Chapter X

This was all her fault. What could she have done differently? She couldn't change it now. This was very probably and definitely her fault. How could Tygra betray them? Was it really just because of her?

Cheetara stole stealthily into the heart of the camp. She had to clear her head; she had a purpose to fulfill here. But ever since they found Tygra and the gauntlet missing that morning she couldn't leave it alone.

There was no way Tygra could be so selfish or mindless that with a few words from her he would turn his back on both his brother and their kind to serve their enemy. There had to be more to it than that to cause such a drastic change. But then she couldn't think of anything else that might have prompted him towards such evil.

Cheetara grit her teeth and considered the conversation they had that night. Each time she wanted to dismiss it; mostly it just made her angry. Tygra however must have had a different view of their interaction altogether. When Jaga had spoken to her and she managed to lead them out of the holy temple ruins, she had faith in his voice and his instruction had saved them. But she had also been confused and unable to talk candidly at the time about what she had heard and felt then.

When Tygra had so openly believed her it had made her truly happy. Tygra and her had always gotten along so well, short of lovers she had certainly considered them to be good friends up until then; although she would be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to him. But she had meant what she said.

Neither she nor Tygra had room for a budding romance at this time. Least of all after Mumm-Rah had stolen the sword and book. This was the time to plan and take action and form a plan to outdo their enemies, anything more than comrades at this point would potentially complicate things horribly.

As much as Cheetara blamed herself for Tygra's actions, part of it had to rest with him. He was the one who made that damning choice to join their enemies. He had been the one to try and corrupt their… friendship. Was that really what it had been? Had she given indication that she wanted something else from him?

Cheetara frowned as she considered the answer. Probably. She'd never been very good at hiding her feelings, even though she thought she had mastered it to some degree; she could keep a level head when needed after all.

To her it made sense. They couldn't have a relationship now; there was too much going on, too much at stake. That was the only reason. So why would be bring up Lion-o? Cheetara paused in her steps and darted behind a wall of boxed supplies as a unit of lizards trooped past toward the barracks.

Why Lion-o? She didn't think he had anything to do with her decision, but Tygra thought he did. Why? What did she really think of Lion-o? Well, they had been about to be engaged before the attack. But that whole plan had run into the ground in light of their current status as a homeless and potentially endangered species.

Sure, she liked Lion-o. He was their leader and he had grown so much to the state of leadership he now held so adeptly. He had come a long way from the youth she had followed to the black market where he was buying 'lost technology.' She couldn't say she hadn't noticed his growing capability, or that it was an attractive quality in him.

Cheetara sighed. Fine, she probably had a bit of a thing for both of them, but even she acknowledged that nothing should come of it. Even if Lion-o were interested in her she would have had to reject him too. This wasn't the time or place for it; they were trying to save their kind, and they had to stop Mumm-Rah first. Romance and all that frivolity would have to wait. It would also give her time to figure out if she really wanted to start something… with either of them.

Everything was still confusing in that regard, and she didn't have the energy or will to sort it out when there was still so much to do. Firstly, she was on a mission, and she would do her part to defeat Mumm-Rah, to steal back the book, sword, and gauntlet, and to reclaim the former glory of the Thundercats.

Cheetara had located all the main enemy reserves by now and she had charted the quickest and least visible path that she could take for the diversion tactic. So she ran and she lit a stream of fire in her wake. Behind her the storehouse of food supplies began to burn, the storage for extra utilities, blankets, uniforms, and tent supplies went up in flame, and the medical facility was set to fire as well.

It didn't take that long, Cheetara was sure to set the fires for the most surface area. Even as the soldiers congregated to bring water to staunch the flames they consumed more and burned brighter. Even through the rain the fires would not be put out. Cries went up among the units and panic and chaotic movement started.

But Cheetara had another step, or else the chain of command would regain control. The first booming voice was her initial target. A tall slinky lizard with a hanging jowl began barking orders and gained command of one of the passing troops to begin reclaiming supplies from the un-burnt parts of the tents as soon as possible before the whole thing was gone.

