Finola sits at her desk, hoping Shrag will come back to her soon, and leaves him an email message which reads, 'Shrag, we have to be careful. I have a mission I'll be leading. A friend and some others have to retrieve something. I can't tell you anything else, but trust me, it’s important. Don’t worry, Finola'

In the S.O.R.T. lounge area, Shrag logs onto one of the computers and reads Finola's email. He wonders about her mission and hopes she will be all right. Being in the military has its risks, he thinks, but still. Shrag sends her email a response. `I know better than to ask you about your mission. I can't wait to see you again. I don't suppose there's a chance of S.O.R.T. being called in on it? Have to wait and see I guess. Please email me when your mission is completed. I'll miss you and worry about you.` Shrag sighs as he disconnects from the network and wonders if he can help on the mission.

Finola checks her email and replies to Shrag. 'I suppose I can use you, but this is becoming very complicated. My colleague, Eryia, knows some of the details, and I've started to make this a military operation with her. If you'd like to, you may come to our next staff meeting later today. Finola logs off and waits for Eryia to come in. As soon as she arrives, Finola will start the meeting. If Shrag shows up, she'll include him.

Shrag sits in front of the blank computer screen. The power isn't even turned on, and he has been like this for over an hour. The thought of going on a mission with Finola is exciting. Seeing her in action would be a rush. This is a foolish thought, however. There was no way Shrag will jeopardize a mission, and that is exactly what can happen. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the completion of a mission, and Shrag knows he will never be willing to make a sacrifice if it involves Finola. But still, what if she needed his help? It is getting late, and Shrag walks away from the computer. He will wait until the mission is completed before he writes Finola another email. Damn, he thinks. I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't come back.

Finola waits for Eryia, and continues to look through her files, making sure her facts are straight. The mountain lioness pours herself a drink and sips the wine, working the buttons on her computer. She decides to leave Shrag another email while waiting for Eryia to arrive. 'Shrag, in the event that I don't see you in the office today, I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I will be coming back. After all, this is a military operation, and I know how to run it. I don't know how Tai will react to Eryia and I making this part of an official operation, but once Braden's out of the hospital, we'll bring him up to speed. I'll have to pay him a visit, as he's one of my best pilots.' She closes the email and hopes he'll respond. She is getting bored waiting for the mouse, when Eryia finally arrives. "About time you got here."

"I’m sorry Captain. There was a large fuel spill over at the air field, and I had to make sure it was cleaned up properly."

"Oh, well since you are a Haz-Mat soldier, I guess you are excused."

Finola pours a second glass of wine and offers one to Eryia. "You are off duty now. Care to join me?" The mouse accepts, and they sit together at the computer. Finola explains what the operation involves while Eryia watches the display on the screen.

Shrag can take the worry no longer. He has already finished the day’s routine and is allowed to move freely on the base. As the sun is going down, he thinks, 'It's now or never.' As Finola approaches the motor pool, Shrag is waiting for her. "Hello Finola." The mountain lioness seems slightly surprised to see him here. "I know what you said in the email, but I badly want to accompany you on this mission. My skills may come in handy." Finola looks curiously at Shrag with her arms crossed, but remains silent. He says, "I know what you’re thinking." Shrag reaches inside his jacket and pulls out some papers. "I took the liberty of having these made." Shrag hands the papers to Finola for her to examine. "They are orders requesting a S.O.R.T. member to provide assistance on a special detail at your discretion. I had a friend in the right place make them for me. They are genuine. All that’s needed is for you to sign them and place the name of the S.O.R.T. member you want on the bottom line." Shrag’s tail moves back and forth nervously. "If you want me, I’ll need to turn in the signed orders and draw any supplies or weapons I need."

Finola looks at Shrag and grins. "You know, you're making it very hard to keep our relationship a secret." She takes the papers from him and signs them, filling in the information needed, and writing his name on the request form. "Drop these off, and we'll leave when you get back. I'll load up the chopper, and we'll head for the mainland. You, Eryia, and I will be operating separate from Tai and the others for now." Finola leaves Tai a note on her desk stating that the three went on a military mission to the mainland without them. Meanwhile, Shrag delivers the paperwork to his CO’s office. With Eryia's help, Finola loads the chopper with equipment and weapons, then ushers everyone inside. Finola says "We're going to copy and download some files from the Rabbit Monarchy to find out what's up on the mainland. I got a tip that this information is very important to the security of our base. Let's go." The chopper takes off, and flies them on silent running to a small yet important lapine military base.

