Rays of Hope

The night would soon be arriving, and the colossal Bird city of Avista now rested upon Third Earth for the first time in generations. The city had been spared a devastating fate, though it had certainly seen better days. The dim orange light of the setting sun cast upon the buildings in the most unflattering way. Highlighted were the towers and platforms, tilted and twisted. Nothing could be seen inside the city but darkness. The shadows stretched around the walls and through the walkways, hiding the ruin and rubble inside.

At the base of this once magnificent sight, a lone ThunderCat sat upon a rock, hunched over in silence. His pained and somber expression said it all for him. On the inside he felt about as bad as the city behind him looked. For hours he had been there, unmoved and uninterested; ever since leaving the stone chamber, and after verifying that those around him were safe. Indeed there were. The city had safely touched down, thanks to Panthro... but no thanks to him, the young Cat thought to himself.

But this alone was not enough to weigh on Lion-O's mind. As painful as the events were to remember, he couldn't think of anything else. Pumyra. How could she? Her actions came as such a surprise that even now, after all that had happened, they still didn't seem real to him. Of all the doubts and worries he had... about their mission, about the odds they faced, about his own abilities... Of all the things he was unsure of, he thought he knew her if nothing else.

Lion-O remembered how kind she was to him. Not initially of course, but as she had come to know him in return; her glare would soften, and at times he sensed that it held a semblance of admiration. There were even moments where her impenetrable guard would be lowered and he would see a whole different side of her; a side of tenderness, compassion, and even love. All of a sudden, for some strange reason... it was almost like he could feel her hand on his cheek once again.

He found himself wishing that she would just... be there... next to him. There to encourage him like she had on the floor of that cavern within Mount Plun-Darr. He remembered her touch. How it felt as warm and comforting as the rays of light that shined down on them, cutting through the darkness and the doubt, giving him hope. "But now that light's fading fast," he thought as he looked up at the sun setting over the treetops. The darkness was crawling back now. Once again he was confounded by doubt, and the hurt he felt in his heart only added to his torment.

Lion-O had to ask the question of himself, "And yet... if I was wrong about her then... what else am I wrong about? This war? Our cause? Myself? What if we can't defeat this enemy who employs tactics I can't even comprehend let alone defend against? What if the other races don't even want this fight? What if I can't lead them? I couldn't even lead her." Lion-O began to doubt even his own choices. "Should I have told her how deeply I felt about her? Would doing so have made her stay, or... would it have just made things worse? Should I have taken the Tech Stone? I didn't want the city to be destroyed, but... it still came to that anyway. And now instead of the stone being in the right hands... it's in Mumm-Ra's... Just as she is..." The image was seared into his memory, how that fiend held her chin in his fingers. "How could she just stand there for that? Was her hatred of me really that strong?"

"I was so sure of her. So certain that I'd reached her and convinced her. And yet... she'd been Mumm-Ra's servant the whole time? Ever since she... she died in Thundera. Because... Because I couldn't save her," Lion-O winced. "But if I'd only known she was there... ...if only I'd known she was there I would have given my life a thousand times over to save hers. She must have known that! How could she not? Why? It just... it doesn't make any sense."

Whatever her reasons, Lion-O felt that what happened was his fault. Not just her actions, but that she was allowed into a position where her actions could have such consequences. "I shouldn't have been so blind," he thought. "I was... 'a fool not to see it,'" her words echoed in his mind.

Just then Lion-O heard a voice beside him that pulled him from his thoughts. He didn't quite catch exactly what the voice said. Sounded like "okay". He looked up to one side, and then the other. It was WilyKit. He felt like he owed her an explanation, but he had no excuse. "I was a fool to trust Pumyra, and now look what I've lost us," the admission as heavy as his heart.

But WilyKit was not there to judge him. She could tell he was sad and let down, and in dire need of some encouragement. "We have lost a lot," she said truthfully, "but look what you've gained!" motioning to the large group behind them as Lion-O looked back. "The different animals of Third Earth working together for the first time," she said in an uplifting voice as Lion-O stood. "You know why?" Lion-O was at a loss to answer. "You, Lion-O. You gave them something to believe in!"

