MISTO POV

It's late. I'm not sure why I'm awake…

The queen in my arms shakes a bit, a small whimper escaping her. "Shhh…you're safe…" I whisper, licking the fur behind her ears. After a few moments she settles back down again. I smile … it seems that Zaphia's such a deep sleeper that her nightmares wake me up before they wake her. But it works out.

She's beautiful when she sleeps.

Her sleep is peaceful again, but I hold onto her tightly anyway. My wife…it's going to take me awhile to get used to the idea of being someone's husband. I can't say it out loud yet.

But I have a lifetime to practice.

Wife…husband. Brother. So many new and strange and wonderful things to get used to.

I know that there could be trouble ahead. We're flaunting the traditions and will of every other magician there is. We've formed a pact of sorts with the wolves…a pact of defiance. I refuse to be manipulated by white magicians anymore. They've never been willing to submit to dark magicians. Together the four of us might be able to keep ourselves free, let the others fight their political wars.

Looking at the delicate creature in my arms, I hope my magic becomes as strong as they say it will. Because I know that I'm also very weak…despite everything I'm still the same old me, with the same weakeness. Zaphia might not be very strong magic-wise…but she has the strength I never had. There's more to her than anybody thinks.

Maybe between the two of us we can make it work.

Lying here tonight, I have hope. We're a strange couple…but our problems aren't that different. Family issues, possibilities of trouble ahead we'll have to band together to face…that's every marriage, in a way. It's just a little different with us.

We're kittens. We're people. I'm a housecat…Zaphia's a tough alleycat enjoying homelife. I'm a gypsy outcast, a Serendi…and Zaphia is a girl who accepted a role in life despite being tricked into it.

Holding her tonight, I know how lucky I am. Tonight…I wouldn't be anything, anyone else for anything. Because tonight I have her.

Zaphia shakes a bit, whimpers and opens her eyes, looking up at me. "Sorry…" she whispers. "Nightmare?" I ask and she nods shyly. With a flourish of my hand I bring over the little stuffed cat she had thrown on the floor earlier. As soon as I set it by her she wraps her arms around the little black and white animal…but soon she's dropped it and turned to me, nuzzling her head against my chest lightly. "I don't need Quaxo to sleep anymore" she whispers, wrapping an arm around me. "Not when I've got Misto to cuddle at night."

"You'll always have me" I whisper. As she drifts off again, I smile and shut my own eyes. I'm happy…I've got my own kitten to hold at night now.

I never realized what I was missing.

Well, thus ends this story. What think you? If you've never reviewed please come out now and tell what you think. If you have reviewed…I'd still love to know what you think of it now that this is done.

This was a sequel, and I don't think I could do another quite this long. And I'd be happy to leave the couple to enjoy their life together as the story stands now. But…Zaph and Misto have a lot more stories in their life, I can tell. Maybe if enough people are curious, some of those stories will come out.