but could only make out mumbled whispers. The door re-opened and they were allowed entrance.
"My knights," a weak voice from the bed called out to them as the other kat left them alone.
"Que… Queen Calista?" Razor stepped forward.
"This may be quite a shock for you, but it has been 60 years since you fell into our world," her voice was raspy and weak. "A great deal has changed." Her eyes were gray with age, as was her once creamy coat of fur. "There is a war outside my kingdom. There is no heir to the throne, and with a dying queen, what better time to overthrow my rule?" She sighed. "The Scots are invading from across the sea, and those who are willing to serve their queen are dwindling in numbers."
"Your Majesty," T-Bone stepped forward. "We are stuck here until we can find a way to patch up the Turbokat. Even after that, if a portal doesn't open, we have no way to get home."
"Your flying machine is damaged?" She pushed herself into a sitting position. "I'm afraid all our blacksmiths have been put to use forging and repairing weapons. I can only offer you a place to stay."
"Actually," Razor interrupted. "I think T-Bone was offering to help. You helped us get home the last time we were here. It's the least we could do to repay you for your kindness."
The queen examined the kats she'd knighted so long ago, narrowing her eyes upon Sir Razor. "You're injured."
"It's just a scratch," he replied softly. "Whatever you need us to do, we can do it."
T-Bone nodded, showing that he agreed with his partner.
Queen Calista smiled. "The moment your presence was announced, I knew my saviors had returned." A painful cough rattled from her chest. "I've put my trust in a great warrior. She should be returning soon from a distant battle. When she returns, we will discuss strategy. Until then, I will have my servants prepare you a meal and a place to rest."
T-Bone unclipped his helmet and set it on the long wooden table beside the bubbling bowl of pepper stew. "At least the food is the same."
Razor inhaled the mouth-watering aroma. "Before we leave, we need to learn how to make this." After filling their stomachs, exhaustion set in with gusto and down-filled cots against the wall beckoned them. As much as there was to think about, both kats were asleep as soon as they lay down.
At first, Razor thought it was the wind whistling through the cracks in the wooden shutters. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the whistling was the morbid melody of a flute. He sat up and listened more closely. Intertwined with the flute was a battle drum. Its beating, however, wasn't one of a war march. It was one of mourning. He leapt to his feet, wincing as he put pressure on his right leg, and then hobbled to the window, quickly pulling open the shutters. He couldn't see beyond the walls, but the order to lower the bridge was loud and clear.
"T-Bone," Razor stumbled backwards to wake his partner. "Get up!"
"Huh?" T-Bone lazily opened his eyes and then groaned. "So this wasn't a dream?"
"Afraid not; they are lowering the drawbridge. It looks like the Queen's warrior is back, and it doesn't look good." Razor checked his mask in a dingy mirror, fleetingly wondering if his identity was so important in a time like this. Trying his best not to limp, he ran out doors into the bright sunlight. Several kats in heavy armor where marching towards the castle's entrance. Behind the armored warriors was a she-kat. She wore less armor than those ahead of her. Her clothes were stained with blood, and behind her, several other warriors carried the bodies of the fallen on makeshift cots. Bringing up the rear were the musicians guilty of announcing the loss of their comrades.
"Razor," T-Bone finally caught up with his companion. "Callie, uh, I mean, Queen Calista is calling for us." Quickly averting his eyes from the death march, Razor followed T-Bone to the thrown room.
The clacking of the Queen's cane echoed from outside the large room. It was only moments before she entered and was led to her thrown. Taking a cue from the rest of the kats waiting her arrival, Razor and T-Bone knelt as she seated herself before them. Glancing to his right, Razor noted the presence of the she-kat he'd seen earlier. She was kneeling directly in front of the queen.
"Your Majesty," she stood swiftly. "We overtook the most recent wave of soldiers from the coast, but I'm afraid we suffered a great deal of casualties."
"Adelaide, I trust your efforts were valiant," the queen smiled softly. "We must remain strong and steadfast. This will not be their last attack."
"Indeed," Adelaide looked to her feet and then back up at her queen. "I'm afraid that what remains of our army is but the size of a small militia, and we are no match for entire armies."
"Do not lose hope." The queen stood slowly and motioned for her two knights to stand as well. "Adelaide, you are a true warrior of kat-kind. The fate of this kingdom lies in your paws, but I do not expect you to defeat our enemies alone." Her face flushed with pride. "As I am sure, many of you have heard the stories from your parents and grandparents of the warriors who fell from the sky to save us from the clutches of the Pastmaster and his sorcery." She motioned her paws in the direction of her legendary knights. "My kats, my warriors have returned!" Razor and T-Bone turned to face those who served their queen. The crowd erupted in a cacophony of murmuring, shock at the truth behind the legend.
"But, your majesty, they are but two more soldiers. This is hardly the miracle our failing army needs!" The shout of disbelief came from an exhausted looking soldier in armor behind Adelaide, who turned swiftly to stare at him. "Watch your treacherous tongue! They are two more than we have, and only a fool would doubt a queen such as ours!" The anger in her voice was like a wave crashing over the remaining army. "Tonight, we bury our fallen. Tomorrow, we will discuss a plan of attack with our new warriors. If they were good enough for our queen so long ago, then they are good enough for me." She turned to the masked knights who stood by Queen Calista. "Please join us tonight for the celebration of the lives that were lost."
T-Bone gave a curt nod, and Razor spoke for the both of them. "We'd be honored."
