Chapter Text
The small village was at the foot of the mountain and still blanketed by snow. But, despite the chilly atmosphere, the snow people who lived there were warm and friendly, giving the ThunderCats a place to rest and supplies.
"Is there a pass through the mountains?" Lion-O asked the village elder.
If they didn't have to scout the area, so much the better.
"There is a pass, but it will be too difficult to find in the dark," the elder said. "Stay. The Snow Festival is tonight. During the ceremony, we'll ask the snow goddess to bless your journey."
After what had happened in Avista, the blessing of a goddess couldn't hurt and the idea of hot food and warm beds sounded inviting.
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The festival was in full swing by sundown. Kat and Kit were having fun going from stall to stall with Snarf keeping an eye on them, Panthro was trading battle stories with the village warriors, and Lion-O had found a group of teenagers to spare with while Cheetara had convinced Tygra to come with her to get their fortune read.
"Well, what do you see?" she asked as the fortuneteller studied the cards.
"The cards speak of a difficult challenge, but help will come from an unlikely source," the fortuneteller said. "A great change is coming. Ah. A child is in your future."
This caused the tiger and cheetah to blush. While they had shared a bed since recovering the Spirit Stone, they hadn’t consummated their relationship yet; with the search for the remaining Power Stones and everything else going on, they had both felt that the time wasn’t right. Not to mention that, living in the ThunderTank with the others, there was little to no privacy; especially with two nosey and curious kittens. How could the cards foretell a child in their future?
"Maybe the cards are referring to Kit and Kat," Tygra said.
"No, no, no," the fortuneteller said. "The cards indicate a single child and one that is not known to you."
Tygra took hold of Cheetara’s hand under the table. A child? Things were going to get complicated (and awkward) fast.
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After a good night’s sleep and a hot breakfast, the ThunderCats set out. They wanted to be out of the mountains if possible by night fall. They traveled halfway up the mountain before the path divided.
“Which way now?” Wily Kit asked after they had gotten out and checked both trails.
“The right,” came a voice.
There, sitting on the ThunderTank, was a cat, her orange and yellow fur and red hair standing out against the snow.
“But, then against,” she said smiling, he emerald eyes sparkling, “I always pick the right path.”
“Who are you?” Panthro asked. “And where did you come from?”
“Where I came from is of no concern right now,” the cat said standing up. How was she not freezing in her short dress? “As to who I am, my name is Ember Glow. I’ve been watching over all of you for some time now; guiding and protecting you.”
“If that’s true than why haven’t we seen you until now?” Kat asked.
“It wasn’t possible for me to directly act until now. But I was there. I saved Panthro from the pyramid and protected you two on the streets, Lion-O in the remlak, and Tygra and Cheetara inside Mount Plundar. And, as I said, I’ve been guiding you.”
The stone around her neck glowed and whispers they have heard came all around them.
“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”
“Trouble ahead. They need your help. Go in fangs bared and fur flying.”
“Never judge a book by its cover.”
“Pride go before the fall.”
“That was you?” Lion-O said.
He had heard that voice so much since the fall of Thundera; a whisper in his ear every time he was unsure of what to do. He could tell from the look on his brother’s face back in the cave of the tiger clan that he had heard something as well but Tygra had been grieving the loss of his father and clan that he didn’t want to ask. On top of that, there had been a short cut to find and, by the time they got back to the others, he had forgotten about it.
“I’ve been watching over all of you. You two,” she looked at Tygra and Lion-O, “Since you were born.”
She looked up at the sky.
“A storm’s coming,” she said. “We can talk more inside.”
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With Ember Glow’s guidance, they managed to find their way off the mountain before the storm hit.
“There’s a village in the forest,” Ember Glow said. “The inhabitants are friendly if a little guarded. We can stay there for the night.”
“You sure?” Panthro asked.
“I know this area like the back of my hand.”
