After Max changed phases back to male it was back to the Academy and training. Max was back up to at least 4 or 5 new bruises a day thanks to the twins. Of course, their training was more intense than anything the Academy was putting him through. He was even starting to get a few nasty looks from the hand to hand instructor at the Academy. It was finally the end of the week again and Max was spending the evening playing the role of flying skunk boy as Tee threw hym through the air... again...

Dreamspirit sat on the deck with a cup of tea writing up a letter. Shi was only half watching the twins beat up hir new Denmate. Shi was still getting use to the fact that shi had a Denmate. Shi had had offers before, but felt it wasn't the right time. Looking from the letter just in time to see hym flying through the air shi smiled. "You know if you had hind legs it would harder to send you flying," shi said sarcastically.

Max looked up from the ground... again..."Oh, you think you're so funny you walking grape soda, why don't you bring your furry butt down here and try it," hy grumbled getting up... again...

"Because taur hand to hand is different," shi mused. "Let alone the extra weight you get to toss around. Besides if I came down there, I'd open up fresh can of whoop ass on that lovely butt of yours, that I am very fond of looking at it just the way it is."

Max stood up dusting off hys pants and looked up at Dream. "If you ever want to touch this lovely butt again, then come put your money where your big mouth is," hy smirked.

Shi lifted an eyebrow. "You really want to try?" shi asked

Max sauntered up to the purple people eater and while smirking hy quickly yanked the PADD from hir hands and flipped it over hys shoulder to the waiting twins. "Bring it on, fluffy," hy grinned.

Shi sighed. "What makes you think you'll fare any better fighting me?" shi asked as shi got up and made hir way around the deck railing and then down to hys level walking towards hir PADD.

Max squinted as Dream passed hym and turning, vaulted up and over hir rear twisting in the air and using hir rump as a pivot point swung back over and down scissoring hir hind legs out from under hir pushing up on hir rump and back up over hys head as hy slid under. "Something like that, maybe?" hy asked with laughter in hys voice.

Shi grunted and got back up. "Nice job goof ball, but I wasn't ready. See I was just getting my PADD." Shi turned to face Max and took a few steps closer. "You see there is more to it than fancy moves," shi said with hir hands on hir hips. Shi moved to an arm's length away from Max.

Max grinned as hy bounced on the balls of hys feet. "See, this is payback for NOT doing what you said you were going to do. If you'd just keep your promise, then I wouldn't have to get physical, and why would I ever be scared of a fluffy science nerd?" hy quipped watching hir feet and hands at the same time for signs of movement.

Shi took another step forward and stopped as shi watched hys movements.

Max watched hir feet and moved back the same distance as shi moved forward still bouncing on the balls of hys feet. "Wanna dance?" hy grinned.

"I want a cub," shi said

Max stopped bouncing and blinked. "What???"

Dream sprung forward from hir hind legs and pushing hir left forepaw out to come in behind hys legs to pull them out from under hym, once done shi rested hir left forepaw down on he ground as shi brought the right forepaw right up on hys chest not once moving hir hands too far from hir hips.

Max landed with a grunt and squinting at Dream, ran his tail up between Dream's legs stroking it between the 'kat's hind quarters.

Shi smiled feeling hym stroking hys tail but shi didn't move for a moment then stepped off hys chest. "So, what did we learn?" shi asked standing half over hym.

Max rolled up and grabbed hir tail. Hy planted hys feet, wrapped hys tail around the closest tree and heaved with every fiber of skunktaur granted strength sliding hir to the side in a wide arc. "Never turn your tail on your enemy?" hy grunted out.

Being pulled into the arc, shi pushed hir weight with the arc to try and pull hir tail free of the grip of hir mate. Hir timing with the arc was a bit off and seeing that, shi was too slow to react before the point of no return. Hir forepaws lost grip and slid as hir mate dragged hir across the ground. As it happened, shi yelped in pain.

Grinning but feeling a burning pain in hys own tail, Max continued the arc releasing Dream at the height of the speed that had built up during the swing bowling hir directly at the twins. Once hy had released hys hold, Max let go of the tree with hys tail wincing at what was probably a strained muscle. "Damn fuzzy butt, how much cake have you been eating?" hy quipped.

