Episode 7: Seven Ways to Skin a Cat
Part III
A day and a half ago;
A short distance outside the Tower of Omens…
Inside one of Mumm-Ra's stealth tanks
Lynxanna typed away on a device fixed to one of the tank's minor consoles. The four snake headhunters hissed among themselves as footage from previous encounters with the Thundercats played on several holo screens. "These are your targets." Lynxanna announced, frown never wavering. The snakes held out their wrists. Strapped around each were communication/ intel devices. Using smooth, swiping motions with her pointer and middle fingers she dragged the data from the various holo screens and downloaded it into their devices. "Tru-Naga," She looked to the cobra leader. "You're taking down Panthro." She then looked to python. "Monty, you lucky boy, you're taking down the beautiful Cheetara." The lynx molly's black lips curled into a sneer as she watched the cheetah race by on the hallo screen.
Monty exhaled a dry, indifferent grunt. The coral snake, filled with enthusiasm, shot up, excited. "Who did I get?! Who did I get?!" Lynxanna exposed her canines to her. "Simmer down, dolly. You're taking down the adopted prince Tygra. Don't take your eyes off him." She warned.
Tru-Calli squealed with delight, clapping her thin, scaly fingers together. "I love a challenge!" The sidewinder hissed. "Sssso that leavesss me with the lynx or the lion?"
"No you don't! I put a black flag on the old cat-bastard YEARS ago." Lynxanna snarled. "And nobody touches Lion-O until Mumm-Ra says so, got it, Seraste?" She added, yanking on the collar of his shirt then shoving him back. "You're taking down the kittens."
He rolled his eyes. "Are you ssshitting me?"
"No moaning about easy money." The she-lynx scolded. She paced back and forth a moment as she continued. "I have just given you all data the Prowl and Slithe's forces has collected on these individual cats. Their weapons in possession, fighting techniques, strengths and most importantly, their weaknesses are all covered in the files, so READ them carefully. Now that you are well equipped and well informed… drag them back here ALIVE in twelve hours." She ordered sternly.
The cobra cracked her knuckles. "Then it'ssss off to the pyramid to collect our reward." She smiled at her comrades. "Let the hunt begin."
Lynxanna nodded to one of the lizards steering the stealth tank. He opened the hatch, releasing the five assassins. They scattered throughout the wild countryside, eager to divide and conquer.
Meanwhile, the present
Lion-O ducked quickly below a low hanging branch. "Ma'am, I'm not trying to question your methods, but-"
"Keep your eyes peeled and no back saddle steering." She scolded. "Unless you have a better method in mind."
Lion-O sighed. "No, I suppose I don't."
"Oh, cheer up, cub. The Unicorn keeper begged after glancing over her shoulder at the worried cat. "You look as if your friends are dead already."
"Not dead, but I believe I know where they've been taken. I just hope I'm wrong. If I'm right, it means I'm to face Mumm-Ra alone again to get them back… and I have a sinking feeling this time he's ready for me."
"You're not alone." The satyr corrected him. "Why, I'm here for you," She motioned to Snarf. "And him."
"Narf!" Snarf rubbed the arch of his back against Lion-O's cheek affectionately. "Does that help at all, cub?"
Lion-O managed to smile. "It does." The smile faded quickly as he struggled to think of anything else. He studied the strange etchings on her blocky gauntlets. They shimmered a pale green glow when they passed under rays of sunshine making their way through the trees. "Those look heavy." He noted.
"Not for me. They're a precious, enchanted heirloom passed down from mother to daughter in my family for twenty generations." She explained, rotating her wrist. Each character is an interchangeable lock to a key into the various passages into the spirit world… at least temporarily. You see, my husband and I guard the spirit of the unicorn herd, but I have an additional duty; to act as a civil medium between this reality and the astral plain. I am a summoner."
The very mention of the realm sent a chill to Lion-O's core. The unicorn keeper sensed the Lion's tension. "You've been to the astral plain once before." She stated rather than asked.
"Twice." Lion-O confirmed. "Once to retrieve the spirit stone, the other…" He trailed off. He tried not to think about his near death experience too often. Sure he gained a lot through his experiences during the anointment trials, but the "what if" notion never left him… and never settled well with him
"I can see it in your aura." She noted.
"What's an aura?"
"You've never seen an aura?"
"Not… that I'm aware of?" Lion-O raised a brow at her.
She blew her bangs out of the way of her vision. "You've seen one; I can tell. You'll know when you see another one."
"Is it something I need sight beyond sight to see?"
"Not necessarily. You know, cub, the sword isn't what gave you sight beyond sight. It amplifies it."
