Episode 5: Of What May Be
Part 4 of 4
Shortly before sunrise…
The Thunderkittens awoke first, bright eyed and bushy-tailed. They hopped out of the back of the tank, merrily playing a game of blind tag in the fog before the rays of the morning sun chased it away. As the adults emerged from the tank they quickly noticed the others did not appear to wake in good spirits. Cheetarah especially looked ragged, eyes sunken and expression grim.
"Huddle up everyone!" Panthro looked to the fog. "That means you two."
"Coming!" The twins scurried over, ready to receive further instructions.
"Lynx-O and I are heading out to find an entrance into the catacombs and scout for lizards. The rest of you can tackle breakfast. You two, start gathering firewood."
The Thunderkittens groaned. "We are SICK of gathering firewood." Wiley Kat griped.
"Why do WE always have to do it?" Wiley Kit asked.
"Because you two refuse to hunt." Lion-O answered bluntly. "Would you rather catch breakfast for once?"
"No..." The kittens groaned once again in unison and ventured off as ordered.
"I'll filter some swamp water." Tygra offered.
"I'll catch breakfast." Cheetarah volunteered with little enthusiasm then turned and headed down the river.
Tygra watched her disappear behind some fallen trees and sighed.
"I'll filter some water. Go talk to her." Lion-O insisted.
Tygra frowned. "She doesn't want to talk to me." He flashed Lion-O a hateful look. "Why did you have to ask her to look into the future? It's ruining us."
"I asked her to read further into the book of omens." Lion-O corrected him in his defense. "I just wanted to find some hints about the fourth stone and maybe a few more of Mumm-Ra weaknesses. That's all she wanted too."
"Well, isn't that what sight beyond sight is for? I thought you mastered that little trick back in the forest of Maji Ore."
"I thought so too, alright?" Lion-O hissed back. "I've tried to ask the sword of omens to show me the will stone! You know what it shows me? A really faint glow in the middle of a dark, murky void. Between that and the book constantly pointing down, I'm stumped!"
"Hey, hey, relax you two." Panthro motioned for the two young males to back off. "Everyone is a little tense right now. Can we all try to put aside personal issues for a while and find some blasted Thundrillium?"
"I'm trying to keep this team together. If no one else is going to talk to her, then I will." Lion-O took off in the direction Cheetarah wandered off in earlier.
Tygra bared his fangs at Lion-O as he walked away. "Go ahead; swoop in while I'm down. I can't deal with this." He shook his head and started to gather the canteens and a few other supplies.
Panthro was about to add something, but Lynx-O placed his hand on his shoulder. "Don't get in the middle." He warned.
Panthro nodded. "We'll be back shortly. Would you program the tank's security mechanisms while we're gone?"
"Sure; I'm on it." Tygra agreed.
Panthro flashed the tiger a nod of approval then He and Lynx-O departed as well.
Lion-O spotted Cheetarah in some ankle deep water. With a stony look on her face she repeatedly struck the water with her staff, piercing mud eels with a magically sharpened edge. Her strikes were quick, effective and rather merciless.
"Hey, that's plenty for breakfast. Don't take your frustrations out on the fauna." Lion-O half joked. He jumped startled as Cheetarah turned and flashed him a cold stare.
"Did you sleep at all last night?"
"Not at all." Her expression soon softened. Lion-O offered her his hand and pulled her onto dry(ish) ground. "I don't understand," She lamented. "Jaga said I would discover what I need to in the book's index. The only thing I discovered was the death of my hopes."
"The future is always kind of scary. The Oracle said she could show you many different futures. You only got to witness one." Lion-O reminded her. "Maybe she only showed you a worst case scenario. A look into a future that's perfect and happy doesn't prepare us for anything."
Cheetarah paused to consider this. "You're right, but how will I know my present actions won't one day lead to that worst case scenario?"
