The Choice

Cheetara paced back and forth in front of the hut, her hands tightening and relaxing against the staff anxiously. She didn't like being distracted, unfocused. Especially now, with the lizard army just outside the village gates, an attack was imminent. She needed to be in control of all her senses, alert and ready. And yet, all she could think about was Anet's warning. She was worried for Lion-O and Tygra. She'd finally realized the tension between the brothers was more than rivalry brought about by the kingship. She was afraid that she'd carelessly if unintentionally, confused them both.

These past months had been all about fighting or defending against Mumm-Ra and his army and searching for the stones. But if the fall of Thundera had taught them anything, it was how fragile life was, how easily all could be lost. Cheetara knew with every part of her being that she did not want to live with regret. She did not want to lose someone she loved or, gods forbid, die herself without ever giving voice to who she wanted or how she wanted to live. Cheetara vowed that if they won this day, she would no longer hold back. She wouldn't allow reservation or protocol to rule her anymore.

- o -

Tygra was thoughtful when he and Lion-O returned to the Elephant village. He'd admitted the pent-up anger and resentment he'd carried most of his life in the Astral Plane, and he'd almost done irredeemable harm to his brother. This last upset him terribly and forced him to deal with his demons. He was a prince of Thundera, maybe not the prince, but that wasn't Lion-O's fault.

His brother was the king; it was time he accepted the fact of it and stopped competing with him—no, challenging him. It was also time to recognize that his feelings for Cheetara were unrequited. So, while the entire village drank and danced, celebrating their victory, Tygra disappeared. Now, he stood alone and stared out at the night sky; the full moon's silvery light bathed his handsome face. That's where Cheetara found him.

"I heard about what you and Lion-O went through in there," she began. "I feel I've contributed to it by not being clearer with my feelings."

Tygra turned to face her; the cheetah's eyes, like pink sapphires, locked with his. He would never grow tired of the sound of her voice, ever tranquil and melodic.

"No, it's pretty clear you made your choice." His voice was not bitter or unkind; he merely braced himself for what he expected to hear.

"You're right," Cheetara told him. "I did choose, years ago. During those days when Jaga tested me, I came close to giving up. And then, I found your gift. Of all the flowers, you picked the Day Astrid. Each petal is said to have trapped a day of life within it. It gave me the strength to endure, to make it one more day." She reached into her vambrace and withdrew something small. "This is the heart of that very same flower. I've kept it all these years in memory of your kindness."

Tygra could scarcely believe his eyes, much less his ears, but her words wrapped themselves around his heart like a blanket, and the hint of a smile played about his lips. Cheetara thought his eyes shimmered like liquid amber.

"Which reminds me," she continued, "I never had a chance to thank you." Cheetara stepped closer and leaned into him; he could feel her breath on his face, and Tygra's heart soared when their lips met.

- o -

Lion-O's eyes widened in shock. For a moment, he was paralyzed. As soon as he was able, he turned and walked away—as fast as he could without running. The image was burned into his brain. Cheetara. Tygra. Locked in an embrace. Kissing. For a split second, he couldn't think or feel, but when he was capable of both; his only thought was she's chosen.

He distanced himself from the village with its sounds of music and revelry. Cloaked in the darkness of night, the young king brooded, and then he felt the pain—the hurt and betrayal. But there was also confusion. What happened? How could he have been so wrong? Surely, he hadn't imagined the way she'd been with him all these months or the things she'd said. Lion-O spent the night torturing himself with past remembrances and conjuring images of Tygra and Cheetara secluded elsewhere, making love.

Anet said his brother would betray him, but in reality, it was the graceful cleric he adored. Cheetara had flirted with him too many times to count; she'd even kissed him on the cheek in front of the other cats. How many times had she said, "I believe in you"? And after everything, the closeness they'd shared, her unshakeable faith in him, she'd still stolen off to be with Tygra.

Lion-O ignored theinstances that should have brought Cheetara's feelings for him into question. The countless times she aligned herself with his brother, or how she'd defended Tygra against Lion-O's claim that there was a "darkness" in him, or the instances when she'd chosen to sleep at the older prince's side when she could have easily slept at his. When these troubling thoughts stirred in his mind, the young king stubbornly pushed them away. He had not misread her intentions.

After what had happened in the Astral Plane, he did not blame his brother for this. Despite the prince's feelings, and Lion-O was well aware that Tygra did have feelings, he hadn't put Cheetara in the awkward position of choosing between them. He also hadn't pursued her. Tygra seemed willing to accept her choice, whatever it turned out to be, and Lion-O was sure she would choose him. No! he thought angrily. This deceit lay strictly on Cheetara's slender shoulders. Lion-O squeezed his eyes shut and tried to sleep, but neither his mind nor his heart would give him any peace. They were turning out to be as cruel as the cheetah herself.