As the Blackhawk helicopter flies through the night, Shrag wonders if he is doing the right thing. He only grabbed a sidearm and some extra magazines when he ran back to turn in the signed orders to his CO. Hopefully; Finola has provided any necessary gear and munitions. Shrag never adopted the 9mm the military now uses. He prefers his custom 1911 Colt .45 auto. The round makes a much bigger hole, and is subsonic with a nominal load. The extended barrel is threaded to accommodate the noise suppresser he carries. Shrag looks at Eryia as she helps the pilot plot their course. She seems very capable, he thinks. The feeling of someone watching him comes over Shrag, and he turns to see Finola watching as she sits next to him. Shrag grins. "What? I was only checking out the new addition." Shrag gives Finola a nearly imperceptible nudge with his shoulder. "Cheer up. I’m sure everything will work out. I don’t suppose you can brief me, now that I’m here on the mission? Are we expecting to run into any un-friendlies? Should I take them out, or just incapacitate them?"

"We've got an hour to find the files we need, copy them, and get back to my office to analyze the data there. As for hostiles, only if we get caught. If we do, do whatever's necessary." Eryia seems to agree with that assessment, and simply nods. The chopper lands quietly just outside the perimeter of the base they must enter. The trees offer some cover, but it is uncertain whether or not they have been detected. Getting out of the chopper, they get move along the tree line to the small military base. Finola signals for the trio to move, and pulls out her pistol.

As if on queue, Eryia removes her military garb, revealing some very short shorts and a clinging T-shirt with a deep V cut down the front.. She smiles at Shrag and giggles. "You didn't tell him about our little diversion plan, Finola. I can tell by the expression on his face."

Shrag closes his gaping mouth, then looks at Finola and nods. "That ought to distract them all right." He is surprised to see how nicely built the young mouse is, but remembers how great Finola looks when not in bulky military clothing.

While Eryia runs up to the main gate, Finola and Shrag move silently behind the two rabbit guards. When she stops a few feet from the guards, she acts as if out of breath, and leans forward with her hands on her knees, showing a lot of cleavage. With the guard's attention now fully on the scantly clad mouse, and the free peep show, Finola and Shrag have little difficulty moving into striking range, and incapacitating them. After cuffing and gagging the two guards, placing them in the guard shack, and destroying their communication equipment, the trio move on to the main building

They find little resistance entering the main structure, which seems odd considering the supposed value of the information they seek. After a short search of the layout, they find the computer room, which is guarded much more aggressively.

As the three enter the computer room, three guards are observed. They start to go for their weapons as Finola double taps one in the chest. The falls like a bag of rocks. Shrag drops to a kneeling position and shoots the other two. They both fall over backwards with their arms clutching their chests. Now that the room appears to be secure, Shrag takes the lead as they continue into the room, with Finola providing fire support. When Shrag reaches the center of the room, he hears a commotion behind him. He instinctually pounces for cover and turns towards the source of the noise in time to see an undiscovered guard beating Finola. She is down and has dropped her weapon. As Shrag raises his .45, he hears the shot that blows open the front of the guard’s head. Eryia walks up from behind the dead guard with her pistol gripped in both paws, staring at the body with wide eyes. Shrag wonders if she ever had to kill before, but Finola is still down and moaning in pain.

In two quick leaps, Shrag moves next to Finola. He checks her injuries and tries to comfort her. "Thank you Eryia. You can lower your pistol now." Eryia kneels next to Finola and Shrag, but keeps her weapon handy. Good girl, Shrag thinks to himself. "Finola. Can you get up? We need to hurry if we are going to complete the mission. If you are hurt too badly, I’ll carry you to the chopper right now. The hell with the mission." Finola groans and looks up with her blackening eye. "No. The mission comes first." Eryia copies the files and shoves the disks in her pockets. Eryia nods to Shrag and says "Let's get her out of here. Losing a command officer is never good for your career." The mountain lioness nurses her bruised ribs as she tries to stand up, with Shrag's help.

