A/N: PLEASE READ BEFORE READING THE CHAPTER! There is a time jump of TWO WEEKS at the end of the chapter but everything leading up to those events will be explained in the NEXT CHAPTER!
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy =D
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.
Date started (Chapter): Thursday 7th February 2019
Date finished (Chapter): Monday 26th March 2019
Song/s: Never Too Late by Three Days Grace
Chapter 32: Never Too Late
"I know you don't want to do this, and I don't blame you…"
I growl irritably as Cheetara adjusts the tie around my neck. "It's not that I don't want to, 'Tara, it's just that I hate socializing…you know that…"
"I do, and it's highly unusual with you being a lion…"
"I know…" I pull away and check myself in the mirror – I can't recognise myself from how different I look. I don't look anywhere near as tired as I usually do.
I jump slightly as my wife wraps her arms around me from behind.
"Feeling a bit weird?"
"Meh…a little…"
She chuckles softly, and just the sound is enough to calm me considerably. She pinches me slightly.
"Somebody needs to lose a bit of weight again…I'll have to tell Snarf to not give you any candyfruit…" she chides playfully, and I feign a scowl.
"Are you calling me fat?"
"Of course not, my love…just a bit chubby…"
I chuckle and pick her up, making her shriek.
"Watch it, you'll crease my gown!"
I laugh even harder as I kiss her. "And what if I do? What are you gonna do about it?"
I lay her on the bed.
"Lion-O! What are you doing! We can't! Not right now!"
"Oh, come on, 'Tara! What's the harm?"
She chuckles wildly as I nuzzle her neck with my nose and mouth, and just as I'm about to act upon the urges that are driving me to the very edge of insanity itself, a knock at the door stops me in my tracks.
"Who is it?"
"Sire, the party is waiting on your appearance…"
I groan and roll my eyes, pulling my smart trousers back up and re-buckling my belt.
"Tell them that we'll be there shortly."
"But, Your Highness, you can't keep the Elders waiting much longer…You know how impatient Lysander is…"
I sigh again then open the door once Cheetara and I have had the opportunity to fix ourselves, and we exit arm-in arm to head down to the party.
...
I sigh and delicately sip at my glass of Berbilberry wine as I watch my cubs playing with their pure Barbary cousins.
"My King, might I introduce my future mate-to-be, Lady Elisia."
I look at the Elder's son as he stands before me with a young lioness. The female drops into a low curtsey as she smiles. "Your Majesty, it is an honour to have the opportunity to meet you and the Queen in person."
I smile slightly at her politeness. "Your parents taught you manners well, I see. Leonvix is a lucky man to have such a lovely young woman like yourself as his mate-to-be…"
"Thank you, my King but it is time that we got going." Leonvix interjects icily and swiftly leads his mate away as she looks at him in shock.
"Whatever was that about?"
I look at Cheetara as she stands next to me, and I slip an arm around her thin waist. "I have absolutely no idea, my love…" I say as I hand her a glass of the wine.
"This party isn't going as bad as what I thought it would."
We step out onto the balcony into the cool evening air and watch the first stars twinkling in the inky sky.
"I'm honestly surprised that the kids went to bed without arguing."
"That makes two of us," I reply as I look down at my glass – I'll need to refill it soon, "I thought Katzeran would bitch about it a lot more than he did."
We return to the party a short while later, and it's safe to say that I don't like how loud it is. I can barely hear myself think over the noise of many hundreds of voices within the confined space of the Grand Hall…
"Lion-O!"
I groan as dread fills my entire being as the realisation hits me that I recognise the voice calling my name as my face flames.
"Oh…Laila…It's you…" I say dryly as she smiles longingly at me, and I can see 'Tara's look of displeasure as she watches from afar to see what the young Katanga lioness will do.
"So, how have you been lately? Been busy, eh? You're certainly a lot…hotter…than what you were when we were dating…"
I gulp awkwardly. "I…"
"Are you still single?" she asks hopefully as I notice her eyes are wandering somewhere down south and, despite the overly awkward nature of the conversation, I can't help but laugh at her.
"Laika, I've been married for almost thirteen years. I love that optimism though. Keep that up and you'll find a mate soon enough," I chuckle, but my face drops when I see the look of sheer heartbreak sweep across her face.
