Souls unite 10.
Chancellor Meka looked at his king and scowled, "what about her," he nodded towards the lioness.
"what about her," Lion-O asked, "if you want her, the you go take her into custody yourself….and judging by the mood Lord Panthro is in," he cringed, "good luck with that," he said patting the elder lion on the shoulder.
"You just can't let her go free," Meka said flustered.
"Chancellor I can assure you that lioness isn't going anywhere…right Panthro," Lion-O winked.
"Right…She's staying right here with me," he nodded.
"He won't let her out of his sight," Lion-O nodded," so if I were you I would dismiss those guards before they end up as patients here".
"This is highly unorthodox," the chancellor fumed.
"I'm telling you..Panthro can be a very kind and caring man when he wants to be…but he's fiercely protective over two things his thundertank that he treats like if first born..The second..his wife, you going messing around with one of those two things, your going to meet the not so nice side of him…that side would rip you a part and kick your back side nine ways from Sunday without a second thought," Lion-O nodded.
"Fine but she escapes….it's your fault," Maka huffed.
"Please if I ever get that cantankerous in my old age..Just shoot me," the lion whispered to Myra, who couldn't help but giggle, "better yet, have Tara beat me over the head with her Bo staff".
"Duly note sir," Myra said slightly bowing trying to keep a straight face.
"Alright Lea…stay here and keep that panther of yours out of trouble..Even with a broken leg he's still able to do some damage," Lion-O smirked.
"Thank-you," Leanna nodded.
"oh," the lion said stopping just short of the door," and if he's good maybe you can give him a sponge bath," he grinned mischievously, "if not I'll send Benny in to do it," Lion-O chuckled and duck out of the way of the flying pillow that was thrown at him, he quickly bolted out the door behind the others.
Although everyone left the med bay Chancellor Make insisted that there be two thunder guards posted outside the med bay, "I would like to see all the files to this case," The chancellor asked.
Lion-O nodded and led the chancellor to his office and handed over all the reports and photos they had concerning the matter.
"Has Leanna undergone a psychiatric assessment yet," the Chancellor asked going through the reports.
"Now I think that's a bit much don't you," Lion-O asked cocking a brow.
"Just doing this by the books, she should be taken back to Thundera for a 72 hour evaluation," The chancellor nodded, "if proven mental stable, then it's a clear case of self defense…if not …she could go to prison for murder".
"I give you my word that she's mentally stable chancellor," Lion-O nodded.
"Sorry my king, but in this case your word isn't good enough," Meka said, "if you want to help her, then this will be the best way to do it..This could help decide her fate".
"Well I could speak to her about it," Lion-O nodded, "and explain it could help her".
"I think it would be best of she went voluntarily, other wise she will be forced to go," Maka nodded
"You can't force the woman to go," Lion-O said.
"Yes I can," Meka nodded, "as clan elder she has to do as I say, we as the strongest clan have a reputation to up hold".
"Is that all your concerned about is your reputation, were talking about a woman's life here," Lion-O said standing up from his desk, "one that's be plagued by that monster for months, he bought her and was going to sell her as a slave for Jaga sake…he had her locked in a cage and a thundrainum shock collar around her neck…there was evidence that he used it on her, she had bruised ribs from the abuse he put her through…….NO… I will not and I do repeat …will not be a part of you taking Leanna by force to Thundera".
"You just make sure she goes voluntarily," Meka nodded and stood, he reached into his pocket and lay a piece of paper on the lion's desk, "here's the form," he said and turned to leave.
Lion-O growled as the elder lion left his office. Lion-O slammed his fist down on the table and plopped back down in the chair, a quiet knock on his door made him take a deep breath, "come in".
"Here as requested sir," Myra said peaking her head in the door.
"Ah Myra," Lion-O smiled slightly, "Please come in and sit down".
"Look I'm sorry if I caused any trouble," the tigress said sitting down in the chair.
"Don't worry about it Myra..I didn't want to confine her in the first place, but now we have a bigger problem," he said sliding the paper over for the tigress to see.
"What!!!!...who's bloody brilliant idea was this," The tigress hissed.
"Chancellors Meka's," The lion nodded.
"That arrogant old windbag," Myra growled, "oh…Sorry sir," she blushed realizing she just insulted the lion clan elder.
"Nothing to apologize for my dear," Lion-O smirked.
"So what are you going to do," Myra asked.
"We…are going to call an emergency council meeting, go get Tygra and tell him what's going on, I'll go get Leanna," Lion-O nodded.
"Right," The tigress nodded," oh and again sorry for springing her"
"No worries, if you didn't …. I'm sure Tara would have," the lion winked, "now go get Tygra".
Myra smiled and bolted out the door.
After the tigress left the lion just shook his head, "saints preserve us, those women are thicker then thieves," he chuckled to himself.
Lion-O walked down to the med bay, the two guards outside the door bowed slightly as he passed, lion nodded and went inside, "well look at you," he smiled seeing the panther up out of bed.
"Yeah, Pumyra said it was good to get up and move around as long as I don't do too much," Panthro nodded standing with the help of a pair of crutches.
"You do too much…can't imagine that," the lion smirked.
"Now I'm not going down to the hanger to work, "Panthro snorted.
