I'm not particularly happy with how this turned out but this is the last chapter to Song and I appreciate you sticking it out this long. I had literally no idea where i wanted to go with this one and if I wanted to make this part of a series or not. I will leave it as it is though there are no real answers to if Lion-O will marry and to whom.

August 4455:

It was near the end of August before Soros was able to wake Lion-O from the coma. Lion-O was dazed and a bit confused when he woke but the faces of his sister and Ashryn were there and those brought comfort. Lion-O had a headache but the stitches along his midsection were holding and nearly healed.

"What happened?" Lion-O asked softly.

"You suffered a concussion when you used the claw line to grab onto an overhang on the wall and you hit it," Lioness-A said as he sighed. "That was after Othorion knifed you with the club. You dislocated the shoulder in the process of coming down."

"I wondered. And Othorion?" he asked. She hesitated and the sense he got from the bond told him everything. "Oh Lioness-A," he whispered before they hugged.

"Lynx-O said it was justice given all of the murders that Othorion did while he was leading the marauders," Ashryn said then. "And that's what the elders have accepted."

"They've also accepted me as Lady of the Thundercats until you heal enough to retake the throne," Lioness-A said as he frowned. "There wasn't anything listed on how the order of succession was to be handled if you were injured so we had to improvise and Elder Linkor suggested the 'Lady' title for now."

"If it works then I guess we can stick with it," Lion-O said as she nodded.

.::~*~::.

It was the beginning of September when Lioness-A got some news from Cheetara and Sindaris that had her shocked but also not surprised in a way. She went down the hall toward her brother's suite to let him know the news and found him sitting up by the side of his bed. For most of the time since Lion-O had come out of the hospital in August, he'd been in his suite, with either Lioness-A or Ashryn being with him and Snarf coming and going with meals and to bring other things. Physical therapy had been done in the suite and Lion-O was slowly gaining strength and recovering from the injuries he had received in the battle. Ashryn wasn't that far away checking some things.

"That's a good sign," Lioness-A said as Lion-O nodded.

"How are things going?" Lion-O asked as he took some pain medication Ashryn handed him.

"So far so good on the negotiations and we're nearing the point to where we can have the peace agreement signed," Lioness-A said as she sat on the edge of his desk. "The elders are fine with me signing it in your place as they've already figured out that I'm nearly as shrewd as you are." Lion-O laughed.

"I've been keeping up with things and you're doing fine," he said. He eyed her a moment. "What else is going on?" he asked. She sighed.

"Cheetara and Sindaris announced their engagement earlier today and they wanted me to tell you," Lioness-A said as he blinked.

"Wow," Ashryn said.

"When's the wedding and where?" Lion-O asked after a moment's pause.

"Sometime later in the year to give you a chance to be there and they're working on the details. And before you ask, Silaro and Chester are for it," Lioness-A said as he frowned slightly.

"If they're for it then I guess there's no real need to worry about it," Lion-O said. Lioness-A eyed Ashryn a moment who shrugged.

"He doesn't believe me when I tell him that there's something better coming for him," Ashryn said. Lion-O was looking out the window, his expression moody. Ashryn left to check something then as Lioness-A watched him.

"I know you're happy for me and everyone else but I thought that things between you and Ashryn were going fine there for a while," Lioness-A said gently as she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay I guess and I'm grateful she's been there through this recovery period," Lion-O replied. "I just don't know what to think any more on the other stuff. I've been cooped up in here for the last few months and it's eating into my mood." He sighed. "Some of the effects from the concussion are affecting me too."

"A change of scenery would be good for you," Tygra said when he brought a wheelchair in with Ashryn following him into the room. They moved Lion-O over and then he was wheeled down the hall to join the others for dinner and also to congratulate the new couple.

"You look great," Sindaris said as Lion-O smiled.

"Thanks to you and Tygra for what you did," Lion-O said as the saber grinned. After dinner Lion-O was wheeled back to his room and Ashryn sensed Lion-O was troubled.