- o -

Their first kiss was—in a word—heavenly. Tygra's lips on hers were intoxicating; it was hard to tell when it dawned on her that she'd stopped breathing, and yet, she hated to break the sweet contact. Finally, she had no choice, and it was either breathe or fall faint in his arms. The part of her brain still unclouded by passion saw humor in this. His pride would undoubtedly become even more inflated if that happened. Reluctantly, Cheetara pulled away, but she didn't remove herself from his embrace. That was a pleasure she was not willing to forego. He was firm and hard against her in all the right places, his touch warm and exciting when making contact with her bare skin.

Tygra gazed into her eyes; tenderness and desire swirled in their amber depths. He nuzzled her shoulder before his lips returned to hers, but his kiss was maddeningly brief.

"You're most welcome," he said huskily.

Cheetara could not help laughing. "Tygra!"

She stepped away from him then but was unwilling to break all contact; her hands slid down his arms to nestle in his larger hands.

"It's not as if there were many opportunities to approach King Claudus' son at court."

"True," Tygra agreed, "but that life's been behind us for months now." He paused; his eyes narrowed. "I thought you'd be our next queen."

"Never," she said and stroked the strong line of his jaw. "I am a cleric and dedicated in service to the Crown. My task, to look after Lion-O, was assigned by Jaga himself. My duty is to always be there for him; to encourage, guide, and advise our young lord. Jaga saw in Lion-O the potential to be the greatest king Thundera's ever had, and I believe that as well."

"I understand," Tygra said. And he did; his entire life had been about loyalty, honor, and duty. Hand-in-hand, they began walking back to the village.

"But…" Cheetara stopped suddenly and turned to look at him. She placed her hand against his broad chest, just over his heart, and continued. "I've always longed to be here because you have always been in mine."

Finally, hearing the words he'd longed for flooded Tygra with emotion, and he covered her hand with his. "You were. From the moment we met." He brushed her lips with his, and Cheetara fell once again to the flame of her desire for him. She pulled him closer as he parted her lips with his tongue. Their kiss deepened, grew hungrier.

"There you are!"

The couple quickly pulled apart to see an elephant named Tika, watching them, her meaty hands parked on her hips.

"Goodness! I've been looking all over for you!" she cried. "Anet is ready to present recognitions for today's victory. Have you seen Lion-O? I cannot seem to find him anywhere!"

His composure somewhat recovered, Tygra shrugged. "No, we haven't," he said, reclaiming Cheetara's hand, "but I'm sure he'll turn up."

They shared a look, then followed Tika to the meditation circle where Anet and the others waited.

The cats lingered in the Elephant village a few days more to give Panthro a little time to regain his strength. Tygra and Cheetara didn't announce their new relationship status, but everyone seemed to recognize they were now a couple. Although this didn't upset the balance within the group, Lion-O couldn't help noticing they'd managed to disappear once or twice during their extended stay, and the pain he felt dug even deeper into his heart. He was certain they were off somewhere, enjoying the pleasures of a mated pair, and his leonine features would darken as if a thundercloud had passed over his head.

The day arrived when the Thundercats headed for the Berbil village. Panthro was grumpier than usual after the loss of his arms, and they all agreed the Berbils would be able to help him regain some semblance of normality. Between working on robotic arms for the general, the amazingly talented Robo-Bears surprised Kit and Kat with hoverboards. The new toys gave the twins unprecedented freedom and kept them occupied for hours. They were exploring the winding corridors of a canyon near the Berbil village when they ran into one of Mumm-Ra's lizard patrols. Kit and Kat beat a hasty retreat, and the lizards, thinking the kittens were alone and unprotected, chased after them.

The unfortunate lizards realized too late that they'd been led into a trap. Lion-O met them head-on, brandishing the Sword of Omens. The war stone embedded in the sword flared to life, igniting a burst of energy that slammed into the lizards' transport, turning it over on its side. The reptiles jumped out to face the lord of the Thundercats, and one of them, perhaps he was the sergeant, revealed a wicked, sharp-toothed grin. He was confident the king of the cats was at their mercy, but before he could do more than smirk, a golden blur shot down the mountainside like a comet.

Cheetara swung her magical staff with enough force that it seemed to explode. The reptilian troop flew into the air before crashing to the ground in an unfortunate pile of tails, arms, and legs. The loud zap of a laser blast hitting its mark behind the cheetah drew her attention away from her handiwork. She turned to see Tygra still looking down the barrel of his weapon. Cheetara smiled up at him, and he responded with a flirtatious wink of his eye.

Defeated and relieved of their weapons, the lizards huddled together pitifully, awaiting the Thundercats' pleasure.

"What are we going to do with them?" Cheetara gestured toward the reptiles.

"We're going to let them go."

