Chapter 12: Dog City, Part 2

The general led the way through a maze of corridors until finally, they stood before the massive arena they'd seen from the tank, the structure towered above everything around it, throwing its neighbors in shadow. Panthro dropped several coins into an attendant's outstretched hand, and the cats strolled through the entrance. They climbed several levels, surprised to see the place overflowing with spectators, cheering, and shouting at gladiators, three dogs versus a spiky-headed robot, in combat below. Panthro pushed his way into an aisle, and the others squeezed in behind him.

"This is the pit," he said when they were seated. "It's where slaves and criminals fight to survive."

"And to entertain," Tygra said indignantly, a frown spoiling his handsome face. "Like I needed another reason not to like dogs."

Cheetara slipped her hand in his, and his fingers caressed it of their own accord; her touch cooled his temper.

Equally annoyed, Lion-O turned to the dog seated next to him; his expression matched his brother's. "Who's in charge?"

The dog pointed across the arena to a concealed viewing area set at the very top of the stadium.

Lion-O jerked his head. "Let's go."

The cats gamely avoided stepping on feet as they squeezed out of the aisle; they followed Lion-O across the arena and climbed several more tiers until they reached a dusky stairway that led to a private viewing booth. Cheetara pushed aside the curtain, separating them from the occupant, revealing a dog absorbed in the fight below.

The lord of the Thundercats stepped forward boldly; he shoved the mangled poster in front of the dog's face. "What do you know about this cat?"

The dog, a Doberman, glanced at it dismissively, his voice sonorous and matter of fact. "She's a fighter, belongs to me."

Lion-O bristled. "She doesn't belong to anyone!"

"That so?"

Lion-O doubled down. "She's a free cat now, so we'll be taking her with us."

The Doberman growled, rising from his seat. He was lean, powerfully built, and he towered over Lion-O. "You're welcome to try."

Cheetara took a step forward; if Lion-O was going to put himself in harm's way, it was her duty to defend him. She reached for her staff.

Panthro spoke up. "Don't let him scare you, Lion-O."

"Stay out of it, Panthro," she warned, but he pushed his way past the cleric until he was nose-to-nose with the dog.

"He may have been tough once," the panther continued, "but now he's too old and scrawny."

Tygra shook his head; bracing for the inevitable brawl, he positioned himself beside the cheetah.

The cat and dog traded insults; both growled menacingly, showing lots of teeth. Cheetara and Tygra exchanged looks, preparing for the worst, but the would-be adversaries clasped hands quite unexpectedly, and the general laughed.

"It's been a long time, Dobo."

"A lifetime, Panthro."

Tygra blinked, astonished. "Are they friends?"

"I can't tell," Cheetara replied haltingly.

"Cat's name is Pumyra," Dobo told them. "If you're so hot to see her, Lion-O, you're just in time. She's up next against Gormax."

They'd already seen Gormax, the monstrous machine with detachable parts used as weapons, take out three fighters.

Lion-O was appalled. "She doesn't stand a chance against that thing!"

The Thundercats watched the cat enter the arena. She looked delicate, impossibly fragile, as she faced the hulking robot. Panthro noticed she carried herself like a warrior, which Dobo confirmed later. The puma's physical appearance did not concern Cheetara. She'd known girls with similar builds when she was a novice and seen them put cats twice their size on their hindsides with very little trouble. That proved to be the case here. While slender in build, the puma was strong, athletic, and quick.

The match between Pumyra and Gormax was almost laughably one-sided. She evaded the machine's attacks with graceful leaps, somersaulting through the air, and brought the machine down with a foldout crossbow built into her armband. Pumyra leaped atop the fallen robot, arm raised in victory. Lion-O was amazed by the puma's performance; the crowd roared its approval, and Dobo crowed about how much money this fighter was making him.

"You cats train your soldiers well," he complimented.

He told them the warrior would win her freedom after a hundred wins; when that day came, he'd be sorry to see her go. The remark earned him a withering look from Cheetara, but Dobo didn't notice; he was too busy mentally counting the coins falling into his coffers.

