First of all, this is a Thundercats 2011 version story. My first. It really has to do with how I think Cheetara became an orphan and how the Cats come across where her parents are buried. I guess it's kind of a songfic. Well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Thundercats or the song. I only own Cheetara's parents and Joe.
Cheetara and her parents, Cheetor and Kitari, walked along the road of a small town. They were headed towards a small pub in town to get a drink and something to eat. The pub was called Joe's Bar and looked fairly full. The three walked in and sat down at the bar. The owners, a young panther, walked up and said, "Well, haven't seen you in a while, Cheetor. How have you been? See that you have a daughter. Looks just like you. Don't you you worry. I won't serve her any beer."
The panther talked faster than Cheetara could listen so she just settled with playing with her doll. "Yes," her father said. "It's been a while Joe. Yes, I have. Her name is Cheetara and she's four years old. I would hope that you don't give her any beer but I would like some. Kitari would like water and some milk in a sippy cup for Cheetara." Joe nodded and walked away. He came back with a glass of beer, milk in a sippy cup, and a glass of water.
"There you go. Now, what do you want to eat?" Joe asked, taking out a pencil and a piece of paper.
"Kitari and I would like a salad and Cheetara would like a slice of candy fruit." Cheetor said receiving a punch from his wife with the candy fruit remark. He chuckled and signaled for Joe to go fill their orders. Joe smirked and walked away.
"Cheetor, please. She's four. Why candy fruit when she's already hyper enough?" Kitari asked.
"Well, she's been a great student and a fast learner so I thought that she could use a treat." He said. Kitari considered this and nodded. Cheetor smiled and rubbed his daughter's head lovingly. You could say that Cheetara had her father wrapped around her finger. Joe came back with the orders and the family ate in peace.
Once they were all done, Cheetor told them to wait outside.
"Hey, Joe. Do you happen to know where there is some free land?" He asked.
"Free land? No. My land? Yes. You can have it. Wonderful view. Even a lake behind it. Be careful though with Cheetara. Be a shame for her to drown." Joe said. "It's just outside of town in the woods. Right by the lake. Well go on. Go build a house. You can stay here while you build it."
"Thanks Joe. You're the best." Cheetor said. Joe waved his hand as if to say that he knew that already. Cheetor laughed and walked outside.
He walked outside to find Cheetara crying and Kitari nowhere to be found. He ran towards Cheetara and scooped her into is arms and asked,
"Cheetara, where did your mother go?"
"Some b-big m-meanie's came an-and t-took mommy. I-I'm scared, d-daddy. Why d-did those m-men want m-mommy?" Cheetara choked out through sobs.
"I don't know. But daddy has got some good news. He got us a lake!"
"A l-lake?"
"Yeah! Then we can go swimming every day and have fun and train so you can defend yourself."
"Yay!" Cheetara said and climbed up her father's chest to ride on his shoulders. Cheetor smiled and walked towards the woods on a well-worn path. Soon, he would have to start to build a cabin for the two of them.
-One Year Later-
Five year old Cheetara blocked her father's blow and hit him square on the back.
"By the sword of omens, you must be my daughter!" Cheetor laughed. Cheetara joined in and said,
"Yeah!"
"Yoohoo! Are you two done killing each other? I have some food!" A deep voice said cheerfully.
"Yay! Uncle Joe is here! Come on, daddy! Let's go meet him!" Cheetara said excitedly. She ran towards Joe and jumped up, giving him a hug. Cheetor wasn't far behind and gave Joe a hug.
"Now, how about we eat and then we can talk." Joe said to Cheetor, handing his basket to his friend and picking up Cheetara into a piggyback ride.
While Cheetara swam and played in and near the lake, Cheetor and Joe sat and talked.
"It's been a year since those Thundercats took Kitari. God, I miss her so much." Cheetor said.
"I know. How has Tara been taking it?" Joe asked.
"Pretty good. Oh, before I forget. Would you mind looking after Tara while I go out? I have some things to do in town."
"Not at all."
"Ok, thanks. Tara! Can you come here for a minute?" Cheetor called out to his daughter. Cheetara can bounding up to the cabin porch.
"Yes, daddy?" She asked innocently.
"Joe here will be looking after you while I go out, ok?"
"Ok, daddy. Be careful. I'll miss you!"
"I will. I'll miss you too."
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, Cheetara. I love you too." Cheetor said, hugging his daughter goodbye. He got up and ran off into town.
