Later, Antoinette sat on the bench, curled up against Tracker, running her fingers through the fur of his chest. He nuzzled her hair, hugging her closer to him. Finally he pulled her over onto his lap. After a few moments, he got the gestalt between them established. ‘/Why, Antoinette? Why did you come after me? Didn’t I warn you that I would be nothing but trouble for you?/’
’/Oui, mon coeur. But I could not you let go. You cared for me when I was yet a stranger. You grew with me and became a man./’
’/But I’m not a man, ‘Nette. Not human, anyway./’
’/I do not care, Tracker. It is you I want to be with. You have given me love and caring; more than any man ever has. You are more a Man than any human male I’ve known. I have a man now I can live with, love with and work with. We are a team./’
’/Nette, I was talking with father after you went to sleep last night. I can’t ignore what you did to rescue me after I walked out on you so. It hurt me every time I saw you at the base after that. I want to marry you./’
’/I would do it any…,/’ she sat up straight, searching his eyes for any sign of deception. Seeing none, she cried aloud, “OUI! I will marry you, Tracker!”
The sudden cry echoed through the nearly-silent airbus. Heads rose from books, maps and the cuddling grooming Louis gave Sasha as they rode on the lower deck.
“Who’s dying up there,” Jay’s voice called up from the foot of the stairs. “What’s all the noise about?”
“Tracker asked me to marry him,” Antoinette called back. “I said, ‘YES!’”
The stairs clattered as Jay, Marsha and Scott rushed to the upper deck. More silently though by no means last, Sasha sprang up through the opening and padded close.
“You and Tracker mating?”
“Oui, Sasha. As soon as we can.”
“Iss good to be mated. May the gods shine upon you both.” The feline bent down and gave Antoinette a kiss, taking her tongue and grooming the girl from the bridge of her nose up to the top of her head.
The others waited for Sasha to finish, then crowded in, shaking hands with Tracker and kissing Antoinette enthusiastically, congratulating them both. The noise set off both infants, who had to be cuddled and fawned over before they would settle down again.
After the hubbub died down, Antoinette snuggled again against Tracker’s chest. She lay there quietly, basking in the glow of happiness.
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Love this… The reaction and timing is priceless.