Cheetara got to him first; a solid blow to the back of the skull and the lizard slumped to the ground. She was fast enough to get away, but now there was a new level of panic as she tore through the camp – some of the units had noticed her and were attempting to give chase. She could outrun them easily enough; the hard part would be the duration of how long she had to keep this up. If Lion-o and the kits completed their parts sooner rather than later, then the toll on her stamina would not be too troublesome.

She'd already told them she couldn't keep this kind of speed up for more than a couple of hours; they didn't suspect that their tactic would last that long. The unspoken words were that they would either succeed in that time, and if they didn't it would likely be because they had died.

Cheetara hadn't thought she would be the first one to encounter a high level of danger. With her speed she should have been able to outrun anything. This time she ran straight into something. It had come out of nowhere and when she plowed into it, the blow knocked the wind out of her and she fell back to the mud, legs slightly burning with the stress of movement and chest heaving as she coughed trying to regain her breath.

She didn't have time for that much, because the weapon was raised again, and swinging down at her legs. Cheetara shot away to the other end of the clearing between the burning tents. On the opposite end, her attacker, a tall broad lizard with a scar across his eyes turned his flat head to stare dark beady eyes at her. He gave her a toothy grin and raised his weapon, a sledge-hammer she realized, to sit over his shoulder.

"You're fast." The lizard chuckled at her. Cheetara felt blood dripping from her thigh again, it was the old wound but the force of the glancing blow and her own need to push her muscles to their limit had caused it to reopen. The lizard noticed this and grinned all-the more, "Not 'that' fast, though."

Cheetara took a moment to breath and reassess her situation. The tents were burning brightly and after taking out the primary leader it seemed like the other unit leaders were just barely getting their troops together in any organized faction, but it was too late to save the supplies. The camp would be severely crippled in that regard, no matter what else happened now.

The lizard lunged for her swinging outward with the hammer. Cheetara had to leap upwards to avoid the side-ways swing. But then he changed direction and Cheetara hissed angrily, curling herself up tightly for the blow. The hammer swung upward and struck Cheetara slamming her over the lizard's head to the ground again.

The mud ran in her hair and over her limbs, but her biggest worry in that regard was whether the wound in her leg would end up infected after this. She shook herself and rose quickly for the next attack. The lizard had turned and charged again, making another wide sweep with the hammer. This time Cheetara ducked beneath and slipped around behind him as he stumbled forward.

Once she was behind him she turned quickly to attack, she concentrated her mana down the length of her staff for a direct hit. But the lizard had also already begun to turn. His initial sweeping blow now making a circle a full 360 degrees, before Cheetara could actually fire her attack the hammer connected with her staff.

The wood splintered and shattered as the steel edge of the sledge-hammer tore through it. Cheetara felt the jolt from her mana as it was unable to discharge as an attack. She stumbled backward as the lizard fully turned and launched himself at her again.

She didn't have time for this. In the rain and the mud and flames burning all around, all she could smell was smoke, and all she felt was blinding fury. The hammer came at her, again she ducked beneath. This time she didn't go around the lizard. This time she went for his throat.

Her staff was shattered but her claws and fangs took up the job of tearing into her attacker. The lizard had dropped his hammer there for his claws to slash into her back and tear at her hair as he screamed a gargled scream. Blood flowed into her mouth and shit bit down harder, one hand digging claws deep into his shoulder for purchase, the other wildly slashing at his limbs, his face, and wherever else she could reach.

Eventually his screaming stopped and the lizard fell to the ground. When he stopped moving Cheetara released her jaws and drew back, the blood still hot on her mouth and where it had dribbled down her neck. The lizard was still breathing, likely just barely capable of speech, he didn't move, his dark beady eyes darting around and fixed on her in fear. It was uncivilized to fight in such a way, she knew that, but she had no choice; and it was one of the reasons the Thundercats had always been so feared. The other species were strong with their own fangs and claws and talons, but only the Thundercats had the speed, cunning, and guile to use it to such an extent on their enemies.