Tygra jerked his head in surprise; he wasn't sure he'd heard correctly. "Excuse me?"

"They've fought under Mumm-Ra long enough to know they don't want to live under him," Lion-O explained. "His mission is not just a threat to cats. If we don't unite against him, we'll fall together before him."

The sergeant lizard laughed. "Cats and lizards, united together? If that's your plan for victory, you are a fool."

"Perhaps," the young king replied. "Still, the choice is yours. Return to the battlefield or return to your families." The lizards decided to go home.

Tygra watched the reptiles walk away. "You still haven't given up the idea that you can turn the lizards good just by cutting them a break."

"You saw what happened after we won the spirit stone, mass desertions in the lizard army. They don't even know what they're fighting for."

Tygra cast adoring eyes on Cheetara. "All I know is what I'm fighting for."

"That reminds me," she purred, "thanks for watching my back."

Cheetara kissed his cheek, and Tygra beamed. "Well, your back's real easy to watch."

Kat looked pained. "I think I'm gonna hack up a hairball."

Tyra cleared his throat. "Sorry."

Lion-O's expression darkened, but he quickly shook it off and offered a bright smile. "Don't be," he said. "I'm happy for both of you."

The couple exchanged a look mixed with relief and happiness. "It means a lot to hear you say that," Tygra replied.

- o -

Lion-O tried to push past his feelings. He didn't want to resent his brother's happiness or to remain angry with Cheetara indefinitely. Still, whenever he saw them together or observed even the smallest gesture of affection between them, he felt angry and betrayed all over again. Finally, he decided to confront Cheetara, and the opportunity presented itself a few days later.

They'd completed another ambush; Kit and Kat were herding their latest captures off with a few salty words while Tygra collected the weapons the lizards left behind. Lion-O had just finished carving the Thundercat symbol into the side of another damaged transport when Cheetara walked over to him. "Another battalion has surrendered. We need to keep up the pressure."

"It doesn't make any sense, Cheetara."

Puzzled, she asked, "Do you have a different plan?"

"I'm not talking about the lizards," Lion-O clarified. "Even after going over it a thousand times in my mind, I still don't understand how I could have misread all your signals."

Cheetara was thrown off balance. "You said you were okay with Tygra and me."

"I know what I said," he replied unhappily. "I just wish it were true. Every time I turned around, your eyes were on me. You followed me everywhere. Even into all this."

"It's because…Jaga asked me to watch over you."

Cheetara felt bad. She never meant her attention towards him to be misconstrued. But for Lion-O, this was the second shock she'd delivered to him. He became angry.

"Then all those things you said about seeing something special in me that was just part of your job?"

"Of course not!" She was offended that he could even think that. "I believe in you with all my heart. It's just that heart belongs to someone else." She touched his shoulder gently. "This doesn't change our relationship."

Rebuffing any attempt at reconciliation, he pulled away from her. "But it does. It changes everything." Lion-O walked away, his posture stiff with anger. Saddened, Cheetara watched him go.

Having witnessed the drama, Tygra wandered over. "What's wrong with him?"

Cheetara's expression fell. "He's upset with me…with us," she sighed. "He thought the attention I gave him was because I had feelings for him…romantic feelings." She looked miserable. "How did I let this happen?"

"Would you like me to talk to him?"

"No, that might only make matters worse."

Tygra reached for her hand, laced his fingers through hers. "We were both confused there for a while," he said evenly. "Honestly, I would have had some feelings if you had chosen differently, but I wouldn't be angry with you because of it."

"You're older and wiser, yes?" Cheetara squeezed his fingers affectionately, but her voice was tormented. "I should have known—maybe I could have been…clearer, somehow. Oh, Tygra, I don't know! I just feel bad that he's angry and hurt."

"You're his first crush; finding out the girl you care for doesn't care for you the same way hurts. I know; I get it. But he'll survive. He'll get over it."

"Sooner rather than later, I hope," Cheetara replied.

- o -

Mumm-Ra didn't like the way events were shaping up. The Thundercats were staging ambushes everywhere, and the lizards were deserting his army in droves. He glared at his wizened, red-eyed reflection staring back at him from the pool at the foot of his sarcophagus. Mumm-Ra was enraged by the ungovernable state his army was in and Slithe's inability to keep order now that the blasted cub had control of the spirit stone. Mumm-Ra decided drastic measures were required to curb the defections and take the Thundercats down a peg or two. He introduced Slithe to his newest generals—Atticus, a sadistic Monkian, and an even more despicable, not to mention psychotic, Jackalman called Kanar.

Meanwhile, the tension between Lion-O, Cheetara, and Tygra did not subside. Although Cheetara was a peacemaker and tried to smooth things over with Lion-O, he remained angry and indifferent. On the other hand, Tygra decided to give his brother some space; however, he made it clear he would not tolerate disrespectful behavior toward his mate. Panthro observed the friction between the three from the sidelines. He decided to stay out of it but resolved to step in if Lion-O didn't accept Cheetara and Tygra's relationship with a measure of grace soon.

