Unwanted Entrapment


Part Nine

Cheetara looked around her, no Lion-O’s room with a heavy heart. Besides her furniture all she brought to Lion-O’s room were her single luggage of clothes and personal accessories. ThunderCats always traveled light anyway. Sitting on the bed, a question came to her. Where would she go? The children had her room and the other spare room was on the level below.


Facing another battle, Cheetara rose from bed with her luggage and headed for the room across the hall. Lion-O was feeding Aiden and the cold stare he gave Cheetara made her shiver in fear.


“What are you doing here?”


“We have to make some ground rules,” Cheetara said.


“Ground rules?” Lion-O rose from the chair and put Aiden in his crib. The look he gave Cheetara could kill if possible. “You lost that privilege after you betrayed me.”


“Where do you want me to go?” Cheetara asked. “This is my old room and I can‘t share it with the children. What will you tell the others? Do you want them to know you’re leaving me? And I want visitation to my children,” Cheetara demanded. “I know you‘re angry at me and you rather spit at me than look at me now but I‘ve done nothing to cause me to lose rights to my children.”


Lion-O scoffed. “I think not eating much early in your pregnancy and collapsing weeks before the children’s birth are starters.”


Cheetara gasped. “I told you---”


“That Tygra blackmailed you?” He finished for her. “That you were actually guilty for what you did to me? Like I’m gonna believe that. I was a fool.” He shook his head in disgust. “I can’t believe I actually apologized to you and ask for your forgiveness when I put pressure on you to marry me.”


“You’re still angry. I understand that. I--” she stopped, realizing this argument will get them nowhere. Plus, she didn‘t want to disturb the children. “Never mind. I’ll go. I’ll be in the room below and you can decide what to tell the others, but I will see my children.”


“With supervision,” Lion-O muttered.


Cheetara whirled around. “Excuse me?”


“You can’t be trusted. You wanted to raise the children on your own. How can I be so sure you won’t run off with them? No. Either I or Panthro, who will know in full detail what you did, will be with you when you see the children and that would be on a schedule with the children’s feeding.”


“Feeding schedule? What--”


“I’m doing the talking,” Lion-O rudely interrupted her, anger rising the more he spoke. “For once, I’m calling the shots in this shame of a relationship. You will only have access to the children three times a day when you have to breastfeed them. The rest of the time you will pump your milk in a bottle and I or Snarf will feed them. We’ll take care of the bathing and changing as well. When you do have access to them, only Panthro and I will be with you. We’re the only ones strong enough to fight you if necessary.”


The indignation! How dare he? Cheetara felt her own anger rising. “I can’t believe you would actually think--”


“You haven’t left me much choice,” Lion-O remarked. “I’ve answered your questions. Now get out of my sight.”


Cheetara opened her mouth to speak but knew that would get her nowhere, especially with Lion-O the way he was. She turned to leave the room, knowing she’ll make things worse if she said anything else. She went to the level below and once she was in the safety of the room, cried again. She lost Lion-O and now he was restricting her visits on her own children. Cheetara cried even harder. She hated Tygra for doing this to her, but most of all she hated herself for allowing this to happen.

****

Cheetara somehow found her way to sleep. When she awakened, morning light was pouring into the room. Morning light? Cheetara sat up in bed. She overslept. Judging by the light, it had to be near eight. The ThunderCats were already up so they must know the awful news. She wondered what they thought of her. Would they hate her as well? And what about Tygra? What would that spineless cretin think?


Her thoughts were cut off by a knock at the door. “C-come in,” she said weakly.


Panthro entered and by the look on his face Cheetara knew he knew what happened. “It’s time to feed the children.”


Cheetara rose without question and followed Panthro to the babies’ room. Cheetara wanted to speak, tell Panthro her side but she didn’t. She couldn’t. Lion-O and Panthro were close, sharing a brotherly bond. He would judge her the same as Lion-O had.


When she came into the children’s room, Cheetara raced to the crib. Aiden and Ciara lied happily thinking all was right with the world, still in awe of everything around them. Cheetara stroke each of their hair as tears formed again. They had only been apart for one night but it felt like years.


