A/N: This chapter contains some locations that I made up myself. Yet again, this is a chapter that jumps around quite a fair bit. Howether, as usual, I hope that you enjoy this new chapter.
Key:
Flashback = Flashback (Obviously)
Dream = Dream
Time Passage =...
- (BORDER) - = perspective change
Anyway, chapter information:
Genres: Adventure and Drama
Warnings: Scenes of violence, adult themes, and explicit language.
Date started (Chapter): Wednesday 27th May 2015
Date finished (Chapter): Friday 29th May 2015
Song/s: 21 Guns by Green Day
Chapter 11: 21 Guns
"YOU DID WHAT?"
I look up at Cheetara as I say "I had no choice. He won't speak to anyone but me, and he refused to say anything when I interrogated him, so I chose to bring him here. It's only for one night, so..."
"So what? How do you know that we can trust him? Plun-darrians are our sworn enemies! He could be playing a game. You remember the incident with Pumm-ra, who turned out to be Mumm-ra! How do you know that the...wolf...isn't spying on us?"
I look at Sebastian. He crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs, grinning slightly. "It seems like your mate doesn't trust me. Perhaps if she could...get to know me better?" he says as his ears twitch slightly. Cheetara growls fiercely before saying "Don't count on it, mutant!"
Sebastian laughs again then says "I'm an ex-marine from the Plun-darrian army, but I hated going to war with other species', so I quit, but was forced into spying. I came here on a special mission, but I turned myself over. I told the guards at the prison that I will only answer to Lion-O because he's the Lord of the Thundercats. I wish to join your ranks and fight against the Plun-darrian forces."
"NEVER!"
I look at Cheetara again as I say "Cheetara, at least give the guy a chance to prove himself not evil."
"But we barely know him! He could kill us and we wouldn't know!"
"It's not as if he would drop poison in our drinks or food. At first, I turned the Sword of Omens on him, but it wouldn't let me harm him. If he truly had any evil intentions, the Sword would have warned me."
Snarf eyes the wolf up suspiciously before muttering under his breath.
"Either way, it's about time that I tell you about myself. As you already know, my name is Sebastian, and I'm one of the few remaining Wolfmen on Plun-darr. My mother died giving birth to me, just like with Lion-O's mother, because one of the pups got stuck when she was whelping, so my father married again. My stepmother absolutely hated me, so I ran away from home and joined the army when I was sixteen, and that's pretty much it."
"Right, I'll have Snarfer take you to your quarters." I say as I look out of the window. Sebastian follows the little red and yellow cat out of the door, and the second it closes...well...that's when the argument really starts.
"Reow, I don't trust him!"
"Snarf! That's not like you! He seems nice. He doesn't seem like the type of person who would commit mass homicide." Wilykit says as she leans forward in her chair.
"Sneyarf! Sneyarf! I know, but I've got that feeling in the pit of my stomach."
"You always have that feeling."
"I know, Lion-O, but this time it's serious!"
I look at Panthro as he stands up. "Lion-O, you may be the Lord of the Thundercats, but I say that you give this bloke a month. No more. Then he's out!"
- (BORDER) -
A month later...
"Cheetara, are you ok?"
I look at Lion-O as he kneels down on the cold stone floor beside me, fully dressed in his uniform. He looks really worried. "I...I feel re..." I begin, but I'm cut off when I'm sick again.
"Not really. I feel really sick...I do every morning..." I gag, and then I start vomiting again.
"I'm really worried about you, Cheetara. You've been in here every morning for the past few weeks. You need to see Pumyra ASAP." Lion-O says, then he gently touches my arm. "You're absolutely freezing!" he says as I retch again. He takes his dressing gown from the back of the door before slipping it onto me as I shiver. "Maybe it's the thought of the approaching Plun-darrian forces. It's rather suspicious. There's been no news for weeks."
He patiently waits until I stop being sick, then pours a glass of water from the tap and hands it to me. I rinse my mouth out and spit the water out once I've stopped being sick, then Lion-O takes me in his massive arms. He carries me into the bedroom and sits on the bed with me on his lap. I nuzzle into his fur as he purrs. We sit there for five minutes in silence until I say "I've been putting on a little bit more weight recently, I've been getting cravings for weird food combinations, and I'm starting to get slightly fatter. Lion-O, what if I'm pregnant?"
