Wake Up

by PhantomMaws

A fan continuation of the original series, exploring relationships that were hinted at during the show. Set shortly after The Book of Omens, what if Mumm-Ra was not defeated but was biding his time in a plot to finally destroy the Thundercats once and for all? Set over three eras and 20 years. [UPDATE 15/12/23: NO LONGER BEING UPDATED]

4. Chapter 3: Somewhere Only We Know

A/N: I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to update. Too many exams and FAR too much dreaded homework. Plus, I STILL haven't got my own laptop charger... Howether; this chapter may clear up a couple of things for people who don't understand it that much. It might be a little while before this story is updated again because I still haven't managed to get a secure schedule yet. Plus, personal problems have also played havoc on my schedule. I wouldn't be surprised if the next chapter takes nearly two months to upload. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and please feel free to review/favourite/follow if you want to.

Key:

Flashback = Flashback (Obviously)

- (BORDER) - = perspective change

Anyway, chapter information:

Genres: Friendship and Drama

Warnings: Graphic scenes of violence, gore and explicit language

Date started (Chapter): Tuesday 17th February 2015

Date finished (Chapter): Saturday 11th April 2015

Song/s: Somewhere Only We Know by Keane

Chapter 3: Somewhere Only We Know

The rising sun casts a black shadow over the forest. Sweat trickles down my back as I run. I've wasted too much valuable time. I could have the other Thundercats free by now if I hadn't stayed at the Treetop Kingdom overnight. Still, there is a chance that I can still rescue them. I know that the Thunderclaw and the Hovercat are at the old lair, and that they're the way that I can reach Castle Plun-darr quicker than running on foot.

I recognise the scenery: we came this way when we were rescuing Tygra. That means that the Thundertank is nearby. I only have to run a little further to see it: wrapped in vines and overgrown with vegetation, the tank lies on the side of the pathway, as still and silent as the day it broke down. It's creepy.

When I reach the Lair, I was expecting it to be standing proudly in the early morning sun. Howether, it's a sight to behold:

The head has been torn clean off of the Lair, and the body itself is in ruins. The drawbridge has completely collapsed into the moat. It's shocking.

My previous home...destroyed by the Mutants, ravaged by time. So many memories, destroyed.

Howether, I can't let that bother me. Well, looks like I've got a climb waiting. I'd better get started. I swing my legs over the edge of the canyon then start the treacherous climb. It's not so hard getting down, but it's even harder climbing back up. Not only is the stone wet, but the palms of my hands are sweaty. I grab a rusted metal pole and hoist myself up, but my weight loosens it, sending me tumbling back down until I hit a slab of stone. I sit up then rub my head then look at my hand as I feel something trickling down the back of my neck. Shit! My hand's covered in blood. I hope I haven't cracked my head open on the stone. I stand up then continue on with the climb. As I look down, I see the spot where my head hit the ground because there's a small patch of blood.

By the time I reach the top, the sun is high in the sky. I look at the paw hangars and see the Thunderclaw. At least it's not in ruins like the Lair itself.

The wind whips my mane in my face as I speed through the sky. I know that trying to rescue the other Thundercats in broad daylight is a bad idea, but I can't wait another day. The forest flies by beneath as I soar through the clouds. My friends are counting on me. I've already failed them once, and that was one time too many.

- (BORDER) -

"Mumm-ra! There's an enemy aircraft incoming!"

I look up at Vultureman as he runs into the room. "And why should I care, Mutant?" I snap, enraged that the wretched creature had just disturbed my rest. "It's one of the Thundercats' aircraft! And there's only one Thundercat who we haven't captured, which means that it's Lion-O!" he shouts, making me jump. I know that Lion-O is alive, and I know that he's got a brother because I killed his brother's wife three years ago. But he's managed to muster up enough courage to come and rescue his friends. Pity! Little does the insolent bastard know that he's been spotted!

"Fine! Battle stations!" I roar as I stand up and grab the Sword of Plun-darr from the stand by the side of my throne. The alarm sounds, and we all rush into the corridor. "Jackalman, Monkian! Take the Skycutters! I'll take the Nosediver! Vultureman, you know what to do!" Slithe shouts as he grabs his axe.

