Episode 5 (extended) Part 5; "Of What May Be"
Present Day;
The Thundercats descended the northeast wall of their beloved abandoned city. When they reached the solid ground of Thundera's interior Panthro found a small grate.
"This is it." The panther announced, prying the circular steel grate out of the street and tossing it aside like a piece of scrap tinfoil.
Cheetarah climbed down the manhole first, then Lynx-O. The others followed. At the bottom of what seemed like an eternally long ladder they reached a large sewer tunnel. They were greeted by the deep churning groan of stagnant air passing through the catacombs and an overpowering fecal smell. The lizard raids had destroyed the sewer's filtration systems.
"Aw…" Tygra let out a disgusted groan as he stepped down into knee deep murky water.
"This smells worse than the rubbish dump Vultaire tossed us in." Wiley Kit griped, pulling her tail out of the sewer water.
"Try to ignore it." Lion-O instructed.
"I can't see." Wiley Kat announced.
Panthro scratched the wall above some torches left in the tunnel. The sparks from his claws set them aflame. "That's better."
"This way." Cheetarah motioned for them to follow.
The kittens kept close to the adults while inside the complex maze of tunnels. Though able to walk safely the torches Panthro lit along their path casted strange shadows on the catacomb walls, making the place spookier in the light than the dark. They could make out skulls of lizards, canines, rodents and other enemy species in the ancient stone foundation. They tried to ignore it, focusing on the darkness ahead. Cheetarah stopped at the end of the tunnel, faced with five tunnels to pass through next. She paused to consider then motioned left. "Down this one..."
Lynx-O's ear twitched. He felt a few extra ripples in the water hit his ankle. He grabbed Lion-O's shoulder. As their king stopped the others stopped. A long awkward silence passed. "What's wrong?" Lion-O whispered.
"I thought I felt something." Lynx-O explained.
"Don't scare us over your feelings!" Tygra snapped at him. "There's no one down here! Rat hobos wouldn't hide out here!"
Lynx-O frowned. "Don't be too certain."
"I found the vault!" Cheetarah announced.
The others ran towards the sound of her voice. Cheetarah and the Kittens started to scratch away a layer of muck and slime off the wall. Surely enough underneath was a massive steel safe embedded into the stone.
"We crossed the bridge, Lion-O. How do we open it?"
"Like this-" Lion-O drew the sword of Omens. "Thunder-" The eye opened and the blade grew. "Thunder, THUNDERCATS—HO…!" He half grunted as he drove the blade deep into the vault and started to carve in a circular motion around the lock. Lion-O put all his weight and strength into it, but he couldn't quite cut the full circle alone. Panthro jumped in to help. With his extra muscle the two cats completely carved around the lock. Panthro ripped it out.
"Alright! That's my king!" He slapped Lion-O playfully, yet a little too hard on the back. With little effort he pried open the vault.
The hopes in the Thundercats' wide feline eyes (maybe with the exception of lynx-O's) were dashed immediately as they looked inside and found the vault empty with the exception of a flooded floor. No trace of Thundrillium left; the stockpile had been looted.
Tygra was about to give Lion-O an "I told you so", but Lion-O intercepted early with a threating point and growled "Don't…"
Lynx-O sighed. "We feared as much. I'm sorry everyone."
"Don't be." Panthro assured him. "It was worth a shot."
"Now what?" Wiley Kit asked.
Lion-O's eyes brightened just a little in the darkness as a crazy idea brewed in his head. "We're going to raid Castle Plun-Darr." He declared confidently.
The others looked at him in both shock and bewilderment. Just as Tygra was about to protest his younger brother's absurd plan, but something grabbed ahold of his leg and made sudden and quite forceful tug on his ankle.
Tygra cried as his feet were pulled out from underneath him. He splashed his comrades as his back hit the sewer floor. A hissing (two-headed) boa constrictor coiled his tail around Tygra's torso and leered over him with a sickle in each hand. One head attempted to snap at Tygra. He instinctively struck the boa(s) across the jaw with the brunt end of his whip.
Lion-O and Lynx-O sprung To Tygra's rescue and tackled the boa(s) warrior, wrestling him off the tiger. Tygra squirmed free. While Lion-O and LynxO distracted both heads, Tygra bound the snake in the chord of his whip. The boa squirmed, hissing venomously.
"Enough!" Lion-O ordered. "Who are you and what are you doing in my kingdom?" He ordered, pointing his sword dead center at the boa(s)' chest.