Lion-O looks at me before saying "Cheetara, if you're pregnant, it'll make me the happiest man on New Thundera."
I smile happily then stand up and start to get myself ready. I pull on my leotard and boots and watch as Lion-O stalks out of the door, leaving the strong scent of male lion behind him.
If I am pregnant, it'll be a change. There haven't been any cubs running around the Lair since Lion-O and Leo were born 21 years ago.
- (BORDER) -
"Pumyra,"
The young puma looks up from her medical documents as I walk towards her.
"Hi Lion-O! How can I help you?"
"Could you do me a favour and test Cheetara for something?"
"Sure. Anything in particular?"
"Errm...Just a routine check-up. She's been feeling sick in the mornings."
"Sure, just make sure to come a little bit later on when I've..." she says, but she doesn't get the chance to finish because a member of the ThunderGuard comes running into the infirmary and salutes me.
"Lord Lion-O! Sir, Plun...Plun-darrian ships...approaching Cats' Lair!" he pants, trying to catch his breath.
"Great Jaga! Why haven't the warning alarms gone off?"
"There seems to be some sort of shield preventing any detection."
"Oh god! Get the ThunderGuard troops to their battle stations!"
"Yes sir!"
I run out of the door and down the corridor to the Control Room. I can see the other Thundercats frantically rushing around and preparing weapons.
"Any news?"
"The ships aren't very far away! There are only five minutes until they're here!"
I sit in the seat in front of the control panel and power up the telescreen; I can see the platoon moving as one on the horizon as they make their way towards us...
The screen cuts to static, and a familiar voice says "Well, well, well! It's so nice to see that you're thriving!"
"Rataro!" I snarl as the mutant rat appears on the screen.
"Yes, it's me! I dare you to face me, cub! Let's play a game of chicken!"
"Last time I fought you, I won! I'll win again!"
"I don't think so. You wouldn't be able to lay a single claw on us without getting your innards spewed across the grass!"
"Ha! Don't count on it! I've got over 500 surface-to-air missiles locked onto your ships. If you come anywhere within the vicinity of Cats' Lair, they will launch and tear your platoon to shreds!"
"We aren't planning on going anywhere near your precious litter box! We'll settle this in the Desert of Blood!"
"You're mad! No living creature can survive in the Desert of Blood! It's the driest and hottest place on New Thundera!"
"Precisely! Be there at high noon today, or I'll destroy Cats' Lair wipe you off the face of this planet!"
With that, he disappears.
I turn to Panthro as he says "We can't go there! The journey is too dangerous, and god knows what he'll do to you if you fight him."
"I'm not going to let him destroy the Lair!"
"Haven't you learned from when the Ancient Egyptian gods challenged you?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"So, you can't do this!"
"I've got to!" I snap, and I hear the door open before I hear Cheetara's voice say "What's going on?"
I turn to my wife as I say "Rataro has demanded that we go to the Desert of Blood, but you're staying here."
"I'm not staying here! I'm coming too, and you can't stop me!"
I chuckle slightly at my wife's tone of voice before saying "I'm not going to risk losing you!"
"Lion-O, you need all of the Thundercats, so I'm coming!"
"Right, if we're gonna do it, let's do it!"
"Thundercats, HO!"
...
I look at the scenery as we speed through the Desert of Blood. It got its name from the fact being that the rain that falls is rich in Copper Sulphate, which stains the sand a shade of crimson disturbingly similar to blood. The midday sun makes the sand look like a flowing liquid from the mineral rich salts that had formed on the ground.
"Reow! This isn't a good idea, Lion-O! You heard Rataro's warning. He'll kill you!"
I turn to Snarf as I say "He'll have a hard time trying, Snarf. Stop worrying! I'm not a cub anymore!"
He purrs before saying "I know, but you'll always be little to faithful ol'Snarf."
We come to a stop before Rataro's battle ship, which is standing on the ground.
I jump out of the Thundertank and walk towards the mutant rat as he says "I guess that you managed to pull together enough bravery and courage to come here, then?"
"I'm no coward, if that's what you're implying!"
"We all know that you are a coward! Plus, you always let your pride get ahead of you!"
I growl then unsheathe the Sword of Omens as the other Thundercats jump out of the Thundertank.
