Harbinger

by TC 2014

ThunderCats 2014 Season One - See profile or author(s) note for details. "A group of cats is drawn together and one of them has a secret, and a blade of sacred power. The heart of the world palpitates. Terror is growing. And the Harbinger, consumer of galaxies, is stirring again."

8. Chapter 8

TC is the property of WB and its affiliates. Any concepts not originating from the TC universe are the property of these creator(s) unless otherwise noted.

Characters will not completely resemble the 1985 rendition, nor the 2011 rendition. This is a reimagining of the Thundercats series as a whole and not entirely based on either series. Nor is it based on any other fan work. The creator(s) of this work reserve the right not to answer any questions or respond to any reviews. This is meant to mimic a professional work and will be conducted as such.

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Episode 8

Troubled Waters

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"All right…go!"

Kat sniffed the berries in his hands, blindfolded. "They smell fruity, like sweetshrub berries." He fiddled with one between his thumb and forefinger. "Smooth, juicy. Sweetshrubs have texture on them. So I'm going to say…"

He sniffed again, daring to lick the exterior and then spitting. "Nope. Poisonous."

Panthro grunted in approval. Everyone else applauded and he took off his blindfold, grinning. "What would you have done if I'd actually swallowed one?" he asked.

Panthro took the berries and crushed them underfoot. Snarf took the chance to sniff them, checking the odor. "You're not dumb enough to do that. But I'd have made you stick a finger down your throat and hurl it up again. Nothing else to do out in the wild." Kat grimaced.

"So, now we've both passed your tests on tracking, detecting bad berries, and finding freshwater by following plants. Not to mention you've been having Cheetara and Tygra practice defense for hours. Can we please eat dinner now?" Kit asked, hauling her brother to his feet. "Lion-O and Tygra are making dumplings and I'm starved!"

"Correction," Tygra called. They could see him and Lion-O around the fire just a short distance away, and Cheetara was prodding the fire under the pot. "We made dumplings. They're done. Everyone get over here."

Snarf walked patiently alongside Panthro and the kittens charged back, skipping over rocks and ferns. They'd been out of the forest for a few days now, and the river was an excellent place for fishing and filling their canteens. A couple more days and the Fel Sea would come into view, and the kittens were excited; they'd never seen the sea before. Neither had Lion-O, although he was a little more nervous about the matter for some reason.

Snarf was busy taking in everything the group did and learned. All these things would be very useful to know if ever he did have to lead the Snarf Tribe. Leading…it made his stomach curdle. Almost as much as missing Sarfina did. He'd gotten her and the others back only to leave them so quickly.

But he was sure he'd made the right decision. Every time he looked into a beautiful school of fish or admired the bloom of harvesting fruit, something in his heart sank, as if he were looking at one of the last. Snarfs were very sensitive to such things, and he had to know what was wrong. The chief had supported this decision, although perhaps for different reasons.

"My daughter Sarfina has been fond of you for some time, Osbert. I am not opposed to this now that you've proven your courage and loyalty. But she can only court someone seeking the chiefhood, and one brave act does not mean you would make a good chief. When I was young I had to study the world, although I did not go as far as you will have to. Come back to us even wiser and braver, and I will be delighted to train you in the ways of the chief as a suitable heir. And you will be able to protect our people and Sarfina…probably even better than I."

He shook himself, paying attention to Panthro instead. The wounds he'd gained had mostly healed over the past few days, but the deepest ones were still in the process of fading. Tygra's burn had already sprouted new fur and it was nearly invisible, and Cheetara's bruise was a faint green color.

They had all shown such courage to help his people. Snarf had to marvel as he watched them, for he'd never really been in a group before. Not like this one anyway. Panthro had been training Cheetara and Tygra with some exercises to help them learn to break their opponents' defenses. Cheetara in particular needed hand to hand assistance because without her staff, she was much less powerful because of how light she was. Tygra was willing to learn anything; the only issue with that was that he bored easily. And of course the kittens – and even Lion-O – paid attention when he showed them different ways of tracking, of foraging. Snarf found that his input was greatly valued when he told them about the plants of the forest and the way the land worked.

Lion-O had already put out the bowls and was filling each one. Snarf noticed that he'd taken care to put a little extra fish in Snarf's bowl and was touched. Fish was indeed one of his favorite foods, and the stew's simmering dumplings and fish had been making his nose twitch. When everyone had found a snug spot by the fire they started to eat and Snarf sighed.

This sort of thing felt nice. Being around people. Perhaps he'd missed out after all being a rather lonesome sort. He thought of Sarfina and slurped his stew, stomach warming pleasantly.

"That shortcut really helped us stay on track." Panthro was sketching in the dirt with a stick, as if plotting a route. "We'll stay with the river, heading toward the Fel Sea. I'd like to know what state Tropo's in."

Kat and Kit watched him draw, chewing contentedly. "So, is Tropo in the Fel Sea? I thought it was further north," Kat said.

"It is. But the Fel Sea is the best way to get there." At the blank looks Panthro didn't quite smile. "See, the mountains north of it often holds glaciers when winter comes for that part of the world. When it's all frozen, the ocean is lower than during the warm months and there are some straits we could have taken. But when summer comes the glaciers melt and flood the ocean for a few months, which is what's going on right now. The levels are higher and the best way to Tropo is on a ferry. The only way to get there with the Thundertank is to sail across the Fel Sea to get to the strip where the ferry sails from." He doodled this on the ground to help them see and Snarf marveled. This panther knew very much about the world.

"If the Fel Sea were a little higher it would have flooded out all the towns and lowlands and it would be part of the ocean, but because of its level it's considered a different entity. There are cliffs that separate the two. The reason we have to get past Tropo soon is because the glaciers return when the cold months do and we won't be able to get through the mountain pass. We need to have a few months to get through it." He put down the stick. "Eat the green plants, they're good for your stomach," he added.

They obeyed and only made slight faces. Both had finished their bowls and looked into the pot hopefully. "There wouldn't be one more super-duper delicious dumpling anyone would share, would there?" Kit asked innocently. They looked from cat to cat but it wasn't until they looked at Lion-O that they were rewarded. He gave them a long, serene look and sighed, forking over his last dumpling.

Snarf smiled as the kittens thanked him and tore into it. Lion-O had a kind heart. He'd known that the moment he'd met him, and it was nice to see more proof. Tygra stirred the pot for a little more fish and said, "Lion-O, you're a big softy."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Lion-O leaned back on the ground and looked up at the sky. "Panthro, do you know much else about the area?"

"Not much. I've never come this particular route. Tygra, what about you? You've done some globetrotting." Panthro took a swig of water to wash down the broth. Tygra considered this and looked up at the sky, yellow eyes orange in the firelight.

"Hm. Well, I've been to a couple of the villages closer to Tropo. Lot of amphibious creatures, and you'll find more tigers here because they like the water more than other cats. But as far as the land and the cultures…no, not much. Never stayed around here for long. Still, most of it seemed rich when I looked at it, except for one area. It's the oldest one, settled fifteen years ago. I don't know why they let it get so crappy. Everywhere else has flourished."

Snarf waited for a pause before clearing his throat. "Well, I've heard a little about the area. Travelers would speak of it when they came back through the forest." Everyone looked at him and his tail frisked awkwardly. So much attention was foreign to him, and now he actually noticed it when lives weren't on the line. "You've told me about the Mutation traders being in Tropo, but there are other things to fear as we near the Fel Sea. The grass fades to beaches, and the forests are damper. There are odd beings in these forests, very different from ours. I think we should steer clear of them, along with the rockier shores of the cliffs of the sea. There are caverns and holes there, and there are…stories about them." He didn't want to frighten the children so he simply gave Lion-O a slight nod, eying each of the grown cats. Lion-O returned the motion with only his eyes. "But what I'm really worried about are the pirates that are said to roam the sea."

Kat's face lit up. "Pirates? Like treasure hunters and ships and peg-leg pirates? Cool!"

"Don't forget pillaging, plundering, massacring, and destroying," Cheetara said disapprovingly. "There are good pirates in stories Kat, but the real deal isn't so nice. We used to get old reports from Mi-Ao's men about pirates ransacking some of their ships and killing everyone on board."

Kat's tail lowered. "Oh. Sorry."

Her face softened. "It's not your fault." She affectionately ruffled his hair. "Tell you what, when you grow up you can be the first ever good pirate. You won't steal and you'll hunt old treasures with secret maps. You'll be Captain Kat."

He grinned again, enthused. "That would be cool! Yeah, I'll be a good pirate. Kit, you can swab the deck."

"Nuh-uh, I'll be Co-Captain Kit!" She looked indignant.

Considering this he allowed, "First Mate Kit? I'll even let you watch for land from the crow's nest."

Kit weighed this as she finished her half of the dumpling. "Deal. But I get a bandana. Hats mess up my hair."

Everyone laughed save Panthro, who sort of smirked and Snarf's worry about pirates ebbed away. Perhaps there would be some, but as long as they were careful if they sailed, surely they'd be reasonably safe. And they'd avoid the cliffs and stick to the path so they could reach the ferry – Tygra had told him about it – so they could reach the tip of the peninsula. They would be careful and travel would be smooth.

Tygra had withdrawn a comb from somewhere on his person and Snarf watched in fascination as he let down one braid and started combing it out, mouthing numbers. "What are you doing, Tygra?" he asked.

"Grooming myself."

"I know that. I wanted to know why you're counting."

Tygra paused and Cheetara snorted with laughter. "You don't believe that old tale, do you?" she asked. Snarf looked at her and she explained, "There's a saying that if you brush or comb your hair one hundred times before bed, it'll be healthier and shinier than if you didn't."

Tygra carefully redid the braid when he'd finished and flipped it casually over his shoulder, taking the next one. "Contrary to popular belief, looking fabulous takes work. Even when one is naturally gifted." He prodded Lion-O, who was sipping his broth. "You need a comb? Your hair's looking a little…crazy."

Lion-O tucked his ponytail out of sight. "I'll do it later." Wilykit clambered around his back and examined it.

