I, RozBen, do not own ThunderCats, or its charaters. All rights go to the proper owners.

1) I have added a charater.-Stalker
2) this is from the new season that just aired on CartoonNetwork

'Thoughts'
"Talking"

Chapter 1: The long road ahead.

"Lion-o. Lion-o. Wake up!" Tygra shook his brother's shoulder, trying to wake him up. The sun was already high in the sky. They had overslept.
"Huh?" Lion-o blinked up at him. They were in the mists of the forest just outside their city's boundaries. It had been hard to get past the guards, but somehow they made it. The woodlands led uphill, a rocky climb, but it would be safer than risking getting spotted and caught. Below, to their right, was the road leading into the city. They'd fallow it as far as they could before branching off and head further east.

"Come on. Get up." Lion watched as Cheetara packed up what little they had before getting to his feet. All they had been able to scavenge, before abandoning the city, was some food, some water, and a few ratty blankets. They had snatched weapons from whatever vermin they encountered.
"Where's Snarf?" he yawned, looking around. He spotted him, still asleep on the branch above his head. "Snarf!"

Snarf yawned before blinking his eyes open slowly.
"Come on, Snarf. We gotta get a move on it." Snarf jumped down the branches and onto his back playfully. "Not now. We have to go." he hushed his friend. "How far do you think we'll get today?" he asked his brother, jogging to catch up.
"I've no clue. Hopefully far enough to get out of immediate danger." Tygra paused to allow his brother to catch up. He was carrying a shoulder bag and his cloak. He also held Lion-o's gear. Cheetara kept moving forward, going uphill. She ued rocky ledges at keep from falling backwards.
"Let's just worry about getting as far as possible for now." she called a few paces up. "It looks like it evens out just up ahead. Easier to walk through."
"Here." Tygra handed Lion-o his cloak and bag. They caught up with Cheetara after a few mintues.

They walked in silence. Tygra was in the middle, his brother on his left. The forest floor had evened out and was less clustered with rocks, but there were more plants and sticker bushes that easily concealed smaller animals, such as snakes, or small holes in the ground, like the one that had tripped up Lion-o. The sun was mostly blocked out by the canopy of leaves above them. Some light filtered through the holes in the leaves, but it was mostly shady. It was cool, not too hot but not too cold. A breeze wafted towards them, bringing the smell of rain and oak, of moist earth and decaying leaves. They looked around with intrest, none of them have ever been this far out of the city.

-X-

"They must be stopped!" hissed Mumm-Ra, from the king's chair, his fist slamming onto the armrest. The entire hall was dark, save for the oil lamps burning around Mumm-Ra and Grune.
"What does that have to do with me?" a cocky voice echoed and resounded through out the great hall. It was soft, but eaily heard.
"I want you to intercept them. They must not find the book!" Grune was right at his side, looking around uneasily. This was a person even Mumm-Ra should not encounter.
"What's in it for me?"
"Your life." the mummy sneered into the darkness. He called the forces of evil, its dark energy swaying around him, crackling and lashing out. He heard this person was sly. This was the lord of the Underground Black Market, its creater and its law.
"Eeeh! Wrong answer." The shadowed person stepped closer, revealing their legs to the lamps' light, from their knees up was still in the shadows.
"What is your price, then?" He liked this person. They had guts.

-X-

"We should check to see if we're still fallowing the road." Cheetara said finally, moving through the brush on her right, towards the road. Tygra gave Lion-o a look that told him to stay silent and fallowed, his brother on his heels. Tygra stayed a few steps behind Cheetara, and held branches out of his brother's way in hopes to stay as silent as possible.

They had reached the cliff that looked down at the road soon enough. They looked back the way they came, seeing their home as a dot in the distance. They all sagged slightly, as homesickness and pain filled them. The harsh sound of metal and shouts brought their attention to right below them. Below them, they could barely make out a lone figure, wearing a black cloak with its hood up, attacking several larger figures savagely, moving quickly and easily dispatching several at once. Bodies were already falling, crumpling to the ground. Cheetara and Tygra shared a look.
"Lion-o stay here."
"But-"
"No! I have already lost my father. I will not lose you too." Cheetara was already jumping from rocky ledge to rocky ledge, on her way down to the battle. Tygra fallowed her.

What shocked the two cats when they were on the ground, safely hidden by the shadows, was that Grune was the one leading the charge against the lone figure. The cat charged him, ignoring the bodies spalyed across the ground, the blood splattered on his cloak, and the other lizards trying to devert his attention. He went right for Grune. His blade slashed at the larger lion, but didn't make contact. The enemy was able to block all his attacks. The stranger disengaged and went back to the fray behind him.

Tygra and Cheetara ran out, weapons drawn. They ran right into the fray. Cheetara's speed helped her keep out of their reach as she fought. Tygra's whip slashed opened skin as he appeared and disappeared, dancing around his opponents and then taking them head on. The stranger was plunging their sword into the lizards and hacking through them relentlessly, keeping out of reach.

At one point, Tygra and the stranger were back to back, bunping into one another as their oppents ran at them, swords coming at them.
"On my mark!" The stranger growled lowly. "Now!" They rolled away, knocking into one another as they landed. The lizards had impaled each other. Tygra and the stanger looked at one another as they stood. The strange was leaning to his left, his sword shook slightly in his hands, and was panting.

