Disclaimer: Do you think 99pizza looks like Mercedes Lackey

Companion Acton was fourteen and the oldest unbonded Companion in the field, he was also the only one with heart problems and because of this none of the Heralds or other Companions thought that he was ever going to choose. That is why it was no surprise when Acton died without a Herald or Trainee at his side or in tears as they buried him. No, what was a surprise to Acton himself is what happened after his death.

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There was nothing unusual about the three forked road ahead of him or the man standing in to his left. Nothing unusual except for the third path that had defiantly not been there on his previous two visits here. "Hello Acton, I believe you have just discovered your third option." Acton looked at the Shadow Lover before asking :What is it: "I believe you know the first two choices but, there is a reason you haven't chosen yet and it is because this girl is in a different world. Your third option is to go to her world and choose her." Acton took an eager step towards the first path. "Wait," said the man "The third choice has two conditions the first is that you would not be in your own form you would have to be in that of a cat so as not to stand out and the second is that the girl must not know of the Choice or her Gifts while she is alive. Choose wisely witch path to follow." Acton paused for a moment and said : No Companion would ever deny their call: Before turning and walking down the third path.

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Emily walked carefully out to her car in the vet's parking lot with her cat, Acer in her arms. Finally she managed to get the back door open and Acer settled on the seat. 'I have the best job in the world' thought Emily for about the millionth time that week as she got in the car and began the drive home.

It was true too, ever since she had gotten the job as a vet's secretary two years ago she had been able to bring Moses to work with her every day. Acer purred contentedly in the back seat and gave the impression that he agreed about her job being perfect.

Emily thought back to the day almost three years ago when she had first met Ace'. It had been a warm day fairly mild for mid-October and she was just leaving her apartment building for work when she had nearly tripped over the poor little thing. When she had bent down to get a closer look his white fur was soaking and full of fluff from bull rushes as though he had been swimming in the swampy river on the other side of the road. When the little wet fluff-ball looked her in the eyes, his own being blue on the left and a blue-ish grey on the right she was filled with a sense of love and the feeling that this little Creature had just adopted her and was going to do everything possible to protect her.

Emily sighed and smiled that had been the most amazing day of her life, sure she'd had pets before but never one that could understand her so well. She and Ace got along perfectly, he could always understand what she was saying and vice versa even though Ace couldn't speak in words. In fact there were times when she thought they could even tell what the other was feeling. But of course that was only her imagination she often imagined she could feel what others were feeling and that her moods affected theirs, but after all things like that like the Herald and Companion bond, like Talia and Rolan or Vanyel and Yfandes only happen in books, she thought wistfully don't they? I mean Jason is always telling me how close Ace' and I are but it's only talk, right…

Emily's thoughts were interrupted when the car hit an icy patch but instead of slipping for a second and getting over it she screamed and Ace hissed as they seemed to slide on forever like it would never end until the car slid off the road and into a tree. By the time her ears had stopped ringing from the impact Emily was sitting, barely able to breth with her face in the airbag and her last thought before she lost herself in the darkness of an airless world was for the little white cat on her back seat.

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Acer was lying contentedly on the seat and purring while His Chosen person was lost in thought. He was glad to be heading home, as much as he loved being with Emily it was hard work to protect his Chosen from all the dogs that entered the clinic. His Chosen, he loved being able to finally say that even if there wasn't anyone here that he could share it with, it was worth having to switch worlds to find the person that was his. His and his alone. Damm. now that he was thinking of Emily it was clear that she was getting much too close to the truth, time for a subject change that was one thing the Shadow Lover made perfectly clear to him before he was sent here his Chosen was never to learn of the Choice and bond or her Gifts while they were alive and in this world.

Hmmm… diner, yes it was time for her to start thinking about what to have for dinner, fish would be nice…

Ace had just inserted himself deeper into Emily's mind and was about to give that little twist he had used so many times before that would cause Emily to suddenly loose her train of thought when the car swerved and he was thrown from his seat. Ace gave an angry hiss and was about to jump back up when the car hit the tree and the airbag in the door inflated. Once Ace had managed to partially block out his Chosen's panic he was overwhelmed by his own as he realized that she was dying and in a heartbeat Emily, the bond and everything that made it worth living in this strange and unknown world had disappeared.

Sometime later after Ace had exhausted himself and lay down in the carrier one of the police had put him in he overheard them talking "Poor thing, if he hadn't been on the floor he would have been suffocated like that owner of his.." and that was the last Ace knew for the next several hours.