"I thought you said you'd killed Lion-O! Could you really be so stupid as to..." Monkian gibbers as he gets onto his Skycutter. "SHUT IT AND GET ON WITH WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, YOU WRETCHED BABOON!" I roar as I raise my fist above his head, momentarily stunning the stupid Mutant with a bolt of pure electricity. When the effects wear off, the pair start up the Skycutters and shoot off into the air.

"I trust you know what you're doing, Slithe!" I snap as the reptile gets onto the Nosediver "You'd better not kill Lion-O. If you do, I'll have your hide! I need Lion-O alive!"

Slithe cackles and says "Oh, you can trust me, 'Lord' Mumm-ra! I won't kill him..." And as he passes me, I hear him mumble "Yet."

I hear shouts from outside, along with laser blasts. I look out of the window, and see a horde of Mutants crowding around someone. There's a deafening roar, and screams of agony as countless Mutants are thrown around like ragdolls. The fools! That's not how they're going to defeat Lion-O!

- (BORDER) -

I grab the wretched Mutant in front of me then sink my fangs deep into his throat, my mouth filling with warm, salty blood. Seconds later, I feel another Mutant grab my mane and pull me back. I give it a swift kick between the legs before twisting its neck, snapping its spine.

"It's Lion-O! Get him!"

I look up as two Skycutters circling high above me, along with Vultureman's Flying Machine. I hear a familiar sound, and see the Nosediver speeding towards me, along with a troupe of Mutants.

Vultureman dives at me then starts firing. I dodge the laser bolts then run on, unsheathing the Sword of Omens from the Claw Shield. Suddenly, a stinging pain shoots through my abdomen, making me stop and fall to my knees. I shouldn't be running. I've possibly just broke the stitches on my wound.

I look up, just as Jackalman and Monkian start firing at me. The second I get up, Vultureman fires something from a cannon attached to the underside of the aircraft. It hits the floor then explodes, sending out a cloud of crimson mist. The second the red mist touches me, it starts to burn my skin. I realize that it's Thundranium when I collapse from the pain and my rapidly declining strength. I fight to stand up, but I can't find the strength to. "Lion-O, you're an absolute idiot. Did you honestly believe you could rescue your friends? You can't!" I look up at Jackalman as he approaches me. He hoists his axe above his head then swings it down to deliver a blow that would take my head clean off of my shoulders, but a bolt of electricity breaks the blade off of the handle. "Jackalman, you fucking dumbass! Mumm-ra told you that he needs Lion-O alive!" I hear a familiar voice snarl. I struggle to get up as Slithe's shadow falls over me. I roar viciously, but it just sounds like nothing but a squeaky rumble. Slithe laughs before kicking me in the chest, making me roll over onto my back. I try to sit up, but the wretched snake puts his right foot on my chest and forces me back down again.

"I don't think so, boy!" he says as he presses tip of the blade of his axe against my throat, digging it into my skin "Don't move if you value your life!" I growl, bearing my fangs as much as possible.

"I'll get you for this, Slithe! First, Mumm-ra tried to kill me, then you made my friends believe I'm dead, and you even went as far as to enslave them!" I snarl, but Slithe signals to Monkian. The ape takes a strip of leather from his belt. Slithe holds my head still as Monkian ties it around my neck. I realize that it is Thundrainium, far too late to react. It burns and stings my skin like the mist had, but more intense. The mist must have been made from diluted Thundrainium, because it didn't hurt as much as the collar does. I try to pull it off, but it burns the palms of my hands. It feels like my neck and hands are submerged in boiling water.

They grab me by my arms then lift me off of the ground. "Take him to Mumm-ra, yesss?" Slithe says, then I'm dragged into the Castle. Slithe digs his claws into my skin, making me flinch in pain.

We come to a wooden door that has hieroglyphics carved into it. The door opens, revealing Mumm-ra who is seated on a throne of skulls, Ma-mutt on his lap with the Sword of Plun-darr at his side.

I'm dragged forwards then forced to my knees in front of the mummy, the ropes around my wrists and neck keeping me down. "So, Lion-O," he says as he stands up and starts to walk towards me "Playing the hero, are we now? I know I should have killed you when I had the chance!" He grabs the Sword of Omens and the Claw Shield from my hands.

