Chapter 1
Enki was writing a letter to his wife and son about what today was like. Well, a letter was like saying hi, so he decided to write a journal for his son as well; after all, he'll be wanting to know what war was really all about so, he thought he'd tell him his experience and not think it was a game he thought modestly. Enki was a tall muscular cat. His ears were to the side and he had most of his hair put into a low ponytail. He was a brown cat with a couple of stripes on his arms so he was first mistaken a brown tiger. Imagine that! Enki stopped writing about how content he was that no lizards weren't attacking them now and looked at his camp. His brown soft eyes scanned at the tired but happy faces of his troop. The king was coming to welcome them home at the front gate in two days so they had some time to spare and have some fun. Still, Enki knew that they shouldn't let their guard down yet as his friends Grune and Panthro would say. He smirked at that. When he was younger and still at the ranks as a soldier, he remembered how they met.
Flash back
He was assigned to patrol the east gate and give the signal if any lizard was near their crops that were ready for harvest. "Lizards aren't trying to be criminals; they're just as hungry as we are. Maybe, they don't have anything to grow?" He said aloud to himself in a quiet voice. That's the good thing about being alone; no one would answer a dumb question you asked. He remembered that all creatures had the same thoughts. So why be enemies instead be allies? He never knew the answer. He knew that cats and lizards began to fight after the made civilization here after they defeated Mumm-ra after two centuries. In a flash Enki caught a glimpse now of a figure; no more than one. He took out his spyglass to see who was out there. "Oh, hairball." He said. He just spotted an invasion of lizards, again. He hated to fight them, seeing that they were starving he felt bad for them. He wanted to help them, but if he did the lizards would chop his head off. Not that he blamed them: his people turned them into slaves. He ran the bell. "Lizards are approaching! I repeat, lizards are approaching!" He shouted. The soldiers came out bringing out weapons. One minute they were gaining victory, and then they were taken by surprise. Enki saw that he needed to help. He jumped off his post, drew his sword and ran. A couple lizards came at him lunging; he dodged them and knocked them out. He preferred to kill less as possible. When he joined the others they were grateful. "Thanks" and "You were smart to call when you did" came to him. Suddenly a lizard with an axe came behind Enki, but he was faster to react. He was soon behind the lizard and stabbed him in the thigh.
The lizard turned and hissed at him. "You'll pay for that boy." He spat.
"Not really, you reek of innocent blood spilt." He replied. His eyes dimmed with anger, he stepped back and gave him a fatal blow. The lizard that was still alive, tripped him. Enki was prepared to feel the axe but instead saw a bigger cat in front of him. His back toward him and holding his hammer, stopping the attack. "You're gonna have to do better than that, vermin." The stranger laughed. He swung his hammer and sent him flying, hitting a spear. He fell down, he was dead. Then another cat came, this one he could see his face. He was bald but very muscular then he was and had a bit of blue fur tinged in the sunlight. "Nice one Grune. You okay, kid?" He asked.
"Yeah. Sorry, I let my reflex slow down like that." Said Enki.
The other cat turned. He too was muscular but he looked like a brown Saber Tooth. "Hey, you're in the same field as us. Nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, I saw you earlier. You got some skills there but they'll need to be sharpened." Said Grune.
Enki stood up. He felt small between these giants.
Grune looked at him and smiled. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Enki, nice to meet you." He answered.
Grune shook his hand. "I'm Grune. And this is Panthro, my partner."
Panthro shook his hand also. "You're pretty tough for a small guy. Why don't you team up with us? It'll save you some trouble." Said Panthro.
He nodded. Together they fought off the lizards back to back, protecting each other. Soon the lizards were down, but not all of them. While Panthro knocked two lizards by their heads, a shadow was about to kill him.
Enki saw this. "Look out, Panthro!" He lunged at the enemy. He knocked the dagger out of his hand but the lizard grabbed him by the throat. "Ngh!"
Grune came to help him but a flash of red fur got there first. Grune saw it was none other than King Claudus, whisking to Enki's aid. He silently slashed at the creature and quickly caught him with his free arm. Enki coughed, trying to get air. Soon both Grune and Panthro were by his side.
Claudus rubbed Enki's back. "It's alright. You're safe now." He said assuringly.
"Your majesty!" He stammered. He looked around and saw the Clerics were here eliminating the last lizards on the field. He felt embarrassed that his king had saved him.
Claudus smiled. "Thank you for protecting Panthro. These two are good friends of mine." He said.
Panthro helped him up. "You sure you've never done this before?" He asked.
