Hello and welcome back everyone! I apologise for the long delay. If you've checked in on my Tumblr, you're already in the know of why that's been; for the rest of you, I'll give a brief summary in the end notes. For now, enjoy the beginning of our last four chapters of Hiraeth S1!
Under the stars, hidden in an alcove, a small campfire crackled. Its fire light cast dancing shadows around the junkyard's scrap heaps; in turn, the chunks of dull metal reflected the warm glow even more around the semi-enclosed space the cats had set up camp. It was under a giant, truly mind-bogglingly huge piece of metal that leaned against the heap, creating a comfortable alcove underneath it.
Panthro explained to her that this was the spot because Soul Sever's lair was "creepy" and they didn't want any "blasted scrap" falling onthem in their sleep.
Leopara had no idea what he was talking about until the sun started traveling towards the horizon. There was a strange sound and everyone looked up. Cheetara shouted, "Get under cover!" and spirited Leopara out of the open faster than she could process what was going on. Within moments, the ground outside became shadowed, and then a cacophony of thunderous crashes rained down all across the scrapyard. It felt like it lasted forever, but realistically it was only moments. She could only stare out in horror as the dust settled.
"What was that?" she couldn't help but exclaim at the time.
"Our next stone." Lion-O had answered ominously.
Tygra had walked up beside them then and jabbed a claw towards the sky. "It's up there, somewhere."
"No one told me it dropped a ton of scrap either." Pumyra added, much to Leopara's surprise. She'd been annoyed at the time, which was… normal. For her, and perhaps Tygra, at least.
As for Soul Sever's lair… to Leopara, at least, it seemed pleasant enough, but Tygra and Panthro despised the place. They described it as having dark, malevolent clouds and flashing green lightning that silhouetted a dark and menacing tower when they first arrived, but the tower had collapsed to rubble and its terrible storm seemed to have dissipated by the time she joined them. It was nothing but clear skies and unrelenting, sweltering sunshine that she couldn't escape from.
Thankfully, repairs were quick going once she joined them. From what Leopara was told, they quickly hit a dead-end when they first started: everything was broken and they had no idea how to make new versions of what they needed- and didn't understand what some of it did anyways to even think about trying to replicate it with or without tools. Their only place to get "new" parts was the scrapyard full of junk that was dropped from the heavens.
It was hard for them to continue. From the way Tygra told the story, they were practically defeated and hopeless. That was, until he remembered something- and knew what the solution was right away.
"You."
"Me?" she had repeated incredulously.
Tygra gave an easy shrug. "Well, your magic anyway."
When she gave him a puzzled look, wondering how he expected her to fix the ship, he gleefully reminded her how he got his armor- she took a plate from a lizard tank and shaped it to her will. In fact, when they found Lion-O's armor, he smugly went on, that was broken too.
All that they needed… was for her to do that again. A lot.
When Tygra told her this and gestured to the dozens of sorted piles waiting for her, she was stunned. How had she forgotten that?
All of that said, the toms were confident they could do all the installing and most of the hauling themselves, with some help from Cheetara. Leopara took a seat in the shade, with the twins waiting eagerly to deliver the parts she fixed, and began the repetitive process of fixing firing cylinders and pistons and bolts and circuit boards and- Gods, just everything on the ship.
After days and days of this, they could finally breathe. Relax.
Tomorrow, they would make their final adjustments, the twins would finish painting, and they'd take the ship for her first flight.
For now, it was just her and Lion-O sitting by the fire. Its warm glow reminded her of a night not-so-long ago, when she and Lion-O sat beside it and had an honest conversation about their feelings and kissed properly. It hadn't been like their first kiss, when she had hurriedly kissed him under The Pit.
A lot had happened since then and continued to happen.
As if sensing her thoughts, Lion-O sighed softly. She could feel his weariness and tired excitement as if it were her own- and for a moment, it was like being back in Thundera, talking in the gazebo after his match with Tygra. The moment of quiet excitement and optimism for the future they had shared…
That was so long ago.
"Do you ever think about how far we've come?" he asked. "Six months ago, technology didn't exist. Now, we're going to fly into the sky with it~"
"Has it really been six months?"
"Er…" Lion-O grimaced as he thought about it. A hint of uncertainty wove through him. "I think so?"
