"Mrrr, look at them! They need a doctor, they need to rest! They shouldn't even be here, snaaarf!"
Bengali gently rubbed the old nursemaid's head. "We know, Snarf. But…that's not an option."
Drooping his ears, the snarf waddled as close as he could to the twins, laying down in-between them. His tail curled around Kat's back. While he knew they couldn't see or hear him there, he hoped his presence would be felt somehow.
It was all he could do.
The Thunderkittens had claimed a small sort of refuge off the beaten path. Scattered trees gave some shelter but large rocks really provided the best defense. They'd found a tiny overhang—a large rock that shielded overhead, with a lower sandy pit sparsely decorated with moss.
After that jungle, it was a paradise.
"Did you see them back there?"
Despite the horrific situation, Panthro couldn't hold the pride from his voice. He was fairly certain his chest was puffed out like a proud Papa.
And wasn't he?
"Impressive." Lynx-o smiled. "Turning their enemies against one another."
"A wise strategy." Tygra sat down, just outside the twins' small circle. "And the way they didn't panic."
"But look at them," Snarfer trembled. "They're bleeding and hurt."
Lion-o, who had been silent ever since they barely escaped the collapsing forest floor turned to Pumyra.
"Can you tell how injured they are, Pumyra? I know you can't examine them."
The Thunderian woman smiled. "I may not need to. Let me get a bit closer.
Stepping over the rocks, she settled just to the left of WilyKit, taking advantage of the lessening sunlight while she could.
Lion-o's face fell. And what good will it do? He thought miserably. There's nothing we can do.
A hand fell to his shoulder.
Turning, he found Cheetara close to his side. "Don't lose heart, Lion-o. I know it may not feel like but we're making a difference."
"Are we, Cheetara?" He shook his head. "Because it feels like all we can do is watch."
Feeling like he might have even suggested leaving, the lord corrected. "I am glad to be here. To help them however I can, even if it's just being close. But I have never felt more powerlessin my life."
"Our impact is greater than you think." her words, sweet and soft, held no lie. "I wasn't even down there but I know the Call of the Sword helped. We saw it with Kat."
Bengali added, "And it was crystal clear either way Kit. The Eye's power is weakened but it still reaches them." Grasping Lion-o's arm, the tiger emphasized, "It still aids them."
Lion-o stared at the sword a moment before allowing a smile. A faint one but one all the same. "Good. It'll take more than Mumm-ra's evil to stop us or the Eye of Thundera."
OOO
"That looks like it hurts."
"Well, it's not fun, that's for sure!"
WilyKat winced as his sister wound a bit more cloth around his left shoulder. While they both had open cuts, gashes, and sores, they didn't have endless supplies. Given his shoulder was the worst of their pains, he got the bulk of the treatment.
"Can you move it?"
Testing it with a roll, Kat winced. "I can. Don't want to but I can."
"Good enough." Settling back, Kit wrapped herself a bit tighter in the thin blankets they'd brought. Making a fire was a possibility but with the type of things they'd encountered, she wasn't sure she wanted to risk attracting anything.
The two of them huddled together. Silent, unsure what to say or even how to say it. Words seemed inadequate.
And their stomachs hurt.
Not from injury either. Fear and anxiety, perhaps? They certainly had no shortage of that!
The warmth of the pendants were somewhat a comfort but there was a deep seated uncertainty that drove straight to their bones. Despite their victories (and yes, they were ever grateful for them), the realization of how early in their quest they remained burned deep.
If they were already so exhausted, so full of wounds, so disheartened, what chance did they have of finishing this quest? It seemed impossible!
But they had to try. They had to push forward. Despite the pain, the sadness, the loneliness…
By Thundera, the loneliness!
"If we were home right now," WilyKat said suddenly. "Pumyra would have used that nasty spray on our cuts."
Kit blinked at the conversation but then smiled. Distraction. And if it meant remembering better times, happier and safer times then she was all for it!
"But you know what came after." She smiled. "Stuffed candy fruit!"
"And Snarf fussing when he left the medical bay." Kat looked skyward. "He'd scold and talk about how much we scared him and 'by Jaga, stop doing that!'"
He missed Snarf. Much as his fussing and overprotective nature could gnaw on the nerves, he would kill for it right now.
"Then Lion-o would say how well we handled ourselves, Snsrf would shake his head and we'd ask for lemonade and a story. To help us feel better." Kit smiled; she could almost hear him.
"And you'd want the Magic Belt story." Kat passed her a few bits of jerky from his pack. Much as neither one felt like eating, they needed to. "And I'd wanna hear about Leo, the Honorable."
Kit leaned against his side a bit. "You could recite that story. Founder of the Thundercats, only one given a Code title."
Kat eyed her. "Like you couldn't recite the Magic Belt. Besides, I think titles are cool! And Code Titles?"
Kit shook her head but didn't argue. Titles _were_ cool. Panthro had one—the Mighty. Jaga had the Wise. Even Grune had The Destroyer.
Titles were given for grand acts. They could be given by an agreement of three or more on the Thundercat council. That's how Panthro got his. After saving a bunch of people during the Plundaarian Wars. He never talked about it much and they didn't ask.
But Code Titles? There were only four that could ever be given. The first Lord of the Thundercats had been dubbed "honorable" and it stuck but ever after, only a Lord of the Thundercats could give a Code Title.
Lady Cara of the Caracal clan had been close to being deemed "just" but ultimately, she was given the title "Fair."
The story of the Magic Belt or magical adventures had always held Kit's interest more. But if…no, WHEN they survived this, she might welcome a story about justice prevailing through perseverance and kindness.
It was certainly enviable.
"Okay," she relented. "Code Titles are cool. Still think Cara should have gotten that "Just."
Her brother smiled. "It was Lord Lionas during that time. He didn't like to do anything noteworthy."
Her brother's knowledge of history truly fascinated her sometimes. How did he remember all this?
"How did Lion-o come from him?"
"Generations of better genes? Better advisors?"
"Oh, yeah…wasn't it his son who started really using the 'council'?"
"Well, it was his daughter, advising her brother." He grinned cheekily, "Kinda like how you keep me from doing something stupid. 'Cept at least I give you credit."
She could have retaliated that his faux pas were usually too big to miss but after everything today…or had it been four days? She'd lost track in that nightmare jungle…she wanted none of this toxicity.
"You make no more mistakes than I do. And you really saved my tail back there."
"Hey, you were doing good!"
"I guess…"
"You were!"
"Let's just say we saved each other."
"Deal."
Looking skyward, they both went silent again. The utter exhaustion wasn't unexpected but something felt…wrong about it. Like they should have been tired but not this tired.
Same with the stomach pains. Last time Kit had felt pain like this, it had been after been slaves for the Lunatacs for a time, when the others first went to New Thundera. The Lunatacs barely fed their slaves and what they did feed them was hardly of any nutritional value. She'd downed a whole bowl of veggies after they'd been rescued.
This pain felt like that only…worse. More intense. The jerky settled slowly and she chewed on some bread fruit as she laid down.
Study the stars. Maps and things like that were her interest so watch the stars until sleep came. The constellations were still the same. Just in different positions because of the change in location, the time. But at least something made sense here.
A small comfort, but beggars couldn't be choosers, right?"
"You sleep," she was faintly aware of her brother saying. "I'll take first watch."
No convincing needed!
She was nearly asleep when realization hit. Jolting upright, pure panic mode, she screeched to her brother, "The stars are wrong!"