The celebration was certainly that of elation and excitement, not at all like the sad wailing of music carried on the wind early that morning. It was like a Renaissance Fair T-Bone had gone to on a school field trip back before his days of being an Enforcer. There was a giant bon fire and joyous music and dancing. The smell of food was so thick that the air seemed to suck up the flavors like a sponge. A huge beast was strung up on a spit above the fire. Even in movies, T-Bone had never seen a pig quite that size. Juices dripped from his crisping skin into the fire, sizzling and hissing loudly. His stomach growled with anticipation. Where was Razor in all this excitement? He searched through the throngs of laughing and smiling kats and she-kats until he found his partner. "Come on, buddy. This isn't a time to be anti-social." Razor looked up from his spot on a bench that had been pulled outside. There were scrolls laid out before him, and the warrior Adelaide sat beside him, explaining territories and surrounding kingdoms. "No offense, T-Bone, but I really don't feel much like celebrating. We don't know these kats, and so much has changed since we've been here that we are strangers, again, to everyone except Queen Calista." His eyes fell to the scrolls in front of him. "This is a good time to get a head start on the battle we sort of dropped into." Razor looked back up at T-Bone and then sighed at how guilty his partner looked for enjoying the celebration. "Whatever happened to the Pastmaster?" Razor quickly looked back at Adelaide.
"The Queen managed to banish him from this world, as the story goes. I'm afraid she has lost most of her powers because of her failing health. I am not sure you will make it home this time." Adelaide looked genuinely sorry for them.
"I had a feeling we wouldn't get out of this mess quite as easy as last time," Razor looked back at T-Bone. "I think we might be in this for the long haul, buddy." T-Bone sat glumly beside Razor. Razor sighed and massaged his temples through his mask. "Listen, this whole thing is really wearing me down. I think I'm going to call it a night." He looked at his partner. "Hey, don't worry about it." He tried to ease some of the guilt. "There's nothing you could have done. You've tried to fly out of the portals before. They are just too strong." T-Bone nodded quickly. "Go ahead and enjoy yourself." Razor clapped him on the shoulder. "That food smells great. I know you can't resist a good meal."
T-Bone frowned. Razor hadn't eaten since that pepper stew the night before. "What about you?"
"I don't have much of an appetite at the moment." Razor waved him off as he headed towards the guest quarters.
After reassuring himself that T-Bone had decided to go back and enjoy the celebration, Razor sat down by the fire and gently untied the scrap of T-Bone's flight suit from around his wound. He hissed as the dried blood caused the fabric to stick to his flesh. The entrance wound and exit wound were both red and irritated, and puss was beginning to ooze out. "Shit," he hissed and tore a scrap of fabric from a thin robe hanging by the door. There was a pot of water boiling in the fire, and he pulled it out, setting it on the hearth. Taking a deep breath, he dipped the rag in the water quickly and then wrung it out over the open wound. It was such a deep wound that the pain seemed to throb from the bone outward. The floor creaked behind him, and he jerked his head around. It was Adelaide. "Don't you knock?"
"You're no good to me if you're injured." She knelt by his leg. "If this goes much longer without treatment, the injury will spread and you will lose your leg." Razor's eyes widened and then narrowed as he realized that the medical treatment here wouldn't advance for several centuries. "I'm afraid I'm a little lost without the modern conveniences I'm used to." He couldn't help the sharpness in his tone. It wasn't exactly a thrilling idea that he'd have to adjust to life here. Adelaide stood and grabbed the poker from beside the fireplace. She thrust it into the coals and turned back to the leg. "I'm not going to apologize for our lack of luxury. Even the future must suffer inconveniences from war." Razor looked down. "I'm sorry. This is just a difficult situation." Adelaide pulled a crude dagger from her boot and knelt once again by Razor's leg. She forcefully pulled his leg into her lap and cut the leg of his flight suit from his knee down so that part of his leg was bare. Using the hot water, she cleaned the leg slowly and methodically. "What caused this wound?" She prodded the opening gently, eliciting soft, restrained grunts of pain.
"A branch," Razor replied. "We landed so fast through the trees that they pierced our jet and my leg."
"Jet," Adelaide looked up. "What is that? Is it the flying machine from the stories?"
Razor grinned. "Yes, it is."
The look of excitement on her face dissolved. "There are no doubt splinters inside your leg. I was going to just seal the wound, but the infection will still be inside your leg. I'm afraid that what we need to do will be more drastic, as well as painful."
Razor's face fell. "What are you going to do?" Before Adelaide could answer, T-Bone opened the door.
"What's going on?" He looked as if he expected to find their clothes on the floor. Adelaide met T-Bone's eyes. "You came just in time. I will need you to hold your friend still."
After some explanation of how she would sterilize the wound, Razor found himself practically sitting in T-Bone's lap. His massive arms were tangled through his own, pinning them down. The ale Adelaide had insisted he drink before hand did nothing to ease the anxious racing of his pulse as T-Bone awkwardly pulled him up further so that he could wrap is legs around to pin those as well. Adelaide had a paw on the poker in the fire and waited for T-Bone to signal he was ready. Wordlessly, let her know Razor wasn't going anywhere. It was almost a blur the way she pulled the burning metal from the fire and thrust it through the wound.
Razor jerked violently, cursing T-Bone's hold on his body, crying out as the poker seared the inside of this leg. It only took a few seconds for Adelaide to pull the poker out, but the sharp burning remained behind. She looked unsympathetic as she cleaned around the wound again and wrapped it tightly in clean fabric. It was hard to feel sorry for him after all the others whose wounds she could not fix on the battle field. T-Bone held Razor until the writhing stopped and then slowly untangled himself from the awkward position. He handed the jug of ale to Razor once again, this time having to pull it away. "Sorry about that," T-Bone pulled Razor up and helped him to the bed he'd slept in the night before. "You're telling me," Razor's voice shook as he lay back, closing his eyes. "Just glad it's over."
