Unknown Enemies

Part Nineteen

She could only hear voices talking over her. She didn't know where she was but she sensed something was wrong. She couldn't feel Lion-O's presence and the last thing she remembered was telling him she loved him after she was shot. Her eyes were closed shut and too heavy to open. She could only rely on her ears to make sense of the noise around her. The slurred voices above her grew clearer and louder as she used what little strength she had to concentrate.

"I can't believe he did this!" The voice was deep and angry. It sounded like Panthro but who was the he they were talking about?

"He put us all in jeopardy," another angry voice. This time it was Tygra. It was surprise to hear anger in the normally calm Tygra. Who she wondered. Who put them in jeopardy?

"Lion-O did it for his love for Cheetara," a sympathetic voice, WilyKit spoke. "And if any of you were in the same position, you would've done the same thing!"

Lion-O! What did he do for her? Where was he? What happened? She had to find out what happened to Lion-O. Cheetara struggled as she forced her body to work and wake up. Her pain took a backseat as her only concern now was Lion-O and what happened to him.

"Look," WilyKat said. "She's waking up."

Cheetara opened her tired eyes and her whole body throbbed in pain. Weakly, she moved her head and saw Tygra, Panthro and WilyKit surrounding her. She looked around and saw she was in bed in Cat's Lair hooked to various machines to which she couldn't identify. She remembered being shot and couldn't believed she survived that. She was sure she was dead.

WilyKit leaned over her and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"L-lion-O," Cheetara spoke weakly.

WilyKit's smiled dropped for a moment and Cheetara knew something was wrong with her husband. "You must concentrate on getting well," the young ThunderCat said.

Cheetara noticed Panthro and Tygra who were quiet as well. "No. Lion-O.... where is...he? You're.... hiding...something. I heard.... you talking."

The three ThunderCats exchanged worried glances before Tygra nodded and stepped forward. "You were dying after you collapsed. There was nothing we could do. Lion-O took matters in his own hands and gave you his energy." He saw Cheetara's eyes reacted slightly. So, she knew what that meant. " He didn't care about dying. He only wanted you to live."

"Where is he?" she asked quickly.

"After he collapsed, we brought Lion-O in as soon as possible. He's still alive, barely. His body is slowly trying to regain the energy he lost giving to you. He may make it but he left us in a vulnerable position. If any of our enemies find out about this, they will attack in full force. Since Lion-O is still alive and hasn't passed his title to anyone, the Sword of Omens is useless to us."

Cheetara looked puzzled. "What... are you... saying?"

Tygra looked sympathetic but Cheetara could tell he wasn't. His eyes and the tone in which he spoke gave away he wanted her to do something that Lion-O wouldn‘t approve of. "You should give Lion-O his energy back."

WilyKit gasped and slapped Tygra on his back. "Are you nuts?! What's the matter with you?"

"I'm only thinking of our safety," Tygra said rationally. "Everyone on Thundera witnessed the battle and Lion-O’s fall. The people need assurance their king is well and we need the other worlds to know Lion-O is alive, well and ready to defend his planet. The longer we keep quiet about this, the more our enemies will think the worst for us and calculate an attack!"

"Although Tygra means well for the people of Thundera," Panthro spoke much to WilyKit's outrage on his agreement with Tygra, "I think he's going about it all wrong."

"What?" Tygra was surprised Panthro would disagree with him.

"Lion-O saved Lady Cheetara's life for a reason. He loves her and even though it was a crazy move, we have to stand by it. The last thing he’d want is her dying again. The best thing we can do is prepare ourselves and defend Thundera the best we can. I'm going to round up several Thunderian guards to defend the lair and have all clans to alert their best warriors on standby in case of a massive attack."

WilyKit watched Panthro stormed out of the room and turned her anger towards Tygra as she glared at him. "At least someone's acting rationally and mature. I sometimes wonder how you became second-in-command."