"Thisss isss your kingdom?" One began the sentence. "You could have fooled me." The other added. "Not that there'sss anything left worth claiming." The boa(s) ended simultaneously, chuckling smugly.
Lion-O applied just a little more pressure. "What is your name?"
The boa(s) stuck out his forked tongues out at him. Lynx-O grabbed ahold of them and pulled, gagging the boa. "The next time you show our king such disrespect I will assist him in cutting your tongues out." He released the boa(s).
"I am Dosss-Serpent-Osss."
"Ah." Lynx-O nodded. "Dos-Serpentos, the freak prince of Queen Conda."
Lion-O cocked his head a little "Who?"
"I may be a freak, but I am more than a formidable opponent for you, old cat…" Hissed one head, "Or YOU, lost prince…" added the other. They (he?) laughed.
"Not from where we're standing." Lion-O corrected them.
"We'll make a deal, lord LLion-O." Snickered one. "We'll tell you why we're here if you solve a riddle." The other head smiled and asked "Which head tellsss the truth and which head tellsss liesss?"
Without warning, Lynx-O pierced both boas' throats with a kunai. He cut downward until the blade stuck their hearts. "You ALL lie." Lynx-O hissed pulling his weapons free.
Couldn't help but yowl in shockas the boa(s) fell over dead in the sewer water at his feet.
The others stared at Lynx-O in awe. "He had his chance to speak and he wasted it." He explained casually. "I've pieced together the situation anyhow."
"I did NOT give you the order to do that." Lion-O fumed. "That was unnecessary. We don't know how many snakes are here."
"On the contrary my lord, it was highly necessary. They heard us already if there are more snakes here and there are." Lynx-O searched the boa(s)'s lifeless body for any useful weapons, tech or messages. "Had we left him alive to talk he would have eventually talked to other snakes. Tell me, lord, do you recall ever meeting a snake on this continent?"
"Well, no." He admitted, "But-?"
"Snakes are not indigenous here. They came from the Serpentine Archipelago by order of their queen most likely to aid Mumm-Ra's cold-blooded forces." The elder male explained.
"Snakes are a neutral species; they've never involved themselves with lizards before. Why would they join Mumm-Ra?" Asked Cheetara.
"Good question." Lion-O scowled at Lynx-O "We could have maybe discovered why had we kept the snake alive for questioning."
"Snakes have never been neutral. The entire island chain thrives on organized crime. I've had to kill several princes of Conda; so had King Claudis. Mumm-Ra is involving species from other continents across the 20 seas. Those species are coming here. We're officially in the middle of a global war as the demon intended."
Mumm-Ra's forces were expanding much farther and faster than the Thundercats first anticipated. The idea struck a kind of terror in the younger cats they had not anticipated to feel. "Be that as it may, we handle interrogations a little more delicately on my team." Lion-O informed the ex-Prowl, still more displeased than frightened.
"If I knew taking the life of a murdering snake would have offended you, my lord-"
"It did offend me."
"I will hesitate next time then. With all due respect, we must leave, now."
Lion-O nodded respectfully. "Agreed; back to the tank."
Hours later the Thundertanks were speeding across wild terrain miles away from Thundera once again. Lion-O sat beside Panthro up front. Tygra took lookout/ gunman position above them. Lion-O sunk low in his seat, still disheartened by the past few days events. Lynx-O stayed in the back enjoying the company of Cheetara and the Thunderkittens. It seemed appropriate to keep his space from Lion-O a while.
"Do you think Lynx-O may be a little unhinged?" Lion-O asked Panthro's opinion.
"Everyone here loves thinking of the guy as a wise old grandpa type, but I get bad vibrations from him." Tygra gave his opinion first. "He's just a madman father gave a license to kill in his heyday."
"What does that make me then; or either of you for that matter?" Panthro asked, expression stern.
Tygra's ears drooped. He found himself unable to answer.
"All of us have spilled some blood at one point or another along this journey to keep our own inside our skin. Lynx-O and I have been spilling blood for Thundera much longer than you and even though we don't show it-"
"Well-" Tygra began, but Panthro cut him off quickly.
"The war years do haunt us. Lynx-O has more of a reason to hate lizards than most. What he did in the catacombs seemed cruel, nut it wasn't irrational given his knowledge of the circumstances."