"Oh, I can comb it for you. Take out the holder and I'll even braid it!" Lion-O snatched at his hair self-consciously.

"Seriously, I can do it. Thank you, but I…well, I don't take my hair down in front of other people. Ever." Snarf cocked his head and the kittens shared a confused look.

"Why not?" Cheetara set down her bowl.

He shrugged. "I just don't." Taking her bowl up, Lion-O gathered all the dishes and said, "I'll wash these out." Even Panthro quirked a brow and Tygra just kept combing, eyes following Lion-O.

"Is it a bald spot? I've heard of a few remedies for them."

Lion-O rolled his eyes. "As interesting as my hair issues are, I'd like to drop it. I don't like my hair down. End of story. Neither do you, last I checked."

"Because it's so long. And a tiger tradition." Tygra just shrugged and then looked forlorn. "Tell you what, if you can get my rations pack out of the Thundertank's trunk for me, I won't ask anymore. This evening."

"Get it yourself," Cheetara said, prodding him with her tail. He made a face at her, still combing.

"He's already up. And I'm on sixty-three."

Lion-O did indeed get the pack, although it took a minute. Cheetara got up to help him because the small bag in question had been buried deep under their other belongings. Snarf got up after a minute just to see what else was in that trunk. He saw extra clothes, some first aid, a couple of books on geography, some extra weapons…

Cheetara frowned as she held the weapons out of the way so Lion-O could pull the pack out. It was a pair of swords whose sheaths were attached by a leather strap and she couldn't curb her curiosity apparently; she took them out as Lion-O set the other items back in place. The hilts were gold and turquoise colored, worn and tended. Grasping one she pulled it out enough to tug the blade out a bit. It was slightly curved; twin swords? Snarf had heard of them but he and Cheetara shared a strange look. Lion-O had only ever used one sword, the Sword of Omens.

"Hey, Lion-O? Are these yours?" Panthro didn't strike him as a swordsman, and they were too small to be comfortably wielded by a large cat, even though they were only a few inches shy of being as long as Cheetara's leg. Lion-O noticed her holding them for the first time and seemed startled.

"Ah…well, just extras, in case the Sword of Omens needs rest." He hastily took them and stowed them out of sight. "So, here's the pack."

Cheetara blinked as he handed it to her and shut the trunk firmly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snoop."

Lion-O hesitated. "No, it's fine. I don't know why…never mind. I'm just tired I guess." They returned to Tygra – who immediately took out a tiny tin container of, what else, tea – but Cheetara kept an eye on Lion-O as he stoked the fire. Snarf was less interested by it; everyone had things they kept to themselves. Tygra set about boiling a little water and seemed happy as a boy in a toy store to be brewing tea.

"I can't believe I've gone this long without a good cup of tea." He sighed and Kat sniffed the brew.

"How long's it been?"

"Almost four days. I actually had to make do with a quick mix the other day, it was awful." Tygra made extra and offered a taste to the others. Cheetara didn't like tea so she declined, and he just gave her a pitying look. Panthro seemed to like it a fair bit, as he accepted a cup. Kat and Kit both tried it and Kat's mouth fell open, dripping the stuff onto his lap.

"Ew!" Kit seemed thoughtful, rolling it around in her mouth before requesting a little berry juice to sweeten it.

Lion-O's face was blank and Snarf saw something like Kat's expression in the way his fingers curled as he handed the cup back. "Thanks. But I'm not much one for tea, I guess."

"Good taste is a heavy gift," Tygra murmured sagely. He lifted his cup in Panthro's direction and then clinked it against Kit's cup. "To us."

The panther grunted. Tygra poured another cup and offered it to Snarf. "What about you my friend? Do Snarfs like tea?"

Snarf took the cup in his little paws and lapped at the surface. To his surprise the strong, bitter taste was actually pleasant. "I suppose we do. Or at least, I do." He lapped at the hot liquid and Tygra seemed gleeful to have another convert.

When at last they turned in for the night Snarf settled in quite easily. The kittens liked it when he slept by them – which he did sometimes – but they tended to move as they slept, and he'd already woken up twice with a foot up his bum. Lion-O had taken first watch last night so Tygra was the one sitting up for guard duty.

The night was cooler than usual, and he supposed it was from the breezes that rose off the ocean. Snarf curled in on himself in discomfort. In the forest there was always a fern or plant to shelter one from the wind, but right here was clear. The fire was nice but somehow the gusts seemed to spin around it and hit his face and back.

Lion-O had tucked himself into his bedroll but paused when Snarf rolled over twice in quick succession. "You okay?"

"A bit chilly. It's the first time it's gotten so cool." Snarf lifted his head when Lion-O moved his blanket.

"Yeah. Here, you can sleep by my shoulder. It's warmer." He glanced at the kittens. "And I won't kick you in the butt," he added softly. Snarf couldn't help but smile, and in spite of feeling a little awkward, he crawled over and curled up by Lion-O's head. It was indeed warmer, and he yawned in the pleasant spot. "'Night."

"Goodnight." Snarf looked around at the group sleepily and finally fell into slumber, pondering their niceness and how good it felt to be part of this odd, homey sort of team.

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"Fresh fish, like none you've ever tasted. The beauty and prosperity of the Fel Sea is unparalleled!" The salamander waved an orange and black-spotted arm. "Or take a tour by the cliffs on our personal path! Eighty-percent chance you'll make it back, the best odds around!"

Tygra eyed the place where the path was. The sand turned to rock as the land sloped and it looked deathly still beyond it. There was a slight gate behind the salamander and he knelt to murmur to Snarf, "Three gold says there's a disclaimer on his sign."

Snarf squinted at it and said, "Yes. No one can sue if a loved one is lost because they offer fair warning at the beginning that one may die. Whether by drowning, plummeting to their deaths, or…being eaten. All warranties null and void if anyone actually goes inside the cliffs."

"Joy." They passed the path up and the Thundertank rolled to the crest of a small hill and Tygra shielded his eyes with a hand. "Wow. Look at it."

Snarf climbed on top of Lion-O's head to see and his breath caught. Granted the immediate area was beachy and almost like a desert where the land swooped into crags and cliffs, but on the either side the land pitched downward into the Fel Sea, and he could see out for leagues over the natural overlook. The water was deep blue like a jewel and he could smell the salt from here. Strangely, shelves of land seemed to be sculpted into the side of the incline, holding buildings that would have crumbled in steep land. Pinpricks of brown and silver showed him where ships were, and flecks of color and smoke marked buildings and stalls. The water was a lush sight and the plants down below and beyond it seemed a darker, more exotic green that made his forest home feel plain in comparison. The buildings seem to descend in levels toward the dock area, which was surprisingly several levels lower; people had to take stairs to get down there. Probably because of the tides and flooding, Snarf realized.

"So, we have to go from here to the other side?" he asked. Cheetara had taken out the map and looked it over with Lion-O.

"Yep. There's a little distance to the coast where the ferry crosses the ocean flooding to Tropo, and then we'll have to take another ferry to get out of Tropo once we're done there. It has a path or two listed here, but…"

Lion-O looked over her shoulder and appeared nervous. "If we count out the forests, it looks like the only two ways across are the path over there-" he pointed at the route up the cliffs behind the disclaimer sign that seemed to stretch around one side of the sea like a great wall, "or sailing to the other side."

"Wow, there are tunnels in the cliffs. There's a red mark. Let's see the legend; red means 'avoid at all costs.'" Cheetara eyed the plain, innocent, craggy cliffs and rolled up the map, handing it to Lion-O. They were about level with the docks and daytime sea, so no doubt their innards flooded when the tide came in as well. "So I guess we'll need to pay for passage on a boat."

Lion-O gazed out at the sea, mouth still. Snarf peeped down at the buildings, listening to the clang and bustle. It seemed more like a docking and trading post than village. Everyone was running everywhere, carrying anything and everything. He could only make out a few ships, as the water faded in the distance to a blue blur. "Why don't we scout around and see if anyone will take us across when they sail?" Kit suggested. "Gee, there are a bunch of stalls. There, there, and there…Rana Village was way smaller than this."

Snarf let Cheetara pick him up and scratch behind his ears. For some reason she and the children especially liked doing this sort of thing, and Snarf couldn't say he minded. It also gave him a better view of the villages. "Perhaps we should split into small groups to scout out the docks. And I'd like to know what's so bad about the cliffs."

Lion-O was already folding his cloak around himself. "Me too. I would personally prefer staying on dry land, but if a ship's what we need, it's what we need. Going around the other side through the forests would take a long time. How about groups of two or three?"

Kat immediately stepped over to his sister. Tygra shook his head. "No, there'll be trouble if you two are together." Both kittens looked indignant. "I mean for us! You bailed us out before, I'm keeping at least one of you around at all times to watch my back," Tygra continued.

Their faces immediately flushed with pleasure and Kit giggled. Lion-O smiled. "How about one of you goes with Tygra, and one of you goes with-"

"Cheetara." Panthro said this, not brusquely, but with finality. Lion-O looked at him and he said, "You think I'm gonna let you wander off alone again? Knowing you you'll bring more people, and I'm getting claustrophobic in the Thundertank as it is. Snarf, you can come with us if you want."

Snarf agreed and climbed onto Lion-O's shoulder. He didn't know Panthro well enough to know for sure, but he almost seemed protective of the lion. Cheetara took Kit's hand and Kat stood beside Tygra. "All right," Lion-O said. "Tygra, you seem to be good with cats and travelers, so see if you can find any tigers or other felines on the level nearest the docks." Tygra saluted him.

Cheetara was scanning the densest stores and stalls. "I'll talk to the merchants by the stalls down there," she said, pointing.

"So that leaves the other side to us," Panthro said. "Kids, you listen for bits of information while Cheetara and Tygra are asking questions. Notice if people seem nervous and be charming. People say more than they should around kids."

"Roger."

Snarf nestled his claws delicately into the cloth on Lion-O's shoulder, careful not to tear. "Shall we meet up in a few hours? Say…that square?" The clearing was just large enough to see from where they stood, and on the flat, colorful stones they could see bug-sized performers and people dashing from once side to the other.

