Chapter 6 – Shadows of the Past

Doubt was water on a stone. A few drops could do nothing, but if left unchecked it could wear away a mountain. Panthro knew this, for he felt the trickle of doubt arise in his mind. Grune's betrayal was the source of these doubts. In times of waiting that they came to the forefront of his mind, impossible to ignore. The panther had begun the habit of turning over memories, looking for clues he had been too thick to see before. And tonight memory stung him a new, and cursed himself for his blindness.

Panthro sat in the cockpit of thundertank. He frowned. Tygra had left a mess behind, and Panthro attempted to finish the abandoned work. But Tygra's connections made little sense, and Panthro sighed in frustration. Perhaps it would be better to wait until the tiger returned from Talam.

Panthro had not thought of Talam in some time. Before Grune and he set out to find the book of omens, there had been nothing else to do listen to gossip and wait as Claudius made up his mind about who should lead the army. All everyone talked about was this merchant and his concubine. Panthro remembered he began he began to tire of the sordid talk. It was an embarrassment to the kingdom, one he was sure Claudius wished would go away.

Panthro recalled how Grune first surprised him back then.

"My lord, I will take care of this matter for you." Grune had said to the king. "Dispatch me, alone, for the sake of discretion. I'll be back in a fortnight."

The king agreed and Grune was sent to Talam. Panthro busied himself with training, and it cleared his mind. When his friend returned, they were both summoned to the King's private chambers.

"The matter has been dealt with then?" The Claudius asked. Panthro knew this question was not meant for him.

Grune bowed. "My lord it has been...put to bed."

Panthro noticed the smile that sat on Grune's lips as he said these words. It was an odd way of stating the matter was finished, Panthro thought. It caught him off guard. He had not thought back then that there might be a second meaning to these words- until now.

A sense of dread filled Panthro's stomach. Anything with Talam and its sordid history, he had pushed away. Even when Tygra was obviously thinking of it, Panthro pushed it violently from his mind. But now as he waited for Lion-o to return there was nothing to do but think. His dread grew as he remembered his conversation with Grune after they left the king's chambers.

"Well, that is that." Panthro said. "For now."

"Ha! I don't think they'll be giving Claudius any more trouble."

"I heard Talam was a real dump."

"Oh I don't know." Grune mused, a self satisfied look covering his face. He was quiet for a second as if he were turning over some relished memory.

"It wasn't that bad." Grune said at last. "I had a good time."

Panthro felt his stomach lurch in distaste. Doubt had become suspicion, and words he had dismissed now took on a chilling meaning. Panthro rubbed his paws on his face, thinking of his own encouragement to Tygra earlier in the afternoon. His own words filled him with shame.

"Damn it! How could I have been so blind!" he cursed at himself. "Grune, you didn't!"

But Panthro knew better- now. He felt a wave a nausea come into him, and he scowled. That he could have ever been friends with someone so dishonorable repulsed him.

"Grune... Damn you."


Lion-o found a chair and set it Tygra's bedside. The old naja checked the tiger's temperature, and then studied his breathing. She seemed partially satisfied before putting another thick blanket on the tiger. Lion- o's brows knotted in concern,. He tried to think of something to do besides wait. But he could think of nothing. He fidgeted in his seat, and looked around at the interior of the warehouse. He had not looked at it closely before.

One crate was different from the others. It was formed of a heavier wood than the others and possessed a large door on its front. Within this little compartment there was a hay bed large enough for two people, a small chest and desk. A silver disk on the desk caught Lion-o's eye. It looked like technology- lizard technology. He wondered what it was. The young king also noticed the piles of books within the cubicle. It reminded Lion-o of someone sleeping in a primitive library, and there looked to be a painting of some type on the wall.

A thought occurred to Lion-o.

"Why are you helping us?" he asked.

"Humph." Nev replied. "It's the naja way to help strangers and those in need. Even if they are not deserving of it."

Lion-o knew this reference was made to his brother.

"What happened?"

"According to my niece, your brother treated her like a common whore. He expressed interest in using her for the afternoon."

Lion-o bit his lip. He thought about the courtier crying and his brother's cold dismissal of her.

"Whiskers." he cursed. For a second put a paw over his face in disbelief. Part of Tygra had not changed. He did not want to change. "Whiskers. I'm sorry."

"I imagine he was very comfortable in old Thundera." Nev mused. "Bossing servants around and having slave girls attend to his most intimate needs. But that place is dead and good riddance to it! Do you have any idea, young prince how many slaves died in that place at the whim of their masters?"