Remarkably, as fierce as she was in the pit, the puma was just as docile once the fight was over. Pumyra held her wrists out to the guards without prompting, allowing herself to be cuffed and led back to her cell. It seemed to Tygra that she'd accepted her fate, but Lion-O's lips drew back over his fangs.

"It would be a shame if she escaped," he insinuated.

Dobo growled a warning. "Make sure your friend doesn't do anything stupid, Panthro." He turned on his heel and walked away.

The young lord fumed watching the cat's degradation and moved to intervene, but Panthro blocked his path.

"The lizards are bad enough," he said gruffly. "We can't afford a war with the dogs, too."

"She's a Thundercat!" Lion-O railed. "I won't let her be a slave!"

Tygra folded his arms over his chest. "The general's right," he said objectively. "We don't have the money to buy her freedom, and the place is too well guarded to attempt a rescue."

They returned to the tank with differing opinions about what they could do, but Lion-O was adamant. They would remain in Dog City until Pumyra was free. He was aware that his cleric's voice had been silent during the discussion.

"You were right," he admitted, acknowledging her foresight. "How do you think I should proceed?"

"Panthro has a relationship with Dobo," Cheetara said thoughtfully. "Maybe we should see if he can work something out with him, negotiate better terms for Pumyra's release."

Lion-O seemed to accept the cleric's suggestion. "I'll talk to him about it," he replied, walking away.

– o –

Daylight was fading when the lion king returned to the pit. The stadium, which had been alive with cheering, blood-thirsty fans a few hours earlier, was now deserted; silence hung over it like a shroud. The young lord made his way beneath the arena where the gladiators were kept in underground cells when not fighting for the canine population's entertainment. Cheetara's suggestion was a good one, and he'd told them he wouldn't ignore their counsel anymore, but Lion-O would not suffer a cat being caged for one more night. So, he slipped away to stage her rescue. He knew it was risky but not impossible.

Lion-O crept along the dungeon, keeping to the shadows. He didn't anticipate any resistance from the puma, and he'd only encountered two guards; both hefty bulldogs propped against the wall. Their snores rumbled in the ginger cat's ears, providing an early warning system; if the noise ceased, he was in trouble. When he found Pumyra's cell, she appeared to be sleeping. He tip-toed closer.

The puma was instantly alert. "Who are you?"

Lion-O held up his hands, trying not to alarm her or wake the guards. "A friend, but keep it down. This place is crawling with guards."

Pumyra leaned forward and, recognizing Lion-O in the dim light; her face twisted angrily. Her voice was loud, irate. "You. You! Get away from me!"

His eyes stretched wide. "It's okay—"

Pumyra lunged at him, yellow eyes blazing; she practically screamed, "I said get away from me!"

The puma's screeching aroused the guards. They sprang to their feet, grabbing Lion-O roughly by the arms, dragging him away from the cat's cell. The king was spun around viciously and saw a tall figure stepping from the dark tunnel. Dobo growled.

"I knew you'd try something stupid," he said, removing the sword and gauntlet from Lion-O's belt. "Well, since you care so much about her, you can join her."

The guards opened the cell next to Pumyra's, shoving Lion-O inside.

"In fact," Dobo continued, "you can be next in line to fight her."

– v –

The sun was setting; the kittens and Snarf hadn't returned, and Cheetara was concerned. Tygra tried to reassure her, but she couldn't help worrying. They were children, and she felt responsible for them. Cheetara perched atop the tank, staring at the city gate, waiting to see three figures dashing through it. Tygra joined her just as the first moon rose above the horizon. A sultry breeze blew in from the east, tossing her hair about her head. It fanned out like golden ribbons, catching the moonlight, and Tygra caught his breath; she was beautiful.

Cheetara sighed. It was a romantic night. She leaned against her tiger, laying her head on his shoulder. He inhaled her fragrance and lost himself in the softness in her eyes when she looked at him. Tygra tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek as was his habit, then bent his head to kiss her lips. His mouth lingered on hers, and he held her close; moments like this were the best part of his day. They sat in comfortable silence for a long while, enjoying the night and each other while keeping watch for the kittens and Snarf.