"I know your not," Lion-O said, "You're banned from there until you get better, if you go through withdrawal…I'll have someone come up and wave an oily rag under your nose…better yet ..Just dip lea in grease".
"Maybe you should be dipped in grease to calm that wild mane of yours down," the lioness retorted
"Hey now..Don't go picking on the hair," Lion-O scowled.
"Then don't pick on my husband," she smirked.
"Fair enough," The lion nodded.
"Are you two quite done now," Panthro asked cocking a brow.
"I was only trying to lighten the mood," Lion-O said.
"Uh oh….I know that look, what now," Panthro asked.
"Promise me…you won't destroy the med bay…or go on a rampage," Lion-O said.
"What has Meka done now," the panther growled through gritted teeth.
"I've called an emergency council meeting I was coming to get the two of you...I promise. All will be explained then," Lion-O nodded.
"You know why he won't tell me now. He figures I'll be nice and calm by the time we get to the council chambers," Panthro snorted.
"See…he knows you too well," Leanna smirked, "come on blue man...Let's go for a stroll".
By the time the three reached the council chamber the others were already gathered around, then all nodded as the panther made his way to his seat, he stood a moment trying to figure out how he could sit in the seat with his whole right leg in a cast. The lioness smiled and sat down and patted her lap, signaling for him to use her lap as a footstool. The panther nodded and eased himself down in the chair and propped his injured leg on his wife's lap. Lion-O walked over to his chair and sat.
"Alright….the reason for this emergency meeting is…Chancellor Meka wants Leanna to voluntarily go to Thundera and take a 72 hour psychiatric assessment," Lion-O said.
"He's the one who needs a psychiatric assessment," Panthro snorted.
"Panthro it could help her defense," Tygra nodded trying to be the voice of reason.
"You're not agreeing with that idiot," Panthro asked glaring at the tiger.
"What could it hurt," Tygra shrugged, "I mean between being kidnapped by that man and almost killing you….it could cause a person to act differently then they normally would".
"You saying my wife is nuts," Panthro growled.
"No, no," Tygra said, "will you for once just put your personal feeling aside and listen to reason for just a moment".
"Panthro do you want to help Leanna," Lion-O asked.
"Yes," the panther nodded.
"And you would do anything to help her right," The tiger asked.
"Well yes of course I would," Panthro nodded then turned to his wife, "Lea," he questioned.
"It's only for 3 days," She shrugged, "And if it will help," she said nervously tugging at her long hair.
"And if she don't want to go," The panther asked.
"Then the thunder guards will escort her there against her will," Lion-O sighed.
"So either way she doesn't have a choice," Panthro growled.
"cooperation is the best course of action," Tygra nodded, "and I volunteer to be her council….I'll make sure everything is being done that should be done to protect her legal rights".
"But that don't mean I have to like it," the panther scowled.
"No.. none of us do…..but we are a team and we work as a team," Lion-O nodded.
"I need to do something before I go," the lioness nodded.
"What," Panthro asked.
"I need for someone to take me down to see him….there's something I have to do," she said.
"Lea," Panthro said taking her hand, "you don't have too do that".
"Yes …I do," she nodded.
"alright," the panther nodded," you want me to go with you".
"No…you go back to the med bay and rest and I'll be up shortly, "she smiled slightly.
"I'll go with her," Lion-O offered.
The lioness gingerly removed the panther's injured leg from her lap and followed the lion down to the lower levels. "Are you sure about this," he asked standing in front of the temporary morgue.
"Open it, "she nodded.
The lion nodded and opened the door, the smell of death hung heavy in the air, the lioness never smelled anything like it before, it was hard to describe, but it would be one she would never forget either, she flicked on the light switch and blinked as the over head lights flickered on, the bright lights made the room all that more gloomy. As she walked further in she saw the stretcher that held the body of Schwenk sitting in the center of the room. She slowly and quietly walked over and slowly grasped the top of the sheet and pulled it down revealing his face. She folded the sheet just below his chin and looked at him.
"I know this probably don't mean much to you but….I wanted to say how sorry I am this happened," she said quietly hanging her head, "that wasn't me…I'm not a killer".
"I truly didn't want you to die," she said touching a lock of his raven black hair.
"My only hope is that your soul finds peace now," she said as tears steamed down her face.
"Lea," Lion-O said quietly putting his hand on her shoulder, "are you ok".
The lioness just nodded and put the sheet back up over the humans face, "Lea," Lion-o questioned, she just looked at him and burst into tears, Lion-O wrapped his arms around her and held her as she wept, "it's ok," he said softly, "everything's going to be ok". The lioness just buried her face into the lion's broad chest and sobbed harder.
The panther didn't go back to the med bay, instead he went to his bed chamber, setting one of the crutches on the bed, he hobbled over and opened his closet and took down two bags from the shelf, if Leanna was leaving for a few days then he was going with her, the memory of her last trip to Thundera still lay fresh in his mind, he still had dreams of the feliner slamming into hook mountain, on those nights he would wake up startled because they seemed still so real, he would look over to make sure Leanna was still by his side and he would hug her just a little bit tighter thankful it was just another dream. He tossed the two bags on the bed and started pulling things out of the dresser, by the time the lioness would get back; they would be already to go.