"That's another thing that kind of disturbs me. I realize he was a spy, but he knows so much more than the rest of us-"
"You're cubs; almost the whole sentient population knows more than you." Panthro explained to the young king.
"He only tells us what we need to know only when he feels we need to know it. He's worse than Jaga."
"One more negative thing about Jaga comes out of your mouth and I will backhand you." Panthro warned the tiger. "If you two have issues with the cat go back there and sort them out with him. Don't just sit around gossiping about him like a couple of pussies."
The brothers looked to each other and shrugged. Unable to argue with that logic, both Lion-O and Tygra stood and left. Panthro chuckled to himself as he heard the hatch close behind him.
In the rear Lynx-O and the kittens gathered around Cheetarah's bunk where she sat. Wiley Kit waved to them. "Hey, you walked in just in time! Cheetara is telling us what happens next in the future!"
Lion-O sat on his bunk across from hers. Tygra sat beside her. "Are you sure you want to keep talking about it?"
"It's only a possible future." Cheetara half smiled. "We have to pass the time somehow."
The brothers didn't object and neither did Lynx-O. The three of them felt better focusing on the story than the tension between them for the time being.
"Go on, dear." Lynx-O urged. "What of this helmet of Xaxx?"
Cheetarah continued
20 some odd years later; The Desert of Sinking Sands
Constant winds covered the tracks of the Thundertank in the desert sand, but the Emerald Hydra picked up the scent of dog. It followed the trail at a brisk run. Cheetarah kept pace with it, eager to hear about the events that led up to their search for the cubs.
"Wylde Kat showed up at the elephant village an hour or so before Leonne." Wiley Kit began, struggling to keep sand out of her eyes. "Aburn was generous enough to allow the reptilian populace to gather in the pachyderm lands for their fertility festival. Wylde Kat brought his sweet heart, but failed to mention…"
Yesterday; The Elephant Village
Wiley Kit, her husband and their guests; elder Aburn, Wydle Kat and his new girlfriend gathered around a large decorative hookah outside Kit's bungalow. Wylde Kat enjoyed his aunt's harvest from her herb garden as he told the story of how the two met.
"—And had Kayba not moved in for the kill the same time that herd of feral snapping boars chased me off course I would have ran straight through the forest of silence." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, right babe?"
The young bitch nodded yes in response then in a voice that sounded as if it came from a pup half her size added, "He's not much of a hunter. My mother told me before she left us cat bitches usually hunt and the males only hunt if they have to." She laughed nervously, fidgeting with her tail. "I don't know why I mentioned that part."
Kit smiled at the young mixed matched couple. "You two are cute together."
"We think so too. That's why at dawn we're getting married right here during the cold-blooded fertility festival."
Kit choked on a lung full of smoke. She and Illio exchanged strange looks. "You want to get married?"
"The elephant monks will marry anyone as long as the union is based on true love.
"That is very much true." Aburn concurred, inhaling through his trunk.
"Within reason." Wiley Kit clarified.
You two were married here." Wylde Kat argued.
"We're a different story."
"How is a cat and dog marrying any worse than a cat and lizard marrying?"
"It'sss nots better or worssse; Jussst we're olders." Illio reasoned, motioning to him and Kit.
"Illio and I spent our youth getting to know ourselves and each other before we decided we were soul mates." Kit explained further. "You're only sixteen, you, and Kayba are only… How old are you, sweetie?" She turned to the pup.
"Thirteen." Kayba replied. Her answer came across as quite a shock to the older animals.
"She doesn't look it does she?" Wylde Kat put his arm around her, pulling her in close. No, Kayba certainly looked older. Though her pedigree was mixed she was tall and lean with a perfect profile. She carried the figure of a sixteen-year- old and sported a silky red coat highlighted in a gold so vibrant it shined even in starlight. "She's already had her first heat. To dogs, that's the signal a bitch is ready to marry." He tried to offer her a puff, but she declined, covering her nose. "Sorry, I forgot you hate the smell."
He passed it back to Kit instead. "Hunting packs haven't abided by that rule in a hundred years." She dismissed the cub's argument frowning. Even if they do, that's irrelevant. This is wrong, Wylde. You two can't get married here- not anywhere. Not yet at least."
"The Elephant monks say different. I'm only doing this as a formality. We are going to be together and love each other for the rest of our lives whether an "I do" is said or not. We don't need vows and collars; I just thought it would be fun."