– v –

Lion-O pushed against the door of his cell, testing it. "I was just trying to help you," he huffed.

Pumyra hissed at him; the sound was dark, threatening, and again, not the response he was expecting. Lion-O didn't understand Pumyra's anger or why it was directed at him; he was beginning to feel foolish.

"You're a piece of work, you know," he grumbled. "You act like I'm your enemy.

"That's exactly what you are to me."

"I am your king," he retorted, his voice full of authority.

The puma was far from impressed. She was not a camp follower and her eyes filled with angry tears. Rage burned through her; her voice shook with it.

"A king would not have abandoned his people when Thundera fell. A king would not have let his people be sold into slavery. And a king would have done something for them by now."

Lion-O folded his arms over his chest, his expression petulant, and his voice lost its arrogance. "I did what I had to do so I could fight another day."

"And how many more days do you need before you free your people?" she shot back furiously. Bitter tears glistened in her eyes, but she was determined they would not fall. "So many waited for you to save them from their torment, and until their last breath, they waited."

"I can't change what's happened!" Lion-O's face fell; shame stung him. "But I can promise to stand by you now."

Pumyra scoffed. "I stopped believing you'd rescue me a long time ago, Lion-O. I will earn myself the freedom my king could not give me. And when we get in that arena, I'm going to rip you to pieces."

She slammed her hand violently against the bars of her cell, emphasizing the point, and the king realized this cat wanted nothing to do with him. So much for rescuing a subject who would be thankful.

– o –

Cheetara's sleep was troubled by dreams, but she didn't remember them upon waking, which disturbed her more than she liked. She couldn't seem to get started; when she finally dressed and showed herself, Panthro was pacing impatiently in front of the tank.

"What's wrong?"

Panthro told her the kittens hadn't shown up, and Lion-O was gone. The kids missing in Dog City was bothersome, but his real concern was the king. If he'd gone after Pumyra and run afoul of Dobo, things were going to get nasty.

"You think he did that?"

"Yes," Tygra answered, jumping from the tank's roof. He landed lightly, but she could see he was annoyed. "Disregard our advice? Check. Charge into a situation impulsively? Check. That's exactly what he would do."

Cheetara wrinkled her nose, suppressing a frown. He said he'd talk to Panthro! The image of Lion-O in a cell flashed in her mind, and her eyes darkened until they gleamed like garnets. Had her vision come to pass? Panthro kept quiet, but he agreed with Tygra. Just when he'd started to think the kid had gotten past reckless behavior, he runs off without backup proving him wrong.

The three cats hastened to the pit. Dobo was expecting Panthro and met them just inside the entrance. He told them Lion-O had tried stealing from him; now he was a prisoner, one who'd be fighting that night. While the dog had once been a thief and gladiator, he'd transformed himself into an upright citizen. He handed Panthro the Sword of Omens and the gauntlet with the Spirit Stone.

The general seethed. "That's our king you've got in that cage, Dobo."

"Would you rather I turn him over to the authorities? In the pit, at least he's got a chance of getting out."

"After a hundred victories," Cheetara said, her tone mildly sarcastic.

"Since Panthro's a friend, I'll make an exception," Dobo replied magnanimously. "If Lion-O wins, he's free."

"And if he loses?" She turned skeptical eyes on Panthro. "Tell me again how you know this friend."

Panthro told Cheetara and Tygra how he and Dobo met. He'd been a prisoner of war; the dog had been a thief. "We were usually paired as a team for matches; guess they thought it was funny to see a cat and dog fighting together."

"We beat everything they threw at us," the Doberman remarked, "no matter how nasty."

"Most warriors die here, but somehow Dobo rose through the ranks to run the place."

"I owe it all to Panthro. I wouldn't have lasted a day if he hadn't taught me how to survive."

"That's not true. We survived together."

"Indeed, until that morning when I woke up and found you'd escaped."

"I always regretted leaving you behind like that."