"Don't… don't kill me," the lizard gargled in a low and mangled voice after a moment of locking eyes with the victorious cat woman. She narrowed her eyes. Not all lizards were evil, even some in Mumm-Rah's camp were likely not as evil as the one they served. But she'd seen this one's eyes. He was vicious and cruel, he had enjoyed tossing her around, and his fighting style spoke that he had a tendency to toy with his victims breaking them down bone by bone.

"I will spare you," Cheetara decided aloud as she reached out with her mana, the usual energy field just above her skin that she started to expand and reach out, seizing onto the small and stagnate energy of the lizard before her. She felt him tense, he didn't know what she was doing, but he felt it all the same. She was going to try to bind his destiny. "What is your name?"

"Sauro." He choked out, "Special unit lead by Komi under Captain Slithe."

"I will spare you, Sauro," Cheetara spoke and her words were punctuated by a draw and flow of mana as she marked the imperative into Sauro's energy, his essence and being, "And you will one day return the favor. Do you swear it?"

The lizard stared at her, eyes dark and small but wide and terrified. He could feel the binding, he knew she was doing something to him, but he had no idea what it was; this wasn't a cat, this was a witch!

"Do you swear it?" Cheetara demanded, snarling.

"I swear it." Sauro agreed helplessly, and the mana left its mark. The thread and imprint left burned onto the energy she had so marked. Cheetara then withdrew her energy and took off to stand and survey the damage and whether any others had laid witness to their fight. They were still alone in the rain and mud.

Cheetara listened for the others. Lion-o and the kits were in battle. When had they met up? She had to go to them. So she left the lizard on the ground and despite the reopened wound in her leg sped off to help her comrades.

OoooooooooooooooO

The kits hadn't made it to the tent as fast as they should have. This really wasn't their fault since it had only happened because the diversionary tactics worked a little too well. One moment most of the pathways behind and between the tents were clear and the next the tents were burning and lizards were swarming everywhere, panicked, or carrying water buckets, or trying to locate their unit leader as a group. The buckets of water didn't seem to help much; the rain certainly didn't seem to be putting out the fires.

The two of them had ducked behind another cart of weapons for the umpteenth time when WilyKit ground her teeth together and decided enough was enough. "I've had it with this!" she said shaking her head as instead of going around the tent this time, she opted to lift the bottom flap and go inside to move 'through' it instead.

WilyKat croaked when he tried to call after her and instead followed with an angry look. Inside the tent, the above and side were already on fire. Kit was already to the other end ducking under the flap to check to see if anyone would see them coming out there.

Kat caught up to her and put his hand on her shoulder to draw her attention. Scowling, he pointed to the fire behind them and then promptly threw his hands up and swayed his head with his tongue hanging out to make a display of someone dying. Kit was not amused.

"No, we won't burn to death, we just have to move through quickly." She told him checking under the flap again, "Okay, coast is clear. Follow me."

Kit darted out first across to the next flaming tent and under the bottom disappearing from sight. Kat still felt this was a bad idea but followed her; since what else could he do? It was difficult to articulate a plausible argument while his throat was still so damaged.

However after this perhaps Kit would listen to his suggestion about not using the burning tents. Seeing as they were both now face to face with a three man troupe of lizards, who looked to be trying to salvage some of the supplies, Kit would probably want to be more careful where they were going.

For a very short moment the kits and the lizards just stared at each other, just as shocked at the presence of the other. Then, "They're the ones who set the tents on fire!" One of the lizards deduced. There was the minor fact that they really hadn't set the fires, but it was one of their teammates so it probably counted. "Get them!"

