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The moon was bright in the starry heavens above Third Earth. Everything was quiet and at rest. Well, almost. The young King of the ThunderCats, Lion-O, and his lady friend Felline could not sleep. They lie on a grassy hill, gazing at the shimmering stars dotting the inky blue heavens. The young female turned her head slowly to ask her King, her voice filled with wonder and curiosity, "Do you think what they say is true? That when our loved ones die, their souls become the stars in the skies?" she asked, her words hanging in the air with a sense of mystery.
Lion-O, his face illuminated by the soft moonlight, shrugged before replying, "I've never been one to believe in that sort of thing. But if it brings you peace of mind, then it's okay. Truthfully, given the fact I died once already and I didn't become a star, I don't think that's true."
"But you didn't die, or at least not permanently, Lion-O. So, you didn't truly move on to the next life. You're more stuck in a limbo than the genuine hereafter," Felline pointed out sensibly.
The redhead king gave it some thought. "I guess you're right. I was on the edge of the beyond but never actually crossed it," he conceded. He rolled over to gaze his intense blue eyes into hers.
Felline's eyes sparkled like the stars overhead, reflecting the depth of her emotions. Smiling, she whispered, her voice filled with love and longing, "Sometimes I wonder if my mother or sister is up there. I wonder if they're watching over me. After all, we all need something to believe in, someone to love and care for, or life is meaningless."
"Do you think it's vital to believe in life after death?" the young monarch asked his lady friend. She again smiled, her hand gently brushing his face.
"I strongly believe it's better to believe in something than nothing. You can have all the facts and figures you want. But I like to believe there is something more out there. Things we cannot explain and some mysteries left in this world not meant to be solved," she sighed, her voice carrying a hint of wistfulness.
"You think the afterlife is one of those mysteries?" Lion-O asked as he propped himself up.
"You've already admitted you're stuck in limbo, not the afterlife. So, if limbo exists, who are you to say there isn't life after death? That there's not a higher power?" Felline challenged her leader as she played with his hair.
Lion-O returned to the stars momentarily before looking at his lady friend. "Tell me, do you think the stars gaze back? If they're truly our souls reborn, do you think they gaze back at us, or do they mind their own business?"
"Are we animals because we gaze at the stars? Or do we gaze at them because we are animals?" asked the cute snow leopard.
"Isn't that a philosopher's question?" the young King asked, confused.
"Yes, but the point is that we gaze at the stars for the same reason we look towards the sun. They give us hope and peace of mind. So yes, I believe the stars gaze back; they're souls who fill the heavens to protect the living. The sun bestows life and hope, while the moon offers wisdom and light to guide us through the dark. I believe we become stars to watch over our loved ones and to give light in their darkest times," she replied.
"Then my father and mother are up there, watching over me and my brother. They can guide us to a prosperous future. One where we can end the evil threat of Mumm-Ra and become one united race."
"Hmm, I do agree," she said, as they inched closer until they kissed. Not noticing more than a few pairs of stars shining brighter than others, or that there was a shooting star racing across the sky, either. All that mattered at the moment was the love between these two cats, which would enable them to end evil and restore love and peace to Third Earth.