"Laila, have you been living under a damn rock for the past thirteen years? I have two kids, for God's sake!"
She grabs me from behind and her hands wander under my shirt. "Please…Lion-O…just this once." She purrs huskily, and I try to slap her hands away but can't because of how hard she's holding me.
"Laila," I say, as calmly and coolly as I can muster from the closeness of her body to mine, "Get off of me or I'll have the guards escort you out…"
She places a hand over my mouth, and I growl irritably as she purrs and mewls seductively. "Please, Lion-O? I'm in heat; I need my desire…fulfilled…"
My irritated growls melt to a roar of shock and horror as her hand slips under the waist of my trousers and boxers and cups me as my face turns bright red…
"GET THE HELL OFF OF MY HUSBAND, YOU DIRTY WHORE!"
Relief comes when the hand disappears, and I watch in surprise as my wife hauls off and slaps the Katanga around the face at full force.
"Lion-O, help me…" the lioness begs weakly as the Guards handcuff her and escort her from the premises, and the look that Cheetara gives me a few hours later when the guests have left the party tells me that I am in deep shit.
"Lion-O," she hisses, "A word. Now."
We go to our room and I sit on the bed as she paces in front of me, looking furious.
"Cheetara, I…"
"Just be quiet and let me think…"
I stay quiet as she sighs and paces for several minutes before standing at the window and sitting in the seat, head in her hands.
"Lion-O, you know I love you…All I want to know is what the story behind you and Laila."
I'm taken aback. "'Tara, there is no history between myself and her!"
"Oh, and just why should I trust you? I saw the way she was looking at you and touching you! And I'm supposed to just believe that there's nothing going on between you?"
"I wouldn't lie to you. Why do you think I'm lying to you?"
"Because I know you! You've lied before so what is there to stop you from lying again? For goodness' sake, L'ûencho, think of our cubs!"
"Don't be so silly, 'Tara! You know I wo…"
The pain comes as a shock when she slaps me around the face. Tears sting my eyes as the realisation hits me; she's never laid a hand on me in that way.
"What the hell?"
"Don't act like you didn't deserve it!"
"I…I don't understand…Why did I deserve that?"
"I saw the way you were…You did nothing to stop her advancements, you disloyal pig!"
"But I only love one person – you."
She snorts. "I know when you're lying."
This really hurts.
"To hell with that! I'm not lying! I'd never lie to you! Where the fuck did you get an idea like that you crazy bi…"
"Mum! Dad! Please, for the love of all things sacred, please just stop it!"
We stop and turn to the entrance to the room where our son is now standing and looks pretty mad about something.
"Katz…How long have you been standing there?"
He frowns deeply. "The whole time. Why do you and Mum have to argue all the time? Why can't you just be happy like we were a few years ago?"
"Katz, you know that parents argue sometimes…"
"I know but you two seem to fight every day! It's not fair on me or Lola to have to hear you!"
"Katzeran, go back to bed."
"But…Mum…"
"Bed! NOW!"
He growls and heads back to bed, and then the argument escalates.
"Why should I believe that you don't feel anything towards her? I know what you lions are like! You have mistresses, extra-marital relationships and cubs which nobody else knows about!"
"Do you even know how paranoid you sound right now? I'd never do that to you and I haven't been with Laila since I was twelve!"
"Then how the hell did you recognise her by her voice?"
"Look, that doesn't matter…"
"Of course it does!"
"Just stop being so paranoid!"
She growls in anger before slapping me again.
"GET OUT!"
I scowl deeply, but I know that I can't find it in my heart to fight with her anymore. I grab my stuff and close the door behind me, and I hear the tell-tale sound of the bolt locking the door. I can't believe that happened but, at the same time, I also can. She's been really moody recently and I think I have a hunch on why but I'm not one hundred percent sure on it.
I get changed and curl up on the sofa which is ridiculously uncomfortable because I'm far too tall for it. It's ridiculously cold tonight so I use a bolt of my power to light a fire in the grate, bathing the room in an eerie blue light.
"So much for true love…" I scowl, watching the stars twinkling outside the window.
"Daddy?"
I look up and see Lola standing in front of me. She looks exhausted and quite sad, her tail twitching slightly as her ears droop.
"Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong? Got woken up by us too?"