"Sounds good. By dusk, no later." Lion-O waited as Panthro started the Thundertank and everyone climbed in to make the trek down the path to the docks. And Snarf never left his shoulder, trying not to let his tail whisk nervously.

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Kit had never been to Tropo or the Fel Sea, and to be honest she'd only been through a little of Thundera in her short life. So the performers dazzled her in the way only bright colors and beautiful costumes could enchant a child. The wildcat dancers had never performed tricks like this, and it was something new entirely.

By the bars and trading stalls there were women in shiny fabric and long skirts of every kind of species. She saw a completely black cat robed in blue sequins and white beads, a fox woman swathed in gold and orange. And once, a white wolf howled a song so heartbreaking and beautiful that her throat hurt and she had to force her feet not to dance.

Cheetara spared admiring eyes for all the performers, but never did her hand leave Kit's and she kept her ears tuned to bits of conversation. The smell of ale and cheeses on bread made her homesick, but it wasn't until she passed a tailor's stall that she paused. The cuts were good and there were dozens of colors, and the woman running it had lovely stitches going across her clothes intricately. Some kind of slim lizard, her belly seemed long and her chest flat. She turned a smooth eye on Kit's rags, though the girl was too busy gawking at a fire eater to pay any mind. "She could use some new clothes, I think."

Cheetara nodded. "Kit, what colors do you like?"

Dreamily, Kit waved a hand. "I like pink. Ooh, and purple." She didn't even bother looking, just staring at a weasel flipping and contorting as he cracked silly jokes. Cheetara used her free hand to fish a few coins out of her pocket to pay the woman, accepting a few swatches of cloth.

"What about your brother?"

"Uh…he likes orange. But he likes brown and blue too." Deciding that brown would go better with orange – and wouldn't give anyone a headache if they looked at him in direct light like blue and orange might – Cheetara picked two more out and tucked them under her arm.

"Thank you." She smiled at the woman, who smiled back. Cats would have been intimidated by her sharp teeth but Cheetara was not; Kit moved with her a little slowly, trying to hear the punch line. "Kit, I know the show is neat but you have to move with me hon." This was said gently and Kit shook her head as if coming out of a dream.

"Yeah. Sorry. It's just so cool! I want to be a performer someday. If the pirate thing doesn't work out."

One man nearby flinched when she said "pirate" and Cheetara looked at him. He was a grizzled, burly dog missing an ear with a hole in the other one. His clothes were dirty and his coat was white, and his jaw was thick and square. "Best not talk about pirates in this area," he said softly. "You're new here, ain't you lasses?"

"We are. Has there been trouble with piracy lately?" Cheetara tucked Kit close to her side and put a hand casually to her hip, close enough to reach her staff if she needed it. He seemed decent enough, and was in the process of moving barrels from a stack nearer the water's edge to one of the buildings – some kind of restaurant perhaps. Cheetara kept pace with him, giving him a friendly look.

"Of course. Always has been some, but not like lately. It's hard to sail the sea without running into some blackguard spewing venom and cannon fire. I lost m'ear only four months ago. Hammerhand and his crew are seeking to run the whole Fel Sea if you ask anyone around." He picked up another barrel and Cheetara did not question him until he'd successfully sat it down on the other side.

"Hammerhand? Is he the pirate leader?" She'd never heard that name in particular in the wild stories that made their way to Dera's Run. She'd only heard titles; Crusher of Skulls, Bane of the Sea. Of course, men deep in their cups tended to exaggerate the tales. He was taken for a legend more than a real figure. But this fellow nodded darkly.

"Aye, he's been collecting forces for years now. He's been a plague but a bearable one until recently. He leveled a fish farm and the homes of the fishermen and pressed them into working on stolen ships for him, save for those that refused. He left them on the Marooning Rock to find a way through the cliffs. None do. The Berserkers are one of the biggest pirate groups around now." The cat picked up another barrel and transported it once more. "You'll want to steer clear of them, lasses. Pirates have always been an issue around here, but we'll make do. Always have."

He paused at last and said, "Where are my manners? Bullie's the name. Are either of you in need of some assistance?"

Cheetara found she liked this guy. He seemed like a big sweetie. "No thank you, just trying to find out about the area. Although if you know of a ship that might help us and a few friends across the Fel Sea, I'd appreciate that."

He scratched his chin. "My cap'n might be willing to do that. Our ship'll have room until we make the return trip."

"One way is all we need. Although we do have a certain vehicle…" Cheetara added, imagining Panthro's face if they had to leave the Thundertank. "When will you be leaving if your captain approves?"

"Tomorrow morning. We sail in the daylight. We've a good engine installed along with our sails, so we could get across in about ten hours if the water is good."

Kit peeped into one of the barrels. "Wow, look at the fish!" A slippery silver tail popped her in the nose and she snorted. "Ah, it's salty!"

Bullie grinned, jocular and likeable. "Aye, we don't fish ourselves but our ship's big enough to transfer big catches from one part of the sea to the other. Eateries sell cooked fish by the ton every day, and they need a rich supply to keep everyone fed and happy. It's good, honest work." He seemed proud of it. "The prices have been going up a bit what with big catches being rarer, but there are always dry spells. It's the ideal job for me in spite of that."

"I'm sure it is, Bullie." Cheetara glanced over her shoulder. "Where would your captain be?"

"Haggling with one of the cooks no doubt. I'll go and fetch him." Bullie did so and Cheetara wondered if for once they might actually get where they needed to go without a hitch.

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"Charms for protection! Blessed by the saints and prophets, these bands of silver will send any beast or demon fleeing! These charms, on the other hand, will increase a man's potency or a woman's fertility! Want beautiful daughters or strapping sons? Buy two for the price of one and wear them when you woo your lover!" The feline was spotted, white and black, waving at uninterested passerby. Tygra imagined Cheetara's face if she should see something that called superstitious charms holy and all but laughed.

Kat tugged his arm. "What's potency?"

His laughter immediately faded. "Uh…tell you when you're older." The boy grumbled something but let Tygra lead him over. The cat looked to be a hybrid of snow leopard and tiger, and he wore a dark cap and vest.

"Ah, a cousin! Care for a trinket or bauble? May save your life in these lands." Tygra waved a hand and noticed another couple of cats around the stall. One was a girl, pale and pretty in red cloth. She waved and turned pink when he grinned at her and gave a slight bow. No one could say his mother never told him how to treat a girl like a lady.

"Actually, I might be more inclined to pay for information about…let's say, ships available to transport people. And those cliffs, actually." He jerked his head toward the great rocks in the distance and the cat nodded.

"Ships I can't help you with. We only deal with the silver traders that sail here with their blessed ore for our goods, and they bring them off that dock." He gestured lavishly toward the metal and wood walkways and Tygra saw a few other men boarding ships and removing goods far down below. "But the cliffs are indeed perilous. They are rich with minerals and treasures, but anytime a group of miners has sailed to one of the openings in the stone, they've never returned. Rumors of a demon living within the caverns run amok. Pity they didn't have our silver to protect them."

Kat examined one of the pieces and sniffed it, licking one edge. "Where's this from?"

"One of the great temples in the west! Our fine friends in the house of the Creator in the Imperial City sent us those. I'll thank you not to get spit on our pure holy silver," the fellow added.

Kat gave him a skeptical look. "I think you're getting ripped off. This is a copper piece with silver over it. You can tell by the rusty taste. Plus it's chipping here." He let the merchant snatch it up and examined it with a scowl.

"Your son is certainly…attentive."

"I'm not his dad, but yeah. He's a clever bugger, ain't he?" Tygra ruffled Kat's hair and produced one gold piece. "Let's talk plainly friend. I'm educated and I don't buy this garbage about demons and your sacred pieces. If other people want to, fine. I just want to know all you can tell me about those cliffs without legends thrown in. Your wares being a little…cost-efficient can stay between us." He flipped the man the coin. The hybrid bit it to ensure its authenticity and tucked it into his wide belt.

"All right, I know a skeptic when I meet one." The smooth tone had fallen to something less oily and Tygra found he liked it. "Truth is there've been a lot of stories about those cliffs and it's hard to figure out which ones are true. We did send a team of miners once to get cheap ore, but they sent us a message saying someone…or something…had been making tunnels. There are some naturally forming caves, but there are the marks of burrows through the stone as well. They went in to investigate and we never heard from them again. Probably got caught in the high tide if something didn't get 'em. Shame too. We paid them in advance." The cat took off his cap to smooth his short, white hair. He couldn't have been much older than Tygra. "It's possible to cross over the top of the cliffs and reach the other side, but you wouldn't want to do that. Pirates lurk on the other side, but they never go in, just around. The beast doesn't come out from what we know."

Tygra scanned the rock face that dipped into the sea, watching the way the waves crashed feebly against it. "The caverns flood a lot?"

"At high tide, yeah. Every night and part of the morning until the moon is gone. One section's known as the Marooning Rock, and it's where pirates dump people if they want to seem particularly vile. They have to go into the cliffs and when night falls…well, you get the picture. It doesn't cover the highest parts of the cliffs though, so chances are whatever's in there climbs to the top of the formation." The cat leaned in conspiratorially. "I have to wonder if it really always stays in those caverns. Maybe it climbs out the top, finds a bite on the coast somewhere, and crawls back in. Of course what do I know? It might be a murderous hermit in there."

Tygra looked from one end of the cliffs to the other. There were all manner of crags and cracks, hidden surfaces and even bits of greenery. "I think someone would have seen it if it came out. Maybe when the tunnels flood fish get washed in and it eats those?"

The cat seemed interested. "Very perceptive. Maybe you're right. But if you're considering going there, I can't recommend it. It's a mysterious, dangerous place, and we're content to leave it be now. In spite of the minerals that no doubt lay within."

Tygra nodded and was about to walk off when the cat said suddenly, "Wait a minute. There's someone who might know more, but she's a bit…well, she lost most of her sense years ago. She rambles about nonsense a lot, but if you'd like to ask her you can. Just take everything with some salt."

