Since the big deer tournament, Keith had been spending some time most days with his friend the newshound Harrison, the first male friend he had made as a male himself. As much as he loved Jackie, there was something uniquely satisfying in being accepted as a guy by other guys, and it was good to get Harrison's opinion sometimes as someone with a longer experience of being a male in a relationship. It was from Harrison that he heard that the new boss stag and his doe were getting married.
"So, you gonna ask Jackie?" Harrison asked.
"Maybe, I want to be with her for a long, long time, but I don't know. It seems like something maybe for the more social animals, like the deer."
"Well, she may expect it now that she's pregnant."
"I don't know, she might." Keith wasn't sure. Something about the idea just seemed wrong, but he couldn't say what.
+++++++
"So, Father, we want to get married, and we would like you to perform the ceremony." Jeremy stammered.
The raccoonmorph laughed. "Well, I can perform a legal ceremony, but I should tell you that there are a few stick-in-the-mud theologians who would think only humans can perform or enter into a sacramentally valid marriage. Now, would you be Catholics?"
"I am Father" Jeremy answered.
"And you, my child?"
"I'm wiccan, Father."
"Wiccan, eh? Well, takes all sorts I suppose. Would you be raising the, fawns is it, Catholic?"
"It's not exactly like there's a church around here."
"Give it time, my son, the Church goes everywhere, you can't keep it out."
Jeremy and Leticia exchanged glances. Leticia nodded.
"Yes, Father, they'll be raised Catholic."
"Now, I understand there's a bit of urgency here?"
Leticia hadn't realized it was possible to blush under fur. "Yes, father."
"Well, won't be the first time. We can do it anytime soon. Let me know when you want to have the ceremony--I'm here for another month."
"Thank you father." Jeremy answered. "Yes, thank you." Leticia added.
The raccoon priest went back to his fishing. *I'm taking a risk here* he thought. He knew that Vatican theologians were currently debating the ethics of transformation and whether the children of the transformed had souls. As a Catholic, Father Tyminski knew the church always did the right thing. As a realist, he knew it often took several centuries to do it.
++++++
"So, you hear the boss deer are getting married?"
"Yeah, I heard." Jackie replied. "Don't think they'll be inviting us to the wedding, though."
Keith snorted. "No, probably not. Do you think. . .?"
Jackie interrupted. "If that's what I think it is, no, I don't."
"You mean. . ."
"Humans get married. We're not human. We're evolved panthers. Panthers don't get married. They mate. If a human girl wants a husband, fine. I've got something better." Jackie fiercely embraced Keith. "My mate."
"Ummmmmm." Keith purred. "You know, I hear a moderate degree of physical activity is good for both human and cat expectant mothers."
"I hear that too." Jackie laughed. The two began to make love for the first time since they had heard of Jackie's pregnancy.
++++
On her way to the entrance area, Maggie stopped off at the newshounds. Maybe they had heard of a new buck.
As it turned out, they had. The new buck had gone off in search of the herd in the company of Hannah. Maggie went off to find the deer. She needed to get the new buck away from Leticia's friend Hannah and explain to him how to defeat Jeremy. She felt a slight twinge of guilt at planning the defeat of her own son, but it was for his own good.
++++++
"Uncle Rob!" shouted Spike.
"Hi, Robbie." Jenny greeted.
Robbie picked Spike off the ground and gave him a whirl. "How's my little fella?"
"Yeeeee" Spike shouted in delight.
"I really appreciate your taking him." Jenny said. "I have to get together with the other bridesmaids for planning. At least we don't have to pick out dresses!" She laughed, and gave Robbie a kiss on the cheek.