"No." Lion-o said. "But I can guess it's beyond count."

This response caught the older naja off guard. She was silent a moment.

"You're a strange young prince." Nev said. "Not at all like your father. For that I am glad."

"We...we disagreed on things...many things..."

Nev hesitated. "He's dead then, your father."

Lion-o nodded.

"I have known too many orphans, Prince Lion-o." the naja said, shaking her head. "Too many."

There was a long silence.

"Its king now actually, and- Wait! How do you know who I am?"

"Ha! How could I not." She left Tygra's side and went to a table covered with paperwork in messy piles. It was crowned with an abacus. She took out a parchment and brought it to Lion-o. It read:

Attention Thunderan Nationals and Exiles:

All Thunderan nationals and exiles are here by commanded to report any whereabouts or

contact made by Prince Lion-o and Prince Tygra to the empire of Mum-ra immediately. Cooperation will be heavily rewarded in the waiving of all previous judgments, and shall be rewarded with reinstatement to the empire. Any aiding of the fugitives carries with it a mortal penalty, and shall be carried out under severe torture. - General Grune, Commander of Supply Procurement.

There was a large crude drawing of Lion-o and Tygra beneath the declaration. Lion-o's face dropped. He had not thought yet, that a reward would be given to turn himself and his companions over to Mumm-ra. He felt his chest tighten with worry. Roj had every reason do it. He had no loyalty to Thundera, or to the royal family. And it would end his exile. And here he was, along with Tygra- in their clutches.

The Naja must have read his expression for she dismissed his fears with a wave. "Bah! Do not fear. We may have no love for the crown, but we have even less for that pile of refuse. I think he must have had some lizard write this for him. The brute doesn't know how to use such big words!

Lion-o noticed the strength of the serpent's words when speaking about Grune. She hated him, of that he was sure. But he held his tongue.

"This was a general announcement was sent out to all cities and all towns beyond the mum-ra's reach." The naja explained. "Roj brought it home. The guards gave it to him as he is the only cat citizen of Talam."

"And what about Mum-ra? You don't support him?"

Nev looked at the young lion squarely. "I support nothing that is dead and walking around."

Such a crude assessment of Mum-ra made the lion smile. Lion-o breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"You can show your appreciation by keeping this knowledge to yourself." Nev said directly. "We have not informed my niece of this, and I don't want to alarm her."

Lion- o nodded.

"She's afraid of Grune then."

"She has good reason to be. As for you're brother's behavior we can wait until he is better. The priests said he would be unable to do any heavy road travel for a month. Until then, this home is yours."

"Thank you." Lion-o said.

"Bah." the old naja said, getting up and going to the fire. By the fire's light, Lion-o could get a good look at her. She was aqua, but the luster of youth had gone out of her skin a long time ago. She had grey wiry hair, and it was thinning. Her arms bore the scars of a whip and burns. She wore a spotted apron. She reminded Lion-o of a witch from some story he was told as a cub.

She went to the large cauldron and stirred it. As she did, the smell of cream of Tur soup suddenly came to Lion-o's nostrils. His stomach growled. The only thing he had to eat was stringy jerky that day. Lion-o got off his chair and approached the fire, lured by the smell.

"Is that...Thunderan cooking?"

Nev nodded.

"I've been cooking Thunderan meals for over 300 years." Nev said with open pride. "I don't think I could cook a devian egg now if I tried."

"But...how? You're not Thundrean."

"Tsk. Certainly you don't expect a cat family to cook their own meals, do you? I served many years as a nanny and cook to a merchant family before coming here. I was trained to cook Thunderan, and I learned pretty well. Try it and see."

She poured some soup into a bowl and handed it to Lion-o. The smell made his mouth

water and he realized now many days, no weeks, no months he had been with out a proper meal.

This simple soup would have seemed like nothing before the fall of Thundera, but now it was the world's greatest luxury. He brought the spoon to his lips and closed his eyes at the ecstasy of the taste.

"Perhaps not up to par with your royal cooks, but not bad, eh?" Nev winked.

"I don't think I've ever tasted better." Lion-o said sincerely.

"I'll make some broth tomorrow morning for him." Nev said, motioning to Tygra. "His stomach won't be able to handle anything heavier until then."

"Thank you again..."

"Nev. My name is Nev."


