I STILL DO NOT OWN THUNDERCATS!

ThunderCats: Sword of Kings

Chapter XIII: The Fall

Lion-O knew he wasn't alone in his bed when he woke up the next morning. The prince opened his eyes to see Cheetara's sleeping form next to him, her head over his heart and arms wrapped around his midsection.

Lion-O suddenly found his anxiety levels spiking up, but soon gave a sigh of relief as he realized that they both were above the covers and still dressed. He tilted his head to place a light kiss on the cheetah's brow, causing her to start to stir.

The Cleric's eyes fluttered as she slowly awoke from her slumber. She quickly looked around the bedroom before her eyes landed back on Lion-O. It almost seemed that she didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Please tell me this is not a dream," Cheetara said, cupping her prince's cheek. "Please tell me that yesterday was real, that what we have is real."

"How about this?" Lion-O said, placing his hand behind her head and claiming her lips. The cheetah moaned into the kiss as she returned his passion. She sighed as they eventually pulled themselves away. "Was that proof enough for you?" the prince asked.

The Cleric gave a devious smirk. "I don't know," Cheetara said coyly. "I think I need more…convincing."

Their lips joined together once again, both tongues soon engaging in a passionate duel. Their bodies pressed together as they clung to each other. A door opened and a startled "Eep" sounded through the room. Both Lion-O and Cheetara broke away from their embrace as they saw one of the palace's maids in the doorway. Clean blankets lay before her feet as the maid profusely blushed, clearly scandalized by the sight of the crown prince and his Cleric bodyguard in bed together.

"E-E-Excuse m-me, Your Highness," the maid stuttered before rushing down the palace halls.

Lion-O and Cheetara gazed at each other after she left and decided to leave the prince's bed before they were caught again. They couldn't forget about tonight. They would both have to meet Panthro and hear him out.

"We need a plan to sneak out and head over to the Ring," Lion-O said.

Cheetara nodded in agreement. "We will," she said, "but it will have to wait until later."

"Why not now?" Lion-O asked.

"I have Cleric duties to perform," Cheetara explained. "I can't afford to be late for them. Besides, you have another session of sword training with General Lynx-O."

They both walked to the doorway. "How about we meet alone after lunch?" Lion-O asked. "We can meet in the library and make our plans there."

"Sounds good," Cheetara said nodding. "I'll see you then."

Before Lion-O could say a farewell of his own, the cheetah placed a quick peck on his lips as she rushed off to her Cleric duties. As she left, he couldn't help the big goofy grin that appeared on his face.

Blades crashed together as Lion-O's lesson with Lynx-O was underway. The general was pushing him harder than usual. This was most likely due to the attack from a few days ago. But Lion-O wasn't one to complain, he was used to tough regiments from Panthro.

"So there's this rumor that's already circulating the palace," Lynx-O said.

Lion-O was concerned. "What sort of rumor?"

A small smirk appeared on the lynx's lips. "One of the maids is saying that you're involved in some illicit tryst with your Cleric friend." Lion-O blushed, but the general didn't need eyes to know he was embarrassed. "She also said that she caught the two of you in bed together. Is that all true?"

Lion-O was bit hesitant in his answer, but he wanted to be honest. "We were together," he said, "but we weren't doing that. All we did was sleep, that's it."

Lynx-O seemed thoughtful. "Let's just pray to the gods that your father hasn't heard it yet."

It seemed that the gods showed favor on the young prince. As he was eating lunch with his father and brother, Claudus didn't mention any rumor that was circulating around the palace. But Lion-O did notice Tygra glaring at him from behind his glass; it seemed that he had heard the rumors concerning him and Cheetara.

After lunch was done, Lion-O practically rushed to the library in order to meet Cheetara. Hopefully, the two of them would have a plan to sneak out by sundown at least. After entering the library, it took some searching until the prince found his Cleric pretending to look through the numerous books.

Lion-O silently approached. "Do you have a plan for us to sneak out tonight?" he asked.

"I do," Cheetara answered, "but there is a risk. We may be caught."

"If we want answers," Lion-O said boldly, "we'll need to take that risk. We can't afford not to meet Panthro."

Cheetara seemed hesitant; the prince knew that she didn't want him trying to meet with the general. "I found something in the Clericy's archives," she said. "There is a secret tunnel in the throne room that leads outside the palace, built in case of an attack and the royal family needed to flee. Not many people know of it, so it's the perfect way for us to sneak out unnoticed."

"So what's the risk?"