Leopara let out a sigh of her own. "I wish our people could have seen this. Without all the bloodshed and death."
She immediately felt like she had said the wrong thing as something dark and bitter twisted within Lion-O. "Our people would have used it to wage war. It's for the best it was lost to us."
Her heart sank. "Do you really believe that?"
Lion-O nodded.
She tried to think of something to refute him, but it was difficult. One memory of that night in Thundera in particular stood out to her: the lizard prisoners. Specifically, the way they spoke of the aqueducts. How Thundera's pursuits had decimated the hatcheries of the Lizards.
Everyday of her life since she could remember- really remember- she had stared out from the balcony of the Cleric Hall and marveled at the beautiful pools and ponds that trickled down through the center of Thundera. But knowing how they came to be- how the water that fed them- came to be made her feel… wrong. Their beautiful elegance was turned cold and unattached in her own memories.
"I… I believe under your rule, things could have been different. And… I believe they still can be. After all this, we can rebuild Thundera as the place it should have been; a place of peace and prosperity for all."
She couldn't help but smile at him, and Lion-O couldn't help but let go of his brooding thoughts and returned her smile. "You really think so?"
"I know so~"
Leaning in to kiss again felt so natural, and so, so nerve-wracking.
"Ewww! Lion-O and Leopara are kissing again!" WilyKit shouted. She didn't actually feel any disgust despite her exclamation; instead, she was merely being mischievous.
It was a bad time for her to be up to mischief, however. Irritation raced through Lion-O and into her as they broke away from their kiss and snapped their attention towards the kittens. "You're supposed to be asleep." Lion-O growled.
WilyKit shrugged innocently.
"Can't sleep." WilyKat replied.
Lion-O sighed. "I know what you mean…what's waiting for us up there?"
The mood was ruined once again. This thing which was becoming wondrous suddenly turned tense as Pumyra spoke, "The next stone, duh." She stopped walking to linger at the edge of camp, glaring up into the night sky. "And our chance to make up for our failure in the mines."
"That's… a little extreme, don't you think?" Leopara asked. "Yes, Mumm-Ra got the Sword of Plun-Darr," she began to justify as Pumyra pivoted to fix her with a venomous look, "-but our people were able to escape the Lizard army. That's why we went back into the mines, isn't it?"
Something… stirred in Pumyra. Leopara could sense it, but she couldn't put her claw on what 'it' was.
"..." If silence was audible, Pumyra produced the sound. Leopara felt quite uncomfortable under her inscrutable glare. And then, she looked away, back at the sky. Although her gaze left, Leopara's feeling of unease did not.
Lion-O and the twins exchanged glances, but Leopara couldn't look away from Pumyra. Something…
Her entire body hurt. Blood flooded her senses, clinging to her fur and overwhelming her smell. Her eyes wouldn't open.
Her ear flicked weakly. The quiet sound of someone stepping lightly through blood approached her. Her back and shoulders and neck protested fiercely as she strained to tilt her head. Who…?
The figure stopped.
She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open…
Her fur stood on end and her skin prickled from the sensation. All the warmth of the desert day left her now. Snowmeow growled quietly from beside her, sensing her disquiet. Without thinking much about it, she reached back and began to pet the top of his head. Then, she forced herself to yawn and stretch.
"I'm going to lay down now." With her announcement made, she stood.
Lion-O's eyes, awash with soft oranges and yellows from the firelight, followed her. She could sense a pamg of disappointment, but he smiled at her kindly. "Goodnight, Leopara. Have sweet dreams."
Heat warmed her cheeks, but it wasn't from the flames. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Y-yeah, you too, Lion-O. Goodnight."
WilyKit and WilyKat followed her as she retreated further into the alcove. They curled up with her, WilyKit in front of her and WilyKat sprawling on Snowmeow, and began to hawn sleepily their excitement began to ebb and tiredness flowed through them. She smiled to herself.
Who needed a fire to stay warm during the frigid desert nights when she had Snowmeow and the twins?
After lying down, Leopara wanted to say she fell asleep instantly, but she didn't. It wasn't because of WilyKit or WilyKat's snores, or Snowmeow's overbearing warmth that kept her awake.