"I have also come for the traitor who calls himself 'Sebastian'. The wolf-man who you have incarcerated in your prison." Rataro says as he draws his dual swords.
"What are you doing here, anyway? I thought I banished you to Plun-darr!"
"You did, but Lord Mumm-ra wanted someone to take over the position as general of the Plun-darrian army."
We circle each other, throwing threats back and forth.
"When I'm finished with you, I'll have a nice new rug to put in front of the fire!"
"Well, I guess that nobody's told you that rats are filthy vermin!"
Rataro's the first one to make a move; he lunges at me with his swords, but I dodge out of the way and bring the Sword of Omens down in a way that would sever his head, but he drops and rolls out of the way. I roar with rage and swing the Sword again, but the blades lock and are flung out of our hands, making the blade of the Sword of Omens sink deep into the mud.
I struggle to free it, but a sudden pain in my left leg makes me look down, right at the blade of one of Rataro's swords which is slowly forced through my left thigh.
Rataro cackles evilly as I drop to the ground, clutching the wound with my right hand.
Cheetara rushes to my side along with the other Thundercats and tries to stop the wound from bleeding so heavily, but it isn't working.
"My, how the mighty have fallen!" Rataro roars with laughter as I struggle to get up, blood gushing from the wound "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're nothing but a..."
He gets cut off by the sounds of a familiar engine. I look up and watch as the Thunderstrike flies low over the sands, then starts shooting at the ship.
"Who's flying that thing?" I hear Panthro shout, which is true because we're all here. I carefully study the outline of the person flying it.
"It's Sebastian!"
Bullets spatter the ground as the Thunderstrike lands on the ground. Sebastian opens the cockpit and runs over to us, brandishing a rifle. "C'mon! Get in!" he shouts as Pumyra and Tygra help me up "I can't hold them off for much longer!"
We run for the Thunderstrike as the wolf unleashes hell upon the mutants, who are returning the fire.
"Retreat! Retreat! Get back into the fucking ship!" I hear Rataro scream as I'm loaded onto the aircraft.
"Engines to full power. Throttle to max. Ready for takeoff!" Lynx-O says as he sits down in the pilot's seat. Pumyra wraps a bandage around my leg as she says "You're going to need stitches. The wound isn't too deep, so we don't need to be worried about any major surgery."
...
I sit up on the bed as Pumyra wraps a bandage around my leg.
"Ok, so, make sure that you keep the stitches clean and dry. If you want to take a shower, you'll have to cover them with Clingfilm or a clean plastic bag."
I stand up, but my leg hurts so badly. "Thanks, Pumyra." I say as I limp towards the door.
"Lion-O,"
"Yeah?"
"Don't forget about the fact being that Cheetara's coming to see me later on."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot...uh...thanks for reminding me. I'll remind her for you."
"No problem. You might want to get to the dining room. If you miss lunch, Snarf will be pissed."
I laugh slightly before saying "Yeah, I know what he's like. I swear, it's the old age!"
She laughs as I walk down the corridor towards the dining room. When I walk in, Snarf instantly starts making a massive fuss over me.
"Snarf, will you cut it out? Stop babying me!" I moan as he puts a plate of meatfruit sandwiches in front of me "I'm not a cub anymore so you don't have to treat me like a child!"
"Well, sometimes you act like a child more than a mature adult! You can't keep yourself outta trouble for five seconds! And yet you wonder why I still treat you like a cub?"
I groan before turning to Cheetara and saying "Don't forget about your appointment with Pumyra after lunch."
"Oh, I almost forgot! Well, I might as well go now." she says, then she gets up and walks out of the door.
- (BORDER) -
"Pumyra?"
"Come in."
I open the door of the infirmary then walk in. I see Pumyra sitting on one of the beds, sorting through some of the medical equipment. "I've come for the appointment."
"C'mon then. Take a seat and we'll begin." she says as she walks towards the back room. I follow her and anxiously perch on the edge of one of the chairs as she flicks through my medical documents.
"Anything out of the ordinary lately?"
"Well, I have been feeling really sick in the mornings, and I've been getting cravings for strange foods."
"Forgive me for asking this, but when were you last on?"
"I'm sorry...what?" I say as what she'd just said registers with me.
"When were you last on? Basically, when did you have your last period?"
"It was a little while ago, but they've always been irregular. I'd say about a month ago."