Looking over the allied forces and seeing their expressions gave Lion-O hope. "Now, there's still one more stone left. Are we gonna find it, or what?" Kit asked cheerfully as she presented the Sword of Omens to him.

Lion-O held the sword up high and stared at it. "She's right," he thought. "We still have to defeat Mumm-ra, now more than ever. And I need to put my problems aside... at least... for the time being. I've got to find the strength to lead them." Though he still hurt, he couldn't show it. Not now. Now, it was time to lead.

He approached the crowd with a positive expression and after a deep breath to help suppress the nervousness, he spoke loudly. "First I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming to our aid. Your help was crucial in winning this battle and saving this great city from those who mean to destroy the peace that our societies strive for. My friends, I stand before you now to request your continued support. We must unite together to defeat the evil that would see us all suffer under tyranny and slavery. We must all work toward a future where the various races of Third Earth co-exist in peace and harmony; where life in our world can be better for each new generation. That harmony is now being threatened. Today you saw what the enemy is capable of and what he is willing to do to all those who refuse to be ruled by him. This is the fate he would have for all of us. Having personally fought this foe time and again, and having learned of his long history of atrocities; I can tell you that nothing will dissuade him from his desire for absolute conquest. But I can also tell you that it was a unified collective of animals like all of us who made the choice long ago to stand with each other and defeat that foe. And now, in this present time, WE must be the ones to stand up to that same evil threat. As long as we stand together we will defeat that evil, and I hereby vow to each and every one of you on the honor of the ThunderCats, that I will do all that I can to lead us to victory. Animals of Third Earth, you are the only hope for a future of peace, prosperity, and freedom. So please, let us unite so that we may secure that future!" And Lion-O held his arms up high, the Sword of Omens still in hand. He hoped it was enough.

Indeed it was. The crowd cheered, starting with the Elephant leader sounding his own trunk as he would a majestic trumpet. The barking of the Dogs followed this. They were always up for a good fight! The Berbils currently inaudible tones emanating from their sound emitters were overwhelmed as a result of surrounding volume. However the light fixtures representing their emitters illuminated brightly, indicating their compliance. The Fish shouted and clapped their fins together. The Birds chose to stand reverently, but their support could be felt in the way their eyes gleamed in the evening light.

But one Bird in particular, separate from all the others, did not seem so moved. Although from such a distance it was difficult to tell. A light-blue and silver feathered Bird in a green robe adorned with golden trim was perched high upon one of the city's platforms. Lion-O recognized him. He turned away from the group still looking back at Lion-O, until he turned completely and walked away.

Lion-O noticed this, but his gaze was quickly turned aside by Kit tapping him on the side. She smiled up at him with a thumbs-up. He lowered his arms and gave her a nod. "Thanks Kit," he said. She smiled and replied, "You bet!" She was always happy to help.

What followed were brief meetings with some of the leaders of the races. First was the Elephant leader, Anet. "That was very inspiring Lion-O, and also very true. I particularly enjoyed the part about our races living in harmony. Your Elephant friends stand with you." Lion-O thanked him saying he knew their help would make a world of difference in the coming battle. Anet also offered the help of the Elephants in assisting the Avistans. Lion-O showed his appreciation and accepted. He also told Anet that he would try to work something out to provide shelter for the Elephants. But Anet said it wouldn't be necessary, as they could simply camp outside, which was what they normally did anyway. Lion-O asked if he was sure about that, noting that the area was a lot different from their mountainous home. Anet responded saying that almost anywhere on Third Earth could be home to them. They need only meditate and find a way to come into harmony with their surroundings. Lion-O was pleasantly surprised by this attitude, and said he understood, although Lion-O's concern was more one of safety than convenience. He would later have to ensure a perimeter was set up to protect everyone. Kit, who had been listening silently, went off with the Elephants, showing Anet her excitement that they would be staying with them.

Lion-O watched them walk away, and then noticed someone approaching him. It was Dobo. He had also helped immensely in the previous fight, but Lion-O still had some sour feelings about him. "A fine speech young king", he said with a dash of sarcasm. "...Thanks," Lion-O hesitated to say. "And... thank you for your help in the stone chamber. The Dogs really made the difference."