"We know never to combine the four stones once we have them. That's a helpful tip to start with." Wiley Kat crawled out from under a bush with a large faggot in under his arm. Wiley Kit crawled out from under a bush opposite of him with a slightly smaller faggot.
"We really need to break you of this eavesdropping habit." Cheetarah teased the kittens.
"We were looking for wood and we happened to wonder within earshot. Throw us in the gallows why don't you?" Wiley Kat teased back.
"Besides, we're allowed to worry too." Wiley Kit flashed an innocent smile. "You didn't break up with Tygra did you?" She asked outright. "He's being all sulky because he thinks you two are broken up."
"No, no, I didn't break up with him and I'm not trying to convince him to break up with me. I'm just… very confused."
Wiley Kat cocked his head. "Confused over what? What did we miss last night?"
"Don't worry about it guys. Tygra was right; asking you to tap into the book was a bad idea. Maybe we should forget the whole thing."
"No, Lion-O, it wasn't a bad idea at all." Cheetarah assured him. "I have to face what I experienced in the book or it will eat me alive from the inside."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I'm sure; I can't do it without the rest of you though."
"Finish the story over breakfast then. I want to hear more about me being a general when I'm grown." Wiley Kat insisted.
"And I want to hear more about my future husband." Wiley Kit added.
Wiley Kat made a sour face. "No"
"Yes!"
Wiley Kat Kat grabbed Cheetarah by the hand, his sister grabbed Lion-O and they lead the adults back to camp.
A short while later the breakfast fire was roaring. Lion-O prepared and skewered Cheetarah's catch. The mud eels gave off a polluted odor as they roasted over the flames. Tygra and the kittens sat on the hood of the tank, covering their noses.
"Breakfast!" Cheetarah approached them with a piping hot plate of fish. The kittens, still holding their noses grabbed their share immediately. She offered the plate to Tygra.
"I'm not hungry." He declined.
She sat beside him, still offering the plate. "You should try to eat a full meal anyways. It looks like you didn't sleep well either."
"No I didn't." Tygra grabbed a piece of eel and took a bite. He made a displeased face. "This is awfully chewy, Lion-O. You cooked it too long."
"I don't want us getting sick." His younger brother argued. "Thundera's sewage used to all wash out into Baleful Swamp. I'm not sure how edible the fish are around here."
Wiley Kit spit out a piece of eel that tasted particularly rancid. "Yuck. No wonder the lizards used to raid our farmlands all the time."
The adults looked to their feet, too ashamed to respond to her statement.
Tygra swallowed harshly. "So, are you still mad at me?" He asked Cheetarah.
"I was never mad at you. Are you still convinced I've given up on us?"
There was a long awkward pause between the two. "Any future where we would be together in a "normal" sense is so far off…" Tygra finally broke the silence then trailed off. "Maybe we're getting too far ahead of ourselves."
"Maybe," She paced her hand over his, lacing their fingers. "But I know whatever future I face I want to face it with you. I'm sorry I shut down on you the way I did. It was out of weakness."
Tygra wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry if I put unnecessary pressure on you. You're just always so distant. I'm afraid you're going to drift away from me eventually."
"I'll open up more. Eventually. I promise."
"You want to start with telling us more about our future?" Wiley Kit stuck her head between them.
Tygra shooed her away. "Later, Kit. We're trying to have a moment."
"You two have enough moments and they're all mushy and lame. She promised." Wiley Kat insisted, pointing to Cheetarah.
She half chuckled. "I guess I did promise. Let's see, where did you two leave off…?" She took a moment to recap for the kittens sake then continued from where she left off…
Inside the hull of a Thunderian submarine…
"I really do insist you put on thermal-wear, Lady Cheetarah." General Wiley Kat urged.
"The thick heavy material will slow me down too much and overheat me." The "new" head cleric refused. "I will run in, grab the Emerald Hydra and meet you back here."