“Um,” Panthro cleared his throat. “You better hurry up. Lion-O has you on a set time limit. He’ll come in her if you go over.”


He was timing her restrictions as well? She knew she should have expected but it still came as a surprise. “How much time?”


“Twenty minutes.”

Cheetara gasped. “Twenty minutes?”


“Actually, it’s eighteen now. I really believe he will come in when time is up,” Panthro said, urging Cheetara to hurry up.


Cheetara nodded quietly. She picked up Aiden first and turned her back on Panthro. She opened her nightshirt and allowed Aiden to feed off her left breast. “He can’t force me out. He can’t stop me from feeding the children,” Cheetara argued quietly, but Panthro didn’t say anything.


“I assume Lion-O told you.”


“First thing this morning,” Panthro said. “Cheetara, how could you do that to Lion-O?”


She expected Panthro to yelled at her but he sound shocked and disappointed at her behavior. “I was stupid and selfish, Panthro. I wanted children so badly that I didn’t care about Lion-O. He told you everything?”


“Yeah. Even the part about Tygra blackmailing you.”


"Do you believe me or do you think I’m lying?”


She heard Panthro sigh. He didn’t believe her either. “Tygra has his quirks, you know. He can be addicted to things. He can be anal, too curious for his own good, but even I must admit, it sounds strange Tygra would blackmail you so he can sleep with you.”


Cheetara sighed. “So no one believes me. I bet he’s already denying my accusation.”


“Tygra hasn’t been able to do that. He’s not here.”


“He’s not?” Cheetara turned her head. “Why?”


“Tygra left early to visit Theed and survey the construction in the city,” Panthro explained. “He doesn’t know yet about you and Lion-O. Everyone else does.”


Cheetara looked at her son as he fed off her. “They don’t believe me either.”


“The shock is still hitting us though Pumyra made a good point in saying if Tygra wasn’t threatening you then why would you tell Lion-O? So, you have some support in Pumyra.”


Cheetara removed Aiden from her left breast, covered herself and allowed his head to rest on her shoulder as she burped him. She looked at Panthro hopefully. “Is she the only one?”


The two eyed each other. They had been friends for the longest time. She thought at least he would believe her. Panthro smiled and took a step toward Cheetara. One more and then another. “No. You still have a friend in me.”


Cheetara cried softly as she and Panthro embraced. “It’ll be all right, Cheetara,” his deep voice rumbled gently.


“No, it won’t! Lion-O hates me. He’s forced restrictions on my own children!”


Panthro rubbed Cheetara’s back soothingly. “Lion-O’s upset right now. You have to remember you did hurt him and he’s acting out of anger.”


Cheetara sniffed and stepped back. “I know. I know I did and I’m so sorry.”


“Wait until he cools down,” Panthro advised. “He’ll be more lenient then.”


Cheetara shook her head stubbornly. “No. When Lion-O makes a decision, that’s it. You know how impetuous and hot headed he can be and his decisions, no matter his mood are always final.”


“I still say give him his space, do what he wants for a while and he’ll change his mind. I know he will.” Panthro wiped the tears from Cheetara’s face. “In the mean time, you better feed your daughter.”


“Right,” Cheetara said and went back to the crib. She picked up Ciara and proceeded with feeding her. “Where’s Lion-O now?”


“He’s probably moving whatever stuff still in your room. He’s pretty adamant to get anything that reminds him of you out of his room.”


“I’ve already packed my clothes and accessories. There’s just my furniture--” she was silenced when she heard a loud noise from outside. Using her senses, she felt Lion-O outside the door. “He’s moving my furniture. That’s why he wanted me to feed the children now.”


“I’m sorry,” Panthro apologized.


“It’s not your fault.” She sighed. “I love him so much, Panthro. I want him in my life, but I don’t know what to do to get him back.”


“Time heals all wounds and if you’re meant to be together then you will be,” Panthro advised.


Cheetara caressed Ciara’s face as she drunk her milk. “There’s a chance Lion-O will never forgive me and eventually, I’ll have to accept that but I will fight for my right to be with my children.”


“Don’t do anything rash, Cheetara. Just give Lion-O time to cool off,” Panthro advised.