She couldn't stop thinking about the flash of a memory she experienced by the fire. It troubled her, for reasons she couldn't recall. It must have been a glimpse of consciousness as Pumyra approached to pick her up, right? After driving Mumm-Ra back, she had awoken on the she-cat's back. So…
Panic jolted through her, quickening her heart. She was sweating, but she didn't feel warm. Her skin prickled uncomfortably, and she fidgeted- she didn't want to toss and turn and trouble the twins.
"Snya?" The sweet sound of Snarf's voice dragged her out of flashes and glimpses of the dark mines, the hint of brilliant red dulled by the darkness. As soon as she raised her head to look at him, he lept onto her hip and began to circle until he was satisfied and curled up in a little ball.
She reached down to pet his soft red fur. Snarf purred, a high-pitched purr that brought a smile to her lips. "Thanks, Snarf."
"Snyaaa~"
With another smile, she glanced around the alcove. Pumyra no longer lingered at the lip of the alcove; at some point while Leopara was trying to sleep, she had retreated back to her bedroll. The she-cat was completely still, lying on her side, but… either she was having a bad dream, or she wasn't asleep either.
Leopara found that others' emotions dulled when they slept- for instance, she might still sense a twinge of sadness or joy, with little bursts of more emotion if they were dreaming of something that made them feel strongly.
When she expanded her senses across the distance to Pumyra, she was… angry and scared, and it roiled within her like a tempest at sea.
Leopara raised her head fully to look around. Lion-O wasn't at the fire, but she could sense him nearby. If she were to guess from the way the flames had begun to die down, he was scavenging for more firewood in the junkyard. There were odd bits of wood debris here and there that could help keep the fire burning.
Tygra and Cheetara were sleeping back-to-back, content in their sleep- although Tygra was a little more excited in his sleep. Beyond them slumbered Panthro. He still didn't have a bedroll, complained none of them were big enough for him anyway, nor a blanket. With his chest fully exposed, Leopara didn't quite understand how he wasn't cold.
Then, of course, with her were the twins. They slept peacefully, having nice dreams.
Her gaze rested once more on Pumyra. She stared, trying to discern if she was asleep or awake. One moment, two, three passed before Leopara accepted that she couldn't tell.
After taking a moment to summon pale blue mist to help the twins settle into deeper sleep, Leopara extricated herself from her sleeping situation, and began to walk quietly towards Pumyra. She didn't know what compelled her… worry for another cat? Anxiety about what she saw in glimpses? Curiosity of what she sensed?
Leopara stopped beside Pumyra's bedroll, and observed her for a moment. She was sleeping, or perhaps ignoring her. On her side, she layed perfectly still and breathed so shallowly it took several moments to see her sides rise and fall even an inch. Her brow was furrowed, her face pinched in anger.
Kneeling down, she began to reach for her shoulder while saying, "Pum-"
She didn't get to touch her shoulder or finish speaking. Pumyra's eyes snapped open with a flood of fear. With a quiet but intense growl, she grabbed Leopara's outstretched arm and used it to flip her onto the hard, compact earth.
She gasped, blinding pain jolting through her as something dug into her shoulder. When her vision came back to her less than a second later, Pumyra had pulled her knife and held it poised above her. Firelight caught and glinted on the iron, washing it red.
"-yra?" Leopara finished.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
After what seemed like minutes, Pumyra let go of her arm and lowered her knife to the side. "What do you want?" she sneered.
Leopara sat up, rubbing her forearm. Seeing there were a few small drops of blood from Pumyra's claws, she allowed her healing magics to flow through her, like a refreshing trickle from a stream. "It seemed like you were having bad dreams…"
"I don't need your help or your pity." Pumyra snapped, lying down with her back to Leopara.
"Sorry…" Leopara stood, still rubbing her forearm. The spot beside her shoulder still ached dully from landing so hard on the rock. "I… good night, Pumyra."
Pumyra scoffed and did not return the farewell.
Leopara retreated quietly, slipping back into place between Snowmeow and WilyKit. Soon after, she heard the sound of Lion-O's footsteps approaching. The tension in her chest eased, and she finally slipped into uneasy sleep.
"Time to wake up, kitties!" Tygra's shout cut right through Leopara's sleep. She startled awake, sotting up and looking around.