"If you're stuck here until I get Luna's Belt you won't survive the cold. I can't wait for you if you don't return in ten minutes." Wiley Kat's ear's drooped apologetically. "At least put these on." He handed her a pair of heavily insulated boots.
"General, since when do you have to wait for me?" She and Wiley Kat exchanged smiles.
An adult incarnation of Wiley Kat's younger brother assessed their surroundings through the periscope. "We cannot take the tiger shark any closer to shore. There are too many ice drifts. They might damage her. We must surface here."
Wiley Kat smiled then motioned for his soldiers to step aside. "Bring her up, Private Patter." He affectionately referred to him by his full name knowing he hates it. Private Pat flashed him a dirty look.
Cheetarah put on the thermal boots. When the Tiger Shark emerged Wily Kat gave her the signal. Cheetarah shimmied her way up a narrow chute. A mechanical hiss blew into her ears as it opened. She struggled to balance on the aquatic tank's wet surface. Across a long series of ice drifts she barely spotted the tundra on the shore through the chilling mists.
"Show the Hydra some warmth, Cheetarah!" He called out to her over the churning ocean and roaring engine.
She nodded then flashed him a quick wave. "Ho, Kat!" After a deep breath a few quick stretches she ran.
The ice drifts cracked and shattered as she hopscotched across their surfaces. When she built up enough momentum she increased speed, traveling in a straight line. At top speed tall waves of salt water burst towards the sky as her feet barely grazed the surface of the ocean. She forced herself to slow her pace to (by her standards) a brisk jog, kicking up large clumps of permafrost in her wake (and disturbing many freckled triceratusks seals and snow-crows).
The entire cold continent as far as she could see was baron-white and inhospitable. Luckily she maintained a high temperature running. The only vegetation poking out of the snow were towering razor pines. Although too cold for precipitation, the subzero winds blew the ground frost around, creating a blizzard like effect that cut Cheetarah's visibility in half.
She came across a wide divide in the tundra and skidded to a halt. Below a long river frozen solid for centuries weaved in and out of a series of caves along the walls of the gorge.
To conserve energy she kicked the trunk of a razor pine and took cover. A few hefty icicles fell into the snow. She kicked one to the side of the gorge and used it to slide down like a snowboard. Using her staff as both a means to steer and increase speed she reached one end of the gorge to the other in seconds flat. Approaching a wall of ice, Cheetarah kicked her iceboard out from under her, allowing it to crash and shatter. The impact caused a brief avalanche.
Cheetarah clung to her staff tightly, extending it, lifting her above the snow. The fallen snow revealed a small square cave glowing green. Cheetarah leapt from the tip of her staff to the mouth of the cave. She felt a sense of pride for finding the Emerald Hydra. She only had a quick glimpse of a map and a vague verbal description to go on.
She reached out. Branches grew out from her staff. She grasped at them. Once secure in her grip the staff shortened right into her hand.
She noticed something small ahead of her ten feet or so encased in ice. "What is a hydra?" She wondered inwardly, inching closer. Despite the cold and uncomfortably close quarters, Cheetarah's lips formed a pleased smile as she crawled on her hands and knees. She would return to the Tiger Shark with minutes to spare.
Through the ice she inspected the details of the "Emerald Hydra" sitting neatly in an air pocket. It appeared to be a statue of a mount/ dragon hybrid beast chiseled from an emerald small enough to fit in her palm. She scratched at the ice a few times then punched it, hard, breaking the treasure free.
Swiftly, nervously, she backed out of the cave, breathing a sigh of relief as she looked up and noticed the wide, gray sky. She slid down the large mound of snow. She was about to run for the shore when she felt what seemed like twenty metal tacks pierce her thumb. She snarled, tossing the hydra against the ground out of reflex. The treasure landed with a series of tinks on the ice.
She noticed blood dripping from a nasty bite mark. She looked down, gasping in shock as the Emerald Hydra hissed up at her and scurried away like a fleshy feral lizard. It hid behind a rock. Cheetarah instinctively went after it, but as she approached the rock, the emerald hydra jumped out at her, now twice the length of snarf.