As they approached the village, they saw houses nestled in the trees connected by bridges. Lifts provided access to the platforms enabling the inhabitants to keep out anyone they didn’t trust.
“Hello,” Ember Glow called. “We’re here to see Queen Willa.”
“Queen Willa?” Kat asked.
“She’s the leader of the warrior maidens. She’ll decide if we can stay here. She’s a friend so let me do the talking.”
One of the lifts took them up to the largest of the huts.
“Ember Glow,” said the woman inside who the ThunderCats assumed was Willa. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long,” Ember Glow said. “These are friends of mine. We need a place to stay for the night.”
“You are always welcome here. As are your friends.”
While rooms were being prepared, the ThunderCats were permitted to look around the village (with escorts) while Willa and Ember Glow talked.
“It’s so peaceful here,” Cheetara said looking out over the forest.
Movement caught hers and Tygra’s attention. A child was watching them from the doorway of one of the huts.
“It’s okay,” Cheetara said kneeling down. “We won’t hurt you.”
The child slowly came up to them. It was a white tiger cub no more than four.
“I thought I was the only one left,” Tygra said as Cheetara rose with the cub in her arms.
“His name is Bengali,” said Willa’s sister Nada. “He and his parents lived in a small village not far form here until it was attacked. He’s been staying here ever since.”
The tiger cub seemed to like the couple and followed them around the treetop village. He even sat between them at dinner.
“He’s kind of cute,” Lion-O said watching the little cub.
“I didn’t think cats lived this far out.” Panthro said. “What happened to his parents?”
“They were taken prisoner by a group of invaders called the Lunataks,” Queen Willa said.
The little tiger looked scared at the very mention of them.
“Hey, you want to see something neat?” Kit asked trying to distract him.
She and Kat brought the Forever Bag over.
“See,” Kat said turning the bag upside down. “It’s empty. Now watch this.”
The twins said the special word “Runkinbass” and Kit reached in and pulled out some candy fruit.
“See,” she said handing Bengali the fruit, “it’s magic.”
“Why don’t you two take Bengali and go play,” Cheetara said.
“Okay,” Kit said taking the little tiger’s hand. “Come on, Snarf.”
Lion-O’s companion followed them out; a small version of what ever he was that Bengali called Snarfer at his side.
“Who exactly are these Lunataks?” Tygra asked once the kittens were gone.
“They’re invaders,” Willa said. “No one can say for sure where they came from but they’ve attacked nearly every village in the area and forced the inhabitants into slavery.”
“They have strange powers,” Nada said. “No one can stand against them and they aren’t afraid of anything.”
“We’ll rescue the slaves,” Lion-O said. “No one should be forced to work for anyone.”
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Soft purrs resonated in the room Tygra and Cheetara had been given. The couple smiled as the little kitten slept peacefully between them. Cheetara brushed a strand of hair out of his face, her own purring joining his.
“You really love him, don’t you?” Tygra said quietly as to not wake the sleeping tiger cub.
“I do,” Cheetara said. “If we can’t find his parents, can we raise him? I have this feeling that he needs us. And the fortuneteller did say there was a child in our future.”
“He’s from the Tiger Clan. Depending on what happened, he and I may be the last. I can’t just leave him without a family anymore than you could. I’ll work something out with Lion-O so we can be his parents if need be.”
Tygra’s own deep purrs joined Cheetara’s and Bengali’s as the kitten instinctively snuggled closer to the two grownups. Lulled by the trio of purrs, the two adults followed the cub into sleep.
Author's Notes: I will be adding other animal/human hybrids to this story such as rhe Silver Hawks and the Street Sharks (I would do the Tiger Sharks but I don't know them enough for it to work). If you have any you would like to see, please let me know in the comments.
Chapter 2 will introduce my two favorite Silver Hawks Quicksilver and Steelheart which means Tally Hawk will also be introduced. Should he be a robot or a miniature version of Viragor?