Dream slid trying to keep from falling to hir side and failed causing hir to roll twice before coming to a stop and shi lay there not moving as shi breathed hard. "I haven't done any of this in years," shi admitted.

"And I've been doing nothing but for the past three weeks," Max said. "I think I broke my tail..." hy said mournfully. "Besides that was a mean trick to play," hy grumbled.

"What trick?" shi asked turning hir head to face hym.

"The cub trick," hy grumbled... "If you had just done what you said you were going to do, then we wouldn't be doing this right now," and with that Max leapt for Dream's back.

"Max, that wasn't a trick," shi stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm not falling for that again!" hy said and with a whoompf of sound landed on Dream's back wrapping hys tail around hir barrel wincing as hy did so.

Shi calmly and slowly rolled over with hym on hir waiting for hym to do something before shi rolled over hym entirely.

Max quickly scrambled from beneath the barrel portion of Dream's body but maintained a hold against hir upper half wrapping hys legs around hir upper torso and maneuvering hys arms around and underneath hir arms to do something resembling a full nelson.

"I want a cub Max," shi said completing hir role on hir back. "It wasn't a trick."

Max grunted at the extra weight now on top of hym before breathing out, "Please, don't resign? I'll give you anything if you stay..."

Shi moved to get up on hir feet not waiting or asking Max to move, "Max, I... " shi stopped speaking and then finished standing up. "I can't stay in any longer," shi said quietly. "I need my PADD, please."

Nee looked at Max with a raised eyebrow and Max nodded, getting off of Dream and dusting hymself off before turning around to head back to the deck and as hy walked away hy whispered, "And shi leaves again."

"Max, you want to know why? Then call your lifemate out here," shi said a little hurt from that whisper that shi almost missed. "Because I can't talk about it."

Max trudged up to the back door and sticking hys head inside, yelled for Swytch to come outside. After a few minutes, Swytch walked out carrying hys own PADD looking curious.

Max just pointed at Dream and sat down with a woof of air on one of the porch chairs.

"Max, you want to know why? Then you should be standing here with me." Shi started breathing a little harder as hir nerves started to ramp up. The feelings never really gone, but now they were boiling again shi felt hir chest tighten up again.

Max looked up from where hy was panting on the chair, a few leaves sticking in hys hair. "Please, do tell?

"You are going to see and feel for yourself, or did you forget you have that ability?" Shi stop to look at Swytch, "and I need you to keep me and Max connected, please."

Swytch eyed the chakat then turned to Max with one eyebrow raised. Max sighed and got up with a groan and gingerly carried hys tail with hym. Hy walked up to the two and raised an eyebrow expectantly. "So what are we doing exactly?"

"Max, if you truly love me and want to understand, you will link and watch my memories like you let Swytch and other do when you first broke," shi said getting rather annoyed with Max's lack understanding

"Don't get angry at me, dammit... I didn't grow up with any of this," hy groused at Dream.

Dream reached out a hand to touch the side of Max's head, "I've only heard about this being done, I've never done it myself before." Shi looked at Swytch. "Unless you think your mom should do it?" shi asked.

Swytch shook hys head. "No, I'd be happy to do it. Make yourself comfortable. Max, quit your griping and sit down," hy said the last part with one of the 'don't argue with me' looks.

Max sighed and sat down close to Dream with Swytch in the middle. Swytch placed a hand on each of their heads and then looked at Dream to continue.

Shi closed hir eyes and started to recall hir memories. Starting with docking of ship at the starbase. Hir feelings of dread and worry. Memories passing by ever so slowly to hir as shi recalled them. Sharing every second of that day with Max as the time goes by with hir giving the orders shi felt was best, and thoughts of a possible impending attack that may happen outside the station. Shi knew the station could defend itself from an outward attack. This too shi shared with Max, knowledge of hir tactical skill.