Lion-O couldn't help but exhale a short laugh. "The sword gave my father, Lord Claudis sight beyond sight, and his father Leo-Nix sight beyond sight before him and sight beyond sight to his father, Goldmane, to his father Pi-Laeone, and before him Lionheart, and before him, king Le-F… and I honestly lose track after him. Out of that whole line of Thundercat lords, I find it very hard to believe I'm the special one."
The satyr elbowed him in the stomach playfully. "Shut up; you believe it whole-heartedly. You have natural sight beyond sight." She informed him. "YOU just need to learn how to fine tune it."
Lion-O wanted to laugh, but her tone came across much more serious than her physical gestures. "Have you been to astral plane?" He asked unconsciously lowering his voice to a whisper.
Her long goat ears twitched. "Myself, no. I've seen glimpses of it, spoken to many spirits who dwell in it, but thankfully my personal encounters with death have been few. My life has been long, healthy and fulfilling."
"You're very lucky." Lion-O paused, another question weighing heavily on his mind. "Is the astral plane hell or is it heaven? I've been there twice and still can't tell."
"They're one and the same realm, cub. It's all what you make of it."
Lion-O tried to analyze that statement a moment, but wasn't given much time. The unicorn keeper pointed and announced, "I see something up ahead!"
In a clearing a mother platyquail raced along the brushy forest floor with a long line of chicks close behind her. The summoner kicked her unicorn in his side, prompting him to speed ahead of silly creature and her chicks. As it passed the platyquail the unicorn bolted upright on his back hooves, bucking. Its platinum-silvery shoes shimmered in the platyqauils' eyes and they froze.
The summoner shushed Lion-O, motioning for him not to startle them as she quietly hopped to the ground. She knelt down and held out her hand gently to the mother. The mother platyqauil chirped at her for a few minutes. Lion-O and Snarf watched the scene unfold curiously. They exchanged questioning glances as the two chirped at each other for what seemed like an unnecessarily long time.
Eventually the satyr female turned to Lion-O. "This one saw the cat you call Panthro." She confirmed, expression sober.
"Well, what happened to him?" Lion-O blurted out, causing the platyquail to dash off again, startled.
"He was minding his vehicle when she struck…" She began…
Earlier that morning
While the others searched the surrounding areas for trails left behind by Lynx-O's rogue pride of cat marauders Panthro stayed behind to watch camp. He took the opportunity to give the tank a tune-up and run a systems diagnostic.
Tru-Naga slithered low to the ground. She inched closer and closer to the thundertank silently. She watched the ex-general roll underneath his war machine on his back and tinker. He used one mechanical arm as a jack, popping his body/ head out from underneath only to reach for a new tool.
She circled him stealthily, emerald eyes fixated on his every move. Panthro pushed himself out from under the treads. He could have sworn he saw a shadow slink through the forest brush in his peripheral. Panthro sat up, looked around for a moment. The air fell silent. Nothing in his surroundings moved. He sniffed the air. The wind blew high and away from him. He couldn't smell a thing.
Convinced, at least in part, the coast was clear, he continued with the tune-up. Tru-Naga circled closer. She couldn't match the cat in strength, so she would simply have to outwit him. Couldn't be too difficult, she reasoned. She paused to outstretch her hood. A ray of sun hit the silvery decorative markings on her otherwise black scales. Oh how good the hot sun felt against her backside…
The snakes, unlike their lizard cousins, embraced technology so many centuries ago. In this century they implemented tech in their lives in personal and subtle ways. The serpentine cartel in particular spent tremendous funds and effort in developing chemistry based in natural reptilian venom, bio-tech and solar power. Such advances in technology were shared only with the animal species willing to pay for it (the birds, the rats and a few other "business associates").
Tru-Naga especially has been well trained by her superior serpents to utilize such tech in her lethal trade. The shimmering, almost hypnotic scales on her hood were enhanced with small metallic panels, each protecting a microchip linked to an additional bio-machine implanted in her fangs. She exposed four hallow needle-like fangs in a sick smile. The implants inside brewed a cocktail of venom formulated especially to target this poor unsuspecting panther's amygdala…
She struck.
Panthro exhaled a hiss as he felt a slight prick in his exposed leg. He pushed himself out once again and lowered the tank. He inspected his leg. Sure enough he noticed four tiny holes in the fabric. He rolled up his pants' leg to inspect the bite. Four punctures were left on his calf, not bleeding, but the flesh swelled and already started to turn a blackish blue.
"Aw crap…" He growled, heartrate increasing rapidly. He could hear something slither behind him, now clear as day. He stood, pulling out his nunchucks. "Show yourself, lizard!" He assumed it was some kind of cold-blood that bit him.