Cheetara nodded but right now she focused on Ciara, looking innocent and carefree as she ate. How long Cheetara wondered. How long would she be separated from her children? Only seeing them three times a day for twenty minutes was killing her. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could do this and it was only the first day.


Sensing her mother feelings, Ciara struggled and started crying. Cheetara covered herself and held her daughter close. She soothed the child with her voice until she quiet down. “It’s okay,” Cheetara whispered. “It’s okay.” Cheetara kissed her daughter’s temple. “I will fight for my children, Panthro.”


The door opened behind Panthro and Lion-O filled the entrance. “Your twenty minutes are up.” Lion-O stroll to her and took Ciara out of Cheetara’s arms. “You’re due to work at the Tower of Omens today.”


“Work?” The words sound so foreign since giving birth. “I’m still weaning the children.”


“You can do light work and you can pump your milk there,” he said coldly. “It’s time you start to wean them anyhow. If we are attacked by the Mutants I’ll be a ThunderCat short.”


His argument sounded reasonable but Cheetara knew the real reason behind this. “You’re trying to cut me out of the children’s life. You’re covering it with the Mutants but I know the truth.”


“Please,” Lion-O scoffed as he rolled his eyes. “What would you know about telling the truth?”


Cheetara took in a deep breath to calm her temper. “Perhaps I deserve that, but my children need me. They know my face, my touch. They need their mother in their life and I’m their mother!”


“Not for much longer,” Lion-O argued and was met with Cheetara’s hand across his face.


Ciara screeched and not soon after her yelling, Aiden started crying as well. Panthro pulled Cheetara away from Lion-O. “Hold on, Cheetara. Keep cool.”


“Keep cool? He’s trying to take my children from me!” Cheetara yelled.


“You better listen to Panthro,” Lion-O warned. “I’ll let that go, but I won’t be so forgiving next time. I shouldn’t forgive you at all after what you did.” The children howled louder. “Panthro, get her out of here.”


Cheetara struggled in Lion-O’s arms. “You can’t. They need me.”


“Not anymore. I’m their parent now,” Lion-O said as he approach the crib. He picked up Aiden, holding both children in his arms as he calmed them down.


Cheetara yelled and scream as Panthro picked her up and took her out of the room. Panthro didn’t set Cheetara down until she was on the next level. “Cool it, Cheetara! Don’t try Lion-O now.”


“That monster is keeping me from my children!”


“Lion-O’s still upset and you’re not making it any easier on yourself with your actions. Now, I’ll talk to him. In the meantime, go to the Tower of Omens.”


Cheetara wanted to argue but she knew Panthro was right. If anyone could get through Lion-O, it would be Tygra. He huffed and left the room. Panthro headed up to the children’s room where Lion-O had calmed Ciara down and was working on Aiden. “I understand your anger at Cheetara and your need to punish her, but don’t you think you could achieve the same method through less aggressive means?”


Lion-O turned to Panthro holding a whimpering Aiden in his arms. “I did what I had to do and you don’t understand.”


“I understand you’re punishing your children for Cheetara’s mistake.”


Lion-O looked at him accusingly. “Are you taking her side now?”


“I’m thinking what’s best for the children and children need their mothers as well as their fathers.”


Lion-O looked away focusing on his son. “Sometimes mothers and fathers don’t always get along. They’ll accept it. They’re young. The children won’t miss her.”


“So you are gonna cut them from her.” Panthro didn’t like Lion-O’s line of thinking at all. “Lion-O, be reasonable.”


“Reasonable?!” Lion-O roared and Aiden cried again. Lion-O soothed his son. “Reasonable?” he said in a calmer tone. “After what she did.”


“What she did was terrible I know, but did you even think about what she told you?” Panthro asked.


“About Tygra?”


“For a woman who wasn’t going to get caught with what she did, it does sound strange she would confess. Maybe you should talk to Tygra about it and see if it’s true.”


“And then what?” Lion-O asked. “I should take her back and forget what happened? Even if Tygra blackmailed Cheetara, it doesn’t change the fact she used me for her own means. She didn’t think I would want my own kids. She blame my youth and dating other women.”


Panthro gave Lion-O a look. “You were dating a lot of them. I honestly thought you were sowing your royal oats so to speak before you settled down.”


