Disclaimer: No, not yet. My takeover is incomplete. Anything recognized I have no ownership of.
Guess who's back? I said there would be more, and more there will be. Here are the warnings:
LiChee. If you didn't like the last one you probably won't like this one. And, as indicated by the end of Following the Footsteps, there will be a little bit of TyMyra. There'll be little bits of other stuff, but nothing worth mentioning. I dare not spoil anymore. Let's coexist, shippers of all sorts. Flames will be deleted and cackled at. And potentially reported.
Some sensuality. Last time there was just kissing, and this time there will be a tad more. I will remain tasteful, but if you are younger than thirteen, ask your Mum and Pop if you can read. Get them into fan fiction.
Violence and injury. Some character death. So on and so forth.
Chapters will be shorter, but there will be more of them. I'm trying to cut them to a more readable length. It's also easier for me to write and post shorter chapters. But they might end up longer later. Who knows?
000
Paths We Tread
"I'm not afraid to say forever,
You have made me feel so sure.
'Cause I know it's everlasting,
And I've never had this feeling before.
Keep telling me
I'm gonna love you 'til the end of time;
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time."
Eternity, Dreams Come True
"It's bigger than I expected."
Iguo had been gaping up at the buildings and stumbled off the curb after his elder. "I mean, I lived here for years, and Thunder Enterprises only had one or two buildings…" he continued in disbelief.
"Their growth is exploding all the time. They're branching into automobiles and joining up with automakers last I checked." Gambel's spots shone sleek and black like the windows as he squinted up. "They're poised to be the largest company in Thundera in about five years. Not to mention they're already an international name."
"Think we've got a shot at getting in?"
"I don't know. They're all cats, all the time from the history," Gambel said coldly. "If they didn't pay so well and have such good benefits I'd say screw it, we've got better luck elsewhere."
"I don't know," Iguo disagreed. "I've heard it's changed a lot under new management. The Reys are supposed to be very different from what they used to be…"
No less than four skyscrapers loomed before them, huge and pristine under a blue sky, tall silver monoliths. He had to crane his neck back completely to see the top. They entered the one closest to them, and it felt like entering a church; it was solemn and glassy, and the people within were dressed in suits and long skirts, focused at computers and on crossing tan tile floors that reflected their figures. The desks and chairs were of fine, dark wood and no less than ten phones were ringing at a time. The tiles were golden, scarlet and black, mosaic patterns sprawling under their feet.
Iguo whistled. His crest shrank back a little, intimidated. It was a bad habit he just couldn't break. "Gee…"
Iguo was only twenty-one, and he was still a little wet behind the ear holes. Gambel did not seem openly impressed. "Let's see…we're to see a Pumyra Verus about another appointment. We passed the first interview, but we have to get through her if we're to be hired."
"Top floor, right? Wow…we'd be working right by the heads if we got these positions. I mean, they'd be coming to give us actual, personal directions. Think we'll see the CEO and VP?" Iguo couldn't help but feel starstruck – these would be powerful people, and he wondered if they would look it. "I used to know a Rey. He was a nice kid; we went to the same elementary school. But his family didn't like lizards…heh, wouldn't it be funny if he was the same kind of Rey?"
Iguo tended to babble when he got nervous. Gambel simply nodded and headed toward the other side of the room, tail whipping thinly behind him. There were three elevators, but before he could enter one a cat within hit the button to close the door, giving him a dirty look as the metal slid shut. Gambel's eyes narrowed as cats skirted into the elevators, not looking at him, moving as quickly as possible. Iguo timidly tried to hold out a paw to catch the nearest one, but the dismayed looks of the cats within made him lower his paw. "Well…maybe you're right after all, Gambel. Maybe this was a bad idea."
"Here." One cat was coming out of the one on the left and spotted them, and he held the door. Gambel thanked him and stepped inside, Iguo giving him a long look. He was a young cat with a red mane and blue eyes, probably about Iguo's age. An intern, perhaps. His suit was neat but he wasn't wearing a tie. "Who are you guys looking for? You're new here."
"We were to see a Pumyra Verus," Gambel replied. The cat nodded.
"She's not in her office right now. She's helping oversee some work on the new laboratory on floor twelve. You'll find she's all over the place most days." He smiled. Iguo felt a peculiar wriggle in his stomach; that face was terribly familiar…
"Thank you. We'll try there first." The cat – a lion, if the fur color was any indicator – turned away and vanished from their sight as the door shut.
"Well, at least he was nice," Iguo said cheerfully. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."
Gambel straightened his suit's shoulders. "Perhaps. It won't be a cake walk regardless." He looked down at the faux tile on the floor of the elevator and smirked. It was a great red mosaic orb with a roaring black cat inside. "Dramatic, isn't it?"
Thunder Enterprises' success had exploded with the discovery of Thundrillium's uses. Scientists and politicians had hemmed and hawed and scratched their heads at how such properties had been missed. There had been no good answers; they thought they knew it all and disregarded ideas that were out of the box. But one young cat had believed that Thundrillium could be more. And with the assistance of a professor and a small group of friends and employees, he'd changed the world.
How quickly it had happened.
Oil companies, foreign governments, and hundreds of others flocked to this new energy. Environmentalists sang praises and economists practically fainted at the revenue coming in. But no one could say the company price gouged; Thundrillium was cheap to utilize because a lump could remain powered, if properly maintained in a generator, for an entire year. The stone formed in the earth breathtakingly fast, taking only about a decade. Thunder Enterprises held a monopoly on Thundrillium and would for several years more, but even when the rights ran out, Thunder Enterprises would stand high above all others in discovery and fame, and they would have consumer trust and admiration.
Their prices were fair. Middle class and lower could almost always find a way to afford the energy they needed. Their CEOs apparently poured most of the profits back into employment, expansion, creation. They got a good chunk, he was sure, but there had never been any reports about those in charge laundering money or anything like that, which was more than anyone could say for some of the other CEOs in such large cities.
There probably wasn't much chance that they'd be hired. Even so, there had been openings online and he and Gambel and Iguo suited them. To be hired here would be excellent.
The doors slid open. Iguo followed him out, looking around with wide eyes. Gambel shook his head in wonder.
The floor opened into a white arena, and in the center of it were several cats. It was blindingly pure, shaped like a hockey rink. And in the center of the cats, most of them wearing white lab coats, was a machine several inches thick and several feet in diameter, an oblong oval. From the bottom a softly pink light seemed to emanate.
It was presumably this that kept it hovering in midair. "Amazing," Iguo murmured.
