Lost Battles
The Emerald Necklace
"Come on, Tabbirra," WillyKit called from her space board, "I'll race you to the berbil village."
Tabbirra flew beside her, "you think you can beat me?"
WillyKat pulled up beside her, "I bet I can beat you both," he said, and sped along the trail.
The three laughed as they played, temporarily forgetting that they were
Thundercats and had responsibilities. Panthro, watching them from the control room in Cat's Lair, couldn't help but laugh when Tabbirra flew circles around Kat's board.
"What's so funny," Tigra asked from his station.
"The kids. Sometimes I wish that the rest of us could have as much fun as they do," Panthro said, stretching.
"snarfLet's just hope they stop having fun long enough to get the fruit I need from the berbils," Snarf entered the room, "what's taking them so long?"
"Give 'em a break Snarf," Lion-O said, "they're just . . ."
An alarm sounded. Everyone turned their attention back to their monitors.
"What's wrong, Panthro," Cheetara said, running in.
"Mumm-ra," he growled, "and he's after the kittens."
"Fire up the Thundertank," Lion-O ordered, "we have to get them first."
"There's the village," WillyKit called as her board raced across the grass.
Suddenly, a flash of light crossed her vision and her board fell from beneath her. Tabbirra and WillyKat dove after her. WillyKat caught her on his board.
"What was that," Tabbirra asked when they landed.
Kit pointed to the sky, "Mumm-ra!"
Mumm-ra laughed malevolently and dove towards the three. He sent a bolt of energy flying at Kit and Kat, and grabbed Tabbirra.
"What do you want," she screamed, fighting to get free.
"One less Thunderkitten," Mumm-ra cackled.
Tabbirra held the flap of Dragon's pouch shut, to keep him in it and out of danger.
"You'll have to do better than that," she said, slicing her chacraam across Mumm-ra's decaying arm.
He howled and released her. She fell only a few feet before the winds lifted her. She looked at the sky; it was too clear to call a storm or lightning. So, she created a cyclone of wind around her, to protect her.
"Cleaver little witch," Mumm-ra taunted, "but a little breeze cannot stop
Mumm-ra: the ever living!"
"For a dead guy, you sure talk a lot," Tabbirra said, descending as she saw the Thundertank in the distance.
"Your fellow Thundercats cannot help you, child," Mumm-ra said, throwing a ball of magic to the wind surrounding her, "no one can."
The ball exploded and a cloud of gas surrounded Tabbirra, choking her.
She lost consciousness and fell, and Mumm-ra caught her.
"He's got Tabbirra," Kit said as Panthro pulled the Thundertank up.
"We can't shoot him," Cheetara said from the laser cannon, "we might hurt Tabbirra."
"Then, let's get back to the Lair and plan our next move," Lion-O said as the kittens jumped into the tank.
Tabbirra woke in the dark, her head aching from the gas. It took her a moment to remember what had happened. Dragon stood on her chest, growling and hissing. She turned to see what had angered him and she saw a small, ugly, decayed dog.
"Stand down, Dragon," she whispered, petting him, "go find Lynx-O."
The little creature reluctantly spread his winds and flew up, beyond where Tabbirra could see. The strange dog growled and jumped after him, but then stopped suddenly.
Her eyes now adjusted to the dim light of the pyramid, Tabbirra looked
around. She was laying on an ornately decorated altar beside a giant cauldron.
On the other side of her was a huge skull with a sarcophagus in its mouth.
"You are looking for a way out," Mumm-ra cackled from the shadows, "I'm sure you've noticed by now that there is no escape from the dark pyramid."
"Maybe to anyone else," Tabbirra hollered, flying off of the altar, "but I'm a Thundercat and a priestess. Try and stop me."
"Are you sure you want to leave without this," Mumm-ra dangled her emerald pendent.
She turned and stared, losing her wind for a moment.
"What do you want, mummy," she growled.
Mumm-ra laughed viciously, "I already have it."
She grabbed her chacraam from her belt, "oh yeah? Have this!"
She aimed to throw it, but the ugly dog clamped down on her arm, dragging her back down to the altar. She screamed with pain as its teeth sunk into her skin. It refused to release her arm as she lay on the altar. She watched as Mumm-ra walked over to his sarcophagus and embedded her emerald into the lid. The stone gave off a brilliant glow, then returned to normal.
"Okay," she hissed through the pain, "now what?"
"Now," Mumm-ra laughed, walking around the altar to the cauldron, "now I will have your power to control the elements added to my own. Once I have sacrificed you to the ancient spirits of evil, they will give your power to me."
Tabbirra shook the dog off of her, "go ahead and try."