The shadow slithered past his peripheral once again. Whoever it was that bit him fled like a typical reptilian. "Go on, slink away you coward!" He roared at the surrounding forests. Thinking quickly he turned for the tank, eager to reach their first aid kit, but to his horror the tank disappeared as he turned around.
In its place stood a black, shiny dodecahedron object. He blinked. It was still there. He rubbed his eyes. It was still there. The venom pumping through his bloodstream was already starting to play tricks with his mind. "Not good…"
He reached out to touch the structure, convinced he would feel the tank and snap out of it. No such luck. "Cold… and smooth…" He noted inwardly, touching the many flat sides of the strange structure. "What kind of material IS this?"
Panthro pulled back as a seemingly non-existent door to the structure suddenly popped open. He stared at the darkness inside a moment. The first aid kit appeared under a spotlight. His heart raced faster than ever at this point. Desperate for some anti-venom he walked inside.
Tru-Naga exhaled a triumphant hiss as she watched the panther take the bait, open the rear hatch of the Thundertank and walk inside. She followed close behind him, accessing the tank's interior with ease.
Panthro let out a startled yowl as something slithered past his foot. He looked up, realizing he was in fact inside the rear personal carrier of the Thundertank after all. He heard something messing around up front in the cockpit. He slapped himself, feeling foolish. "Blast it!" He snarled, racing to the front. The doors opened automatically. His eyes narrowed with rage as he watched a cobra female rip the book of opens from the console with her bare claws.
"Get the fuck away from that book!" He ordered, instinctively extending his claws to apprehend her. The cobra hissed in retaliation. In his intoxicated state, Panthro saw a massive ball of fire escape her throat and form into a giant, flaming bat.
Panthro HATED feral fire bats ever since he was a small kitten. They freaked him out, no other way to explain it and THIS bat was as big as him, screeching violently. A primal fear swept over him. He pulled back his claws to normal length and fled, nearly tripping over himself. Tru-Naga watched the panther race out of the tank in terror, clawing and striking at the non-existent threat with his nunchuks. She wasn't sure what the cat was seeing to cause such a reaction. She didn't care, simply laughed at his expense, holding up the book of omens to taunt him.
Panthro couldn't see her. He could only see the bat, swooping down to bite him with its rabid fangs and scratch at him with its nasty flaming wings. Her laughter appeared to be coming from the creature itself. Insulted by its taunting, Panthro charged at it. It charged back. His nunchucks passed right through it like a ghost. It dissipated on impact then reformed to strike again. His pitiful cries and efforts to defend himself started to bore her. "Come on, cat. Go into cardiac arrest already." She exhaled an impatient hiss. The panther wasn't going down quickly enough for her liking. She reached into her shirt/ armor and pulled out a small silver ring, twisted it at the center and stretched it out into a larger ring shaped like a feral snake.
Still fighting the bat, Pathro never noticed the cobra approaching him from behind. Tru-Naga strapped the collar around his neck. The device began to hum as it activated. The eyes glowed, fully charged, releasing a strong electric pulse right to his brain. Just before the device zapped him into unconsciousness he spotted the fire bat swooping down, engulfing his entire body in flames.
Tru-Naga, slithered back a step, allowing Panthro to fall to his knees, then face first onto the ground. She adjusted her fang implants, switching over to the anti-venom. Exposing her fangs to the unconscious cat, she hovered over him a moment to make sure he was in fact out cold. When he failed to twitch she bit down once again, injecting the anti-venom. After all, her orders were to retrieve him alive… "Tough mammal…" Tru-Naga noted aloud. He resisted the effects of her venom longer than expected. "Now for the hard part."
Protected by the cover of some bushes, a platy-quail family watched the cobra grab Panthro's ankle by her tail and slither off, dragging his unconscious body behind. She fled the scene with both him and the book of omens.
The present.
"And that's the last she saw of him." The unicorn keeper finished the platy-quail mother's tale.
"But where did the snake take him?" Lion-O asked.
The satyr shook her head. "She doesn't know. She didn't follow them." She patted her unicorn on the nose. It crouched low, allowing her to hop on his back. "We'll have to keep asking around. Hurry, climb on…"
Author's note: This chapter originally was going to show what happened to Cheetara and Tygra as well, but a; the chapter is running long as it is and b; it's been a while since I updated. I have some neat ideas for part IV :D so hang on for more action/ weirdness folks!
More dialog than I first intended too, but it's meant to foreshadow certain events that happen in episode 8. More references to the 80's series episodes "Snarf Takes Up the Challenge" and the episode, "Safari Joe". The unicorn keeper, aka, the summoner is an unused character of Dan Norton's creation/ design. Hope this was entertaining enough to be worth the wait. Thanks for waiting/ reading everyone.