Ok, this has taken a long time so I apologise but I have had a real bad time recently and am glad to present the new chapter :)
Key:
Flashback = Flashback (Obviously)
Dream = Dream
Time Passage =...
- (BORDER) - = perspective change
Vision = Vision
Anyway, chapter information:
Genres: Drama, suspense and mystery.
Warnings: Scenes of violence and explicit language. G
Date started (Chapter): Tuesday 12th June 2018
Date finished (Chapter): Wednesday 20th September 2018
Song/s: Through Glass by Stone Sour
Chapter 31: Through Glass
"My fellow clansmen, I will not lie to you any longer – Thundera as we know it is in grave danger from an evil the likes of which has never been seen before! The Royal Family has been Barbary for eons, but as many of you already know, my tyrannical uncle has usurped the throne and is using that position to rain down hell from above with the help of those visitors from the skies! I can see no plausible reason as to why the Astral Clans have not punished him for his heinous crimes against the code of the clans which, as it stands, is currently the only thing keeping us from falling into civil war!
"When I look at you all, I don't just see my subject and followers. I see heroes. Champions. I see warriors who will never run away from a battle and will follow their King to the ends of this world and to death itself if needs be! And it is because of that devotion that I believe in a future for the Barbary lions! A future in which we will never again be needlessly judged for the actions of a single, selfish individual.
"We are not only working to unite the clans of Thundera once again, but to repair the reputation of what may possibly be the most ancient, and most notably, the most powerful species of Thunderian in existence! So, my brothers, I must ask you...are you with me?"
The mass shouts of the crowd gathered below me is tremendous, and the atmosphere gives me such satisfaction as two of my three sons start up the ancient war cry whilst my mate and the rest of my litter watch on.
"Son, are you sure that you can lead this? Jansh'r is an evil, heartless man who will stop at nothing until the whole of Thundera, if not the entire universe, bows down at his feet..."
I turn to my elderly mother with a deep-hearted sigh.
"Mother, I have no choice in this – I must fight in order to re-gain what is rightfully mine." I say as I look at the golden-maned lioness. She hugs me tight, and I sigh yet again. Jansh'r was my advisor and my Father's younger brother who was first in line for the Thunderian throne until I was born, at which point he was pushed down the hierarchy. When my Father, King Terren K'ali'viri'yix, was brutally murdered upon me turning ten years old, the sly bastard began to suck up to the council as well as my poor recently widowed mother in desperate attempt to get access to the throne. Despite my Father's untimely passing, Mother stayed strong and remained on the throne, much to Jansh'r's fury.
I raise my sword and unleash a guttural war cry as my closest friend, Kashvakhi the Snow Leopard, joins me, and my tame Primal Barbary mount roars as I jump onto his back.
"Let it be known that our Clan will never bow down to Jansh'r and his evil demands for as long as I, Satos K'ali'viri'yix, am alive, Thundera will have hope that the tyrannical ways will come to pass! We will not back down...!"
I place the book down as my Stepmum and Leo look at me.
"Lion-O, you have to concentrate and clear your mind in order to maintain the vision to its fullest. Something is obviously preventing you from this – you need to find out what this is and push it down to the bottom of your mind..."
"I know, Lydia, and I'm trying…I really am trying but it's hard to concentrate when…when it makes me so dizzy…It's been three days too…"
She stops me from falling over as she softly says "You're still fairly young, being 32 years old…You came into your powers at a young age"
I sigh as she helps me sit down and passes me a glass of slightly sugared water which I slowly sip at.
"Rest and we'll try again once you're ready…" she says as Leo takes his turn and has the same reaction as me.
"Mum?" we hear the voice of a young lioness call, and we see a lioness who seems to be in her mid-teens with a long fluffy tail and big lion's ears like Lola.
"Karys, it's ok sweetie…come here…I have some people here who you need to meet…" Lydia says gently, and the kitten cautiously approaches us, "Karys, these are your older stepbrothers, Lion-O and Leo."
She nervously twitches and Lydia sits the youngster down before combing her long red and white mane. "You have half an hour before bedtime, sweetie…Go make yourself a nice hot spiced milk and I'll be in shortly…" Lydia whispers, and the kitten purrs as her fur puffs up.
"I love you, Mama…" the Barbary-White hybrid purrs, and Lydia nuzzles the kid's mane before whispering "I love you too, baby…"
I sigh, and that's when my phone starts to ring in the back pocket of my jeans, making me jump as I check it; it's a video call from Cheetara.
I answer it then after leaving the room, and the first thing that greets my ears is one of Lola's screaming tantrums.
"What's going on there?" I ask, and in response, I hear Lola screaming for me as Cheetara tries desperately to tell me.