The team gathers themselves together to leave the computer room. The smell of defecation has already started to permeate the air. Shrag is anxious to be back in the chopper and en route to the base. Finola is shaky, but able to walk. As they walk through the corridor, Shrag hears footsteps from a joining hall. He stops just before the intersection, then drives his elbow into the throat of the approaching guard. "Apparently our presence is known. I hope their security force is not much larger than what we’ve seen." The remainder of their withdraw from the building is uneventful. As they prepare to run for the chopper, Shrag helps support Finola with his left arm and holds his pistol in his right paw. The pistol is now charged with a fresh magazine. There will be no way to reload on the run while helping Finola. This will be the most dangerous part of the mission. If there are any security forces waiting for them, there will be little cover. The run is about 200 yards, but it seems a lot farther. Shrag looks at Finola and Eryia. He nods, and they return his nod. With pistols drawn, they race for the chopper. The crack of shots is almost instant, but sound farther away than expected. The remaining guards are few and unorganized. At least they have this working for them. Shrag hears rounds being fired right next to him, and realizes it is Finola and Eryia returning fire. At this range, he decides not to return fire himself. He will concentrate on getting Finola to the chopper. Dirt flies up around them as they run. The chopper is getting close. Just another 20 yards to go. Shrag roars as he feels the hot pain of a slug go through his right arm. He nearly falls, but recovers his balance and keeps running for the chopper, still supporting Finola. Eryia is now with the pilot, starting the engines. Finola and Shrag half jump, half fall into the passenger area. Bullets are impacting on the side of the Blackhawk as it slowly leaves the ground.

Shrag lies on the floor of the helicopter, holding his arm. "Is anyone hit?" Finola lies next to him, panting heavily. She is beat up pretty bad, but doesn’t appear to be bleeding. Shrag moves his paw to inspect his wound. "Aw shit!" The pain hasn’t started yet, but he knows it will as the adrenaline and shock wears off. It appears the bullet missed the bone at least. Finola looks at Shrag and says, "Oh, that looks nasty." She pulls out a first aid kit and licks his wound clean with her feline tongue. "Since we have no alcohol, this is the best disinfectant we have." While the pilot and Eryia occupy themselves with the flying of the chopper, Finola sits Shrag in the back, and checks on him to make sure he has no other injuries. She breathes heavily, as her own injuries slow her down. "It's a good thing we have bandages." She wraps up his wound with a pressure bandage and checks it, making sure it's nice and snug. The mountain lioness takes off her outer jacket, showing her light tunic underneath, which was somewhat revealing of her form. "I think you need this more than I do." Finola wraps her jacket around him and smiles. Shrag smiles back at Finola and says, "It is almost worth getting shot to get this kind of attention." His mind is kind of drifting for the moment. "Thanks. I'll be all right Finola. How are you? You took a pretty good beating back there. You move like you've got a couple of busted ribs." Finola just shrugs, then winces in pain. "Yeah, that's what I think. You're not in very good shape yourself, soldier. Maybe we can get a hospital room together when we return to the base." Shrag laughs, and instantly regrets doing so. "Yeow, that hurt."

The helicopter flies on with it's tired and injured passengers. The mission is a success and everyone is coming back alive. It could have been much worse. Shrag reaches over and squeezes Finola's paw. "Thanks for taking me along." Finola smiles at Shrag and sits down. "That was painful. I should've seen that guy." She nurses her wounds, lets her hair down, and starts to rub her midsection. "I feel like I've been hit by a car or something." She pulls out the little bench/bunk-bed on the side of the chopper and lays down on it. The chopper returns to base and lands. Finola gets out, and winces as she does so. She smiles at Eryia, Shrag, and the pilot. "Good job everyone." The pilot goes off to maintain the craft. Finola says "Eryia, go and work on figuring out what's on those disks. I don't like how easy it was getting into that base. I think I smell a set up. Shrag, you can help me get to the infirmary."

Shrag and Finola make their way to the base infirmary. Finola has her right arm around his shoulder. Shrag has his left arm around her torso, with his right arm hanging limp at his side. Thanks to Finola’s care, the bleeding from his wound has stopped. There is still quite a lot of blood on their uniforms, though most of the blood on Finola is from the guard Eryia shot at close range. Several enlisted troops stare, and some offer to assist. Shrag says, "No thanks. We made it this far, we’ll make it all the way." He gives Finola a smile and a wink. "This may be the only time I can hold you in public. I’m not going to let some grunt with good intentions ruin it." Finola eyes Shrag with a grin, and he gives her a wink. They make it into the E.R. entrance of the infirmary and sit down. "Hey! Can we get a little help here?"