Lion-O never looked so insulted. “Is that what you all thought? That I was chasing legs and trying to get between as many as possible? Not that it matters now, but I didn’t stay with the women because they weren’t what I wanted. I was stupidly in love with Cheetara and comparing every women to her. It was a big mistake. I blew plenty of wonderful women because of Cheetara.”


Panthro crossed his arms over his chest. “They couldn’t be so wonderful if still prefer Cheetara over them. The heart want what it wants and there’s no changing that. You still love Cheetara and she loves you.”


“Don’t make me laugh,” Lion-O growled. “Cheetara only loves herself.”


“You really think so?” Panthro asked leaning on a wall by the door. “Has there ever been a time in your marriage Cheetara said anything, done anything to show she loves you? Has she said anything that indicates she was scared of losing you?”


“What has that go to do with anything?” Lion-O snapped.


Panthro held back a smile. So, Cheetara did say something. “Her fear shows how much she loves you and how scared she is of losing you.”


Lion-O sighed wearily not noticing a calmer Aiden pull at his Daddy’s shirt in a playful gesture. “Sometimes she would tell me not to forget she loves me, how she doesn’t want to lose me. I was her first but I doubt that means anything.”


“It says a lot. Of all the men she could’ve have, she chose you.” Panthro uncrossed his arms and crossed the room to rest a hand on Lion-O’s shoulder. “Cheetara made a huge mistake but she is trying to do the right thing. Think about it before ending your marriage. Do you think you could ever forgive her?”


Lion-O sighed again and this time put Aiden in the crib. He rolled on his side and played with his sister who was entertaining herself by the marvel of her hands. “Forgiving her is the last thing I want.”


“But can you?”


“I don’t know,” Lion-O sighed again. “I should because of the children, but I don’t want to.”


“Give it time before you do something you regret,” Panthro advised and left the room.

****

Tygra nodded approvingly at the work being done in Theed. Several homes were going up at a phenomenal rate and all built to code. Most of the people building homes have families themselves who need a home to live in and with more people returned to the planet, the more volunteers he got.


Lion-O landed the ThunderClaw and approached Tygra. Nothing in his smile or strait told Tygra Lion-O knew Cheetara’s secret. It was up to him to tell Lion-O the truth. It was Cheetara’s own fault she didn’t listen to him.


“How’s it going?” Lion-O asked.


“Very well,” Tygra responded and gestured to the growing metropolis behind him.


“I see,” Lion-O said observing the homes being put up and the many Thunderians working together.


“Get much sleep last night?” Tygra asked.


Lion-O laughed. “With a wife and newborn twins, not as much as I used to.” He walked over to the sketches Tygra had, flipping over the sheets. Casually, he said, “Cheetara and I are getting a divorce.”


“Divorce?” Tygra’s heart jumped twenty beats. She told? Did she include his part in it? “Why?”


“She told me why she married me--just so I could get her pregnant,” Lion-O said still looking at the sketches. “She never loved me.”


“I’m sorry. You’ll get over it. You just never know,” Tygra said looking for the right words to say. It didn’t sound as if Lion-O knew about his part in the matter and he wasn’t going to. “At least you know what she’s truly like now and not years down the line--”


“Before children are involve?” Lion-O finished and scoffed. “Too late for that.”


“How are you going to handle this with the kids?” Tygra asked.


“The children are still young perhaps they won’t miss her too much.” Tygra didn’t react at all with what he said. Didn’t he understand what this meant? “It’s too early to decide. I’m just so angry with her.” He closed the sketches and walked a few steps away from the drawing table.


The more they talk, the more it looked like Cheetara didn’t say anything. Tygra was in the clear. He held back a grin as he patted Lion-O’s back. “Women do that. They frustrate us to no end. They always make things difficult instead of taking the easy way out.”


“What do you mean by that?” Lion-O asked suspiciously.


Tygra shrugged, unaware of Lion-O’s sharp scrutiny of him. “You offer them a solution to a problem and they take the most difficult way.” He shook his head. “Women.”


Shocked filled Lion-O’s face as the truth dawned on him. “By Thundera, it’s true.”


Tygra looked lost. “What’s true?”