"Someone had a bad day at school and has refused to do her homework, eat her dinner and have her bath because she 'needs to have Daddy back home before she can'. Lion-O, we need you back here. Katzeran got excluded from school because he attacked a fellow student…"
"What?!"
She sighs. "He almost ripped the student's arm off after crushing their arm in his jaws…"
I groan as I rake my fingers through my mane. "Why is he behaving like this? It isn't how we raised him to be…And now we need to try and find him a new school that can handle his behaviour…"
"What about the Barbary High School in the Village? After the visit on the first day that you arrived, you said that they have the best ratings from the Educational Board than any other school on the entire planet."
"I am honestly considering going down that route but he would have to start back in Year 7 because his Birthday is too late in the year for him to be going up into Year 8…"
"That's fine and it would give him a chance to re-adjust."
"Put him on, babe…"
She hands the phone over to him and the first thing which catches me is my son's attitude when he describes the way that he attacked his fellow pupil.
"Dad, he was irritating me because he wouldn't stop tapping his pen so I leapt at him and bit his arm. Then he started smacking at me and yelling at me to let him go so I crushed his arm like it was a stick…he deserved it…"
I sigh deeply. "Katz…son, that was the wrong thing to do. Not only did you hurt someone but to say that they deserved what you did to them? That's crossing well over into unnecessary territory – against the Code of Thundera…"
"Dad, why do we still follow a code which is older than written history? Next to nobody that I am close friends with cares and…"
"Katz, those 'close friends' are people whose parents turned against the Code and they only want to hang out with you because you're my son…"
"You don't know that! You don't know them like I do!"
"Katz, I have better experience than you do with people and can tell you that they only want to be your friends because of you being royalty."
Katzeran growls and I groan deeply at the knowledge that my son has my horrid temper.
"Dad, I know them better than you! They are my closest friends that I have ever had and you'll never understand what I have with them! Especially with Tigraie!"
Cheetara seems to take the phone from him as I hear his yowls of frustration ebbing away.
"Lion-O, he is obsessed with this Tigraie…"
"I know, 'Tara. It's his first crush and you know what Barbaries are like with the ones that they've fallen in love with…"
She chuckles. "Trust me, I know – you moved Heaven and Earth to get me to fall in love with you."
I'm just about to respond when I assume Lola snatches the phone.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
"Hey, sweetheart, how are you?"
"Daddy, are you coming home tonight?"
I sigh before replying carefully. "No, Lola…not for a few days yet but you've been fine for the past two days, haven't you?"
"But I miss you…"
I hear the squeak in her voice when Cheetara takes the phone before picking the cub up.
"Lola, don't you have some news that you need to tell Daddy?" 'Tara asks, and Lola giggles before pulling a face, revealing her teeth, where a gap is present.
"Daddy, I lost a tooth!"
"Wow, would you look at that!" I say, putting on my best surprised voice as the cub giggles again "How in Jaga's name did that happen?"
"I bit into some candyfruit and it pulled the tooth out! Daddy, how much money do I get?"
I whistle through my teeth. "Well, that depends on what the tooth fairy thinks!"
I talk with my family for a good half hour and when I hear chuckling, and I see Leo standing in the doorway to the huge library.
"Well, quite the family man, aren't you, lil' bro?"
I sigh.
"Yeah, well, I'm only trying to be the Father I wished I had whilst growing up…"
"Oh, stop spinning the sob story, Lion-O. Dad didn't hate you so stop whining like a little bitch and just get over it already!"
I growl before stalking off.
"Trying to be the Daddy you always wanted to have? I never knew you were hom…"
"Leo, shut up. What is with you and the insensitive jokes?"
He grins. "It's just my sense of humour."
"Yeah, well it's fucking disgusting…"
"Y'aught to lighten up a bit and smile every once in a while, kid, and maybe you wouldn't be as depressed as you are…"
I snarl then before turning to face him. "Just when I thought you had grown up…"
He snorts, so I push past him and head off to turn in early for the night.
...
"Lion-O, my love…"
I wake from a light sleep to find the bedroom dimly lit, and the intoxicating scent of my mate in heat fills my nose as the heat within me builds.
"'Tara?" I whisper, and the first thing that greets me is her lips on mine in a scorching embrace as she straddles me.
"I miss you, my Lord…" she purrs huskily, leaning down and allowing me to see all of her amazingly toned body in its full glory as she reaches her right hand under the sheets, rubbing and scratching my belly as I purr out of sheer pleasure, my fur puffing up in anticipation.
"You want me…"
It's more of a statement than a question, and I whine lamely in response before growling as she runs her tongue down my chest, stopping at my navel.
"U…Usually it's m…me doing this t-t-to you…" I breathe, pushing myself back up against the pillows with my wife in my arms.