"Don't mention it." Dobo said proudly. "The Dogs are all too happy to win a fight, even if it isn't really our fight to begin with."

This took Lion-O by surprise. "What do you mean? We're all in this fight together."

"Sorry Lion-O, but what my fighters and I did was to repay you for showing us that fighting for a cause could be more fulfilling than just fighting for show. Plus, Panthro and I go way back," the Dog explained.

Lion-O pressed further, "Then why stop now?"

"... Because unfortunately, fighting for a cause just doesn't PAY as well."

Lion-O hesitated, not quite understanding what Dobo meant at first.

"We'll be camping here for the night since its getting dark already, but tomorrow after breakfast we'll be heading back to Dog City. We can't keep the pit closed for too long. Too much lost revenue."

Lion-O was shocked. The best group of fighters would be quitting just like that, and for what? Profit? "But if we don't defeat Mumm-Ra his army will spread over the whole planet! You'll lose everything to him and not just your material possessions either," Lion-O scolded. "I don't think you get it cub," Dobo's tone showing his annoyance. "My fighters require rations, shelter, and weaponry. We get all of that back at Dog City plus some! What can you offer us here?" Lion-O felt the gravity of the situation pressing down upon him as Dobo continued, "A war of the kind you're talking about requires funds. Unless you can provide for your army you will quickly find yourself without one."

Lion-O looked down. He couldn't argue against the harsh reality, but he assured Dobo if that was what he was concerned about, he would try his best to accommodate his requests. Dobo reminded him that he had until the end of tomorrow's breakfast to do so, and went on his way.

For some reason, the Fish were nowhere to be seen, and the Berbils had gone back to working on repairs to the city. Lion-O began to make his way to the city's platforms to meet with the Birds. On his way, he came across the other ThunderCats. Cheetara called out to him and waved, so he walked over to the group. "Your speech was well said Lion-O, and well received. I think you inspired the other races to unite," she encouraged. "Thank you Cheetara. I... had some practice at it a while back. Also, I've had plenty of time to think about... a lot of things," Lion-O said politely, forcing a slight smile. He knew what she was trying to do and he genuinely appreciated her regard for his feelings, but that isn't what he was looking for right now; at least, not from that particular feline. Besides, he could sense what was really on their minds; best to get it out of the way sooner rather than later.

Panthro stood silently with the others, looking away. Finally it was Tygra who spoke. "Lion-O, we need to talk about what happened." Lion-O looked him in the eyes and told him to proceed. While Tygra searched for the proper words he looked over to notice WilyKat run up. "Hey Lion-O! Awesome speech! The Fish seemed to be really impressed to me. I think they liked the part about what the enemy did today, cuz they know what it's like to have their home get taken away from them by an evil monster. You remember, the... uh... the Lamb-rack! Right? No, wait, that wasn't it. ... Well anyway, they're all in! ...Oh, but first they have to find a nearby water source since they'll be staying with us for a while."

"Thanks Kat. That's great news!" Lion-O looked back at Tygra, who now seemed disinterested in whatever he was going to say just moments ago. "Did you have something on your mind Tygra?" He just looked at Lion-O silently. After a short awkward silence, Kat spoke his mind. "Soooo... what's next? We gonna find the last stone now?"

"Actually... I was... about to bring that up," Tygra lied. Lion-O frowned with disbelief. He knew full well that isn't what he wanted to talk about. Tygra hesitated, "...We're stuck here Lion-O." Concerned, Lion-O inquired, "What do you mean stuck here?" Tygra sighed and continued. "When Avista fell... the whole city tipped in the direction of the impact. Everything that wasn't bolted down flew toward it. The... 'Feliner' fell off the docking platform."

"WHAT?!" poor Kat shouted in horror. Lion-O's eyes widened in shock as he asked, "So then... it's GONE?!" Panthro finally spoke, "No. Fortunately there was a larger platform under the docks that the Feliner landed on."