I roar then struggle again. "Give them back, you fucking decrepit Egyptian relic!" The ropes holding me start to fray and snap, but not without cutting into my skin. Howether, before I can attack Mumm-ra, Slithe grabs his rifle from his side then hits me around the head with it. Blood trickles down the side of my face and nausea overwhelms me as I see stars momentarily.

As I'm dragged from the room, Mumm-ra shouts "Tear his fangs and claws out if you have to!" The stench of mould and stagnant water is enough to make me feel sick, but, defeated, I let them drag me down the corridor. I should have but up more of a fight, but they had me 'cornered'. By the time I'm dragged into the dungeon, I'm nearly unconscious. There's a cell waiting for me, so I'm dragged in then chained up. My shoulders feel as if they're going to pop completely out of joint from the weight of my body exerted on them. The Thundrainium collar is slipped from around my neck, but is replaced by another, made of both heavy metal and leather, that makes my fur stand on end from the electricity that runs through it. It's a shock collar. "Set it at 5,000 volts. And if that's not enough to shock him into submission, raise it by another 5,000 volts." Slithe hisses as I look up "I'll be back for you once Mumm-ra decidesss what he wantsss to have done to you, yesss? I wouldn't be sssurprised if he'sss going to have you killed."

They walk out, and minutes later, I hear a familiar voice scream.

"LION-O!"

I look up, just as Cheetara is dragged into the cell opposite me. I can see the tears streaming down her cheeks as she is forced onto the floor. "Lion-O...you're really alive!" she says as she stands up.

I don't say anything in response to her, though. I feel like I've failed them. "Cheetara, I..." I say, but something is sprayed into my face from the collar, stinging my eyes and throat; citric acid. The perfect anti-talking trick. Typical.

"You don't have to say anything; you tried your best." She says softly. That makes me feel even guiltier. "I've let you down..." I choke through the acid that is sprayed in my face. It's not fair. I pull on the chains again. "Lion-O, you tried. But we'll get out of here." Cheetara says as she stands up. I sigh then lick the inside of my teeth. My ears are ringing and my head still hurts from when I was hit by Slithe. "What would it matter? It's my fault that we're here in the first place. Why am I the king of New Thundera if all I do fails?" I say in a weak voice. I can feel the blood trickling down my abdomen from the freshly opened wound.

I hear the cell door open, and I look up at Slithe as he walks in. "You're very lucky today, Lion-O. Lord Mumm-ra will let you live if you are hisss persssonal ssservant, yesss?" he hisses as he unclips the chains from the overhead rings. My body drops to the floor as my weight is put on my numb legs. I fall to my knees, and my ankle twists with a sickening crunch. I groan in pain, but Slithe punches me around the back of my head as he roars "GET UP!"

I get to my feet, and am roughly seized by my mane then dragged out of the cell. The wretched snake hits me on my back with the chains before forcing me to walk forwards past the cells that contain the other Thundercats. I can't bring it upon myself to look at them as I am forced towards the door. Jackalman opens it, and then he joins Slithe by taking one of the chains from him. I am roughly pulled around and struck when I fight against them. "Keep up like that, and I'll have your hide for a fur coat, yesss?" Slithe snaps as he digs the sharp point of a dagger into my back. He keeps jabbing me with it every time that I stop.

The door to Mumm-ra's throne room is pushed open, and I am dragged in. "He'sss your ssslave now, oh mighty Mumm-ra!" Slithe hisses as I am forced to my knees before the throne for a second time. The shock collar around my neck is turned up to the maximum setting. Slithe gives Mumm-ra the remote, and says "If he doesn't do as you asssk, you can shock him into submission. Like this." Then, he presses the button. I scream in pain as electricity shoots through my body. I can feel my muscles seizing up as the shock continues. I start frothing at the mouth as the voltage is turned up to the highest voltage.