"Then what? You cants runs away from Thundera justs likes that's." Illio protested.
"You left Hook Mountain for Kit. She left Thundera for you. You're both hypocrites." Wylde Kat pointed an accusing finger at them. "I thought you two out of the whole pride would be happy for me. What ever happened to free love?"
Kit sighed. "Love is a beautiful thing and it should be free between genders, clans and species, but free love is dangerous without responsibility. You two are WAAAAY too young to understand the-"
Before Kit could finish her statement a little calf monk approached their bonfire/ smoke circle. "Katley Wild my friend, I believe this young lady is looking for you." Standing beside the youth was a very irritated looking Leonne carrying an amused looking Wily Kub on her back. She breathed heavily after climbing the towering stairway to the village, fiery eyes fixated on Wylde Kat.
Wiley Kub waved.
"What are you two doing here?"
"I snuck in the trunk." His younger brother replied casually.
"No I mean how did you know I would be here?"
"Educated guess…" Leonne growled, kicking Wylde Kat in the shin. "We're on a Thundercat's mission! All Hell is going to break loose if we don't show up at the black pyramid with the helmet in less than twelve hours, remember?!"
He shrugged. "You said you could get the helmet without me. I trust your judgment, so I hopped off the tank and ran to the deadlands to pick up my bitch."
Leonne noticed the dog Wylde Kat held in his arms for the first time. She pinched the bridge of her nose to relieve an oncoming head ache. "You're the secret girlfriend?"
"Kayba, this is my cousin, "princess" Leonne. We're only a pack by title, not technically by blood." He whispered that last sentence in her ear.
"I heard that! I'm GLAD we're not blood related because you're a selfish prick!" She looked to his girlfriend. "I don't know how he talked you into dating him, but trust me, Wylde Kat is NOT worth a litter of deformed/ sterile hybrid babies. If you have any brains or self-respect you'll walk away immediately." She tried to warn Kayba.
She sunk low, saucer-eyed and terrified by the imagery now popping in her head. Wylde Kat stood, forcing Leonne to back off. "Be mad at me forever if you want, but don't speak to her like that. Don't even speak to her period!" He snarled, clenching his fists.
"And he's controlling too!" Leonne snarled back, extending her claws.
Aburn motioned for the two to back away from each other. "Everyone needs to breathe and relax. This is a special time of year. There is love in the air and we should embrace it."
"Yeah, breathe and relax, Leonne. You're making a scene." He taunted his cousin.
"There's also impending doom in the air!" She cried, frustrated. "I can't believe none one here gives a crap!"
A random reptile slid by on the muddy, wet grass cheering "WOOOOOO!"
Without acknowledging the reptile or missing a beat, Wylde Kat flashed her a dismissive hand gesture. "Stop freaking out. Third Earth will balance itself out, right aunty Kit?"
Kit's tail twitched uncomfortably. "Well -"
"Whatever! I was right before; you're useless. If abandoning your kingdom and species makes you happy then stay here! I'm going to do the RESPONSIBLE THING like always and get the helmet." With that, she stormed off.
Kit stood "Wait! You can't enter the temple of PinYin alone!" She warned.
"Well, I guess I have to!"
"No you really can't! They'll behead you!"
She stepped over a group of lizards making out and disappeared in the crowd.
Kayba's ears drooped. "I didn't mean to start a fight in your pack. I hope she doesn't hate me."
"Forget it. You and I are the only pack we need to care about now."
"You know I love you, and I wanted to get away, but I… I don't know…" She wrapped her tail around her ankle nervously. "My alpha is going to-"
"Shhh, we're our own alphas when you're with me." Wylde Kat, too preoccupied with his feelings to be concerned with any form of opposition, pulled Kayba to her feet. "Thanks for the smoke; we're going to check out the musicians headlining and check out the vendors for a collar. We'll head back in a little while. Don't wait up." Wylde Kat informed Kit and Illio before turning to Aburn and bowing his head respectfully. "See you when the morning bell rings. I'll have prepared my vows by then."
Wiley Kub watched as the as his brother and his faience dispersed. "Alright. I'll… just stay here then."
Kit doubled over, pulling at her mane in frustration. "The other thundercats are going to blame ME for this, I know it."
"We trieds to stop hims." Illio rubbed her shoulders for comfort. "I cans try to talks to Wyldes Kats some more if you want to go after Leonnes."