He and Cheetara were gathered around the dying embers of the fire. The scent of cooked meats filled the air, causing her stomach to growl. Tygra smiled as he took in all of their bleary expressions.
"Food…" the twins murmured in unison. They began to shamble towards Tygra while rubbing their eyes and dragging their tails.
"Yes, food." Tygra agreed with a hint of mockery in his tone. He then proudly explained, "While you all were sleeping in, Cheetara and I did a little hunting~"
A burst of endeared exasperation radiated from Cheetara as she rolled her eyes. "I checked our snares." she corrected him, offering the twins a plate each with a fine cut of meat.
The rest of them were not long to crowd in as well.
Panthro breathed in deeply, stomach gurgling so loudly they could all hear it, then sighed in satisfaction. "I don't care which one of you caught it, it smells delicious!" He swiped an entire leg off the beast and began to devour it with large bites that were stately compared to the ravenous gnawing and tearing the twins were committing against their food.
Cheetara handed Leopara a plate while Tygra handed Lion-O his. Pumyra slipped in to serve herself, growling at Cheetara when she tried to assist her. As a group, they settled in for a mostly pleasant morning with full bellies.
As they all began, one by one, to finish eating, excitement began to race through them. Chatter and murmuring about the day began, but Leopara stayed quiet rather than join in. WilyKit and WilyKat talked about painting, Tygra, Lion-O, and Panthro talked about what parts still needed last-minute installation and checking, and Cheetara caught her eyes, then glanced meaningfully at Pumyra, as if to ask "What's with her?" Leopara shrugged. If she had to guess, Pumyra was still agitated from last night.
Pumyra had pulled her knife and held it poised above her.
Once they had their fill of the rather large beast, Snowmeow crept in. When he saw them watching but no one stopping him, he lunged forward, biting the remaining flesh, and dragged it off to a more secluded spot to tear into it.
She thought this was odd, and said as much.
Panthro shrugged and tossed the bone over towards Snowmeow. "The Great Skycat knows how much hunting the felyne's done for us while working on this blasted ship."
This was news to Leopara, who thought he had stayed by her side the entire time and the others were the ones who hunted. They were quick to correct her and explain that, besides some snares that had middling success, they didn't have the time to go hunting in the desert. But Snowmeow took to it like a fish in water, skulking out at night when the landscape was more blue, and bringing back a number of carcasses he had fed partially off.
"I see… I didn't know he hunted for anyone but himself."
"Apparently he does, when he feels like it." Tygra said. It was his turn to give an easy shrug and toss his bone to Snowmeow. He then stood. "Come on, let's head out before the worst of the heat beats us."
Everyone murmured their agreement while Leopara watched Snowmeow.
She recalled how easily he had allowed her to ride him, how he liked wearing a saddle and barding. He didn't act like a wild beast. Not for the first time, she wondered if he was someone's pet before the Conquistador stole him.
Whoever he lived with before… they must have missed him dearly.
I'll get you home, I promise.
The thought saddened her, but it was only right to take him home.
Where was it the Conquistador said he was from?
Before she could think too much more about it, two sets of smaller hands grabbed her and started pulling her to her feet, laughing and giggling. "Come oooon, Leopara! Let's goooo!" WilyKit complained.
"We have to finish the Feliner!" WilyKat added, tugging her forward.
Grinning widely, Leopara exclaimed, "Okay, okay! I'm coming!" She let them drag her out of the camp and into the late-morning sun.
The Thundercats worked well into the afternoon under the overbearing desert sun. Oppressive rays beat down on them and the skyship. At times, it seemed like it would be too much to bear.
And then, those fluffy white clouds Leopara saw earlier would drift by, granting precious moments of reprieve. Gusts of her wind also helped keep them cool and beat the heat.
Cheetara sighed softly beside her. "Poor boys."
"Yeah…"
The two of them took shelter in the shade of the Feliner, listening to the twins occasionally giggle conspiratorially. "Do you think they finally picked a name?"
"Definitely."
Leopara waved her hand in front of her to drag another breeze through. While they rested down here, Lion-O, Tygra, and Panthro were up on top of the ship where it was hottest, actually working. As far as she understood, some animal or other had gotten into the cables and made a mess, but hadn't caused any damage. Panthro had grumbled about the tangled mess for at least half an hour to himself.