It didn't take long for sleep to claim him. When it did, T-Bone turned to Adelaide. "Thanks," he said softly, scratching the back of his head nervously. She shrugged her shoulders, throwing the bloody makeshift bandage into the fire. "You should know that your masks make it difficult to fight beside you." She looked accusingly, but her tone said otherwise.
"How's that," T-Bone queried.
"There is a great deal of trust among these kats. How can we fight beside someone if we don't know their face?" She sat at the table. "Where you come from, why is your identity so sacred?"
"Where we come from, what we do is because of what happened to the kats behind the mask. If our enemies knew who we were then we wouldn't be able to continue doing what we do." T-Bone knew he was being cryptic, but he didn't know how to tell their story without giving away their identities. Adelaide seemed to grasp his situation. "Where you betrayed?"
"Sort of," T-Bone replied. "Our Commanding Officer was a glory hound. He wanted it so bad that he took it from us, sending our jet crashing into the new headquarters. Instead of taking the blame, he passed it along to us. We lost our ranks, and were forced to work for next to nothing to pay back the damage. We wear the masks to hide our identities so that when we do his job for him, and shove it in his face that we're better than he is, he can't just hunt us down and arrest us." He looked over at Razor. "Nobody knows who we are except us."
Adelaide nodded slowly. "You're in a place now where nobody knows who you are except you, no matter what. I ask that you remove the masks as a show of camaraderie. Trust is important in battle."
"That isn't a decision I can make on my own. When Razor wakes up, I will discuss this with him, but without his consent, then our identities will remain concealed." T-Bone stood, indicating that this discussion was over. Adelaide stood as well, wordlessly leaving their current living space. T-Bone stood and paced in front of the fire. There were many things the Swat Kats had to be concerned about; least of all was their identities.
Razor stirred uneasily from his slumber. His head throbbed and he felt sick. Cracking an eye open, he was disappointed to find that he hadn't spent all night drinking, and that the reason for his pain was his body fighting the infection in his leg. "Damn it," he hissed as he pushed his feet over the edge and stood unsteadily. He nearly crumpled to the floor. "Razor," T-Bone caught him quickly and led him to the bench by the table. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," Razor rested his head on his arms.
"It's probably the alcohol. You didn't have anything else in your stomach when you drank it." Since when was T-Bone a doctor? He must have given away his thoughts by the look on his face because T-Bone was laughing. "Shove it, will ya?" Razor hissed softly.
A bowl made out of bread and filled with meat, potatoes and carrots was pushed in front of him. Razor gave T-Bone a withering look. "No more pepper stew?"
"Adelaide had this sent to us," T-Bone pushed the bowl closer. "Eat. I promise, the worst that could happen is you'd puke it back up." Razor sighed and began picking at his 'breakfast'. Surprisingly, after a few bites, he began to feel much better. After T-Bone was satisfied that Razor was going to eat everything in front of him, he decided it was a good time to bring up his conversation with Adelaide. "So, after you passed out last night…"
Razor interrupted him, "I didn't pass out. I fell asleep."
"Whatever. Adelaide thinks it would be better if we didn't wear our masks." T-Bone spat it out in a hurry, and Razor nearly choked on his food.
"What?" He looked up as if T-Bone had just slapped him. "T-Bone, you really can't be thinking that it's a good idea."
"Well, now hear me out on this, okay? Nobody knows who Jake and Chance are in this time period. They only know Sir T-Bone and Sir Razor. Tell me, could you fight beside somebody you don't know or trust?"
Razor heaved a sigh and looked back down. "Never, but I already have somebody I trust by my side."
"Queer," T-Bone teased, then sobered. "Seriously, they can't trust us, no matter our intentions, unless they know who we are."
Razor bit his lip and then sighed. "You're right. We could be stuck here a long time. It would be much easier if we could just be ourselves."
Not much long after their conversation, Adelaide came to check on Razor and ask about their decision. T-Bone decided that if anyone were to see them unmasked, it would be the queen before anyone else. "We owe her that honor," he'd said and they were once again led up her tower.
It was difficult to see the once powerful Queen Calista practically bed ridden, but she was old now, and dying. They knelt before their queen, feeling more somber than they expected.
"My Queen," T-Bone stood, followed, more slowly, by Razor. "It has come to our attention that now is not the time for us be concerned with our identities." He slanted his eyes towards Adelaide, feeling unsure of this decision for a moment. "We think that, if our masks should go, then you should be the first to see us without them."
The queen had been silent since they entered. She motioned for one of her maids to help her sit up. "My knights," her voice was frail. "I am honored." The Swat Kats looked at each other, a feeling of sadness for their queen. Their eyes met and, unison, they removed their helmets and began untying their masks. The queen smiled. "You're both as handsome as I imagined. It's a shame that I'm too old to enjoy it." They both flushed at the unexpected flirty behavior. "I wonder," she narrowed her eyes, "if there is a normal name to accompany such normal features."
"Chance Furlong," T-Bone introduced himself, feeling a swell of pride as Razor stood beside him and gave his real name.
"Jake Clawson," his voice came out sounding prepubescent with nerves. Neither of them thought they would be revealing their identities here.
"Then you shall be re-knighted under your real names," Queen Calista turned her attention to Adelaide. "Prepare the dining hall for ceremony. I want our army present."
"Yes, your majesty." Adelaide took a moment to stare at here newly unmasked comrades before leaving to prepare for the evening.