"But?" Lion-O predicted.

Tygra responded, "But even that fall caused massive damage to the hull of the ship and the electronics inside."

Kat wobbled and flopped backward to the ground overdramatically in disappointment, accidentally landing on Snarf who let out a "Myow!"

Lion-O stated the obvious, "Then it'll need to be fixed."

"That's... gonna take a while," Tygra answered. "See, aside from being damaged, it's also wedged between two of the platforms as well as buried under some of the debris from the towers and floors around it."

"Just do whatever needs to be done", Lion-O sighed with annoyance. "Get the Berbils to help out if you have to," he ordered as he began to walk away from them. Tygra obviously wasn't going to bring the issue up right now anyway, but Cheetara did have to point out that the Berbils were busy trying to repair the damages to the city. To which Lion-O turned back. "The city won't fly without the Tech Stone Cheetara!" he said bluntly, trying his best to keep his voice down. Tygra scowled. "If you'd stop for a second and listen..." But Lion-O just kept walking. Why wouldn't they just come out with it? He failed again and let everyone down. He couldn't save the city. And now everything was ruined.

Tygra tried to pursue Lion-O but a gentle hand graced his arm and stopped him in an instant. He turned to Cheetara, who looked him deeply in the eyes and said, "Let it go for now Tygra. He's in such pain right now. Give him time to cope with all that's happened." Tygra would let it go, but he wasn't one to be without the last word. "Ah! Okay, no problem then! We'll just talk later bro!" Tygra insolently shouted. He then looked to Cheetara with a big fake grin while blinking his eyes and bobbing his head to each side. Cheetara glared back at him with a frown and walked after Lion-O.

"What?" Tygra asked innocently. She gave no reply. "Come on where you goin'," his tone now somewhat remorseful. "I'm going to do my job," she said sternly.

Lion-O had made his way up to Avista's outer platforms. He followed the path in toward the center of the city. Almost every platform of the city was slanted on one of various different angles, and this naturally went for the buildings as well. The main platform of the city was on a 10º slope. Inconvenient, but not that hazardous. Lion-O passed by many Avistan citizens. He could almost feel the glares and hear the murmurs. Finally he found the Bird he had seen just a short while before, the light-blue and silver feathered Bird in a green and golden robe. The Bird was talking to the other elders or delegates that Lion-O had seen before in the banquet hall. He turned to Lion-O as another similarly dressed orange Bird notified him of his approach up the slanted platform.

"Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt," Lion-O began. The Birds just looked at him in silence. He continued, "You're... Horus, right?" After a brief moment the Bird answered, "Correct."

"First allow me to express my deepest sympathies for all the lives your people have lost, and also for what has happened to your great city." Lion-O again awaited a response, but the Birds just kept staring in silence. Unsettled by this Lion-O wasn't sure how to proceed. "What else did you want to say?" Horus finally asked. "Um... That I understand what the Birds must be going through right now, because my homeland was also destroyed by Mumm-Ra." Another awkward silence followed by Horus breaking it once again. "And?" he squawked. Lion-O couldn't help but get annoyed by Horus' attitude, and he wondered why the Birds weren't being more receptive. He was trying to reach out to them, after all. Lion-O continued, "And I wanted the Birds to know that the Cats and the other races would like to help you in any way that we can, in the spirit of unity."

"Yes," Horus began, "I heard your speech earlier. Quite rousing indeed, but I am not so easily convinced that you or your allies are capable of helping us." The statement was like a slap in the face to Lion-O: not because he was offended, but because he worried it might be true. "Just look around you. So many of our kind lie perished, our aircraft litter the streets, and we have no power to run even what is left." The Bird shook his head. "It was all used up trying to save the city and yet now... we don't even have the power to light our darkened alleyways." That was certainly true. The sun had set, and the crowd was now clinging to the dim remnants of dusk. "The city was partially salvaged, but it will be a slow rot without power to operate our systems."