"Yeah…Why are you and Mummy always shouting? Katz said that he thinks you're gonna get a di…di…dicorse…"
"Why would Katzeran say such a thing to his little sister? And where the hell did he get the idea of me and Cheetara getting a divorce?" I think to myself before sitting up. "Lola, you don't have to worry about anything like that. Katzeran just gets…well, you know what he's like."
"If you or Mummy did leave us, what would happen?"
I sigh deeply and hold her close to me as she sniffles.
"I don't know kiddo. But you need to know that neither me nor your Mum are gonna leave you or your brother."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Now, come on you; let's get you back into bed."
I carry her to her room and tuck her back up before heading back to the living room, but Orion is stood there waiting for me.
"Lord Lion-O, there's been an emergency on Third Earth that you need to hear about."
I follow him, the anxiety within me growing at what this news could possibly be about. Mutant attack? Natural disaster? Intergalactic war? Actually, scratch that last one – it's too unrealistic…
We enter the control room to see Tygra and Panthro waiting for me.
"What's going on?" I ask as I sit down, and the pair look at each other anxiously.
"There's been a disastrous drought across the entirety of Third Earth – they have no crops, little water, and the temperatures are scorching."
"We need to mount a mission to Third Earth to give them aid and provide food and water…"
"I can leave ASAP. I'll take Bengali, Wilykat and Wilykit." I say, and begin to compile lists of the aid which we would need to give.
"Good idea – they'll be able to help you. You'll need to take food, water, first aid supplies and medicines. You'll leave tomorrow evening, if that's ok."
"That's fine by me…"
...Two Weeks Later...
"Hey Lion-O. When are you going to be back?" Cheetara's voice comes in over the intercom.
I adjust my headset then say "We should be back between 30 minutes to an hour and a half."
I look at Bengali as I slowly push the throttle down. The engines are forced to the maximum as I then look behind me at Katzeran, who is fast asleep in the seat behind us.
He's only 12, but he still looks like a very young cub when he's asleep. All the hard work over the past two days has pretty much killed him. I had him stacking and boxing up any supplies and equipment that was salvageable. All the time we were on Third Earth, he was begging me to take him home, but I'd refused because it'd waste valuable time of the mission.
He purrs gently before mewing slightly and turning in his sleep.
"Hey Ben," I say as I sit back in my seat with my arms behind my head "What are you looking forward to most about going home?" The young white Bengal tiger chuckles to himself as he twists the silver wedding ring on his finger.
"I can't wait to be back with Pumyra. And I know that's what you were going to say, but with Cheetara. You and her have got so close since you got us out of Castle Plun-darr all those years ago. You where, what, 20 back then, weren't you?"
I laugh and say "Don't remind me that I'm nearly 40."
Katzeran stirs behind us and says "Dad, how much longer have we got? Are we nearly home?"
I turn around to look at my son then say "About an hour."
"Feliner to Cat's Lair. Panthro. Torr. Snarfer. Do you read me?" I say as I check the flaps and the fuel gauge.
"Cat's Lair to Feliner. Reading you loud and clear, Lion-O. Have you checked the flight equipment for the mid-flight assessment?" Panthro says over the intercom.
"Just checked. Fuel is mostly full, descent is level and at a steady angle of 50 degrees. We should be in the New Thunderian stratosphere in the next thirty minutes to an hour."
The time goes by so slowly. After what seems like forever, New Thundera finally appears, looming before us.
"Dad, are we there yet?" Katzeran asks as he stands between me and Bengali.
"Katzeran, get back in your seat and buckle up!" I snap as I push him back. He scampers towards the bucket seat then buckles himself in again as I pull the throttle back slightly.
"Cat's Lair to Feliner. Come in, Lion-O. Do you read me?" Panthro's voice comes in over the intercom.
"Loud and clear, Panthro," I say as I flip some switches on the overhead controls "What's the problem?"
"Be careful upon re-entry. There's a meteor storm in the middle of the day here. Be careful to not get hit by anything."
I look at Bengali again then reply "Ok. We should be entering the atmosphere any time now so be prepared for connection disturbances."
The intercom cuts to static as we enter the atmosphere. Everyone's tired after our two week long expedition to Third Earth; I'm completely worn out. Last time I saw the Thunderkittens, they'd been asleep like Katz. I can see the forest below us.
