Haunted Heart (Quickpaw)

[Deleted]

EARLIER

PLATO:

The white and scarlet male looked at his mate, she was so beautiful, and when she kissed him, he momentarily forgot guilt. When she broke the kiss he was nearly panting. Had he been well, he would have swept her off her feet and charged to their den. However, physically he was unable to do this.

"I think I would like that too" He said quietly.

He regarded Jenny's words with only a nod. He was unsure himself if he were up to anything other then sleeping at the moment.

The tall white and scarlet male stood slowly. Wincing slightly at the fresh bruises and broken ribs. He stood tall though. He was not about to lean on anyone. He even turned around, slowly, but he cupped his mates paws and helped her to stand. He looked at Jenny as he stood.
"Thank you Miss Jenny, " he down at Jemima, "And you too Miss Jemima"


He bowed his head slightly and started to walk his mate out of the infirmary. It took all he had to get to their den. He refused to lean on Quickpaw again. He was taking deep inhales through his nose and blowing the air out of his mouth through clenched teeth. When they walked through their den door he made sure Quickpaw was inside first, then he leaned heavily against the frame. Panting. Taking another deep breath he walked into the den and sat on their 'bed'. He was deep in thought. Wondering where that idiot tom was. Tugger was a bloody moron for charging in like he did. And Miss Jelly....Her face...she was so defiant, so sure of herself. But there had been fear and worry too. How could he let her take his place. He should have been stronger.

QUICKPAW:

Quickpaw let herself being pulled up standing by her mate. Again she looked lovingly into his face, but also a line of worry showed on hers by the exhaustion and the haunted look there. She snuggled carefully to his side as they started to leave the den. At the entrance she turned slightly around to face the others.

"Thank you...",

she said quietly, but with a tired smile.

"especially you Aunt Jenny and Jemmie. I will be back later, after ... I will be back after we rested."

She left the den aside her mate and walked the short way over to their den, though it seemed almost as long as the trip to the yard for her. Snuggled to his side, she could feel his hesitant movements, that covered the pain of each step. If she could only do more for him.

when she entered the den ahead of him, she settled down on the pillows, turned to him still standing in the frame and patted the place next to her. Again she could see that forlorn look on his face and she tried to hide the fear it created inside her.

"Love? Please come here..."

[Deleted]

Obediently, Plato went over to his mate. He eased himself onto their bedding. He leaned back and to the side to not put weight on his ribs.
"I guess we should rest..." He said softly. "Lay with me?" He asked and leaned back against the propped pillows. He opened his arms and moved his fingers beckoning her to come closer.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw's expression changed into one of warm delight as she followed her mate's invitation into his arms and embrace. Burrowing her face into his fur she inhaled his musky scent, making her forget everything around her. All the recent events were now taking a minor position inside her thoughts. She was with her mate and as long as his arms were around her and he in hers the world couldn't hold any more horror. This way she felt like she could take any obstacle the Eternal Cat might deem to place in her way.

Mumbling into his fur, she said.

"I love you so much, beloved. I can't think of any better way then fall asleep in your arms, my love."

[Deleted]

Plato refused to wince when she buried her face. He instead smiled. The ache reminded him that she was his savior. His anchor...She was his everything. He wanted her to be proud of him. He sighed, his mind wound up back at the warehouse, but as he sighed he had tightened his arms around her. Staving off her fears.
"I think that sounds perfect. I love you too Quickpaw...more then I ever thought I could love someone. " He murmured into her mane between her ears. He kissed the top of her multicolored head.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw shivered gently with his words in pleasure. Her ears twitched slightly when he placed that kiss on her head. She really couldn't believe this all to be real. Was it only the day before yesterday that she had wandered into Plato and that older tom - Haversham. That she, in an attempt to find out why Plato looked so depressed, started to drink with them only to wake up in Plato's arms the next morning with a hangover ... and still feeling that she wanted to wake in his arms from then on? She knew Plato almost as long as she was in the yard and though they had spend time together in the teen group they never had been that close ... until that one morning when she just felt deeply in her that he needed her as much as she needed him without knowing why it never occurred to her before. This tom stirred something in her and she firmly believed that to be a deep felt love, a feeling he answered.