Cheetarah dodged to the side as the hydra snapped at her. Eventually she grew weary of dodging and cracked it on the forehead with her staff, expecting to knock it out or at least make it back down a moment. Instead, hydra's head and neck shattered like glass. It wobbled a moment then collapsed on its side.
"What have I done?" Cheetarah immediately started to pick up the pieces when an overpowering aura swept over her and pulled the pieces of the hydra back together again, though not the same way. The one shattered head became two. Its torso grew in size to match the proportions.
Cheetarah backed away slowly as the hydra stared her down with an appetite, licking its jagged lips. It exhaled a bloodcurdling screech and a lung full of green fire. Cheetarah rolled out of the way, partially alarmed, partially grateful for the warmth.
So not to repeat the same mistake, she stopped on her knees and sprung forward, attacking it from behind. She smashed the hydra's back legs out from under him. His tail also shattered as it hit the hard, icy ground. Crippled, but still armed with lightning quick reflexes the hydra swung its heads over its back and snapped at Cheetarah. She raised her staff in defense, shattering their teeth and snouts. Again the hydra collapsed and regenerated, this time with eight heads to replace the four shattered and a body the length of the thundertank.
A while later…
"HOW DO YOU MAKE IT STOP?!" She couldn't help but cry out after creating another six heads in self-defense. She dodged as one of the heads snapped down at her. She climbed up its neck, avoiding several other chomps and blasts of fire by leaping from neck to neck. She made it to the top of the center head. The hydra tangled its many necks in a knot as they clamored for a bite of Cheetarah. As two heads from either side snapped at her she back flipped out of the way, causing them to ram into each other and shatter.
Cheetarah landed, skidding on the ice. She panted, watching as the hydra stumbled on its feet, adjusting its body mass to suit its two new heads. She struggled to think of some way to tame the enraged beast. Something Wiley Kat said to her earlier popped into mind. "Show it some warmth…" She repeated, forming an idea.
She stood tall, staff at her side, locking eyes with the beast. The center head lowered its neck and sniffed Cheetara with a tri-forked tongue. The other heads exposed their fangs, inhaling to muster fire to roast her. The hydra shoved her roughly with his nose. Cheetarah didn't flinch.
The heads aimed and exhaled a wave of emerald fire down at Cheetarah. Quicker than the beast could see, she backed away, allowing the flames the melt the frozen surface of the river. The ice shattered beneath the hydra's feet. It screeched loudly as it sank; spitting more fire and melting more ice. It lashed and clawed against the current, but the river dragged it, chilling it to the core. Its heads broke off until only three remained. Cheetarah dashed across the river, scooping the weakened and rapidly shrinking hydra in her arms.
At the river bank, Cheetarah held the hydra close, allowing it to absorb her body heat. Its few heads broke off to only one. The original, tame size again, the hydra nuzzled her, encouraging her to keep petting. "I'm glad that's over." She scratched its back gently. "But so much for catching a lift from Wiley Kat. How am I supposed to get to the Black Pyramid with you in time?" She asked herself aloud, noting the position of the sun. She spent much more time taming the Emerald Hydra than she anticipated. "I'm not sure if I can make it across the ocean and halfway across my home continent in one sprint…but I have to try."
The hydra squirmed out of her grip. As its feet touched the ground the hydra grew to the size of a mount. Snorting, it jerked its his head, motioning to its back. Cheetarah began to stretch. "Thank you, but I'm faster on foot. You may want to stay the more portable size."
Before Cheetarah could sense its intentions, it slithered between her legs and took her for a ride. She cried out as the strange beast carried her across the cold continent in a fraction of the time she took to run, struggling to hold on.
She spotted the beach. It darted across the drifts like a beam of light bouncing off a series of angled mirrors. When it approached the ocean the hydra leapt into the air. Its powerful front legs evolved into wings. Cheetarah cheered as she soared over the endless waves astride the strange war beast. She patted its neck; an unspoken thank you for the lift.