"The Berbils are hard at work repairing the power systems. I'm sure they'll find a way to restore power," Lion-O tried to assure him. Horus responded, "Even if the Berbils weren't technologically inferior to we Avistans, there would still be no power source for them to use. Besides, what would be the price of such help to us, hmm?" the last part of his question raising a slight coo in his throat. "There won't be any price. We offer our help freely, same as before," Lion-O answered earnestly. "So you would not ask us to join your side in the war?" Horus asked skeptically. Lion-O paused, and then replied. "I would request it, but only so that other innocent races wouldn't suffer a fate similar to ours; however, I will not require it of anyone."

The Birds spoke to each other in their own language of chirps and squawks for a few moments until Horus finally turned back to Lion-O. "It's a moot point. We neither have the air-force nor the resources to help your cause."

"I'm sure there's something you can contribute. Even if it's information... about technology, or... maps of the area... or..." Lion-O hesitated. "OF COURSE! The Tech Stone!" he exclaimed. The Birds looked at him with concern, though Lion-O didn't notice. He thought that had to be it. That could be the Avistans' way of contributing even if all else failed. "Any information on the stone would help me know what I'd be going up against when I next face Mumm-Ra. Any new discoveries you've found, any kind of analysis of what the stone can do... even historical information you have on it... or the history of the other races that were entrusted with the other stones!" he appealed with enthusiasm.

"That would be impossible." Horus proclaimed abruptly. "What? WHY?" Lion-O asked, but Horus scowled and looked away. This premise of distrust began to frustrate Lion-O, and he felt that he had talked to Horus enough. "Look, Vultaire started to tell us about the stones earlier. If I could just talk to him about all this I think we could come to some agreement." The Birds gasped with disgust at what Lion-O had just said, though he didn't understand why. "YOU DARE TO EVEN MENTION HIS NAME HERE?!" Horus shouted as the other Birds cawed in anger. "W-What do you mean?" Lion-O asked; a look of nervous confusion tensing his expression.

"Excuse me!" a feminine voice called out. Cheetara, who had been quietly standing behind Lion-O the whole time, stepped forward and joined him at his right side. She set her left hand on his shoulder plate hoping to reassure him. "Lion-O, I must apologize. We didn't have a chance to tell you; but while you were defending Avista from Mumm-Ra inside the stone chamber, Vultaire had... joined his side."

"WHAT?!" Lion-O almost couldn't believe his ears, but the apologetic look on Cheetara's face prevented him from doubting her words. He remembered back to when Mumm-Ra removed the Tech Stone. The security system hadn't blasted him as it did with Pumyra when she tried to take it. Lion-O didn't have the chance to think about the reason for it at the time, but now it made sense. Vultaire had revealed that he could deactivate the "electric shield" as he called it, and that's just what he did later on... for Mumm-Ra!

"And now you see why trusting you with such information would be impossible." Horus proclaimed. Both ThunderCats looked at him in shock. "I don't know how you can even say that after we—" Lion-O was interrupted by Horus. "Of course you don't! We were stabbed in the back by our own prefect! The only Bird we thought we could trust without question! The one who was supposed to be our leader... the one I thought to be my closest friend for so many years..." the Bird trailed off. Lion-O was silent, allowing Horus to take his time. Horus walked down the slope to Lion-O and looked in his eyes. "That's why you can't know our minds on this matter, because what could you possibly know of our betrayal?"

Lion-O could do nothing but stare back at Horus, who was genuinely awaiting an answer. Cheetara glanced over to Lion-O, reading the expression of slight worry on his face. She could tell that he was conflicted, and indeed he was. The question posed to him forced him to remember what Pumyra had done. Yet even so, he didn't want to think of her that way, let alone present her as such to this group of dignitaries. Lion-O's gaze fell away and to the floor.

"I thought not." Horus said looking the other way. "If we couldn't even trust our own prefect... then, whom can we trust?" Every Bird close to the conversation stood in sad silence. Who was to say that their "saviors" would not betray them later at the first sign of trouble?

"You're right; I don't know what your people must be feeling right now." He answered. The response surprised Horus and their eyes met once again, but his answer also concerned Cheetara. Still gazing at him, she wondered if he truly meant that; and if so, how could he?