"I'm only doing what is right," Tygra said and stormed out. "Excuse me, I have things to do."

WilyKit shook her head after Tygra left. "Sometimes that man is all brain and no heart."

"WilyKit."

WilyKit looked to Cheetara calling her. "Yes."

"Take me... to Lion-O."

"Are you sure?" WilyKit asked gently. "You just woke up from a coma. You've been out of it for a week. You should rest up first before thinking about moving."

A week? She didn't know she was out that long. It only felt like a few hours. What could her children be thinking? Oh, how worried they must be. She knew it was selfish but she'll ask about them as soon as she saw Lion-O. "I need to see him."

********

WilyKit rolled Cheetara into Lion-O's room in a wheelchair. Cheetara held back her tears as she saw Lion-O laying in bed hooked to more machines than she was. WilyKit rolled Cheetara to Lion-O's bedside. "He hasn't woken since his collapsed," WilyKit informed Cheetara. "Maybe you can change that. Press the button on the right armchair and I'll come get you."

Once WilyKit left the room, Cheetara reached for Lion-O's left hand and squeezed it. His hands felt mildly warm but Lion-O looked dead. His skin was pale, lips a light purple, his breathing labored and he looked years older than he was. Tears streamed from her eyes seeing her beloved husband in this position. He was hooked on life support with monitors watching his heartbeat, brainwave and blood pressure among other things. It hurt her even more to realize it was because of her he was in this condition. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it gently. Tears spilling off her cheeks onto his hand. She cried even more as she buried her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm sorry."

As her hand tightly gripped his, she felt movement. Fingers were softly caressing hers. Startled, she realized it was Lion-O's fingers moving. She turned her tear-stained face to see Lion-O's exhausted body looking at her.

"Lion-O."

He coughed into his ventilator and smiled weakly. "You're.... alive."

"Why did you do that?" she asked. "Why did you risk your life for me?"

Lion-O could only manage another weak smiled. "Haven't you.... figured that... out already?"

"You could've die. You could still die."

Lion-O coughed. "I'll... be all right. How are... the kids?"

"I don't know. I had to check on you."

"You checked on me.... over the kids?" He breathed heavily. "You really.... must love me."

Cheetara smiled in spite of herself. "You mustn't make jokes at a time like this."

"Why not? It's the best time.... for jokes." A coughing spell hit him again and Cheetara could watch helplessly and feel even more guilty as his body shook violently through several heaving coughs.

"You lost a lot of energy and your body's trying to get it back. You may be here for a while unless...."

"Unless you.... give back.... my energy," he finished. "No, you won't."

"Lion-O..."

"I don't care what you were told..... or if you came to this on you own, I won't.... let you do it."

"You're more needed than I am."

"To whom? Thundera or our children?" Cheetara remained silent. "You're valuable to both, Cheetara. Our children for .... obvious reasons and for Thundera...." he paused as another coughing spell hit him. "What you did to Rataro's ships... it was incredible. You saved all of us."

Saved them? If she hadn't had the trial, it wouldn't come to that, she thought once more blaming herself. "What I did doesn't matter. I'm still guilty. I'm still a criminal."

"You're not and if all of Thundera saw what I saw....they wouldn't think so either. I will get your conviction appealed."

Cheetara couldn't believe him. After all this, he was still thinking of her and her freedom.

"Could you call someone in?" Lion-O requested.

Cheetara pressed the button on her wheelchair and WilyKit immediately came in. She was overjoyed to see Lion-O awake. "Lion-O!" She gave him a quick hug. "You're all right."

"Hey, Kit. Where are the kids?"

"Snarf's with them. You've been out for a week and we had no choice but to let them see Cheetara's surgery and setting you up here. They kept crying until we did," WilyKit informed Lion-O. "But there are other things you should know. Panthro's called in several Thunderian guards to guard Cat's Lair. We also have our best warriors in each clan on standby in case of an attack by our enemies. Tygra and WilyKat are dealing with the press who are demanding an update on your condition."

