5

Winter Solstice

featuring

The ThunderCats

An adventure/comedy by Rangerkitty and Crystalandra

Chapter One

Snow was gently falling onto the plains of Third Earth. The snowflakes were fluffy and huge, and there was no wind to

displace them. It was the kind of snowfall that made it nice to have snow. It was soft, calm, comforting; in a way it was like

someone up above was gently laying a soft quilt over the quiet land below. Cat's Lair was part of this dusting, and enjoyed

its share of the sparkling crystals that fell upon it from the heavens.

Inside of one of the bedrooms, with its window raised open wide, Galina awoke and stretched in response to the feel and

smell of the snow. She loved the smell of ice and snow, and had felt it coming. Glad it was here, she arched her back as she

stretched out and turned her head both ways, stretching and cracking the bones in her neck. Gently, she kicked her bed

partner in the foot and he rustled too, not fully becoming awake.

She slipped out of bed and made her way to the window, where she found a light sprinkling of white frozen dust

accumulating. She gathered some and brought it back to her lover who remained unconscious under the bed sheets.

Holding it under his nose, she waited a few moments as he began to register the familiar scent. His blue eyes flashed open

finally and he looked at her in excited surprise.

"It's snowing!"

"Yes, it is!" she grinned, smearing the snow in his face which he happily licked up and then grabbed her and flipped her back onto the bed for a kiss.

Tygra had just finished his tour of overnight watch duty and was exhausted. He'd seen the snow start to fall and had

activated the heating sensors on the cat's eyes and on all the lair's windows and mirrors so nothing would freeze up and so

they would never have an unrestricted view.

He was making his way back to his room when he remembered Rangerkitty and what she did on the first snowfall of each

year, no matter how big or how small. He turned in the corridor and ran back to where he had come from. Figuring she

might be in the hangar or on the front steps, he headed there, and found her just outside the main entrance to Cat's Lair.

She was standing alone, solemn, yet peaceful. She was watching the snowflakes fall over the jungles and forests that lay

just before the place they called home. Slowly he approached her and slipped both hands around her waist as he hugged

her shoulder and neck with his chin. Saying nothing, he knew what she was doing. She did it every year, and he was usually

never present, so while this time he was, he was not about to try and take center stage.

She acknowledged Tygra with a squeeze of her hand on his forearm and looked back up to the falling crystals, falling like

glitter in the blue morning light. "Good morning Father. I love you too."

Chapter Two

Knowing that they might be pressed for time, Galina hurried downstairs with Bengali following close at her heels. She had

made a bet with Snarf that it would snow today, and he swore that his old bones would have felt a storm coming and that

she had been mistaken. She had offered to wager a bet on it, and she'd offered a week's worth of dishwashing detail. This

had intrigued him, and in return he offered that he would make buttermilk pancakes if it did actually snow by first light.

Galina had tried to keep her facial expression as normal as possible, but had shaken hands with him and turned her back on

the smallest ThunderCat, hiding the smug expression she couldn't help but to have on her face. She could sense weather l

ike it was nobody's business, and she was never wrong.

Smelling butter and what promised to be fluffy and rich pancakes, she had shaken Bengali awake. She was amazed that he

had reacted to the snow and not to the delicious and mouth-watering aroma of breakfast, but he had responded to her,

and that was all that mattered as far as she was concerned.

He hurried after her and looked quickly at the time piece he wore on his wrist glad that Snarf had started early and that

Galina had been expecting this, he had just enough time to enjoy breakfast before leaving to pick up the Sh'iar couple.

Argo leaned over Crys gently nipping her neck. "Wake up sleepy head we've got a shuttle to catch for Third Earth."

She yawned and giggled feeling his hot breath against her fur, "Is it morning already?" Crys sighed happily wrapping her

arms around the Tiglon's thick neck. "I still have a few things that I want to pack."

"Forget about it—it's all done and anything that you need we can always buy from the Berbil village." He kissed her warmly enjoying the taste of her lips. Oh heavenly bliss…Argo sighed. "Get up Marozi…Don't tempt me."

She pushed away and sat up; the big Tiglon stood smiling down at her.

