The wedwink begins

Tiny Tabitha kitten, looking elegant with her red ribbon, escorts
each of the arriving guests to a cushion. Members of the RPCC
community, dignitaries, and just a few newscats. The members of
the orchestra get set up, and gentle strains of classical music
fill the canyon. Quiet conversations arise, as the guest kitties
enjoy the unusual setting.

TV cat, dashing in his tuxedo markings and beautiful cummerbund,
his best man Tiger, and his groomsman Bob appear from the end of
canyon. All of the quietly meowed conversations hush as the groom's
party takes their places.

I soft wind starts to blow through the canyon, just strong enough
to rustle the fur of the longhaired kitties. The torches start to
dance in the breeze casting flickering shadows on the walls of the
canyon. The shadows appear to almost have a life of their own,
dancing and swaying and looking as if they are moving away from
the canyon walls. As the mesmerized guest kitties watch, the shadows
do indeed seperate from the walls, and each shadow turns into a
human form. The magically-appearing humans each take a step into
the canyon, raise their faces and hands towards the sky, chant an
unrecognizable phrase, and transform into other creatures. The
first to appear transforms into a beautiful black cat. The next
becomes an eagle. These are followed by a coyote then a wolf.
The magically-appearing animals then turn down canyon and disappear
into the darkness.

The amazed guest cats look all around to see what other wonders
might appear. Another gust of wind causes only the torches at
the head of the canyon to waver. The shadows over the top of
the boulder dance, merge, and coalesce, and the shadow takes a
step away from the darkness, transforming into a beautiful raven-
haired woman. She steps to the edge of the boulder, raises her
eyes and her hands towards the sky, and repeats the chant heard
earlier. As the final tones of her chant echo through the
canyon, the young woman transforms into a beautiful black
panther. As she hears guest cats start to meow apprehensively
she addresses them:

"Have no fear, my feline guests - no harm shall befall you.
This is a magical place, a place of peace and love and
transformation. My name is nv-wa-do-hi-ya-dv we-sa, and I
am priestess of this band. My people have been guardians
of this place for many centuries, and we have seen that
the magic of this place keeps all who journey here of their
own will safe. The magical ones who came before me are at
this time standing guard at the mouth of the canyon, keeping
away any intruders who would disrupt this proceeding. We are
all safe and protected here.

If you are all ready, we shall begin."

At this, the orchestra begins playing the wedding march. From
somewhere behind the guest kitties, flowercat Harri appears,
completely decked out in flowers, the flowers swaying as she
walks. Following Harri, Rebecca marches gracefully down the
aisle. As Rebecca reaches the foot of the boulder, matron of
honor Anais appears, smiling demurely as she walks down the
aisle. She gives Tiger a big wink as she approaches the boulder
and takes her place.

Finally, out of a dark corner of open space, Cleopatra appears.
Her soft, fluffy silver fur is highlighted by a cream-colored
cape, with a diamond-studded tiarra upon her head. She strolls
slowly and gracefully down the aisle, her eyes misting up as she
gazes at her winkwink. She stands beside TV, taking his paw in hers.

The panther-priestess continues:
"Kitties, we are gathered here to celebrate the love of TV and
Cleopatra. We know both of them from their time in the Community.
Though you have not heard from me before I have long followed
the activities of your group, as Cleopatra is a friend to my
people. We have observed how strongly TV and Cleopatra care for
each other, and the care they display for the rest of the community.
Wedwinking is a very special commitment for kitties - it is a promise
to takecare of your wedwink partner in addition to caring for your
humans, It places a very large demand upon kitties, having to divide
your time between your wedwink partner and your human family.

TV and Cleopatra, you have been spending time with each other for
over a year now. You have shown a great devotion to each other.
As Bast has decreed, you two loving kitties shall be henceforth be
known as wedwinked couple, if you both state your desire to be known
as such."

As the priestess kitty pauses for a moment, the clouds over the
canyon are blown away, and the full moon finally shines clear.
The bottom of the canyon is sheltered from the direct light of
the moon, so the moonlight isn't visible to the kitties gathered
in the clearing - except for the area directly in front of the
boulder. A wider opening in the top of canyon allows a patch of
bright, clear moonlight to shine through to the canyon floor.
The circle of moonlight shines directly on TV and Cleopatra,
illuminating them as with a spotlight. The moonlight highlights
TV's black and white coloring and his form-fitting cummerbind,
and makes Cleopatra's silver fur glow.

The watching kitties murmur in appreciation of the natural spotlight.
But they become silent again as the priestess cat continues:

"Cleopatra Silvercat Mahoney, do you take TV Tater to be your husband
kitty, to love, honor, cherish, and protect, as long as you both
live?"

Cleo is obviously nervous - her paws are trembling a little, and her
tail is twitching some. But her voice is clear as she answers: "I do".

The priestess continues: "TV, do you take Cleopatra as your wife kitty,
to love, honor, cherish, and protect, as long as you both live"?