"That means that you're overdue?"
"Well, yeah."
She chuckles before saying "Oh, Cheetara...Cheetara, Cheetara, Cheetara. I'm surprised that you haven't realized yet!"
"What? What's going on?"
"You aren't aware that there's soon to be a new member of your family?"
"Wait...what?"
Pumyra chuckles again then says "Cheetara, you're pregnant."
The news makes my heart feel like it skips a beat. "I'm...I'm pregnant?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Yeah. I'm surprised that you hadn't realized at all. I can't imagine how Lion-O's going to react to the news of becoming a father."
We stand up as I ask "How can you be so sure? I thought that there was a test that you had to do to be able to find out!"
"Cheetara, I'm a fully trained medical professional. Do you really think that I wouldn't know if you were carrying a cub? I know the signs of pregnancy like the back of my hand."
I walk towards the exit of her office as I say "How long will I be feeling sick in the morning for?"
"That lasts only through the first trimester, which is only a few months. Cheetara, you do know that there's a high chance that it'll be twins because of Lion-O being a twin."
I laugh slightly before saying "And if it is twins, I hope that they get on better together than Lion-O and Leo. Those two are constantly at each other's throats."
"That's the problem with having boys. They fight a lot of the time."
"Ha! Is that from experience?"
"Yeah. I had two brothers who were both 10 years younger than me, and they constantly fought with each other."
...
"I can't believe that we made him run off like that! The coward!"
"He calls himself a warlord, but he isn't!"
"Well, he definitely won't be coming back for a while!"
I watch Lion-O as he picks up his glass of red wine then stands up. "Here's to teaching Rataro a lesson! And, a special thanks to you, Sebastian, for pulling our asses out of the fire. You saved us."
Sebastian grins at Lion-O then says "I'm glad that you're all starting to trust me more. I know that my presence at first would have been unnerving, but I don't bite."
Lion-O takes a sip from his glass and when he sets it back down on the table, he notices that I haven't touched mine.
"Are you ok, Cheetara? I thought that you liked red wine."
"Yeah, I'm ok. It's just that I don't fancy it at the moment."
"I see. Either way, how was your appointment with Pumyra?" he asks in an excited, hopeful voice.
I gulp nervously as everyone turns to look at me. I can't tell them all at once; I wanted to tell Lion-O first. I know that he wants the news, but I can't tell him yet. I look at Pumyra, and she winks at me.
"It was ok. I...I just...I just have a bit of a stomach upset."
I didn't want to lie to him, but I had no choice. I can see the look of disappointment sweep across him as his face falls.
"Oh...ok..." he says as he looks down at his food. He starts eating, but not as quickly as he would...
As I try to sleep that night, I lie awake in bed. I roll onto my side and watch Lion-O as he sleeps peacefully. How can he sleep when he knows that there's risk of another attack? I mean, I know that Pumyra gave him some herbal medicine to help him sleep, but he used to be the one who would lie awake at night. I roll over, and subconsciously place my hand on my abdomen. I can't believe that I'm carrying Lion-O's cub. How can that one time on Valentine's Day have been enough to conceive a child? I sigh and roll back onto my back. Traditionally, cubs born into the Thunderian Royal Family are pure bloods, not hybrids. The last time there was a hybrid on the throne, she was a Tijagupardess called Aðalgerður, who was married to a mongrel called Aðalbjörn. She and her mate were shunned by society and overthrown, then executed.
I slip out of bed then pull on my dressing gown then pad down the stairs towards the kitchen. The door opens, and I jump back at the sight of Sebastian sitting on the counter. He looks up and says "Sorry I scared you. You still don't trust me, do you?"
"Maybe your luck is starting to turn around. Lion-O was right with what he said. Thanks for saving us."
"It's ok. Can't sleep?"
"No..."
"Me neither..." Sebastian says as he looks down, his ears drooping slightly as he takes a sip from a mug "I made some hot milk if you want some."
He passes me a mug, and I nervously sniff it, just incase he'd done something to it.
"It's just cinnamon and nutmeg. It's my father's secret recipe. It's really nice. Trust me."
I take a sip from the mug; it tastes absolutely delicious. It reminds me of what my mother used to make when I was younger.
I take another sip, then Sebastian says "When are you going to tell Lion-O that you're carrying his cub?"