"No, it was the best thing you could have done. I was naïve to have expected loyalty from a cat." A note of resentment crept into Dobo's voice. "I learned that day I was going to have to earn my freedom myself. If your king wants his, he can fight for it, too."

– v –

With nothing to do until nightfall, other than ramble around the marketplace or return to the tank, Tygra and Panthro opted for the latter. They sat in the control deck, brooding over pints of the local grog.

Tygra didn't pull any punches. "Lion-O put himself in this position. Trying to get him out of it is out of the question; there're too many guards." He rubbed his forehead wearily. "We don't have a choice here, general."

"I just hope he doesn't do something else stupid and wins the fight," Panthro said bluntly.

Tygra knew his brother's penchant to be solicitous of the fairer sex no matter the situation. "I'm not sure he'll do that, even knowing how good she is."

Panthro tossed back the remainder of his drink. This king is going to kill me, he thought. The general exhaled sharply and said, "I'll try to reason with Dobo if he throws the fight."

-v-

Cheetara returned to Bowsers Lane, hoping to find some trace of the kittens. She questioned cats working food counters, shopkeepers, just about anyone who may have been out and about the day before. But either no one had seen them, or they were reluctant to assist a cat, and there were too many scents competing for her nose's attention, so tracking them was hopeless. Cheetara was giving up when the laundress who'd been one of Tookit's marks approached her.

"I hear you're looking for a couple of kittens and some odd-looking little animal resembling a cat."

"Have you seen them?"

"Indeed, I have," the bulldog replied. "In the company of a local rascal, a raccoon with sticky fingers."

The tension knotted in the cheetah's neck and shoulders began to melt away. "Were they all right? Do you know where they might have gone?"

The laundress wagged her head. "They were fine as far as I could tell, taking part in the same mischief and thievery that rascally rodent is known for."

She told the cleric they'd stolen a blanket from her laundry. "I don't know where they got off to, sorry."

Cheetara thanked the bulldog for the information. At least they weren't hurt, and while she didn't sense they were in danger, she wasn't happy that they'd involved themselves with a scoundrel. With the twins and Lion-O taking up theft in Dog City, the cheetah's signature composure struggled.

"Blinking hell!" she snarled under her breath.

Cheetara met Panthro and Tygra in front of the arena at twilight and shared what she'd learned.

"The twins falling in with riffraff," Tygra laughed. "Why am I not surprised?" He squeezed Cheetara's hand gently.

Panthro pretended not to see the affectionate gesture; he knew they took pains to keep that aspect of their relationship private.

"Don't worry, Cheetara," he said, making a rare attempt to console someone. "If they don't turn up, we'll turn the town upside down if we have to."

The arena began filling up with fans looking forward to an evening of brutal entertainment beneath a blue-black canvas teeming with stars. Once the crowd was in place, horns announced the start of the matches. Lion-O's battle against Pumyra was the night's first fight, and he entered the pit armed with a battle-ax and shield. He tried to tune out the disapproving howls of the horde.

If the situation had been different, Lion-O would have gushed over Pumyra. She was certainly pretty, with long lashes framing yellow eyes and long hair gathered in tails on both sides of her face and down her back. As it was, she stood before him defiantly and dangerous, her entire body a weapon primed to destroy him. Lion-O steeled himself for what was to come, his face grim.

Since their king was one of the combatants, Dobo ushered the cats into his private viewing booth. "It's a rare treat to see two cats tear each other apart," he remarked almost gleefully. The crowd's excited."

"Too bad cats won't kill each other for some dogs' sick pleasure," Tygra snarked.

The Doberman laughed, throwing Panthro a loaded look. "I have yet to see your species display such loyalty."

In the pit, Lion-O tried appealing to the puma once more. "Pumyra, I know I failed you, but I ask again that we stand together as cats."

"Only one of us will be left standing," she spat.

The puma attacked, unfolding her crossbow and releasing a volley of pellets at him. They rained down on Lion-O mercilessly, sparking off his shield, driving him back. Pumyra launched herself at him, pummeling the shield he held with enough force to knock him off his feet. Lion-O quickly recovered, but the puma was relentless; she was agile, fast, and highly skilled. She gave no quarter; her assault was brutal. Pumyra punched the ginger cat's face, kicked him in the head and chest, and pelted him with shots from her crossbow.