"Wylde Kat isn't going to listen to us. Maybe he shouldn't. Maybe we are hypocrites. If I help Leonne retrieve the helmet I'll definitely be a hypocrite…" Kit lamented. "But she could get hurt or worse if she offends the guru."
"The natural balance of things will always tilt one way or another. Wylde Kat and his beloved have until sunrise to reflect on the decision they are about to make. They are young and shortsighted, but their hearts are guided by the right emotions. Leonne is deeply troubled however." Through all his forgetfulness Aburn managed to dispense a nugget of wisdom.
"Who am I kidding? I have to help Leonne." Kit stood and gave Illio a kiss on the cheek. "Try to keep an eye on Wylde Kat while I'm gone." She looked to Aburn. "Could you watch Wiley Kub for me?"
Aburn nodded. "Certainly. I always carry my marble collection."
Wiley Kub pouted. "I can't go with you to the PinYin temple?"
"It's not exactly kitten friendly and the others are going to hate me enough as it is with Wylde and Leonne acting crazy. I can't afford for you to get into trouble. Just please keep close to Aburn until Leonne and I get back?"
Wylde Kub held up to fingers. "Cub scouts honor."
"You let my kittens run around unsupervised at a lizard orgy?" Cheetarah cried, both shocked and furious."
"It wasn't love your kittens had to worry about." Kit reminded her. "Besides, lizard love fests are not as scandals as mammals imagine them."
Cheetarah sighed. "I can't make Wylde Kat listen to reason or keep Wiley Kub out of trouble, so I guess I can't expect miracles from you."
The hydra stopped. Tail tucked, he backed away, spooked by something. "We must be near the vortex." Cheetarah guessed.
"Where should we GO-OOOH!" Kit cried as the hydra grew in size and grew wings. It sprang into a trot, building momentum. It sped to a full gallop. Cheetarah chased it a ways then hopped on its back as it leapt into the air and flew off."
"WOOOHOOO!" Kit cheered. "I LOVE YOU HYDRA THINGIE!" She looked back at Cheetarah. "It's so much fun you almost forget about all the danger."
"Almost." Cheetrah nodded. "So then what happened?"
"Oh, Right!" Kit kicked herself mentally. "I caught up with Leonne half way down the Cliffside." Kit continued. "She was infuriated…"
"Can you believe him? I mean I can, but I'm still so pissed! What cat in their right mind quits half way through a royal mission to solve a world crisis to elope with some mutt he barely knows?! I can't believe father named him the rightful heir! Wait- I figured out Wylde Kat's douche-baggy plan! He's going to hide out and screw off while I do the hard work then step in at the last minute to get credit. I hate him so much! He makes me want to scratch his eyes out! " She clawed at the air, snarling.
Kit jerked her head sideways to avoid a trip. "Watch my headspace!" She dug her claws deep into the moss covered cliff in fear Leonne's intense negative vibrations (and yelling) would cause a landslide.
"Sorry. I can't get past how much I hate him right now."
"You don't hate him. You don't really believe he's eloping to spite you either." Kit cracked her trademark impish smile.
"If he's eloping because he really loves that skinny ginger bitch he's crazy and an asshole." She winced, kicking herself mentally.
"I don't know what exactly your cousin is thinking, but I don't think he's crazy or an asshole because he cares for a dog."
"No; I didn't- that came out wrong. I just want him to stop being an obnoxious idiot." She admitted.
"I agree. I mean; Kayba's only 13."
"No way; gross." Leonne made a disgusted face. "Is he some kind of pervert?"
"No, I don't even think they've poodle kissed yet. Wylde is such a virgin."
Leonne giggled.
Kit's expression sobered. "He's just a cub listing to his heart too much and his head too little." Wiley Kit sighed. "At its core, it is really sweet."
Leonne shrugged as they reached the bottom of the long, winding stairway chiseled into the side of the mountain. The stairway stopped halfway down. A wide bridge constructed from thick kudzu-bamboo reeds. It connected to a vast network of bridges connecting to other villages built atop the mountain range. The ground below was hidden by a dense forest of the same kudzu-bamboo trees.
The two mollies crossed the bridge maze, stopping to ask one of the community chow-chow guards for directions once or twice. On several occasions Kit forced Leonne to wait while bands of Hare Krishna-like red pandas danced in a line from one bridge to another, ringing tiny bells and playing tambourines, triangles and zills. Kit found their method of meditation most delightful. Leonne hadn't the time or the patience for cultural sensitivity however and failed to indulge in the amusement.