“You blackmail Cheetara to sleep with you or you’ll tell my her secret.”


“What?” Tygra feigned innocence, but inside, he was panicking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t blackmail, Cheetara. Why would I do that?”


“So you would sleep with her!” Lion-O yelled. “I don’t know whether to thank you or break your neck.”


“Thank me?” Tygra looked lost again. “What are you talking about?”


“Thank me for showing Cheetara’s true nature but your threat to her could’ve harmed my children.” Lion-O turned his back on Tygra in anger. Tygra breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Lion-O was counting to cool his temper. He heard Lion-O cursed, turned back suddenly and punched Tygra, knocking the tiger on the ground. “That’s for my children.”


“What?” he rubbed his lips, seeing the blood. “Lion-O!”


“Tomorrow morning, I want you on a flight to Third Earth and I don’t want to look at you for a long time!” Lion-O ordered. He yanked Tygra off the ground so Tygra could see the anger in his eyes. “And if you don’t leave, I’ll personally make sure you wish you had.”


Tygra was outrage. “You’ll banish me from Thundera but you’re keep Cheetara who deceived you?”


“I’m choosing the lesser of two evils. How dare you try to sleep with my wife!” He held back the urge to kick him. “Why?” He shook him madly. “You better answer me.”


“I wanted her, all right.” Tygra rubbed his sore jaw. “She’s hot and I wanted her for a long time.”


The urge to beat the crap out of Tygra was tempting but he resisted. “Maybe spending a long exile on Third Earth will straightened you out.” Lion-O turned and stormed off to the ThunderClaw.

****

After Tygra’s departure, not much was said between Lion-O and Cheetara. She still abide by Lion-O’s rules of three visits a day with the children and gradually expanding her time with them. A month passes since the dreaded events and Lion-O was coming to turns with happened though his feelings for Cheetara was unclear. He knew he would be sure of his feelings once he and Cheetara have a final talk that will determine the fate of their relationship.


Leaving Snarf with instructions to watch the children for the evening, Lion-O made his way to Cheetara’s room. He knocked, not announcing himself as he normally did.


Cheetara opened the door surprised to see Lion-O coming to her without announcing himself and uncomfortable standing before him in lacy gown. She just finished taking a bath and only got her gown on when she heard the knock. “Lion-O? What is it?”


“We have to talk.”


Cheetara stepped aside and allowed Lion-O entry. As the door closed behind him, Cheetara realized how much she was dreading this moment. She knew the next time he would have a conversation with her would decide their relationship. Cheetara went to her bed and put on the matching gown that came with the robe. Keeping her distance, she said. “I suspected we would have this talk.”


He looked at her wryly. “You are psychic after all.” He noticed her distance and decided to say what he had to say and leave. “You were being honest with me about Tygra blackmailing you. You won’t have to worry about him. He didn’t tell anyone but that’s why I sent him to Third Earth. He will be there a very long time.”


Cheetara breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed Tygra’s absence but thought he was sent on an order of a different matter. “That’s good.”


“Yeah,” Lion-O agreed but stared at her with cold eyes. “But it doesn’t change what you did to me.”


“I know,” Cheetara agreed, nodding. “I understand if you can never forgive me and want a divorce. What I did was cruel and unforgivable. All I ask is to be apart of Aiden and Ciara’s life. Just seeing them three times a day to feed them isn’t enough.”


Lion-O crossed his arms over his chest. “Fair enough. You are the children’s mother.”


Cheetara looked at him surprised. “That’s it? You’re not going to fight me for it?”


“No,” he admitted with a sigh. “Most of my anger is gone, but I’m still angry with what you did to me.”


“I understand.”


“The fact you refused to sleep with Tygra but tell me the truth says something. I’m not sure if that means you had more pride and dignity than to sleep with him or if you actually cared about me that you wouldn’t betray me by sleeping with another man. Either way it means something.”


“It’s both,” Cheetara said. “I’m not attracted to Tygra and I would never sleep with him or any other man no matter what the price. You don’t believe me but I do love you and I could never betray you by sleeping with another man.”


For a moment, Lion-O appear to believe her. “That’s good. I’ve been wondering, Cheetara.” He paused getting his words together. When he did, he stared at her with a disappointed look on his face. “Why didn’t you just tell me about your fertility?”