Quickpaw sighed contently, whispering small kisses against his chest and throat.

"I know this sounds selfish, but I never want to wake up again without being in your arms, beloved. I never want to miss this warm protected feeling you give me."

She stretched her head backwards to look up into Plato's face.

"Please, regardless what you need to do - make sure you return here..."

[Deleted]

Plato felt a smile on his face.

"I don't think I could begin to tell you how I feel about you love. You mean more to me then anything else"

He stroked her between her shoulder blades lightly as she spoke. His smile fell though at her last statement.

"What do you mean, regardless of what I need to return here?" He asked softly. Was she fearful of infidelity from him? He knew his reputation was getting rather close to Tugger's but at least Plato only went steady with one female at a time. Tugger....well...he was a playboy.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw cocked her head to the side as her face formed into a feline expression of a frown. She had thought her words were clear enough ... or weren't they?

"I ... I meant, that when you need to go out there with the other guardians .. like today when you tried to get Aunt Jelly ... I know how dangerous that is and how easily you can get hurt there."

Again she pressed herself against him, though she didn't forget not to squeeze tightly because of his ribs.

"But I also know, that you will go again, when you can or when Munkus calls you forth. I know I will worry for you there ... "

Again she looked Plato in the eyes.

"but I know you need to go again, because that is you. So I just hope and wish that you make sure always to come back..."

The next words she just whispered almost inaudible:

"I don't know what I would do if you wouldn't come back..."

After a short pause she added.

"I would probably follow you ... one way or the other ... either to find you to bring you back or ... or "Follow" you ... "

[Deleted]

Plato's eyes widened at her last statement. It startled him, to the point he sat up a little fast. He sucked in a sharp breath and winced slightly. At the same time, he ignored the physical pain and grabbed his mates shoulders. His nose inches from hers. His eyes were obviously bothered by her statement.
"Quick, I am a guardian. I can not always guarantee that I will return in one piece or at all. I will always do what I can to be with you again. But, if something would happen, that I would not come back, you can not follow me." He looked into her eyes, it was a desperate look. He NEEDED her to understand.
" I love you, more then I have ever felt about anyone, but to know that if I would not be able to come back to you because I failed to survive something, I could not bear with the thought that you would 'follow' me. The dark cat comes to everyone at THEIR time. I have made my piece with the dark cat a long time ago" Plato's red eyes took on a darker more haunted look. Something he kept in his past and never spoke of. Death was a something he fought so hard, yet failed to see it was necessary for such a long time.
The white and scarlet male blinked and looked back into his mates eyes.
"If something, great cat forbid, would happen to me, I would want you to celebrate our memories and move on. Fall in love again. Life is a terrible thing to waste on grief and death Quickpaw. Please reconsider your actions should something happen to me" Plato lifted a scarlet paw and stroked her patched face.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw took a long, long look into her mate's eyes and face. When Plato's hand reached up and stroked her cheek she reached up and covered his hand in hers. She smiled softly as she rubbed her had against his palm. Then she took a deep breath close to a sigh and again looked Plato straight in the eyes.

"I ... I will try and do my best and keep on living in honor of your life then. I promise you this, when it makes you feel better and less burdened ... in hope it will make your duty easier and as such more sure to return."

Again she gives him a bitter sweet smile.

"In the last few days you have given my life a new meaning and reason...and maybe someday I ... we will have a living proof of our love with us and that would be another reason to continue if ... as you said the Eternal Cat forbid..."

She leaned forward and kissed him heatedly on his mouth.

"I love you so much ... more than life itself."

[Deleted]

Plato did not feel he got through to Quickpaw quite as much as he wanted. Should something happen to him, he would never be able to accept his last breath peacefully knowing Quickpaw was so adamant about ending her life. Life was a gift. He would have to make sure he showed her that.

A new feeling took over when her soft lips captured his. The heat and intensity of her kiss was enough to distract him from further protesting. He slid his palm over her cheek and tangled his fingers in her mane. Holding her face to his and returning the kiss. When they broke, he was panting lightly. He smiled at her words and cupped both her cheeks in his palms.

