Epilogue
"Nervous?" Panthro asked as Lion-O fidgeted with his uniform. It felt tight and he was having trouble breathing. The two were in his quarters trying to get him ready for the evening.
"Do I look it?" The lion raised an eyebrow.
"Like a cat on a hot tin roof," the panther chuckled. Lion-O gave him a look before fiddling with the collar again.
"You guys ready yet?" Ben-Gali poked his head inside the door.
"What's the hurry?" Panthro raised an eyebrow.
"Oh I don't know. Maybe that Cheetara has been ready for a half an hour? Heck, even Pumyra was ready and she's dealing with the wheelchair," The tiger smirked as he remarked about the puma. They had saved her from the Avian Plague but she was working to regain her strength and her immune system. Sadly the baby did not make it but Pumyra refused to dwell on it, even though her friends had said it was all right if she did. The only way to try again was to get healthy and that's what she intended to do.
"You're really making him feel good," Panthro shook his head and threw one of Lion-O's pillows at him. Then Panthro grabbed Lion-O by the shoulders and horsed him out the door.
"We all good or what?" Tygra asked as they moved down the hallway and toward the front steps of the Lair.
"Why is everybody being so pushy?" Lion-O wanted to know.
"Oh maybe because it's the biggest day of the year and the entirety of space has been waiting for this moment?" Ben-Gali suggested.
"You're not helping," Panthro gave him a look.
"What took you guys so long?" Lea asked as they approached.
"Geez," Lion-O swallowed hard.
"He more nervous than when I took him out to learn how to drive the ThunderTank," the panther chuckled.
"Good grief man! Buck up!" His sister smacked him upside of the head.
"Not helping!" The lion said as they shoved him out the door first and then quickly followed.
"All hail King Lion-O!" Lynx-O boomed from his position to the left of the main doorway. The crowd quickly bowed to their leader and he smiled at them.
"You're more nervous than your father was. Great Jaga's toothbrush!" Lynx-O whispered to the lion after approaching him.
"How can you tell?" Lion-O wasn't trying to be rude but the lynx was after all blind.
"I can smell it," Lynx-O chuckled as the doors to the Lair opened up and Cheetara exited. Lion-O fully expected her to be wearing her dress uniform, as he was, for some reason and was incredibly surprised by the full length white gown she was wearing.
"Is he all right?" She whispered to Lea, noticing her fiancé seemed pale.
"He'll be better after everyone keeps staring at him. He's just nervous," the lioness smiled.
"Nervous? I don't think I've ever seen him nervous," the cheetah admitted.
"Well he's marrying his best friend so it shouldn't be awkward but he's wound pretty tight. Maybe he's just ready for tonight," Lea waggled her eyebrows and Cheetara blushed. It was a rare thing to see and for some reason it relaxed Lion-O. He smiled and seemed to gain a little color. They stood in front of the officiant and the ceremony seemed to go by in a blur.
"I now pronounce you King and Queen of Thundera. You may kiss the bride," the puma said. A cheer went up from the crowd and soon the party was in full swing. A new era had begun and it would usher in some good times and some bad but in the end it was nothing they couldn't face together.
THE END