Episode 5; "Of What May Be"

Part 1

Continuing from episode 3, part 4

Inside the Thundertank, somewhere between the ruins of Thundera and the boarder of Baleful Swamp …

The Thundercats gathered around a small table in the rear. Heavy raindrops bombarded the roof of the Thundertank. It sounded like a Giantor was spilling a large basket full of pebbles on them. The constant banging did nothing for Cheetara's claustrophobia and the boom of thunder unnerved Snarf and the kittens. No, the weather was not comforting nor was the accommodations luxurious, but at least they were together.

"Um -cough- Hello and welcome everyone." Tygra formally called the meeting to order. "Although he is our king and lord, Lion-O has appointed me head of council to take off the pressure of speaking in front of everyone." He smirked down at Lion-O, who half chuckled and motioned for him to continue.

"I'd like to welcome our newest Thundercat, Lynx-O to our misfit pride,"

"The honor is all mine."

"And thank Jaga for the thunderkittens' safe return."

"Narf."

"And Snarf, we're glad you're home too."

"Here here" The kittens cheered.

Panthro coughed, sobering the mood in the room. "But now that we're assembled, we must get down to business-"

A short while later…

"Well, at least it's not completely hopeless." Kit, looking at the glass half full naturally, stated after the adults finished assessing their current situation.

Tygra shook his head to Kit's remark. "We're still embarrassingly outnumbered with no Prowl to recruit, Mumm-Ra's generals are expanding their operation, possibly with the rats' help and we're low on fuel." He listed with his fingertips for emphasis.

"We still have options." Lion-O noted. "Panthro scrounged up some Thundrillium. If we catch up to that convoy we can take the rest of their shipment from Cloud Peak Mine before the lizards get to Mount Plun-Darr."

"Castle Plun-Darr" Wiley Kat corrected him.

"Castle Plun-Darr."

"We can't just pick fights and raid enemy troops! That's what we've been doing. It pisses away too much fuel and our own energy." Tygra argued.

"The lad's right. Consider other sources." Lynx-O nodded, brow crinkled in thought. "Have you looked to the Ruins of Cat's Lair?" He asked.

"We haven't been within Thundera's boarders since the morning after the Lizard invasion." Lion-O answered.

"They scaly bastards probably looted all Thundrillium in the treasury." Presumed Panthro.

"Thundrillium was not kept in the Lair vault, old friend; only pride jewels, gold and diamonds."

"He's right." Cheetarah concurred. "This was never leaked to the public, but whenever a shipment of Thundrillium came in, it was moved later that night. A team of five guards, three clerics and two Prowls were assigned to transfer the metal safely to another vault in the catacombs."

"What other vault?" Lion-O cocked his head confused. He looked to Tygra. "Did father ever tell you about this?"

Tygra shook his head no.

Cheetarah waved her hand over the Book of Omens. A map of old Cat's Lair and the catacombs below appeared. "Jaga asked me to help transfer a Thundrillium shipment once. The vault is in a hidden corridor just ten meters south of here." She left her finger on the vault's location. "It's very easy to pass by unnoticed if you're not looking for it."

"Two problems; one, we don't know how much of the catacombs are caved in or if the vault is accessible, and two the lizards most likely found it and busted in seasons ago." Tygra pointed out.

"We should stay closer to the Black Pyramid while Mumm-Ra still sleeps." Lion-O protested.

"What makes you so certain he is still asleep?" Inquired Lynx-O.

"Well… I'm not." He confessed.

"We know for sure that convoy heading for Castle Plun-darr has Thundrillium. I would rather take my chances with a bunch of lizards with lasers." Panthro half joked.

"All right, Panthro is on my side this time." Lion-O smiled.

"The catacombs are worth a look." Lynx-O implored the young lord.

"Neither one of your plans are very good."

"Why don't you come up with anything then? Oh wait, my mistake. You're so much smarter and me, you don't have to come up with any ideas. You can just shoot down everyone else's ideas while you reach up your butt and pull out some unrefined Thundrillium!" Lion-O motioned dramatically to the table. "Thank's Tygra you saved the day!"

Tygra elbowed him. "I'm trying to think things through, not just blurt out the first thing that pops into my head!"