The eyes of the four statues around the cauldron lit up an unholy red as
Mumm-ra said, "believe me, child, I do not have to just try. Ancient spirits of evil: transform this decayed form to Mumm-ra: the ever living!"
Tabbirra watched in terror as the four statues stepped forward and showered the mummy in some kind of energy or magic. When they returned to their posts, Mumm-ra had doubled in size and ferocity.
"Dragon," she thought, "where are you?"
Dragon was half way to the Lair when he saw the Thundertank beneath him, headed for the pyramid. Lynx-O was in the Thunder-strike, not far behind.
The snarfion let out a cry of triumph and turned to return to his mistress' side.
Before long, he was outside the pyramid with all the Thundercats (save Snarfer at the Tower and Snarf at the Lair). They stood prepared as Lion-O raised the Sword of Omens and fired its magic upon the wall of the Pyramid.
The wall slowly melted away.
Inside, Mumm-ra again raised his arms to the cauldron.
"Ancient spirits of evil and magic: grant me the power of this little
Thundercat."
Mumm-ra turned and raised an onyx dagger high above Tabbirra. She deflected his first blow with her chacraam, trying to get up, but four stone snakes rose from the alter and held her in place. Mumm-ra aimed for a second blow, and the back wall of the pyramid exploded. Losing his concentration, Mumm-ra's snakes disappeared and Tabbirra flew from the altar.
"Thundercats: ho," she cried as Dragon flew to Mumm-ra and bit the hand holding the dagger.
He screamed and dropped it into the cauldron, which boiled and erupted.
"Ho," the others cried as they began their attack.
"You would dare face me in my own home," Mumm-ra cackled as he flew toward the Thundercats.
"Just returning the favor," Tabbirra growled, throwing her chacraam.
It bounced off the four great statues, leaving deep gashes and chipping the stone, before it cut across Mumm-ra's back. He screamed in pain and fell out of the air and into the cauldron.
"The sarcophagus," Lion-O ordered, "Panthro, Bengali: help me put it in the cauldron. That will stop him for a while."
The three ran to it and strained to lift it.
"Wait," Tabbirra said, pulling her emerald out of the lid, "I need this.
Now, let me take care of this thing."
The three stepped back as Tabbirra slipped the emerald around her neck and directed a great wind to the coffin. It rose into the air shakily and moved quickly over to the cauldron. When the wind departed, the sarcophagus fell with a huge splash followed by the sounds of Mumm-ra's agonized screaming.
Dragon flew to his pouch, growling and hissing as the cauldron bubbled and boiled.
"Let's get out of here," Lion-O said and Tabbirra joined them as they left.
Back at the Lair, Lynx-O held Dragon as Tigra treated the bite on
Tabbirra's arm.
"You're lucky to have survived all that," Tigra said as he wrapped it.
"What did Mumm-ra want with you anyway," Lion-O asked from the door, "and what's so important about that emerald?"
Tabbirra sighed and hopped down from the bed, "the emerald came from a ceremonial goblet that was destroyed when the Plundarians sacked our temple.
I found the piece of the goblet that contained the emerald and my Uncle Sabro (the black smith who built my suspension pod) set it for me to keep as a necklace. Mother said that it would protect me from the elements while I wasn't controlling them. It's the last piece of my heritage that I have now.
"As for what he wanted with me: I'm not entirely sure. He said something about sacrificing me to some ancient spirits of evil to gain my powers, or something."
Lynx-O set Dragon on Tabbirra's shoulder, "well, I must say that you two handled yourselves quite nicely against a priest of evil."
Lion-O and Tigra agreed. That evening, Tabbirra knelt next to her suspension pod, which had been moved to her room. Dragon was pulling a blanket under her bed with which to make himself a crude nest. Tabbirra reached into the pod and pushed a hidden button under the rim. At the end of the pod, a drawer opened. Tabbirra dug through it. Inside was a tattered baby blanket, an old teddy cat, a flute, and several scrolls. She picked up the scroll marked "I".
She thought back, for a moment, to how her mother had slipped the scrolls into the hidden drawer just as Tabbirra was getting into the pod. Her mother had kissed her on the forehead, said a ceremonial prayer of protection, and shut the lid. The suspension pod's gases had made her sleep then and that was the last time she saw her mother.
A tear ran down her cheek as she unrolled the scroll.
"My daughter," it read, "since you are reading this, it means that you have survived. On these scrolls, I have written the last of your lessons. I do not know if there are any Thunderians where you are to help you so I fear you are on your own. Take these lessons and all the ones before and do well, my child. For life is a field and only you can bring it rain. Remember forever that I love you and I will always be with you, in spirit, in love, and in the emerald of the clan that you wear around your neck. Be well, little Tabbirra."