He had heard rumors that Thunder Enterprises was going to try to perfect hover technology, that the tiny mass of the Thundrillium needed for energy output made it possible. His legs felt a little weak as he wondered at it. What kind of projects might he touch, what world-changing things would happen? Anything was possible here.
"All right, that's a wrap. Progress is satisfactory. Thank you." A woman in a black skirt and ruffled white blouse scribbled something on a techboard – it was like carrying a notebook around that could hold a thousand gigabytes of information without having to charge it at an outlet. The scrap of Thundrillium that powered it could do so for six months, and it was twenty five dollars to have it replaced – and then tucked it against her side. Thunder Enterprises had manufactured a metal that was resistant to heat to allow for long periods of use, and the machines were good for at least two years before they needed maintenance.
Its owner lifted her eyes. She was a shapely puma with a mane that hung just past her shoulders, and her features were sharp and calculating, lips scarlet. She noticed them but said nothing because another cat was speaking.
"Very nice. As soon as this is perfected we need to measure how much weight it can bear. Construction might be willing to look into this, and emergency transport might be benefited as well. Paramedics could pass over debris in natural disasters, and so could other rescue workers." A tall tiger was the one speaking, suit black as velvet and tie scarlet like blood. His fur and mane were well groomed, and he looked a couple years older than Iguo. He had a masculine, handsome face, white and surrounded by rich orange fur.
"Thank you Mr. Rey. We'll get right on that." The metal board lowered smoothly to the ground and the tiger turned to the puma.
"I kind of like that we have a couple of the labs in the main building now; easier to go back to the office and file the records." She nodded and then indicated Gambel and Iguo. The tiger looked up and crossed half of the white room. "Can I help you with something?"
Gamble nodded and inclined his front. "Gambel Copei at your service." He extended a paw and Iguo noticed just a flicker of uncomfortable hesitation before the white paw met his claws. He immediately felt timid again. "This is my associate Iguo Ana. We were told to meet with a Miss Pumyra Verus for a follow up to our last career interview. Someone mentioned she was on this floor."
So this was the CEO of Thunder Enterprises? Iguo couldn't be sure; lizards tended not to pay much attention to the feline world, and vice versa. He certainly looked like a CEO, coifed and clean and confident. "Well, you've found her." He gestured to the woman who seemed to inspect them more closely. "I take it you were hoping to take one of the marketing positions? That's mainly what we're hiring for now."
"Yes, I have a degree in business, specializing in marketing and advertising, along with eight years' experience at various firms. The last one wanted to cut all my benefits, and I've heard that Thunder Enterprises treats employees decently." Gambel had not told him this, but he'd only been working under him for four months when he'd up and decided to come to Pantherle and Iguo had gone along with him, seeking an internship job.
Iguo was gazing at Tygra, feeling as if he recognized him – perhaps it was just one of those déjà vu kind of days – but simply said, "I'm working for a degree in the same field. I was hoping for an internship here assisting Gambel."
Pumyra was listening with one ear, eyes searching through her techboard's files. "I've got your information right here. It seems to be in order. The portfolios you've sent are impressive as well." She lifted her head. "You seem very qualified Mr. Copei. If you'll accompany me to my office, I'll interview you both formally."
The interview was a very simple one. Iguo fidgeted, but Gambel had been through enough of them that it didn't bother him anymore to be questioned. Iguo tripped when she asked him some of his best qualities, mentioning he was hard working and a fast learners, but Gambel added, "He's loyal and tends to make plans work. He also doesn't think he's too good for little things, and his personality is very tolerable. In addition to his overused replies."
At the end of it, Pumyra crossed her arms. "You both check out as far as I'm concerned. We did background checks and inspections before this interview. But for the positions you're requesting, I need to clear it with Mr. Rey, and he's yet to return."
Gambel blinked. The tiger had remained in the office to listen to the interview, and he was leaning against another desk, presumably his. "Ah…is there…more than one?" Gambel asked cautiously, and Iguo's tail curled uncomfortably.
The tiger grinned. "I'm Tygra Rey, Vice President of Thunder Enterprises, and one of the board members. My brother Lion-O is the CEO."
Iguo blinked. "Lion-O?"
"Yes. He left a little bit ago, but he should be back-"
The door clicked. They all looked up to see a lion walk in, straightening his tie. It was the same young cat they'd seen. Tygra lifted a paw in his direction, thumb pointed toward the lion. "Speak of the devil. Did they have it, Lion-O?"
"Yeah. Custom design looks great." He removed a little jewelry box from his pocket and opened it. A golden ring set with one impressive diamond and two smaller ones on both sides of it sparkled within, and Pumyra whistled.
"Popping the question tonight then?"
"Yep, if I can bring her over and the mood is right." The lion grinned and put the box away. He then noticed Gambel and Iguo and said, "Oh hi. I see you found her."
Both lizards stared. This cat, this…cub, was the most powerful CEO this side of the country? They looked from Tygra – debonair, educated, confident – to Lion-O – young, happy, inquisitive – and blinked. Iguo then flicked his tail a little because Lion-O scrutinized him in particular. "I feel like I know you."
"Well…if you're the same Lion-O Rey that was in Mrs. Persa's first grade class…"
Lion-O smiled, a motion so warm that Gambel again had to side-eye Tygra, wondering if this were some kind of joke by the glint in his eyes. This boy was like a friendly student, not a corporate executive. "Iguo! It's been forever!"
Tygra's gaze lowered, seeming vaguely shamed. Lion-O reached out and shook Iguo's paw, taking the initiative. Iguo was bemused and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It has. When I heard 'Rey' I didn't really think it would be the same cub that I played checkers with…"
"Crazy huh?" Lion-O greeted Gambel as well, shaking his paw. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you. A lot's going on lately. Mr. Copei, right?"
"Correct. Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem…terribly young to be a CEO if you're only Iguo's age." Gambel examined him and Iguo nodded.
"I didn't have much option but to take over when Dad passed. It's been a few years now." Lion-O, on closer inspection, looked a little less like a student than he had from a distance. His mane was mussed but it was cut more than Iguo remembered, cropped closer to his head. He was shorter than Gambel but about Iguo's height, and while he wasn't anywhere near the size of most lions, he was still a fair-sized cat. Someone that could knock someone's lights out.
"I'm sorry," Iguo said honestly. He remembered Claudus, barely; an uncomfortable motion when Lion-O happened to touch his scaly arm, an awkward darting of his eyes to avoid meeting Iguo's larger ones. He hadn't struck Iguo as terribly cruel, but he had felt unwelcome. And he hadn't visited after that. He and Lion-O had played together at school, and several times Lion-O had gotten in trouble for playing with him and making physical contact. It was nothing, really – they played tag, they tapped each other's arms – but the teacher had made Lion-O wash off. Lion-O had returned to playing with Iguo and refused to not play with him even when the teacher scolded.
