A/N: Once again I apologize for my tardiness on this. I wish I could just sit down and pound it out but I guess life has other plans. ;)
Chapter 24
Cheetara could no longer hold back the rage burning inside and Panthro had been no help by encouraging that rage. She lashed out at the first Lunatac she saw. The unfortunate soul caught her bo-staff under the chin and the force of the impact snapped the victim's neck. She was about to take on the next Lunatac charging at her when Kala grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. His troops quickly surrounded the remaining enemy troops and forced them to surrender.
"My Queen, I am sorry but we must learn from them," the puma reminded her and for a moment she calmed.
"I'll take over Kala," Ben-Gali smiled as he arrived from the other side of the Lair which had rounded up the enemy and was now herding them into the large garrison to be held in the cells.
"Yes Lord Ben-Gali," Kala bowed and quickly went back to his troops.
"Cheetara, the boy is right. We'll handle this. You go and see how your family is doing," the white tiger told her.
"I cannot. I am acting ruler and Lord of the ThunderCats. My place is here," the cheetah took a deep breath and looked around. In her rage-blinded state she'd killed five Lunatacs and now she cursed herself for it. With any luck, none of them held the key to the real reason for the invasion.
"Mandora is on the radio. She says the atmosphere is clear. No more incoming Lunatac ships," WilyKit told everyone.
"Until we have answers I want every prisoner treated according to the Convention of thirty twenty-five, is that understood?" Cheetara shouted over the din and immediately her order was acknowledged. She then headed for the Sword of Omens, which lay buried in the ground up to its hilt. Despite the blast the Sword looked undamaged and when she picked it up, it roared, acknowledging her as the new Lord of the ThunderCats.
"I'm getting too old for this," she shook her head as she tried to process everything.
"In that case, I'm waayyy too old for this," Lea smirked.
"Is everyone accounted for?" The cheetah asked.
"We're pulling the injured inside and the invaders are being locked in their cells. Now all we have to do is find someone who is high enough up the food chain to tell us what we want to know," the lioness nodded.
"I want the interrogations to start immediately. We have no way of knowing when or if there will be another attack. Give the order that the healthy troops begin taking shifts guarding the Lair. We can't have over-fatigued soldiers if we have to fight again," Cheetara said.
"I agree and that includes you," the lioness told her.
"I am the only one of the royal family standing and I must perform my duties. I cannot look weak now," the Queen argued.
"No, you can just look like you're going to fall over," Lea shook her head and pulled her friend into a hug.
"Get some rest. We can handle this," the lioness gave her a squeeze.
"Besides I have someone to relieve you," Panthro's voice carried to them and the two turned around to see him walking toward them.
"Sword of Omens, Come to My Hand!" The voice rang out over the Lair grounds and everyone turned. The Sword left Cheetara hands and flew toward its owner, almost happy that the rightful cat was back. It struck his hands and the cry went up,
"Thunder… Thunder… Thunder… ThunderCats HO!"
To Be Continued…