Welcome back, gang. We now bring Gard, Zuvowang and Dalv into the story in this chapter. Also Rotherham finally speaks! I mentally cast Jack DeSena for him. Enjoy.
Grey-skins meet Grey-skins
Snarf ran out of the tomb! He ran so fast that he ran into the right leg of a large evabon. Old, charcoal grey skin, red eyes like fire burn scars on the body, only wearing a pair of trousers. This wasn't Gard. The old evabon looked down at Snarf. As Snarf looked up, horrified of this burn-covered evabon. He might not have had any weapons on him but he looked really strong. The evabon knelt down and pat Snarf on the back.
"Say… what are you?" The evabon continued to pat Snarf. "Do you live in this here tomb?" The evabon looked at the still frightened Snarf. "Come now, I might be known as vengeance incarnate but you have nothing to fear of old-"
"Zuvowang?" The evabon turned around. Snarf saw Panthro walking towards them. The evabon starred for a moment and then nodded.
"I remember you, the panther!" Panthro nodded.
"My name's Panthro." Panthro extended his hand. Zuvowang stood up and shook Panthro's hand. "What brings you here?" Zuvowang breathed.
"A dream!"
At the other end of the valley, Tygra and Cheetara saw a familiar face. It was Gard! Wearing a red headband that was the only thing from Gard's previous wardrobe that they recognized. He was wearing an orange and blue uniform from what could be seen of was the shirt. His arms were bare and there was a gold band on each arm, both dull in appearance. The shoulders of his shirt were the same dull gold color, around the base of his neck was also a dull gold collar and around his wrists were bands that were also dull gold in color. It seemed that there was plenty of dull gold on Gard's clothing. On his shirt, which must have been some kind of evabon armor there was a small circle on his shirt which spread to the back with an 'X' making the half orange, half-blue shirt or armor something that could have been a predecessor to some of the other types of armor Tygra and Cheetara had seen. Gard was wearing a loincloth, leaving his legs bare Grad made Tygra think of the evabon he had seen in a slave camp and how they had been forced to live in such terrible conditions. Gard was wearing a carved sword belt white in color with a yellow circle in the middle of it. Strangely, Gard wasn't barefoot but wearing sandals. Also on the right side of Gard's belt hung a holster with a gun in it, while on the left side hung a claymore and a tomahawk.
"Why the difference in clothing and the sudden carrying of weaponry?" Cheetara looked at Gard.
"We are living in dangerous times, the clothing is the uniform of my clans warriors much has changed since then." Gard let out a sigh. "And I saw something in a dream that brought me here."
Lion-O and Pumyra looked at the bluish-grey evabon standing before them. Dressed in trousers and a tunic, he was wearing a yellow bandana and a pair of black boots. From his right side hung a gun and from the left side a sabre. The evabon's green eyes starred at the two cats.
"Dalv?" The evabon nodded at Pumyra's question. "Why are you here and why are you dressed like that?"
"I told you." Dalv scratched his left hand. "This is where Sotark is imprisoned and I'm here to join two other grey-skinned evabon. As for why am I dressed like this, I never liked having my scars exposed. Like having a target painted on my body."
And so the three grey evabon came face to face. At the statue of Antaeus, all of the evabon spoke. Autolycus starred angrily. It was no secret he was prejudiced towards grey skins but he simply couldn't stand having more than one in his presence.
"So Sotark is the reason we've all come here." Gard stroked his chin. He never could have imagined. Him having to go up against Sotark? At least he wouldn't have to go up against him alone.
"Why do I get all the breaks?" Zuvowang's voice was full of sarcasm. He had been going through so much in his long life that he hoped he'd never have to face Sotark.
"I don't know who will win the battle but I know this is our destiny." Dalv nodded at his own statement. It was so simple.
The ThunderCats starred in interest at these three evabon. While Snarf was being vocal, they were listening in intently. Who was this Sotark? Finally, Autolycus walked over to the three grey skins.
"What are you old grey skins going on about?" Rotherham, one of the evabon present, shook his head at how Autolycus was acting. "Gard, find that spawn of yours and leave! The lot of you! I won't allow grey skins in this valley!"
Autolycus felt a hand tap his shoulder. He turned around and saw a fist coming towards his face. Within seconds, he was knocked down. Autolycus starred angrily up at Rotherham. Autolycus opened his mouth to speak but instead it was Rotherham that spoke.
"You do deserve that!" Autolycus's eyes changed from an angry look to a shocked look. Rotherham was actually talking? "And for record I've been trying to tell you for a whole hour that those kids went into the tomb of Saec and not long after some weird looking thing with a hammer entered the tomb!" Gard's eyes widened. So did the eyes of the ThunderCats. Balor, Kat and Kit were in danger! They knew it! "No doubt that's what this here pet was trying to warn us about." Rotherham pointed at Snarf and then looked back down at Autolycus. "I say we get to saving!" Gard placed a hand on Rotherham's shoulder.
"Lead the way, young chieftain." Rotherham looked at Gard with wide eyes. Chieftain? Him? A chieftain was a leader. He wasn't sure if he could be a leader. Could he?