"That's quite enough now, Slithe." Mumm-ra says as I collapse to the hard stone floor writhing and convulsing uncontrollably from the electricity coursing through my body, tearing at the collar around my neck. The snake gives the remote to Mumm-ra, and then gives Jackalman a whip. "If he as much as steps slightly out of line, thrash him to within an inch of his life!" he hisses as he walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. Jackalman gives me a tub of warm, soapy water and a scrubbing brush as he shouts "GET TO WORK, LION-O! I WANT THIS FLOOR SO SHINY THAT I CAN SEE MY FUCKING FACE IN IT!"

He cracks the whip right next to my head, making me jump, spilling some of the water on the floor. "Get on with it! Put your fucking back into it! Use more elbow-grease!" Jackalman yells as he drives the whip into my back. I roar in pain as the hard leather knot at the end is driven into my flesh down to the bone. I grit my teeth against the pain as I scrub at the flagstones. Blood trickles down my back as Jackalman whips me again. It's so painful. "Well, Lion-O. Who'd ever think that you were going to end up as my personal slave?" Mumm-ra says as he runs his thumb over the button on the remote.

"You wouldn't!" I growl, and then Jackalman takes it upon himself to force my head into the bucket of water. I struggle against him and fight to move, but he keeps my head held firmly under the water. I lash out with my claws fully forth, and strike home. Jackalman yelps in pain and rushes back, five deep, bloody gashes on his muzzle. I quickly throw my head back, spraying water everywhere as I cough violently. "You fucking bastard! I'll make you pay for that, Thundercat!" Jackalman shouts as he raises the whip above his head, trying to strike fear in my heart. "It won't work on me, you son of a bitch!" I snarl as I push myself up onto my elbows. He lunges at me, digging his fangs into my neck and squeezing tightly. I retaliate by using my claws to shred at his shaggy brown fur, and biting into his muzzle whilst trying to tear his throat out with my bare hands.

"That's enough!" I hear Mumm-ra shout, and Jackalman releases me "What use are you if you lose your temper so quickly? Get out of this room!"

Jackalman is sent out in disgrace, blood dripping from his wounds as Mumm-ra snarls "Did I say you could stop your job, Lion-O? GET BACK TO WORK!"

I growl as I take the scrubbing brush and start to re-clean the floor tiles. "Make sure that you clean up the blood! I don't want this room stinking like a slaughterhouse!" Mumm-ra roars as I lug the bucket of water to the window then tip it out before re-filling it. "This place is a slaughterhouse, anyway! All you're trying to do is kill us Thundercats! I won't stand for it! You can't boss us around! Good will never succumb to evil, no matter the odds!" I roar as I run towards him. Howether, the heavy chains around my ankles get caught on a hook in the floor. He grins at me with his grotesquely twisted face as he presses the button on the shock collar's remote control. The charge shoots through my body as the electricity ravages my body. I scream and claw at the collar, my claws gouging into the flesh of my neck as warm blood trickles down my hands. He releases the button, leaving me lying panting on the floor, cut and bloodied from my desperate clawing at my own neck

"This is all your fault, Lion-O! Like a fool, you impulsively rushed into danger, and was captured because of your own thoughtlessness!" Mumm-ra says in a taunting tone as he watches me get up.

I look up at the ancient mummy as he stands before me. With shaking hands, I grab the scrubbing brush and dunk it in the freshly filled pail of water, trying to avoid a fight, seeing as I'm completely unarmed. The aftershock of having 10,000 volts courses through my entire body, blood leaking from the deep gouges. "I think you'd better see Pumyra after doing that to yourself, Lion-O. If you leave it, you could...bleed to death." he says as he looks at the condition of my body. My muscles are violently twitching, and my fur is standing on end.

"Nothing was ever my fault, you sadistic, twisted bag of bones!" I mumble beneath my breath as I scrub at the flagstones where my blood had dripped on to the floor. "I'm sorry, Lion-O. I'm not quite sure that I heard that! Would you please...repeat...it for me? I'm not as young as I once was." Mumm-ra snarls sarcastically as he reaches for the control to the shock collar again, but his hand just hovers over the device as he says "I can see that you're not going to learn to hold your tongue in this place with shocks alone! But, maybe, regular, heavy beatings will teach you a lesson!