"Do you think we should check on them?" Leopara asked. "Offer some words of encouragement or something…?"
Cheetara craned her head to look up at the top of the ship. They couldn't see past the metallic lip, but they could hear them speaking if they strained- the skyship was just that big. "Hm… we could offer water and your nice breeze?"
Leopara smiled and nodded.
They circled around the Feliner, passing Pumyra who seemed to be doing alright in the shade, arms crossed and eyes closed, brooding as usual. Part of Leopara, the kind and friendly part, wanted to check in on her as they passed by and have a little gust of wind dance around her, but something kept her back. Instead, she just glanced at Pumyra as they passed by.
As they rounded the corner to the back of the ship where the service ladder was, Cheetara commented, "Did something happen with Pumyra? She's been acting stranger than usual today."
"I don't know… last night she was pretty intense about losing the Sword of Plun-Darr. I think she's being hard on herself to succeed."
Cheetara furrowed her brows. She must have been thinking what Leopara ahad thought, too. "From everything you've described of the sword and Mumm-Ra's magic, it was inevitable that he would get it. What matters most is the cat slaves escaped- and so did you."
"I know." Leopara agreed. "And wasn't it for the cats that we went into the mines? They… her sister made it out safely. You'd think she'd be happier about that…"
What if that isn't how she failed? A nagging voice whispered in hetlr mind. Leopara shook her head. What else could she mean?
Cheetara hummed. "You'd think so." she agreed.
They fell quiet, focusing on climbing the tall, tall ladder. As they neared the top, she could hear the toms speaking clearly.
"I think I'm all done here. How about you, Tygra?" Lion-O's voice called out.
There were the sounds of rustling, and a clicking sound. "Everything looks good here."
"Does that mean we can finally fire her up?!" exclaimed the twins. Leopara didn't realise they were this high up already.
"Hm…" she heard Lion-O hum. She and Cheetara finished climbing while he was considering his next words. As she crested the top of the Feliner, she saw him looking towards the blue skies. Instead of answering them, he adopted a wistful tone. "It's hard to believe it's gonna take us up there, past the clouds to where the Book of Omens says the next stone is."
"Why?" At the sound of her voice, surprise jolted through Lion-O like a lightning strike. He whipped around to face her. She gestured up towards the sky with one hand. "It used to travel beyond the stars. Our skies should be child's play in comparison~"
"I, uh, well… you're probably right." Lion-O stammered, rubbing the back of his head. His surprise ebbed away to a faint sense of bewilderment. Wondering what was bewildering only instilled the same feeling in her. "The idea of flying doesn't worry you? What if we crash?"
It did. It was very concerning. None of them knew how to fly.
But… she had a contingency plan for if things went awry. Projecting casual confidence she didn't completely feel- but she wanted to, like Amun- she shrugged and replied, "Don't worry about that. I'll protect us."
Lion-O's sense of bewilderment grew.
Whiskers! She wanted to alleviate his doubts, not confuse him more.
"Uh… okay. Yeah, let's take this thing for a spin." Lion-O smacked the panel next to him. Like her, she was sure he was hoping to convey confidence he didn't feel. Feeling… not bad, but still apologetic for causing his bewilderment, she leaned in to press a delicate kiss to his cheek.
"Ewww!" WilyKat exclaimed, gagging.
"I think it's cute." WilyKit disagreed, putting a hand on her hip and tilting her face ever-so-slightly towards the sun- a clear challenge to her brother.
Promptly, they began to argue.
Cheetara, who must have already greeted Tygra, approached. "I'm glad for both of you."
Despite her words, Leopara couldn't help but feel sheepish, and tilted her head so her bangs would obscure her face. A similar feeling pulsed from Lion-O, but also something surreal.
Just a couple months ago- or had it been longer? Shorter?- Lion-O had said the same thing to her and Tygra. He hadn't meant it, too wounded by his broken heart and blinded by hurt feelings. Unlike then, Cheetara did mean it. Leopara could tell from the happiness and peace that radiated from her.
Lion-O must have thought of this as well, as he reached up to rub the back of his head. "Thanks."
"Come on," Tygra said, mercifully changing the topic, "-let's go see how Panthro's doing with those controls."
Leopara looked around. I thought he was up here? A quick glance about revealed no panther, however.