"So help me to understand your plight," Lion-O continued. "Just give me the chance to prove worthy of your trust. I know that it's difficult for you to put your trust in anyone at this point; especially those of other races, but at the very least don't turn us away outright. Even if you don't want to trust in us or our cause, at least give us the opportunity to work together and help your race."

Horus didn't quite know what to say to the generous offer, but his mood softened into one that was genuine. "Other races helping us, knowing that we could refuse to aid them in return? The concept just seems so... unbelievable." To which Lion-O answered confidently, "Believe it!" Cheetara stepped in closer to Horus. "Faith!" she proclaimed. The others looked at her curiously. "Lion-O's right. Even though you've no reason to trust during this time of uncertainty, when things seem at their darkest, there is still reason more than ever to have faith." Confused, Horus asked, "Faith? Faith in what?"

She looked back at him and said, "In others. Faith that... things will get better from this point onward." Horus did not quite understand, but took interest nonetheless. "But what is the difference between trust and faith?" Confidently she replied, "Trust is belief in someone or something that has usually earned it with proof that is evident. Faith is belief in something much greater; and believing in it even more strongly, despite having absolutely no reason to do so."

Now Horus was really confused. "... So... instead of trusting in your cause based on what the other races have done so far... you want us to... have faith that they can do something greater... without any rational basis to believe so?" Cheetara smiled at him warmly and said, "Yes. That's exactly right!"

Stunned, Horus found the notion completely illogical. Any other time he would have laughed his tail feathers off, yet Cheetara's honest expression seemed to erase his doubts and give him pause to consider her words. "What is there to gain by having faith?" he asked. "Hope..." she chimed, "...at the very least. The will to move forward and upward; and at most, you have everything to gain."

Lion-O smiled at them both. He could understand the pressure Horus was under, and even though Horus was still uncertain, he did seem more receptive now. That was because of Cheetara, Lion-O thought. He was so relieved, and grateful, to have her help in this diplomatic matter.

For the first time in Horus' life he felt the full burden of leadership fall mainly on his wings. Torn between what his studies had taught him of the Cat race and what these Cats before him had said, he was uncertain of what to do. Their words had moved him, and if it were only his life at stake he probably would have had faith in their cause. But, he had many other Birds to think about now as well. He could not afford to make the wrong decision.

There they stood in the dark of night, the Bird leader ruminating over his various options, when suddenly the group's attention was drawn upward. The sound of a click and then a low humming followed by the soft radiance of a light shining above them. More lights from the city's walls and tall buildings lit up as they all gazed above at the magnificent sight. Rays of light shaped in the same designs as the windows they flooded from danced through the air as if works of art. They each seemed to have their own unique hues of whites, yellows, or blues. The emergency lights and lanterns on the outsides of the buildings shone upon the floors and walls exposing their various colors, adding more beauty to the masterpiece. Even the lighted windows of skyscrapers leaning off in the distance looked to be as strings of stars decorating the night sky.

The Birds sighed with relief and awe as their city shined bright in its familiar glory, but none were so amazed as Lion-O and Cheetara who were not accustomed to seeing such splendor. The moments seemed to stretch for them, the sights so surreal and inspiring. The mood was lifted, and just like that their problems and concerns seemed to fly away. Lion-O could hear the shouts and howls from the others outside the city, celebrating the Berbils success no doubt. This was soon followed by a happy melody sent through the air by flupe*, which was later accompanied by the sounds of some well timed horns and a choir of chirping.

Lion-O looked over at Cheetara. She was looking upward with a smile as bright as any of the lights she was still admiring. One such spotlight was shining down on her, beaming a golden hue against the cleric's blond hair and making her seem almost divine. Finally she looked back down, and then over to Lion-O. The smile was still present. He smiled back with a nod of approval, and gratitude.

Turning back to Horus they noticed he seemed to be in the same kind of trance they were, but for Horus it was different. The sights he saw were nothing new to him, but the timing is what truly struck him as remarkable. "Just as they were telling us to have faith," he thought. He looked to Cheetara and nodded, then to Lion-O. "I believe that I misjudged you and your allies Lion-O, and for that I apologize."