She had been pushed by feline parents to get the children not to touch apparently. He didn't blame her. Lion-O got into a lot of trouble that year.
And yet here he was, grinning, and Iguo felt very young again. Something in the tawny face hadn't changed, and it was a relief to see such goodwill. The puma, Ms. Verus, had been looking over his and Gambel's résumés as they spoke, and she cleared her throat. "Mr. Rey, I personally think they're both qualified. More so than most of our applicants have been."
Lion-O took them and read through them quickly, eyes roving left to right. "Mm-hm. If everything checks out in your book, I'm game."
He looked at the two and said, "We'd like to offer you both the positions you're asking. If Pumyra approves, you're good to go."
Iguo blinked twice, meeting Gambel's shocked gaze. "You mean we're hired? With the salaries and benefits we were asking?"
"Yeah. You needed extra health coverage because of the cooler winters and the possibility of frostscale, right?" Lion-O had remembered such a little detail that most mammals would pass over. Gambel nodded. "I'll get the contracts. Just give them a read-through to make sure it's all clear. If you've got any questions we'll work them out."
No issues were found when he personally fetched the papers and the lizards scanned through the legal jargon. Both signed and Pumyra filed them away. "Okay. It's traditional for new employees to get a small tour of the place for some basic information." Lion-O gestured for them to follow him and Iguo felt a little woozy; Lion-O was a CEO, now his employer. And he was stooping to showing them around? Gambel followed with no apparent problems. "Tygra, I'll get to the Plundarr accusations in about an hour. Can you cover that agreement with the new mining company in Sava-Na? I've gotten most of it together."
"Sure, no problem. Call my office when you're ready for the latest on Plundarr."
Gambel waited until Tygra was finished speaking to say, "Mr. Rey, you don't have to do this personally. You're quite busy, I'm sure."
Tygra laughed. It was an unusual sound. "You'll find that Lion-O does things the way he wants. He gets them done, so I've learned not to question him…for the most part."
Lion-O bowed at the waist. "As if you aren't working behind the scenes to make sure I don't do something ridiculous." He straightened and ushered the lizards along. "Come on, we've got some really interesting projects we're getting started on. I'd like to show you some of them."
And so Iguo shifted from unemployed to employed, and from nervous to happy.
"There are three more patients, Ms. Clera. I think one of them has poison ivy. Do we have any ointments to treat the rash?"
Cheetara turned away from the examination table and gave the swine rat one last stroke on the back. "We've got three tubes left. We need to order more since it got warmer and the ivy came out." The creature under her paw was soft and white, a far cry from the sewer dwellers, and it squeaked gently when she lifted it. "This one's all right, its leg was sprained. Have the next one wait in room three and I'll be with them as soon as I wash up and finish with Rattila here."
The assistant nodded, dark mane spilling over her shoulders clumsily. She pulled her mane back into a scrunchie hastily and backed out of the room. Cheetara ignored the little hairs she was getting on her white examination coat; a lint-roller and a wash later would fix the problem easily. "Ready to go see your master?"
The boy was about ten, a Dalmatian. He beamed up at her and accepted his pet when she came out of the treatment room. "He'll be fine. Just a sprain." She patted his mane and smiled when he tenderly rocked his pet. "Just make sure he doesn't run around for the next few days." Rattila lifted his nose and sniffed, showing off his teeth and tusks, and his owner scampered off to the lobby. His mother was with him, face fur looking gray and eyes a little relieved. "The lady up front will handle the bill. I'll give a discount since it was just a binding."
The woman thanked her and Cheetara sighed when she left, wiping down the examination table and refilling the glass treat jar. She was going to take her lunch after the next patient, and then the kittens would be home from elementary school. They rode the bus, and the stop was very close to their home and Thunder Enterprises, so Cheetara didn't worry too much about them getting in all right.
Cheetara prescribed some antibiotic ear drops for the next patient – pus and inflammation were present, and the scratching only made it worse – and she slipped upstairs to the kitchen to get something to eat. It felt good to shrug off her coat and sit down for a while. She sighed and chewed on a sandwich, listening to the chatter downstairs from the veterinary assistants. There were two of them and though they weren't quite as versed in veterinary knowledge as she, they were getting better all the time. Both could handle a little thing like poison ivy.
Two years ago she'd moved to Pantherle, and she hadn't regretted it since. It had taken a month or two for word to get around but there was a steady clientele for Pantherle Veterinary Clinic now. It was easier to reach for people this side of the city, and Cheetara was pleased to find that the general visitor found them professional and soothing for their pets. Kat and Kit enjoyed living there, and now that they were officially Cleras, they had no limits on where they could go with her. They didn't flinch when they saw the police, and Tettigon – the friend that had made their adoption possible in her sly, sneaky way – was always welcome in their home. Their summer break was nearly upon them and both kittens were excited to start middle school.
Cheetara looked out the window and sighed. The house was so close and snug, the perfect size for a small business and living in. And the streets outside were busy, reflected in the glass of the skyscrapers of Thunder Enterprises. She watched with interest as a truck rolled along the pavement toward the research building where Panthro worked and engineered as the head of the department. Probably another shipment of Thundrillium. They went through the stuff slowly because of its output, but every month or so another truck brought more in. There were several mines where they bought it from, domestic and foreign, and Cheetara did the mental math to figure up how quickly the element formed. Lion-O had once told her its half-life, and explained how the presence of Thundrillium in certain conditions would form more, converting its surroundings.
She shrugged. That was Lion-O's thing and he understood it. If Snarf ever slammed his tail in the door, that was Cheetara's area of expertise. Shaking her head, Cheetara heard a little buzz. Her cell phone was humming on the table and she picked it up after glancing at the caller ID.
"Looks like your shipment came in."
"Yeah, we only had forty pounds of it left for the next week. Were you watching the road?" Lion-O didn't have a problem adjusting to her observation. They often said random things that confused others and yet seemed perfectly plain to each other. Sometimes they would be apart for a day and when they came together again, they would say the exact same things. It creeped Kat out.
Two years. A little more than two years and they were still dating. Lion-O balanced the business very well with personal life, and yet if she ever needed him, he put it on hold. He had made a decision after that time of separation; Cheetara and family came first. No more wavering on priorities. A part of her felt guilty for this, and she worried about monopolizing his time.
But the other part glowed with affectionate pride. He was always there and managed to make things more spectacular every day. Lion-O helped her with the kittens all the time when Jaga was up north, and so did all the others.
She was happy. Busy, but happy.