Lion-O nodded with a sense of gratefulness and followed him to the ladder. While they began to clamber down the airship, Leopara was in no rush to do so. Instead, she looked towards the twins who were lingering on their boards, and approached them.
"Bet I can race you down~" she told them.
"What? No way!" WilyKit and then WilyKat exclaimed. "There's nooo way you can climb faster than we can fly!" The two adjusted their position to stand ready on their boards.
Leopara grinned. "Who said I'd climb?" With that, she drew Jaga's staff and stepped off the ledge, trusting the winds she conjured to carry her safely down.
"That's cheating!" WilyKit cried. Leopara heard the sound of their boards boosting, chasing after her. Although they were quick, they had lost precious seconds from their shock, and Leopara landed on the ground mere moments before them.
WilyKat scowled at her as he hopped off his board and tucked it under his arm. "No fair!"
"It's plenty fair~" Leopara couldn't help but chuckle at them.
"Nuh-uh!"
The door whooshed open for them and they stepped inside. Panthro was on his back, on a roller, with a panel open at the command console to inspect the wires. "Uh-huh."
Snowmeow's chuff off to the side caught her attention, so Leopara approached him. She knelt to pet his head while WilyKit loudly insisted l, "Nuh-uh!"
"What's with all that blasted racket?!" Panthro interrupted, rolling abruptly put from under the panel and lurch upright.
The twins gulped loudly with a tingle of fear racing down their spines and fluffing their tails. "Sorry Panthro," WilyKat apologised.
Panthro grunted in acknowledgement and laid back down, and rolled back under the panel with the sound of small, rubber- whatever that was- wheels rubbing against the metal flooring. Leopara hoped they would get something more comfortable, like a rug, laid and secured down eventually.
Nestled on Snowmeow's back, in all of his thick, blue fur, was a perfectly red sphere with yellow fluff and stripes. The sphere began to move and stretch, revealing it wasn't actually a red orb of fluff, it was actually Snarf! And he lets out a sleepy, "Snya~?" while stretching and splaying out his cute little toe beans. And then, when he finished yawning, he blinked at Leopara and repeated, "Snya~!" He galloped across the great expanse of Snowmeow's back to leap onto his head, and spring-board off of it and into Leopara's arms.
She couldn't help but laugh at the entire scene, even as she hugged him and stood. "Hello to you too~"
The others finally walked in behind them.
Lion-O joined her for a moment to pet both Snowmeow and Snarf, murmuring "You too, huh?" to his kitty pet before walking over to Panthro. "How's it lookin'?"
Panthro grunted before responding. "Good. Think I've got the console ironed out."
"You think?" Pumyra asked. Her usual scoffing tone was sharper than usual, and Leopara couldn't help but glance at her. "This thing's a deathtrap."
"You have so little faith." Lion-O teased her with a forced smile.
Tygra brushed them both off. "It's only a deathtrap if it doesn't work."
"Only one way to find out." Panthro slammed his panel shut and fiddled with a couple of tools in a motion that took mere seconds. He rolled out from under the panel and sat up. "Who wants to take her for a spin?"
"We do! We do!" the twins shouted.
Tygra relaxed into an easy smirk. "I'm game."
They all began to move and settle in. Tygra claimed the rightmost cockpit seat, which should be the copilot from what was explained to Leopara. Panthro claimed the center. Cheetara went and sat behind Tygra at an independent, and perpendicular, seat facing a logistics screen of some kind. The leftern most cockpit seat was reserved for Lion-O, so Leopara sat on the long bench behind it as close to him as she could. The twins squeezed together by her, and Pumyra reluctantly sat at the end of the bench with her arms crossed.
The only person who didn't move, and who was staring at her of all places, was Lion-O. Something was troubling him, she could feel him trying to puzzle something out…
Panthro cleared his throat loudly and pointedly. "Who wants to take her for a spin?" he repeated in a deep and rumbling voice that snapped Lion-O out of his thoughts.
He rubbed the back of his head again while flashing Panthro a grin, and quickly took his seat.
"Sorry. Sounds like you have her purring good now, General. Whenever you're ready, let's take her up nice and gentle."
Panthro grinned at this.
Nerves got the better of Cheetara and she asked, "Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?"