"That's quite all right Horus. I understand." Lion-O assured him. Horus continued, "I... believe that we... would have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by giving faith a chance. So... we will have faith, and we will give your cause a chance. That is... logical."

"Thank you." Lion-O replied, relieved that they were able to convince him. The hard part was over: They had their chance. Now all they had to do was prove worthy of the Birds' trust, and Lion-O had hope that they could do just that.

After some brief discussions about accommodations for the other animals and plans to set a security perimeter, the meeting with Horus had ended and now the two ThunderCats had reached the outer platform again.

"Cheetara?" Lion-O addressed.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I want to thank you for your help back there."

"You're more than welcome Lion-O. It was my pleasure."

Lion-O hesitated, and then continued. "Well, I just wanted you to know that I appreciated your support; and I know that... if you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have been able to convince him. I know it." Cheetara frowned slightly and gently said, "Nonsense." But Lion-O was set in this belief. "No it isn't. If it hadn't been for your persuasiveness and eloquence then... Horus never would have given us this chance."

Cheetara turned to face Lion-O directly. "Come on. You're too hard on yourself Lion-O," she said, patting him on the forearm. "You did all the talking, and you're the one who came up with the idea of having faith."

Lion-O looked at her skeptically, "I did?"

Cheetara raised an eyebrow. "Yes!" she replied elatedly. "You asked Horus to believe in the ability of the other races to help the Avistans, and to give them the opportunity to work together for something greater." Lion-O still looked confused. "Okay, well maybe it was 80-20," she giggled. "Anyway, you gave me the idea to talk about faith."

Lion-O lightly smiled but looked away. "That's very nice of you Cheetara, and I guess that's true, but we both know I blew it way before that when I mentioned Vultaire."

A fair point, though one Cheetara still objected to, "And like I told you before, that wasn't your fault. It was ours for not briefing you on what happened."

But Lion-O disagreed, "And why was that Cheetara? Because I walked away from you and the others! Besides, if I hadn't been sitting alone all that time before hand I..." She interrupted, "Lion-O... what she did wasn't your fault either."

Whatever was left of his smile was wiped away instantly. Her words cut through him like a blade, choking his next breath and sending a sting up his throat and through his eyes. He'd thought he was ready to talk about it, but the way she brought it up caught him off guard. It sounded condescending for some reason, as if she was trying to coddle him. That wasn't how he wanted to approach it. If they were to talk about it, then it would be on his terms.

"Hey there you two are! Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Tygra interrupted; one that Lion-O welcomed from his brother for a change. Cheetara replied, "Um... no, of course not. We were just talking about... things."

"Ohhhh? What kind of things?" he inquired.

"The diplomatic kind," Lion-O stated.

Tygra raised a brow and asked, "Ah. So will the feather-brains be with us in the coming battles?"

"Not yet... I don't think..." Lion-O mumbled as he snapped out of his daze. "And don't start calling them names! Horus was kind enough to offer us and the others shelter for the night. They've already designated a place for the ThunderCats in their palace."

"Oh, so Horus is in charge now eh? Hmm..." Tygra paused. "OH! By the way, Vultaire betrayed us. So..."

"Yeah thanks for that update," Lion-O said sarcastically while Cheetara cleared her throat.

"So!" Tygra continued. "The Birds are helping us but they won't be fighting?"

"For now, it seems that way," Lion-O confirmed.

Tygra shrugged and sighed as he looked toward the city and said, "Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected you to get much from them." Lion-O sensed a backhanded comment for himself in there somewhere. "Well they have lost a lot," Lion-O argued. "Yeah but we saved their city from total destruction and restored power so... they should be more grateful. But hey, that's just one Cat's opinion," Tygra said flippantly. Cheetara looked at him curiously, "Say, how did you guys restore power anyway?"

Tygra looked to her and replied, "Well all the power was used up landing the city so we had to get fuel from something else, such as all the lizard aircrafts that'd been downed into the platforms. Most of them were totally destroyed, but a few of them had fuel cells that remained undamaged. After the Berbils fixed the power systems, Panthro was able to engineer a converter to let power flow from the Thundrillium tanks to the Avistan systems." Cheetara showed her approval for the job that the others had done, and then started to tell Tygra about their experience with the lights inside the city.