- (BORDER) -
"Torr, something's awfully wrong. The Feliner's missed the final checkpoint and they've gone off of the radar. Last time they were on the radar, Lion-O had the Feliner off course by two and a half miles. Plus, the communication's dead." I say as I reboot the radar system.
"Could it be a technological failure in the systems?" Torr asks as he looks at me, but I say "I don't see how because the Feliner was in ship shape when I checked it before they left. Lion-O and Bengali know how to fly it."
The radar comes back online, and I see the Feliner...and the three other unidentified aircraft headed straight for it.
"Mutants!" I snarl as I punch the desktop.
"Panthro, the communication's back online. We can warn them..." Torr says, but he cuts off and says "Their angle of descent is 30 degrees too high!"
"Shit! If they don't straighten out, they'll burn up as they hit the atmosphere!"
- (BORDER) -
Suddenly, the deafening roar of denting metal makes me jump as the Feliner lurches forwards.
"Lion-O!" Panthro's voice is a panicked rush as he speaks over the intercom "You're coming in at too much of an uneven angle! Straighten out and bring the nose down by 30 degrees. If you don't, then you'll burn up in the atmosphere or crash into the forest!"
In a blind rush of panic, I grab the throttle and try to force it back, but it won't budge.
"The throttle's not bloody moving! It's stuck! We're gaining speed!" I cry.
"Lion-O! Lion-O!" I hear Wilykit's voice. She sounds extremely frightened.
"What is it, Kit?" I ask her. She doesn't reply, but her brother does.
"Lion-O, we've got three unidentified aircraft inbound, as well as four unidentified objects! I think it's the Mutants! They're firing...missiles!" Wilykat cries.
My heart nearly skips a beat. Missiles?
"Feliner to Cats lair! Come in Panthro! God damnit! Do you hear me?" I shout into the microphone that is attached to my headset.
"Loud and clear, Lion-O. You don't have to shout!"
My heart is nearly in my throat as I shout "We've got four unidentified objects inbound, probably missiles!"
I grab the controls and say "I'm taking evasive action!"
Before I can do anything, a loud whistle catches my attention, seconds before an explosion shakes the craft like a leaf in the wind.
"Dad! What was that?" Katzeran cries.
"Lion-O, we've been hit!" I hear Wilykit and Wilykat shout in unison.
I can hear the crackle of flames and the sounds of the Feliner's engines struggling to cope with the heavy firepower from the aircraft behind us.
"Dad! We're gonna die! We're gonna crash!" Katzeran cries as he digs his claws into the back of my seat.
"Wva'cht jyinkt huagtch-zion m'alestb'va xzyl'nth shjujupi?" I snarl angrily in Thunderian as I look out of the side window and see the thick black smoke and flames that belch from the engines.
"Damnit! Panthro, the engines are on fire!" I shout.
"Shit!" he snaps "What's your altitude?"
My blood runs cold as I look at the compass. "1200 and rapidly declining!"
Panthro swears again as I pull on the controls with all my might, but it's no use - the Feliner isn't responding.
Another explosion strikes us; the already crippled craft judders violently, throwing us all out of our seats. The intercom cuts to static as Katzeran screams.
I look at Bengali as I wipe the blood from my forehead; he's slumped over the controls, motionless, blood seeping from a gash on his temple.
"Oh my God! Dad, is he...dead?" Katz gasps.
I check for Ben's pulse, and I'm relieved to find that he's still alive.
"He's still alive!" I choke as a thick smoke begins to sneak into the cockpit "Katzeran! Take the controls! I've gotta check on the Thunderkittens!"
"But dad, I don't know how to fly this thing! You've never taught me how!" he cries.
"Just try!" I say, then I turn my back to him and run into the fuselage, just seconds before the engines explode, ripping the Feliner apart...
I open my eyes and see the rear of the craft disappear into the blue sky. The last remaining engines' high pitched whines ring in my ears as they continue to power the remaining craft to the ground, only about 100 or so feet below us. I see Cats' Lair beneath us as we streak through the sky in a scorching ball of fire.
As I turn, I realize that I'm stuck; I can't move. I look down and see the meter long shard of metal that is piercing my chest, just inches from my heart, pinning me to the bulkhead of the cockpit. Blood is pumping from the wound at an alarming rate.
