Chapter 4 Omens: Part 1
Kira followed Lion-O through the streets of Thundera.
"Relax, Snarf." Lion-O said to him with a laugh, "You think we're gonna get killed every time we come to this part of town."
"Where do you think you're going, mutt?" A rough voice shouted. Kira and Lion-O turned to see a dog getting roughed up by a posse of cats. The dog whimpered, "That's right, pay up or get hurt."
"No, they're not cats, Snarf." Lion-O said, looking at the dog, "But no one should be treated like that."The leader's ear twitched, he turned to look at Kira and Lion-O's hidden forms. "What are you lookin'n at?"
"Whiskers…" Lion-O said under his breath. The posse surrounded them, and Snarf hid behind Lion-O's cloak. "You gotta pay up, too." The big cat man said, "In the slums, everyone's a dog." He held out his hand for Lion-O's money.
"I have a feeling you're the one who's going to pay." Lion-O said, reaching out and grabbing the cat man's hand painfully and throwing him back. The only girl of the group ran at Lion-O with a knife, Kira grabbed her hand and punched her in the face.
The shortest of the group ran at Kira wielding a knife, but before she could react to him. "Don't touch her!" growled a voice, punching him in his face. Someone was in front of Kira, 'That voice, Leo!'
"Leo-"Kira didn't get to finish as the last member of the group yelled a battle cry, running at Lion-O with a sword. Snarf ducked between his feet, weaving in and out of them as he ran, causing him to lose his footing before he even got to him. "Thanks Snarf." said Lion-O, the little creature mewed happily, then gasped. The big cat up and putted Lion-O in a choke hold.
"Now, I'm gonna gut you like a fish!" He threatened, tightening his grip as Lion-O struggled against his gigantic arms. Kira and Leo were about to stop him, when something hit him on the back of his head, making him fall temporarily unconscious and drop Lion-O. Behind Lion-O was a silhouette of a person spinning their staff around before having it go down onto the ground to show that they weren't going to attack anymore.
"Not that I needed it," Lion-O said, adjusting his cloak, "But who can I thank for the assist?" The person stepped into the light. It was a female cheetah cat.
"Cheetara." said the cheetah.
"Hello—" He cleared his throat when his voice cracked, "Hello there."
"I'm sure the king would not be happy to learn that his son was wrestling alley cats." Cheetara said. Lion-O sighed and pulled his hood off, revealing his red mane of hair. The cats he had been fighting earlier saw this and the leader looked at him with wide eyes."He's the prince?! Scatter!" His goons ran off, away from them."It's my dirtiest cloak, and it's still a bad disguise." Lion-O sighed with a smile as he adjusted the clip on his cloak. "What's so important you'd risk your life coming down here?" Cheetara asked.
"That depends," Lion-O said with a smirk, "Can you keep a secret?" Cheetara mirrored his smirk and followed him as he pulled up his hood again. "Oh, I didn't get to thank you for helping Kira." Lion-O turned to Leo. "No problem, I'd do anything to protect her." Leo said taking off his hood. Lion-O was shocked to see that the lion looked almost exactly like him, but he had golden eyes.
"You're that lion that was in the garden earlier." Cheetara said looking at Leo. "I knew someone saw me in the garden." Leo said. They all started to walk to the edge of the slums. "Why is it every time I come down to see you, you are in a fight or in trouble." said Leo looking at Kira. "Well I've always have been known to be a trouble maker and to get in a lot of fights." Kira replied.
Lion-O just watched the two of them talking together, 'How do they know each other? Kira said that there was no ThunderCats where she lived.'
"By the way, does Aria know you're here?" Kira asked Leo looking at him questioned look. "Actually she does, she saw me leave." said Leo rubbing the back of his head. Soon they got to their destination. A dog came out of a hut. "Lion-O!" The old dog said happily when he saw him, "Come in, come in! I have something for you." He went back into his hut. "Jorma here sells certain, hard-to-find… collectables." Lion-O explained to the two cats and human.
