“Promise?" she whispered in the dark cramped bedroom with one tiny bed crammed in with what looked like storage, boxes and  crates everywhere. 

Full of  Ale and  Cigars,  Rum  and  Toilet paper..

Two glowing eyes blinked  slowly back at her.

“I promise"

“Swear it. Swear it on all your lives. Every . Single. One."

“I swear by my nine lives"

There was a slight pause.   And those glowing eyes stared into hers. Unblinkingly.  Content with his word,  she moved, by lifting up, pulling her nightgown to her chest,  as she let her tail swish and curl along her furred leg,  she exposed  her white underbelly. The fur there was soft and sensitive, especially the space just above her hip, which is what she was showing him.

He sat up as she did this small motion.  He felt  where she indicated, and his glowing eyes went wide.  “You have been chosen"  he whispered.   She quickly  lowered her gown as he moved his hand back  and  she looked at him,  Their glowing eyes staring into each other in silence a moment.

“You promised you wouldn't tell." She said.  “You swore on your lives,  Remember? Every single one!"

He was making a pensive  purring sound.   

“Aelan!" she swatted at him her own eyes narrowed in anger.  “You promised, you swore"

“I'm aware, Aerianda. And  I intend to keep my oath,  don't fret''  he said,    and  then he reclined on the bed  and lifted his hips to get comfortable  his tail swished out to the side between them and  bumped her face, ,she didn't move like she was bothered, it was almost like  this was a normal thing  ….this close, yet casual intimacy and lack of privacy as far as social and personal space was concerned.

“Aelan, what is it. Your  purring is pensive again.  What are you thinking about?"

He  turned his head and met her eyes.  “I have  a secret of my own"   he whispered.   Aerianda's eyes  did not flinch,  it was as if she knew this was coming  as if she felt it. He was her litter mate.  They  knew each other, could read each other in a way that  no one else could.  It was a sacred bond..

Aerianda  waited patiently for  her brother to gather himself  and  tell her his secret.   He had looked away, and   his tail swished nervously before  he looked up at her.  “I joined a crew."

A beat of  silence passed between them. “Why?"

“Opportunity." he said simply and moved closer to her,so their muzzles touched.. He  licked her face in a  kiss and held her with big strong arms, having sensed her tears, having sensed her sorrow.

“There isn't much option for someone like me.   Male born betas don't get  much  opportunity.  But   They were calling for volunteers   and I  signed up. It's a chance to see the world.  IT's a chance to better myself.  I was going to ask you go with me, but now that  Sheera's chosen you to be his mate in this life,  there's no way he'd let you go."

She was silent a moment and closed her eyes.  Huffed a puff of hair  into her brother's face, he didn't cringe or wince, he just breathed in her air  as if it were any other.  A soft sob mew escaped her, and he hugged her tightly, letting her feel him tremble as he fought his own sadness,   which was intensified as he felt her tears  as if they were his own.   

“You should rest"

“No, if this is the last night I get to be with you, the last night  I can hear your voice, touch your  fur,  I want it to last as long as I can.I want…"

He kissed his sister then.  And she purred. She purred a purr of  love and longing. A purr of  fear and despair. She would miss her brother. She would miss his heat, his weight in the small bed  lodgings they shared.   She would miss it all.  But   The next dawn he would ship out to his crew.  And she would be moved out of the orphan lodgings and to the  private quarters of their leader, Sheera,  as  she now carried the next generation for Sheera's  seventh life, seventh  wife.  It was their custom.  To rule for 9 incarnations or generations,  and then  upon death,  bequeath the leadership to the next in line.  It was an honor to be chosen.

Those were her last thoughts as she snuggled with her brother and let sleep take her.