The Emerald Necklace
"Come on, Tabbirra," WillyKit called from her space board, "I'll race you to the berbil village."
Tabbirra flew beside her, "you think you can beat me?"
WillyKat pulled up beside her, "I bet I can beat you both," he said, and sped along the trail.
The three laughed as they played, temporarily forgetting that they were
Thundercats and had responsibilities. Panthro, watching them from the control room in Cat's Lair, couldn't help but laugh when Tabbirra flew circles around Kat's board.
"What's so funny," Tigra asked from his station.
"The kids. Sometimes I wish that the rest of us could have as much fun as they do," Panthro said, stretching.
"snarfLet's just hope they stop having fun long enough to get the fruit I need from the berbils," Snarf entered the room, "what's taking them so long?"
"Give 'em a break Snarf," Lion-O said, "they're just . . ."
An alarm sounded. Everyone turned their attention back to their monitors.
"What's wrong, Panthro," Cheetara said, running in.
"Mumm-ra," he growled, "and he's after the kittens."
"Fire up the Thundertank," Lion-O ordered, "we have to get them first."
"There's the village," WillyKit called as her board raced across the grass.
Suddenly, a flash of light crossed her vision and her board fell from beneath her. Tabbirra and WillyKat dove after her. WillyKat caught her on his board.
"What was that," Tabbirra asked when they landed.
Kit pointed to the sky, "Mumm-ra!"
Mumm-ra laughed malevolently and dove towards the three. He sent a bolt of energy flying at Kit and Kat, and grabbed Tabbirra.
"What do you want," she screamed, fighting to get free.
"One less Thunderkitten," Mumm-ra cackled.
Tabbirra held the flap of Dragon's pouch shut, to keep him in it and out of danger.
"You'll have to do better than that," she said, slicing her chacraam across Mumm-ra's decaying arm.
He howled and released her. She fell only a few feet before the winds lifted her. She looked at the sky; it was too clear to call a storm or lightning. So, she created a cyclone of wind around her, to protect her.
"Cleaver little witch," Mumm-ra taunted, "but a little breeze cannot stop
Mumm-ra: the ever living!"
"For a dead guy, you sure talk a lot," Tabbirra said, descending as she saw the Thundertank in the distance.
"Your fellow Thundercats cannot help you, child," Mumm-ra said, throwing a ball of magic to the wind surrounding her, "no one can."
The ball exploded and a cloud of gas surrounded Tabbirra, choking her.
She lost consciousness and fell, and Mumm-ra caught her.
"He's got Tabbirra," Kit said as Panthro pulled the Thundertank up.
"We can't shoot him," Cheetara said from the laser cannon, "we might hurt Tabbirra."
"Then, let's get back to the Lair and plan our next move," Lion-O said as the kittens jumped into the tank.
Tabbirra woke in the dark, her head aching from the gas. It took her a moment to remember what had happened. Dragon stood on her chest, growling and hissing. She turned to see what had angered him and she saw a small, ugly, decayed dog.
"Stand down, Dragon," she whispered, petting him, "go find Lynx-O."
The little creature reluctantly spread his winds and flew up, beyond where Tabbirra could see. The strange dog growled and jumped after him, but then stopped suddenly.
Her eyes now adjusted to the dim light of the pyramid, Tabbirra looked
around. She was laying on an ornately decorated altar beside a giant cauldron.
On the other side of her was a huge skull with a sarcophagus in its mouth.
"You are looking for a way out," Mumm-ra cackled from the shadows, "I'm sure you've noticed by now that there is no escape from the dark pyramid."
"Maybe to anyone else," Tabbirra hollered, flying off of the altar, "but I'm a Thundercat and a priestess. Try and stop me."
"Are you sure you want to leave without this," Mumm-ra dangled her emerald pendent.
She turned and stared, losing her wind for a moment.
"What do you want, mummy," she growled.
Mumm-ra laughed viciously, "I already have it."
She grabbed her chacraam from her belt, "oh yeah? Have this!"
She aimed to throw it, but the ugly dog clamped down on her arm, dragging her back down to the altar. She screamed with pain as its teeth sunk into her skin. It refused to release her arm as she lay on the altar. She watched as Mumm-ra walked over to his sarcophagus and embedded her emerald into the lid. The stone gave off a brilliant glow, then returned to normal.
"Okay," she hissed through the pain, "now what?"
"Now," Mumm-ra laughed, walking around the altar to the cauldron, "now I will have your power to control the elements added to my own. Once I have sacrificed you to the ancient spirits of evil, they will give your power to me."
Tabbirra shook the dog off of her, "go ahead and try."
