Empty cradle

Chapter 11

By Leanna

The lioness looked at her mate stunned, "Panthro...Are you sure?" she asked wiping the teats from her eyes.

"First tell me what Meka said to you"

Leanna lowered her head, "he said the only reason you married me was I got pregnant and that the mongrels I bore were a disgrace to the clan" as soon as she said that she felt the panther's muscles tighten.

"Bastard" He snarled and pulled away from his mate and headed for the ThunderTank.

"Wait, where are you going?" Leanna asked taking a hold of his arm

"Just going to pay Meka a little visit" he answered continuing to the tank.

"Panthro, no, he's not worth it" Leanna said tugging on his arm, he was practically dragging her along

"No, lea, he can insult me all he wants, but no one and I mean no one insults my wife and children" he growled and pulled his arm free, then slammed his fist into a nearby transport, nearly flipping it on it's side, and then jumped into the tank "he's gone to damn far this time" he said over the roar of the thundertanks powerful engine.

"Pan, don't do this, he'll have you put in prison" Leanna said trying to reason with him as the hanger door opened.

The panther looked at her, "don't worry baby, I'll be fine," he said a bit too calmly, "I love you Lea, never forget that," he said then put the tank in gear and left the hanger.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Leanna cursed and ran to the wall and slammed her hand on the coms," Lion-O, we have trouble, Panthro, has gone after Meka," she said then ran for one of the ground cars.

Panthro headed out of the city to Meka's home, "Panthro stop what you're doing," Lion-O's voice came over the radio. Panthro just growled and reached over and flipped the switch killing the connection.

In the control room of cat's lair, Lion-O sighed, "he's either not listening or turn off the radio...Bengali you're with me...Kit track the tank and let me know when he reaches Meka's house" the lion said as he and the white tiger left the room.

Meka was enjoying his evening at home the elder lion sat in front of his fireplace with a drink in his hand, he smiled, knowing he added fuel to already burning fire; he was surprised at how easy it was to sway the other clan elders into taking his side. Before the month was out he would see Lion-O taken off the throne and a new king put in his place. The lion turned to his guest who sat across from him, "Can I ask you something...How can you do this to your own child?"

The man in the other chair sipped his drink slowly, "Because she betrayed me, and that is not acceptable," Rohan nodded, "not only did I end up owing you more money, my wife kicked me out and divorced me, all because of lea's stupidity and now to add insult to injury, she goes and marries that panther and has children by him...she's too much like her mother"

"Sahara was always too soft on the girl," Meka agreed, "you shouldn't of let her do that, you should of had more control over your mate"

"I bit too late for that now don't you think," Rohan snored then looked towards the front door, "Do you hear something?" he asked as the sound of a engine got louder.

Meka looked to where his friend was looking then stood just as the door and wall exploded, sending wood and plaster everywhere. Both men dropped to the floor as the smoke and plaster dust settled, Meka peaked over his chair and seen the metal gleam of a vehicle sitting half way into his living room. But this was no ground car, he had seen the large metal teeth from the snarling gaping mouth of the ThunderTank before, and he knew there was only one person who drove it. He cautiously moved away from the safety of the chair and stood, "what's the meaning of this, "He demanded, "How dare you force your way into my home...I'll have you arrested and thrown in the farthest prison there is for the rest of your life," he barked.

The windshield of the ThunderTank lowered and the panther stood, "go ahead," He said as he jumped up on the hood of the tank.

Meka looked at Rohan who was trying to sneak away. "Hold it right there" Panthro ordered and jumped down, he walked over to the man and grabbed the back of his cloak and pulled him to his feet, "Might have known you'd be involved in this"

Rohan tried to get away, "get your hands off me," he shouted.

"Shut up!" Panthro snarled back," Before I shut you up," he growled and looked at Meka, "It's you I came for" he said tossing Rohan back in the chair.

Meka recoiled and slight backed away as the big panther stock towards him, "now look here"

"No, you look, you son of a bit*h," Panthro snapped and punched Meka square in the jaw, "you've insulted my family for the last time, people like you should be a shamed of themselves, are you so narrow minded that you cannot see past your own, prejudice, its people like you who make me sick!"

"You've made a big mistake coming here panther, "Rohan said raising a gun he had hidden in the folds of his vest.

"What are you going to do... shoot me?" Panthro said dropping Meka to the floor, "go ahead, but you and I both know, you're too much of a coward to do it...that's why you have him," He said pointing to Meka, "you had him do your dirty work".

"I'm surprised you actually have the brain capacity to think" Rohan snorted.

"You know what I'm getting sick and tired of you" Panthro growled.

"What the hell?" Leanna gasped as she crawled through the opening of the house," Dad?"

"Lea, tell this block head to back off" Rohan said as he levelled the gun at the panther's heart.

"What are you doing?. Put that down" the lioness snapped.

"You ruined your life Lea.. .You could have had so much more" Rohan replied

"The only one ruining my life is you" she spat and stood between her father and her mate, "if you want to shoot him then you'll have to go through me to get to him"

"Leanna be reasonable"

"Father, "she said coldly, "I am being very reasonable, you're standing there with a gun pointed at the man I love, the man I would give my very life for.. The father of your grandchildren...Now tell me, who's the unreasonable one? You make me ashamed for even being related to you"

"Don't be like that Lea," Rohan said lowering the gun.

"How the hell do you expect me to be father" The lioness snapped, "you and your friends should be careful of what your doing, it's the future generations of Thunderians who will be taking over this planet, and they may not exactly favour what you are trying to do to them... the young learn quickly from the mistakes of the past...make sure you don't leave too many of them behind" with that she turned around, "Panthro, let's go home"