"You were defeated and enslaved because of your own stupidity and impatience!" He drags me towards him with a spell. The heavy shackles around my wrists and ankles seem to be dragging me down, but he grabs them before swinging them like a rope and beating me around the face with the slack ends. The metallic tang of blood fills my mouth, but I ignore it. He throws me to the floor then shouts "Keep working! Unless you want to end up as a lion skin rug on the floor in my pyramid, which I bet you wouldn't! Talk to me like that again, and I'll grind your bones to dust then sell the dust for medicine!"

I force myself to my feet as I growl "No! You can't boss me around! You don't own me, or any of the other Thundercats!"

My sudden outburst infuriates him, to the point where I piss him off to such a level that he shouts "You are to do EXACTLY as I say, Lion-O! Don't forget that I've got the power to kill you, and no-one would know because disposing of your body would be an easy task." He marches towards me, and I'm expecting to receive a hefty punch in the face, but he says another spell in an ancient, lost language that makes me float in midair whilst he attaches my shackles to some overhead rings. What's he going to do now? Leave me here for days on end without food or water?

"You're a fool, Lion-O!" he says as he steps back "Bring in the she-cat Cheetara!" he commands to the Monkian who guards the door. The ape walks out of the door as Mumm-ra turns to look at me. "Whatever you're planning, it'll never work! I'll NEVER submit to you! I'm a Thundercat, and proud to be one!" I snarl as I struggle against the chains around my wrists and ankles. Mumm-ra chuckles as the ape walks back in minutes later, dragging Cheetara behind him. She's tied up with thick ropes to stop her from escaping, but it doesn't stop her from trying to break them. "I know how much you love Cheetara, but does she love you back? Let's see how brave she thinks you are!" Mumm-ra says as he raises his hand to point at me. He starts chanting in his mysterious language, making me feel nervous. There's a blinding flash of red lightning which bolts towards me, hitting me square in the chest. I can feel my body getting drastically hotter as what feels like fire covers my body. I scream in pain as an unbearable burning sensation spreads under my skin. I can feel sweat trickling down my back as the burning rapidly melts into a raging inferno.

"Stop it! You're hurting him! Leave him alone!" Cheetara shouts as she struggles against the mutant, but she's drowned out by my screams of agony. I feel as if I'm being submerged in boiling water. I writhe and twist in agony as the heat intensifies. With the remainder of my failing strength, I pull on the chains around my wrists, and they snap. I fall to the floor, panting rapidly from the pain. Mumm-ra stands over me and says "Can't handle the heat, cub?" I look at him then say "Once I get out, I'll make you pay for everything you've done!"

He looks at me, and then kicks me in the chest with enough force to break my ribs as he says "I'm superior to you in every way, now. Now that I've got the Sword of Omens, ending your life will be easier than taking candy from a baby!" He grabs me around the throat then lifts me clean off of the floor. "I'm disappointed by your lack of fighting back, Lion-O. You're nothing but a pathetic excuse for a leader," he turns to the Monkian and says "Have him beheaded at sundown today!"

"NO!"

The voice is clear in the room. I look up, and see the jackal-headed man standing before us. He's wearing some type of material around his waist, and is wearing a golden headdress. His eyes are glowing green, but flash red.

"He may be the enemy, but he has a life ahead of him. He would do well as a servant to evil. Let him live."

Mumm-ra looks horrified. "But, mighty Anubis, you said it yourself. He is the enemy. Therefore, he must die..." he begins, but is interrupted by Anubis growling and snapping "And if you kill him, you'll have his tainted blood on your hands. If the Thunderians found out that you'd killed their king, then you'd have a full-blown war on your hands. Let the boy live, even if he is a Thundercat. Is his life worth losing countless mutant ones?"

"No, but if I killed Lio..."

"No! Let Lion-O live, unless you're willing to make cowards out of your allies, and a martyr of yourself. The Lord of the Thundercats has enough power in his blood to kill you in a battle. After all, you did kill his ancestor, Satos. That wretched lion's soul resides within the Eye of Thundera, which is why you cannot touch it without harming yourself. If you kill Lion-O, you'll enrage the soul of Satos."

"Satos is dead and buried! Do you seriously think that I fear him? That cat was a coward! He deserved to die! And because he's the boy's ancestor, that means that Lion-O carries Satos' blood. Don't you think that makes him a dangerous enemy to us?"