"You mean black market items." said Cheetara. "They're more than that." Lion-O said, going inside.
Kira, Cheetara and Leo followed him inside. "What is all this?" Cheetara asked, looking around at everything with wide eyes. Kira looked around and saw all sorts of technology. "It's what's out there." Lion-O said, "Beyond Thundera's walls. What the Book of Omens calls technology." Lion-O tossed a robot arm to Cheetara, who easily caught it.
"Doesn't everyone think those stories are just fairy tales?" Cheetara asked, putting the arm down. Jorma went over to something he had covered with a drape and pulled it back. "You think this is a fairy tale?" He asked everyone went over to look at the device; it looked like a metal disk that had a strange indention with a tiny screen covered in vertical lines.
"I think it's probably another fake people like you sell to people like him." Cheetara said, pointing to Lion-O, who seemed completely engrossed in the technology before him. "As cubs, we believe the tales about ships that could fly." Lion-O said, "Maybe everyone else outgrew them, but I didn't. I know there's a bigger world out there." He looked over at Cheetara, and smiled sheepishly, "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"
"I think you're… different." Cheetara said. Lion-O smiled at her, and then gasped as they heard a bell ringing throughout the city, announcing the time.
"Oh, I'm late…!" He sighed; he pulled some money out of his pocket and tossed it to Jorma, "I'll take it." He pulled up his hood, smiling at Cheetara, "Maybe next time, I can bail you out of trouble." Lion-O said as they dashed out of the hut, heading up the cliff and going as fast as they could to get out of the slums.
The three of them ditched the cloaks at the entrance of the throne room and ran in where they saw King Claudus, Tygra, and Jaga sitting on their thrones and waiting for Lion-O. "Sorry!" Lion-O said hurriedly with a sheepish smile, "Sorry, sorry!" King Claudus looked a little pissed that he had taken so long, but said nothing as he nodded to Jaga. "Let us begin this sacred rite of passage, Jaga." He said, Jaga nodded once and raised his staff.
"Guardians of the crown!" He called, "Bring forth the Sword of Omens!" Kira and Leo saw a group of clerics, one of which she saw to be Cheetara, come in. Cheetara carried the sword, which was covered with a blue silk of some kind, forward and kneeled before the king.
Kira saw Tygra winking at her, and she gave him a crazy look. "Are you flirting?"said Kira in a low voice, Tygra waved her away, and she rolled her eyes at him.
"While you will one day wear the crown, Lion-O," Jaga said as he pulled off the blue covering, "Only the Eye of Thundera, the source of our power, knows if there is indeed a king inside of you." Kira looked at the sword and realized that it looked a lot similar to the Sword of Omens back home, but also looked different. "Take the sword, and become one with it." Lion-O reached out and picked the sword. He walked away from the others and practiced swinging with it.
"You hold in your hands what built the ThunderCats Empire." King Claudus said, "But only he who is deemed worthy can harness its awesome power." Lion-O didn't seem to listen as he kept swinging the sword. "Let me show you what it's capable of in the proper hands." Claudus stepped away from his throne and took the sword from Lion-O. Tygra, who held a sword looked at his father as he turned away, then he looked back at Lion-O.
"Uh-oh. Catch!" He threw the other sword at Lion-O and he caught it just as his father turned around and swung the sword at him, small bolts of lightning coming from it. As their swords clashed, Lion-O just barely defending himself against his father's blows, Claudus spoke, "The book told that it was the ThunderCats, our ancestors, who first defeated Mumm-Ra! It was the ThunderCats who brought law and order to a world of warring animals! And it is now the ThunderCats who are strong enough to maintain this fragile peace!" Claudus raised the sword high and brought it down, the force of it causing Lion-O to lose his footing and he fell back, dropping the other sword.
Claudus brought the sword down into the floor, into the middle of the ThunderCats emblem, powerful bolts flying from the blade. Once they had stopped, Lion-O got up and grabbed the hilt of the sword, pulling it out from the floor. He made the same moves his father had, and Kira watched in awe as lightning came from the sword as Lion-O used it.