Cheetara seemed grim. "The doors to the throne room are guarded day and night by the Palace Guard. If we want to get into that tunnel, we need some sort of distraction."

"Leave that to us," a young boy's voice said. Lion-O and Cheetara saw both WilyKat and WilyKit carefully leaning against the shelves. "We can outwit any guards in Thundera; we'd have to if we want to see Panthro tonight."

"What's all this 'we' business?" Cheetara asked sternly. "Lion-O and I are meeting with Panthro tonight, and the two of you will remain here at the palace."

"No way!" Kit exclaimed. "We're coming with you guys. We want to see Panthro, too."

"Forget it," Lion said. "I'm sorry, but the two of you can't come with us. If we get caught, you both could be in as much danger as we would."

"You can try to stop us if you want," Kat said, "but we'd follow you any way."

Lion-O sighed and looked to Cheetara. They both knew this was one fight they were not going to win.

By nightfall, they were ready. Lion-O and Cheetara had already collected the Wilys from their bedroom and were on their way to the throne room. Two guardsmen were there when they reached the doors, hiding out of sight against the walls.

"So," Cheetara said to the kittens, "how are you going to get us into the throne room?"

WilyKat smiled. "Just watch," he said. The Wily drew a small red ball from his pocket and then threw it past where the guards were looking and down the hall. The ball shattered on impact, producing a flash and bang that got the attention of the two guardsmen.

"What was that?" one of them asked.

"I don't know," the other guard said. "Let's check it out."

The four cats pressed themselves against the wall as the guards went down the other way. They quickly rounded the corner and opened the throne room doors, silently closing them after they entered.

"Alright," Lion-O said, "we're in." He turned to Cheetara. "How do we find the tunnel?"

Cheetara gestured for the three to follow her, leading them behind the Throne of Thundera and the Thunderian banner. The Cleric pressed on one the wall's bricks, a section of the wall opening like a door.

"Here it is," Cheetara said. "Now let's go meet Panthro."

They followed the dark and cold tunnel out of the palace walls and proceeded immediately to the slums, brushing off a few cobwebs they caught in their hair. It did not take them long to reach the Ring, the door was no longer guarded by one of the toughest alley cats Thundera had to offer.

Cheetara saw a blank look on her charge's face. "Are you okay, Lion-O?" she asked.

The prince was silent for a moment. "It's just weird being here after all this," he said softly. "I'm a different person now; I'm not the fighting champion anymore."

Cheetara wanted to say something, but Lion-O just walked into the Ring. The Cleric and both Wilys followed closely behind him. They found Lion-O standing behind some of the stands, looking down into the arena below.

The young prince looked from the arena to where the bookies were usually taking bets. He couldn't help but remember back then.

Eleven years ago…

"Okay, Lion-O," Panthro said to a seven year old lion, holding up a gold coin. "Let's try this again." They stood in front of the bookie's stands. "A patron comes up and bets five gold coins on a fighter; the fighter's odds of winning are five-to-one. If the fighter wins, how much gold does the patron get?"

The young Lion-O thought on this for a bit. "Twenty-five."

Panthro smiled proudly. "Good," he said, "let's try another one. Now.."

So many memories of his old home came flooding in, and a few tears flowed down his cheeks before he quickly wiped them away. That was his old life. Lion-O couldn't dwell in the past; he needed to move on.

A familiar booming voice called out to him. "Lion-O!" There was Panthro, standing in the middle of the arena with a wrapped package.

"Panthro!" the Wilys squealed, running down the stands to meet him.

Lion-O and Cheetara slowly walked down as the kittens launched themselves into a bear hug. While no one was looking, Cheetara had slipped a dagger to her charge. "Just in case," she whispered.

"It good to see you kids, too," the general said, "but right now I need to talk to Lion-O."

"About what exactly?" Lion-O asked. "I want answers now, Panthro. Why did you keep me from my father?"

Panthro sighed. "It's all so complicated, Lion-O," he said drearily. "If someone had told me what I know years ago, I wouldn't have believed it. I don't know how to tell you," he motioned to the package, "but maybe this can."

Panthro picked up the package and unwrapped it, revealing the Sword of Omens and the Claw Shield. The sight of this powerful weapon shocked the four cats.

"You stole the sword from the Order of the Hand?" Lion-O asked.

"They don't even know I took it," Panthro said. "We know that the sword showed you a vision, Lion-O. It was trying to warn you about Claudus."

That confused Lion-O. "Why would it warn me about my father?"

