A Cub's Trials 2

Things went on like this for the next few months, making it over a year the boy had been there. He had heard as long as he been a slave there, about the ThunderCats...and he had no idea who they were. He vaguely remembered something about them from before Thundera was destroyed, but he was just too young. He had never seen them.

There was also one called Mumm-Ra that came to the castle sometimes, and Ocellon was terrified of him. He had never laid a hand on the child, who was forced to serve him if the Mutants told him to, but the young cub could sense the pure, malevolent evil in the ancient being, and stayed away from him as much as possible.

But as time went on, the Mutants were in a worse and worse mood. They had been getting defeated quite badly by the ThunderCats, and poor Ocellon usually was the target of their anger. He usually tried to avoid them as he went about his duties, but often it was not possible. One day...he made a mistake. He was naturally an awkward child, but he had been fed even less than usual as of late, and allowed little rest, and it was taking its toll. Having been given the task of serving the ranking Mutants: S-S-Slithe, Monkian, Jackalman, and Vultureman, as well as a handful of the head guards and soldiers, Ocellon's fatigue and malnutrition got the better of him, and he stumbled while carrying a tray. Hot soup spilled all over S-S-Slithe.

Horrified, the ocelot cub only stared for a minute as S-S-Slithe's expression slowly darkened as he growled low in his throat and looked down to the front of his chest. The child had tried to get it to fall on himself instead...then maybe he would only get smacked for wasting it...maybe not fed once. But no such luck. "Uh-uh-uh-I-I-I-I-I-I'm...I-I'm s-s-sorry," the terrified cub stammered, as he set the tray down and reached for a cloth he carried in the waistband of his torn, filthy shorts.

As the other Mutants looked on, S-S-Slithe snarled angrily at the cub and took a hold of his throat. Ocellon let out a strangled outcry. "That was a big missstake, wretch!" S-S-Slithe growled. He threw the cub to the floor, where he skidded to hit the wall and cowered there in the corner covering his head, tears in his eyes. "GET UP, CAT!!"

Poor Ocellon was too terrified to move, and would not have been able to stand if he wanted to. He only shook his head with a soft whimper. S-S-Slithe narrowed his eyes and took a hold of the cub by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the room.

He stalked down to the dungeon, the other three Mutants following after him, eager to watch the spectacle, and chained the poor cub to the wall. Ocellon knew what was coming and whimpered a soft plea that he not be beaten. S-S-Slithe ignored it and took a thick whip off the wall. Ocellon watched him fearfully from the corner of his eye, then closed them tight in anticipation.

S-S-Slithe's lip curled in a cruel smile as he hauled back with the weapon and struck the child's scarred back, leaving a deep, thick slash across it. The poor cub screamed. He struck again. And again. As the young boy sobbed hysterically, the Reptilian had delivered about fifteen lashes before his victim blacked out and slumped on the wall. The frustrated Reptilian growled and retrieved a pitcher of vinegar and hot pepper juice designed for reviving an unconscious prisoner, and forced a good amount down the unconscious youth's throat.

Ocellon gagged, and his eyes flew open as he sputtered and choked from the vile concoction. Then as his mind cleared somewhat, and he felt the pain from the whipping once more, he again began to cry again.

"SHUT UP!" S-S-Slithe roared, as he began his cruel beating once more.

This went on for a long time, until once again they could no longer revive the poor cub. He had not been beaten that severely the whole time he had been there, and had to be sent to the infirmary once more, where the healer shook his head when they dragged him in along the floor by his feet. He was as compassionate as the evil Mutants could get, and he disapproved of how the boy was treated, but he was of a very low status in the Castle, and dared not say anything.

This time when they brought him in, he wasn't sure if the child was alive or not; it took a careful examination to verify that he was. He had his work cut out for him.

Ocellon was in a coma for two weeks before he awoke. More than once the healer thought he would lose him, but he didn't, and finally the boy pulled through. With only the healer in the room, he awoke with a terrified scream.

The hyena Mutant, Hyder, was startled at the sudden noise, but relieved the cub was awake. But he was not sure how to handle the child, he had never dealt with one. "Calm down," he said, going over to him. Ocellon whimpered and drew back from Hyder as he reached out to take his pulse. But he ignored him and took it anyway. The cub was too weak to do anything about it. "Well you'll live," he said to the cub. Though it would be better if he didn't, he thought. "You'll be up and working in about a week."

Ocellon said nothing, only curled up on the cold metal medical table and softly cried. He had an IV tube in his arm to feed him, and was wearing no clothes. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and only whimpered softly for a few minutes. He did not stop until Hyder left the room. Only then did he quiet and close his eyes. He still hurt, even after two weeks.

As soon as he was well enough to work, he was given his filthy shorts back and sent out. The cub was so terrified of S-S-Slithe, he tried to stay away from him. But the Mutant leader's mood had become less severe, and things went back to normal.