Cheetara leaned on the surface, elbows resting on the cool wood. "Yeah. I'm on my lunch break. Has it been busy for you?"
"Not too bad. We just hired a couple of guys for advertising and marketing. I'd ask if you were busy, but I've seen cars pulling in and out of the parking lot near you guys all day. What was wrong with that gigantic Crocoboar? It took three people to pull it off the street."
Cheetara sighed and leaned back. "Some animals should be forbidden. The owner had fed it too much vegetation and not enough protein, so its stomach was upset. Hopefully adjusting the diet for four weeks will see some good. It's just been a long day."
"Yeah. You want to do something together evening? Might help you relax." He sounded a little too casual, although Lion-O had gotten better at being sly in the past couple of years. It was good to talk to him in the middle of the day. A little oasis in the tired schedule made finishing up easier on busy days. She rested the phone against her shoulder, lowering her lashes coyly even though he couldn't see it.
"Maybe. What were you planning?"
"It's up to you. We could have a fancy dinner somewhere or we could call it in and have a meal at my apartment." Somebody spoke to him and she heard him say, "In a bit. I'm talking to Ms. Clera. The blue model is what they requested." He returned with, "Sorry about that."
"It's fine. I'd rather just go over to your place," she said. "I'll be too tired from wrestling Crocaboars to do anything fancy."
He laughed. "I see. Movie night and dinner, possibly ending with falling asleep on the couch?"
"Sounds like heaven." They chatted for a few more minutes and she finished her sandwich. "I've gotta go. I just saw another patient come in and it looks like a cut. Might require some stitches." She got up and slipped her coat back on.
"Okay. Do what you do best. Love you."
"Love you too. See you later." She blew him a kiss and shut the phone, slipping it into her pocket so she could wash her paws before heading back downstairs.
Stitches. Lion-O's side had healed with only a faint scar, but she couldn't see it anymore without thinking about Mumm-Ra. Kaynar and Vultaire were gone, but Mumm-Ra was still out there. The Black Pyramid had been quietly producing goods for the past two years, and Cheetara couldn't help but wonder what he was working on. It would be too much to hope he'd been visited by Christmas-themed spirits and his heart had grown three sizes and he'd leave them alone.
No time to worry about it right now. Cheetara the vet had to make an appearance and help a Chib-Chib chick that had torn its little thigh open on a barbed wire.
"I love my job."
Panthro was a simple cat in some ways. He liked fixing broken things, coffee, and meat. And, strangely enough, berbils and coconut water. He also liked having a job where he was paid to think up crazy, fantastic things and invent them.
This was going to be his magnum opus. Fixing the generator would rest on a lower dais, the government work from years ago would be a trifle. This would be his pride and joy. This would be…
"…A tank?" Bengali looked up at him. "Why do we need a tank?"
"It ain't just a tank." Panthro scowled. "It's small enough to be a vehicle on the road and strong enough to serve in a military attack."
"But…why would you drive a tank down the road?" Bengali cocked his head, furrowing his brow as if he were really trying to figure out a reason. "Other than in hostile territory or helping injured people in dangerous terrain?"
"Why wouldn't you?" Panthro replied, making a few notes on the page.
"Because it might scare people. And it'd be pretty expensive to buy." Bengali swayed back and forth on his heels and Panthro grunted. At fifteen, Bengali was still lanky but his body was starting to fill out just a little, and his voice was just a tad deeper, still cracking. In spite of his adolescence, Bengali was getting smarter all the time and, while still youthful and a little dreamy, he was Panthro's main assistant.
Even if he did poop on his inventing parade sometimes without meaning to.
"I see your point…might just have to be a personal experiment," Panthro muttered. Bengali smiled and looked to the door, hearing it click.
"Hi Lion-O. Did you come to see our progress?"
At the sound of the name "Lion-O," everyone jumped to attention. The room had been quiet, a murmur of industry, but with the CEO's arrival the voices rose. There were about six stations in the room, each one a large, glass surface that showed intricate diagrams. They were all touch screen, easily manipulated without the pain of erasing and dealing with smudges. It was simpler to send the finished products to any team or room, along with announcements and messages. Lion-O glanced at the nearest one after waving at Bengali.
"Partly. I wanted to get your opinions on something too, but what's up?" The nearest engineer – a gray wolf with a pleasant smile and long braids in her ruff – indicated their screen.
"We've been working on potential changes to automobile designs to make them more compatible with Thundrillium engines," she said. Panthro liked her well enough – her name was Loba and she was intelligent enough to keep pace with even his slightly crazy ideas – and she gestured to him with a thumb. "He seems to think a tank automobile would be a good idea."
Lion-O gave him a bemused look. "A tank? In the streets?"
Panthro waved him over. "It'd be really compact, almost car sized. Heck, you've seen Hummers on the road, why not this beautiful baby?"
Glancing at him, Lion-O seemed to think about it. "I don't know. I mean, who would buy it? Other than you."
Panthro grunted. "Fine. I'll modify the design…make it more sporty."
"Would that be 'more sporty' or 'sportier'?" The sound of the door closing again made Panthro look up. Kat had his backpack hanging off one shoulder and his mane looked like he'd forgotten to comb it that morning. Panthro muttered about the holes in the knees of his jeans.
"Hi guys. We called Cheetara to ask if we could come over here." Kit pranced up to Lion-O's side and pulled on his sleeve. "C'mon, you said you were going to get it today!" She wore a pink t-shirt with black overalls and she nearly yanked him over. Panthro frowned.
"Get what?" Lion-O shook his head.
"That's the other thing I came over for. I wanted to get everyone's opinion on the ring."
Oh yeah. That. Panthro had nearly forgotten that Lion-O planned to pop the question. He and Cheetara were just always together, and he'd taken to thinking of them as married anyway. Except for the fact that they hadn't shacked up yet.
Lion-O pulled out the box and showing them the ring inside. Bengali nodded; it was shiny and therefore must be a good pick in his eyes. Panthro couldn't help but wonder about how the diamond could have been used to design tools for work. Kit giggled and whispered, "It's perfect! It's just right! She'll love it Lion-O!"
"I hope so. It seemed to suit her better than the others." Lion-O shut the box and fingered the smooth surface. "I'm nervous. What if she says no?"
Kit rolled her eyes. "No way. She'll be super happy, you'll see. Isn't that right, Kat?"
Her brother looked up from the touch screen. He'd settled by the tank design with Panthro and was looking over the screen with interest. "Huh?"
Crossing her arms, Kit gave Bengali a look. "Well, at least some boys care about relationships. What did you think of the ring?"
"It was shiny. I think she'll like it." Bengali looked at Lion-O. "You're asking tonight?"