The rain had not let up by the time Nagita and Margus came to the main gate. The guard was huddled under a blanket and looked particularly miserable. The naja smiled at this. This would make it all the easier. She swung the bag she was carrying a little at him. She noticed his eyes went to it, before returning to a stoic posture.

"Sorry, Miss." the guard said. "No one in or out. You know the rules."

"Indeed I do," she said as she swung the bag slightly. His eyes darted to it a second time.

"It's cold out here." the guard complained.

"Some wine will warm you up. And 10 coppers might be in there too."

"Don't take long. The second shift will be here in a few hours." the guard said taking the bag.

Nagita nodded.

"Do be careful, Miss. There are reports of bandits." The guard warned as he began to unfasten the massive lock. "I don't want to be responsible-"

"Margus is with me." Nagita said, looking up at the cybertroll. "I don't think I have anything to fear as long as he's around."

"Yes, Miss." The guard pulled open for her. "Still, do be careful, none the less."

Margus took the door in his massive hand and opened it easily. He stepped through and then pulled the door behind him, stopping it just before the gate shut. The guard took one look at them as they walked into the woods, before quietly closing it the rest of the way.


Cheetara was focused on her breathing. She stretched out with her consciousness, and she could sense the movement in the trees around her. She rose and readied her staff. There was movement out there in the darkness, and it was closing in on them.

"Thieves." she thought clearly. "Or a scouting party from Slythe's army."

Then a larger movement, that shook the ground in steady vibration made the encroaching enemy freeze. What ever that was, it was huge and coming forward with no attempt to conceal its presence.

She felt the hair on her back rise took a deep breath and readied herself.

"How can we make that other Thunderan tell us where El-Dara is?" Wilykit asked her brother.

"I'm working on it." The boy sat with his chin in his paw. His tail flicked with irritation.

"What are you thinkin about?"

"That riddle. It doesn't make much sense."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...I think, I dunno. It feels like it's more than a riddle. Like there's a trick answer."

"But what?"

"I don't know." then suddenly the twins exchanged looks of alarm.

"Did you feel that?" they asked in unison.

WilyKat opened the back door of the thunder tank and looked over the roof. It was difficult in the hard rain, for his paws slipped. The night was illuminated by the lights from the Thundertank He noticed Cheetara was standing at the ready. Panthro was opening the cockpit and looking around. Wileykat followed Cheetara's gaze and felt the breath in his lungs freeze still as his eyes fell upon the thing moving towards them.

On the road he saw yellow lights floating swinging back and forth. And then the young cat saw the lights were attached to a much larger form. As it came closer, he saw the grotesque details and his mouth fell open. The creature was the size of a small hill, its muscular body crisscrossed with scars. Two tusks jutted from its jaw and its beady eyed seemed unbothered by the rain. It stopped in front of the thundertank, unphased by the expression on Pantro's face and Cheetara tightening her grip on her staff.

"Rain no hide cat's smell." the gravely voice said. It seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth when it rumbled out of the creature's mouth.

"Good work, Margus." a voice said behind him. The lights from creature's hardware illuminated her blue face and the umbrella she held in her hand.

"Hey!" Wilykat said. "It's the El-Dara spice lady!"

Nagita saw him and smiled.

"Hello again- I assume the thiefcatcher gave you no trouble."

"Nah." and he waved both paws at her. She nodded.

The naja turned her attention to Cheetara. "I bring word from Lion-o. He is with his brother at our home. He asked if we could fetch you to him."

"What happened?" Cheetra demanded.

"The tiger was shot." She said directly. "We don't know by whom."

"Is he okay?" Wilykit cried.

"My husband took him to the healers we have in town. They saved his life, and he's with my Aunty now, recovering in our home. He'll be fine, little ones. For your sake, I'm glad."

"Blast that fool! You gotta be kidding me!" Panthro said as he emerged from the cockpit.

And then something peculiar happened. As the muscular form of the panther rose from the cockpit, the naja's eyes went wide in horror. Her hands trembling hands tightened on her umbrella. She shrank physically back, and for a second it seemed like she was holding her breath. The thing in front of her stepped forward in a defensive position and let out a deep rumble. The lights of the creature's implants switched from yellow to red.

Cheetara bent downward, ready to spring.

"Are you okay, lady?" Wilykat asked, puzzled.

"Relax, lady. I'm not him." Panthro said. Cheetra noticed the tone of his voice. It sounded almost like guilt.

The sound of Pantro's voice seemed to dispel what had come over the Naja. She physically relaxed and touched her brutish companion's arm.