Kat's tail flickered with interest as the hybrid turned and hollered, "Nana! Someone wants to know about the tunnels in the cliff!"

It took a second but Tygra finally saw her. She was a white tigress, stripes almost gone in her age, bleached fur wispy. Her hair was long and braided and she hunched over in her plain red gown. Her hands were gnarled and she blinked when she stepped from behind her counter; she was going blind. Tygra had always had a soft spot for girls of any age, so he knelt a bit and graciously kissed her hand. "Charmed, madam. I hope this isn't a bother."

Her tired yellow eyes fixed on him and after a moment she smiled. "My, you're a handsome thing. Reminds me of my boy when he was your age." He smiled at her. "You want to know about the cliffs?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

She turned to them and sighed. "A sorceress lives in there. She was cursed along with her sisters and mother and turned into vile beasts, and she holed up in there to escape from people and light. She's lived there ever since I was a little girl. Children that went to investigate never came back, but sometimes we found bodies or bones washing onto the shores when the flood waters lowered out of the tunnels."

This was so stark and certain that Tygra was unnerved. "A sorceress? Where did you hear that?"

"It was a cult that was said to communicate with demons to drive off enemies. The leader was their mother, I believe. And they conducted many evil rituals in the wilds where no laws prevented them. They wanted to commune with the dead."

Kat's eyes were round. "But you're not supposed to do that!"

"You're right. And there's a reason." The old woman shrugged. "When I was eight, I heard it said that the women had been repaid for their wicked deeds by the very demons they sought to control. They were cursed and scattered across the world. One of them lives there according to the records. Unfortunately, there was only one person who claimed to have seen her enter that would know what she looked like." She shook her head. "That was decades ago. And the man was old. He died before speaking of it. He had a weak heart, and she was apparently hideous. Sometimes when bodies come out of the cliff, the only thing that holds them together is a sticky cocoon. It's woven tightly around them."

Tygra shifted uncomfortably. "So that's the story?"

"Indeed. I've told it to my grandson, but he never listens to a word I say anymore," she said reproachfully. "What his father will say to him when he returns is on him. My son's a good boy; he'll straighten his child out."

The young cat just sighed. Tygra offered the woman a gold piece, keeping tally of his finances in his head. Still pretty good so far. "For the story, and for your time."

She accepted it and gave him a wrinkled, radiant grin. "You're a good boy too. Take care of yourself." Returning to her part of the stall, the old woman sat in a rocking chair and seemed to stare out over the sea.

Tygra looked at the cat. "Thanks. It's a strange story, but anything is a help."

"Yeah. If you say so." The cat cast a weary look at his grandmother. "Like I said, she spouts nonsense a lot of the time."

Tygra didn't believe much in the power of sorceresses but this coldness seemed unfitting. "She seemed pretty sound overall," he objected.

Not bothering to turn his head, the cat replied, "My dad – her son – died ten years ago right in front of her. He had been injured by pirates and bled out. We buried him, and even though we take her to his grave, every time she just stares at it as if it weren't real. We leave and then she forgets it all again. She's got the crazy all right."

Tygra gazed at her with new pity and respect. "I don't know if that's crazy so much as pain. But thanks anyway."

When they left Kat gave the stall owners another look. "That's sad. Do you really think she's crazy?"

"I don't know. Maybe just about that one thing. It'd be really awful to lose a kid, you know? Some people just have to block things out so they can keep moving. She probably knows deep down, but she keeps it locked up tight." Tygra glanced back as well and put a hand on Kat's shoulder. "Given that we've already met a witch in the form of Red-Eye, I guess there may well be a sorceress in that cliff. Or at least someone who fancies herself one."

"You don't believe in powers?" Kat asked solemnly. Tygra tilted his head one way then the other.

"I believe that there is stuff out there we don't understand. But I'm kind of skeptical about magic or spirits or anything like that. Red-Eye might have installed infrared machinery into his eyeballs to make those red hot lights. I can't say. I just like to look at facts and take what they give me."

Kat nodded thoughtfully. "But what about Cheetara's visions? You can't get those from a machine."

Tygra sighed. "That's one of those 'No idea how it works' things bud. C'mon, let's check out the ships and see what we can find."

---

Panthro stuck close to Lion-O and Snarf, people giving him a wide berth. He was pleased to see Snarf keeping a careful lookout as well, ears rotating. "This seems to be an area for homes. A very poor one," he murmured.

Snarf was right; the stalls faded behind them and large ships didn't come here. Ramshackle docks and crafts the size of rowboats were tethered here down below, and there seemed to be many apartments in tall, thin buildings on the opposite side. Probably the homes of poorer fishermen. Lion-O looked at them and said, "It's not very nice, but it's still better than Rana Village."

"Yeah. They can at least feed themselves proper on the coast." Panthro sensed discontent here though, and he added, "This is good material building these houses and roads. It's just not been maintained."

Lion-O walked on Panthro's left, away from the water. "Maybe we should ask around?"

One old man was sitting by a coil of rope, cleaning fish and cutting its scales away. Lion-O had his hood up, but he also took his goggles and put them on. He didn't want to attract attention to the fact that he was a lion. "Excuse me," he said. The man didn't look up, still cleaning his fish. A dingy bucket of them sat on one side and raw, clean fish sat in the bucket on his other. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you know the history of this area. Or if you'd mind telling us about it."

The cutting stopped and the cat looked up. His whiskers were gray and his face set into a permanent sullen slouch. An ugly yellow, he was wearing dirty clothes that were ragged on the hems. "You've got some nerve coming her, westerner. Imperial City dwellers are scum here."

Lion-O blinked and took a step back. "I'm sorry?"

"You should be, talking with your accent. Tales of the beauty of the Imperial City come here and we shake our fists. Look at this area." He waved a hand – claws crusted with fish guts – and Panthro took in the dingy area again, wondering if he was going to have to knock the man in the head. "It was a pretty place when the king first won the battle of the Fel Sea fifteen years ago and settled this coast for Thundera. But we knew enemies would be back. More pirates, more villains. 'Oh, we'll send forces to help you, don't you worry,' he said. 'I won't abandon my people.'"

He spat. "Nothing came for ten years. Amazing how a place will run down when it's left in the corner and forgotten!"

Snarf looked at Panthro with a bewildered look. Panthro scowled. "The king was dealing with an Alliance strike at that time. He was trying to keep the borders of Thundera from being needled. Forces were stretched thin and he sent what he could."

"Oh yes, all while letting thieves and brigands destroy the feline settlers that came here! A few weak squads did so much against ships upon ships of pirates!" The cat's lip curled. "You're a good military dog though. This king says jump it's your pleasure. I know a soldier when I see one. You don't forget useless people very easily."

Panthro snorted. "You think that's the worst slander I've ever heard? You've got no imagination. C'mon kid, let's get out of here and find someone with sense."

Lion-O didn't move. Panthro knew his eyes were no doubt wide behind the goggles, and the lion reached for the cat's shoulder. "I'm sorry for what's happened here. I know the king wouldn't want his people to suffer. You should try sending a letter, explaining what's happened. I'm sure he'll-"

The cat spat again, right into Lion-O's face. He jumped back, stunned, and Snarf hissed. This man was just spiteful. "Letters! No amount of letters is going to bring back what we've lost! If we'd had any real protection when the pirates first came, our families wouldn't have been slaughtered! How many fathers and fishermen and wives and sons have died because, 'We had to keep the borders!'"

Panthro moved between Lion-O and the cat. "So instead of trying to get up and take justice by handling the pirates on your own, you just gripe to everyone that comes by, even if they have no idea about this area and never could have known. I don't know whether you or these pirates are worse."

The cat's face went scarlet. "You tail-sucking scum," he said softly.

"Panthro, that's enough!" Lion-O whispered.

Snarf drew himself up on Lion-O's shoulder. "Sir, I understand what it is to lose many beloved people. And perhaps you are right to be angry at the king for not sending the aid he promised soon enough or in enough force. But is this really going to help anyone? Being bitter and hateful to every Imperial City citizen that comes by? It seems that the rest of the coast is surviving at least fairly well. How have they defended themselves? What is it you want? For the pirates to be routed or for your homes to be rebuilt as best they can?"

Panthro had always had a hard edge, but to hear the sense from this little creature soothed him. The cat bared his teeth. "They were already there, used to rubbing shoulders with the scum that lived here, dogs! We gave everything to come here at the king's call and start anew. It was a great mistake. I want the king to feel the blood he's caused. I want every single Imperial to know that while they slept and ate in comfort, innocent people were massacred because their king is a liar."

Lion-O stiffened. "He isn't. He did everything he could. I'm sure of that."

But Snarf just gazed at the man. "So you just want to pass the poison of your hatred to others. You really don't want to repair things. If you wanted justice or recovery there might have been future happiness for you. I suppose I must say I hope that, someday, this part of the Fel Sea feels safety again. For the others here, at least."

The man snarled curses and Panthro saw that Lion-O's face was blank but sensed the guilt there. "There's nothing we can do here, kid. Not now." He began to steer the younger cat away. There would always be people that hated the state of politics and offered nothing but anger. This was not some simple thing to fix in the matter of hours; it might not be fixable at all. He supposed it was just best to forget about it for now. Lion-O seemed crestfallen, confused, and Panthro realized he'd probably never been introduced to someone like this. It was an eye-opening thing.

"Whore's son!"

Panthro suddenly felt distant and blurry. He stopped. The cat was still talking. "I know what that mark on you means! It means you're the son of some worthless brothel girl from the north. What would you know of hardworking families being abandoned? Your mother just laid on her back and kept you fed!"

Panthro turned around. He walked back up to the cat.

Then he grabbed him around the throat and lifted him three feet into the air. "Panthro, stop! Panthro!" Lion-O pulled at his arm frantically. But Panthro's arms were steel from so many years of military drills, of hard work, of training. Cajoling in the streets, laboring for anyone that could spare a silver for it. He was no soft boy any longer.

