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Across Third Earth

Gard, Bengali and Davaak

Evabon, Cat and Labinnac continued on their journey to the ThunderCats until Bengali was distracted by the sight of beasts he had never seen before. They knuckle-walked, had black patches of fur around their eyes, large curved claws upon their forelegs, hooves upon their hind legs, equine-like heads and striped bodies. As they foraged among the trees, they seemed undisturbed by the appearance of the sapient beings before them. At ten feet in height, they seemed almost monstrous and the white tiger wonder if they were truly as gentle as they seemed.

"What beasts are these?" asked Bengali. "I've never seen them before!"

"I don't doubt it." Commented Gard, his tone grim. "Before the coming of the animals, Gruisdiers were wide spread. Cats, lizards, dogs and birds have all contributed to a decrease in their population. There used to be whole herds of them in the lands Thundera occupied."

"Since Thundera fell perhaps they have returned." Suggested Bengali, approaching one Gruisdier and placing a upon its left forearm as it used its right to forage. Grunting, the beast looked down at the White Tiger, seeming to flinch at the cat's touch.

"In the time before the coming of the Devilry Lord…" began Davaak. "The Gruisdier was considered a sacred animal and it was death to slay one. Some of the more superstitious peoples of Third Earth mistake them for devils, demons… A Gruisdier is harmless, wouldn't hurt anyone."

As a young Gruisdier approached, curious as to who these strangers were, Bengali stretched out his hand. The young beast nudged it and so it was, the White Tiger smiled.

Balor and Brigid

Newly dismissed from his lessons with Piyamaradu, Chieftain of Evabon, the eight-year-old Gardite Balor walked through the streets of Wilusa. For one so young as him, the thought of there having been a time before Wilusa was completely alien to him.

As one of the Gardites, Balor had light grey-skin, black hair and blue eyes. He had his fair share of scars on him already, none of them gotten from fighting, he was only eight after all, yet scars still he had. Clad in a red loincloth with a black belt about his waist, Balor looked over some bands of iron and brass for the arms and ankles. Holding one up to his right eye, he examined it, not sure what exactly he was looking for. They were all so plain, not the work of some artisan, but then again, what would the purpose of armbands and ankle-bands made by an artisan be? For special occasions?

Sitting in the hall of the Gardites with some older relatives, though none so old as their patriarch Gard, Balor continued to look over various things upon the table. Picking up a knife with a ruby in its pommel, the young Shaman stared into the ruby, not sure what the purpose was for such a decoration in a pommel.

Immediately, an "Uncle", really a relative that was around the age of Balor's late mother, took the knife and said: "No, no, Balor. You aren't old enough for actual weapons until you are ten." Then placing an iron armband upon Balor's right arm, he said: "Here, now find yourself a matching one and some for your ankles, and you'll look like I did at your age."

Smiling, Balor proceeded to search for some more bands. Upon finding a pair of bracelets with sea serpents on them, he thought for a moment, wondering who these could have belonged to, what artisan had made them.

Yes, wonderful questions…

Brigid

Brigid may have wanted to be someone special just as she had been as a thag dancer in Gnozzuz, but the fact was she was still only eight years old. She was still only a little girl. Returning home to the Hall of the Zuvowangidae, she cradled her favourite doll Epona, a simple thing made of clay that Kit had given her.

Hearing one of her aunt's calling for her, Brigid emerged from her chamber that she shared with several cousins. Running down, Brigid looked up at her kinswoman, someone who had married into the family, a black-skinned Evabon with red hair.

"Y-Yes, Aunt… Er…"

"Merapi."

"Aunt Merapi."

Seeing her aunt holding out an empty jar, Brigid looked up in confusion. What was she supposed to get exactly? What was she being sent for?

"Water. Get it now."

Brigid was tempted to say that Merapi had daughters of her own to assign chores to, but ultimately, she did not. Her cousins Userti and Bithiah were not present, attending lessons with the dress-maker Zelyna. Taking the jar from her aunt, she went forth to get the water she was being sent for.

Carrying the jar upon her head with both hands, Brigid went forth. It was a nice day out, but if the cook Eukratez wasn't singing a song fit only for the dead, then he was complaining that it would likely turn to rain… If only it would have, then all she would have to do is place the jar outside.

Passing by the market where trade was done, the Little Beauty paused and stared at a table filled with bracelets for girls and women. They were all such lovely things!

Caracalla and the Wilys

The creature approaching the three kittens was of the same species that Bengali, Gard and Davaak had seen. Unfortunately, none of them had ever before seen Gruisdier, thus they knew not what to make of it. Even Kit had taken the creature for a Komrev.

As the ten-foot-tall beast walked in the direction of the kittens, Caracalla stared in awe at the Gruisdier. For a moment the creature stopped and stared down at the Caracal before continuing on its way. That moment was all that Caracalla needed to look the strange creature over from the claws on the forelimbs to the hooves on the hind limbs, the Gruisdier seemed to be made out of spare parts. He had never seen anything like it thus, it was understandable that the first words out of Caracalla's mouth were: "What is that?"

Shrugging, Kat answered: "I don't know, something to ask Panthro about, I guess. Sure, is weird looking whatever it is."