"If she's anything like the Thundertank, you've got nothing to worry about." Panthro grasped the control wheel firmly with both hands. "Just gonna take her up nice and easy…"
Never before had words provoked such a deep sense of foreboding in Leopara.
Flying the Feliner was not anything like driving the Thundertank. The ship lurched into the sky like a rocket; at first, it seemed to be all good.
Not all that deep- down, Leopara knew that was about to change. With a quick gesture, she buckled herself, the twins, and Pumyra in simultaneously and with a loud click.
In short, rapid order, the ship began to violently rock side-side and even flipped upside down for several nauseating moments while Panthro fought to right it. Leopara flung her hand out to secure Snowmeow before he tore up any of the flooring trying to stay in place or gouged deep marks into the walls.
"Okay, so it isn't anything like the Thundertank!" Panthro shouted.
For the first time in weeks, Leopara was bombarded with the others' emotions; a torrent of fear, anger, and frustration so potent it caused the hairs on her hackles and arms to stand on end and beads of cold sweat to bead her skin.
"You think?!" someone yelled. She thought it was Pumyra, but it could have been herself or even Cheetara if she was honest.
When Panthro finally managed to right the ship, she expected everyone else to also calm down and for the panic to subside.
Panthro's did not. His anxiety spiked through the roof.
"Are we really that high up?" he asked, before promptly yelping. Oh no.
Tygra shared her apparent concern. "Don't tell me you're scared of heights?" he demanded.
Fully letting go of the controls, Panthro buried his face in his hands. "I didn't know it 'til just now!"
The rattling of the controls foreshadowed their imminent plummet back towards the ground.
Leopara had projected confidence about this plan. Yes, it was risky and uncertain, and she didn't like the idea of flying, but if anything went wrong, she could use her magic to protect them- right?
Her heart and stomach lept into her throat and she fumbled for her staff.
Things weren't supposed to go awry this quickly!
The ship rocketed at full speed towards the ground; panic and adrenaline rushed through them like a raging river. Leopara reached her hand out, willing her arcane threads to wrap around Panthro's controls- and then yanked, forcing the ship to sharply level out before dissipating. "Panthro! Do something! Remember the Tower of Omens?" Leopara called out over the sound of WilyKit and WilyKat screaming.
"We're going to die!" Pumyra shouted. The Feliner wasn't plummeting anymore, but now it was in a field of rocky spires. Only by the jittering of the controls was the wind able to buffet the Feliner away from their immediate, rocky demise.
"We're too cute to die!" cried the twins.
"No one is going to die!" Leopara called, trying to project confidence and a sense of calm. If Panthro snapped out of it, they'd be fine- but judging by the jagged claw marks in the metal floor and the growl rumbling from Snowmeow's chest, Panthro might not survive long.
The Feliner rapidly raced forward. With no one but the winds steering it, it was quickly corralled into a dead end. Leopara fumbled to summon her barrier in preparation of their immediate impact- and even began to mourn the short-lived ship they had spent so much time fixing- when, suddenly, it shot straight upwards into the sky at the last second.
And then, once they soared high into the skies away from the rocky deathtrap below, the Feliner leveled out smoothly. The fear in the room melded into confusion. Everyone else began to open their eyes and peer towards Panthro, but he was still hunched over with his head in his hands.
"There we go." Tygra calmly remarked. He had his hands on the secondary controls, and looked quite calm. Leopara could sense the adrenaline- more specifically the potent concoction of emotions that came with it- racing through him. It was quickly abating now. "Nothing to it."
"And you took flying lessons when…?" Cheetara asked him.
With utter calmness, now settled in, Tygra answered, "Just feels… natural."
"No wonder your ancestors were pilots." Lion-O said, politely ignoring Panthro in between them. He still wasn't doing so good, and was groaning miserably.
Leopara decided to take a risk and unbuckle herself. On shaky legs, she stood up and approached Panthro, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get you away from the screens."
Panthro shuddered at the reminder. Still covering his eyes, he pivoted the chair to stand up, his own legs wobbly and threatening to give out on him. "Eugh, I think I'm going to be sick."
Leopara slipped her arm behind him to rub his back in a soothing motion. "It's going to be okay. Tygra's got it." As they walked along, she continued to reassure him, "That's it, not much farther to the door…" The door at the back of the cockpit would lead into a hallway- one without windows. He could catch his breath safely there.