"I know," she purrs, rubbing herself against my abdomen as I try to contain my growls and moans of pleasure and frustration.
Damn, I just want to take her now…
No…Just let her have her fun, I tell myself, but despite me telling myself this, I pin her and start to groom her as she purrs deeply, squirming and writhing before crying out as I slip into her.
"L'ûencho!" she cries as I hold her down, biting and nipping at the skin below her jaw.
"'Tara…I…"
"Lion-O!"
"Holy Thundera…! I'm gonna…"
"Lion-O!"
A sharp slap rouses me from my very intense dream, and I find myself scrambling to cover my personal area as my cheeks burn crimson at the glare from my brother.
"Leo…I…" I begin, but I cut myself off at his look.
"Look, neither of us wants to share a room but seeing as we have no choice, at least have the common sense to actually wear boxers or pyjama bottoms! I don't need to be woken by roars to find my brother naked, humping his pillows and howling about being balls deep in his wife in his sleep!"
He leaves then, and I feel ready and willing for the ground to swallow me up from the sheer awkwardness of the whole situation.
"First plan of action for tomorrow," I mutter to myself as I lay down, before groaning at the soaked sheets, "Either sleep on the sofa downstairs or stay in my own hut if possible…"
I force myself to get out of the comforting warmth of the thick fur blankets that cover the bed in order to go in search of some fresh, clean bedding. My feet are like ice on the cold linoleum flooring, my toes sinking into the thick rug as I cross the threshold of the corridor. It's eerily quiet as my hearing adjusts to the slightest sounds, when I bump into someone as I hear her scream.
"Karys, easy, it's me…" I say softly as the young lioness hits at me.
"Oh…Lion-O…" my little stepsister says anxiously as she looks up at me.
"What are you doing up so late, Karys? Do I need to tell Lydia?"
Her eyes widen so much it's almost comical. "No, Lion-O, don't tell Mum!" she pleads as her ears lay flat against her head.
"I won't if you tell me why you are up and out of bed at half one in the morning…" I say, staring down at her as she twitches under my stern gaze.
"I…uh…" she begins, her tail swishing from side to side as she looks for any possible way out of the current situation.
"Karys? I'm waiting…" I say in Barbary, and she looks at me.
"Please don't tell Mum!"
"Karys, I will if you don't tell me why you're up." I press on, "If something is bothering you then I need to know."
She takes me by the hand and leads me down the corridor and into the huge living area. Her ears are flat against her head and her body language is enough to tell me that something isn't right. The young lioness looks up at me and I see how scared she looks; her pupils are tiny slits and her fur is fully puffed up.
"Lion-O, you're in danger…"
She leads me into the library, which has shelves of books stretching from floor to ceiling. Everest sees me and gets up before coming over to me, and I gently pet her as I sit on the sofa by the fireplace, which Karys lights with her mauve-orange coloured powers, bathing the room in its light. Everest jumps up and curls up by my side with her head in my lap, her white fur glowing in the warm golden light of the fire as she watches Karys select a book from one of the shelves. When she brings it over to me, I see that the book is very old and is bound in a tawny-golden pelt of fur which is lightly dotted with brown spots – Primal Barbary fur.
"What is this?" I ask the young lioness, and she opens the book to reveal an unknown runic language.
"I…I can't read this…" I stutter, and Karys places her hand on the page and I watch in sheer awe and amazement as the runes change to Ancient Barbary, which I can read fluently.
There will come a time of darkness in which Ancient Evil shall fall across the land once again,
Bringing chaos and death wherever He shall walk.
When the time comes that black rain shall fall from the sky,
the chosen one shall usher forth an age of malevolence and the dawn of terror.
The K'al'ivir'yix line is powerful yet prone to corruption.
The Lion Lord shall fall so low and lose so much when the skies turn to Hell and the water runs red with blood.
Eons of hatred will turn man against one's own family to bring about
Destruction the likes of which has never been seen in the eyes of the Kings and Queens of times long gone.
Family ties will be tested and wills shall be crushed,
and only during this time can a Son of Satos wield the almighty Sword of Omens,
to bring harmony to a land once again ravaged by the grip of tyranny and fear.
I look up once I have finished reading the page, confusion welling up inside my very soul as I go over what the text meant. Could it mean that someone in my immediate family turns to the Dark Ones in attempt to bring about the very destruction of New Thundera?
"Karys, I…" I begin, and I jump to my feet in trepidation at the realisation that the youngster is nowhere to be seen.
"Karys? Karys?" I call, frantically looking around to find my sister but she is nowhere to be seen…
"Lord Lion-O?"
I jump in shock and very nearly attack the Guard, who pins me in defence.
"Woah, take it easy."
"Who are you?" I ask with a snarl, and the guard looks shocked.
