When the bough breaks

Chapter 7

By Leanna

It had been nearly fourteen hours since the explosion in the mine first occurred, a huge crowd of rescue workers stood outside the entrance of the mine, while not far away family and friends where gathered in a makeshift camp awaiting any news.

Leanna sat and watched the many families that stood around, many of them young women. Her heart went out to them; one young woman, a female cheetah, crying silently, sat alone clutching a small boy to her chest. The lioness stood and went over to the young woman and knelt down beside her and just put her arm around the cheetah's shoulder, "Who's this handsome young man?" Leanna asked with a smile as she reached out and touched the young boy's chubby cheek.

"Cade," the young woman said between sobs.

"He's a beautiful child," Leanna said, "I'm Leanna"

"Jaden," the young woman stated, "My husband and father are trapped in the mine," she said bursting into tears again.

"Have you heard anything?" Leanna asked.

"No," The cheetah said shaking her head.

"Well, no news is good news," Leanna said trying to make the young woman feel a bit better, "they are working as fast as they can".

"Are you one of the counsellors?" Jaden asked.

"No," Leanna said shaking her head, I stead of explaining who she was, she just reached into her rations pack and offered the little boy a cookie, which made the toddler smile. Leanna smiled back as he stuffed the cookie in his mouth. "Why don't you come sit with Sabar and me instead of being here by yourself?"

The young woman nodded gratefully and followed the lioness over to where the female panther stood talking with one of the rescue workers.

"Sabar?" Leanna questioned.

The doctor nodded as the worker went back to his group, "they have managed to dig out the first part of the blocked tunnel and want me to help with the injured," Sabar explained.

"Oh, go ahead," Leanna said, "it will help keep your mind busy".

"Will you be ok?" Sabar asked.

"Funny, your uncle asked me that same question before he left," Leanna said with a smirk and gently nudged the pantheress forward, "yes my dear, I'll be fine, you go ahead, you're badly needed".

Sabar smiled and hugged the lioness.

Leanna turned to the Cheetah; "maybe your mate or father are part of the first group they rescued? What are their names?"

"Deron and Moko," the female Cheetah answered.

"I'll let you know if I come across them," Sabar said and quickly ran to the tent that was set up for casualties.

******************************************************

Panthro didn't realize he had fallen asleep until the sound of Thane's coughing woke him, "Thane, you alright?"

"I will be better once we get out of here," Thane said leaning back against the wall.

"If you weren't already injured I'd kick your ass," Panthro said as a deep scowl crossed his face, "Digging with broken ribs, you probably punctured a lung"

"I know, I know, don't worry, Sabar will chew me out," Thane sighed.

"You should have said something," The panther said just shaking his head.

Thane grunted slightly, "And let you do all the work"

"And my wife calls me stubborn," Panthro said looking at his friend with a frown. "You're worse then I am".

"Am not!" Thane protested and slowly stood, "How's our friend here?" He asked looking at the sleeping male cheetah

"Hey buddy," Panthro said, shaking the cheetah gently awake.

"Yes," the cheetah answered opening his eyes.

"You ok to move again?" Panthro asked.

"I think so," the cheetah answered and got up.

"Ok let's go….and Thane…no digging," Panthro stated pointing his finger at the jaguar.

"Yes mother," The jaguar said rolling his eyes slightly.

****************************************************

"Leanna," Jaden called excitedly, "they found him".

The Lioness's heart jumped in her throat for a moment. "They found my husband, he's alive, and unhurt" Jaden said trying to contain her excitement. "The medics are going to take him into the city and have him checked out at the hospital just to make sure he's alright".

"That's wonderful news," Leanna said understanding the young woman's happiness and relief, which she couldn't help but envy slightly.

"Thank you for staying with me," Jaden smiled and hugged Leanna.

"You're more then welcome," Leanna said hugging the female cheetah back, "now go to your mate".

The cheetah nodded, and picked up her son and ran off to the triage tent, as soon as she was out of sight; the lioness hung her head and put her hands over her face so no one would see her tears. She didn't so much as flinch as a pair of large strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a rock hard chest.

"Please tell me he's still alive, Lion-O," Leanna said quietly.

The big lion took a step back and placed his hands on the lioness's shoulder, "You know he is and he's ok," Lion-O said reassuringly," I saw it in the Sword of Omens, as we speak he's trying to dig his way out".

"And Thane?" She questioned.

"He's with Panthro," Lion-O answered.

"Good, Sabar, will be relieved," Leanna said hugging the lion tightly," I'm so glad you're here; I don't feel so alone now".

"You should know by now, Leanna, you're never alone," Tygra said coming up behind Lion-O.