"At this rate Mumm-Ra is going to stay ten steps ahead of us the whole war." Cheetara pinched the bridge of her nose to soothe an oncoming headache.

"Yeah," Agreed Wiley Kat. "There are harder things to find on this planet than Thundrillium."

Cheetara was surprised anyone heard her. She had made countless failed attempts to jump in the conversation for a half hour now. She cursed her meek voice and gender. "He's right. We're not focusing on the big picture." She added while the opportunity presented itself. "What about the fourth power stone?"

Tygra put his arm around her waist. "The book is pointing south and Thundera is north, so it can't be in Thundera, right?""

"No, that's not what she meant." Lion-O kicked himself mentally. He was so engrossed in their fuel dilemma he nearly forgot about the favor he asked of Cheetara. He raised his voice a little, motioning for the others to listen. "Cats, hold your thoughts for a minute. A while back I asked Cheetara to use the spirit stone to read further into the Book of Omens for me- er- us. Before we decide our next move I think we should hear what the Book revealed to her." He motioned for Cheetara to stand.

Finally, the boys gave her a word in edgewise. "How generous of them." She mused inwardly. It unnerved her to realize how many eyes were focused on her. Even if they were her close friends, public speaking was never her forte. She took a quick, deep breath. "It's true; I did have an experience in the Book of Omens. I'm sorry I haven't spoken about it sooner." She looked down at Tygra. "Especially you." She looked up at the team. "But the experience was rather personal. It disturbed me on a lot of levels and it's taken me some time to sort my thoughts."

"Well, what did it show you?" Urged Tygra.

"…Thundera, me, us…Where Lion-O relived an event that took place in his ancestor's life, I was sent to embody a future self."

Instantly, the others were intrigued, well, more so the younger cats. Panthro and Lynx-O both predicted a rather grim outcome for themselves, if by future she meant distant future.

The Thunderkittens swarmed her. "You went to the future?!"

"What was it like?"

"Did we defeat Mumm-Ra and banish him to sulfur pit in Hell?"

"Did I get married?"

"Am I a wealthy, successful knighted hero that mollies flock to in droves?"

"Was there peace on Third Earth and all animals worked together in harmony?"

"Did all animals use tech like hover boards and stuff?"

"Did you and Tygra get married?" Kit gasped. "Did Lion-O get married?"

"Who cares about that stuff?!"

"I care!" Kit snarled then stuck her tongue out at him.

Lion-O and Tygra shoved their heads below the table. "Calm down, let her tell it." Tygra scolded. He looked to Cheetara with a warm, charming grin. "So, did we get married?"

Cheetara tried to smile, but a frown came. She sighed, unable to answer in fear it would disappoint him. She struggled to begin her story. Where to start? She thought back to the other night, when the sky was clear and serine… "I didn't actually work up the nerve to peer into the book until the night we camped outside the cave to Spidera's nest…"

Days ago…

Tygra curled up on a small cot in the rear. Using his knees as a surface to balance a beat up old sketch book, he scribbled his cares away with an almost used up piece of charcoal pencil. So engrossed, Tygra didn't hear Cheetara coming.

"We found the entrance to the caves." She announced, wedging herself next to him, while embracing him in a hug and greeting him with a quick peck on the cheek. Startled, Tygra sprung upright, hitting his head on the top bunk. "Yow-when did you get back?" He asked casually, rubbing the lump forming on his crown.

"A few minutes ago." She answered. "What's this?"

"Nothing- Hey!" Tygra tried to hide his sketchbook, but Cheetara was too quick and snatched it from his hands.

She flipped through his drawings, and smiled when she discovered most of them weren't just females topless. She stopped to look closer at one of his more recent doodles. "This is really good. It looks like Cat's Lair."

"That's New Cat's Lair… or how I imagine one would look when we finally manage to rebuild it."

She admired the details a moment longer then flipped to the next page. "What's this?"

"A layout for my-er-our dream home. There's a hanger for the Feliner," He explained, pointing to the technical drawing. "There's my study/ library, and your own gymnasium, and a meditation hall-"

Lion-O overheard the tail end of the conversation. He leaned against the wall, cocking his head to see the sketch. "So where's my bedroom?" He teased.