Somehow, Jake seemed far more excited about being fitted for medieval armor than Chance. He chalked it up to Jake's obsession with role playing games in high school. "Geek," he grumbled under his breath. If Chance would have looked closer, however, he would have realized that the grin was actual a grimace. Jake certainly had a new found respect for the knights he would be fighting beside. All his flexibility and quick reflexes were practically useless underneath this new weight. He looked over at Chance and then towards Adelaide. "I think we are going to need some training. We aren't used to fighting with so much weight on us."
Chance sighed. "I have a suggestion." He was clearly frustrated with the situation. Adelaide cocked her head at him, inviting him to continue. "If we could just get to were we landed, we have weapons. And our glovatrixes are here. As appealing as hand to hand combat is, we have long range weapons that would easily sway this battle in our favor." Jake nodded in agreement, causing the shield of his new armor to fall shut.
"Fine, but we make this a quick journey," Adelaide turned and left them to strip off the heavy armor.
It was a faster journey then the slow trek to the castle in the beginning. This time, they were accompanied by Adelaide and a handful of knights pulling a cart to load their weapons on to. After scoping out around the Turbokat to make sure the coast was clear, they began stripping the weapons from the fallen fighter jet. "Sorry, old girl," Chance placed a hand on the damaged fuselage, reluctant to be abandoning his bird. Jake squeezed Chance's shoulder. "I promise, Chance, if we make it home, I'll make sure we never get stranded like this again."
"If we make it home," Chance repeated softly.
It was long before they were returning to Megalith Castle. Jake kept shooting sideways glances at Chance, wishing he could fix this the way he could fix everything. Trying to think of anything but his lack of a plan, he tried to strike up a conversation with Adelaide.
"The last time we were here, there were dragons, but I haven't seen any yet."
Adelaide looked at him funny for a moment and then smiled. "The dragons disappeared before I was born. I imagine not long after you left. All I know of them are kitten hood stories."
Jake sighed, disappointed. He had liked the dragons, honestly. "It's so odd, knowing what it was like here before you, and yet, knowing how it will be like hundreds of years from now."
"What will it be like?" Adelaide turned, walking backwards so that she could look at him while he talked.
Jake grinned. "If I tell you, it might alter the future somehow."
"But, by you being here, haven't you already altered the future somehow?" Adelaide smirked.
Chance looked up sharply. The tone of voice Jake had used sounded almost flirty. He rolled his eyes. Didn't he start to fall for the queen the last time they were here? Besides, Adelaide looked awfully familiar. What if she was one of Jake's ancestors? He studied her face for a moment. "Nope," he thought. "They don't look a thing like each other." Shaking his head, he decided, "What the hell, we might be stuck here for the rest of our lives anyway."
They returned to the castle just in time to get ready for the ceremony.
"Make sure you clean up well. The queen's daughter is due to arrive." Adelaide directed as she turned away from their door.
"Wait," Chance jumped in front of her. "I thought there was no heir to the throne."
Adelaide sighed. "Her Majesty's daughter does not wish to inherit the crown. I'm afraid her spirit is just too adventurous for such mundane tasks as ruling a kingdom." It didn't reflect in Adelaide's voice, but the sarcasm was evident none the less.
"What has she been doing, then?" Chance inquired further.
"I really don't know. She said she wanted to see the world, that there was too much beyond the castle walls for her to ignore. Her father was a rebel as well, from what the queen has told me. He died in battle not long after her birth." She looked past Chance, catching Jake's eye and then looked back at Chance. "I need to get ready for this evening. I will see you both in the dining hall."
Chance shut the door and grinned widely at Jake. "Ya hear that, pal? The queen has a daughter."
Jake cocked an eye at Chance and smiled, "And I bet she's every bit as gorgeous as her mother was."
They were given formal attire for the evening. Each had been fitted and dressed in long satin robes. Chance wore deep royal blue with gold trim, as did Jake, although the cut was different. They were the colors of the court, and it was required for their knighting. Jake looked around anxiously for Adelaide or Queen Calista, but neither were present.
"Nervous?" Chance gave Jake a brotherly shove.
"What? No," Jake defended. "I was just uh…" He fumbled for an excuse.
"Looking for Adelaide?" Chance smirked as the blood rose to Jake's cheeks. "She's right over there." He turned Jake's head to face the rear entrance of the dining hall. Her dark fur was combed out and her long hair braided down her back. She wore a long gown which accentuated her breasts. She looked stunning, and at the same time, completely out of place. With a cheeky grin, Chance pushed Jake's jaw shut and whispered in his ear. "Better wipe off that drool, buddy. She's spotted you." Indeed she had, and, not knowing whether he had been drooling or not, Jake wiped his mouth quickly, much to Chance's enjoyment.
"With a little work, you two fit right in." Adelaide flushed, realizing Jake's attention wasn't completely making it higher than her bust-line. It was flattering to be viewed as the she-kat she was rather than a defender of the thrown. "Come on. There is someone I want you to meet." Without thinking, she grabbed Jake's paw and pulled him behind her. Chance shook his head and followed the pair towards the royal dining table and out the back entrance. "She's asked not to be introduced with her mother, but she's heard the stories, and wants to meet you two at once." Adelaide stopped just outside a large set of doors and turned to face the two kats behind her. She gave them a nervous once over, and then nodded to herself before opening the door. "Wait one moment," she said before disappearing behind the once again closed doors. Before the two could whisper to one another about who they were about to meet, both doors swung open and Adelaide beckoned them in.
"Sir T-Bone and Sir Razor, I'd like to introduce you to the daughter of our beloved Queen Calista, Catalina." Adelaide stepped aside, allowing the would-be princess to meet the legendary heroes.