Finola groans as some med-techs get her up on the bed. They attend to Shrag's wound as he looks over to Finola. She also watches him from her bed, as they are now a bit apart, and surrounded by others. Finola's ribs are bandaged, and she is told to go home for the night. She holds ice on her black eye for a while to help relieve the swelling. She wants to hug Shrag and let him take care of her, but she knows no one can know of their relationship if her career is to survive. Finola is escorted to her base quarters, where she changes into a soft bathrobe, and lies down on the bed. "I feel awful."

The doctor begins the usual ordeals on Shrag. The poking, prodding, X-rays and cleaning. The doctor says, "You are lucky Shrag. There is no bone damage." Shrag looks at his bandaged arm. "I sure don’t feel very lucky. Can I go back to my barracks now?" The doctor doesn’t even look up from his paperwork. "No. We’re going to keep you in the infirmary overnight for observation." Shrag moans. "Why did I know you were going to say that?" The doctor leaves Shrag in his room, while he lies back and closes his eyes. He suddenly feels very lonely and thinks of Finola. She performed well on the mission, but he hopes there are no missions in the near future. As the painkillers take effect, Shrag fades off into a dreamless sleep.

Finola wakes in a cold sweat. She groans at the pain in her ribs from the sudden movement. Feeling a little dizzy, she is glad she is lying down. Finola breathes slow, and tries to get comfortable, but it is difficult with her broken ribs. The mountain lioness grumbles, and wishes Shrag were here. She has no pictures of him, as that would be inappropriate, but she has a mental picture, and she silently calls out to him, hoping he'll hear her and know she misses him.

The Sun is just up when Shrag wakes abruptly. He reaches around in the darkness, feeling for Finola. Was she just here? No, he thinks. Wait a minute. I’m in the infirmary. All of the memories from the previous night come flooding back at once. Shrag forces his breathing to slow as he regains control of reality. "Damn. I’ve got to get out of here." He punches the call button for the nurse several times before someone finally arrives. "Morning ma’am. I’m really ready to get out of here. Think you can help?" The nurse is a very cute cheetah. She is a little on the small side, but has some very redeeming attributes. Her eyes sparkle, even at this early hour. It must be close to the end of her shift, or the start of a new one, he thinks. She thinks about his request for a few seconds, then smiles kindly at Shrag. "Let me see if I can find a doctor to sign your release papers." As she comes over and checks the IV drip, Shrag notices her nametag. Shelkie. The bag is nearly empty, and she says, "I don’t think we’ll be needing this anymore. Just sit tight and I’ll be back as soon as possible." Shrag gives her a very sincere smile. "Thanks ma’am. I really appreciate it."

Ah, nurses, Shrag thinks. They are the ones who make the hospital world go round. Doctors can be such jerks, but nurses really seem to care. Shrag grins as he lays back and waits. The pain in his arm is much more manageable today. He’ll have to get Shelkie to change his bandage before being discharged. The doctor enters his room and checks his paperwork, barely glancing at Shrag. "I hear you want to be discharged." Shrag replies, "that’s right doc. I feel fine. I know it’s going to hurt for a while. It will take time to heal, but if I’m correct, you don’t need to keep me in the infirmary any longer." The doctor grunts. They really hate it when a patient tells them how to do their job. "Okay," says the doctor. "You want out, you got it. I’ll fill out your discharge papers while the nurse redresses your wound and gets you ready to leave." Shrag says, "thanks doc. I appreciate it."

The doctor walks over and pokes Shrag's wounded arm. "ARRrrrr! Hey, watch it doc. That hurt." The doctor gives something resembling a smile. "Good. It’s supposed to. Oh, by the way. You are off of the S.O.R.T. until further notice. Come back in two weeks for another check. We’ll see how you look then. Until that time, I want you to rest. That’s an order." Shrag has to bite his lip to keep from smiling. Two weeks with nothing to do. Nothing but seeing Finola every day.

Finola finally manages to get up and fix herself some breakfast. She moans at the slight pain every time she swallows some food. "Lousy busted ribs." She puts away her plates, not having the strength to wash them. The mountain lioness frowns and lies on the couch, wondering how Shrag is doing in the infirmary, but knowing she can't call, to avoid raising suspicion. Finola enjoys being alone in her beach house, but she wishes she had someone special to share it with.