"That's it!" Claudus encouraged, "Concentrate!" With every swing Lion-O made, more bolts of lightning came from the sword. When Lion-O had finished his display of power, he held up the sword, bringing the hilt closer to his face to use Sight Beyond Sight. The ends of the sword's cross guard curl up slightly around Lion-O's eyes, and the red jewel in the hilt of the blade began to glow, looking like a cat's eye. Lion-O saw two evil red eyes in darkness, and a wrinkled demon's face appearing in the blade of the Sword of Omens.
Lion-O gasped and moved the sword away from his face. "Lion-O, why did you stop?" Claudus asked. Lion-O looked back at his father.
"Um..." Lion-O look around nervously. Suddenly a shadow with a sword came from behind Kira. A growl was heard and the sound of swinging chains. Everyone turned to see a tall slender female panther swinging her golden nun chucks. She had on deep blue armor. Her long black hair was in a side braid with some bangs framing her face. When she stopped swinging her nun chucks, she looked from the body lying at her feet to Leo and Kira.
"Either Vexlox is getting dumber over the years or he is planning something." said the panther. "When is Vexlox not planning anything?" Leo said, now being noticed by Tygra, Claudus and Jaga. "He never does."
"Let me guess Aria sent you didn't she, Sonja?" Leo asked Sonja. "No she didn't. I had a feeling something was going to happen so I came here King Leo. And by the looks of him" she pointed to the man at her feet, "It was a good thing I came." "Thank you Sonja I'm glad you came." Leo thanked the panther.
"I'd do anything for you my king." Sonja said bowing to Leo. "And for you Kira." she said smiling at Kira. Sonja walked over to the man on the floor, picked him up by his collar effortlessly. "I'll take him back for Kishan to get answers out of him." And with that Sonja disappeared in a black flash taking the man with her.
"Well I better go to. There's no telling what Kishan will do to him." said Leo leaving in a gold flash.
Kira then winced in pain and grabbed her left arm and dropped to her knees. Lion-O dropped the sword and ran over to her. He looked at her arm to see a deep cut on her arm.
"Lion-O." He looked up when his father called his name and looked at him when he brought the Sword of Omens forward, "You abandoned the sword." "I-I'm sorry." Lion-O said, "It's just… " Claudus held up his hand. "The sword is ready, Lion-O, but you are not." He said, he took the sword with him as he walked away. Lion-O frowned sadly, seeing that he disappointed his father again. Jaga stood up, keeping his eyes on Lion-O. He noticed this and looked over at him. "I didn't see anything." he said.
"I did not say anything." Jaga replied, he waved his hand and two of his clerics came up to Kira. "Take her to the infirmary."They grabbed Kira and walked her out the doors.
An hour later…
A loud horn went off. "What the hell is that?" said Kira rubbing her wrapped arm. "It's the alarm." Lion-O said, he grabbed Kira's hand, "Come on." He dashed off to the lookout point at a high point of the castle, Kira's hand never leaving his as they dashed up to where Claudus, Tygra, and Jaga already were.
Claudus looked through a telescope to see what was coming and saw a huge yellow and dark green stone being moved forward by a huge group of animals. "It can't be!" He said with a laugh as he put the telescope down, "It can't be! At long last!" He turned around and Tygra and Lion-O followed him.
They all walked down to the stables Tygra, Claudus and Lion-O mounted some creatures. They were like horses in height and build, but nothing like them in appearance. They had thick, light blue fur, and a face that reminded her of some kind of rodent. Once Lion-O got on the saddle he held out his hand for Kira.
She was just about to take Lion-O's hand when Jaga came in. "I'm sorry Lion-O but Tafari and I need to talk to her about something important." said Jaga. Then Lion-O joined his father and brother riding through the front gate.