"You mean you don't remember me?" he asks, and I see the long ivory-grey coloured puffy tail dotted with black and dark grey rosettes.
"Orion?" I ask, and the Snow Leopard slips his helmet off and frees his ears.
"Oh my goodness, it's been so long, old friend," I say as I hug him, and he laughs.
"Indeed it has, Lion-O," he says as he pats me on my back, "Now why are you in the library this time of night?"
"Well, Karys told me to follow her so I did but she's disappeared…"
He looks concerned, so I look at him.
"Lion-O, Karys never left her room – she's still asleep in bed."
"How do you know?" I ask, so he shows me the security camera footage and, sure enough, Karys is fast asleep in bed.
"I…I don't understand…" I mutter lamely, so Orion answers me.
"Your Clan is known for their amazing powers and abilities but probably the most notable of all is for members of the K'al'ivir'yix family to be able to see and sense the Gods." He pulls up the footage from earlier which shows me walking through the halls unaccompanied by anyone and talking to myself.
"That isn't possible…I saw Karys, I know I did…"
"What you saw was a messenger from the Gods themselves, a Nai'rik. They take the form of somebody you know so that they don't frighten you.I saw one after my parents were killed and the Nai'rik told me that everything was going to be ok and that my parents would be with me no matter what."
I sigh then and grab the fresh bedding from the airing cupboard like how I was going to originally, and I bid Orion goodnight before returning to my room. Leo is asleep in his bed, his back turned to me but this time, he has heavy-duty earplugs in so he can't hear anything. I strip the bedding and replace it with the fresh linen before kneeling at the side of my bed.
"Almighty spirit, bringer of all that's good, I come to you with a remorseful heart. Forgive me, I have not loved you with all my heart. Forgive me for my flaws, grant me another chance. I await your conviction so I can return to the path of righteousness. Almighty Mother, glory be to you, ashamed I admit that I have sinned. I've let you down, my pride led me to attack my brother in a moment of weakness. Wipe away my sins, and bring light to my darkened soul. I accept your chosen verdict so I can return to the path of decency…" I whisper as I hold the pendant around my neck that I was given when I was a cub. I run my thumb over the intricate carvings into the wood, letting my thoughts go as I feel the presence of someone with me. I get into bed as I sigh, staring at the ceiling until I manage to fall to sleep…
"Wake Up!"
I groan as I start to wake up to the feeling of someone jumping all over me as I curl back under the blankets, hoping to get some more sleep before I…
"Daddy! Wake Up!"
Ok, I tell myself, no chances of that anytime soon…
I sit up as Lola jumps at me. "Woah, Lola, easy girl…" I say as she smothers me with hugs.
"Daddy, I've missed you!" she cries, clinging to me as I get out of bed, and I see Cheetara sat on Leo's bed.
"What are you guys doing here?" I ask as I knuckle the sleep from my eyes, and 'Tara passes me a plate of fresh blueberry and strawberry pancakes.
"It's the Spring Ball tonight, and the King is expected to make an appearance with his Queen." Cheetara says as she sits at my side and places Lola into her lap so that I can eat my breakfast.
I tuck into the pancakes as Lola tries to steal the whipped cream and syrup, making me chuckle…
"What happened last night, Lion-O?" Cheetara asks as I look up from my plate, "I sensed that you got woken by something and you were deeply disturbed by something at around two in the morning…"
"Yeah, I just saw something that spooked me and I saw a Nai'rik too. She had a warning…"
"What sort of a warning?" she asks in concern, and I sigh deeply.
"I don't really know, I didn't understand it all that well because at two in the morning, it didn't make any sense. She showed me a book…"
"What did it say?"
I explain it to her and the look of shock that crosses her face is unnerving.
"Ok, that is a bit worrying…"
"Maybe, but I'm trying not to let myself think too much of it in case it's literally nothing. I mean, it's been over five years since we defeated Mumm-ra and we've had nothing but peace from then on."
"I know, but you can never be certain that evil has been defeated."
I sigh again, before getting ready for the trip back to the Lair. I don't really want to do this Summer Ball but I know I don't have much choice. I pack up my things into my small case as I sip at the mug of black coffee as I pull a face. Damn, that's bitter…Looks like Cheetara must've accidentally forgot the milk, sugar and cream…
I put my case into the Feliner before sitting in my seat, and the craft powers up and we lift off.
Next time on Thundercats:
When an old flame rears her head at the Spring Ball, cracks begin to appear in Lion-O and Cheetara's relationship, which is pushed to the max when an issue crops up on Third Earth, resulting in a long-winded trip. Will the relationship heal? When evil intervenes and a life is left on the line, will everything end up alright?
Find out in the next chapter of Thundercats: Wake Up!