Nobody could insult her now. Now he was strong, and her memory would be untarnished. The cat was gasping and sputtered, trying to free himself, clawing at Panthro's bared arms. The scratches were almost laughably tiny. Panthro's lips peeled back as he bared his teeth and gums, jagged as daggers.

"Panthro! Stop! Would she want you to do this?" His hands softened imperceptibly and he looked down, seeing Lion-O. His goggles were gone and those blue eyes seemed to glow under the hood. "She wouldn't want you to stoop to this. He's harmless, can't you see that?"

Her face before him made Panthro loosen his grip a little more. "He insulted the king. He has no right."

"He has every right! Panthro, I don't agree with him. I think he's wrong. But we can't just shut up everyone we don't agree with. He's done nothing illegal. hunderans…well, felines…are promised the right to speak their minds." Lion-O seemed to hold his breath until Panthro dropped the man, who coughed and scrambled away.

"Soldier brutality! The king sends them at last to finish us himself!" He fled and Panthro watched him go, hands balling into fists.

"I'm angry too," Lion-O said. "I…I've never heard anyone talk about him that way. And I know that…he was absolutely wrong about your mother. But we can't force him to change or say something different. You know that." Lion-O turned around and Panthro couldn't see his face under his hood. Snarf put a paw on his head comfortingly.

"I don't think he wanted to be reasoned with. If he has lost his family he's probably swimming in his own sea of grief." Snarf licked Lion-O's forehead. "You can only do what you can."

For the first time Panthro noticed that there were others staring at him fearfully. People from their doorways and windows, people cowering in their boats. Most of them didn't have a glint of hate that man had, but there were a few that had the certain brightness in their eyes. Panthro just touched the old tattoo that marked his arm.

Whore's son.

"Sorry." With this curt word he turned and they left the place in its old, vengeful shambles.

---

"And there were jugglers and beautiful dancer ladies and fire eaters and people that walked on stilts! One lady even gave me a wrist bangle. This place is amazing," Kit gushed, showing her brother the silver, slender ring around her wrist. "Maybe Mama and Daddy will set up a shop here, it's lots better than going back to Rana Village!"

Kat pointed back the way he and Tygra had come from. "Cool, but have you ever seen a statue of a naked lady playing a biwa? It was totally weird. There was another one of two people together, but Tygra wouldn't let me look at it. He said they were hugging or something. But the goldsmiths let me see how they pressed insignias onto armor too, it was awesome!"

Lion-O was writing down notes in one of the several books Bill had saved from the lake base and graciously given them. Tygra was still explaining his venture and the bits of legend about the cliffs. Cheetara sat between them with a needle in her fingers and a lantern close to her project so she could see.

"Bullie's captain was a lovely man. He said that he'd take us over on his empty ship for five gold total, and he'll even bring the Thundertank so long as we help keep things neat on board. They set sail tomorrow, and we're to meet them on the docks by the ship called 'The Sassy Hound.'" She missed Tygra's wince.

"Let me guess…all dogs."

"Yep. Sweethearts." Her needle and thread had been working for hours, and she was drawing near the hem of the second garment. "I hope nobody minds us sleeping just outside the square."

"Nah, we perturb burglars." They were just outside the meeting place, and interestingly enough a few of the performers continued dancing through the night for late patrons of shops that remained open. Nobody gave them a second glance. Tygra could see the sea rising under the great moon, gauging how high it would go. "Looks like the lower docks flood at night but the ones level with the streets and stores don't. They built it at just the right height. And the ships have retractable ropes so they can be tied off at the higher docks but rise and sink with the water. How funny."

Panthro grunted. He'd been surly all evening and Tygra wasn't sure why. Snarf had said he'd tell them later. Tygra just shrugged and listened to the sounds of the shops closing and people heading home. Aside from the smell of salt and sea brine, it was a lot like Dera's Run. Lion-O hadn't said much either, but he seemed to watch the area with a quiet sort of sadness as he wrote.

"There." Cheetara put the needle back in its place in her pack and tied off the last stitch. "Kat, Kit, come here and see how these fit."

The kittens obeyed, Kit commanding every male to cover his eyes as she changed out of her ragged tunic. Naturally they did as they were bid. Kat stripped down to his underwear without a word and pulled on the new set of clothes and when both kittens were decent everyone admired their new clothes and Cheetara sat back proudly to survey her work.

It was not the finest set of clothes in the world, but the threads bound them well to keep them strong. Kat had a set of brown breeches that reached the middle of his calf and his shirt was orange and brown, as Cheetara had been trying to make sure they matched. The strips of cloth met in a rakish line across his chest and Kat seemed to approve of the daring look.

Kit's outfit was similar, but Cheetara had given her a modest skirt in pinks and purples, and a shirt that matched her brother's. Also, because Cheetara was a little paranoid, she'd stitched together a little pair of shorts for Kit to wear as well that doubled as leggings. If they ended up in battle, Tygra noted amusedly, Cheetara didn't want Kit's underwear flashing. She was a chaste cheetah through and through. Kit twirled and threw herself into Cheetara's arms. "It's beautiful Cheetara! I look almost like one of the dance girls!"

"And I feel adventure-y," Kat agreed, putting his fists on his hips. He too gave her a hug and Cheetara straightened the wrinkles in their clothing.

"They look good on you. Now let's ditch these dirty old things," she said, taking the rags and pitching them a short distance away. "I'll see about sewing another set or two later so you have more changes."

"You did a really good job, Cheetara," Lion-O said. She beamed at him.

"Yeah, you only poked your own finger sixteen times by the end," Tygra added. She stuck her tongue out. Snarf yawned and climbed into Cheetara's lap.

"Very lovely clothes. Though I don't understand why bipeds feel clothing is so necessary."

"Some don't. Ever hear of a nudist?" Tygra leaned back again and stretched his arms and then his legs. "So Lion-O, what have you got?"

"That people believe there's a sorceress turned creature living in the cliff tunnels, that no one who goes is comes out alive, and that bones sometimes float back to the coast and they assume these are the same people that died months ago that have been eaten." Lion-O chewed the tip of his pen absently. "The stories about pirates concern me though. What if we run into some while on board The Sassy Hound?"

"We beat the tar out of them and throw them overboard. Simple." Tygra shrugged.

Panthro stirred. "I say we kill them. If they've been stealing and murdering people all this time, they'll have plenty of blood on their hands. Might make this place safer."

There was a delicate pause and Lion-O shut his eyes, rubbing between them. He'd taken off his goggles for the night. "If it comes to that, all right. But I'd prefer them all to have trials and be executed with some dignity."

Panthro grunted again. "They grant no mercy or dignity from the sound of things. You'll have to kill someone eventually, kid. We won't make it to the King's Door without spilling some villain's blood."

"Panthro," Cheetara scolded. The kittens had round eyes, staring at the panther's back. "I don't want the kittens listening to this."

"They're old enough to know some stuff about the world." Tygra held his breath; if the panther started saying anything about the fact that the kids' parents were probably dead he'd personally punch the guy. But the cat didn't. He just stayed still and Snarf climbed out of Cheetara's lap and gestured for the others to come close so Panthro couldn't hear.

"Wait until he's asleep," he mouthed. It took about fifteen minutes for the snoring to start and Snarf sighed. "All right, Lion-O, what was all that about?"

Lion-O leaned his head against a lamp post and murmured, "It's not my place to say. Panthro's just very sensitive about his past, and people belittling his mother." He explained with Snarf's help about running into the furious cat and Tygra just crossed his arms.

"Sounds like both sides have some blame, but in the end it seems like they gave up. Look at the rest of this place. It's doing well even with pirates roaming around. King Claudus isn't perfect, but I'd say he's done a pretty good job." Lion-O glanced at him and looked back at his hands. "What's wrong?"

"…I've never met anyone that felt that way. Sure there have been people that disagreed with the king, but…they never hated him. Not so openly. I knew there must be some out there that did, I just…"

Lion-O looked at Cheetara. "Do they say anything else bad about him? What do they think of how he's ruled?" He looked at the kittens too, and Tygra, as if hoping to find something.

It was Cheetara who finally spoke. "I personally think he tries to do the right thing, and that he's been a fair king for cats," she said at last. "But…he's been the same as any other for other species."

"Yeah, nonfels aren't big fans of him," Tygra said idly. Cheetara shot him a look.

"Do not use that word around the kittens." Her voice was cold and her hands in tight fists. Kat blinked and Kit looked between the two.

"What's nonf-I mean, that word, mean?" she asked.

Tygra suddenly felt awkward. "Well, it's a term for anything that's not a feline. Like the Luna, dogs, lizards, monkians…"

Kit blinked. "Why doesn't Cheetara like it?"

"It's considered demeaning to other species. Sort of like saying they're just one big group of things that aren't cats, and so they're not important," Cheetara said gently.

The kittens seemed confused. "That's silly. Lisssa wasn't a cat but she was super nice. So were Leofa and Dyre and Timbyr. Does the king not like them?"

Tygra couldn't help but feel a bit sheepish. "Well, some of the laws were made with cats in mind and they haven't quite changed to encompass all creatures. There might be problems if they did." Lion-O was looking at him with one eye.

Neither kittens seemed to understand. "Have you two heard of the law that protects the citizens' right to protest the monarchy's actions peacefully? It permits them to say what they want, providing it doesn't inspire violence," Lion-O said softly.

"Yeah, I've heard of that," Kat said.

"Well, it doesn't apply to lizards or dogs. If they protest with the cats they can be put in jail for a day or two for disturbing the peace." Kat's jaw dropped and Lion-O shut his eye. "…It's been that way for so long that everyone's just gotten used to it, and King Claudus hasn't felt the need to change it." His voice was low and almost hurt.

"But why?" Kit asked. "Sure they're scaly or have different fur and stuff. But…they're the same as we are inside. Isn't that what matters?"

Cheetara tucked the girl close and kissed her head. "The holy writings say that the Creator made all things in accordance to his will, and we're all people. Tygra just uses naughty words sometimes."

Kat, who had been giving Tygra an uncertain, wounded look, seemed set at ease by Cheetara's only partially true words. "Oh. So you don't think lizards and dogs and the others are bad, right?"