"This is taking forever! How much farther?"
"Can you see through the mist?" Kit pointed across the bridge they were currently on.
Leonne could barely make out the top of a flattened mountain. A line of chow-chow guards stretching from the other end of the bridge to and up the temple steps stood on either side of them (alternating fur color from red to black).
Excited, Leonne raced to the entrance pulling Wiley Kit along with her. She reached for the door, or rather the wall of kudzu-bamboo. The two guards attending the entrance crossed their guandaos, blocking their path.
Leonne bowed her head respectfully. "Forgive us. I'm Leonne, daughter of lord Lion-O. I've come from Thundera on his behalf with urgent business. I must speak with your guru."
The flora bent outward from the center creating an ovoid opening. "They may enter." A deep, yet friendly voice echoed overhead.
Without question the guards lifted their weapons, allowing the two females entrance.
Across a series of stepping stones (actually tall, thin mountains consumed by kudzu-bamboo) on an overhang protruding out of waterfall a large old panda sat on an ornamental throne/shrine, presumably the PinYin temple guru. The details depicted several bear warriors in various fighting stances all composed to form the yin/yang symbol. Placed neatly at the top of the throne was the dreaded helmet of Xaxx. Kit and Leonne genuflected before the guru. "We graciously thank you for your time, guru Yi." Kit stated respectfully.
"Rise, or sit my cubs; whichever is more comfortable." Yi stood, standing several heads higher than both of them, his old, weathered robes trailing behind him. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Kit the whimsical. You have made quite an impression on this corner of the continent-" Guru Yi smiled pleasantly. "Especially on the youths. But I am getting off topic. You mentioned urgent business, Leonne of Thundera?"
Leonne bowed her head slightly. "I humbly ask to borrow the helmet of Xaxx."
Guru Yi's frowned. "Oh… I thought your father sent you to broaden your spiritual horizons. No one may use the helmet; not even the Thundercats. It is cursed. Your elders and I agreed upon this years ago."
"The Thundercats don't need to use it."
"Then why do you need to borrow it?"
"The Thundercats don't need to use it on an animal." Kit explained for Leonne.
"I swore to lord Lion-O that I would never to allow the helmet of Xaxx to fall into the possession of another animal. Now he asks me to hand it over to a child?" Yi frowned, expression heavy with disapproval.
"HIS child." Leonne corrected him as she held up a letter from Loin-O with the royal seal.
"What dishonor is this?" Guru Yi growled, clamping his claws into a tight fist.
Leonne gasped as the parchment shredded in her hands, pieces blowing away in the wind.
"I will not go back on my word. Internal balance is decaying rapidly enough as it is."
"We mean no disrespect, but-"
Guru Yi held up his massive black paw up to the females, cutting Kit off. "I said no. Now please, leave."
Leonne scowled at him. "Hey, I was sent as a Thundercat to-"
Wiley Kit squeezed her shoulder tightly. "Shhh!"
It was too late; the offense was taken. Guru Yi stood, stony dark eyes glaring down at the cub. "I will not simply hand you the Helmet of Xaxx. Are you willing to duel for it?"
Wiley Kit covered Leonne's mouth, yanking her back a few steps for a private word. "This isn't fencing practice. If you duel Guru Yi, it's a duel to the death. "
Leonne shook her head and mouth free. "I thought the panda folk were pacifists like the elephants."
"Like the elephants, the pandas will fight in self-defense. They train their whole lives to win if they're ever forced to fight"
"Why do you hesitate?" The old bear coaxed. "Is it because you did not come here for the helmet? You came here for the same reason anyone makes a long journey- to discover who they are. You want to be a brave warrior and a hero. Little girl, you are neither."
Leonne reached for her belt and pulled out a short rectangular object. With the flick of her wrist a beam of light extended from the object and solidified into a steel sword blade. "Gury Yi, I'm not leaving without that helmet! I accept your challenge!" Snarling, Leonne swiftly lunged forward.
Guru Yi held out his arms. Two chow guards tossed him a sword for each hand. He charged at Leonne in retaliation. They met on the center stepping stones. Leonne thrusts at his chest, but the blade went right through him like a hand through fog. Leonne glanced one way and saw a slightly smaller black female bear aiming a sword at her. She glanced the other way and saw another slightly smaller white male bear pointing a sword at her.