A passing soldier in a jeep is nice enough to pick up Shrag, and give him a ride back to his barracks. He reports directly to his CO and gives him the doctor’s orders. The CO scratches his chin as he reads the orders. "So you got a free ride for a couple weeks. I guess you think you are going to be able to come and go as you please because you don’t have to work out and train with the team?" Shrag thinks for a while. "I would not presume to make such an assumption, sir." As the CO eyes him, Shrag tries to think of something to say that will get him a pass to leave the base, when the CO says, "The grapevine has it that your team did a hell of a job. You completed your mission and everyone made it back. I don’t think a little hole in your arm is really going to slow you down too much, but doctor’s orders are something I can’t disregard. Don’t you think you’re going to get rewarded for doing your job in the future? Here’s a three-day pass. Now get out of my sight. Shrag is dumbfounded. He salutes, then leaves.

With has an enormous grin on his face, he runs to his barracks. Grabbing a few necessities, he makes for the main gate. He thinks about calling first, but decides against it, thinking he will just scout the house before knocking on Finola’s door. She just has to be there.

There is nearly always a couple taxis hanging around the front gate, and today is no exception. Shrag tips the hack liberally as they pull up to his off-base apartment. It takes little time to pack some clothes and change. He hurries to the garage and speeds off towards Finola’s house in his own car. There are no vehicles present when Shrag cruises by Finola’s. He parks about a block away and enters the woods. Shrag hates this. It feels like he is spying on the one he loves. The chance of being greeted by another at Finola’s door makes it necessary however. There is no evidence of anyone else at her house, so Shrag knocks on her door. Finola answers, wearing only a robe. She looks tired, but smiles and looks very beautiful. "Hello Finola. Feel like a little company?"

Finola seems to brighten and says, "You are so sneaky." She giggles and lets him inside. "My ribs still hurt." Holding her side, she walks to the living room, and sits on the sofa. The mountain lioness smiles at Shrag and says, "How did you get off the base? Did medical really think you needed to get off that badly? I wonder what they'd think if they knew where you are."

Shrag looks around at the walls of the room, and the view of the ocean. "This is a fantastic house you have here." She grins at him and says, "I bet I look pretty silly in this bathrobe with my ribs all bandaged up." With a groan, she lies back on the sofa. Finola wishes she was strong enough to be playful, but her ribs are too much of a pain to even let her relax, or do much of anything.

Shrag sits with Finola on the sofa, with her head in his lap. "My CO was unusually understanding. He knew about the mission too. You didn’t make a phone call to him, did you?" Finola just smiles as she holds his paw and winks. "You are looking a little better. The swelling in your eye has gone down a lot." Shrag squeezes her paw as he grins down at her. "If you sit up, I’ll make you feel better." Shrag gently helps Finola into a sitting position and moves behind her. He slowly massages her neck as she purrs with satisfaction. As he slowly moves to her shoulders, Shrag says, "I missed you terribly while I was in the infirmary, even if it was only one night. I never got a chance to really thank you for helping me back there in the chopper." Shrag’s arm is starting to ache and burn where the bullet went through. He rests his right arm while continuing to massage Finola’s neck with his left. Moving close, he kisses his love on the neck. "It’s a shame we’re in such sorry shape. I’ve only got three days, but I’m sure we will find something to keep us occupied. When do you have to return to the base?"

"I wish we were strong enough to play around." She giggles and holds her ribs as she groans in pain. "I have about five days, then I gotta head back." The mountain lioness frowns at her bandages. "My fur looks better than these white bandages. I hate these things. I only wish I didn't have to wear them." She purrs and decides not to stretch in her current condition. "You know, I almost wanna hate the bunny soldiers that did this to us, but if they hadn't beaten me up, you wouldn't have gotten shot, and we wouldn't be here." She kisses him and smiles. "Missions can be so stressful."

"Yeah. I have been fairly stressed the last couple of days, but I’m feeling much better now." Shrag smiles at Finola and chuckles. "Did you ever find out what was on those disks? It doesn’t really matter. I’m just curious what was so important to risk your life." Shrag holds Finola’s head in his paw and turns her to face him. They kiss with passion, their tongues exploring each other’s. "Hmm… You are so fine. You know, there are parts of our bodies that are still working fine." Shrag places a paw on Finola’s leg and smiles. "We can take things slow and easy. I’ll be very gentle."