Enki looked down. He felt flush rush to his cheeks. "Yes, I have. A couple times. My grandfather taught me how." He said in a meek voice.
They laughed. Moves like that only came from cats that were supreme in battle and were either Generals or Commanders. Enki's grandfather was one of them. "Well Enki, welcome to the Crown service." Chuckled Grune.
Present
Enki opened his eyes to what was happening now. That was only when he was 19. Now 6 years later he was leading an order for Claudus. He never knew he'd be friends with the king. He put his book away in his bag and stood up to help out. He went to a sick cat in the infirmary that needed some company. He fed him the last of his antidote and was going to help him get up when he heard a grumpy voice. "Commander! Leave that work for the slackers. You should be in a meeting or something."
He turned to see who spoke to him rudely. A large cat in a cloak stood at the tent flap scowling at him. He was a gray cat with yellow eyes. This one was called Claw-The Deceiver. His name suite him well, since he tricked his enemies to give up and kill them mercessly. "There is no meeting to attend to Captain Claw. I would have announced it a long time ago then." Enki didn't like this cat. Since he never listened to him or to anyone else, he was left to manage to sort the weapons. A bad job for a Captain, but what else could he do to keep him out of trouble?
Claw squinted his eyes at him. "Then why are you in here then?" He asked suspiciously. He didn't like that Enki treated his soldiers with respect and like his equal. What was worse, he was merciful to lizards when they were caught and questioned. We should just kill them like we're supposed to. he thought.
"Claw, I'm here to check on my men. If a king who rules with compassion on his people and yet deserves a kingdom is accepted; then why mustn't a commander, captain, or general do the same for the cats who were assigned to him or her? We have to help each other or we won't reach our goal truly." Enki answered.
Claw scoffed. "Fine then, do what you were doing before and look like a nursemaid." He said. The soldier who was being treated with such care decided to help his commander. "He's not a maid; he is a warrior with a lion's heart. I don't see you doing anything. Why don't you help out too?"
Enki smiled. "Thank you but I'll tell him what he must do. Claw, go on patrol and bring word in case the king comes here early." He ordered.
Claw bowed stiffly to him and left.
The soldier looked up at him. "He shouldn't talk like that to you sir. Why is it that he questions you? You always brought victory to us in the past and yet; he's never happy about it." He was puzzled on why this even happened.
Enki helped him up so he could get strength in his legs. "He's like this to me because I don't do what he thinks I should do." He said while walking around the camp. "Also, because I was nominated Commander instead of him; that's why." The soldier was surprised on how he spoke. He sounded like it was a causal thing when it wasn't. He could see why Claw didn't like him: He was a Thundercat of honor and made better choices then Claw did, who was a hot head. When Enki was done, he went back to the main tent to finish his journal. When he opened the flap, he found an unexpected visitor. A small black rat. Rats were also enemies with the Thundercats but not as much as they were with the lizards. The rat was startled that the cat came in so quiet. Enki saw he was holding a portrait of his family.
The rat knew he was trapped and thought he was going to get killed. But Enki didn't charge at him, instead he walked toward him. The rat backed up a bit and flinched. He wanted to yell, but no sound came out. Then what he saw actually caught him by surprise. Enki took the frame out of his hands, put it back in his bag and then sat back down with the journal in his hands.
The rat was confused. Why isn't he attacking me? He wondered.
Enki wrote for a few minutes and without looking up, he asked. "What can I do for you young man?"
The rat stammered. "I-I was looking for food in here and was wondering if you could tell me where I am." He replied. "Why are you writing instead of killing me? Don't you cats attack who ever come by?" He questioned. Of course he meant only rats and lizards but Enki could tell who was innocent and who was an enemy.
While writing he answered. "I'm writing down my report for my son and wife. When my kit is older, he'll think about fighting and maybe want to join in. I want him to know what it's like out here."
Okay, that caught the rat off guard. "Who are you?" He asked.
Enki looked up at him and smile like he would for a new comer. "I'm Enki of Thundera. Commander-in-chief to King Claudus, friends of Generals Grune and Panthro. Who are you?" He asked. Since Enki looked up at him, he saw doubt flicker on his face. "Enki you say? Would you know a bigger black rat by the name of Hunter?" He asked.
Enki remembered a month ago he had taken in a captured rat that was suspected to be a spy for stealing this year's harvest but wasn't given the chance to explain who he was. This of course, happened because Claw was the one who caught him.
Flashback
"Please, I beg you let me explain." He pleaded.