Tygra grabbed his sketchbook, hiding it from his nosy little brother. "You're not going to live in my dream home."

Cheetara covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. "I knew you dabbled, Lion-O, but I had no idea you could draw too." She rested her head on her love's shoulder.

He shrugged. "Father wouldn't allow us to when we were kittens." Tygra explained. "He said it was a waste of time."

"Father considered everything we did besides what he told us to do a waste of time." Lion-O reminded him. "It didn't stop me."

"He was harder on me about it. When father caught me disobeying him I was actually punished where you just got scolded."

"That's a lie," Denied Lion-O. "You were the golden boy; you were never in trouble."

"I was in trouble whenever you were in trouble because he blamed ME for everything YOU did. Every time you were dragged home from the slums; "Why weren't you watching him?" Every time you said something uncouth in front of his nobles; "When did you teach him to say that?"-"

"You're delusional. You remember everything backwards." Lion-O interrupted. "You could do no wrong, I could do no right and father's scorn was worse than any other punishment."

"I could do no wrong because if I did father made my life Hell." Tygra put his arm over Cheetara's shoulder. "Stay on your bunk, virgin. Can't you see we're cozy and you're crowding us?"

Lion-O scowled down at Tygra. He agreed not to refer to him by that nickname in front of the other Thundercats. "I'm not a virgin." He looked Cheetara in the eye. "I'm not a virgin."

"On that note, lights out, Kittens!" Panthro's voice announced on an overhead speaker (he prefers to sleep in the driver's seat.). "Sleep well. We have a big day ahead of us."

The purring of the motor stopped. The tank went dark aside from some dim safety lights on the floor and corners. Lion-O yawned as he removed his armor and claw shield and placed them neatly near his bunk. "Goodnight. I guess we'll continue this later."

"Whatever, little bro." Tygra half chuckled to himself. "You don't seem tired, babe." He whispered, rubbing her shoulder.

"I'm wide awake." Cheetara confessed.

Tygra grinned intrigued. "What do you want to do?"

She thought a moment. "Meditate for a while, clear my thoughts."

"Oh." Tygra tried not to sound disappointed. "Don't stay in a trance all night."

She kissed him. "Dream of me when you fall asleep. I'll be in shortly."

Panthro's eyes shot open when he heard someone crawling into the passenger's seat. "Is it alright with you if I stay up here for a while?" She asked the general. "I won't make a sound."

Panthro shrugged. "Be my guest." He yawned, slumping lower in his chair. "You won't bother me. I can sleep through anything."

"Thanks." Cheetara took a seat.

"Are you nervous about going into Spidera's web?"

"No, well, a little, but that's not what's keeping me up tonight."

"The boys behaving themselves?"

She cracked a weak smile. "As well as can be expected."

"You'll be fine. You carry a big stick." Panthro joked.

Cheetara shifted a little to get more comfortable. The Book nestled between the two cats, still linked to the tank, waiting for her. She stared up the ceiling, letting her thoughts drift. "Were you ever in love, Panthro?"

"Once."

Cheetara's ears perked a little. She ashamedly expected the old Tom to say no. "With who?"

"A female." He specified just a little.

"Um, right, but-"

"It didn't work out."

A long awkward pause drifted in the air. Cheetarah decided it was best just to ask. "Why not?"

"Because a lot of relationships don't." Panthro's stony expression softened. "I'm just yankin' your tail, Goldie mane. We were from two different worlds. Both of us had to give up too much to be together."

"Was there really no way to work things out?"

Panthro shrugged. "The more seasons pass the more I wonder if I ever really felt how I felt or was I just caught in the moment. Either way, to be with someone you love you always give-up something."

"Well, sure, but love is a compromise, isn't it? Get what you give?"

Pathro flashed a dismissive hand gesture at her. "I don't hear any peasant house wives or noble lionesses making that claim. A word of advice for the two of you; slow the hell down. For a couple of cubs love is just a fun little game, so stop being so wrapped up in it. It's annoying and distracting."

"We stay plenty focused."

Panthro exhaled a slow yawn. "Just saying, you have your whole lives ahead of you."