"I heard they wore masks." Catalina seemed to turn up her nose.
"We did. We are being knighted tonight under our real names." Chance approached Catalina. "Would you prefer I knelt before I introduced myself?" She blushed at the sarcasm. "I suppose I deserved that," her face softened a bit. Chance smiled. Without the annoyed look on her face, she looked even more like Callie than her mother had at that age. "I'm Chance," he half bowed, half winked. "And this is Jake." He gestured towards his partner.
"Are you brothers?" She looked between the two. "I always assumed you two were related from the stories."
"Not quite," Jake interrupted. "But we are close enough to consider ourselves family."
"I see," she examined Jake for a moment. "You're much smaller than I imaged, too. I always thought the both of you were big and strong." Her gaze returned to Chance. "Well, at least one of you doesn't disappoint."
For a moment, Jake wanted to slap the cocky grin off Chance's face. He hated the digs at his size. Chance might have been a big muscle-head, but there were more important things than muscle. Sensing his discomfort, Adelaide decided it was time to intervene.
"We should wait outside for the queen. It's almost time to begin." She grabbed Jake's arm and motioned for Chance to follow.
"Jeez, Chance, why didn't you just jump her bones right then and there?" Jake hissed as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Me? She was practically salivating over me. Who could blame her? Look at me." Chance seemed to promenade about for a moment. "Besides, look whose talking! You're practically made of jelly when it comes to Adelaide."
Jake flushed. "She's just so full of herself. I don't see what her problem is with being the next queen. She seems like she wouldn't mind ordering a kingdom around."
Chance grinned. "I sort of liked it."
"You would," Jake retorted.
Before Chance could reply, they were being ordered to kneel as the Queen was arriving. Chance stole a glance of Catalina, who seemed reluctant to sit beside her mother. Catching his eye, she turned up her nose in a haughty fashion and sat without a fuss. Standing to the left of the aging queen was Adelaide. She was the picture of a stoic warrior despite her fancy gown. Her duty to the throne was clear.
Without any direction, the dining hall silenced and the queen stood before her people.
"Sixty years ago, two heroes from the future fell from a magical portal in the sky. I was a young Queen, and our Kingdom was threatened by an evil sorcerer. They rescued me from his clutches, thus saving the entire Megalith City. I knighted them Sir T-Bone and Sir Razor, then I helped them find their way back to their home in the distant future. Now, I am frail and our dear Megalith City is threatened by a kingdom across the sea, and once again, in our time of need, those saviors of legend fell from the sky. Here they kneel before me, unmasked for the first time, willing to fight for their past, so that we might have a future." Queen Calista paused so that Adelaide could hand her a heavy broad sword. "You have shown your true identities to me, and to my kingdom, and your kingdom, I'm afraid, if you cannot return home. I am honored to have you fight as yourselves among my warriors. As such is the case, you shall be re-knighted with your true identities." She descended a step so that she was one above Chance and Jake and they both stood before her. "Kneel, Sir T-Bone," She commanded and he knelt. Her blade came down softly on one shoulder, then the other, "and rise, Sir Chance!" He stood, bowing slightly to thank her as she turned towards Jake. "Kneel, Sir Razor," and he knelt so that she may knight him as well, "and rise, Sir Jacob." He stood, bowing just has Chance had, feeling flush, and some how, more honored this time. The queen stepped back and addressed her court once more. "Feast tonight, for tomorrow we shall bid farewell to our warriors and pray for their safe return." They were seated at the Queen's table and minstrels began to serenade.
The queen sat in the center of her table, her daughter to her left, and Adelaide to her right. Beside Catalina was Chance, and beside Adelaide was Jake. Picking nervously at his food, Jake hesitated to talk to Adelaide. With his partner and best friend seated so far away, he felt unsure of himself. Peering around Adelaide and Queen Calista, he was disappointed to see Chance laughing and carrying on with Catalina. He sighed. It was just like Chance to hit it off right away. He wondered if Chance was even concerned about what tomorrow would bring. The only battling with a sword Jake had ever done was in a video game, and he was sure Chance's experience with a blade was even less than his own. He sighed.
"What is wrong, Sir Jacob?" Adelaide asked with true curiosity.
"You know, you can still call me 'Jake,' and nothing's really wrong. I'm just a little worried that our battle experiences are so different that we might not be any help at all." Jake looked down at the small roasted bird placed before him. He grimaced a little that the bird was cooked in its entirety, sans the feathers. Beady black eyes stared up at him from his wooden plate.
"I gather our battle tactics aren't the only thing different in the future," Adelaide followed Jake's gaze down to his dinner.
"Well, most of my meals certainly never stared back at me," he smiled to ease the tension. "You know, you look really nice without all the chainmail."
Adelaide blushed at the giggle that erupted from her throat. She coughed softly. "A lady doesn't fair well in the throws of war." Jake fought to ask how a lady should fair in the throws of passion. It would be out of character. "I shall make you a deal, Jake." Adelaide sensed his struggle for something to say and spoke before he could embarrass himself. "I shall teach you to fight like a true warrior of Megalith City, if you teach me to fight like the legendary hero from the future."
Jake grinned. This was a challenge he could accept. "Adelaide, consider me your pupil." He made an exaggerated bow, and she laughed a heartier laugh this time.
"Excellent, we shall begin our training tomorrow." Her eyes shimmered with excitement.
The sun had yet to even grace the horizon when Adelaide was pulling them from their beds. "This is no time to be lazy!" She averted her eyes long enough for them to pull on their clothes. "Her Majesty awaits our departure."