She wasn’t expecting that question but she was going to answer anyway. Cheetara lifted her hands in an ‘I don‘t know’ gesture. She picked up a stuff teddy bear from her bed, pulling at it but not really playing with it as she thought of something to say. “It’s not something you just say, Lion-O. Besides, would that have really made a difference?”


“Yes. Yes, it would’ve,” Lion-O responded seriously.


Cheetara turned her head in his direction. “How so? It’s not something you say over dinner. ‘Could you pass the rolls, Lion-O? By the way I’m going to be infertile in two years and I want kids, would you mind knocking me up tonight?’”


Lion-O’s frown returned, not at all humored by her words. Cheetara didn‘t think it was funny either but his thoughts on it wouldn‘t have made a difference if she told him. “I told you I was a fool in love. I would’ve done anything to be with you. All you had to do was ask.”


The teddy bear slipped out of Cheetara’s hands as she heard what Lion-O said. Cheetara shook her head at the thought of it. She didn’t hear that. She must‘ve heard wrong. “No, Lion-O. You wouldn’t have knowingly impregnate me.”


Disappointment washed his face again. “If you think that,” he began with a sigh, “then you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.” He turned his back on her not allowing Cheetara to see the emotions on his face.


Cheetara turned to him stunned, her mouth fell open in shock. He couldn’t…. he didn’t say what she thought he said. “Lion-O?” He had to say it out in the open and not in riddles. It was the only way she’ll believe it. “What are you saying?”


Lion-O shook his head. “I don’t know what to do with you, Cheetara. Part of me wants nothing to do with you.”


“And the other?”


He turned so she could see his face. “The other wants to throw you on the bed and make passionate love to you until you can’t move.”


Cheetara flushed as she felt her lower anatomy react to Lion-O’s words. She would let him do that if wanted. “Have you made up your mind which desire is stronger?”


He looked at her, irritated at the thought she would be impatient with him when he should feel that way towards her. “You want to know that bad?”


“Yes,” Cheetara said, her voice breaking much to Lion-O‘s surprise. “We’ve been apart for a month now and I need to know should I be hopeful that you will forgive me and take me back,” she sniffed as fresh tears rolled down her face, “or should I accepted reality and come to terms that you will never forgive. I need to know. My heart can’t take this much longer.”


Her tears surprised him. He crossed the room until they were inches apart. He cupped her face in his hands and stared at her. Closing his eyes, his lips brushed against hers in a chaste gesture. Cheetara cried harder, accepting this kiss meant this was their final parting. It was over.


Lion-O broke the kiss, staring at the Cheetara with a puzzled a look. “You do love me.”


“Yes,” Cheetara breathed. “Yes, I do.”


Lion-O captured Cheetara lips in his again, stronger this time, releasing a fierce, rising passion. Cheetara returned the kiss, giving all she had, hoping this was a positive move on their relationship.


The following morning, Cheetara slept curled against him with a hand across his chest and one of her legs sprawled across him. His breathing rumbled evenly. She couldn’t hold back a smile or blush as she watch him sleep, especially when they slept with no covers on and their naked flesh were free for their own personal viewing. They were finally back together Cheetara realized. They said as much last night with their bodies.


“Spying on me in my sleep?” Lion-O’s voice rumbled with his eyes closed.


Cheetara ran a finger along his muscled chest. “Just taking in perfection.”


Lion-O opened his eyes. His smile sent shivers down her spine. “So am I.” He leaned forward and kissed her.


“You think I’m perfect after what I did?” Cheetara asked after they parted.


“Yes…if you think I’m perfect.”


He was. He truly was she thought. “If there’s anything I’ve learned since this ordeal is that we all have imperfections. We accept it and move on. We have two beautiful reasons why to keep going, Lion-O.”


Lion-O smiled in agreement. “I couldn’t agree more.”


“You forgive me with what I did?” She asked once more to be sure.


“If you can forgive me for how I treated you,” Lion-O said. He felt so bad now, giving his way with her when it concerned the children.


“Yes, Lion-O. I can.”


Then there were no more talking for forgiveness but moving on to a better future.