Tygra and Cheetara watched helplessly as Pumyra gave Lion-O a severe thrashing; the young king made no move to defend himself. Each time Pumyra lay Lion-O flat, he climbed to his feet, but Cheetara could see the beating was taking a toll on her king.

Pumyra threw her bolas at Lion-O, knocking his battle-ax from his hand. The weapon appeared to have a will of its own as it pursued the ginger cat; entangling his legs, and he crashed into the ground; the shield flew out of his hand with the impact. Now, he had nothing to protect himself from the puma's onslaught or to strike back with if he decided to save himself.

"It's easy to see why Thundera fell in a day," Pumyra jeered, kicking him viciously. "You're pathetic."

Closing her eyes, Cheetara turned her face away. This is what she'd seen in her vision, and it broke her heart to see her king so abused. She didn't understand why he wasn't fighting back, and being unable to protect him was more than she could bear.

"I refuse to fight you," Lion-O grimaced, forcing himself upright.

"Then you will die." Pumyra delivered a roundhouse kick to his face. "Stay down, and I might end this mercifully."

He did not.

"Very well," she growled. "You can suffer as your people did."

The puma put all her weight behind the fist she planted in Lion-O's face.

-v-

Panthro could not watch much more of this farce. "Does he have to be punished for what you think I did?"

Dobo gave voice to the grudge he'd been harboring. "Should I be the only one, old pal? You didn't just leave me behind when you ran. You left all the enemies we'd made together, and I had to stand against that blood-thirsty horde alone."

"I ran because I learned my fight the next day was a death match."

The dog sneered. "So? It wouldn't have been your first."

"It was going to be between you and me."

"What? You were afraid you couldn't beat me?"

"No. I was afraid I'd have to."

Dobo didn't expect that answer. He stared at the panther; his mouth snapped shut.

-v-

Tygra stood with his hand on Cheetara's shoulder; anger and fear flickered in his eyes. He could understand Lion-O going easy on the puma, but what was he thinking, not fighting at all? The tiger growled as his brother continued to taste the arena's dust. Pumyra seemed intent on beating Lion-O to death, and if she succeeded, he would rip her throat out.

Every muscle in Lion-O's body ached. Still, he continued to push through the pain to stand again and again, even though his strength was waning. The puma was pitiless.

"Why do you keep getting up?"

"I said I'd stand by you, and I intend to."

Pumyra stood ready to take the killing shot with her crossbow; her hand trembled with tension. Lion-O could only stare at her. Whatever she was going to do, she would have to do it while looking into his eyes. The cats stood petrified, holding their breaths. The moment seemed to drag on forever, then Pumyra let the pellet slip from her hand, relaxing her grip on the crossbow.

"I will not kill my king, Dobo," her voice rang out clearly in the arena.

"And I will not hurt a fellow cat," Lion-O vowed, cradling his battered body.

Dobo looked down at the warriors in the pit, telling them the penalty for forfeiting was death. Pumyra and Lion-O nodded understanding, Cheetara's heart thudded in her chest. This could not be happening. She clutched at Tygra, her claws digging into his arm when a thunderous cry rose from the crowd, hundreds of voices pleading with Dobo to let the lion and puma live.

The calls for mercy went on for several minutes; Dobo's gaze bent toward Panthro. "It seems loyalty is not only a trait of the dogs." To the combatants, he said, "You have earned my respect. You both leave this arena as free cats!"

Thundercats rushed from the booth to surround Lion-O. He was in terrible shape, beaten, bloodied, exhausted. The cat responsible for the damage stood indifferent a few feet away; the cats' reaction to the puma reflected their personalities. Panthro's good eye raked Pumyra up and down; his strong features did not hide his disdain for her. Tygra strode past, growling low in his throat, his face tight with rage. Cheetara's expression was neutral. She barely looked at Pumyra, but the puma felt a chill when the cheetah passed.