"No, not really." He wanted to mention the issues with their ignorance and lack of culture and civility – not to mention how brutish they could be and the countless numbers of infractions between the species and the violent protests that had taken place because of lizards and wolves – but seeing the kittens made so content…well, he supposed he could leave things as they were.

Leave it to Cheetara to soften the bitterest flaws, he thought wryly. Kit was yawning and put her head in Cheetara's lap. "Hey Cheetara? Do you think our parents will be waiting for us in Tropo? Or do you think they've been given Mutation?"

Cheetara stroked the girl's back. "I don't know sweetheart. We'll have to wait and see. Something must have kept them there, but maybe they've gotten away and they're trying to get back to you."

Kit's tail flicked happily. "Maybe we'll run into them on the way," she said sleepily. "Can't wait to see them again. Mama will like my new clothes."

Tygra watched Cheetara's eyes dim and Lion-O closed his book, watching her. As Kat dozed off and Cheetara settled the kittens into their bed rolls – they'd used one thrown together with blankets until today, when Snarf had seen a shop and tugged Lion-O's hair to make him get them one to share – Lion-O took out the Sword of Omens. He put a finger to his lips and Tygra quirked a brow. The lion lifted it to his eyes and whispered, "Sword of Omens, give me sight beyond sight."

He tried this a few times but at last he let the blade drop. "Nothing. I wanted to see their parents, but it just won't show me. I get the feeling it's tired and doesn't understand me." He put it away, looking unhappy.

Tygra checked to make sure the kittens were out before saying, hesitantly, "Would it show you people that are…y'know."

"I think so. It would let me know somehow, and it doesn't. It's fickle like that." Lion-O looked out over the sea, watching the moon rise and dab white streaks across the slowly rising surface in the distance. "I've always known there's no such thing as a perfect king," he said suddenly. "Save the Creator himself, I suppose. But to hear someone so angry and full of hate…it shocked me. I always figured King Claudus was at least fair." He was curled in his cloak and leaning against the wheel of the Thundertank now.

"You can't please everyone," Tygra said wisely. "If you go far to the east you'll really get an earful about how bad Thundera is. Like my mother says, opinions are like anuses. Everyone has one, and some of them stink."

Lion-O blinked at him. "I've never heard it put that way."

"She's classy, but she doesn't mince words." Tygra noticed Lion-O looking at Cheetara and then him for a moment as if debating something. "What's up?"

Lion-O opened his mouth cautiously. "Can I tell you something kind of embarrassing?"

"It's a bald spot, I knew it," Tygra said. Lion-O's mouth twitched and Cheetara rolled her eyes.

"No. That's not it. I…I've never been outside the Imperial City before this." He took a breath as if he'd confessed some dark addiction. "I mean I've studied about other lands and there were always people visiting to speak to nobles and the king, but I've never actually been anywhere else until now."

Cheetara shrugged. "I hadn't gone far from Dera's Run when we first set out. Some people just don't wander much."

Lion-O chewed his lip. "I mean I'd never been outside the nobles' quarters of the Imperial City. I never left the palace courtyards. Ever."

This did make Tygra sit up a little straighter. "Wait a sec. The Imperial City has a big palace and they're big grounds, don't get me wrong. But you're telling us you've spent eighteen years holed up in there working for the king?"

"Yes." Cheetara was looking at Lion-O with something like sorrow and he shook his head. "It's nothing important, I just felt like telling you guys. I don't know, forget it."

"It makes sense that you got so upset. Spending time there and serving the king, hearing someone talk so badly about him must have felt horrible," she said gently. Lion-O didn't quite meet her eye. "Wow. The first time you've ever been outside the city and this is what he expects? Geez, no wonder he sent Panthro with you. And no wonder Panthro was so paranoid when he met us."

The big cat snorted in his sleep. He then scratched his behind and slept on. The three absorbed that sight for a second and burst into silent fits of laughter.

Tygra had to cover his mouth to finally stop himself from laughing too loud. "Guess we've come a long way, huh? Doesn't feel that way."

Lion-O nodded. "I just wanted you guys to know. If I ever do something that's weird or don't understand simple stuff, that's probably why. This is all a whole other world to me. It's one thing to read about a culture in a book and another to actually interact with people." He tightened his cloak around his shoulders. "And even when Panthro complains about bringing you guys along, he doesn't mean it. And I'm glad you guys came."

This last part was said quietly, almost shyly. Tygra realized with a jolt that they had probably been the first people he'd actually formed a connection with outside of the Imperial City, and examined their conversations and the things they'd done together in a new light. Lion-O really had displayed amazing trust when he asked them to come along in spite of Panthro's dislike.

Cheetara crawled into her bedroll. "Don't worry Lion-O. You're doing fine, if that's what you're worried about. And I can't speak for Tygra but I'm glad we came too." She gave him a smile and Tygra noticed with amusement that Lion-O's ears flicked back, slightly pink in the face.

"Yeah, I guess I am too. Breaking up drug trades is pretty interesting. I could do without the Harbinger stuff but hey, every adventure has its low points." Pulling his blanket over himself, Tygra was made aware that Snarf had been sitting on his pillow and had fallen asleep. "Hey, furball." Snarf continued snoring softly and Tygra simply lay down, head resting on Snarf's back. "Ooh, comfy."

Snarf never woke up, dead to the world. The last thing Tygra saw before he went to sleep was Lion-O turning his head to watch the sea again, still oddly forlorn.

---

Cheetara was pleased by how fast The Sassy Hound could sail. Several metal masts overhead with pale yellow sails filled with the wind were a help, but even over the slosh of water she could hear engines down below propelling the squat, stout ship forward at a tremendous rate. Across the prow was a stout female dog, carved from wood, teeth bared to the wind as if in a laugh.

"She's a good ship, she is." The captain approached her to look over the side, checking the height of the waves. He was a big dog, the size of Panthro, and had a brown coat and sort of boxy, slightly droopy face. There was only one thing that perturbed her about him; he tended to drip. From the mouth.

He wiped his face. "I apologize. Part of the breed."

"Not at all. Thank you for agreeing to bring us," she said. Glancing at the others, she added, "I'm…not sure what's wrong with Lion-O. He'd usually thank you personally, Captain Masti."

He waved a thick hand. "That boy's got enough to worry about. I know a landlubber when I see one, and he's not built for the sea. Makes him nervous." Lion-O was sweeping the deck with his eyes fixed on the ground, as if he would get sick if he looked up.

Cheetara nodded. "He does seem a little nervous around water. I've noticed it before." Kat and Kit dashed past Lion-O to climb up the rope ladder to the crow's nest, perched at the top of the tallest post. "Kat, Kit, you two be careful!"

"I'm watching them Cheetara. Don't worry." Snarf clambered up after them and Captain Masti laughed.

"You've an odd bunch, lass. A tiger that works to help the engineers down below, a panther that knows how to load cannons, two kittens that climb like squirrels, a strange, talking thing, and a lion that can't look at the waves without turning green. And of course a pretty lady that takes charge as a dam watches her wild pups." He laughed, a deep, barking noise.

Cheetara just shook her head. "That's only the surface, captain. Where would you like me to help your crew?"

He turned around thoughtfully and she noticed that his tail was a stub poking from his dark breeches. Had part of it been cut off? His pressed jacket was clean and he kept tugging at it to make sure it was neat. "We have a communicator installed beside the helm. We get messages every few minutes to help us keep out of the worst patches. And, as I'm sure Bullie mentioned, pirates have become more of an issue. We send messages to the others ships out and about if we see them."

"You want me to keep an eye on the messages for you?" When he nodded she bounded over the ship and up to the help. Its spokes were made of some tough metal but the middle was carved wood. Bullie was steering, arms shifting slightly to keep the ship on course.

It was into the side that there was a metal section and she peered at it to find a messenger screen. It seemed a little worn and had a couple of scratches, but the panel below it worked well. "Wow, six messages already. Bullie, one of them says to avoid the cliffs for a league, the water there is choppy today. Expect a little rain later."

"Aye lass, I'll remember that." Bullie gave her a wink. "What do you think of the sea now that you're on it?"

"It's beautiful. Although Lion-O doesn't seem to agree." She whistled and he looked up at her, as did every dog on board. "Sorry…just trying to get Lion-O," she called. All of them returned peaceably to swabbing and checking the wind and their speed, but Lion-O approached still sweeping. "You okay?"

"Ah, yeah. Well…sort of. It's just kind of wobbly." He paused for second as a wave made the ship bob. "How long is this supposed to take exactly?" he asked more weakly.

"'Til dusk. Just breathe that salty air in boy; it's good for the soul," Bullie advised. Lion-O looked at the choppy, tiny waves and slowly kept sweeping. Cheetara saw sweat on his forehead.

"Lion-O? Is there something you need to tell me? Because I've never been on the sea either and it's not bothering me that badly. You look…scared." She scanned the two new messages and added, "Bullie, the wind's blowing north now. It'll smash us into the cliffs if the sails aren't furled."

"Aye. Boys, you heard her!" With a rather lovely uniformity the dogs pulled the sails tight and closed, letting the engine push them forward instead. Lion-O's hands stopped and held the broom still. His tail was lashing back and forth.

"I should have said it from the start. As stupid as it sounds, I can't-"

The messenger screen beeped and Cheetara looked at it immediately. The screen lit up in a faint red and she read it with a furrowed brow. "HH spotted. Map included with location as of two minutes ago. Shows signs of hostility."

Bullie did not move from the helm but his jaw suddenly hardened. "Cap'n?" The mastiff was already there, leaning over Cheetara's shoulder and examining the message. She tried not to flinch when just a drop of spittle landed on her shirt.

"…Begin moving south immediately. Tell the engineers to increase our speed by twenty knots. Nobody is to make extra noise right now. Boys, you know that dark sail; get the weapons ready but do not attack unless we are given no option. On my order."

Lion-O put the broom aside. "What is it? Hammerhand?"