"It's alright Margus. You can stand down." she said. "I'm sorry, I couldn't see you. For a moment I thought you were ...some one else."

Panthro snorted.

The naja sighed in relief. "If you follow me, I can take you to your missing party. It will be far safer."

Cheetara suddenly tensed up. "Incoming!" she said.

"None of you are going any where, lady!" a sinister voice said from the shadows. A thief armed with two short swords came from the shadows. And then like a horde of locus, they came from every angle and were on top of the thundercats in a wild rush.


"Tell me what's happening at home." Kai said to the stranger.

"Things are getting worse." the cloaked figure said. "If it's possible."

"How?"

"The secret police are stepping up arrests. Accusing everyday citizens of being politicals. They even arrested Vonmark."

"The painter?" Kai asked. "What for?"

"The general doesn't like the color yellow, apparently. His painting of a sunset offended him. Executed the poor devil right outside his own gallery. If things keep on going the way they are I don't know how many more of us will be alive for the Brotherhood to liberate."

"My wife's got one of his paintings at home." Roj frowned. "That general is a nutcase."

Suddenly Kai perked up in his chair.

"Roj! Get down!" he yelled.

Without a second thought, the cat dove down to the ground, pushing himself against the wall. He saw the heard the sound of laser fire upon him, cutting through flesh and bone. The music stopped. Roj saw Kai squat down behind something heaped on the table above. The cat noticed the legs of the stranger were not moving, and blood began to trickle down the edge of the table. Kai fired with both of his blasters, only one giving its telltale scream before firing. There was another victim as someone else clashed to the floor. And then there was an ear splitting blast of what Roj could only assume was something far bigger than Kai's personal blasters. The smell of brunt flesh and hair filled the tavern, causing several patrons to curse or vomit.

"Get up, cat you're embarrassing me." Kai teased.

Roj sat up and saw the splattered remains of the lizard they had been talking to just moments ago. At the far exit to the tavern were the charred remains of someone that had been in the door frame. Several patrons were fighting over the now ownerless blaster. And standing at the bar was Winch the Warthog, holding the biggest laser gun Roj had ever seen.

"That's the Thunderkiller 250." Kai said. "It's for riot use. Winch has been wanting to try it for weeks. Guess he finally got his chance."

"Did you see who it was?" Roj whispered.

"A bounty hunter- one of Slythe's. For your's truly."

"What about him?" Roj said motioning to the dead lizard on the table.

"Eh, not much we can do now. Give something to Winch for the mess, and he'll see the poor devil has at least a proper burial."

Roj nodded as he made his way down stairs, he tossed the warthog a small bag of silver from his purse.

"If this keeps up, I'll be a pauper before long." Roj complained. Suddenly he felt a deep pain in his side. He looked and saw he was bleeding. Someone then fell right at his feet, still clutching a bloody dagger. Kai rushed to Roj's side, his silenced blaster still in hand.

"Looks like he got you in love handles. It's good you're fat cat." Kai said. "Back to the healers."

Roj groaned in pain and cursed.

"Mother's Whiskers!"


Panthro was really beginning to believe in bad luck. It seemed to find him all the time. How else could it be that here they were, battling a horde of thieves in a monsoon. He gritted his teeth.

The bandits were of many species, none animal. But the way the moved was alarmingly fast. Cheetara swung her staff wide and sent a group tumbling back. Panthro noticed the cybernetic implants in their legs. No wonder they're so blasted quick! He thought. The weather didn't even seem to slow them down! The cybertroll stood over the snake woman and swung his arms madly. One attacker threw a small yellow ball in Margus faces. It exploded in light, illuminating the muddy woods. The creature roared in agony, covering its eyes.

A flash grenade was made to blind temporarily and leave foes defenseless. How lowly bandits got their hands on one, Panthro didn't know. But it left the cybertroll blind, and his charge defenseless. Three thieves turned on her. She would be easy pickings.

Panthro had fought many battles, and taken many a life. But had never raised his paw against someone who could not fight back. He knew the battlefield was no place for a civilian, let alone a female one. And yet here was one. The battlefield blossomed around her, and she was about to be murdered from the look of things. Even the Wileys looked like they had more combat skills, but they were to busy fighting to reach her. Cheetara could not help her, Panthro noted. The last cleric was to busy battling five at once.

He had to do something, or she would be killed. It had to be him. That much was clear.