"Yes, Panthro, why would it?" Everyone saw Claudus, Jaga, and Grune the Destroyer coming down the stands with several of his soldiers. The soldiers surrounded the group. "You're surrounded, Panthro. Give up now and you will be spared."

"It's going to be a cold day in hell before I surrender," Panthro said.

Claudus's eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid you have no choice in this."

Four soldiers came from behind the panther and seized him. The general put up a fight, but couldn't hold up to their combined strength. Lion-O silently cursed. He was close to the answers he wanted, but now they were lost.

Jaga approached the cheetah and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did well, Cheetara. I'm proud of you."

The prince looked at her in shock. "You told them we were coming here!" Lion-O said hurt as he glared.

Cheetara met his glare. "I did," she said. "I'm sorry, Lion-O, but I was not going to fail my duty again."

Lion-O felt a sharp pain where his heart was. "I thought you trusted me."

The Cleric tensed. "I do trust you, Lion-O," Cheetara spoke softly, then glared at the subdued general, "but I didn't trust him."

"She was only doing the right thing, my son," Claudus said. "This man is a traitor to all of Thundera! A traitor to the royal family!"

Lion-O looked at his father, remembering his mother's words. "Do you know that your upper-lip quivers every time you lie?" he asked nonchalantly.

That statement shocked everyone. "Lion-O," Jaga said, "I can assure you that your father is not lying to you."

Lion-O seemed unconvinced. "Then let me ask you this," he said, "and you give me an honest answer. Why did mother go to her parents' estate to give birth to me? I'm the only prince in Thunderian history that was born outside the palace; why is that?"

The king was hesitant. "Your mother wasn't usually one for tradition, Lion-O," Claudus said, his upper-lip quivering. "She wanted something different for your birth and thought the home where she grew up in was good."

"And if I asked Panthro the same thing," Lion-O said, "what would he say?"

This shocked Claudus. "You would trust the word of a traitor over your own father?"

"I'll trust the word of anyone who tells me the truth," Lion-O said sternly.

Claudus sighed before turning to his Head Cleric. "What did I do wrong, Jaga?" he asked softly. "What did I do to make my son mistrust me?"

That was when Lion-O began to take notice of his surroundings. He saw Grune's soldiers, but none of Jaga's Clerics. Claudus was king, why did he not have his Clerics with him now?

"It is not your fault, Claudus," Jaga reassured his monarch. "Lion-O was raised by Panthro since he was an infant; it is only natural that he would have some doubts."

"She was right," Claudus sighed. "The seer was right about everything."

This perplexed Jaga. "Your Majesty?"

Claudus stood up straighter and placed a hand on the Head Cleric. "I'm sorry about all this, Jaga," he said softly. "You have served me and my family faithfully for all these years. I am truly sorry that it had to come to this point."

The Head Cleric seemed concerned. "Forgive me, Claudus, but I'm afraid that—"

Jaga's words died in his throat as Claudus drew a dagger and plunged its blade into the jaguar's chest. Shock and confusion registered on the old cat's face before his body slackened and fell dead onto the floor.

"JAGA!" Cheetara screamed in agony as she ran to her father figure's body. She cradled his head in her lap as she heaved uncontrolled sobs.

Lion-O stared in shock at his father's actions. "How could you?" he asked horrified. "You killed him!"

"No," Claudus growled. "You killed him, Lion-O. Your actions today brought this fate upon Jaga. This was all supposed to end with that assassin."

"You sent the assassin!" Lion-O exclaimed. "Why?"

"With your death, Tygra would be left as my heir," Claudus said. "Thundera needs a strong king, and, as you have shown with those lizards, that is not you. You are as weak as the seer said you would be. You would coddle our enemies until Thundera was nothing but a ruin."

Nothing seemed right to Lion-O. "What seer? What are you talking about?"

Claudus turned away from his son. "That does not matter now," he said calmly. "You and Panthro will be tried for Jaga's murder, the attack on the palace, and the theft of the Sword of Omens." One of Grune's soldiers had both the sword and the Claw Shield in his hands. "All of this, I do for the good of Thundera."

That was all Lion-O had been hearing ever since he was brought to the palace. Everything that had happened seemed to be for the "good of Thundera", and the lion prince was sick of it. But all that mattered now was all the hate and rage he felt for his father.

The dagger Cheetara gave him was in his hand. "YOU BASTARD!" Lion-O roared, lunging forward for the kill.

Grune caught the hand that held the dagger and gave a cruel chuckle. "I've waited a long time for this," the Destroyer said. The saber tooth pulled back his fist and struck the young lion in the face.

After that, Lion-O felt the darkness wash over him.