A Cub's Trials 11
The next day, Ocellon did begin learning how to fight. Panthro had gotten the boomerang that had been in his suspension capsule and given it to the child. It had been his father's after all, it seemed the natural weapon for the cub to use. He spent the whole day teaching the child how to use it, and telling him about weapon safety, and when he should, and should not use it. He told the child that he should carry it with him all the time to get used to it. Needless to say, after a full day of throwing the boomerang, and learning some hand-to-hand fighting, the cub was exhausted. Though he would receive a little bit of training every day, he would only go through a full day once a week.
After dinner, Tygra took the child aside gently and explained to him that it was time he moved in with the Thunderkittens. Ocellon protested wildly at that, but Tygra shook his head.
"But I don't want to!" he said, beginning to cry a little bit. Holding the boy on his lap, the tiger told him gently but firmly that a ThunderCat must learn to face the dark.
Ocellon sniffed and bit his lip, and hung onto his guardian. "Then I don't want to be a ThunderCat!"
Tygra considered telling him that he did want to be, that he shouldn't say that, that he was a big boy, and he could do it. But he didn't. He supposed now he would see for sure how sure the cub was in his desire to be a ThunderCat, and see if he had it in him to make the right choice. "That is your choice, little one," he said gently, stroking the boy's mane. "You must decide. There are things you will have to face if you are to become a ThunderCat. And if you want to go on with it, you will have to be ready to face them."
Ocellon bit harder on his lip and thought for a long time. Tygra almost thought that he might have fallen asleep, but the boy finally nodded. "Okay," he said sounding a bit subdued. "But...could you stay with me a little bit?"
Tygra beamed proudly at his ward and gave him a squeeze. "That I can do. I can come in and tell you stories before bed."
Ocellon nodded.
The tiger took the cub by his shoulders and looked him right in the eye. "You will make a fine ThunderCat." Smiling through the tears at the compliment, Ocellon nodded again. "All right, let's get the bed set up. The twins have a big room, you should be fine in there."
With the help of Wilykit and Wilykat, Tygra and Ocellon dragged a smaller bed out of storage, one that they sometimes used for small visitors, such as Bolkins or Wollows, when they had no others to use. But it was just the right size for Ocellon, even somewhat big. They did a good deal of adjusting to the room to accommodate the new addition, and when they were done, it almost looked as though the large room was divided in three: Wilykit and Wilykat each with their own section, and Ocellon with his, and the few belongings from the capsule as well as the items he had gotten since he got there. A rack was set up for his clothes, and a small dresser dragged out of storage and set up.
Despite his unwillingness to leave Tygra, Ocellon was pleased with his little area. It was something all his own.
"All right, kids," Tygra said. "Twins, get into your pajamas. You've brushed your teeth and everything?"
They nodded.
"All right. Time for a story, then." He picked up the book he had brought into the room, one that had Thunderian legends and the like in it, salvaged from the flagship. As soon as all three cubs were settled in, he began the tale. Ocellon, who was exhausted from the tiring day, fell asleep before half of it was over, the twins soon followed. Tygra chuckled and left the room.
Ocellon woke up only once during the night., His nightmares had chosen a bad night to strike, and the cub awakened with a terrified scream. This one had been worse than the others, perhaps induced by the unfamiliar nighttime surroundings.
Both Wilykit and Wilykat were on their feet instantly, looking around for trouble before they realized what was wrong. "Ocellon..." Wilykat began, when the cub jumped out of bed and ran out of the room.
Wilykat started after him, but his sister held him back. "Let him deal with this," she said to him, and he nodded.
Ocellon ran to Tygra's room, busting in on Cheetara before finding his guardian, who looked after him, a little startled and concerned.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, little one," Tygra said softly, as the boy jumped on the bed and clung to him. The groggy tiger was suddenly wide awake as he picked the child up and held him. "It's all right, Sroya, you're safe. What happened?"
Ocellon was sobbing too hard at first to answer. But when he was calm enough to choke out his reply, he told Tygra of the nightmare he had had. He was back at Plundaar, and S-S-Slithe was not happy with him running away.
Tygra soothed the child for only a few moments, until he calmed down a little, then he led him back to his new bed. The boy whined that he didn't want to sleep here anymore, but didn't put up more than token resistance as Tygra walked him to the bed. Now that he was over the nightmare, Ocellon frowned, sniffed a little, and said, "Growing up sucks."
Tygra smiled. "Maybe so, Sroya...but I think you're doing fine at it." He ruffled Ocellon's mane and left him once more. He slept through the night, having vanquished the demons for now.
The next day, Ocellon went exploring with the twins, this time finally checking out a few new areas. He trained with Panthro in the afternoon, and thus went the schedule. Lion-O and Tygra taught the child more of the Code of Thundera, Cheetara helped him with his instincts and feelings, as well as his running. Ocellon never did manage to be able to run fast on all two feet, but when he dropped to all fours, there were few that could catch him.
Lynx-O taught him some fighting and how to be aware of his surroundings. He trained a full day once a week, in the afternoons the rest of the week, and he slept in the twins' room, as Tygra told him he must. He woke with nightmares less and less as the months went on, and all the ThunderCats could see the child progressing; maturing a bit, not being so afraid of things. He started going with the ThunderCats when they went on a mission, whether it was gathering Thundrillium or fending off the Lunattacks. The cub helped once in battle with Mumm-Ra...and did not run. They even had a bout with Safari Joe, who had ditched his mechanical "babysitter". Ocellon was completely intriqued by this strange human who hunted other people; he was interesting. Not nice, either, but still very interesting. But they sent him packing.
Still he could not bring himself to go with them when they engaged the Mutants. He couldn't. He tried, and usually ran, or flew his scooter board back to the Lair. he was so embarrassed when he lost his courage like that, though the others reassured him, and did not chastise him for it. The poor kid just could not face them.
After once such incident, Tygra found the cub crying in his room. The twins were elsewhere. "What's the matter, Sroya?" he asked, though he knew full well. He wanted the cub to talk about it. Ocellon only shook his head. Tygra sat down on his bed, beside which his ward was kneeling with his face in the mattress. "Come here, Sroya," he said gently, and held his arms out. Ocellon stood and climbed into his lap and buried his face in Tygra's uniform.
"All right, little one, let's talk a little, okay?" After a couple of minutes of smoothing his mane, he took the cub gently by the shoulders and pulled him away so he could look at him. "It's okay, Sroya, you know you can talk to me. Dry your eyes, little one." He smiled as he handed him a handkerchief and he did just that. "Let's talk."
Ocellon sniffed. "I can't, Tygra. I get too scared, and I remember everything, and my legs don't listen to me and I run away. I don't like being a chicken." He lowered his eyes. "I want you to be proud of me."
"Ohhh, child." Tygra pulled the child in close and hugged him tight. "Sroya, don't ever think I'm not proud, or that I am ashamed. I am always proud of you, little one. Never forget that. I understand how you feel about the Mutants, but you have come such a long way. I am always proud of you. Believe me." He smiled down at the child. "To become a ThunderCat, you'll have to face your fears. The Thunderkittens were eight when they were anointed. But before that ever happens, you have to face your fear." He pulled the cub away once more to look at him. "And you will. I have faith in you."
Ocellon sniffed and regarded his guardian for a minute. "You do?"
Tygra chuckled. "Yes. I do."
Ocellon nodded. "Okay. I-I'll try."
Tygra beamed. "Good boy."
That day, however, didn't come for a while.