Finola blushes, the red just showing beneath her fur. "You're certainly robust and full of energy." She places a paw to his face and kisses him again. "You know, we can't do this forever. Sooner or later we'll get caught by someone." Finola knows that this may not last, having a career, and the jaguar she loves. One day she may be forced to choose. She elects to push these thoughts aside for the moment, and just lie against Shrag, letting his body heat keep her warm.

The feel of Finola’s soft fur against him feels unbelievably good. Shrag purrs as he gently strokes her hair and ears. "I’m glad they didn’t wrap you any higher than they did," Shrag says as he fondles her breasts. "Mmm… You feel so good. I could just hold you forever. I hope I can find a way to get another couple of days away from the base." Shrag thinks of the time they have now. It will be a good three days at least. After that, who knows? "I should probably move my car into your garage. You never know when someone will drive by and recognize it. I just don’t want to do it now. I’m too comfortable."

Finola sighs contentedly. "Maybe I should just leave my career behind. Leave the military and become a doctor or something." She frowns and breathes quietly, looking in Shrag's eyes. "How long are you signed on for?" She wonders how long he has enlisted for, hoping that one day, they can leave it all behind and just be together. She knows that the military won't let them both stay together and have a career. They have to keep their relationship secret. The mountain lioness has always been concretely sure that a military career is what she wants, but now she isn't so sure. "Shrag, would you like something to eat?"

"That sounds good. I haven’t eaten anything for a long time. I haven’t had a shower since before the mission either. Would you mind if I borrowed yours?" Finola shows Shrag where the extra towels are and leaves him to his shower. The water warms while Shrag removes his bandages. The wound looks like it’s doing well, and there is no sign of infection. After Shrag removes his clothes he enters the shower. The warm water flowing over and into his fur feels wonderful. He closes his eyes and stands under the showerhead, letting the warm water run from head to toe. His mind clears as the warmth sinks into his body, then he hears the door to the shower stall open. As his eyes open, he sees Finola standing there. She has removed her bandages along with her robe. Shrag holds out a paw to the smiling lioness as an invitation, and she enters the shower, moving close to Shrag. The desire to hold her tight is strong, but Shrag knows how much pain that will cause her. They kiss each other as their furs soak up the warm water. "I hope the warm water will help ease your pain. Let me soap you up." Shrag carefully rubs soap into Finola’s fur, and she returns the favor. Having her paws moving all over Shrag’s body is very stimulating, but he controls himself. An accident in the shower could be devastating in Finola’s condition. They rinse away the soap and exit the shower. As they towel each other off, Shrag says, "I guess breakfast got put on hold for a while. Thanks for the company in the shower. It felt really great."

Finola redoes the bandages around her ribs with some difficulty, and winces at the pain when she twists her body. She turns to Shrag and smiles uneasily, trying to fake that she is okay. She knows he won't buy it, but it is worth a try, she thinks. She puts on her underwear, and then her socks. After putting on some jeans and a light sweater, she waits in her bedroom for Shrag. She looks out over the ocean from her large picture windows, and lies down on the bed. Finola frowns as she always considered herself tough, but this latest incident proved how delicate and fragile her body truly is. She thought of herself as a tough military officer and a predator, but she is currently just a wounded animal. Finola sighs and waves her tail back and forth on the bed, watching it move, seemingly of it's own accord. "Shrag... you dressed yet? Know any way to speed the healing of ribs?" Finola giggles, then winces at the pain. She wipes the tears from her eyes and plays with her hair for a moment, waiting for Shrag to get his jaguar self into her room to talk with her.

Shrag decides to leave his arm unbandaged for a while and dresses himself in some comfortable clothes he brought with him. "I'll be with you in a little while Finola"; he calls as he walks towards the kitchen. Food is a priority right now, and Shrag begins cooking breakfast. Fortunately, Finola's fridge is very well stocked with all kinds of good stuff. "Let's see here. Eggs, ham, fresh oranges, English muffins, and hash browns on the side. I hope she's hungry." Shrag talks to himself as he cooks breakfast. In just over ten minutes, Shrag has everything prepared. He places everything on a large serving tray and brings it to Finola's bedroom." Hello, I hope you're hungry." Shrag sets the tray on the bed between Finola and himself. Steam is still rising from the food as they serve themselves and enjoy their breakfast in bed. "So, how are you feeling after your shower?"