"I feel like I saw it somewhere before…" commented Kit, watching as the Gruisdier walked away. "Back in Wilusa."

Equally confused, Caracalla asked "What is Wilusa?" while Kat simultaneously inquired "When did you see one of those walking around Wilusa?"

First looking at Caracalla, Kit smiled and said: "The Evabon capital." Then looking at her brother, she uttered: "Never, but I still feel like I saw one of them somehow at Wilusa." Caracalla watched as Kit thought for a moment, wondering just as much as her brother as to how she could have possibly seen such a thing in a city. Had there been a visiting circus perhaps? What were circuses? Caracalla was not quite sure all he knew was that they were travelling things with exotic beasts. Finally, Kit snapped her fingers and exclaimed: "I got it!"

Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara and Panthro

Waiting at the ThunderTank, the adult ThunderCats looked over a map they had of the surrounding area. Having borrowed it from Dobo, they were certain it was reliable and up to date.

If only.

The map of this part of Third Earth had been made ninety-two years prior by people who had never set foot in it, resulting in many fantastic locations and beasts that the ThunderCats had not seen anywhere during their journeys through it.

Sighing, Panthro uttered: "Maybe we should just ask Gard to guide us out of here when he returns with Bengali."

"If he returns with Bengali." Commented Tygra, rubbing his eyes. "This whole blasted Wilderness! It is a wonder Gard ever managed to survive here for so long even with his people's lifespans. If I were to spend exile here, I'd probably either end up dead or insane."

"It isn't that bad." Said Cheetara.

"Is it?" asked Tygra. "We don't even know if Bengali is still alive and I swear, we find more things here than any other place in Third Earth." The moment a few Gruisdiers approached the ThunderTank, curiously examining it, the Tiger asked: "Like these things! What even are they?"

"Gruisdiers." Stated Panthro. "Me and Grune saw them during our search for the Book of Omens. They are gentle, not going to harm anyone."

"Never saw any of them around Thundera." Lion-O observed.

Closing his eyes and bowing his head, Panthro said: "That is because we wiped them out during the time of your grandfather."

Donalbain

Pumyra was gone… Holding his head in his hands while he sat beneath a dead tree, Donalbain, the Evabon who had become a servant of Mumm-Ra, thought about what would happen when his master found out… He probably already knew.

Looking up, Mumm-Ra's savage stared at the skies. His master probably already knew.

Standing, he made his way over to a broken statue, still looking back and forth. His master was probably here already.

It was not his fault. It had been the tiger, not him! There was someone greater than Mumm-Ra, someone whose power could cancel out his own. It was not his fault he could not possibly blame him for the loss of Pumyra.

Seeing a shadow in the distance, Donalbain's black blood began to run cold…

Yes, he could and he would.

"It was not my fault…" Donalbain shouted, drawing his sword and pointing it at the shadow. "You cannot say that I did!" Seeing the form of the shadow change, growing large and wings appearing, fear began to creep into Donalbain's heart. His brave façade was breaking. "Forgive me, master! I will avenge Pumyra, I swear! I will kill the tiger! I swear it!" Alas, once more the shadow grew and Donalbain began to tremble. "M-Master… No! Have mercy! Spare me please!" From where Donalbain stood, he could see the Sword of Plundarr in his master's hand. He did not want to fight Mumm-Ra. He could not fight Mumm-Ra. It was his power that kept him alive, Mumm-Ra would either kill or make him wish he was dead! He had to have some standards, there must have been some forgiveness in the cold black husk that was his master's heart! There just had to be! There had to be!

Sighing, Donalbain prepared himself as his master flew forward. There was not forgiveness.

Kernunnos

How long had it been? Alas, Kernunnos did not know. As the deformed Evabon stared into the distance, wondering where his family was, how far Wilusa was, where everyone and everything that he knew was. People had thought him dead after the Battle of Sengann Fortress, but alas, he knew not where to go from there. He knew not in which direction to go.

Holding his hands out, the Dalving could almost imagine he felt the hands of his friends Balor and Brigid. Half his age, they were almost like his younger siblings… Almost. There was no blood relation between them that they knew of, they were not step relatives, they weren't even adopted relatives.

Sixteen years old… One would almost imagine he should have been looking after them on occasion, but in truth they all looked after each other. They were merely children, eight years of age, and him? He was deformed and his intelligence should not have been what it was. His skin was thick, lumpy, loose and rough, his lips were swollen, there was a bony lump on his forehead and his right arm was larger than his left. As for his intelligence, he struggled. Struggled with words, struggled with sentences, the trade language was a complete difficulty to him, his mind was not as it should have been. What had happened when he had been molded? Had the Spirits been less than competent that day?

Thinking of Balor and Brigid, Kernunnos thought of how those two were arranged to be married. Where then was his other half? Where was his intended bride?

Kneeling down, the Deformed Evabon stuck his right hand into the water and pulled it up to drink. He thirsted and with his right arm being enlarged as it was, it made for better use when scooping up water.

Bringing his right hand to his mouth, Kernunnos thought of when he had last seen another person, last seen another Evabon. The last time had been at the Battle of Sengann Fortress. That had been so long ago. He just wanted to be around people again.