"Tygra, good to see you." Leanna smiled and let go of the lion to give the tiger a hearty hug.

"I've been looking over the map of the mine and trying to help figure out a safe way to get those men out," Tygra said, "it's not going to be easy. I have to warn you that it may take a few days".

"If we had Panthro's metal baby, we could dig our way in," Leanna said with a slight smirk.

"Ok now I know he's rubbing off on you, because that's something he'd say," Lion-O said with a chuckled.

"Did you find out what caused the explosion?" Leanna asked.

"Yes, apparently, there was a build up of combustible gases, the air exchanger that usually draws the gases out of the shafts wasn't working properly, and the gases built up, when the rail car carrying the thundrillum dust up to the surface from the pithead encountered the heavy flow of ventilation air being forced down the shaft by surface fans. The flow of air disturbed the dust on the ascending train cars spreading throughout the air of the shafts of No. 4. ," Tygra explained, "Before the train reached the surface, several cars broke loose and ran back down the slope of No. 4, they completely derailed and hit a power line, causing it to arc and ignite the Thundrillum dust at the 5500 foot level. The resulting explosion blew the slope up to the surface where the additional oxygen created a massive blast that levelled nearly all the tunnels in No. 2 and 3".

"Do you know which section Panthro was working in?" Lion-O asked.

"According to the requisition records, he and Thane were going to fix a driller in shaft No. 5," Tygra answered.

"So he was well away from the explosion?" Leanna asked.

"Yes and no," Tygra said, "they still would have been affected but not as bad as the others".

"This is horrible…all those men," the lioness said shaking her head.

"I know," Lion-O said giving her a hug, "this is indeed a sad day on Thundera".

"We need to organize something for the families," Leanna said looking up at Lion-O. "Especially those who have lost loved ones".

"We will, Now, why don't you let Lion-O take you home and get some rest," Tygra suggested, know that the lioness probably had been going full tilt since she got word of the accident.

"I can't leave him," Leanna said, nodding towards the mine.

"Leanna, Panthro is ok, and he wouldn't want you to run yourself down. You have two babies to look after, remember?" Tygra said trying to be the voice of reason. "And as I said it maybe a few days before we can safely rescue him"

"Ok, I'll go home. But for only a little while," Leanna said stubbornly.

"Not if Tara and Myra have anything to do with it," Lion-O whispered to the tiger.

"Don't worry Leanna, I'm staying right here to help," Tygra said reassuring her, "now, go home," he said putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Call me if you hear anything and I mean anything," the lioness said waggling her finger at the tiger.

"Yes, ma'am," Tygra saluted with a slight smile.

*****************************************

The sun was just about to set when the transport ship landed outside the panther's beachside home.

Lion-O shut down the engines and turned in his seat and faced Leanna, "are you sure you don't want to come and stay at the lair?" he asked as Leanna got up from her seat.

"This is my home Lion-O," Leanna said with a slight nod of her head. "I would feel more comfortable here, but thank-you for offering".

Lion-O watched the lioness as she departed the ship; he knew she was holding back her emotions, her pride wouldn't allow her to show what she was truly feeling in the presents of others. He wondered who she was trying to stay strong for, herself or Panthro.

The lion watched as the sun went down over the horizon, giving the sky a brilliant shade of dark purple and pink, he let out a long sigh and followed Leanna into the house.

**

Sahara came as soon as Sele called, as soon as the elder lioness walked into the house; she was greeted by the sound of the two wailing infants, Leanna's mother quickly followed the crying to the twin's room, when she opened the door, her daughter was pacing the floor holding both cubs trying to comfort them.

Leanna looked up and seen her mother, "Thank, Jaga, you're here," she said rising her voice a bit to be heard over the loud crying.

"How long have they been crying?" Sahara asked taking her grandson from her daughter's arms and holding him.

"Ever since I came home," Leanna said with an exasperating sigh. "I've never seen them so out of sorts".

Sahara laid Kale down on the changing table and swaddled the blanket around him, then picked him up, placing him against her shoulder, "They know something's wrong," She said running her hand gently up and down the cubs back, "they can sense it ".

"How am I ever going to get them to calm down?"

"I have an idea," Sahara said with a smile, "Follow me".

Leanna looked at her mother perplexed but followed her down the hall to her bedroom.

"Which side is Panthro's?" Sahara asked still clutching her crying grandson.

"Left side, he has to be closest to the door for some odd reason".

Sahara walked over to the large bed and pulled back the covers, the laid the boy cub down on the sheet on his stomach, within minutes he stopped crying. "Put Lila down beside him".