Finola smiles at Shrag and says, "I feel great. Except for the fact that my ribs are still tender." She sighs and eats some of the food, smiling at how good the food is. "I love this. It's just so good." She is glad she has such a full fridge, but will have to restock in a few days, she thinks. The mountain lioness notices Shrag’s unbandaged arm. "Don't you think you should get that arm bandaged? After all, the faster it heals, the better." Finola sighs and tries to fluff up her pillow. Shrag looks at his arm and says, "I just wanted to let it breathe a while." The heavy breakfast is taking effect on Shrag. He lies back on the bed and stretches lazily. "Mmm... That was good. I really needed some food. It kinda made me sleepy, but I sure don't want to sleep now." Shrag rolls on his side and looks at Finola. He smiles at the beautiful mountain lioness and says, "Would you bandage my arm later? I love it when you play doctor with me." Finola giggles at his comment, pokes him in the ribs and says, "I have medical field training, but not much else. I'll be glad to play doctor, but you really should bandage that." She finishes off the last of her food and puts the dish aside. "I'm good for a while." The mountain lioness smiles, as she is feeling a bit better now, but not up at her peak yet. She rubs his chest with her paws, and enjoys the warm, soft feeling of his fur. "Shrag, do you think I'd make a good doctor? Maybe I should consider that as a career, but I want to stay in the military." Finola frowns and looks to him for advice.

The feel of her paws against Shrag's chest is very soothing and stimulating at the same time. "I think you can be anything you put your mind to. A doctor, huh? You are a very caring lioness. How long would it take to do it? You wouldn't have to move away would you? I couldn't stand loosing you." Shrag gently places a paw to Finola's bandaged area and sighs. "I wish you weren't in such pain. Does it still hurt all the time, or just when you laugh?"

Finola turns to Shrag and smiles. "No, I wouldn't have to leave. I can do it in two years or so. I'd be in almost constant training for one year, then spend another as an intern, then I'd be permitted to observe and practice under supervision for the next six months with more studying. So, in about two and a half years I could be a practicing doctor, but that's only due to my field training. If I had none of that, it would probably take much longer." Finola purrs and smiles at him. "It only hurts when I laugh, or when I first get up, otherwise I'm fine, I suppose. I'm feeling better now."

The tray between Finola and Shrag is placed on the floor. Shrag lies back on the bed, very close to Finola. "I love you so much," he whispers to her. Shrag moves a paw along her long beautiful leg, from her knee along her inner thigh. "Mmm...You feel so good." Shrag kisses his love as his pawing explores Finola's body. He carefully avoids her injured ribs, but leaves very little else untouched. Shrag's urges are strong, but he will not mount this beautiful mountain lioness. Though she may not complain, the pain would be too much. Of this he is sure. For the moment, he will have to enjoy what pleasure he can while being as gentle as possible. He hopes Finola is enjoying the attention as much as he enjoys giving it.

Finola closes her eyes and says, "Your arm seems to be feeling better." She purrs with contentment as she feels him touching her, running his firm paws all over her body. She particularly wishes they could go one step further, but she knows she isn't in any condition to. "I'm amazed you're able to resist your natural instincts." Smiling, she stares into his eyes that seem like ice on fire. The mountain lioness lies back on the pillows and grins at him. "I bet you'd be a good masseuse, but then I'd be intensely jealous of every woman you massaged. You'd better by my cat, and only mine." The pawing is very nice, but Shrag thinks he had better stop. "I hope I have given you some pleasure, Love. I certainly enjoyed myself, but if this goes on I will get... Well, you know." Shrag reaches up and scritches Finola behind her ears. "I am you’re your cat. I will be your cat as long as you will have me. I hope you feel the same way." It had been a wonderful morning and Shrag is feeling good, if just a bit sexually frustrated. "So what do you want to do for the next three days? Maybe we can go out after the sun goes down. We can wear disguises." Shrag laughs. "I’m sorry. I just don’t want to waste the time I have with you."