Back in the palace…
"Is something wrong?" asked Kira. Jaga said nothing as they walked through the halls. When they got in a large room Kira gasped. There in the middle of the room laid Leo, in his real form a giant lion, blood on his mouth, a large gash in his side. Beside him was a bloody Tafari and Ren the White Tiger God, both in their true forms.
"Leo!" Screamed Kira running over to where Leo laid. Leo looked at Kira. "What-what happened?" asked Kira sobbing as she hugged the lion god. "One of the gods turned traitor and attacked us." Said Ren his blue eyes watching the sobbing girl. "Wh-what. Who?" Kira asked. "Kraven." replied Tafari moving over to Kira.
Kraven was the lizard god. It was no secret that he hated Leo and the other cat gods, but he had never tried to attack one of them. He always thought that a cat as king would be the gods' downfall. "But how did he hurt you all this much?"
"He had help from demons." replied Ren. Leo was trying to comfort Kira as she cried on him.
"Demons?" Kira said. "Yes, gods that have had hatred fill their hearts and that hatred turned them into creatures of evil." Jaga answered Kira question. "If that's the case, then why is Kraven still a god and not a demon?" asked Kira.
"That is something we don't know. But for him to stay a god with as much hatred in that tiny heart of his must mean someone is helping him." Tafari said. "Yes but who?" Ren asked not really wanting to know. "I have a good idea of who is helping him." Leo growled, "Vexlox."
"Makes sense, he always tries to find ways to destroy us, since we are the only thing standing between him and Kira." Tafari growled.
"Are you all going to be okay?" Kira asked looking at all of the hurt gods. "Yes, we will be just fine. You have to remember we are immortals. We can heal quickly." assured Leo. "That's good." said Kira snuggling into Leo's thick red mane.
"Well we must be leaving now." Ren said rising from his sitting position. "Yes we need to." Leo said rising from his laying position, Kira standing up with him.
"Please stop crying Kira, I can't stand to see you cry." said Leo wiping away her tears with his nose.
The other gods looked at Leo knowing more of Leo feelings toward Kira then she knows. Kira doesn't know that she has Leo to thank for her being alive. Without Leo jumping in, Kira would have been still born. Also when Kira first went to Earth, she was treated as an outcast. But Leo transformed into a human child her age and became her friend. She grew up not knowing what Leo really was until a creature attacked her. He showed his true form to protect her. After she was safe, he thought she would run away from him. But instead of running away she ran toward him happy that someone would do anything to protect her. That day she promised Leo that she would never tell anyone what he really was. She, her uncles, and cousins were the only ones who knew Leo's secret. Whenever she needed a friend or anything, Leo was there. Leo did everything for her; he always made her happy when she was sad.
"Okay Leo." she said wiping away the rest of the tears. Then they all left in flashes of red, gold and blue.
That night, the huge stone was brought into the middle of the city's square, where streamers and lanterns had been set up for decoration of the celebration. Kira stood next to Lion-O as Claudus addressed the crowd of people.
"It was many seasons ago when I set out Generals Grune and Panthro to find the fabled Book of Omens." He said, "While it remains lost, Grune has returned with tales of adventure, great treasure, and new lands to conquer! Today, we show him our appreciation!" Grune, a brown cat bigger than Claudus with one saber tooth sticking out of his mouth, stepped forward, and the crowd cheered loudly, applauding him and his efforts.
A second later, music began to play, and people began to dance. Kira then grabbed Lion-O's hand and dragged him on the dance floor. He was surprised as she dragged him and started spinning around.
She was laughing and soon Lion-O started to laugh too. They danced to the lively beat, not caring about all the weird looks they were getting from everyone. 'She dances so graceful like she is the wind! She truly is beautiful.' Lion-O was a little surprised that he thought that.
They kept dancing until they got tired. "Hey let's go get something to eat." Kira said pointing at a table full of food. Lion-O nodded.
As they walked towards it, they passed by a pair of stocks where two lizards were locked inside. Kira saw two boys come up and started throwing fruit at them. Kira growled and started walking over to them. Lion-O immediately noticed her absence from her side, "Kira?"