Kit and Kat shared a quick looked before darting away from each other along the sides of the tents. The lizards moved toward them together but realizing that they had split up quickly divided themselves as well; two went after Kit and the other after Kat.

Kat led his attacker toward the supply chests where the fire was starting to catch the wood. The lizard followed and when they were behind the pile Kat turned and struck his foot heavily against the lower boxes. The pile shook and the lizard paused suddenly sensing the cat's plan. But it was too late. Kat shoved the pile again and the burning boxes came tumbling down. The lizard cried out but the sound was quickly cut off and he was obscured from sight.

WilyKat had to leap over the fallen pile in the other direction and shielded his face from the flames. He pinched his nose to block the stench of the smoke, and tried to keep as low as possible to avoid inhaling too much of it. When they got out of this, they would use the outer paths that weren't on fire and where they could see any approaching lizards!

He heard a triumphant yell as Kit had apparently taken down her attackers as well. Another pile of boxes shifted, burning and sending more ash into the air. Kat began to move toward her over the pile still between them but fell. One of the boxes was more precarious than the others and wouldn't support his weight. He slipped and fell, he'd have cried out but a hissing gasp was all his throat produced.

When he fell through, the other boxes caved in on top of him. Once the boxes stopped shifting he tried to pull himself out. He only got so far before realizing that his torso was still trapped and he couldn't move the heavy supply crates still trapping him, not by himself. He heard the tent flap open on the other side of the burning tower, he couldn't smell her because of the smoke, and she couldn't smell him.

The flap closed and he heard her voice calling him outside the tent. He tried to call out to her but his voice croaked uselessly. He wasn't loud enough. "Kat?" she hissed, calling him again, but moving further from the tent.

Kat shoved his body and limbs against the boxes trapping him, but they wouldn't budge. "…Kit…!" he tried whispering the sound this time. He tried again, "…Kit!" the words were stronger this time but his throat felt like sandpaper was running all along the inside. "Kit!" it was loud. Had she heard him?

"Kat?"

"Kit!" it was softer this time, his throat felt like it was being cut by knives, and the fire was getting closer as the crates burned. He tried calling her again but his throat was giving out, he couldn't do more than whisper. His throat burned and soon the rest of him would literally be on fire too. He threw his weight against the boxes again, only this time it moved. Another set of hands was helping him.

WilyKit shoved her weight behind the crate as well as she and WilyKat struggled to free him as the flames raced closer to them. The box turned and WilyKat darted out from the opening before they both let the box fall and they darted back to the outer side of the tent. "I really –pant– hope your throat –pant– heals soon, Kat," Kit said between gasps as they both breathed in clean mostly-smoke-free air. The smell of burning was still there, but the rain helped and the air tasted much cleaner than in the suffocation of the tent in any case.

WilyKat turned to glare at her a bit; at least she had the humility to look sheepish. "I told you we wouldn't burn," she reminded him. But it was an unspoken agreement now that they stuck to following the pathways, avoiding the lizards, as they moved as quickly as they could toward the main central tent; Mumm-Rah's battle tent.

They silently stole inside under the tent flap and examined the area. Checking the table, the bed and under it, the chest, and the weapons rack in the corner. "It's not here." Kit declared confused, they were a bit late but Lion-o should already be here too. "But if not here, where would they put the book and gauntlet?"

The clashing sound of metal on metal drew the kits attention to outside the tent. They shared a brief glance before darting for the far edge and peeking out to see what the commotion was. The two gaped as they witnessed it. Tygra was attacking Lion-o. They knew that he had supposedly betrayed him, but it was so different to see his face so angry but deadly calm. It was surreal to see them fighting each other, so cutthroat, and Mumm-Rah stood nearby chuckling, a delighted smile on his skeletal face. The hulking shadow of Mumm-Rah's black and silver mech seemed to watch the scene like a vicious gargoyle, kneeling with the pilot seat left open like a great gaping laughing mouth or a striking lurid grin.