The situation deteriorated when the cats faced off with Slithe, Atticus, and Kanar. The first salvo was fired when they recognized the lizards they'd captured earlier were in Slithe's clutches again. Lion-O wanted to rescue them, but Tygra disagreed, "Whether they're deserters or prisoners, they're not our problem anymore."

"You don't understand," Lion-O argued. "If we don't stand by them, they'll stand by Mumm-Ra."

"Tygra's right," Cheetara said. "It's too dangerous to save lizards who could turn on us tomorrow."

Lion-O did not attempt to hide his scorn. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised you'd side with him."

"You know that's not what this is about!" Cheetara snapped back.

"You're right. It's about their army being on the verge of collapse and not letting up the pressure." Lion-O sent Kit and Kat to the village; he turned his back on the cleric and prepared to take Slithe on alone.

She jumped to her feet. "Lion-O, wait! We have to stick together!"

"You two can stick together! I'll do this alone."

Cheetara sighed wearily and exchanged a harassed look with Tygra. They were getting tired of Lion-O's attitude, but they were not going to let him fight Slithe alone. The lord of the Thundercats discovered rather quickly that Slithe had backup, and he was outnumbered.

"Three against one," Atticus said. "That's hardly fair."

From her vantage point above them, Cheetara flung expertly aimed throwing stars at their feet. "Do we even the odds?"

Tygra appeared at her side. "Did you really think we'd let you do this alone?"

The cheetah and tiger attacked; Kanar tangled with Tygra, Atticus sparred with Cheetara, and Lion-O and Slithe fought with sword and ax. The second salvo was fired when Kanar's brutality got the better of Tygra; he ended up being bound by his own whip with a spear at his back. Slithe sneered.

"Surrender, or we'll kill him," Kanar demanded.

"I believe it's your turn to surrender now," Slithe crowed.

"Never! There's still two of us!"

Cheetara did not hesitate to toss her staff aside. She would have done so for any of the Thundercats, but it was an absolute no-brainer when her lover's life hung in the balance.

"Cheetara, what are you doing?" Lion-O challenged. "I thought we had to stick together."

"I have to stick with him," she gestured to Tygra. He was bound and on his knees; his head was bowed, and she could not see his face. Her heart was in her throat.

Tygra was defeated, but her love for him brought a smile to his lips, despite his current situation. Atticus grabbed Cheetara from behind, squeezing her in his powerful arms. She gamely struggled against him but was unable to free herself. Slithe took advantage of Lion-O's loss of focus and sucker-punched him hard, laying the young king flat. With the cats neutralized, Slithe turned to Atticus and Kanar.

"Kill them in whatever manner amuses you."

Kanar could scarcely contain his excitement. "Oooo! The possibilities," he giggled.

Just as the cats were bracing themselves for the end, a mechanical roar filled the night. The Thunder Tank soared through the air, landing in the middle of the fray. Seconds later, Panthro appeared from its top hatch and unleashed the power of his new robotic arms. He quickly disabled Mumm-Ra's generals, the tank's rear door opened, and the battered cats hurried inside to safety.

As the tank roared towards the Berbil village, a demoralized Lion-O expressed his concerns about the state of the war to Panthro. Having met Mumm-Ra's new generals and seeing what they were capable of, Lion-O felt as if they were fighting in vain. And while he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, he was ashamed of his actions and knew he should apologize for his behavior. Tygra could have been killed, and he had to admit that Cheetara's bond with his brother was far greater than what he'd imagined her feelings were for him. Still, pride held his tongue, and he could not look at them. Lion-O didn't see that the tide had turned against him as far as Tygra and Cheetara were concerned. It was unfortunate; had he made the slightest effort, he could have softened their justifiable irritation.

Tygra and Cheetara regarded their king with matching frowns, united in their annoyance with him. They could not believe Lion-O had been willing to let Tygra die because of a jealous snit; they'd also lost patience with his continued jabs at Cheetara. She had apologized for unintentionally misleading him. She was still in service to the Crown. But Lion-O refused to set aside his anger and move on. He never let them, or anyone, forget he was king, and this idea that he could have anything—anyone—he wanted because the sword had chosen him was odious. With regards to their relationship, he was acting like a spoiled, stubborn child. And they were tired of it. He needed to grow up. They were not going to coddle him anymore.

Panthro was unaware of the most recent drama; he'd find out all about that later. For now, he simply listened to the young king's concerns like the general he was. He threw a muscular arm across Lion-O's shoulders and said, "You lost a battle, kid, not the war. We'll get through this. We just have to stick together."