Captain Masti nodded. "If he's showing signs of hostility it means he's stopping ships and either demanding goods or sinking them. He's taken some of our supplies before but we've never had a full assault. If you've any extra weapons, now might be a good time to get them out."

Lion-O touched the hilt of the Sword of Omens under his cloak and Cheetara patted her side for her staff. "We have a few. Do your men need any?"

"My men will be all right. What about the children?" The captain looked up and Cheetara spotted them peeking out over the edge of the crow's nest. Her chest tightened. "They'll need daggers just in case."

"I'm not sure they know how to use them," Cheetara said, suddenly feeling a little sick.

"Yeah we do! Panthro was teaching us!" If it was possible to yell a whisper, Kat did so. Snarf poked his nose over the edge of the crow's nest in curiosity. "They're in the Thundertank!"

"Go and get them while I watch for more information." The captain took her place and Cheetara helpless darted below deck to find the Thundertank. Lion-O went with her. It was dark as oak on the short stairs to the hold and the tank was the only thing taking up the room save for a few crates of emergency supplies. There were, however, openings in both sides where there were mechanized energy cannons installed. They looked quite new, if not fancy.

Panthro was loading one of these with an energy cell. "Already heard. Get the daggers, and some extra swords. I'd rather have a few spares ready." Cheetara opened the trunk and scoured it for small weapons and found them resting below the twin swords.

"Lion-O, why don't you take these too? Just in case. You can hide them under your cloak," she said. He hesitated only a moment before taking the blades and strapping them on. He shifted his weight differently and gazed at the hilts for a moment. Cheetara didn't comment on this, only packing an extra dagger for herself to keep on her belt and hurrying onto the deck to toss the sheathed knives to the kittens. "You two stay out of the thick of things if it comes to that!" she hissed.

Tygra had come up from the other side, a little grease on his hands. "That engine's a neat little thing. It shifts speeds like nobody's business. Okay, what's going on?"

"Hammerhand. He's been spotted nearby," Lion-O said. Tygra eyed the horizon, scanning for anything odd.

"Interesting."

For nearly half an hour there was silence, both on the ship and in the water. Everyone was shifty and stirring, restlessly waiting. The wind did not change its direction and no more messages came.

Kit suddenly spoke. "Um, what does Hammerhand's ship look like?"

"The Mad Mallet? It's nearly all metal with red paneling on the deck with black sails. It's an advanced ship, I'll give it that." Captain Masti watched their tails squirm.

Kit squinted, sharp eyes narrow. "Is there a shiny, silver hammer on the sail too? Because there's a ship right over there that looks like that."

The silence that fell was thick with nausea. Cheetara took out her staff very slowly.

Coming into view was the described ship slicing through the water as neatly as a knife through cadaver tissue. It made no sound, no unnecessary ripple. It came from the south so the wind aided it toward The Sassy Hound. The sunlight gleamed off its metal form and the dark red wood across the deck reminded Cheetara of an old scab. As it drew up to their ship a metallic plank extended from the side and connected to their ship with a soft click.

And at the other end of this metal plank stood a cat that could only be the infamous Hammerhand.

He seemed to have cyborg limbs, for metal reflected sunlight off his arm, parts of his legs and chest, and even his face. Two curved horns jutted from a helmet that rested on top of long locks of hair falling over his shoulders and back, some braided, and his tail was ragged and thick. A dark hat – one very fitting for a pirate captain – rested on top of the helmet. There were black stripes on his face and non-metal body, and his clothes looked worn and dark. One dark eye fixed on each of their faces and the other was covered by a metal piece that attached to his helmet.

His left arm was his namesake. Instead of flesh a robotic arm reached down to his knee, and instead of a hand a silver hammer hung there. He stood tall and straight, and Cheetara knew he must be a strong cat to carry such weight so well. She imagined what a blow from a large hammer like that would do to a person and rubbed her thumb along her staff. He had a sort of coat draping from his shoulders, scarlet with gold embroidery, and it drifted on the tiny zephyrs of the sea.

The Mad Mallet had shifted course slightly to sail beside The Sassy Hound and Hammerhand stepped neatly across the plank as if he were a man coming to place an order at a bar. When he reached the other side he stood still and withdrew a cigar from his pocket with his right hand. Placing this in his mouth, he took his time in lighting it with a lighter from the same pocket. It was ornately wrought in silver and gold.

"Good afternoon," he said at last. Captain Masti stepped forward with dignity.

"Good afternoon." Hammerhand did not immediately speak again, simply drinking in the silent, bated faces around him. The captain shut his eyes and opened them again. "What brings you to The Sassy Hound, Captain Hammerhand?"

He exhaled a smoke ring, not quite in the mastiff's face. "An interesting job, actually."

"'Job?' I didn't know you were accepting them, captain." The dog did not speak disrespectfully and Cheetara admired his cool nerve. Hammerhand took another long pull.

"It was a little too good to refuse. My men and I stand to make much gold from it. You see, it's a bounty mission of sorts. I'm to kill a few people and send my patron a certain item. No sailors, of course," he added softly.

"I should hope not. Who are you seeking?" The mastiff's mouth did not leak in such intense situations, it would seem.

"Well, let me see. I have the descriptions here." He pulled a neatly folded list from his pocket and opened it leisurely. "Here we are. One tiger, young and snarky. Good-looking and cocky, it would seem." Tygra almost seemed to smile in a droll, cold way. ""A panther, stony as the mountains and stronger than their roots. A certain tattoo on his arm." Panthro did not react at all. "A cheetah, pretty and light. Long blond hair." Cheetara tightened her fingers. "Two kittens, a boy and girl. Clever and devilish, wily as they are charming." Kat and Kit glanced at each other in nervous confusion. "And a lion, also good-looking and young. With blue eyes and fiery red hair."

Hammerhand casually tossed the list into the water and looked at Lion-O. "Know anyone like that, boy?"

Lion-O's hair was stirred by a breeze and his eyes were set. "Captain Hammerhand, if you've been hired to kill us by our enemies, I must assure you that we won't go down without a fight. But leave the crew of The Sassy Hound out of it. This is between the drug traders and us."

"Alas boy, I would. But you see, I'm a messy fighter. And if things do get dirty, well, I doubt that the crew will make it out unscathed. Now, if you wanted to surrender so we could gut you quickly, that would increase their chances of living by, say…ten percent."

Lion-O glowered at him. "I shouldn't be surprised you're working for the Mutation ringleaders. Anything that puts gold in your pocket and corrupts the world sounds like it would be right up the alley of the notorious Captain Hammerhand, scoundrel of the sea. Your name is well known on the coast."

"I be a legend among many," Hammerhand said lazily, blowing a smoke ring right in Lion-O's face. "So what will it be, boy?"

Before Lion-O could reply, Captain Masti put out an arm to separate him from Hammerhand's reach. "They have come onto our ship for safe passage, and I'll see that they get it," he said softly. "Any foe of yours is a friend to the coasts of the Fel Sea, Captain Hammerhand."

The cat captain seemed slightly dismayed, like he'd lost out on a mildly favored dessert. "Suit yourself, Masti. The fathoms below welcome you home."

And then his hammer was flying so hard and fast for the captain's throat that only Cheetara could have stopped it. Fortunately for him, she was on the balls of her feet when Hammerhand swung and she pitched herself into him and rammed his chest, kicking his stomach as he fell back.

Pain. Absolute, stubbing, swollen pain. His abdomen was metal and Cheetara retreated a few limping paces, tears burning the corners of her eyes as her knee screamed in protest. But Captain Masti was alive and unharmed, and he bellowed for the engines to be sped up and the sails to be opened. Tygra ducked forward and merrily detached the plank from their ship, and Hammerhand leaped to his side, watching them slide away with his cigar still in his mouth.

"Be ready to fight. Bullie, watch the children," Captain Masti said. The wind seemed colder now and the sun was concealed by overcast clouds. The water began to look murky and dark blue, and Cheetara watched The Mad Mallet surge toward them again, this time with several strange beings on its deck ready to leap to theirs.

All of them seemed to have some sort of metal limbs or mechanical patches on their bodies. There was one that was even larger than Panthro with a set of metal armor covering his body, and around his bobcat chops hung a fine reddish fringe. Beside him stood a shorter leopard whose legs seemed to be made of metal painted red, and two strange wheels jutted from his ankles instead of feet. He held metal rods in his hands that had scythe-like blades coming from the outside edges. The shortest figure had metallic feet as well – some sort of ugly serval – and his waist of all things seemed to be metal. A kilt kept her from seeing how far down the metal went, but it reached to just below his bare ribcage on his torso. He held a mace in one hand and a shield in the other. He was the only one to have a method of defense.

Each one wore a helmet similar to Hammerhand, and Cheetara picked out more and more little details about them as their ship came closer. Their grizzled hair, the flecks of blood on their weapons, and their dirty, crooked teeth all winked at her and she realized what they were going to do two seconds before it happened.

"They're going to ram-!"

The whole ship shuddered and rocked, and Cheetara was flung into the helm. She recovered from the shock when she heard a scream; Kit had grabbed her brother's arm and was trying to pull him back into the crow's nest, as he'd been slung from the safety of it. With Snarf's help she succeeded and Cheetara glowered at the Berserkers.

"Every time we go anywhere," Tygra said, taking out his whip. Lion-O brought out the Sword of Omens. "I've got the wheel guy."

"Short one to me?" Cheetara asked.

Panthro stretched his arms. "I'm on the big one."

"Which leaves Hammerhand to me," Lion-O said, nodding at Cheetara. "Protect the kittens and the crew."

But for a moment the ship burst forward, fleeing The Mad Mallet. Captain Masti dashed to the help and spun it. "If we can only move around them fast enough we can head back to shore. There will be more ships there, and even Hammerhand's not crazy enough to face that!"

The ship curled like a wave and as it swerved they all had to hold on to something. Panthro leaned into the motion to keep his arms free and his gaze unhindered. The Berserkers' ship was larger and less agile, bit it too began to turn and The Sassy Hound only got a little distance. The engine in the The Mad Mallet was far stronger than theirs, and Cheetara held on to the mast.