"Wha...How do...how do you know that I'm pregnant?"
"Trust me. I know because of how you've been behaving recently."
I sigh, finish my milk then say "Right, I'm going back to bed. I'll see you in the morning, Sebastian."
I walk back out of the door then back towards mine and Lion-O's room and walk inside. Lion-O is still fast asleep, so I take off my dressing gown then slip back under the covers. I close my eyes and try to sleep, and after what seems like hours, the fatigue slowly takes over and I find myself falling asleep...
"What are we going to do about it?"
Rataro turns around to face the parrot-like Mutant as he says "I'm going to let that wretched cub think that he's seen the last of us, then when he least expects it, we'll take them by surprise. I'll give Lion-O the chance to lick his wounds, then we'll take him!"
I seem to be observing the situation from a third person perspective. I'm still myself, but they seem to be taking no notice of me.
I watch as the mutant rat walks past me towards the door. I follow him through the corridor, towards what looks like a dungeon.
"Well, girl! Are you ready to tell us how to sneak into Cats' Lair?"
I look down in horror as a young Thunderian cub is picked up by the throat. "Please! I want my mummy! I want to go home!" the cub begs. She's sobbing, and her appearance is shabby.
"You're staying here, right where you belong, you little guttersnipe! Remember that I took you right from your mother's nose in the street. You answer to me! Now tell me, what is the way of sneaking into the Cats' Lair without being detected?"
"I've told you before! I don't know!"
"LIAR! TELL ME!"
"Please! I really don't know! Let me go home! I WANT MY MUMMY!"
"SHUT UP! If you don't tell me by sunrise tomorrow, I'll stab you in the stomach, take you out into the forest, and leave you for the wolves to eat!"
"NO!"
"It's your decision, girl!"
I can't help but growl as he walks out of the cell, leaving the little pumiger cub crying from fear. I follow Rataro back into the control room.
"General Rataro, how are we going to fulfil Lord Mumm-ra's command?"
"Easily, Elgar. When we have got into the Lair, we'll slaughter Lion-O in front of the other Thundercats."
"Any method in particular?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. That's all."
"Well, as far as brutal and agonizing methods go, I'll either disembowel him, or slit his throat."
"What if he manages to kill you first?"
"Lion-O would never do anything like that. His precious 'Code of Thundera' forbids any acts of murder or killing, act of defence or otherwise."
Ha! Pathetic!"
"I know!"
I wake up like a shot. I sit bolt upright, panting. I look at Lion-O, who is still asleep next to me, despite having most of the blankets stolen from him.
"Lion-O. Lion-O, wake up!" I whisper as I shake his shoulders. He groans groggily then yawns as he stirs before saying "Ohhh...Great Jaga, Cheetara. Why did you wake me up at this ungodly time of night?"
"Lion-O, I've just had a terrible dream! It was horrible!" I say as he sits up. He takes me in his arms, pulls me close to him and tries to comfort me as I continue.
"Rataro isn't gone, Lion-O. He's just laying low for the time being because he's trying to find a way into Cats' Lair. He's kidnapped a pumiger cub and is forcing her to tell him the way to get in. He even said that when he gets in, he's gonna kill you in front of us..."
"I'll up...up the defences in the morning...warn everyone about it...leave me to sleep..." he yawns, then lies back down again.
I lie down, then I say "Lion-O, there's something really important that I need to tell you..."
He grunts as he rolls over and pulls me towards him, breathing in the scent of my mane as he hugs me. "What do you need to tell me?" he asks as he yawns deeply.
I sigh before rolling over to face him; he's looking at me with his beautiful deep gingery orange eyes.
"I...I'm...I'm pr..." I stutter, then I sigh deeply again before saying "Lion-O, I'm pregnant; you're going to be a father."
Next time on Thundercats:
As the Thundercats struggle to rid New Thundera of Rataro, Lion-O must turn his back on the Code of Thundera to defeat him. Now that Cheetara is carrying his cub, he must protect her at all costs, which proves to be a harder task than he anticipated. But when Mumm-ra decides to step everything up a notch by kidnapping the Queen of New Thundera, Lion-O discovers that he has powers like he could never have imagined. Will he be able to save Cheetara from the tyrant's icy grip?
Find out in the next chapter of Thundercats: Wake Up!