"Yeah. I debated on making reservations at a fancy restaurant, but…I don't know, we've always had the best times at home or at the movies. Normal places, you know? And she sounded tired on the phone." Lion-O was starting to look a little frazzled. He put his fingers through his mane and sighed. "Maybe it should be someplace more romantic…"
"Lion-O, you gotta ask her tonight! You can go eat fancy food when you get engaged." Kit was practically dancing. "I can't believe you're finally going to get married."
"If she says yes," Lion-O said, still wondering if a romantic venue might be better.
They had only been to very fancy restaurants a couple of times; once on their first anniversary of dating, when they went to a French restaurant. Cheetara had worn a black and white dress and put her mane up and she'd been stunning. Unfortunately, a waitress nearby happened to be pregnant and dehydrated and passed out on her. The woman had been all right – Cheetara and Lion-O sat her up and gently woke her with the help of passerby and Cheetara made her drink some of the sparkling water another waiter had brought them – but it had been distressing. Not to mention someone had ordered a dish of Froog legs and a pâté made of Chib-Chib liver that the waitress had been carrying, and both dishes had ended up on Cheetara's dress.
He had it cleaned for her, but the fun part of the night had been taking her to his apartment so she could get a change of clothes. He in a suit and she in jeans and a t-shirt, they'd gone to a little diner and eaten burgers and fries.
The other time it had been an elegant seafood locale and Lion-O had inadvertently discovered he had an allergy to shrimp. He had started sneezing and broken out in hives. This too had ended with going back to his apartment, although when he woke up in the morning he was in bed and a bottle of allergy medication was on the table beside his pillow and Cheetara had remained through the night to make sure his breathing was all right. The funny thing was that, instead of passing out at his bedside like in a movie, she'd climbed into bed next to him but laid on top of the covers so it seemed less suggestive. Jaga had been visiting and watching after the kittens, and Cheetara had called him to explain. He believed that Lion-O could get into such a ridiculous situation with good-natured amusement.
Lion-O felt his face warm at the memory. It had been nice waking up with her.
"Yeah, fancy restaurants are a no go. Too many awkward things." Lion-O looked at the ring again fondly. "I think I'll call in some Italian food. And I'll pick up lemon meringue pie on the way home. She likes lemon meringue."
Kat's ears perked. "Are we allowed to come over or is this just a special date night thing?" he asked. Lion-O paused. Kit's tail was twitching as if she was dying to be asked to come but didn't dare to ask herself.
"As long as you let us have a few minutes to ourselves, of course. This affects you too. But I don't want you guys watching when I propose." Kat frowned.
"Why not?"
"'Cuz they might start ki-ssing," Kit meowed, hugging Lion-O around the ribs. "Yay! Don't worry, we'll be inconspicuous." She cocked her head. "Did I use my vocab word right?"
"Yes." Lion-O ruffled her ponytail and Kat rolled his eyes.
Bengali made a slight face. "I don't like mushy stuff," he said.
"I don't want an audience. I want it to be nice and private." Lion-O buried his fingers in his mane, noticing it was growing out again. He'd taken to keeping it short to keep it somewhat neater and manageable. He could hear his heartbeat in his palms and his stomach was tight with nerves.
Panthro was messing with the design, altering its shape. "You're sure about this? I know you love her, but marriage is a big step. And knowing you and her, it's a permanent one."
Lion-O nodded. "I'm sure. I've been sure for a while. It's just getting the courage up to ask at all is the problem."
"Aw, she'll say yes. She loves you and you love her." Kat said this calmly and Kit gave him an affectionate nudge.
"You're not such a butthead after all, are you?" she asked.
Kat grunted and opened his backpack. "Bengali, I have a math packet as a last project for this weekend. I was wondering if you could help."
Bengali's face lit up. "Oh, with the puzzles and stuff? Those are fun."
Kat shook his head. "We need to get you out of math class more often.
"My day to pick lunch, and I say Thai food." Pumyra crossed her arms and Tygra put a paw on his hip.
"Do you remember the last time we had Thai food?"
"I told you red curry was spicy. You didn't listen."
"I was up all night throwing up. No thank you." Tygra shrugged off the fact that it had been his own fault and added, "Besides, I let you pick on my day a while back."
"Because it was my birthday. There are mild Thai dishes, you know." She took a step closer and shut her eyes. "If you're going to be a baby, I guess we can eat somewhere else."
She wondered if he noticed that she'd given up rather easily. He sighed. "I don't hate all Thai food. I liked what you made last month. That was Thai, wasn't it?"
"A very Thunderanized version. But I suppose." She put a paw to her chin and said, "What at Dometone's Pizza? I could use a little junk food."
"That's fine with me. Sorry, I just can't go to the Thai restaurant anymore. The smell makes me want to gag." Tygra left his jacket at his desk. "It's just psychological."
"I know. You're just lucky I'm nice," she said, smirking. Pumyra snagged her purse on the way out. "Want me to drive?"
"If you want to." Tygra took his keys by habit and put them in his pocket. Pumyra felt a little victorious; Tygra had confided in her that, being a control freak, he hated being in the passenger seat of any car. Buses were even unpleasant to him. That he trusted her enough to let her drive pleased her.
Pumyra had never had many friends. The ones she'd had were never very close either, save for Bengali. But her relationship with Tygra could not be called anything other than one of friendship. After all, it was a platonic one. Well, this wasn't strictly true; he'd grown up over the past couple of years and her feelings had grown with him. But she didn't really know if his feelings had shifted. She didn't know if he knew hers had changed.
It was just too much fun bantering and being together to go about altering it. If she drove him off by letting on how she felt, Pumyra would be losing both a friend and the easy comfort of being able to do her job without feeling awkward around her bosses. Sometimes he was charming – particularly when he had brought her a birthday cake to the office about a month ago – but rarely was he at risk of being definitely romantic.
And he had the propensity to lightly flirt anyway. Most girls knew better than to take him seriously. So this left Pumyra at an awkward place, one foot on each side of a gap of romance and friendship. If she was careful she wouldn't fall in.
At any rate, she'd always felt a bird in the paw was worth two in the bush. Pumyra was content enough with this.
It was over a few slices of pizza that they finally talked again. "Lion-O's finally popping the question," Tygra said, removing a piece of it and using fork to cut it. Pumyra rolled her eyes; finger food was one of his worst and most disliked enemies. Either something had to be in a wrapper or he used a fork. Such was the trouble with white fur on one's paws, as all dirt or grime showed. She had no qualms about picking up a piece off her plate and letting the cheese dangle.
"Mm-hm. Think she'll say yes?"