Later still…
The emerald hydra abandoned its wings for legs once it and Cheetrah reached the deadlands. She squinted, struggling to hold on and keep sand out of her eyes. In the distance she could just barely make out the remains of the black pyramid- The foundation had corroded over the years. Now only the four evil idols Mumm-Ra once called upon for power still remained intact.
The emerald hydra skidded to a halt, dredging up a cloud of sand. Refusing to venture any further, it crouched to the ground, allowing Cheetarah to hop off. She rubbed her lower back, feeling saddle-sore. The hydra sat, panted like an overheated canine. No longer needed, it froze inanimate, eager to rest in the hot sand until needed again. Cheetarah leaned against it as she inspected the idols. She remembered how they were positioned during her last unpleasant experience inside the black pyramid.
Now the idols, half buried in the sand, all clutched the handle of a massive black great sword, also partially buried. The Ancient Spirits of evil appeared to be frozen in the moment all four gods tried to seize the weapon. Cheetarah noticed her reflection in the eerily un-weathered blade, though instead of her face and body she quickly noticed her skull and skeleton in place of them.
"ROOOW!" Luckily a savage feline growl broke her concentration, enabling her to look away. She glanced up the moment before Bengali leapt into the air and swung the Thunderhammer down. The serpent god Apa's face shattered instantly upon impact. The shock-wave created shattered *Anubis, *Montu and *Babi respectively (and flung Cheetarah back a few yards as well).
"Hey!"
Bengali winced. "Sorry, didn't see you!"
For a brief moment the Oblivion Blade was unobstructed. He and Cheetarah rushed to pull it free. The ground beneath started to rumble. A flash of lightning struck the sword, forcing the cats to back off. A chilling whirlwind roared past his head. Bengali and Cheetarah froze then stared in horror as the idols reformed, still competing for a tight grip on the Oblivion Blade's handle.
Bengali exhaled a growl of frustration, slamming the Thunderhammer against the ground. "Now I remember why we left the blade here. These stupid evil spirits are relentless." He paused to catch his breath. "I think the blasted sword is regenerating those demons."
"Or someone else." Cheetarah shuddered. The ancient spirits gave off such a potent and chilling aura.
"Did I hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine." She assured the strange white tiger. "There must be another way to pry the sword away from them. Maybe I can help. I have the Emerald Hydra." She informed him then looked around. "Where are the others?"
"Don't know. They haven't shown yet. Has Lion-O contacted you?"
She held up her communicator. "I think the circuits may have frozen up north. Mine isn't working."
"I've been at this forever it feels like. Nobody has tried to reach me and I can't seem to reach anybody. At first I thought it was a distance issue, but Lynx-O won't pick up at the tower either." Bengali frowned, concerned. "I was about to give up here and go looking for everyone."
"Wylde Kat and Leonne were the closest to the pyramid's ruins." Cheetarah recalled, quickly becoming equally concerned. "At least they should have been here by now. Something has gone very wrong here."
"No kidding. What should we do?"
"Do you know where the temple of Pin Yin is?"
Bengali shook his head. "It's on the outskirts of the Elephant territory that much I know, but I've never been there myself. Wait, you've been to the-"
"Watch the Emerald Hydra and keep an eye open for the others. I'm going to look for the cubs."
"I should go with you." The metal smith insisted.
"No." She protested. "I won't be gone long. Once they're safe with me we can all search for the others. Just keep trying to free the Oblivion Blade in the meantime."
Bengali nodded. "Alright. Ho, lady Cheetarah."
"Ho!" She winked at him for good luck. As she was about to race off the wind carried a desperate cry.
"WAIT!" Wiley Kit frantically glided over the desert on a pair of *hoverblades. On her back she carried Wiley Kub, holding his hood over his eyes to keep out the sand.