"There!" Kit drew their attention back to their task as she pointed to where the gauntlet and the book had scattered into one of the many the muddy pools created by the rain. The two glanced back at the fighters and Mumm-Rah, they hadn't noticed them yet; they were completely distracted.

Quick as a bolt of lightning, the two cats lunged out from the tent toward the fallen treasures. Kat retrieved the gauntlet and Kit grabbed the book as they continued quickly to run off further to the sidelines

Lion-o had successfully attacked Tygra; and in another moment Tygra had drawn the Sword of Omens from Mumm-Rah's sheath. The kits collectively gasped as Lion-o's sword shattered under the impact with the legendary sword. Lion-o fell and Tygra raised the sword again to strike.

The thought crossed both their minds: they had to do something! But disbelief and fear had frozen them completely.

OoooooooooooooooO

Tygra held the Sword of Omens above his half-brother and saw his face, eyes wide looking up at him. This was it. This was the moment. This was what they had planned for.

He glanced over the scene, and spotted the two kits holding the fallen gauntlet and Book of Omens, and smiled. This was what everything had come up to. He was ready, and he would take back everything.

Tygra swung the sword down, and it curved at an arc. The blade turned and Tygra pivoted toward Mumm-Rah. Soulless eyes widened in shock and rage as the shining blade turned and slashed toward him instead of his hated enemy.

Mumm-Rah leapt back, his thin and wiry frame avoiding the brunt of the blow though his ragged crimson cloak was left more tattered than before. "You betray me?" Mumm-Rah demanded with a snarl, and he darted toward his mech. But Tygra got their first.

"It's called a double-cross, Mumm-Rah," Lion-o told him as he stood, still gripping the shaft of the shattered sword. "Legend says, you aren't unfamiliar with that particular tactic."

"Oh yes," Mumm-Rah laughed to himself, as though sharing an inside joke with them, "This has happened before, hasn't it. I should have known better than to trust a cat."

Tygra grabbed the top of the pilot door and swung inside the open machine. He slid into the seat and slipped his arms and legs into their respective slots. Mumm-Rah cackled, "That weapon will not recognize you! There's a special imprint it must recognize before you can pilot Plun-Darr!"

Tygra scowled and was about to make some scathing reply when steel clamped down on his bleeding wrist. He cried out as he felt a patch of tiny metal rods suddenly dig and slid into the skin. It felt like it was drinking the blood. "Tygra!" Lion-o rushed toward him, trying to help. Mumm-Rah let loose a high ear-splitting laugh.

"See? Only I can pilot Plun-Darr!"

As he made this declaration, the rods in Tygra's wrist withdrew and light and life surged through the colossal machine. The pilot hatch slid shut and the machine tested its hands rising to its feet. The head and camera of the machine turned to Mumm-Rah below and raised its arm cannon to attack.

"No…" Mumm-Rah looked completely lost. "It can't be, you'd have to be related to… there's no way! Claudus only had one son!"

"Two." Lion-o corrected.

"Lion-o is my half-brother," Tygra's voice boomed from the machine, "I am the son of Claudus, and the blood of Leo the I does run in my veins, and today, I avenge him."

The cannon charged, and Lion-o leapt away as the machine prepared to unleash its deadly attack. Mumm-Rah didn't move. He didn't even look concerned, but vaguely bemused and perhaps disappointed.

"I see." He said, looking at Tygra and the mech with distaste. "But today is not the day you avenge your father. Now is not the time when you can kill me." The cannon discharged and Mumm-Rah vanished.

A puff of black smoke and a raven swarm flew out in all directions. Mumm-Rah was gone. He had escaped.

"No!" Tygra bellowed, the cannon was too late and the weapon discharged a sonic booming edge of energy and light into the ground where their enemy once stood.