"Well, you can slow dance with me." She turns on some soft music on her alarm/radio, and stands up. "Just don't squeeze me too hard." She puts one paw on Shrag's hip, and the other on his shoulder. Slowly rocking back and forth with him, they gently dance to the music. "If only we could hang out like this forever." The mountain lioness sighs, and leans against his chest. She smiles at him and kisses him on the lips. Shrag enjoys her tenderness, and returns her kiss. The music and closeness of Finola is romantic, and Shrag wishes he were a better dancer, smiling with slight embarrassment. "I'll try not to step on you. Let me know if I hold you too tight. This is a great idea. I can't remember the last time I danced." They move together easily, as if they had danced often. Shrag wonders if they are connected somehow, spiritually or something. Maybe there is validity to the idea of soul mates. "I don't want to think about the future now. All I want is what we have at this moment." Of course things always change, Shrag thinks. Hopefully, for the better in their case. Why does life always have to be so complicated. "You are a beautiful dancer Finola. Shall we go again when the song is over?"

Finola blushes as she looks at him. "You don't have to be nearly this gracious. I'm not that good." She looks at him for a moment, and continues thinking to herself. The mountain lioness knows this can't last in concert with a military career, but she will enjoy it while she can. "I'd love to." The next song starts on the radio, without any commercial interruption to spoil the mood. She shyly moves her hair out of her face, and gives Shrag a smirk, as she thinks he is a pretty good dancer. "You're better than my dad ever was, and my sister can't dance either."

It is wonderful dancing with Finola. She moves so gracefully and feels unbelievably good in his arms. "I just love it when you smile at me." They dance until the music stops, and Shrag can see a touch of pain in Finola’s eyes. He hopes the pain is only physical. "Why don’t we go sit in the living room? I’d like to just sit and talk with you for a while." They walk together, paw in paw, to the living room and sit upon the sofa. "I think your idea of following a medical career is a good one. By the time I complete my two year enlistment, you will practically be a doctor." Shrag holds Finola’s paw in his as he looks into her eyes. "Maybe we can have a normal relationship then, and not have to hide our love. Finola says, "I'd like that. I feel like a criminal or something, sneaking around just to do what I want." The mountain lioness hugs him lightly and just starts to cry. A tear streams down her face and runs down Shrag's neck. "And here we are, in my beach house, miles away from anyone else, and it still feels like... I don't know, I just can't wait until we can just be ourselves, but I can't have a military career and our relationship." She just lies in his arms for a moment and holds him.

The tears on Finola’s face effect Shrag deeply. He knows why she cries, but her pain is his pain. "Please don’t cry, Love. It will work out somehow." Shrag holds her and strokes her head. He is starting to feel very different about being in the military now. However, he is not ready to stop his farce at the base. He would be listed as a deserter if he left, even if his enlistment is bogus. He owed the military two years of his life and that was that. "Two years is not that long. I can wait if you can. We will still be able to see each other from time to time. Cheer up, we are together now at least." Shrag kisses Finola’s cheek as he holds her. He just has to find a way to make Finola his, on a permanent basis. Right now, all he wants is to make her feel good again.

Soon her tears stop, and she looks at Shrag with a lopsided smile. "I don't want to wait two years. I want a life where we can be together right now." Finola wipes her face with a paw, her eyes red and wet.

Shrag smiles kindly at his Love, then says, "You missed a spot." Licking her face, he manages to get a real smile from the lioness. "That's better. You know, we could make things a lot more permanent." He gives her a hug, but goes no farther with his with his comment. "Now that you're feeling better, can I ask a favor? I'm not one to complain, but I don't know if I can bandage my arm very well by myself."

Finola says "Not one to complain, eh?" She giggles and gets a painkiller and a glass of water. She makes him take it, and then wraps up his arm again. "Aren't we just the walking wounded? We really are quite a pair." She kind of picked up on what Shrag was thinking, but didn't want to mention marriage herself. She knows it is impossible at the time, and her military career interferes in a marriage just as does with their current relationship. Finola frowns and says, "How's your arm feeling? I hope it's healing better than my ribs." The mountain lioness giggles and takes some painkiller herself.

"Thanks, Love. You know, the pain comes and goes. It’s doing all right though." The clock on the opposite wall catches Shrag's attention. He can’t believe the day is nearly over. Time spent with Finola goes entirely too fast. "The sun will be going down soon. Think we can go outside later and get some air? Maybe look at the stars? You’ve got such a nice place out here, away from the city. I bet the sky will look wonderful at night." Shrag gets up to fetch a soda from the refrigerator. "Would you like a soda while I’m up?"