"Jaga help me!" I think to myself "I'm dead! There's no way I'm gonna survive this!" I start to cough, and I feel something thick, warm and sticky gushing down my chin and dripping onto my chest. I wipe my mouth on my hand, and my hand is soaked with blood, the stuff dripping from my fingers. I try in vain to pull the shard out, but the sharp edges just slice my hands open, the movements of my efforts causing me to cough up more blood.
I let out a roar of rage that is drowned out by the engines as I spot the Mutants' Skycutters banking away from the stricken Feliner. They've won; I'm dead. New Thundera is theirs and Mumm-ra's for the taking. Who's going to protect the Thunderians now? Who's going to lead the Thundercats if both me and Katzeran die?
"SYSTEM MALFUNCTION! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION!"
I can hear the bloody warning systems blaring, and my son calling for me.
"DAD! C'mon, where are you?"
"STALLING! STALLING! STALLING!"
"DAD! Where are you?"
I can see the forest getting closer. Suddenly, the Feliner hits the ground with a loud explosion and everything goes black…
- (BORDER) -
"Out of the way! For Jaga's sake, MOVE IT!"
"Cheetara, get the door! Quickly!"
"He's bleeding too heavily! I think his right lung's collapsed! We need to get him to surgery this instant!"
"Did you radio the medical staff that they need to prepare the operating theatre?"
"I did it whilst we were still at the wreckage!"
"Keep him steady! He could have a spinal injury!"
I look down at Lion-O as we rush him into the infirmary. He's covered in blood, and the red fluid bubbles from the wound on his chest and from his mouth.
"Quickly! Get him onto that table!" I say as Léon-A and Pumigarr open the doors of the operating theatre. We lie Lion-O down on the floor temporarily as we undo the straps on the spinal board before slipping a stretcher underneath him.
"Have you got him?" I ask as Tygra takes hold of the stretcher. "Yeah. I've got him." he says as Lion-O suddenly wakes up. "Ok. 3, 2, 1, lift." I say, then we lift Lion-O onto the operating table. Then, we get ourselves ready.
"This had better work, Tygra. We can't afford to lose Lion-O. I can't stand the thought of Cheetara having to explain to Katzeran and Lola where their father went if he dies." I say as I pull on the protective garments and sterile gloves before washing my hands.
When we run back in, I see the cats fighting to keep Lion-O still. I take a pair of scissors from the tray and begin to cut Lion-O's clothing, but what I see underneath the blood-soaked material makes me feel sick; there's a gaping gash on Lion-O's abdomen from which the young lion's intestines are spilling out of.
"Lion-O, my king, I'm sorry but this is going to hurt." Léon-A says as she takes hold of Lion-O's arm, then pushes a syringe into the back of his hand, which makes the young lion scream in pain and fight to tear it out. "Pumigarr, hold his arms down so I can get the anaesthetic into him!" Léon-A says as the lion fights against her. Pumigarr puts as much weight onto Lion-O's arms as possible without hurting him, then the young lioness pushes a cannula into the syringe before injecting a heavy dosage of anaesthetic into it. It barely takes 10 seconds for it to have an effect on him; Lion-O's struggles slowly cease as the anaesthetic takes over his body, then he lies still.
"He's under. It's safe to operate on him. Howether, I need to keep up the doses to make sure that he stays under. It's surprisingly common for people who have been in a traumatic accident to wake up under the effects of anaesthesia." Léon-A says as Pumigarr inserts a breathing tube into Lion-O's mouth then pushes it down his throat before attaching two packets of blood to the IV line.
"Ok. Well, as Panthro says, if we're gonna do it, let's do it!"
The first incision pumps out blood rapidly. "Tygra, suction!" I say as the blood pools around my hand. The tiger tries to get rid of the blood, but more gushes from the wounds. "Pumigarr, make sure to check for any ruptures before you try to get his intestines back into his abdominal cavity." Tygra says as we work on Lion-O's collapsed lung. "C'mon, Lion-O! You've gotta pull through!" I say as I look at the young lion's face...seconds before I hear the flatline signal.
"Tygra, we're losing him!"
Next time on Thundercats:
After being attacked by the Mutants, the Feliner has crashed leaving Lion-O fighting for his life. Will he survive?
Find out in the next chapter of Thundercats: Wake Up!