They had taken the time to decide which Swat Kat gear would be suitable for their journey. Weapons that required a propulsion system of some sort beyond their means were left behind. Jake had dismantled the buzz saw and bolo missiles so that they were usable in hand to hand combat. He'd put together some weapons that were primitive compared to their original purpose, but certainly more modern than what they had to work with without them. Their glovatrixes, of course, were certainly useful, at least, until they ran out of ammunition.
Jake was just about to mount his horse when Adelaide grabbed his arm. "Your first lesson begins now." She held a large broad sword and a heavy set of chainmail. "Part of what makes our warriors so valiant is their strength and stamina. It takes a great deal of both to ride into battle wearing such heavy garb and wielding the weight of a broad sword." Jake looked anxiously to Chance, who was saying farewell to Catalina. "He will be wearing the same armor as you." Adelaide grinned mischievously. "Though, I'm afraid, he is not aware of it yet." Jake fought the urge to grin back as he took the armor and sword.
The sun had finally pierced the darkness by the time they ventured past the castle walls. Every kat willing to fight had adorned themselves in the kingdoms crest and armor and joined the Queens ranks to defend their kingdom.
"It's a full day's ride to the camps. Once their, we will join ranks with a neighboring kingdom. They are also fighting the Scots. We shall rest for the night and then head into battle the next morn." Adelaide directed and she rode to the front of the small army. Jake struggled with the reigns of his horse for a moment before catching up with her; Chance followed with less difficulty. Apparently, all his muscles were much better suited for supporting heavy armor than his own more agile frame.
"We have spies who have been monitoring the Scots' movements. I'm told they are quickly heading south towards Megalith. We should be prepared in case we meet them before daylight tomorrow." Adelaide was all business.
"Catalina is considering taking the throne after her mother after all," Chance spoke softly. "Do you think it will be enough to have an heir?"
"Not if the heir doesn't have the trust of her kats behind her," Adelaide wasn't as thrilled with the idea as Chance expected. "She has been gone for some time. The kats of Megalith City know nothing of her except that she would prefer to travel the world than learn the skills of a ruler."
"What about you," Jake knew it was an ignorant statement the moment it passed his lips.
"The point of an heir, Sir Jacob, is that they are of royal bloodline," Adelaide practically hissed his name. "As much as I care for our dear Queen, I am not in line for the throne, and whether Catalina decides to take the throne or not, I will still defend it from those who wish to overthrow it."
"What about you, Adelaide? Do you want to be a warrior forever?" Jake bit his tongue. Why was digging a hole?
"The idea of a family is appealing, but, as I said last night, a lady doesn't fair well in the throws of war. Unfortunately, neither does a warrior fair well as a lady." There was a hint of sadness in her voice.
Several hours into their journey, the army stopped to rest at a stream so that the horses could drink. Jake was just about to pull off some of his armor so that he could cool down when the blade of a sword sunk into the tree he was leaning against.
"I wouldn't be removing that just yet," Adelaide pulled her sword from the tree with ease. "You've only just become used to riding under such weight. Lesson two is how to maneuver as if you were naked."
"Wouldn't that be much easier if we were?" Jake clamped his mouth shut as soon as he'd said it. "I, uh…" he barely had time to unsheathe his sword to ward off her attack. Stumbling backwards, he clumsily flung the blade in the way of hers. Metal clanked against metal, and he wondered, for a moment, if Adelaide's idea of 'training' differed much from actual battle. She blocked and thrust against Jake until it was clear he would collapse from exhaustion. Finally, she put away her sword, and he nearly fainted with relief.
"Adelaide, you are a wolf in sheep's clothes." Jake sucked in deep breaths. "And I'm glad we're on your side."
She fell to the ground beside him, laughing as she handed him a gourd filled with water.
Once they had caught their breaths, it was time to march forward. They didn't stop again until nightfall. A scattering of fire pits appeared through the tree line, illuminating the camp sight. "Their army is much larger than ours, but our cause is equal." Adelaide went ahead to announce their arrival and soon introductions were made, as were sleeping arrangements. Chance sat beside Jake. "So I saw that beating Adelaide dished out to you earlier." He shook his head. "I'd make a jab at how you got beat but a girl, but she could probably beat me up too."
"You're probably right. Say, you don't have anything to do with Catalina deciding to stay in Megalith City, do you?" Jake picked at a piece of bread.
"Well, you could say that I'm an excellent negotiator." Chance winked.
"More like, your powers of persuasion are nefarious in nature," Jake narrowed his eyes. "I wondered where you two disappeared to." Chance could only laugh in response.
"Jealous? Besides, if she has a reason to stay in Megalith City, then there is someone to protect the thrown in our absence, right?" He did have a point. Chance stretched and stood. "I think I'm calling it an early night. I have a feeling we don't have much longer before we will be waking up."
"Good night, Chance." Jake stuffed the rest of his bread in his mouth, a shadow in the trees catching his attention.
Adelaide was rarely spooked, but she certainly wasn't expecting the hand the grasped her shoulder. Not allowing herself to cry out in shock, she spun around to find out who her attacker was. "Jake," she gasped. "You shouldn't sneak up on me like that. You could have been injured."
"Sorry. I figured now was a good time to teach you a thing or two." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Really? What did you have in mind?" Adelaide purred seductively, laughing sharply at the surprised look on Jake's face.
"I meant in combat," Jake huffed. "Is there somewhere with more room? It wouldn't do us well to trip over a root or something."
"Right, there's a clearing this way through the trees." Adelaide led the way. A short way through the trees there was a circular clearing; the remains of an old foundation were visible near the trees and the moon illuminated the spot perfectly. "There was a church here a long time ago." Adelaide stood in the center of the clearing. Jake paused in front of her, a slightly confused look on his face. "What's the matter?"
