For the cat-person, a funeral celebration was normally very simple, but Greer wasn’t just any cat-person.  She was the Tigra, the manifestation of a primal being of their species.  Greer had been an avatar, and that made her special.

Hank and Jan watched as William snuggled into each of them at times.  He alternated between restless and inconsolable.  From what Jan had learned about child psychology since her return to life and Earth -- she viewed that as part of what she needed to do to understand where some of the students might be emotionally -- that actually was pretty typical of most children around William’s apparent age when they were dealing with grief.

Words were spoken, some in English, some in an ancient language.  Then one of the female cat-people got up to speak who had been silent to this point.

“Greer Grant Nelson was not born one of us, but she became the vessel by which the Tigra chose to return to Earth,” the new speaker said.  “She was a reminder that the Tigra moves where it will.  Her chosen mate and his chosen alpha are also examples of this.  That one such as the Tigra would become a beta female may seem strange to us, but look at the alpha female she relented to.  You can feel the mystical energy from her presence.  She, too, has returned from beyond life to this life, as the Tigra does.  She is large and strong and powerful, and yet she has a very feline spirit, despite her insectine scent.  She, like the Tigra, has been touched by the gods, and chosen to walk again on the Earth.  And besides, Greer could smell the love these two share, and she knew what would be best for her love.  That’s what the Tigra does; look out for what is best for those she cares about.

“We know that, one day, like so many cats, the Tigra will be back.  Where, when and in what form, we know not, but she will be back.  She may choose to come in a familiar form, or not.  We know not.  But she will be back.

“And, in the meantime, she has left us William, named for Greer’s late human husband , born of Henry Pym‘s genes, and himself a bearer of some aspect of the Tigra.  He is his mother’s son, and a gift to us and to the world.  It was the Tigra’s wish that we care for him for a time, and her wish that Henry Pym and his alpha female care for William.  Where William will go is up to them and him; such is the way of the cat.  But, wherever they may go, the three of them will always be welcome here, as we await the return again of the one who so trusted and loved them, the Tigra,” the speaker said.

Once the ceremony was over, Tigra’s body was cremated on a funeral pyre.  William wept silently, curled up on Jan’s lap, as the pyre was lit.  Hank rubbed the boy’s back, stroking his fur.

Jan walked up to the speaker who had talked about her after the ceremony.  “Thank you,” Jan said.  “That was beautiful, and I’m so moved that you included me.”

The speaker smiled up at Jan.  “You have no idea what you meant to Greer, Janet Van Dyne.  She spoke of you often during your first life, and after your death, and after your return.  She knew you were a warrior to be reckoned with, and you were the one woman who could have supplanted her as an alpha female to any male.  Add to that that you avenged her death and stopped the madman who killed her, and her faith in you has been justified.”

Hank knelt down to talk to William eye to eye.  “Son, your Mama Jan and I will need to go back to the school for young super-beings where we teach,” Hank said.  “We’ll have a memorial service for her there; she taught a lot of students, and they’ll need that.  Plus, your Mama Jan and I are getting married soon, and we would like you to be there.  I think it would help the students there if you came for the service, but your home has been here.  We’d like to have you with us, but we’ll understand if you want to stay here.”

“The students loved my mama?” William asked.

“Some loved her,” Jan said.  “Most liked her.  All respected her.  She mattered to them, and she made them better at using their powers.”

William nodded.  “The Tigra would want to help them,” he said.  “And I’d like to see where Mama lived, … and where she died.  And, with the wedding, can I watch?”

Jan knelt down, still needing to look down at William since she was stuck at no smaller than 8 feet tall.  “We want you to do more than watch, William,” Jan said.  “We want you to be our ring-bearer.”

William cocked his head, looking confused.  “But I’m not a bear-person.  I’m a cat-person,” he said.

Jan and Hank both chuckled.  “No, not ring-bear,” Jan said.  “Ring-bear-er.  It’s a very important job.  The rings we’ll wear are signs that we’re married to each other, signs of our love.  Your job would be to carry them in for us. You’d be their protector, and the one who shows them to everyone as you walked in.  It’s usually a boy who does this, and one who’s special to the bride and groom.” Seeing William’s expression, she added, “I’m the bride, and your papa’s the groom.”

“So I’d be helping you?”

“The wedding wouldn’t be as good without you,” Hank said.  “Even if you don’t do this, we want you there, but we’d actually planned to ask you to do this before your mama died.”

“I’ll do it,” William said.  “I’d like to be part of your wedding, and I think Mama would have liked it.”

“We’d actually talked about it with her before she died,” Jan said.  “She thought it would be great, if you wanted to do it.”

Hank made the arrangements to take William back.  For now, it was set up as a visit, but both Hank and the cat-people agreed that it could become permanent, depending on what William wanted and what Hank and Jan felt was best for him.

Once in the Quinjet, William was fascinated with all the electronics.  As soon as they were airborne, Hank called ahead to the academy to make sure a guestroom was set up for William.  The boy was both thrilled and slightly terrified by flying, but overall he loved it.  After awhile, he curled up in Jan’s lap and went to sleep.  Jan realized that, at times, he was purring, and other times, crying, both in his slumber.

They arrived at the campus to little fanfare.  William, now full of energy, had to go exploring.  Hank and Jan gave him the tour, feeling worn out trying to keep up with him.

It was suppertime when they reached the cafeteria.  They got William a tray and helped him understand how to pick out the foods he wanted (he chose meat and fish) and introduced him to some of the children.

One of the students came up.  “I’m called X-23,” she said.  “Your mother was a special teacher of mine.  I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” said William.  “I’m sorry for your loss, too.”

As they walked to a table, William saw someone and froze.  Suddenly he handed his tray to Jan and bounded over to a nearby table, where White Tiger and Reptil were sitting together.

The boy stood staring at White Tiger, who looked up at him.  “Oh, hi,” she said.  “You’re William, right?”

“Yeah,” said William.  “You’re like a cat person.”

Ava was taken aback.  “I guess I am,” she said.  “I’ve got a tiger spirit in me that gives me special powers.”

William’s eyes widened.  “You’re like a Tigra,” he said.

Ava bit her lip.  “I … guess I am,” she said.

Hank had come over and put a hand on William’s shoulder.  “William, we’re eating over here,” he said.  “Sorry, kids.”

“It’s OK,” said Ava.  It’s good to meet you, William.”

“That was weird,” said Reptil.  Then he realized Ava was staring after the boy.  “White Tiger, you OK?”

“It’s the weirdest thing,” she said.  “I can’t explain it, but there was … something more going on there.”

“Like what?” Hector asked.

“I don’t know.” Ava said.  “I don’t know.”

William looked up at Hank as they walked to the table.  “What was that girl’s name?” he asked.

“Ava Ayala,” Hank said.  “She goes by White Tiger.”

“And you humans marry your mates?” William asked.

“Not always,” Hank said.  “When we want just one who’s really special, then we marry them, if they want that, too.”

As they sat down, William said, “I’m going to marry White Tiger.”

Hank started to chuckle until she saw Jan’s face, then  looked at William’s.  Then he realized this wasn’t a little boy talking.  It was something more.  Maybe that eulogist at Tigra’s funeral was onto something, Hank thought.  That sounded like something far more ancient than his adopted son talking.