"Oh, definitely. They've been dating how long, two years going on three this winter? I'd say so." Her eyes followed his face, looking for a hint of displeasure.
"Are you all right with that?" He glanced up in surprise. "I mean…I figure you're over her, but…"
"I'm over it. Besides, what kind of brother would I be if I pitched a fit now? No, we're best as friends." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Besides, I don't want to be dragged to church every Sunday. Did you know she goes every week, sometimes more than once?"
Pumyra smiled. "And your brother goes with her."
"He used to go a couple Sundays out of the month, but he goes more now. Cripes. No thanks, I'll take an extra hour of sleep on my days off."
Pumyra rarely went to church herself, but she knew the feeling. That Lion-O, busy as he was, still went was impressive. "I was just worried. I didn't want you to be upset."
"Your concern is touching," he said, half-amused and half-serious. "But I'm all right. Do you want your crust?"
She handed it over. The pizza shop was bustling with the lunch rush, and it was nice to be tucked away in a corner where they could watch in peace. Behind the high red counters rested fresh, steaming boxes, and the bright bulbs and sparkling black floors filled the room with energy, but it was still a pleasant place when they got the slightly hidden corner couple's table. "Will you be his best man, you think?"
Tygra shrugged. "I don't know. I doubt it. Seems like he'd give that honor to Panthro or Bengali."
"Not his own brother? I think you judge yourself more harshly than he will." She sipped at her drink, relishing the ecstasy of drinking an actual, sugary soda. She rarely partook of soda but today had been one of those days that she needed the extra dose of caffeine, and it fizzed in her mouth. "They'll probably be groomsmen."
"And you'll be a bridesmaid. You might end up in pink, knowing Cheetara and Kit." A grin flitted across his face and Pumyra's face heated. The color pink was one of her least favorite in clothing, and it was a running thing between them that every time Pumyra saw a pink baby girl blanket or some such item, she would get huffy.
"If they want me in it," she said at last. She took another pull on her straw and the sound of air between ice cubes made her stop. "Darn."
"Here, I'm done with mine." He passed her his drink and again Pumyra had to wonder what it meant. She accepted it and tried to leave the question alone. Men, she told herself, did not think so much of little actions like that in general. Not nearly so much as women tended to.
"Do you think Lion-O will pay for the wedding? Cheetara will probably want to, I think," Pumyra said.
Tygra tilted his head into his palm, thinking. "That's a tough one. He'll want to, but I don't think she'll let him. She basically made him swear that he won't make big purchases for her without asking. I don't see why it's a big deal to her. He has the means and he wants to help."
"It's kind of overwhelming when a surprise is that big. And I don't think she's accustomed to having a ton of money available. She doesn't want to be completely dependent on him," Pumyra said. "The complex of the modern, marrying woman in the workplace."
"Hm. Does that mean she wouldn't be a stay-at-home mom if they had kids I wonder?" he mused. Pumyra shrugged.
"I don't know. Probably not. She loves what she does. She might take time off though." She grinned. "If they really do get married and have kids, you'll be an uncle."
Tygra seemed to consider this. "Huh. You're right. That's would be all right, I guess."
"I would've thought you'd be reluctant for some reason," she said.
He smiled. It was more common than it used to be, and she liked it. "What, looking after my brother's kids? Nah, I can make them read nonfiction and ship them back to him to drive him crazy with economic theories and history. Sounds fun."
Pumyra just watched him, and after a minute he noticed she was staring. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing. Just thinking about how much things have changed over the past few years." She looked out the window; even from here she could see the gleam of Thunder Enterprises' buildings. "You've come a long way, you know? Used to be you couldn't stand Lion-O. Now…you two snipe a little, but like siblings, not enemies. You guys can actually spend time together and work with each other to build the company. It's…nice."
Tygra's eyes softened. "I guess that's what happens when you grow up. You get tired of fighting and want to start building. And I like myself more now. I like him more now. Maybe I'm a little more content."
He shut his eyes and smirked. "I have to admit, it's weird to me that he's going to end up married before me."
"Were you ever intending on marriage or just shacking up when you were in college, though?" Pumyra sipped at the drink and her tone wasn't barbed. She knew he wasn't a virgin.
"Good point. I guess I figured I'd settle down later. Lion-O was so awkward I thought he'd become the crazy old guy that lives down the block and gives outdated candy to kids. It's bad, but I never thought he'd get married."
"People change. Who knows, you might find a girl and get hitched sooner than you think." He shrugged and Pumyra swirled her drink.
She was content with this for now. It had been a subtle hint, but that he hadn't even looked up at her hurt a bit.
Still. It could be worse. She hadn't given up just yet.
When Cheetara arrived with the kittens that evening, Lion-O hugged her, pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and said, "You're wearing the dress I like."
It was a simple dress, a modest white v-neck with the airiness of sundress, and a red sash around the waist. It was soft and cool, and she mock curtseyed. "It's comfortable, and I look nice in it. You're a little dressy this evening; what's the occasion?"
"A guy can't just feel like dressing up for an evening?" Lion-O checked his black slacks and dark blue dress shirt. His mane had been combed back with more care than usual and his cologne was a little better. "How were work and school?"
"Work got better after the Crocaboar. Kit made an A on her final test for language arts, and Kat's class won a social studies trivia game against every other fifth grade class. They got more points than anyone." Both kittens appeared pleased, basking in the praise, and Lion-O put his paws on either head.
"You didn't tell me that earlier! That's pretty impressive. I guess all the studying paid off, huh?"
It had been difficult to shift to public school, but not because they were so far behind; they were not accustomed to being treated their age. They were clever children, and the Cleras and Reys treated them as such, although never speaking of inappropriate matters. In third grade the teachers found they had a better grasp of vocabulary and basic math than several other students, and that the schoolwork was boring for them.
The kittens had adjusted, but both were looking forward to being treated as "mature young people" in middle school come next fall. Neither of them quite understood why even playing with water guns was forbidden at recess. "What, do they think we're going to try bringing real guns to school? Or do they think we'll be traumatized from a show of watery, splashy violence?"
It wasn't always easy having clever kids. Cheetara was often very honest with them, and though they hadn't had "the talk" just yet, she was planning to give it to them this summer before they went into middle school.
For now, though, they were happy kids, and Kit kept glancing excitedly at Lion-O. She was discreet, and Cheetara didn't notice. Kit brushed her paw against Lion-O's jean pocket and her smile widened when she felt the lump of the ring's box. He shot her a warning look and she just stifled her giggles. Kat looked up and seemed to mouth, "Sisters."
"Did you already call in food? It smells good in here." Cheetara followed Lion-O down the hall, pausing to pick up Snarf, who wandered in and rubbed against their ankles. "Hello Snarf. Feeling good?"