"I've never actually taught anyone to fight before." Jake felt suddenly nervous.
"Well, surely someone taught you. Start where they started." It was good advice, so Jake began teaching her how to inhale and exhale so that she could control the force in her blows. After that he decided a few defensive maneuvers were in order. "Okay, I want you to charge at me, like you would in hand to hand combat." Adelaide nodded and commenced her attack. In a matter of seconds, Jake had her flat on her back, pinned to the ground. Adelaide looked stunned. Jake pulled her back to her feet and demonstrated the move in slow motion.
"Alright, I think I understand." She stood back, ready to give it a try. Jake nodded and moved in for the attack. Impressively enough, she managed to sweep his feet from underneath him, but, instead of pinning him the way he had, she landed on top of him, straddling him in the most compromising position. Jake's breath caught in his throat, unsure of his next move. "I, um… I think you botched the last part of… of that thing I just showed you. We can try it again if you…" His words were cut short as she pressed her lips to his. Feeling like he needed to be in control of the situation, Jake rolled her over so that he was on top of her. He searched her eyes amber colored eyes for a moment. "Your clothes limit your mobility. Long skirts interfere with the movement of your legs. You'd do better without it on." Jake would have continued had she not pressed a claw to his lips.
"You really do talk too much." Adelaide seemed to explore his eyes in return. For a moment they just stared at each other, then, as if the moonlight ignited a spark of madness inside of them, theirs mouths clashed together in a fury of passion. It didn't take much work to remove the fabric between them, and even less exploration of each other's anatomy to reach what they both desired. Jake resisted biting down on her flesh and marking her as his own, and she did her best to stifle her cries of pleasure from echoing back into the camp. He gasped as she tightened around him like a python. That was all it took to draw the climax out of him and he collapsed on top of her. "When this is over," he whispered, unable to finish the thought. Adelaide nodded her understanding, untangling herself from his body and pulling her clothes back on.
Chance cast wary glances at Jake as he pulled on his armor.
"What, Chance? Why are you staring at me?" Jake finally asked after averting his sidelong glares all morning.
"Nothing, it's just that something's different about you." Chance blatantly stared at him this time, closely scrutinizing him as best as he could. "I just can't pin point it."
Jake rolled his eyes, resisting the stupid grin that threatened to take over his face. "I don't know what you're talking about." He almost lost his resolve when the call came to ride out. Jake whistled a low sigh of relief and climbed onto his horse, galloping to catch up with Adelaide.
"We should tread carefully from here. It's better to have the advantage of stealth than to ride headlong into our own demise." Adelaide met Jake's eyes, and then swiftly looked away as Chance rode up beside Jake.
"With the other army, we are more than triple the size we were. We will form ranks at the top of the hill. Forming into militia might be our best hope at overthrowing their forces." Chance was suddenly an expert on war, but then he always loved a good war story and spent more time watching the history channel than he did watching cartoons. It was evident in his obsession with the Blue Manx and the Red Lynx.
Adelaide looked impressed. "Why, Sir Chance, I had no idea you were so strategic." She was just about to address a plan of attack when an arrow whooshed past them and into a nearby tree. She pulled on the reigns and motioned for the troops behind her to fall back. "They've spotted us; so much for strategy." Looking ahead, she saw the Scots in their kilts with their swords and bows and arrows.
"Might be best to just dive right in," Jake suggested. Chance agreed, and Adelaide raised her sword to ready the charge. Behind them, the horses of their warriors huffed and whined anxiously. "On my mark," she readied her troops. Her horse bucked up and she swung her sword downward, heralding their attack. She shouted a hearty battle cry as she galloped down the hill. Jake and Chance flanked her on both sides, with Queen Calista's army behind them, and the adjoining army merging through the center.
Like all epic battles, the clashed in the center of the field, sword and shield uniting in thunderous clashes. Chance roared as he dodged arrows and slashed violently at their enemy. Beneath him, an arrow struck his steed in the neck, bringing her down swiftly. With one deft move, Chance pulled his glovatrix from the saddle-bags and launched an assault that nearly halted both sides of the battlefield. Taking a cue from his partner, although still firmly mounted on his horse, Jake equipped himself with his own glovatrix. Between the two, they were able to move the battle in their favor.
It was a bloody battle. Mini buzz-saw blades sliced through enemies like deli meat. Swords dismembered limbs without remorse. Arrows felled their foes in silent accuracy.
"Click"
The hallow sound of fully unloaded glovatrix was enough to drown out all other sounds on the battlefield. Chance sucked in a breath as the now useless device fell to the ground and he pulled his sword from its sheath across his back moments before the Scot charging at him. He dodged to the left as the enemy sword sliced across his arm, cutting the flesh deep, and spraying blood like a geyser. With a snarl, Chance retaliated, thrusting the hand-forged metal weapon into the throat of his opponent. The kat dangled precariously for a moment before sliding to the ground with a thud. He looked up to see the last of the army retreating. Adelaide signaled to cease the attack.
"They are retreating!" She turned to face her own troops. "Let us not take this triumph for granted! This is merely the first wave of attacks!"
That night, they rested. There were a great number of wounds to be licked. Weapons need to be maintained. Energy needed to be replenished.
Jake tended to Chance's wound with the same care he offered to his leg. As he was bandaging it, there was a sudden argument coming from the outside of the camp. Adelaide pushed through the crowd to resolve the matter. "What is the meaning of this?" She directed her attention to a short kat in a kilt being held up by the nape of his neck.