Lion-O tried to take interest in the conversation, but the painful reminder she had brought up to him moments before seemed to sap all the energy he had drawn from the experience Cheetara was now enthusiastically explaining to Tygra.

"Hey, um... I'm going to turn in early" Lion-O politely interrupted as he turned to walk back into the city. Cheetara stopped mid-sentence. "Oh, all right," she said hesitantly. "About that talk Lion-O..." Tygra reminded. "Tomorrow Tygra: It's been a long day." Lion-O replied. Tygra scoffed and spoke under his breath so only Cheetara could hear, "Like it hasn't been for all of us." Cheetara quietly pleaded with Tygra, "Please, give Lion-O a little more time. He's got a lot to think about right now."

Once Lion-O was far enough away, Cheetara continued talking. "Accepting this isn't going to be easy for him, and... I'm concerned that he might not be able to."

Tygra gave her a curious look, "Wha' do you mean? He won't be able to accept what?"

Cheetara whispered, "It's probably nothing, but when Horus said that Lion-O couldn't know what they were going through having been betrayed by Vultaire, Lion-O... agreed with him."

Shocked, Tygra asked, "Wait, you mean he's in denial about it?"

Cheetara shook her head, "No. Just listen."

She began explaining how she didn't understand why Lion-O passed on the opportunity to show common ground, but figured he did it because he was trying a faith-based approach. Not one to skip details, she also told Tygra about how when it seemed as if Horus was going to close himself off to her and Lion-O completely, they started talking to him about having faith in others and giving their cause the chance to do something great. "Well, guess what happened next," Cheetara challenged. Tygra just stood there with a blank look, thinking the request was rhetorical. When she flashed him an inquiring look he just threw his hands up and bluntly asked her, "What?" A bit let down by his disinterest, she told him, "All the lights came on and shined so brightly all around us!" Tygra raised his head as if to nod. "Ah," he said boringly. Cheetara started to describe the beauty and color of the city's atmosphere once lit and how it seemed to lift everyone's spirits, but Tygra only sighed at her grandiose tale.

"All right, all right!" he stopped her. "Cheetara, I'm sure that's all very fine and dandy but can you get to the part about Lion-O possibly being in denial about the traitorous fleabag?"

"Ugh! I was getting to that," she huffed. "I know, I know. But please, it's important," he said politely. She sighed and continued, "Aaaaanywaaaay, I was still concerned that Lion-O might really believe that what... said 'fleabag' did was somehow his fault. So, as we were walking out here I told him that... what 'she' did wasn't his fault... and then he just... looked away like he didn't want to talk about it."

"Or hear about it", Tygra added. To which Cheetara agreed was a possibility. Tygra looked over to the city entrance where Lion-O had gone. "I hope that's not the case. We can't afford to have him battling with himself while we still have that last stone to find." Cheetara folded her arms and said, "I just wish I could understand why he might blame himself. Her actions were her fault and no one else's." To which Tygra looked at her despondently and replied, "I wouldn't bother trying. He's always lacked common sense. I doubt there's another soul alive that could understand him, so it's no wonder why he'd want to be alone right now."

Cheetara gave him an intimate look. "But like you said before, he'll never be alone as long as we're alive." Tygra smirked back and said, "Oh yeah, I did say that didn't I?" He moved in for a kiss, but Cheetara pulled her head back and smiled. "So that means when your brother is ready to talk about it, we'll be there to listen and try to understand him, right?" Tygra gave a nervous look and thought to himself, "Damn, she got me that time." He sighed as he moved his head back as well. "Right," he replied. Satisfied with their agreement; she leaned in toward him, and the two shared a tender kiss against the backdrop of the shining city.

Reference:

*Flupe - The looped flute that Kit plays.

Author's notes: Please review if you have time. Even negative reviews are welcome.

Old cover art for chapters 1 and 2:

fanfiction "dot" net /imanager/image_ ?imageid=169572&width=300

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