Claw smirked at him. "Why? So you can get way? I don't think so." Just before he could kick that rat, Enki brushed him aside.
"What do you think you're doing? You know the rules Captain Claw; all passersby must be brought to me for judgment." Claw knew it but he didn't care.
Enki took the rat gently by his shoulders. "Come, we will listen to your case. All of us." He said while looking directly at Claw.
He had no choice but to obey his Commander. Soon a council was brought and it began.
Enki cleared his throat. "What's your name?"
"My name is Hunter. I was hoping I could…" He trailed off, afraid on how his answer would sound.
"Go on. What is it?" Asked a female Captain.
Hunter looked at Enki: he saw his eyes were kind and something about this cat made him feel he was going to be alright somehow. He gathered his wits and spoke. "I came here to make a trade here. I have some daily tools that haven't been bought for some time and I thought that you'd want them." He explained.
Enki could see that Hunter's posture was good and saw that his clothes looked quite old but in good condition. He must be either a farmer or a trader. He thought. He also saw he was telling the truth. "I see. May we see these tools you speak of?"
Claw laughed. The others were not pleased by his behavior. "Why ask a dumb question like that? Rats are liars and thieves; always have been and always will." He said as-a-matter-of-factly.
The same female Captain spoke. "That may be, but not all rats are like that. Did you even see what he was pulling in his cart?" She asked.
Murmurs were going around. Claw looked away. He didn't.
Enki stood up. "Will you show us?" He indicated that they go outside. When they reached it Hunter flipped the covers off the boxes. Several of the Captains opened each box; one held knives, scissors, and sickles. Another had baskets of every size to hold fruit or vegetables. The last one held nothing more than medicine.
One Captain with a spot on his chin looked at Claw accusingly. "Why in Thundera didn't you check it out? Did you think thieves were in thin boxes like these?" He demanded.
Claw looked in his eyes. "Didn't see them there. What difference does it make?" He retorted. The Captains grew quiet.
Uh oh. Hunter thought. This was not good; a Captain who makes poor choices like this was bad he knew. If one did, they'd lose their title and be asked to leave the army.
The spotted Captain spoke again, this time in a cold voice. "Why? Because if you didn't, you'd have killed an innocent creature. If these continued, we'd have lost faith with the villagers of all animals, and lose our best resources!" He yelled.
Claw made a bad answer and knew it.
Another Captain moved between them. "Calm down Captain Cheetah. Claw, he's right this would've been a disaster. You have made poor choices in the past; no matter how small. It has got to stop." He said somberly.
The female Captain looked at Claw with disapproval. "We will talk about your failure later." She said. Soon they realized Commander Enki wasn't talking. They looked at him to see what was wrong. He was testing the medicine on his cut hand.
Hunter looked with questioning in his eyes. "What is it er; I don't know your name." He said. "Enki is the Commander's name." Said Cheetah.
Enki put the lid back on. "This is good. I feel my hand cooling down from this. Did you make this?" The Captains looked at the rat in surprised. "No, but my wife did. She likes to help whoever is hurt." He said. The others smiled. All but Claw who scowled at Enki. Curse that runt, why should he even be in charge anyway? He wondered.
Enki took Hunter's hand and gave him a bag filled with Thundranium coins in gold. "We'll take them. Please keep it" He smiled kindly at him.
Hunter felt warmth in his whole body. No one ever treated him well since. Well. Ever. This is no ordinary cat. He thought. He was right; Enki was not only a warrior but a magician like Jaga. Only a novice still. They took the trade and went on with work as usual.
Enki stayed behind with Hunter. "I want you to take this." He gave Hunter a passport with his symbol of Thundera on it. "It will keep you out of trouble. But put it in a secret pocket so it won't get stolen by street urchins." He explained.
Hunter squeezed his hand. "Thank you sir. I promise to help you one day." He said with tears in his eyes. Enki looked at him. He crouched down at the same height as he. "Call me Enki. Friends do that for one another." He said warmly. Friend. Hunter shook with emotion. "Enki, I don't know what to say." He broke down.
Enki hugged him. "Then don't." He released him and said farewell.
"Wait, what is your son's name? I'd like it if they were friends too." Said Hunter.
Enki came back to him, grabbed the portrait out of his cloak and pointed at the little 5 year old kit that resembled him. Only with very short hair. "This is Taiki, and my wife Emerald." He explained. Hunter told him his son was 15 and looked a lot like him. "His name is Moon." They laughed at how their bond formed. Both were fathers and were good at judging on what to do. They parted ways and that was that.