"This one here says he's one of us. He looks like one those filthy Scots to me!" One of her kats snarled menacingly. Adelaide looked smug. "Put him down. He is one of us. His name is William Manx and he's on our side. He's been feeding us information about the Scots' whereabouts."
Jake looked at Chance when they caught the name of their spy. "Manx?" They whispered in unison.
Manx dusted himself off, grumbling about uncivilized war mongers. "Me-lady, I have news from the king of Scotland, himself! It seems news of your defense has traveled a great distance. Reinforcements are on the way."
The news managed to draw the exhaustion right out of Adelaide. She stood up straight and addressed her followers. "The Scots are sending more of their warriors to the battlefield! But we will send them to their graves!"
It wasn't long before the next wave of attacks came. It felt as if they had spent months on the battlefield. Even Jake's revamped arsenal was dwindling down, as were their troops. Left and right, casualties were falling on both sides.
Jake swung his broad sword widely. Sweat dripped down into his eyes, and every muscle in his body protested the movement. Still, he held his ground, matching attack for attack with the enemy, hoping to stay less exhausted then they were, so that they would fall first. Finally, the slick feeling of his enemy's blood flowed past the hilt of his sword and onto his paws. Jake fell to his knees with a gasp. There was so much blood matting his fur that he couldn't tell where his wounds began, and a stranger's took over. Swallowing against his parched throat, he swung his head to the right in time to see Chance overpower somebody with energy he could only envy. To his left, he saw an arrow being drawn against the bow, ready to overtake Adelaide. Adelaide! He shot up, screaming at her to move, but she couldn't hear him. "NO!" Jake dove into her, taking her to the ground. She gasped loudly and Jake was sure he'd been too late. She averted her eyes, and Jake followed her gaze. The arrow was embedded in her shoulder. With a cry, she pulled the arrow free, and Jake turned his attention to the archer who wounded her. Feeling suddenly renewed, he charged her attacker, sinking the full length of his blade through his stomach, and twisting it sharply before pulling it back out. He turned his back, sapped of energy once more and trudged his way back to Adelaide's side. There was a ringing in his ears, and she was yelling something. Jake couldn't make out the words. Suddenly, he was hit with what felt like a car. Chance hollered as he tackled Jake to the ground. Only to come up covered in blood. Looking down, he found Jake's face a bloody mess. Chance stood, looking franticly. "Filthy bastard!" Chance didn't have to run far to catch up with the kat who'd taken out Jake, but he realized too late that his weapon lay by his friend's side. It was only a slight setback for Chance, however, as he madly swung his fists, physically beating the life from his enemy.
Catalina waited anxiously by the castle gates. She'd been informed of Adelaide's return, along with those who survived the battle. There was no flute or drum mourning the fallen this time. Instead, there was only the clinking of the chains as the drawbridge lowered. A weary, bloody she-kat marched forward slowly, followed by a handful of horses, and horse-drawn cart covered with a sheet of burlap. Knowing what was under the sheet, she immediately turned her attention to those on horseback. Immediately she recognized Chance, but where was his young friend? As they approached, a pair of reddish/brown arms could be seen wrapped around Adelaide's midsection. Catalina allowed herself a breath of relief. Adelaide pulled her horse to a stop in front of Catalina. "Where is Queen Calista?"
"I'm afraid I have some terrible news." Catalina bowed her head so that her sadness for her mother could not be seen. "You've been gone so long. She just couldn't hold on any longer. Not even a day after the news of your victory over the Scots arrived, she passed away." Catalina looked up, her lower lip quivering. "Oh, Adelaide! I'm not ready to be queen!" Adelaide carefully removed Jake's arms from around her and slid down to the ground only to have her arms full of the grieving young she-kat. "Catalina, you will be a great Queen. And you won't be alone in this." Adelaide gasped suddenly, stepping back to look at Catalina, for the first time noticing the large belly hidden beneath her robes. "Catalina, you're…"
"I know," she looked up at Chance. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it back."
Chance slid off his horse, careful of his injuries, and limped towards Catalina. He pressed a paw to her belly and looked up slowly.
"I was hoping you would be willing to share the rule of a kingdom with me." She met his eyes with trepidation. Chance sucked in a breath of air before kissing her passionately. There was a soft moan behind them and the turned in time to see Jake regain consciousness. Adelaide steadied him so that he wouldn't fall. "His head was grazed by the blade of an axe. We nearly lost him."
Catalina wasted no time in having her nurses tend to Jake and the remaining injured. Once they were settled, she began to make plans to bury the dead they'd brought back, as well as a celebration for the lives lost that couldn't be brought back.
Jake moved his head closer to the paw that caressed his cheek. Slowly, he opened his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the light. "Adelaide," he whispered. "Am I dead?"
"No, Jake. We're home. We made it back." She grasped one of his paws in hers. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"I'm not exactly sure. I just remember the blood and the fighting and my heart beating in my ears," Jake took a shuddering breath and then gasped. "Chance!" He tried to sit up, but Adelaide stopped him. "Chance is fine. There is a lot you missed upon our return." She explained the news of the Queen's passing, of Catalina and Chance, and of the celebration that was currently going on out in the courtyard. Jake raised his paw to her face, caressing her cheek. "I wondered if by being here, we were interfering with the future, but I think that we were supposed to be here all along."
Adelaide lowered her head so that she was only a hair from his face. "I think you're delirious." She smiled and gently kissed his lips. .
I'm not a fan of epilogues. Feel free to make your own assumptions from here. Remember, I don't own anything, I have way too much time on my hands, and I love reviews.
Nyte Kat