They had won the battle. But it could not yet end here. Mumm-Rah had escaped. The kits and Lion-o came out from the cover they took from the mech's cannon blast. In a moment Cheetara had joined them as well. Lion-o was shocked to see her mouth and hands stained with blood, but her staff was missing; he could guess what had happened. The kits had been covered in soot and smelled strongly of smoke, but the camp was on fire all around them, and he could guess what had kept them as well.

Nearby one of the tents that had caught fire suddenly exploded with a loud and fearsome roar, the thundercats were nearly knocked from their feet so great was the force of the blast. Plun-Darr was shifted as well, despite the relative might of the mech. "We need to get out of here," Lion-o decided, shifting into action.

"There aren't many paths left open, the fire spread more rapidly than I anticipated." Cheetara told them.

"We had trouble getting through too," Kit confirmed, "Although most of the lizards shouldn't be a problem at this point."

"This can get us out," Tygra's voice boomed from the silver and black machine and Plun-Darr reached out a colossal hand, palm upward, resting it on the ground before the others. "Get on, it'll be easier to use the mech."

The four cats clambered into the hand and Plun-Darr lifted them, holding them close to the center, using the other hand as a shield as the mighty legs began to move and in a few long loping strides the machine was clear of the burning camp.

Cheetara felt sick as she clung to the dark metal. It was bad enough that this machine held all their lives in it's literal grasp, but Tygra was on their side again? It looked like the kits had retrieved the book and gauntlet, but where was the sword? What had happened to Mumm-Rah?

"Cheetara," Lion-o's voice cut into her thoughts, "You're not hurt are you?"

She considered his question, somewhat confused and looked at the wound in her leg. It had stopped bleeding by now. Lion-o gestured to his face, looking at her, and she smiled. "No, it's not mine. The old wound in my leg reopened for a bit, but it's fine now."

"How about you guys?" Lion-o turned to the kits, "Looks like you both made it out okay."

"We did. We're awesome." Kit told him with a grin, still holding the book, her tail swishing in post-adrenaline excitement.

"I think my voice might be coming back, too." Kat said, his voice was soft and scratchy, he still couldn't be very loud, and it hurt a bit to talk, but he could do it. It was definitely healing.

They were a good distance away from the burned camp before they stopped at a forest clearing near a river and Plun-Darr let the others down. The center hatch opened. Tygra stepped out, and the kits grinned.

"I knew it! You wouldn't betray your brother!" Kit declared happily.

"Of course not," Tygra grinned back and hopped out of the pilot seat, still holding the Sword of Omens, to sling an arm casually over Lion-o's shoulders, "I love my little brother!"

"We knew it." Kat confirmed, as though they hadn't even been the slightest bit worried about it from the start.

"You two planned all that?" Cheetara asked, unsure how she felt about that. It was a big gamble, offering Mumm-Rah the gauntlet to earn his trust only to steal back everything. So many things could have gone wrong. In a way a lot of things did go wrong, even if the end result turned out well.

"Of course!" Tygra said easily. Lion-o at least had the decency to consider her question with some understanding.

"I'm sorry we didn't include the rest of you in the plan," Lion-o said, "But we knew it would be a bad idea if something went wrong. The less people who knew, the more believable the lie."

"Makes sense to me!" Kit declared, apparently willing to dismiss it, and she and Kat turned to go clean off the soot and mud in the nearby river.

Cheetara wasn't sure she could accept that so easily. Mostly because it felt like something she had been telling herself all along. They didn't trust her. She didn't need to be included when they made plans and important decisions. Despite any tensions between them in other areas, they were comrades in this war at the least, weren't they? She hated it.

Lion-o could probably tell. He met her eyes evenly and didn't look away. He didn't look sorry, but he did seem to empathize with her. Cheetara reached out, her mana tentatively brushing against Lion-o's trying to determine his thoughts. Lion-o wanted her to understand that this was necessary. His sincerity made her want to believe him. She withdrew and turned to Tygra.

He was still all cocky smirk and bright eyes. He grinned at her, and for once she didn't feel like returning the gesture. She had stressed over it so much – she thought that she had been the reason and…!