Lion-O staggered toward them; each step jarred him, bringing a fresh stab of pain, but he managed a lopsided grin. Tygra's jaw tightened, seeing his brother's swollen face, and he glared at Pumyra with murderous eyes.

"Kid! What's the matter with you?" Panthro chided. "You're our king; you can't put yourself in danger like this."

"Yes, I am king," Lion-O said earnestly, "but I've failed our people." He raised a trembling arm and pointed at Pumyra. "She confirmed Cheetara's vision. Cats survived Thundera; they've been enslaved."

"Where?" Panthro growled.

The puma directed their attention north, where a dark, twisted shape loomed in the distance.

"A mining operation in Mount Plun-Darr," she replied, her voice surprisingly soft.

Lion-O looked at Cheetara. "Now I have proof," he said, holding her gaze. "We have to save them."

"We will," Cheetara nodded.

Tygra moved to support his brother. "Let's get you to the tank and take care of your injuries."

Lion-O threw his arm over Tygra's shoulders and hobbled along. His pace was slow; he had cuts and bruises everywhere. The young lord glanced over his shoulder at Pumyra.

"Coming?"

-v-

Tygra helped Lion-O into the tank, where Cheetara cleaned the worst of his wounds in the common area. Fortunately, their physiology was such that he'd heal in a few hours. Pumyra felt uncomfortable around Lion-O's inner circle; the panther and tiger, Lion-O's brother, had made it clear they would be happy ripping her apart. And the cheetah was most likely territorial, not wanting another female invading her domain.

She lurked in the background, watching the cleric take care of the lion king. The puma instinctively knew the cheetah was very different from her; her demeanor seemed serene and submissive. She treated Lion-O gently, and Pumyra felt he liked those traits, none of which was true of her. Once the cleric left, Pumyra walked over to the king. The angry look she'd worn most of the night eased a little. Lion-O was surprised when she picked up a piece of cloth and began wrapping his wrist.

"Maybe you know how to act like a king after all," she said grudgingly.

-v-

Tygra and Panthro waited outside the tank; neither was pleased with the night's events.

"That puma fought Lion-O more brutally than she did Gormax," Panthro noted.

"He's king," Tygra said.

"And she holds that against him?"

"Maybe. I don't know why Lion-O didn't fight back, but she didn't need to go after him the way she did."

"No, she didn't," Panthro's voice was tired. "But when will Lion-O stop ignoring our advice?"

Tygra didn't respond, but he felt confident the answer was never.

Panthro changed the subject. "I wonder what else Cheetara's seen."

"She hasn't said," Tygra replied, shrugging. "But she won't keep secrets. Cheetara's a team player, Panthro; you know that."

The general's mouth twitched. "I do. She keeps surprising me, that's all." He stretched, yawning. "Best get a little shut-eye; the king will want to move in a couple of hours."

Tygra nodded, and Panthro strode off to his pad.

-v-

Tygra leaned back in the captain's chair, admiring Cheetara's long graceful limbs as she walked toward him, and she liked the way he looked at her when no one else was looking. Cheetara plopped in his lap, kissed him lightly, and lay her head against his shoulder. Tygra whispered something in her ear, and she laughed. At length, Cheetara gave voice to her thoughts.

"I was afraid for Lion-O today. She nearly killed him."

"It seemed personal," he stated. "What I don't know is why."

Cheetara hesitated, then pulled away to look directly into Tygra's dreamy brown eyes. "I know how this will sound, and I can't explain it, but something doesn't feel right about her." She realized they were avoiding calling the puma by name and attempted to walk back her comment.

"Or maybe I'm judging Pumyra too quickly. She may turn out to be someone Lion-O needs."

Tygra scoffed. "Hard to think that after what she did today."

"Time will tell," Cheetara said, settling herself comfortably against him again. "Meanwhile, we have cats to rescue."

Tygra stroked her back. "Yes," his voice was whiskey smooth. "It will be dangerous."

"Probably."

"You're not worried?"

"Not if you're with me."

"Always."

"I like that word," Cheetara purred, snuggling against him. "Always."