"Where you planning to go?"

WilyKat trailed behind the elder Nai man as they walked the shoreline. The Nai people were a kind, if elusive, folk but the Thundercats had been invited to several of their festivities. Their livelihood depended on their ability to fish so it seemed logical to him to seek them out for potential transport.

"We have to save our family." WilyKat said simply. Pointing out over the sea, he finished, "In the UnSeen Lands."

The man stopped cold and eyed WilyKat with what could only be deemed as terror. "You mean to seek out the Firbidden Continent?"

"It's what we have to do to save the others." WilyKat said simply. "Mumm-rana said it's the only option we have."

"We can't help you." The response was quick, short, and primed with purpose. "I'm sorry."

"But you were just saying you had lots of boats!" WilyKat tried to keep the frustration from his voice but he had a feeling he was failing. "Please! We have to save our friends! Our family!"

"I know and you have my sympathies, young Thundercats," Kat believed him too because there was no hiding the grief in his voice. "But that land's darkness knows no bounds. No man would release his boat to go there. It may even follow you back, even if you were to abandon the boat at sea. We cannot risk such evil coming back to our village."

Desperate, WilyKat cling to the man's shirt. "But what about my family? We can't save them if we can't reach that continent!"

Pity gazed out of the man's eyes. "My best advice to you, young Thundercat, is this: accept your friends and family is beyond saving. Mourn them. Weep for them. Curse the demon priest Mumm Ra. Then move on. You and your sister have the support of so many. Rely on them to help you find a means to grow up. Build your own lives."

"No!" WilyKat pulled away. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I won't accept that."

The Nai man gave a sigh. "As you wish, my friend. But I implore you not to go to that continent."

They walked in silence back toward the entrance of the village. WilyKat wiped at his eyes, brushing the wetness away. " if you can't help me with the boat, can you at least tell me about the continent?"

At this, the Nai man nodded. "Perhaps, if you know, you will reconsider."

Fat chance, WilyKat pondered but he nodded.

"The continent is large, half the size of the Horizon Sunset Sea."

"How…big is the sea?" The kitten asked.

"From our shores to the continent, it would be six thousand of your miles, as you measure it."

WilyKat but his lip. So big… "And what's on the continent?"

"No one knows for certain but we have sent explorers in the past. They would send messages back by bird but the messages always stopped." He lowered his voice. "The land is pitch black and only tall, naked trees grow at the shore. If you follow the trickle of water from shore inland, you will find a jungle where animals live but with such evil in them. They hunt for sport; you'll see bodies just left to rot. Animals have grown large, with poison and toxins running through their bodies. No meat is safe to eat. If you survive the jungle, you will die at the salt flats."

"Salt flats?"

"A wide plain of white salted earth." The Nai lowered his head, as if in prayer. "During the day, the sun will suck all energy from you and there is no water source to be had. If you cross at night, monsters the likes of which the imagination could never fathom emerge, with steps slow and silent. It was always on the salt flats that our messengers went quiet."

WilyKat considered this, biting down the pit in his stomach. "Is there…does anyone know what lies beyond the salt flats?"

"None living." The man thought, eyes lowered. "You may ask this Mumm-rana. She may be the only one who knows."

Thus, WilyKat moved on, turned to his next option—Tuskan territory—with new fear in his gut. The Nai had been his best bet. He didn't know if Turmagar had anything with the type of range they needed.

But he had to try.

OOO

WilyKit looked over the options, "This is great, RoberBill." And indeed it was. A huge spread of all kinds fruits, dried meats, and tightly wrapped blankets and cloaks.

The Berbil leader nodded. "Anything we can do to help, WilyKit."

She wrapped up the rations of food, tucking them into a knapsack before pulling the blankets to her back. "Thanks. With this, we'll have a good head start."

"Do you and your brother intend to go to Continent soon?" The concern in RoberBelle's tone was unmistakable.

"As soon as we can." WilyKit answered. "Mumm-rana could only give us a year. That's not a lot of time to travel and find this Temple."

"Be careful." RoberBill cautioned. "We have many tales about that place and none of them are good."

Interest peaked, WilyKit asked, "has anyone ever been there?"

A slow shake of the head. "When we first came to Third Earth, our ships passed over it. It is a large landscape with nothing resembling life."

RoberBelle continued, "They could see a large, flat topped mountain near the center and half way between, s mountain that looked like a hand. The mountain range cut the whole continent in two."

"But our ancestors said it felt 'dark and forbidding.'" RoberBill shook his head. "The waves were black, the sand…it was all drowned in shadow. All of Third Earth stays away." He took her hand for a moment. "Even talking about it is more than most will do."

RoberBelle agreed. "We do not want to attract that darkness. No one ventures there."

Pulling her knapsack tighter, the female kitten took a deep breath. "Well, looks like we'll have to break that rule. If we have a chance, even a small one, we have to take it."

"You are brave." The Berbil Leader said simply. "But remember, it will not help the other Thundercats if you die trying to save them."

She gave a nod, jumped back on her board and waved, "Thanks, RoberBill, RoberBelle! Bye!"

As she vanished into the distance, the two Berbils clutched right to one another. "Good luck, WilyKit. You're going to need it."