Cheetara turned and walked away to the river. She had to clean the blood off. Whatever she and Tygra had to say to each other could wait. For another time and another place. Now was not a good time. She had made her decision. She wasn't going to do anything now. If she was, that would have to wait. This was her conviction; she would make no decision and she wouldn't complicate things any further between any of them if she could avoid it. First, they had to win this war.

"So, can I have that back now?"

Tygra turned his grin to his brother, "What's the magic word?"

"Please, Tygra?"

For a second Lion-o thought he might not hand it over. But with a toss and flourish Tygra threw the sword, caught the blade, and offered it hilt-first to his brother with a small almost mock-bow. Lion-o could see the wound on Tygra's wrist, it was closing up by now, and the bleeding had stopped.

"Sorry I cut you."

Tygra shrugged, "Don't be. It's the only time you've ever been able to land a blow on me in a fight." He reminded him, "That makes it an accomplishment. You've really grown a lot, little brother."

"Thanks," Lion-o smiled, and shifted his grip on the handle, glad to have the Sword of Omens back in his hands again, "You know, for a minute, back there, I thought you really did betray me."

Tygra smirked, "For a minute there, I did."

The two of them grinned and laughed awkwardly at each other. "You're kidding," Lion-o surmised, "right?" But Tygra was already walking away to join the rest of them on the riverbank. "Tygra?"

Lion-o ran after him and Tygra just grinned looking back at Plun-Darr, despite the negative memories associated with it and the fall of the capital city, controlling that weapon had been exhilarating. He liked that shiny new toy. He was going to keep it; no matter what Lion-o said about it.

Once Cheetara and the kits had washed away the blood, mud, and soot, Lion-o and Tygra joined in briefly to wash off the mud and grime from themselves as well. Cheetara looked back and regarded the Plun-Darr mech with loathing. It hadn't bothered her nearly as much when Tygra had kept the gun. But surely they would have the good sense to leave that machine here. It could rot for all she cared. It made her sick just looking at it.

Lion-o put the gauntlet back over his arm and sheathed the sword. Once everything was in it's place Kit handed him the book.

"Time to find out Mumm-Rah's weaknesses," Lion-o said undoing the clasp to open the tome. "And how to win this war."

He took a calming breath and he opened the book. They all stayed silent for a moment. Lion-o had a look of consternation on his face, and he turned the page, then another and another. It was too fast for him to actually be reading.

"So what does it say?" Tygra finally asked, his patience running out before the others. Lion-o looked up and his mouth formed a thin line.

"Well… don't freak out." Lion-o said and looked back at the book before looking back at the group of them, "But uh… I can't read it."

"What?" Cheetara snatched the book first, "It's not blank is it?"

"Is it?" the kits asked as Cheetara saw the pages and blanched as well. She turned the pages too, but too fast to read it. Eventually she scowled and shut the book before opening it again. Nothing. She held it in one hand and channeled her mana into her hand, which she placed over the pages. That didn't seem to do anything either.

"No, it's not blank." She frowned, and turned to book out from herself to face the rest of the group. "But I have no idea what it says."

The kits and Tygra stared at the pages. Ink was everywhere, complex-looking diagrams and writing filled every part of the pages, but it was completely unintelligible.

"I can't read it, it's not legible." Kit complained, Kat frowning beside her. Tygra took the book from Cheetara and squinted at the pages.

"No, it's… legible…" Tygra said.

"Can you read it?" Lion-o asked shocked.

"No." Tygra admitted, "It looks like a language though, the only problem is…"

"… It's not one we know." Cheetara finished for him.

The five of them looked between each other and then at the book again. Well, they had all three treasures, and the book should be able to tell them all they needed to know. Of course the only problem would be that it's in a language they didn't know.

And from the mouths of babes, Kit spoke, "So… what do we do now?"

AoooooooooooooooN

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