"And you are my light and my world." He pulled her towards him and whispered "And I love you" He whispered softly pulling her in once again to lay his kiss on her lips.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw felt herself soar, like she could fly. First in the intensity of her kiss, then a step higher with Plato's answer to her love declaration and then finally in his kiss to her. She knew his ribs must hurt, she knew he must be exhausted, but in that moment, his love and the physical proof of it made this all irrelevant. Still during their second searing kiss she gently pulled him down onto the pillows, where she almost wrapped against his side like a second skin, never breaking the kiss. Her tail twisting a knot with his. When the kiss finally ended, both of them panting, she started to cover his body with little kisses and nuzzles. She grinned shortly when she reached places where she knew he hurt and whispered:

"Here, let me kiss them better..."


[FADE TO BLACK(?)]

[Deleted]

Plato awoke probably a bit more sore than he wished to be, but looking over at the queen by his side, he only smiled. What he felt physically was a minor complaint to what he felt inside. Quickpaw seemed to actually glow in a golden light to him. His own personal Angel he plucked from the Heavyside itself. He felt undeserving of her, but this Angel chose him, he would do whatever was in his power to make her proud. Proud to be his Angel. The white and scarlet patched male reached over with his free hand as the other supported her, and touched her patched cheek. She had worn herself out showing him how much she loved him. It was an amazing experience for him. He had never had a queen make love to him like his mate had just hours ago. He wanted to get her something for when she woke up, it seemed lame, but in his recovering state he was unsure how much he could actually do. Strategically and very slowly, he untangled himself from his mate, grabbing pillows and putting them in his place. He sat at the edge of their bed a moment and stood very slowly. His muscles felt like tight rubber stretched over his bones. His broken ribs made it difficult for him to want to stand up straight. Eventually he straightened his body out and walked to their little cooking area. The embers were still hot and slowly put more kindling on. He kept checking over his shoulder to make sure he did not wake his Angel.
Water in the kettle over the kindling he reached for the tea cups. He sucked in as a sharp pain lanced over his ribs. His ears flattened and he held his ribs. He slowed his breathing. Regaining composure, he grabbed the tea cups with his other hand and put them on the tray. Standing over the table, Plato grabbed the kettle and started to pour the tea.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw felt herself gliding on a cloud. In her mind and dream she relived the previous night and hours spend in the ecstasy of the arms of her beloved. It had been only her second time together like that. The second time for her to join with a tom so intimate, but Quickpaw would never had thought it would fullfill her desires and dreams so much. She felt whole - maybe for the first time in her life since she was a kitten and started to get to know the world.

Slowly the world intruded on her dreams and thoughts with the stirring scent of fresh brewed tea. Not fully ready to leave her sedated state she cuddled into the pillows Plato had provided as a stand-in for his body when he got up. Though the pillows were nice and cuddly, they lacked the warmth of his muscular body, so wakefulness crept closer to the calico queen. Finally she lost the battle and slowly opened her eyes to the picture before her ... her mate preparing them tea for morning breakfast. It made her smile and beam in gratitude and pleasure.

"Good morning, my love...",

she whispered in greeting.

[Deleted]

Plato looked over at his patched mate. He smiled at her, tenderly moving around objects in their den. Picking up the cups he slowly made his way to the bed. Bending gently he gave the tea to his mate.
"Good Morning" He answered softly and proceeded to ease his tall frame onto the bed in a seated position. His ribs were obviously painful, but he was just trying to be careful.

Plato took a slow drink of his tea. He face showed signs of deep thought and distraction.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Quickpaw took the presented cup and smiled gratefully at Plato. While sipping from her tea she watched how he carefully to avoid any pain seated himself on the bed among the pillows. She could see that he didn't succeed fully. She cringed her face slightly as she watched the hints of pain running over his features and was temped to rush to his aid. But she held her cup fast and continued to sip, as she knew how much Plato would like to do it on his own.

She continued to watch him and when his expression turned more and more inward and serious, she raised an eyebrow questioningly and said quietly over the rim of her cup.

"What is on your mind, luv? Anything I can help you with or at least can contribute an opinion?"