Cheetara joined them, standing on the other side of the stranger, the group of lizards had been reduced to less than a third of what it origanally had been. Grune walked forward, hefting his weapon.
"Out of the way you incompidents! They're mine." The stranger howled as he ran at Grune.
"Wait!" cried Tygra., reaching out a hand. 'He'll get himself killed!'

An explosion erupted in front of the cloaked figure, sending him flying backwards and tumbled to the ground, his sword landing next to him. Tygra and Cheetara looked up to see Lion-o throwing another bomb. The stranger stood, looking into the blaze, before having Tygra yank his shoulder. He fallowed the other two, scrambling up thhe steep embankment. Another explosion erupted below them, vibrating through the earth. They were pulled up by Lion-o and began running, not looking back.

...

Grune got up shakily. 'Its a good thing that boy has bad aim.' He looked around him. He had three lizards left, all bloodied and bruised. The flames licked at the sky, the ground full of holes and the smell of burning flesh reeked sharply in the air. Glaring, he looked around, trying to find which way they had gone. He couldn't find any evidence. "Let's head back to the city."
"But, sir. The fugitives."
"Don't worry about them. I have it handled." he smiled darkly.

...

"They're not fallowing us?" panted Lion-o, pumping his arms and running. Snarf was hanging onto him.
"They probably can't. You blew them sky high with those bombs!" the stranger looked over his shoulder. The smoke had been blown into the trees, choking them.
"Still, let's keep running for a bit." Tygra announced, redoubling his efforts, leading them. The others fallowed silently.

After an hour of running and jogging, of fast walking and jumping over fallen logs, they stopped abruptly when they couldn't go on any further. Lion-o dropped onto the ground, lying on his back, and panted. Cheetara wasn't really effected, so all she did was take deep breaths. Tygra placed a steadying hand on a tree trunk as he doubled over, gasping for breath. The stranger was sitting on a fallen log, his head between his leg, breathing deeply.

Now that the madness was over, the team took the time to study their new found friend. His cloak was wore and had rips along its bottom, was black with deep red trim. His hood was still up, the others had yet to see his face. He wore a Saxon tunic of durable brown twill with drawstring close on neck, that had an extended collar to his chin, and sleeves, that had a light shade of tan around the neck, sleeves and hem. He wore thick rayon viscose fabric that is almost fur tight, and a double row of grommets and lacings up each leg. His black boots were soft, worn leather-like material with gold-trimmed accent straps and metal buckles. He also had a leather bag made of light and dark brown leather with detailed buckles, holding the compartments closed. It had a strap that allowed him to wear it across his body. He also had a bag that attached around his waist, and held secure by a strap across his high. He sore a sword's sheath on his back.

He is a leopard.

'Nothing fancy. Its all worn and used.'

Tygra thought as he stood up straight.
'I feel uneasy about him. Perhaps its because Grune himself was after him.' Cheetara wondered, leaning against the tree behind her.
'He doesn't look too bad and he's a good fighter.' Lion-o sat up, breathing normally again.
'Well. This is interesting.' thought Stalker, looking up.

"Thank you for helping me back there." he flashed a nervous smile.
"Do not mention it. My name is Tygra. This is my younger brother Lion-o and Cheetara. What is your name?"
"Stalker." the stranger stood, arching his back, stretching towards the sky.
"You're an amazing fighter! I've never seen a cartwheel slash so amazingly executed." Lion-o stood smiling warmly.
"Uh...thank you. Lion-o?"
"Yes?"
"Your name...it seems familiar. Have we met before?"
"Uh...no. I don't think so." Lion-o looked back at his brother, who just shrugged.
"So does the name Tygra." He looked over at the tiger. "Wait...you two aren't...Prince Lion-o? Prince Tygra?"
"Yes. We are." Tygra said, looking down at the ground.

"You have my condolences. But here is where we part." he adjusted his cloak.
"Part ways? But-but..." Lion-o watched as Stalker brushed past him.
"That is not wise, Stalker. It is safer in numbers. Come with us." Tygra interviened, stepping in front of the leopard. Stalker, being smaller than Tygra, looked up at him, his hood still covering his face.
"Safer in numbers? Ha! I do not know if you know this, Tygra, but two nights ago, when our home was attacked and burned to the ground, a fireball killed off most of our kind because someone had the brilliant idea to have all of the citizens in one spot!"
"Who did you lose?" Tygra asked quietly, his voice comforting. Stalker growled and turned away on his heel.
"My sister. She-she was eight."
"You have our condolences, friend." Tygra placed a comforting hand on Stalker's shoulder. "But this is where you decide. Come with us and rid our land of Mumm-Ra and have vengence, or go your own path and wonder, drowning in misery and despair."
"You should be a poet. I will join you." he pulled down his hood.

Before Tygra stood, not a man, but a young girl. She could have been considered a child. She was no older than sixteen, her stormy-blue eyes were sharp, fangs poking out of the corners of her mouth. Her hair was stromy grey and back, all in small dread locks, going down the her mid-back. She adjusted her cloak, and her hips were better seen, as was her chest, though her clothing still covered most of it up. If you did not know what you were looking for, you could easily mistake her for a young man.

Lion-o stared, open mouthed, as Tygra stifled his gasp. Cheetara merely smiled.


Okay!

So long as i get reviews, this will keep going...um...

any ideas are welcome...um...

i hated this show when i was a kid, but when i saw CN's new series, i decided it wasn't all bad...

Next chapter

Lion-o sticks by Stalker

Tygra leads them for a bit

Cheetara's uneasy feelings return

Somthing happens...explosions, blood...Does Cheetara die!.?