Kit leapt high landing at Leonne's back, flupe in hand. "You're not armed!" Leonne exclaimed.
Kit shrugged. "I don't use weapons, silly." Kit held up her flupe. As the "yang" half of Guru Yi's sword passed through the center she quickly deflected the blade while simultaneously steering the white warrior bear away from Leonne.
Leonne blocked the "yin" half of Guru Yi's first strike. "You do not know your enemy-" She drew her blade back for another merciless advance. "You do not know your friends-"
Leonne pulled her midsection away just in time.
"You do not know yourself!" The yin half drove her blade downward, forcing Leonne to block (lest she lose half her face and upper body). "How do you expect to achieve anything?"
Leonne's skin crawled beneath her fur as the yin bear's blade scraped against hers. She struggled to keep the yin warrior at bay. She felt her knees starting to buckle under the bear's heft. The supposedly indestructible synthetic steel started to crack down the center. It was pull back or admit defeat. She was about to make a move, when she noticed the fire in the bear's eyes go cold. Something warm and wet dripped on her chest and her opponent suddenly dropped to her knees, choking up blood.
Leonne shrieked as a chow chow guard pulled the bloody blade of his guandao out of the yin bear's back.
Nearly the same time another chow chow guard had snuck up from behind, literally stabbed the yang bear in the back.
Guru Yi's halves disintegrated into mists then formed into one panda again at the mollies feet. Kit and Leonne knelt down to help the wounded guru, but the guards surrounded them.
"Halt!" One of them barked.
The cats glared daggers at them. "Why? You're his students!" Kit hissed.
The guards' ears drooped. Some whimpered, ashamed. Before any chows decided to have a change of heart a familiar, yet… evolved canine entered the PinYin temple. A tall, melanistic jackal with a furless, decaying hide and bat wings waltzed up to them. Red eyes unblinking and smile unwavering, he sniffed the two females. "Thundercats…"
"What do you want, Ma-Mutt?" Kit asked, fur twitching with hostility.
"Whose Ma-Mutt?" Wiley Kit asked, interrupting.
Cheetara shrugged. She hadn't a clue so she continued…
The Temple of PinYin
Ma-Mutt's crooked tail wagged as he ordered in a gruff, commanding voice "Fetch!"
One of the chow guards ripped the Helmet of Xaxx off the guru's throne and handed it to Ma-Mutt. The hellhound held up the treasure and howled in victory. The moment Kit and Leonne moved the rest of the chows swarmed them, attempting to muzzle and restrain them…
"How did you slip past Ma-Mutt and the pack of Chow's?" Cheetarah was forced to ask.
Kit held her flupe to her lips and blew, though she appeared to make no noise. The emerald hydra however heard an ungodly noise and writhed in agony, screeching.
Cheetarah and Kit screamed in terror as the hydra dropped altitude for a moment. Cheetarah glared over her shoulder at the younger molly. "Sorry." Kit blushed, embarrassed. "I can play notes only dogs and…hydra's can hear. Leonne was right behind me, but Ma-Mutt swooped down and carried her off. I ran back home as fast as I could, but when I got there Aburn and Kub were tending to the wounded and Kaynar's bloodpack took off with Wylde in the Thundertank. They retreated through here to end their trail." Kit exclaimed pointing to the lake of lava below; the result of the daily eruptions of the field of high noon geysers.
"They didn't account for our new war beast." Cheetarah patted the hydra's neck. "Can you see anything yet?"
"No, the fumes are too thick." Kit covered her mouth and nose and coughed; eyes tearing.
Cheetarah covered her mouth as well. "We'll have to fly low or risk being spotted right away. Hang on; we're almost across. Cheetarah nudged the hydra in the sides with her knees, signaling it to drop altitude. The females kept their feet (and tail) tucked in close to avoid being burned.
Once they landed safely across they decided to continue the rescue on foot. Shortly thereafter they came across a dark, eerie forest. Just outside the perimeter the hydra crouched low and hissed. Cheetarah paused as well. She could feel the land choking on centuries of tragic events and tormented souls. This was the cursed forest her parents went mad in nearly a lifetime ago. She and Kit had entered the forest of silence. `
"Be on guard." Warned Kit.
Cheetarah couldn't hear, but she noticed in her peripheral vision the slightest rustling in the bushes and motioned for Kit to halt. Two blow darts fired at them from the shadows. Cheetarah held up her staff, blocking it. Kit was unable to dodge hers in time. The dart pierced her collar. She dropped to her knees instantly, clutching her ears and shrieking in pain.