"What troubles you so much?" she asked him once they were in his room and he was safely settled for bed. He sighed.

"That message my father gave me just before Cheetara and I broke up," he said. "It's been over a year for that now and I don't know what's going on or if it was true." Ashryn frowned as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"The one about you finding someone that's not of this world?" she asked as he gazed at her.

"That's the one," Lion-O said softly. "You know about it?" he asked. She smiled.

"I'm one of the Barbary seers Lion-O. We have always known about that and it is a prophecy of a queen that will come and offer balance to your rule," Ashryn told him. She gently kissed his cheek. "Some of the seers and shamans are sensing that the time is approaching but not for a while yet. The wedding of the cheetah and saber is a sign that things are changing."

"I wasn't sure about that," Lion-O said as she smiled.

"I'll be with you as long as you need me Lion-O but when the seers know that the prophecy is coming into play, it'll be time for me to move on and assume a role to help this newcomer," Ashryn said. "It is part of my duty and one I am ready for."

"I'm glad you'll be here for that. I just hope that I'm the one this person's looking for," Lion-O said.

"In time they will see that," Ashryn told him. "And so will you." She left so he could rest and his dreams were of a mysterious woman but he couldn't see her face. It troubled him so much that he ended up sitting in front of the fireplace for the remainder of the night.

.::~*~::.

December 4455:

The wedding of Cheetara to Sindaris was held at the cheetah home in the grasslands south of the capital but most of the sabers had also turned up for it. The Thundercats were there as well and the people cheered when they saw their king walking on his own. Lion-O had taken up the King duties once again and Lioness-A was relieved but she was still acting in some capacity as Lady of the Thundercats, if the Sword and claw shield with her was any indication. This was to allow Lion-O a chance to fully recover before he tried to take that back up and he was building up his strength slowly and steadily. He was relieved that Lioness-A hadn't had any problems with the Sword and it seemed to respond to her and let her use it whenever something happened.

"I see everything is set up for the wedding," Lion-O said as the Thundercats found places to chill for the moment while waiting for the wedding to begin the next day. A cheetah girl brought over drinks and Lion-O sipped his as Lioness-A sat with him.

"They've been working on it a while," Lioness-A said. She saw Lion-O pinching his nose then. "Migraine?" she asked softly as he nodded.

"I'm gonna lie down for a little while," he said and finished his tea and went to his room in the guest wing of this lair which was home of the cheetah garrison.

"Lion-O okay?" Pumyra asked when she found the lioness.

"Migraine he said," Lioness-A replied as the puma frowned.

"Those are common and Soros warned him about them," Pumyra said as Lioness-A sighed.

"He's had a few instances of dizziness too but no nosebleeds and I don't think Lion-O's been sleeping all that well recently," Lioness-A added. "I told Tygra about the sleeping and the nosebleeds and he was going to see if Lion-O needed to be checked again."

"We have medications for both the vertigo and the migraines available and your brother's been taking them," Pumyra said. "Thankfully they're not addicting." Lioness-A nodded though she was still a bit worried. Pumyra saw her face and smiled. "We're doing what we can for him and he's talking to us. We know of the sleep issues and Soros is seeing what we can do for that."

"Thank you," Lioness-A said softly.

.::~*~::.

The wedding occurred a day later in the center of the cheetah village with both the saber priest and cheetah priest there to officiate it. Both Silaro and Chester were happy, despite the union being of two different clans.

The high priestess had been called in to officiate the wedding and this had been agreed to and she was an aged silver tigress named Tamara. She spoke of love and dedication and also how life involved choices and how it was affected by those same choices. Cheetara and Sindaris said their vows and shared a kiss as everyone cheered for them.