In blurs of motion and sound, the alert sounded overhead and the airlock containment door dropped. Hir feelings of fright as powerful today as it was then. Hir feelings at that moment were to run out of there with the others. 'See Max, I wasn't brave,' shi send letting hir memories roll on by as shi ordered everyone out. With the door closed, shi armed those who were locked inside with hir. Shi knew inside that they would all die there. Shi just knew shi had made the biggest mistake of hir life. Shi let them feel what shi had felt as the gas started affecting hir; slowing hir down. The terror that flooded hir mind shi showed to Max not holding it back. The pain shi felt in hir ears and the blinding light in hir eyes shi shared till the moment shi looked at a blurry figure and the sudden shard pain of hir leg being broken was last of memories of that encounter. Shi found hirself on Chakona still in hir memories. Shi stood in hir dress whites before the polished box and the front row contained two children and the mate of one of the crew that fell in the attack. Hir feelings of regret pouring over to Max. Every detail of each crew member shi lost, shi shared. Each one made hir regret more, the orders shi gave that day. This was only three of the fourteen that lost their lives that day, shi only attended three. Shi never met any of them, never knew their lives, didn't know their families. Shi sent them to their deaths. 'Max, I cannot handle this job. I am not fit for it. I forever have the blood of my crew on my hands and I couldn't even face their families as I should have. I couldn't handle their pain, I can't even handle my own. I cannot serve Starfleet anymore. I cannot send anymore to their deaths. It was my fault they died. I should have never let them go in that ship. All I could worry about was those who were already dead. MY stupid care about the dead KILLED fathers and mothers. I am still trying to live with this regret.'

'You think your choices killed people, Dream?' Hy then showed hir every single person on that station he was responsible for killing, ever pirate hy had ordered hys warbeasts to kill, the sounds of their necks when they broke as the twin's protected hym in the control room, hy showed each and every face he saw die by hys orders as hy worked to retake the station. Yes, they had been pirates, but they had also been brothers, fathers, uncles... 'You think I carry the faces of over a hundred dead pirates in my dreams because I want to? I carry them there so that next time, maybe I can be faster, stronger, sneakier and save lives instead. Then there are these,' and hy showed hir the faces of every freed slave shi had been responsible for saving. Every crew member who was still alive because of hir actions, every child and mother who got to see their loved ones come home. 'These are why you continue to try, these are why you fight so that these people, these freed slaves can have a chance of a normal life for once in their brief existence.'

'Max, you saved the lives of those people, you and Commander Shylin, both of you saved me. Hy was right, if it wasn't for hym, I could ether be in the LNAW or dead. You...' Shi shared the call from the Commander to hir. 'Max, I sent medical staff in, not trained soldiers. I could have lived with the death of an enemy. Max, I can't, I have to resign before I get anyone else killed. I won't ever leave your side, so please don't take this as me running away from you. I love you, more than I ever realized. It took Riot to point out what I lost out on. We are Denmates and I will never leave you again. I will always be ready welcome you home and hold you when you're hurting. You are stronger than I am. Your heart knows its self. As does mine. My heart can't handle what I've done. I don't think my Commander would benefit from me. Let me resign, please. Give me your blessings so that I can be a better person for you.'

Max's mental sigh could be heard as hy sent, 'Fine, if that is what you truly believe, but I think Starfleet will be worse off without you in it. No matter what you think about yourself, you're the reason I exist today. It is highly probable I would have died on Earth and would have never seen you again. I love you too Dream, and I want you to be happy even if I think you're making a huge mistake. You do what you think is best for you and I'll do my best to be everything I can be to keep you and everyone else I care about safe. I only have one request though to receive my blessing.'

'What is your request?'

'When is your next heat?' hy sent with a mental grin.

'Next month, I should be back from the starbase by then.' Shi smiled both in person and in hir thoughts. 'Thank you, love,' shi sent hir love to both Swytch and Max through the bond they were sharing. 'Thank you both.' Then shi pulled away from the link.

Time passed as it usually does when life falls into a routine. It wasn't long before Jackie went into labor and everyone went to the hospital for the birth of her first child. After several hours of intense labor, Jackie gave birth to a small, male rabbit morph that was unlike any of its kind. The small infant was covered in black and white fur and the only other feature that would distinguish him from any other of his kind was the long fluffy tail that only a skunk morph should have. After some conversation between hymself and Jackie, young Taglin Pilumnus was welcomed into the world by the family.