He meowed in the affirmative. He hadn't changed a bit, except that he had discovered how to make sandwiches and put the ingredients away. It was a lot neater on the counters now. Cheetara scratched his little chin and kissed his nose. "Glad to hear it." Smells like Italian food," she noted.
"Your nose is right. Spaghetti for the kittens, fettuccine for me, and the house special bruschetta for you. All accompanied by the finest red grape juice and lemon meringue pie this side of Pantherle. Oh, and Snarf gets garlic bread and meatballs." She had peeked into the cake box and put a palm to her chest and gave Lion-O a pleased look.
"Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"'Have I told you there's no one else above you?(1)'" He grinned and wrapped his arms around her when she snorted. "Not since earlier today." The kittens were too busy pulling out their boxes of spaghetti to notice the adults' kiss, and Cheetara took her box and got Snarf's for him, carrying it.
"Living room or dining room?"
"Whichever you want." She led them back to the couch, returning to the kitchen for forks and knives. Cheetara gave everyone a set with a couple of napkins. "Food on the coffee table, not laps. Remember last year?"
They did. Kit had begged to be allowed to watch a scary movie with them – it was some B-list movie called 'The Ooze(1)' – and she'd been so scared that when Snarf had brushed against her back as he headed to the arm of the couch, she'd jumped, catapulting her popcorn and candy pieces across the room. Lion-O had thought it funny, but Cheetara had felt very bad that they had made such a mess. The rule had been established, and everyone ate on the table.
"You know, in Japan it's very normal to eat at a lower table. That's what my social studies book said." Kat twirled his fork in the noodles and took a bite, slurping up one long noodle.
Kit looked disgusted. "You got sauce on your nose. You're such a kid sometimes."
He stuck his tongue out. "Like you totally don't want Bengali to be around when we have spaghetti so you can get him to do the thing in 'Lady and the Cuckoodog.' The kiss with the one noodle."
Kit's face turned scarlet. "Nuh-uh!"
"Uh-huh. You wanna kiss him, you said in your diary!"
"There's a lock on it! How did you read it?"
"It's called a bobby pin."
Cheetara intervened swiftly. "Kat, you had no right to read Kit's diary. And stop teasing her," she added sternly. He fidgeted guiltily. "And Kit, don't be so sensitive. Besides, Bengali's a nice boy. There are worse boys to crush on."
"Cheetaraaaa," she groaned.
"What? He's a little older than you, but you're not allowed to date yet anyway. He's a nice guy, the right type to like. It could be worse." Cheetara winked at her. "He's cute, huh?"
Kit buried her face in her arms. "Ngh."
Lion-O thought of Bengali's face turning pink at the thought of a girlfriend of all things. He was still preoccupied by boyish things like machines, comics and snacks. He smiled. "Don't worry about it Kit. You can bother with boys and stuff when you're older. Right now, worry about what movie sounds good."
Wilykit eagerly delved into the tapes and DVDs under the television, the tips of her ears burning red. "We should watch one of Cheetara's favorites. How about 'It's a Wonderful Life'?"
"We're not even in the right half of the year," Kat said in disbelief. Cheetara shrugged.
"It's fine with me anytime. Besides, it's more about life as a whole than just Christmas." Kat permitted it, settling on his tail with Snarf sitting on his knee to be tall enough to reach his dish.
Dinner was good, and Lion-O offered to take everyone's dishes into the kitchen. He washed them and put them away, tossing the boxes that had contained the takeout and pie. Giving the sitting room a cautious glance, he also peeked at the ring; it gleamed as if winking at him.
He inhaled and then exhaled. "You can do this, Lion-O. You can do this."
Lion-O had wanted to ask her to marry him for months, but they had been so busy and life so hectic. He knew that was a part of living, but he wanted just a couple of months to prepare for a wedding to clear his schedule so they could have a little unhurried time together. He'd already booked the honeymoon location, not because he was so sure she'd say yes, but because it would be impossibly hard to get a reservation without several months of planning for the perfect place.
Of course, if she turned him down the honeymoon would go to waste. It would be the least of his problems though. He was crazy about her, and…
Honestly, Lion-O had never wanted to be with someone so badly. He wanted to be with her in mind and spirit – and physically, although his face reddened to think of that particular thing – and there was no one out there that he would rather spend the rest of his life with. Waiting to ask had been killing him, but there was time now for the two of them to take off coming up in the summer.
He just hoped she felt the same as he returned to the sitting room and took the spot next to her.
Lion-O looked at Cheetara for most of the movie. She was beautiful; her mane was soft and she was leaning on him comfortably. The kittens were talking to each other on the couch about something from their classes – a project involving dissecting a froog it would seem – and Kit was texting on her phone. The ring was a weight in his pocket, and every time he wanted to ask Cheetara to follow him so they could talk, he hesitated just a little too long and the moment dissolved into nervousness.
He wanted to ask her so badly, but he didn't want to trip over the words. Lion-O was ninety-nine percent sure she'd say yes, but in those moments it was like hovering on a diving board and he was nearly sure she'd say no. But they had dated long enough, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Be her husband, care for her in the same house…maybe have a few cubs of their own to add to the motley family they all were…
His phone buzzed. Her ear flicked toward it but she didn't look up as he took it out, frowning. Who would be texting him now? The name read Kit, and the message said, "Ask her now. I'm dying over here."
Lion-O looked at Kit, who made little nudging motions with her paws. Kat gave him a thumbs-up. Lion-O wavered, rallied himself, and forced his mouth to work. It was about at the point where Mary had surprised George with the new coziness of their rundown home when he licked his lips and said, "Cheetara, can I talk to you about something? In the other room?"
She looked up as he stood. "Sure." Taking her paw, Lion-O helped her up and they left the sitting room and headed into what had been his old room, empty now of his belongings. His heart pounded hard enough that he felt it in his feet against the carpet.
It wasn't the most romantic place to propose, but it was private and there was a pretty view of the city from the window. He shut the door behind them, noticing that she'd already gone to the window, looking out at the lights and cars. Lion-O gently wrapped his arms around her waist and inhaled against her mane, taking in the smell of hyacinth.
"Remember when you came here from Tretierra? You stayed in here, I think." She nodded.
"I remember. Things are really different now from what they were." Turning around, Cheetara drew her claws through his mane. "Thunder Enterprises is a success, Pantherle Veterinary Clinic is booming…and everyone is healthy and happy."
"Yeah. The past few years have been some of the best in my life. And a lot of that is because of you," he said. He hoped his paws didn't start sweating as his heart fluttered.
"How do you figure that?" she asked.