At the reception a short while later Lion-O saw that Silaro and Chester were talking to Cheetara and Sindaris and the two were amiably laughing with the other as well which showed that they had accepted the marriage. The sabers were well on their way of being accepted back into the general population once again and Lion-O felt good about that. It was a step in the right direction but he had his doubts on the elders even approving of him taking a mate outside his clan and that also went for Lioness-A as well.

"You're still not wishing that was you, are you?" Lioness-A asked Lion-O softly at the reception.

"No, I've moved past that," Lion-O replied. "I already know the elders would shoot me down for even attempting to consider dating someone outside our clan."

"And you're going to let them get away with it?" Lioness-A gave him a look, surprised by his actions. The two did have some power over the High Elders' Council being what they were but it wasn't often that they had to challenge the council itself on anything.

"I don't think that they will accept the idea of me choosing to step outside my clan to find a mate if I were to consider that idea. Right now, I don't even feel like looking for a mate," Lion-O said and stalked off. Lioness-A was stunned by this revelation and remained standing where she was as Tygra found her a moment later.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I'm not sure I know," Lioness-A said. "Some of the seers seem to think that there's a change coming and all I know is that it's relating to something that was in the Book."

"The tigers know of it as do the cheetahs as some of the seers do know the language of the Book itself," Tygra said quietly.

"Father told Lion-O about a prophecy back when he and Cheetara broke up," Lioness-A said as the tiger frowned.

"He heard it in the Astral world then," Tygra said. "So what's your brother's problem?" he asked.

"He doesn't think that the elders are going to go for something like a prophecy bringing a girl from another world here for him," Lioness-A replied. "They will want him to keep to the Barbary bloodline as closely as possible and he thinks that if they push him to take a lioness, then they'll be able to force me to take a lion. He doesn't feel like fighting with them on it. Not after all he's already gone through." Tygra snorted.

"Elder Tyland is my cousin and he already knows of my feelings for you," he said. "He's talked to Linkor and they are happy for us and willing to let us marry when that time comes." Lioness-A sighed.

"What about Lion-O?" she asked softly. Tygra frowned as he regarded the lion who was standing some distance away as Ashryn walked to see him.

"I think the right answer is there for him but he will have to search for it," he said. "Tyland and Linkor will be there to back him when he's ready."

.::~*~::.

At the moment Ashryn came up to Lion-O as he didn't say anything so deep he was in thought. The wedding had brought out a few feelings that he didn't like and he had needed the time alone. The talk with Lioness-A hadn't helped much at all either. He finally saw Ashryn out of the corner of his eye but chose not to say anything.

"You've changed," Ashryn said.

"Blame the battle and what happened after it," Lion-O said as she frowned. He saw her expression and sighed. "I'm sorry Ashryn but I just don't know what it is that I want right now."

"I understand Lion-O," she said and squeezed his hand as he grasped hers. "You don't believe that there could be changes coming to New ThunDera."

"Everyone's too set in the old ways from when we were cubs," he said with a sigh. "There's no way that I can change that."

"Then don't worry about it for a while," Ashryn said. "We can remain friends, can't we?" she asked. He smiled softly then.

"Yes," he said and hugged her. "Maybe something will change in time and I'll find the answers I'm looking for." Ashryn smiled as they returned to the reception.

.::~*~::.

A year would pass before anything would become known and by that point Lion-O still hadn't chosen a mate and the elders were beginning to get concerned by it. Lion-O largely ignored them for the most part and ruled as he pretty much had before the issues with the marauders had started.

As Lion-O stood on the balcony that night after a long and stressful meeting with the elders, he let his thoughts wander for a bit. Who was the person mentioned in the prophecy? When would they come into the picture? The lion ran a hand through his mane, the questions that swarmed him threatened to drive him to the very edge of insanity itself. However, he knew he had to wait. Only time would tell.

.::~*~::.

Thanks frankannestein, st4r hunter, Heart of the Demons and Darkalphawolf01 for being with me through this venture. Hopefully this will work for you and that it makes some sense in a way.