Taglin being Jackie's grandfather's name; he had been the one responsible for moving their family to Chakona in the first place. Little Taglin was fussed over quite a bit and as time marched on Swytch grew more gravid with hys impending second kit. Max became ever more proficient in hys training with the Starfleet trainers as well as the twins. Eventually, hy was even able to hold hys own against Tee for several minutes before the sneaky cat would pull out a move Max had never seen before, and it was back to being on hys back again. Dr. Sands came by to visit several times during everything that was going on and the cubs seemed to love hir, but not so much as shi loved them. Shi and Swytch spent a lot of time together and a subtle healing began in the good Doctor hirself. Loneliness is something everyone has to deal with from time to time and Dr. Sand's forced isolation was no different. Hir major issue though had been that shi felt shi didn't deserve the attention of others and Swytch spent a lot of time disabusing hir of that notion.

In no time at all, Swytch gave birth to a semi-normally colored skunktaur kit who was mostly black except for a small white stripe running from hys nose to hys tail tip which only accentuated the shock of bright white head hair on top. It didn't take everyone very long to welcome little Wysp into the family. The house was practically bursting with cubs now.

Brightstreak and Arctyc took their roles as older siblings to heart and did their best to help with the new young ones when they weren't themselves the recipient of help. It was a pleasant type of chaos at the joint home. Max even managed to spend hys next heat with Dream and Riot again and even had a nice bit of pleasant play with Swytch using certain toys; and as the song says 'time marches on.'

Jynxy had put in a request for Max to be reviewed as a member of Clan Redpaw and the process seemed to be dragging along. According to Jynxy, there were a couple of members on the council that held Max's previous incarnation against him. Some skunktaurs had a few prejudices against humans and after Max found out about their detailed creation and their past hy couldn't really blame them honestly. Although Max wasn't certain why this had become a personal issue with Jynxy though. One evening after a particularly rough training session with the twins, Max was sitting on the couch with a cold wrap on hys knee. Hy had a PADD in one hand and a mug of tea in the other while hy was trying to keep up with classwork. Jynxy padded in on soft paws and settled on a taur pad close to the couch grumbling something that probably doesn't bear repeating in a document such as this. Max set hys PADD down and looked at Jynxy with a raised eyebrow.

Jynxy stopped grumbling long enough to tell Max that there was a certain small group of skunktaurs in the council that thought that Max shouldn't be granted Redpaw clanship status and a few of them even thought that Max's kits should also be denied status no matter that they may look like due to, 'Being abominations from a genetic freak who used to be human.' Luckily, they were a small minority but they were still causing issues in getting Max's acceptance pushed through.

The whole thing gave Max pause for a few minutes. He had read up on skunktaur history and could understand why some skunktaurs didn't like humans. Heck, it had been humans who had turned them into mindless drones to begin with but that had been a long time ago. Max guessed that some histories were still too new to be forgotten or forgiven so easily. Max looked at Jynxy and said, "Just let me know what you want me to do. If it's for the kits you know I'll do whatever is needed," hy said sincerely.

"I know Max, but we should be able to get past this single-minded bigotry by now. The past was a long time ago. There are so many morphs' protesting the things H1 does but there are some morph groups that can be even worse. I'm just afraid that everything is going to spill into our backyard. Neither humans nor morphs can survive another Gene war," hy said sadly with a sigh.

Max set his PADD down on the couch and looked at Jynxy. "Tell them they can deny my application and I won't contest it, but they WILL accept my kits as Clan or I'll make such an issue over the whole thing, it will end up on the news on every world I can possibly get it on. My kits shouldn't have to suffer because their sire is the target of small minded people. I do thank you for trying, though," hy said solemnly.

Jynxy managed a creditable growl before saying, "Well, neither is going to happen if I have any say in the matter, but I'll keep your compromise in mind. Besides, you're already a clan member in my eyes."