This time the ramming splintered something, and everyone pitched backward. Lion-O struggled to his feet first and Captain Masti gritted his teeth as two dogs from below pelted up the stairs. "The engines won't respond! The controls aren't working!"

A rough, sputtering sound churned in the water below as the ship stalled. The wind was still blowing though and it kept them moving north. The pirate crew waited until their ship was parallel to the struggling one and came aboard as easily as walking on a gangplank. Captain Masti swore. "Try to get them working! Check the engines!" The two dogs swept down the stairs just in time.

Pandemonium erupted. The biggest pirate went for Panthro and their hands met and the two began to grapple. Cheetara saw sweat from exertion start on Panthro's brow and realized with a shock that this guy was as strong as he was.

Instead of watching she pelted toward the shortest man, the one with the metal waist. His face seemed a little squashed and his nose was large, but suddenly these features began to blur; she was thrown back and she blinked; his legs were still but his torso was spinning like a top, fast as a whirlwind. "What in the world…!?"

Then he stopped spinning his upper body and hurled himself at her, mace whirling. Cheetara snarled and gave him a kick and tried another strike with her staff. No matter, for he was spinning again and her blows glanced off the strange motion. The mace kept coming and when she used her staff to stave off its bite her hands absorbed the shock most unpleasantly.

Tygra was having his own issue. The cat with wheels on his robotic legs moved fast and gracefully, gliding along the deck and anything else that was relatively smooth and wider than three inches. He was clearly used to skating across anything, and he swiped out to the sides when Tygra caught up. The tiger was no slouch when it came to grace and poise, but it took all he had to dance out of the way of the blades and keep up, snapping his whip to try to grab the slippery figure. The Sassy Hound's crew tried to aid him but the cat just sprang over them and kept skating.

And Lion-O faced Hammerhand, who was still smoking his cigar. "It's nothing personal, boy. Just business. Everyone has their price," the captain said mildly. Lion-O nodded and did not attack. "Something wrong?"

"Where I come from, it's considered polite in a duel to let the challenger make the first move." Lion-O held up the Sword of Omens, preparing for a maneuver. Hammerhand smiled, showing his gold and diamond teeth.

"How civil." He burst forward in a wave of white hair and Cheetara – in the glances and glimmers she caught – saw why he was called the Terror of the Sea. He wielded a cutlass in his good hand and the hammer came crashing down with his other, and Lion-O had to block one then the other or be skewered and his skull crushed. Hammerhand moved with a sort of burly grace, a well-practiced fighter, and the weight of his hammer was no more than his sword to his unbalanced, adjusted body. Lion-O was good with a sword, she realized, but two weapons against one couldn't end well. He had the elegance and strength to take down a fierce opponent, but she saw his face contort when the ship wavered beneath him as it kept pushing north and the rest of the Berserkers' crew kept their ship parallel with The Sassy Hound. The water was killing Lion-O's ability to fight while Hammerhand was well-suited to it. The crew just kept working to keep the Mad Mallet moving.

They were fishermen she noted. Many of them looked filthy and exhausted, and they watched the battle as if terrified. They'd been shanghaied.

All of a sudden she got very angry. Angry enough that the spinning man had to start backing up under the fury of her blows. But that mace kept coming and all it would need would be one blow in the right spot to kill her.

Panthro was the first to make real headway. The pirate facing him was his equal in brute strength but not in intelligence. Panthro let him gain a little leverage in their grappling match, loosening his hold, and when he'd been pushed back against the side of the ship the panther grinned and ducked down, breaking their match and grabbing the cat around the middle. With a colossal heave he lifted the cat and hurled him backwards and over the side of the ship.

It would have been altogether excellent if the other cat hadn't managed to grab his arm and nearly pull him overboard with him. Panthro swore at him and tried to free himself but the cat had a death grip and smirked. "Cruncher is my name, and it's well given." He began to squeeze Panthro's wrist and the cat snarled, unable to use his free hand to claw at his foe for fear of losing his grip on the ship.

A stinging blow loosened Cruncher's hand and Panthro shook him free and the cat fell into the water and the ship passed over him. Panthro looked to Tygra, who was pulling his whip back in, and nodded his thanks. Tygra saluted cockily. "We can't have you losing an arm now can we?"

Cheetara couldn't help but check and see if the pirate had been killed. He popped up to the surface like an irritated cork on the other side of the ship and bellowed after them. They were moving too quickly, so she hoped – in a sort of surly way – that he could float on his back.

The kittens cheered when Cruncher went over, and the spinning cat jerked his head up and his fat lips parted in a smirk. He bashed Cheetara back with his shield and whisked up the ropes to reach them. "No!" Cheetara snarled, grabbing his leg and getting kicked in the cheek for it. She fell back tasting blood.

She needn't have worried. The kittens whisked out their knives and with swift, strong cuts they slit the ropes that the spinner was climbing. He tumbled back to the deck shooting glares at them.

Lion-O was a blur of movement but every blow was cut short by either a cutlass or a hammer. The boat was rocking and his foe's dual weapons were practiced and smooth. At one point the hammer blocked the Sword of Omens and the sound of metal skidding on metal just an inch as the sword caught made her look away from the spinner for a second. Lion-O was holding the sword tight and panted against the weight of keeping it from crashing into his forehead. With only some difficulty Hammerhand stroked the flat of his cutlass against Lion-O's cheek, cutting a lock of red hair from beside his ear. "I rather like this color. I might have it made into an ornament for my helmet after I kill you, boy."

Lion-O leaped back, freeing him from the reach of the cutlass and the hammer. His eyes darted between the two weapons and Hammerhand swung one and then the other in the air almost hypnotically.

The ship groaned under them and Cheetara felt it rock harder than ever before she flew forward, along with everyone else. Hammerhand especially seemed to struggle with his balance due to the heaviness of his arm.

"It's the Marooning Rock! We're being driven into the cliffs!" She saw a barnacle-encrusted rock that had undoubtedly been what they'd hit. Somehow they kept going, scraping around it, and Cheetara saw the great side of the cliffs looming closer and closer. Spray crashed across the dark rock, turning it a wet, rough brown.

Captain Masti called for the sails to be taken in. Even so The Sassy Hound scraped against more rocks, each one chopping away at the hull. The Mad Mallet's crew was flurrying toward the ship, hauling chains and leaping to the other side. Cheetara snarled; so this was how the Berserkers took ships? Chain them up and press the crew into working for them? Even so she dared not break the chains' holds because of two reasons. The first was that it would involve hurting the fishermen who were obviously cowed and petrified of Hammerhand.

The second was the cliff positively exploding in size behind them. The Sassy Hound had proved her toughness through battering, but it would be destroyed in a full collision.

Suddenly the ship jettisoned through the water and she heard a dog call, "The engines are weak but they've come back to us!" Hammerhand scowled at this and Lion-O took the opportunity to try to take out one of the blades under his cloak.

"So much for civility!" Hammerhand said coldly, swiping at him.

Lion-O gripped the hilt of the Sword of Omens, face white as the cliff came closer. "Trying to keep the odds even."

They swung at the same time and Cheetara screamed, "Kids! Down!"

The kittens bailed just in time. The ship had begun to tilt and the cliff was a breath away. The crow's nest smashed into it, halting the ship's northern motion and the engines roared, scraping the post into sparks on the harsh surface. Kit screamed as they escaped, reaching for something. "Snarf!"

Lion-O turned his head in horror to see the little creature clinging desperately to the mast, claws digging in. This proved to be a grievous error, for Hammerhand struck his still blade and his hold on the Sword of Omens was lost. It went clattering over the deck and shrank to its smallest size as it went. "No!" he yelled.

Hammerhand was there instead, blocking his path to the blade, slicing at Lion-O's feet, forcing him to back up. Lion-O bared his teeth to the roots before turning around sprinting up the mast to grab Snarf, tossing him to Panthro, who had been trying to stop the man on wheels. He balanced precariously on the end and started back down.

He stopped. Hammerhand gave him a snarling grin and, with all his strength, struck the mast where it joined to the deck.

Even over the roar of the foam against the rocks, everyone heard the terrible crack as the wood snapped in two and Lion-O descended toward the sea. His face was awful then; Cheetara had never seen such a desperate terror on anyone's face, never seen such big blue eyes.

He turned a little and saw his hope. A faint outcropping of rock and a caveat in the surface of the sheer side of the cliff. Lion-O jumped for it, claws scraping against it, and the mast plunged into the water with a heavy sound.

Lion-O's grip was too weak and with a strange, terrified cry he fell into the depths.

Hammerhand leisurely picked up the Sword of Omens. "I think this was necessary for our payment."

Panthro barreled at him, roaring, and Hammerhand met his nunchuks with spry, quick motions but spitting out his cigar – he'd been puffing on it all this time – and tossing the shortened Sword of Omens up to between his teeth. Tygra finally landed a blow on the skating man as the ship jolted off the cliff, engines propelling them away. Using this gap in the battle, he called to Lion-O who was rapidly shrinking away. "Lion-O! Lion-O!"

Lion-O stared at them from the dark water for a second before he disappeared. The whites of his eyes seemed huge and his pupils were pinpricks. The waves brushed over him as if he'd never been.

Cheetara knew the spinning man was coming at her but Captain Masti appeared and kicked him in the face, forcing him away. "Lion-O!" She whirled and bellowed toward the control room, "Turn us around! Lion-O went overboard!" Why wasn't he coming back up? Why?

"We can't! We'd ram right into The Mad Mallet!" Cheetara ran back to the other side of the ship.

The current wasn't that strong, he should be able to get back to the surface. Even a weak swimmer should be able to-

Panthro's roar broke her train of thought. He socked Hammerhand in the stomach and Cheetara spared a glance back.

"Kat, Kit, get below deck! Barricade the door and don't let the pirates in! Panthro and Tygra will handle them!" she called. And then she did something incredibly reckless that she probably ought not to have done, but was the only thing that occurred to her.

She latched her staff to her belt and dove into the sea, swimming for the place Lion-O had gone under, her brown eyes aflame with anger and salt.

---

End of Episode 8