"Enough arguing! Let him live!"

The jackal disappears, and Mumm-ra turns his rage on me. He throws me against the floor then puts a heavy foot on my chest. "I don't have to listen to a word of what he says. He just thinks that he can control me." he says as he raises the Sword of Plun-darr above his head. He swings it down in a blow that would take my head clean off of my shoulders. I close my eyes, waiting for the blow that would kill me, but it never comes. I open my eyes. The jagged-edged blade of the sword is mere inches from my face, and I can see the outline of Satos standing before me.

"You not going to harm this boy, Mumm-ra!" the ghostly lion growls as he prowls towards Mumm-ra.

"And I suppose that you're going to stop me, how?" the ancient devil priest snarls as he raises the Sword of Plun-darr above his head then brings it down again. Satos growls then disappears, seconds before I feel immense power surging through my body. I stand up then growl before taking a step forward. I can see the fear in Mumm-ra's eyes.

"You're truly a monster with the evilest intentions of anyone I've ever known," I...well...Satos snarls in a voice that's deep, guttural and filled with hatred, but I can still detect my own voice. He's using my life force to exact his revenge; he's got full control over my body "And just like you, all of your servants of evil deserve to die! And I'm going to make sure that it happens! And I'm going to start with you!" I seize Mumm-ra by his shoulders then lift him clean off of the floor as I growl "This boy has enough strength in his body to tear you apart! I'll tear your throat clean out of your scrawny little neck with my bare teeth! I'll bite into your flesh and eat away until your head comes clean off! Whatever I do, I'm going to make sure that you suffer for taking my life the way you did! I'll make sure that you feel the agony that I did that night, and there'll be no-one to mourn over your mutilated, mangled body because nobody will care that you're dead!" I'm not in control of my own body as I open my mouth and reach to sink my fangs into Mumm-ra's throat. He panics and tries to push me off of him, but my hands clamp down harder on his shoulders as he struggles.

I fight against my own body as Satos tries to get me to bite into Mumm-ra's rotting flesh. I finally manage to let the mummy go and throw him against the wall. "What the fuck are you doing boy? Let me finish him, Lion-O, and I'll let you go." The voice comes out of my own mouth as Satos struggles for control over my body. "No! Thundercats...do not...kill!" I growl as I fall to my knees. Hot tears of agony flow down my cheeks as my head pounds. It hurts. "Don't fight against me, boy! Unless you want to die!" I...Satos growls as he forces me to get to my feet. "You wouldn't kill me! You're my ancestor. Plus, I'm the Lord of the Thundercats!" I spit viciously as I fall to my knees again. I feel my strength drain as a voice says "Fine," I look up and see Satos standing before me "If you won't do it, then I suppose that I'll have to kill him myself!" The lion turns and looks at Mumm-ra as he lies slumped against the wall. He walks towards the ancient devil priest, but stops in his tracks as I say "I know what happened between you two! He murdered you by pushing you over a cliff! You don't have to get your revenge this way! You don't have to kill him! He's after your soul, just like he was when he first killed you!"

Satos growls then launches at Mumm-ra, who swings the Sword of Plun-darr at the ghost; it just passes through the lion's body, which just passes through his body with ease. I try to stand up, but I can't find the strength to. I realize that Satos is still attached to my soul. He doesn't realize that he's still using up my strength as his own. He growls before lunging at Mumm-ra again. Everything is slowly blurring as I realize that I'm slowly falling unconscious. My head is pounding again, and I can't feel my legs or arms. Everything is going numb as Satos uses up my life force as his. The sound of buzzing fills my ears as the blackness takes over...

Next time on Thundercats:

When a harsh winter strikes Third Earth, escape is on the minds of Lion-O and the other Thundercats as Mumm-ra makes his first attempt to kill the young Lord of the Thundercats. With his life on the line, Lion-O and the others break out of the castle and make a break for the Tower of Omens, but when Lion-O falls sick, the Thundercats find themselves being held back by their ill lord. Can they escape from Third Earth and get back to the safety of New Thundera, or will Lion-O cause them to be re-captured?

Find out in the next chapter of Thundercats: Wake Up!