Cheetarah reflected on that statement a moment. She felt it cruel to have her feelings reduced to mere gameplay, but how do you argue with age, experience and wisdom? "When Jaga christened me one of his clerics," She began. "I felt so honored and proud of myself for the first time in my life. When the lizards killed my brothers and sisters and Jaga fell, a peace of me died with him. I thought after Tygra and I declared feelings for each other that the hole in my heart was filled again, but it's… it's not the same. I dedicated my whole life to the Guardians of the Crown. I don't want to abandon the cleric's memory or change the cat I worked so hard to become simply to please his libido." She kicked herself mentally. "In my heart I know Tygra is my life now. I love him and I feel guilty for not embracing him on that level. What should I do?...Panthro?"

Panthro already drifted off into a deep slumber, chest rising and sinking as a low purring snore rumbled up from his throat. Cheetara's lips formed an amused grin. Panthro is never much for conversation especially at bedtime. She didn't take offense. Cheetara was starting to tire of her own griping. There are bigger problems to tackle and Panthro probably would have given the exact same advice as before had he been listening…

Cheetara inhaled deeply. She repeated a mantra over and over in her head until her thoughts washed clean. At peace with the world, she waited for the spirit stone's embrace. She felt the heat of its energy coming to life in her pocket. She pulled it out. It glimmered so brightly, thin beams of lights shot through her fingertips, irritating Panthro.

Cheetara remembered every last detail of that evening, but decided it best to keep the bulk of the aforementioned details vague. "I took the stone from Lion-O's clawshield then meditated to the book. The next thing I knew it felt as if my entire being was ripping apart…"

Indeed, the spirit stone awaked a new pathway into the Book of Omens (or perhaps vise versa). It consumed Cheetara. She tried not to fight the cosmic pull. Terrified her eyes froze open as a universe zoomed past them.

In what felt like the impact of a lightning bolt, she rematerialized in a strange new place. It was similar to what Lion-O described after his experience in the book. A vastness surrounded her. As her eyes explored the bizarre skies she could make out faint images of countless spirits among countless stars. "This must be it." She looked down. The spirit stone had disappeared from her hand. Instead a nasty diamond-shaped welt was left in its place. Cheetara studied the burn mark on her palm, pondering what it meant.

"Welcome, Cheetarah." A familiar and beloved voice greeted her.

She turned around and swelled with joy when she saw her old master. She wanted to hug him, but saluted instead. "It's good to see you, Jaga."

"I'm glad to see you alive and well." He smiled warmly at her. "Even as a kitten you always went above and beyond my expectations. Thank you."

"No need. I owe you everything."

"You give yourself too little credit."

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling herself blush. "I'm here to better decipher the book. Mumm-Ra is growing stronger. We know too little about him to fight him effectively. We need your guidance."

"No, Cheetarah, you will discover what you need on our own accord." He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and motioned with his staff out towards the stars. "You should be pleased to know you've unlocked the Book's index. Here the book is directly linked to the astral plane. Spirits from across the galaxy gather here to explore the contradictions and complexities of reality-" A beam of energy shined from his staff, providing a straight line of guidance. "Seek out a spirit called the Oracle. She will give you the insight you require."

Before Cheetara could say anything the light began to pull her. She reached for Jaga, eager to speak with him further, but he quickly drifted away.

"Thank you!"

A short time passed. The light finally stopped in front of a simple rectangular doorway opened in the middle of space. A bright glow blinded her. She reluctantly entered. The light dimmed. She could make out her surroundings now. Cheetarah looked about in awe at an enormous, heavenly white room. She walked along a cool, smooth marble runway. To either side of her were pools of pure quicksilver. She made a mental note tot to slip in.

A melodic tune of a sitar danced overhead. Cheetara looked about for the source of the music, but could see only white. Eventually the tune became louder. She came across an elegant fountain carved from white crystal. Quicksilver flowed up and out of the fountain. Bathing in the metallic liquid was the source of the music, a lizard, plucking away merrily.

Cheetarah stopped instantly, hesitant to approach her. "Why hello." The lizard greeted her with a pleasant, feminine voice. She smiled, rather warmly for a lizard too, never slipping up a note. The quicksilver shimmered off her platinum scales, giving her skin an illuminating effect.