"Hey! Quit it!" she yelled at the boys. They saw her coming at them so they threw a tomato at her. To their surprise Kira easily caught it and crushed it in her hand. The boys ran away scared for their lives.
Kira looked over at the lizards and walked over to them. She looked at the two of them pitifully, then turned to one and asked with a soft, genuine smile, "Do you want some help." The lizards looked at her in surprise, and the one she had asked nodded his head. She took a towel out of her backpack and saw a bucket of water, poured water on a part of the towel then carefully wiping the purple juice from the lizard's face.
When it was all washed off, she walked over to the other one to do the same, but he just hissed angrily at her, making her jump back.
"We don't need your pity!" He spat. Kira stepped back, knowing that pride is something he had little left of.
"She was just trying to help." Lion-O said, stepping up and giving the lizard that had turned away her offer a harsh look. "Please, your majesty!" The other lizard begged, recognizing his name, "Show mercy!"
"Why should I?" Lion-O asked, "If the roles were reversed, you'd have lopped my head off by now." "We were only scavenging for food!" The other said, "When we were captured as slaves…" The other lizard hissed at him, making him stop.
"Forget it!" He said, "Looking for mercy from cats is like trying to squeeze water from a stone." He glared at Lion-O when he said this. "Hold your tongue, fool!" The other yelped worriedly, "They'll kill us!"
"No." Lion-O said to the first lizard calmly, "I want to hear this." He turned to the other lizard, "What do you mean?"
"We only attack to survive." The second lizard said, "You control the best lands and resources, leaving the rest of the animals to fight over scraps! If we steal your crops, it is to feed our children!" Lion-O turned his gaze to the ground, his eyes clouded in thought. Kira looked sadly at the lizards.
Tygra came from behind Kira and Lion-O. He put an arm around Lion-O's shoulders. "You're not taking this criminal seriously, are you?" He asked Lion-O with a joking grin. "Criminal?!" The lizard hissed angrily, "The lizards' only crime is being weaker than the cats! And it's the same for all animals." He turned his eyes to Kira, "And whatever you are." Kira scowled slightly.
"What I am is none of you business ." She said."Let's go." Tygra said to Lion-O, "It's time for the games." He walked away, and after a moment, Lion-O and Kira followed him.
Kira sat next to Lion-O at the big table that had the best seat for the games. At the table were his family and Grune, along with a picture of a panther that looked like he was going bald with a scar over one blind eye. 'Looks a lot like Panthro but with hair, a scar, and a blind eye.' though Kira.
"These games are dedicated to the life of an outstanding general and loyal friend." Claudus said, addressing the crowd before he started the games, "Who gave all he had in the name of Thundera." He raised his goblet up high, "To Panthro!" Lion-O, Kira, Tygra, and Grune did the same.
"To Panthro!" The crowd cheered loudly once they had done this, meaning it was time for the games to start. Kira looked at the center of the arena, where a large arrangement of thick branches had grown out of something resting beneath the surface of the huge pool of water. She watched as two cats began to climb up the branches, each one doing whatever they could to knock the other down into the water.
"Ah," Grune sighed as he ate some ripe grapes, "It truly is the little things you miss most."
"I imagine it was the experience of a lifetime." Claudus replied. "When you were out there, did you see any… technology?" Lion-O asked eagerly. 'Go figure.' Kira mentally slapped her forehead.
"Don't ask him stupid questions, Lion-O." Tygra said, Lion-O frowned at him. "I see nothing has changed, Claudus." Grune said, speaking to the king, "One son with his head on his shoulders, the other still with his in the clouds." He turned to Lion-O, "I'm afraid, Lion-O, I encountered all manner of beast and warrior, but nothing even resembling technology. We did everything we could to find the book." Lion-O's hopeful expression fell.
'I'll give him one thing, he sure can lie really good.' said Tafari. 'What do you mean by that Tafari?' Kira asked wanting to know what Tafari meant. But the cheetah god stayed silent after that.