As long as Snowmeow didn't try to shred him, that was.
After getting Panthro through the door, where he promptly collapsed into a heap of muscle, fur, and droopy mechanical arms, Leopara made sure to immediately pivot to the large felyne. He wasn't actively growling anymore, but she could sense his distress.
Snowmeow looked so strangely pitiful, she abandoned her plans to lecture him about his aggression towards Panthro and instead knelt down to pet him.
"It's okay~ You're such a good boy~" While she scratched the spot he liked under his jaw with one hand, she used her other to encircle the carved up floor and weave a bit of magic to pull the jagged chunks back into place and reseal it. "All better~ See?"
Snowmeow groaned and plopped his head in her hands sadly.
"Guys, you gotta see this!" WilyKat called out. He and his sister, with Snarf, were crowded around a window. Pumyra hovered nearby, peeking out of the floor-to-ceiling window out at the horizon beyond, but not daring to approach it.
Leopara slipped her hands away from Snowmeow and approached apprehensively.
"It's… breathtaking." Pumyra admitted. It was the first crack in her bad mood Leopara had sensed all day.
And Leopara agreed with her. As she stepped up to the window, a gasp escaped her. Sprawling as far as the eye could see, desert and lush forests and familiar mountains stretched out. Blue skies went on endlessly, like the Great Sea.
The twins quickly began to exclaim about all the places they could see.
Dog City, Elephant Village, the Enchanted Forest of Magi Oar, the Fishman Oasis in the Sand Sea.
"Panthro, you're missing this!" Cheetara shouted.
"Can see fine from here." Panthro replied, keeping his eyes squeezed shut in the hall way.
Amodst everything they could spot… Leopara turned away from the window and walked to the other side. There was another near where Pumyra had been sitting.
There, in the distance, she could see the ruins of Thundera. Of home.
It would never be what it once was. Even if they flew there now, it wouldn't be the home any of them had known. Sadness enveloped her like a familiar hug. Part of her longed to go back to those days of blissful ignorance… but there could be no going back. Not now.
"Third Earth looks so small from up here." Lion-O observed in a deeply philosophical tone. "All the different nations look like a unified whole. Maybe one day." With his own sense of sadness, Lion-O set aside the philosophy and turned towards his brother. "Let's see what's on the other side of those clouds. Take us up, Tygra."
The ship tilted and climbed higher and higher; Thundera became smaller and smaller until it was blocked out by the dense clouds they flew through. Darkness engulfed the ship, save for all of the lights shedding their soft blue glows, for several moments. The Book of Omens activated, displaying its red compass to guide them through dark and tempestuous clouds, lightning flashing all around.
One moment. Two moments.
They burst out of the darkness and into the light above.
Gasps rang out in unison. Even Panthro stumbled out of the hallway to look at what lay ahead of them.
In perfect blue skies, with wisps of white clouds cradling it, was…
"A city. In the sky." WilyKit said in disbelief.
Thank you for reading, and a special thanks to The Night Whisperer, Heart of the Demons, IrishDreamer4, Danikm97, and Katany Cat Puff for all of your reviews! A special mention to Hestia28, who wrote me a giftfic for a Hiraeth AU on Tumblr! (With her permission, I'll be uploading that soon!) Also a note of thanks to Galmanous and everyone else for reviewing Hiraeth: Intermission! Also, a special shout out to HarrierTTV on Tumblr, who made a lovely post recommending Hiraeth to others!
Anyways, a brief explanation: last October, my landlord (who is also my cousin) sat me down and told me that because my cousin/roommate (her son) was pregnant with his girlfriend, They wouldn't be renewing mine and my husband's lease. Housing up here in a pretty rural area is scarce to begin with, expensive, and places that would accept cats are even harder to find. In the end, we applied for a really great home loan for first-time home buyers through the USDA and started looking to buy a house instead. I cannot emphasise enough how mortgage and utilities are cheaper than rent _ We finally closed on the house this month, in fact, although we've been living in the house since late-May. It's a lot of stress off of my shoulders and I look forward to getting back to Hiraeth!
See you all in the next chapter! Hopefully I have it finished for next Monday, but no promises!