"I'm Cheetarah of the Thundercats. I've been sent to find the Oracle."

"I'm she." The Oracle's swished her tail to the melody. Her skin shed, falling into the quicksilver, leaving behind a shiny new layer of skin on a completely different species of lizard. "You seem surprised by this. Am I not what you expected?" She shed another layer of skin and morphed into yet another reptile, a queen cobra to be specific.

Cheetarah eyed the Oracle strangely. "I…well,"

"You're not very fond of cold bloods are you?"

"No, not at all." Cheetarah assured her, stepping forward. "I just haven't had many good experiences with lizards lately."

"I'm attached the lizard form. I was one when I was alive." Her skin shed periodically a few more times. "I never had many good experiences with cats in that time either, but since then I've learned to keep the mind open. What do you think of my music?"

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you. It helps me to keep the rhythm of time." She explained. "I was born with the gift of future sight." Her long, razor like nails tickled up and down the neck of the sitar, filling the air with vibrations. "I can show you thousands of futures from the records of time—only one at a time of course."

A look into the future wasn't exactly what Cheetarah had in mind, but they do say hindsight is always 20/20. The Oracle's offer intrigued her. "Can there really be thousands of futures?"

"There are millions of possible futures. Every event no matter how seemingly insignificant triggers another event. And be warned, your future is a part of another being's past. Altering the timeline is extremely detrimental to the fabric of reality."

Cheetarah felt wary about all this, but she trusted Jaga sent her to the Oracle for a reason. "The longer we allow Mumm-Ra to exist the less of a future there is for Third Earth."

The Oracle frowned. She shed her skin one last time, revealing the body of a teenaged gila monster. "We would all like to see a future without Mumm-Ra. Come here." She beckoned.

Cheetarah stopped at the edge of the pool. "It's safe." The Oracle reassured her. Cheetara dipped her foot in the quicksilver. To her surprise and relief he flesh didn't burn.

"Closer."

Cheetara stood directly face to face with the lizard. "Remember what I told you, interfere as little as possible and keep an open mind." Without warning, the Oracle leaned forward and kissed Cheetarah on the lips.

Hissing, Cheetarah pulled away, covering her mouth. "You bit me in the face!" She spat in disbelief.

"Focus on my eyes." She instructed.

Cheetarah suddenly felt lightheaded. The world around her swayed gently from side to side. She stared into the oracles emerald eyes as well as she could.

"Can you see what I'm talking about?"

The Oracle's voice faded to a distant whisper. Cheetarah closed her eyes one moment then opened them, shocked to discover herself standing in the courtyard of Cat's Lair facing a funeral pyre. Her clothes now consisted of the traditional garb of a head cleric. A crowd of unfamiliar faces surrounded her along with a small group of familiar ones, though aged a few decades. Everyone kept their sad gazes low, except for a male lion, which most everyone else would have mistook for his father, Claudis.

Lion-O, stood next to her, eyes fixated on her and wet with tears. "Go ahead, Cheetara, please."

In her arms she held something small, cold, and wrapped in a white sheet. Cheetarah could see a tuft of red fur poking out of the sheets. She instinctively knew this lifeless kitten in her arms belonged to Lion-O.

A pained, mournful growl escaped the Thundercat's lord's throat as he watched his kitten be placed upon the pyre. Playing the part, Cheetarah said the traditional prayer to send the poor kitten's spirit off.

"Gods, help me, I can't do this. Not after losing her…" The hand he held a torch in shook. Cheetarah helped keep his wrist steady. With a heavy sad sigh they lit the pyre aflame together.

It shattered Cheetarah's heart to watch Lion-O reach into the flames after his baby. Cheetarah pulled him away. He did his best not to break down in front of the other mourners, but the tears still trickled down.

"May your next life show you peace, Le-M." He repeated, unable to look away from the flames.

Cheetarah turned around to soak in the sight of this big, new Thundera and inside she wondered, "What kind of future is this?"

a/n: Tally up another dead baby. Yes I'm still keeping count. Don't worry, the future isn't as bleak as it seems. There will adventure and even be romance involved in this episode. Intrigued now? I bet lol. Thanks for reading.