"Perhaps what the skeptics say is true," Tygra began, "The books existence is no more real than its stories of technology and Mumm-Ra." Kira's ears pricked at the name, having a bad feeling about this Mumm-Ra.
"I see so much of me in you." Grune said to Tygra as he put his arm around his shoulders, "You would have made a great king. But such honors must be reserved for the bloodline!" He glanced at Lion-O when he said this.
"Lion-O will be a great king." Kira said, speaking up for her friend. Lion-O looked at her, slightly surprised at her words.
"Of course he will," Tygra said, "I just would have made a better one!" Grune laughed heartily at his words. "You're just so perfect, aren't you, Tygra?" Lion-O asked with a sarcastic bite.
"Thank you, Lion-O." Tygra replied with a smirk. "Too bad you're afraid to get your tail kicked in front of your hero!" Lion-O snapped, standing up from his seat and pointing at Tygra.
"Now's not the time." Tygra said in a warning tone as he stood up from his seat, giving Lion-O a hard look. "Oh, I'd say now's the perfect time!" Grune said, pointing to the arena in front of them, "Why don't you two have it out? Whoever rings the bell is the winner."
Lion-O and Tygra glared at each other, "You're on." Lion-O growled.
Kira looked down at where Lion-O and Tygra were waiting at the base of one of the biggest branches in the arena. A trumpet sounded, and Lion-O took off, clawing his way up the branch, heading straight for the bell. Tygra was only a few steps behind him, then he jumped up behind him, and Lion-O shot out his leg to kick him away, but Tygra blocked it and punched Lion-O's face, making him lose his grip and fall. Lion-O bounced off one of the branches, and then flipped over, landing on all fours the crowd cheered loudly at Tygra's move. Lion-O dashed up the branches, going up to Tygra. He tried to knock him off with punches and kicks, but Tygra easily blocked them. Finally, Lion-O landed a hit on his face and he tried to kick him off, but Tygra caught his foot and pushed him away and he kept climbing up the branch as Lion-O tried to regain his footing. Tygra said something to Lion-O that Kira couldn't make out, but whatever it was, it pissed Lion-O off and he ran up to where Tygra was standing, waiting for Lion-O to come to him. Kira stood up and yelled, "Lion-O just forget about what he said! He's just trying to get you mad!"
Claudus and Grune looked at her in surprise.
But Lion-O didn't hear her because he lifted his fist, ready to punch Tygra, but he was faster than him, and punched Lion-O back, making him fall down into the water. Then, he did a victorious stroll to the bell and jumped up on top of it, making it ring when he swung on it.
Kira saw his head pop out of the water. She walked away from the table, planning to go where Lion-O was getting out of the arena.
When she met him at the entrance, a servant who had been waiting gave him a towel to dry himself off. "Lion-O, it's not that big a deal." She said as he walked to his room, "There's no need to get so worked up over it." "No, there is." Lion-O said, turning to her, giving her one of the hardest looks she'd ever seen him wear, "Do you know what he said to me? When it comes to everything but the crown, I'll always be second best, and he's right." He turned away and kept going to his room. Kira kept going after him.
"Lion-O listen." Kira said. Lion-O was ignoring her. Kira growled, she grabbed his arm and bit down hard. Lion-O yelped in pain and surprise. They stayed there like that for a minute. Then Kira let go of her grip on his arm.
"Now you listen." Kira growled, Lion-O obeyed, "You are not second best. He's just a jerk who likes making you mad. Lion-O, there are so many things that you can do that Tygra can't."
"Like what?" Lion-O snapped. "Well," Kira began quietly, slowing down until she stopped. "I don't know. I haven't known you long enough to tell."
"But there has to be something you can do that he can't." Kira thought for a second. "Wait you can dream and he can't. You're a dreamer and dreamers are way better than non-dreamers. Dreamers can make anything they can dream of."
"Thanks Kira. By the way, why did you bite me?" asked Lion-O. "Oh, I always do that when people won't listen to me. It made you listen didn't it." Kira said with a smile. "Yeah it did," Lion-O laughed rubbing the back of his head.