The eyes of the four statues around the cauldron lit up an unholy red as
Mumm-ra said, "believe me, child, I do not have to just try. Ancient spirits of evil: transform this decayed form to Mumm-ra: the ever living!"
Tabbirra watched in terror as the four statues stepped forward and showered the mummy in some kind of energy or magic. When they returned to their posts, Mumm-ra had doubled in size and ferocity.
"Dragon," she thought, "where are you?"
Dragon was half way to the Lair when he saw the Thundertank beneath him, headed for the pyramid. Lynx-O was in the Thunder-strike, not far behind.
The snarfion let out a cry of triumph and turned to return to his mistress' side.
Before long, he was outside the pyramid with all the Thundercats (save Snarfer at the Tower and Snarf at the Lair). They stood prepared as Lion-O raised the Sword of Omens and fired its magic upon the wall of the Pyramid.
The wall slowly melted away.
Inside, Mumm-ra again raised his arms to the cauldron.
"Ancient spirits of evil and magic: grant me the power of this little
Thundercat."
Mumm-ra turned and raised an onyx dagger high above Tabbirra. She deflected his first blow with her chacraam, trying to get up, but four stone snakes rose from the alter and held her in place. Mumm-ra aimed for a second blow, and the back wall of the pyramid exploded. Losing his concentration, Mumm-ra's snakes disappeared and Tabbirra flew from the altar.
"Thundercats: ho," she cried as Dragon flew to Mumm-ra and bit the hand holding the dagger.
He screamed and dropped it into the cauldron, which boiled and erupted.
"Ho," the others cried as they began their attack.
"You would dare face me in my own home," Mumm-ra cackled as he flew toward the Thundercats.
"Just returning the favor," Tabbirra growled, throwing her chacraam.
It bounced off the four great statues, leaving deep gashes and chipping the stone, before it cut across Mumm-ra's back. He screamed in pain and fell out of the air and into the cauldron.
"The sarcophagus," Lion-O ordered, "Panthro, Bengali: help me put it in the cauldron. That will stop him for a while."
The three ran to it and strained to lift it.
"Wait," Tabbirra said, pulling her emerald out of the lid, "I need this.
Now, let me take care of this thing."
The three stepped back as Tabbirra slipped the emerald around her neck and directed a great wind to the coffin. It rose into the air shakily and moved quickly over to the cauldron. When the wind departed, the sarcophagus fell with a huge splash followed by the sounds of Mumm-ra's agonized screaming.
Dragon flew to his pouch, growling and hissing as the cauldron bubbled and boiled.
"Let's get out of here," Lion-O said and Tabbirra joined them as they left.
Back at the Lair, Lynx-O held Dragon as Tigra treated the bite on
Tabbirra's arm.
"You're lucky to have survived all that," Tigra said as he wrapped it.
"What did Mumm-ra want with you anyway," Lion-O asked from the door, "and what's so important about that emerald?"
Tabbirra sighed and hopped down from the bed, "the emerald came from a ceremonial goblet that was destroyed when the Plundarians sacked our temple.
I found the piece of the goblet that contained the emerald and my Uncle Sabro (the black smith who built my suspension pod) set it for me to keep as a necklace. Mother said that it would protect me from the elements while I wasn't controlling them. It's the last piece of my heritage that I have now.
"As for what he wanted with me: I'm not entirely sure. He said something about sacrificing me to some ancient spirits of evil to gain my powers, or something."
Lynx-O set Dragon on Tabbirra's shoulder, "well, I must say that you two handled yourselves quite nicely against a priest of evil."
Lion-O and Tigra agreed. That evening, Tabbirra knelt next to her suspension pod, which had been moved to her room. Dragon was pulling a blanket under her bed with which to make himself a crude nest. Tabbirra reached into the pod and pushed a hidden button under the rim. At the end of the pod, a drawer opened. Tabbirra dug through it. Inside was a tattered baby blanket, an old teddy cat, a flute, and several scrolls. She picked up the scroll marked "I".
She thought back, for a moment, to how her mother had slipped the scrolls into the hidden drawer just as Tabbirra was getting into the pod. Her mother had kissed her on the forehead, said a ceremonial prayer of protection, and shut the lid. The suspension pod's gases had made her sleep then and that was the last time she saw her mother.
A tear ran down her cheek as she unrolled the scroll.
"My daughter," it read, "since you are reading this, it means that you have survived. On these scrolls, I have written the last of your lessons. I do not know if there are any Thunderians where you are to help you so I fear you are on your own. Take these lessons and all the ones before and do well, my child. For life is a field and only you can bring it rain. Remember forever that I love you and I will always be with you, in spirit, in love, and in the emerald of the clan that you wear around your neck. Be well, little Tabbirra."