Panthro cursed his bad luck and sprung forward. He was action without doubt. He knew what he must do, though he told himself he couldn't believe he was doing it. He let one of the

thieves meet his nunchucks in the face. He grabbed a hold of the snake woman and hoisted her over his shoulder. He smelled her terror at this move. She struggled wildly.

"Be still!" Panthro snarled. "Or you'll get us both killed!"

He bounded back to the Thundertank and threw open the cockpit. He dumped her inside and slammed the lid.

"Stay down!" he commanded, and he turned his attention back to battle around him.

"What are you doing?" Wilykat yelled over the sound of combat.

"Keeping a civilian safe!" Panthro growled. He was fully aggravated. "The last damn place for one is on the battlefield! And watch out for your right side!"

Wilykat turned to see two bandits rushing him. He somersaulted over their heads and let loose a smoke bomb. They coughed and sputtered, slashing wildly. They ran into the great troll's right leg, and attacked it blindly. That was a mistake. Enraged at his own failure, Margus turned and seized his attackers. He threw them hard into the surrounding forest, like a ball. He knew they would not survive the fall.

Cheetara bent down and let her Bo staff speak for her. The group that had tried to overwhelm her went rolling back. She noticed the cybernetic implants and wished that Lion-o was here. Where lowly bandits got such upgrades, she wondered. They were more than just bandits, she thought. Perhaps sent by Slythe, or Mum-ra. She saw Wileykit send her disk flying and it shot back around like a boomerang, hitting one in the head. Cheetara smiled slightly. The kitten had proven to be the better warrior than her brother, and she was eager to learn from the cleric. It seemed she learned very well, Cheetra thought.

The bandits, those that were left made a break for the security of the woods. But Margus would not have it. He leapt upward and hit the ground. The shock from his landing echoed through the ground, and knocked the retreating enemy to their knees. He scooped them up, and threw them down. They did not move, their bodies broken, save one. That one began crawling away. Margus reached down, grabbed the bandit. He started to scream when the troll bit his head clean off.

Horror spread to the thunderkitten's faces. What was this thing? Was it a friend or an enemy? Inside the cockpit, Nagita, soaked and looking no where near as nice as she had earlier that day was slamming her thin fingers on the glass.

"Margus!" She commanded. "Margus! Stand down! Stand down!"

The troll looked at the dead corpse and swallowed. The lights on his implant changed from red to yellow. He looked at the naja like a guilty puppy, and dropped the body.

"Lady," Panthro said, furious. "I'm not going anywhere with that thing."

"You can't hold it against him." the snake woman argued through the glass. "He can only do what he's programmed to do, and that is protecting me."

"Yeah, he did a great job at that." Panthro said sarcastically.

"Get me out of here." she demanded.

"Where's Lion-o?" Panthro did that, folding his arms. "Is he with that traitor? What exactly is he up to, with our king?"

"That traitor is my husband." Nagita said defensively. "And my husband is an honorable cat."

"I'm sure."

"Much more honorable than the late king's emissary! Or that spoiled tiger prince for that matter!"

The shadow of Grune came into Panthro's mind. The Panther looked at this drenched, weak woman and remembered how she cowered when Panthro had first appeared. He remembered how Grune had been one of the few cats that matched him in size. The words of his once friend echoed in his mind from years ago.

"Oh it wasn't that bad. I had a good time."

"Let lady out!" Margus came in a threatening posture. The lights on his head implant began to flicker again.

"Margus!" Nagita hissed. "Stand down!"

"I'm not Grune," he said to himself and to her, as he opened the hatch.

This statement seemed to have some hidden meaning between the two of them, which the kittens did not understand. Cheetara frowned. Nagita nodded, and seemed deflated by the statement. Wilykat couldn't understand why.

"Thank you..." she said quietly."For saving me."

"Don't thank me." Panthro said. "I'm a thundercat. There was nothing else I could do."

She nodded.

"Let's go." Panthro said. "The thundertank's not going any where right now anyway."

Cheetra nodded.

"Tygra might need this." WileyKit said as she picked up Tygra's armor. Her brother picked up the tiger's bolo whip, and put the blaster in one of his pouches. The cybertroll picked up the snake's umbrella.

"Lady Nagita's umbrella damaged." the cybertroll said, looking at it.

"It's okay." she said.

"It delicate." he said, looking at the thing sadly. "No made for war. No made to be treated like this."

"It's okay, Margus." she repeated. "Let's go home. I'm sure Lion-o is waiting for them."

To be continued...