He sighed as he went up to a balcony that overlooked where the festival was. "It's official." He said as he looked over the piece of technology he had bought earlier, "They think I'm a failure. And they always will unless I can prove I'm not chasing a childish dream."
"Lion-O you're not a failure." Kira said trying to comfort the lion. "You will find a way to prove it. I believe in you." After saying that Kira placed a light kiss on Lion-O's cheek. Lion-O blushed after her lips left his cheek. He looked at her only to see her looking out at the crowd of cats.
"Thanks. But how am I supposed to prove it, when even Grune said there was no tech out there?" Lion-O said.
"Don't let what Grune failed to see stand in the way of what you believe." A voice said, the two of them looked to see Jaga walking towards them, and Kira saw Lion-O hide his technology behind his back. "The book says that our greatest king will possess the ability of sight beyond sight."
"You mean like… having visions?" Lion-O asked. "More than that, Lion-O." Jaga said, "It's the ability to lead with clarity. For sight is useless without action." Lion-O looked away from Jaga for a moment, thinking, then looked back up at him.
"There's something I need to talk to you about, Jaga." Lion-O said, thinking that he should hear about his vision he had seen. Jaga put his hand on Lion-O's shoulder, "There will be time to talk later," He conspicuously moved Lion-O so he would go down the hallway in the direction to the festival below, "There's a party still going on. Enjoy yourselves." Lion-O smiled at the old cat man, and he smiled back.
"Thanks, Jaga." He said, he started walking to where the festival was, Kira following him.
They both walked out back to the festival. Kira saw something strange in the corner of her eye. She looked over to where she saw it. "What's wrong?" asked Lion-O noticing Kira looking at something.
"I'll be right back. Go ahead without me." With that said Kira walked over to that spot.
When she got to the spot, the thing she saw was gone. So she walked back to where Lion-O was. Then she saw Lion-O, Tygra, and Cheetara fighting a group of cats outside the stocks where the two lizards were.
"Oh no." she said.
She used her bolo whip to grab one of the cats by the arm and she pulled, making the cat be thrown into two other cats. Then Kira knocked more cats to ground with her whip.
Lion-O grabbed one cat by the collar of his shirt and got ready to punch his face, but was stopped by someone's voice.
"Lion-O!" He looked up to see his father, Grune, and two guards approaching. He dropped the cat and looked up at his father, "What is going on here? Protecting lizards?!"
"No, I'm protecting us," Lion-O said, he gestured to the lizards, "From turning into the very cold-blooded creatures we fear! These lizards did nothing, and should be released!"
"Release them?" Claudus repeated in shock, "Don't be foolish! As Lord of the ThunderCats, it is my duty to keep our people safe. And one day, it will be yours."
"You wanted me to start acting like a king," Lion-O began, "Well this is it. And I don't think the only way to rule is with a sword. Maybe we'd have less trouble with the lizards if we weren't always repressing them!" Claudus looked at his son thoughtfully, and then nodded once. The two guards that had come with him released the lizards from the stocks, and they wanted to thank Lion-O but the guards shooed them away.
"My lord," Grune said in a warning tone. "Consider this an act of goodwill between the species." Claudus said. He walked towards Lion-O, "Perhaps now, you might show some goodwill of your own, and take your responsibilities as prince more seriously." Lion-O nodded once and Claudus turned away, he, Grune, and the guards walking away.
The crowd Lion-O had been fighting left and Lion-O started to walk towards the palace walls. Kira found Snarf in front of the huge stone that Grune had brought with him, which still rested in front of the castle, even though the celebration had ended hours ago.
She smiled and laughed when she saw him making faces in his reflection in one of the large yellow stones sticking out from it. "Snarf!" He looked over at her, "Come on, let's go to bed." Snarf then ran to walk beside Kira as they walked back to the palace.
Neither of them saw the snake-like silhouette appearing in the yellow stone where Snarf had been looking at his reflection.