"Kit? Kub?!" Cheetarah cocked her head confused as the frantic former thunderkitten struggled to stop.
Bengali caught Kit as she stumbled.
"Mother!" Wiley Kub hopped off Kit's back and jumped, embracing his mother in a tight hug.
"What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I snuck in the back of the Thundertank when Wylde Kat and Leonne left for the temple."
"What? Why would you-?" Cheetarah stared down at her youngest kitten in disbelief. "Doesn't your father ever watch you?" She wondered aloud.
"It's much more serious than that." Kit struggled to catch her breath a moment as she removed the pair. "We came to get help. Leonne and Wylde Kat were dragged off."
Cheetarah's eyes widened with dread. "By who?" Bengali asked.
"Wylde Kat's girlfriend's pack." Wiley Kub answered. "They took the helmet of Xaxx too."
"It's a long story, and I don't know if we have time for me to explain." Wiley Kit warned.
"We'll make time." Cheetarah assured her.
"Kit, where are they heading?" Asked Bengali.
"Here I think, but we lost their trail on the way through the high noon geysers." Wiley Kit wiped away a tear. "We fought, but they attacked out of nowhere- The Pin Yin temple is destroyed. So many monks and villagers are dead. I let it happen. I'm so sor-"
"Cheetarah hugged her fellow Thundercat closely. "The important thing is you're still trying to help. We're going to fix this. Are the cubs alive?"
"Yes, last I saw."
"Thank Jaga." Cheetarah paused a moment. "Wiley Kub, stay here with Bengali. Be good. I love you.
Wiley Kub shifted nervously. "I love you too mom."
"Kit," She led her over to the emerald hydra. It became animated to her touch. "Hop on." She instructed the younger female. "Follow me and start from the beginning."
Presently…
"You and I didn't make it far before-"
"Lynx-O found the way in." Panthro informed them as he approached the breakfast fire, unintentionally interrupting. "You kitties awake yet?"
"We're almost there." Lion-O assured the panthe, stretching. He started to put out the fire. "Do you or Lynx-O want breakfast before we head out?"
Panthro's nose crinkled to the sewage-fishy smell. "We're good I think." He declined. "Tygra, is the tank secure?"
He flashed Panthro a thumbs up. "Defense systems are activated. Let's do this."
The Thundercats followed Panthro towards old Thundera. The kittens trailed behind a few feet, tails sagging in disappointment. Kit frowned at Kat. "Man, we're never going to hear the whole story…"
Author's note: It took me forever to crank out this chapter mostly because I was trying to figure out how to wrap up this storyline in the fourth part, but what I eventually realized is…
I can't
So the episode "Of What May Be" may have six parts instead of 4 or I might just write an "Of What May Be" part two and then move onto the original sixth episode plot which was entitled "Revenge of the Rats…making it the seventh episode…I suck XD"
Haven't figured that out yet. Hate to stretch out a filler plotline like this, but unfortunately it's necessary and hopefully still entertaining.
*Apa (the lizard idol and a god of chaos), Montu (the "vulture" idol and god of war) and Babi (the monkey idol and god of virility and bloodlust) are Egyptian demigods and who I theorize the other three new ASOE (besides Anubis who everyone recognizes) are based off of according to the brief research I did.
Why were their names significant to this story plot? They're weren't really, it was just easier to refer to them by name (and the persona of the ASOE will play a bigger roll later. Everything plays a bigger roll later lol)
*hovorblades: they are what they sound like; roller blades that hover off the ground.
Cheetarah and Tygra have made up, for the most part, but their relationship may take more work than they both realized (because now they're past the cutesy crush stage and into the deal with life together stage. That's the stage where relationships stop being fun and romantic and start being meaningful and difficult lol). What kind of trouble are the future Thundercats in? We'll find out. Stay tuned for more action and mystical panda monks! So badass. So adorable XD
Thank you so much for reading as always. Until next time, Ho!