"Uncle Joe?" Cheetara asked.
"Yes?"
"Can we follow daddy?"
"I don't see why not. Go get dressed and we'll go."
"Ok!" Cheetara said.
In town, Cheetara and Joe followed Cheetor into an alleyway where they hid behind a bunch of crates. Cheetor met up with a gang of murderous cats, called 'The Wild Hogs'.
"Do ya got the money, Cheetah?" The leader of the gang asked.
"Yes."
"Well? Hand it over." Cheetor handed over a large bag of coins.
"And do you have what I want?" The gang laughed.
"You really are dumb!" They said. The leader took a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Cheetor's forehead. "Say goodnight!" The leader pulled the trigger and Cheetor fell over, dead. Blood covered the alleyway and Joe and Cheetara. Cheetara's eyes had gone wide and she had collapsed to her knees. The Wild Hogs gang left the alleyway and when they did, Cheetara had sprinted to her father's corpse. She sobbed into his chest and refused to move until Joe finally had to force her off of her father's chest, now still and lost of its once musical beat.
"Come on, Cheetara. You're going to live with me from now on." Joe said. From that day onward, Cheetara vowed to never linger in one place for too long.
-Five Years Later-
10 year old Cheetara snuck out with only a bag of food and drink on her back.
"Sorry, Joe. But I have to go tonight. Please forgive me." She said. She left on foot, sprinting at top speed and running away from where she called home for as long as she could remember.
-12 Years Later-
Cheetara, now 22, walked behind the Thundertank down the far too familiar road. Tygra looked back at her, as Lion-O was driving, and slowed to walk beside her.
"Are you ok? You seem a little out of it." He asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a lot of history on this road for me." She said.
"What kind of history?"
"Old history. Bad history. My history."
"Oh." Tygra became quiet as the Thundercats neared a lake. Cheetara noticed the old cabin in which she once lived in.
"Look! A cabin! Maybe someone lives there!" Lion-O said. Cheetara nodded and ran towards the door. She knocked and the door opened slightly. She pushed it open and saw that dust had settled on everything. "Anything?" Lion-O asked. Cheetara shook her head.
"Only dust." 'And a whole lot of memories...'She thought.
"Hey guys! Come check this out!" Panthro shouted. He was standing beside a far too familiar grave site near the lake.
"What is it, Panthro?" Lion-O asked.
"It's a grave, reading 'Cheetor: Loving Friend and Father. May he rest in peace.'"
"Cool! Maybe there's a ghost of him!" WileyKat said. WileyKit squealed and the twins chased Snarf into the shallow of the lake.
"Kit, Kat! Stop tormenting Snarf and get back here. We don't know what's in that lake." Cheetara yelled. The Wileys were disappointed and walked back to the gravesite. "Thank you."
While the others were asleep, Cheetara snuck up to the grave and kneeled in front of it. She then started singing.
"You were once my one companion
You were all that mattered
You were once a friend and father
Then my world was shattered
Wishing you were somehow here again
Wishing you were somehow near
Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed
Somehow you would be here
Wishing I could hear your voice again
Knowing that I never would
Dreaming of you helped me to do
All that you dreamed I could
Passing bells and sculpted angels, cold and monumental
Seem for you the wrong companion, you were warm and gentle
Too many years
Fighting back tears
Why can't the past just die!
Wishing you were here again
Knowing we must say goodbye
Try to forgive
Teach me to live
Give me the strength to try!
No more memories
No more silent tears
No more gazing across the wasted years
Help me say goodbye
Help me say goodbye!"
She finished with a silent tear running down her face. She didn't hear Tygra walk up behind her until he put a clawed hand on her shoulder. Cheetara looked up and he knelt down. She then bawled into his chest until she fell asleep.
The next day, she woke up to her friends standing over her.
"I think there's something you need to tell us." Lion-O said.
"I do too." Cheetara said. "It all started when my parents were kicked out of El Dara for stealing. The El Darians had Thundercats chase us to bring us to justice..." Cheetara told her story as if it had just happened yesterday. Her friends listened intently, waiting for her story to describe how she came to Thundera. Little did they know was that Joe was listening to her tell her story and he smiled, happy that she didn't leave him out. He disappeared as a gust of wind picked up leaves and blew in front of him.
"Thank you, Cheetara. You did the right thing. Your parents love you."