"You're dressed and oh so sexy I must say!" Crys declared giving her man the once over. Argo was wearing a tight fitted sweater over straight leg jeans and looked like he had just stepped out of the cover of 'He-cat Quarterly'!

"Dressed and had a light breakfast…"

"I do question your use of the word, 'light'." The she-cat chuckled. "I'm guessing you had a couple of steaks."

The Tiglon pulled off the blankets, "Come on love—I'm anxious to make a move to see Tygra and Rangerkitty."

Crys scooted out of bed. "All right—all right! Geez Argo it has only been a couple of months since we last saw them at our wedding." She rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower while Argo laid out her clothing. He selected a purple cashmere sweater and black leggings for her to wear.

"Yes, I know but it will be nice to see them all the same."

"Hmmmm and don't forget Bengali and Galina too." The hybrid added emerging from the shower. "Argo, have you ever seen snow?"

"Not really…It will be quite an experience for us both don't you think?" After much thought, he put on another sweater over the one he was already wearing; Crys covered her mouth giggling. "Don't you think you're overdoing it with the clothes?"

"I don't think so…Tygra said that it gets pretty chilly at this time of year on Third Earth."

"Well it's a good thing we don't have that problem on Tymperia where the weather is always warm and tropical."

"Amen to that." Argo agreed.

"Come on come on Ben get a crack on it!" Galina called. "Their shuttle should be arriving any minute and I want to surprise them at the space port!"

"Why couldn't Rangerkitty come with us?" The white tiger demanded climbing into the car.

"This will be a surprise for her too! Now quit stalling; let's get going!" Galina grinned to herself because she wanted to be

the first to see the Tiglon before RK did and have the opportunity to bask in his gorgeousness! But of course she would

never openly confess this to Bengali—she settled back in her seat grinning. However, unknown to Galina, Ben was secretlyl

looking forward to seeing Crystalandra and hoped that her aloof mannerism would change towards him. He remembered

how beautiful she had looked at her wedding and unconsciously rubbed his side from the severe elbowing he had received

from Galina all because he had ogled the hybrid. Well his reasoning had been simple-if Gali could drool over Argo why

couldn't he over Crys?

"Something wrong?" The white tigress asked noticing his silence.

"Nah—everything is fine. Why do you ask?"

"Let me put your mind at ease Benny...I promise not to touch Argo…If I do I know Crystalandra would personally snuff out my lights. However there is nothing that says I can't look."

Bengali frowned. "Actually, I beg to differ because you have me now."

"Of course I do—I'm only joking!" Gali hugged her mate and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek. "I do so love you very much Ben!"

"I love you too Gali…"

"Let's just have a good time, let our hair down, and relax! This is going to be a wonderful get together!"

Galina and Bengali arrived at the spaceport and found a place to park fairly nearby the entrance to the arriving flights. She

stepped out of the vehicle and fluffed her hair as the snow sprinkled around her. She had not bothered to change as it was

only just below freezing and the snow was not coming down heavily yet. Bengali got out of the transport and shut the door

as he looked her over. He grinned at the fact that she still wore her gladiator sandals, short skirt and short sleeveless top,

even in this weather. He chuckled to himself. Overhearing him, she looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

He shook his head. "I'm just thinking how you're going to astound Argo and Crys with your tolerance to the cold. I doubt they are going to be as thrilled with this weather as we are."

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled her brilliant white smile at him. "Well considering where we are taking them for this trip, I hope they get used to the cold! It's not going to be warm where we are going."

He smiled back and approached her, slipping his hands around her bare waist and pulled her closer to him. "So tell me my dear, are your nipples getting hard yet?"

She reached up and pinched his, causing him to yelp and jump. "Yeowch!"

Giggling she started walking towards the entrance to the building, and he hurried after her. Before them on a computerized

screen was the listing of all the arriving and departing flights, and Galina scanned the board looking for the shuttle from

Tymperia. Bengali came up behind her and pointed to the lower right side of the board. "There it is. They should be arriving at the gate as we speak."

She beamed in excitement and grabbed his hand as they hurried to gate number eleven.