Leanna still amazed nodded and laid the girl cub on her stomach beside her brother, within minutes, she stopped crying, and Leanna gave her mother a questioning look.

"They miss their father," The elder lioness said with a smile. "His scent on the sheets was enough to calm them down"

Leanna reached out and brushed her fingers across the soft locks of the twin's thick black hair, "He's never been away from them for anymore then an hour". Leanna picked up Panthro's pillow and held it under her nose, his earthy scent still hung heavily on the soft cotton material, hugging the pillow tightly, burying her face in the material, and she finally allowed the tears to flow.

Sahara walked over and sat down beside her daughter wrapping her arms around her pulling her against her, "It's going to be alright," Sahara spoke softly.

Leanna raised her head and wiped her face with the back of her hand, "I know, I just feel so lost right now".

The elder lioness gently stroked her daughter's jet black mane, "have you tried to reach him through your bond?"

"No," Leanna said resting her head on her mother's shoulder, "I don't want to worry him more then he probably already is, and besides, I don't want to distract him from anything he might be doing".

"Ever think, that feeling your presents, just might give him more incentive to keep going." Sahara said putting her hand under Leanna's chin and lifting her head up.

Leanna looked at her mother and nodded, she knew her mother was right. She pulled away from the elder lioness and sat in the middle of the bed, crossing her legs and closing her eyes, she began to quiet her mind and all the chaos that was going on inside her head.

Sahara watched quietly as her daughters face and body started to relax.

Resting her hands in her lap, Leanna searched her mind for the familiar spark that sat in the back of her mind. Like a faint pinpoint of light, Leanna started concentrating, the pinpoint of light started to grow in intensity until it became a brilliant ball of light. A tear ran down her cheek as she made contact with the mind of her beloved panther.

*************

Panthro and the others were making their way down another partially blocked tunnel when Panthro suddenly stopped dead in his tracks "Lea?" he whispered.

"Panthro" Thane said at the panther sudden stop. "What's wrong?"

"Just need to rest a moment," Panthro said and sat down on the ground.

Thane turned to their cheetah friend and shrugged. "Well, you heard the man, I guess we're resting".

Closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax, Panthro felt his mate reaching out to him.

Her voice sounded a million miles away as he tried to make contact. The panther slightly gasped as he felt her presents surround him like a warm blanket. A blinding white light filled his mind.

"Pan," Leanna's voice said in his mind as the blinding light gave way to a different plain of existence.

Panthro not longer found himself in the mine, but instead was standing on a grassy plane, tall golden grass blew gently in the warm summer wind.

"Lea" he said as the tall grass parted and his mate walked out.

It was like being in a dream, everything seemed so real, everything from the sight, the sounds and smell, Panthro reached for his mate as she came closer , only to find his hand went straight through her like she was a apparition, causing him to growl in frustration.

"Focus on me," Leanna said with a smile.

Panthro nodded and did as he was instructed and was rewarded with a hearty hug from his wife. "By Jaga, you're a beautiful sight," He said clutching her against his tired body.

"Are you okay?" Leanna asked running her hands down his face and over his chest.

"Yes, baby, I'm okay," He said with a smile, "just tired and hungry".

"I'll have a big meal waiting for you when you get home," Leanna said smiling back.

The panther face became serious. "Tell Sabar, Thane is injured, I think he has a few broken ribs, he also been coughing up a bit of blood".

"I will contact her; she's still at the triage camp outside the mine".

"Who made you go home?" Panthro asked with a smirk.

"Lion-O and Tygra, Tygra is working with the mine engineers to get you guys out, they've already rescued quite a few of the miners" Leanna said resting her head against the panther's chest.

"Good," Panthro said. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll be better once you're home," Leanna admitted, "The twins and I miss you terribly".

"Stay with them, Lea, They need you right now," Panthro said and planted a kiss on top of her head, "Take care of our babies".

The lioness tightened her grip around his waist; she could feel him slightly pulling away. "Please, not yet," she said trying not to break into tears again.

"You know we can't stay here for very long, Lea" Panthro said capturing her face between his hand, "I love you Anna" He said using his pet name for her. "Promise me that if anything happens to me, you and the twins will stay with Lion-O and the other ThunderCats. They will protect you and our children".

Panic rose in the lioness at the tone and urgency in his deep voice and what he was implying. "Of course nothing going to happen, don't talk like that".

"Woman," He said more sternly, "Promise me!"

"Alright, I promise," Leanna unwillingly replied.

The panther leaned forward and softly kissed his mate; then stepped away from her. Leanna looked at him and forced a smile, then slowly vanished.