As Cheetarah rushed to aide her a frightening hairless bitch charged at her out of nowhere wielding a large bone as a club. Cheetarah instinctively disarmed the attacker with her staff. Almost too quickly for the bitch's glassy eyes to process, Cheetarah cracked her across the jaw and snout with her staff, rendering her opponent unconscious.
Again, Cheetarah attempted to aid Kit, now doubled over on the ground, still suffering the effects of the poison. She just barely felt the rapid footsteps of something charging at her from behind. Cheetarah reached over her shoulder, grabbing another attacking hairless bitch by her arm and torso and tossed her over her shoulder.
The strange bitch landed quite gracefully for a dog and regained her bearings quickly. She charged at Cheetarah, swinging her bone-club. Cheetarah blocked and struck back in retaliation. Her opponent blocked, but not well enough. With a simple twirl of her fingers Cheetarah knocked the bitch out cold, but before she could celebrate her victory someone, rather boney, but with a lot of raw strength elbowed her between her shoulders.
"Didn't you see the sign?" Kaynar cried, voice harsh from age. "BEWARE OF DOGS!" He added landing a solid punch to her face. Cheetarah wiped the blood from her busted lip. With a little anger fueled energy Cheetarah landed two kicks and a punch before Kaynar could visually process her moving towards him.
"The years have slowed you down." Cheetarah mocked him.
Kaynar pulled himself to his feet. Growling, he reached for his axe. Cheetarah put the end of her staff to his snout, forcing him to freeze. "I don't know what you or your savage pack wants, dog, but you had better tell me where my son and niece are or-"
"Or you'll what, lady?" A soft, yet angry little girl's voice barked at her from behind.
Kaynar laughed. Unnerved Cheetarah turned around. Her eyes widened in horror. A young pup and some kind of demon dog dragged Wylde Kat and Leonne by a leash and muzzle. The pup held the finely sharpened end of a broken bone against Wylde Kat's Jugular while the demon had Leonne's leash wrapped so tightly around her neck it could snap it with one last quick tug. "We have your cute little kittens." The pup stated the obvious. "One move and I bleed him out!"
Leonne screamed obscenities at her cousin's (assumedly ex) girlfriend, though they were muffled by the muzzle. Cheetarah stared, paralyzed with fear. Kaynar took the opportunity to choke Cheetarah with his axe handle. Gasping, Cheetarah raised her foot to kick his knee inward (naturally), but she noticed red in the distance; the little bitch stuck her cub, not deeply enough to hit anything vital, but enough to draw blood. The blade at his throat and the familiar gleam of madness in her eyes got the message across. Cheetarah, body relaxed, but expression livid.
"What do you want? You have the helmet! Let the cubs go!"
Kaynar's shifty red eyes softened for a moment and he put his whitening muzzle to her ear and said, "You don't understand…It's not about what we want. It's about what HE wants?"
Cheetarah tried to look where Kaynar's eyes were wondering to, but she saw nothing but shadows. "What does he want?"
Kaynar paused. "A sacrifice and an audience."
Cheetarah was about to jerk free in protest, but she felt a chill run down her spine. She blinked, only for a split second out of reflex and Kaynar had disappeared. In his place another dog with a solid black coat and eyes even blacker held her in a sold chokehold. "Who are you?"
"I am death." He answered, voice like a plague. "We are expected at the Pyramid…"
Author's note: One more chapter should wrap this all up. Then onto episode 6. I'm not sure how everyone else feels, but I'm glad Lynx-O has joined the group.
I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to make Lynx-O seem like a villain, but rather a part of the team in a different manner than Panthro (both older male role models/ info dispensers/ voices of reason). However, Lynx-O at one time was King Claudis's informant as opposed to Panthro who simply took orders. Both are important members of the team, but their skill sets shine in different situations. There is still a level of mystery to Lynx-O and I'm going to play with that as long as I can. I like the fact the 2011 TC team is still in development.
I'm also glad this fandom is alive and well; shout out (nobody cool says that probably, but I don't care) Shot out to Heart of Demons, Balin Lord of Moria and a long list of other authors keeping this fandom interesting and keeping open minds.
Oh, and I apologize for having a flashback within a flashback within a flashforward (provided I assessed this correctly). If this is getting hard to follow let me know. lol