"Success in business isn't worth very much if you come home and you're lonely all the time. You've always been there, even when I've done dumb things and messed up. You moved away from home because it made it easier for us to be together. You've given up a lot for me." Lion-O's face was turning pink. "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you, and that I love you more than anything."
Cheetara's face was gentle and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I love you too, Lion-O. I think you underestimate yourself and the things you've done, but I'm glad to have been here to help." She cocked her head. "Is that what you wanted to say, or is there something else on your mind?"
He smiled. "You never underestimated me. You believed in me, and in the best of everyone." Lion-O took a deep breath. "I need you to close your eyes okay? I have a surprise for you."
Cheetara's nose crinkled in suspicion. Even so she shut her eyes. "If you're going to slip an ice cube down the back of my dress like two months ago, I will sic the kittens on you in your sleep."
"Aw, that was just payback for when you dumped ice water on me in the hot weather. I was hoping for a glass to go with it, y'know." She snorted and Lion-O pulled out the box, releasing her. Kneeling, he took her paw. "Cheetara Vitesse Clera, we've been dating for approximately two years, nine months, and we've been friends even longer than that. And…I would like to ask you something very important."
He flipped open the box. The creak of the hinge made her open her eyes, and they flicked down to widen at him. The diamond was bright, and she put her free paw to her lips in shock. "Cheetara…will you do me the honor of marrying me?"
Cheetara actually blushed. Her long lashes flicked as she blinked once, twice, and she speechlessly lowered her paw. "You…I…?"
She was shocked. Lion-O's stomach was slowly turning to ice. "Did I…ask too early? Or too late? Oh whiskers, I knew I should have been more careful about timing-"
"Yes."
"There, I knew it, my timing was terrible, and I just-"
"Lion-O." Cheetara pulled him to his feet and he blinked dumbly at her. "I said yes. To your proposal."
Lion-O felt his jaw drop. "You…did? You mean-?"
"Yes!"
"You and I-?"
"Yes!" She embraced him and his whole body felt like liquid light, hot and bright and just a little wobbly in the knees. "Yes, Lion-O. I'll marry you."
Lion-O laughed, giddy. "You said yes! Yes!"
He spun her around, kissing her. The doorknob turned and the kittens and Snarf pelted in, prancing around. "She said yes, she said yes! Lion-O and Cheetara are getting maaaaa-rried!" Kit called. Snarf yowled his pleasure and Kat carried him, giggling. "I toldja she'd say yes."
Lion-O grinned and Cheetara shook her head. "Eavesdropping…"
"Put the ring on," Kit insisted. "Lion-O showed it to me and I want to see how it fits!"
Cheetara cocked an eyebrow. Lion-O shrugged sheepishly. "I wanted her opinion." He slipped the ring out of the box and took Cheetara's left paw tenderly. The little band slid onto her finger and he kissed her paw. "It suits you."
Cheetara examined it, blushing again. "It's beautiful. I think it's perfect."
"Looks nice." Kat seemed to feel out of place in the romantic gook, and Cheetara wrapped her arms around him and kissed his forehead.
"Thanks. Can I count on you and Kit to help with wedding planning?"
"I guess," he said calmly as his sister squealed. "When's the wedding gonna be?"
"I don't know," Cheetara said, suddenly looking a little worried. Lion-O was barely keeping up with the conversation in his happy delirium. "I mean we have to tell the church, get a location for the reception, figure out a budget for flowers and food, and of course the dresses and suits…it'll be a little thing, won't it?"
"That's fine with me. Why don't we worry about it a little later though?" He wrapped his arms around Cheetara and she relaxed, leaning on him. "We have time."
"Yeah. I suppose so. I'll get Pumyra's help; she's a good organizer. Oh, and Jaga! I'll have to tell him the news," Cheetara said suddenly, looking at her ring.
"Ah…I kind of already called and asked if it would be okay for me to propose," Lion-O said sheepishly. Cheetara's lips curled in a smile.
"I'll have to send him a picture of the ring to let him know what my answer was." His fingers curled in her mane and he inhaled, loving the smell of her perfume and the joy of the moment. Cheetara had said yes. She was going to marry him. Jaga approved, the kittens were happy, everything was perfect.
Lion-O sighed. "I really kind of want to kiss you again, but the kittens are watching."
Kat promptly turned around, grabbing his sister's wrist and pulling her out of the room with Snarf following. "Hang on, we're leaving! I don't wanna be subjected to that."
Cheetara laughed when Kit protested and they kissed again, warmly. The world could not have been more perfect than it was right then.
"How much longer will you need to complete this?"
He tried not to pick at his claws. It had become a nervous habit by now and they were broken and bloody, raw around the cuticles. "I…I don't know. I need another six months at least. At least."
Slithe rapped his nails – groomed, sleek, oily black – in a rhythm against the counter. "He's not going to like that."
"Then he shouldn't have let the others get killed! He should've…had others working on it!" He spat at Slithe and the lizard delicately wiped the spittle off his face.
"Nobody would have died if you hadn't been trying something funny. You knew you were making something dangerous; it was their fool idea to turn it on before Mumm-Ra gave them permission. We only said it was similar to Thundrillium, not that it was the same."
Slithe stood up and put the tip of his finger on the cat's forehead. "I will tell him. He might come see you himself. The only thing keeping you alive is your usefulness. I would recommend you finish as quickly as possible. We'll have you located elsewhere once we have what we want."
He left the room, locking it behind him. The cat hadn't left this lab in two months, and returned to the counter and the notes sprawled across it. "No you won't," he mumbled, planting his palms on the paper. His sweat made the pen and pencil smudge, but he'd seen them all so many times he'd memorized them. "You'll kill me too."
Quietly, he slipped a tiny item out of his pocket. It was the very beginning of his potential escape, and he fondled the smooth metal carefully. He was very nearly finished with Mumm-Ra's monstrosity, but he'd need a little time yet to complete a grenade. Thundrillium made it easier – it's energy output, sparked by a little explosion, would be the true force to blow a wall down – but they watched him like hawks to make sure he was converting it all. He had begun collecting tiny shards of it. He'd get enough eventually.
Then he had to take the project with him.
He had to get out. Find help. Find someone who could stop Mumm-Ra Ammit.
Fingers numb, he put the little objects back in his pocket. And with that, Tor curled up on the floor, staring at the generator attached to the wall and staring at the golden-green mineral glowing in its container, close enough to kill him if it weren't encased.
1 – 'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You' is a song performed by Rod Stewart. My family and I do that a lot, finish statements with song lyrics.
2 – A reference to 'The Blob.' For some reason the movie frightened me when I was little to the point of hysterics. I'm still not sure why.