"So…. tell them I'm alive."

"But you're not in any condition to defend Thundera and that's what the people want right now," Kit explained. "If we're attacked, we will be defenseless without you. The Sword of Omens isn't responding to anyone."

"Tygra and Panthro tried that, huh?" He asked wryly.

"Well, actually Tygra," Kit said rubbing her arms nervously before quickly adding. "He is second-in-command."

"But the Sword of Omens doesn't acknowledge him as Lord of the ThunderCats," Lion-O pointed out. "Which means, the Sword of Omens know I will make a full recovery." Lion-O struggled to sit up and Kit assisted him. "Thanks, Kit. How's Cheetara's condition?"

Even Cheetara felt embarrassed by that comment. She hadn't even asked WilyKit her condition as she was too concerned with Lion-O's and he knew it. "Tygra operated on Cheetara as soon as we got you both inside. I assisted,” she proudly stated. “We repaired and closed up her wounds but it was you giving Cheetara your energy that help her to sustain surgery and heal." She looked at Cheetara. "You're not completely healed yet, but you're on the right path. Do you want me to bring the children in? They've been anxious to see you since I told them Cheetara awoke."

Lion-O nodded and WilyKit was quick to leave. It wasn't long before the door opened and Lyle and Christina burst in the room. "Mommy! Daddy!" They both cried and reached for their parents. Christina grabbed at her mother's legs and Lyle struggled to climb on Lion-O's bed. WilyKit helped both by putting Christina in her mother's lap and putting Lyle in a chair beside his father's bed. Lyle used that to climb on the bed and hop on his Dad's lap.

"Ooh," Lion-O grunted when Lyle reached out to hug him. "Easy, little guy. Daddy's still healing."

"Snarf said you and Mommy got hurt," Christina said holding tight to her mother.

"We did," Cheetara admitted. "But we should be fine."

WilyKit smiled at the young family and quietly left the room, leaving them with some much needed time alone. Besides, she had a lot to do herself. She told the other ThunderCats of Lion-O and Cheetara’s condition and passed on Lion-O’s message to the press that he was alive but didn’t reveal his true condition only that he was healing nicely and on his way to a speedy recovery. It was a stretching the truth but as long as Thundera remained on alert, they could protect themselves from any invasion.

Things progressively changed over the next week. Lion-O ordered Cheetara be transported to his room seeing it was better for the twins to see their parents together. Cheetara grew stronger through the past week and no longer required being hook to any machines. Lion-O, though better since he woken up was steadily getting better.

"You're doing a lot better," Lion-O commented as Cheetara walked in the room. Cheetara visited him every two hours, keeping him company and giving herself comfort in seeing him alive and slowly recovering.

"I do have your energy in me," Cheetara said sitting on his bed. "I'm feeling a lot better and it's all thanks to you." Though he was getting better, just seeing him in this condition made her feel guilty. His color had returned, his lips were a healthy color and his coughing spells weren’t as often as when he first awoke.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lion-O asked curiously.

"I think it's time I return this energy to its rightful owner," Cheetara explained.

"Cheetara...."

"Lion-O, I'm much better now. I'm walking. I'm running. I can even conjure my telekinetic powers again. Part of it is do your energy but part of it also is from me healing on my own. It's been two weeks since the attack and you're still recovering." She moved closer to him. "You gave your energy to save me. Let me return it to you." Lion-O opened his mouth but Cheetara hushed him with two fingers gently pressing on his lips. "I won't die.”

WilyKat burst into the room and turned on the monitor. "Sorry for the interruption but you've got to see this."

A reporter appeared on the screen. "In an astounding turn of events, many people have begun to side with the Cheetah Leader, Cheetara after viewing the incredible battle recorded by this network."

A young lioness appeared on screen. "She was found guilty and yet she fought to save us all. Anyone who was truly evil wouldn't have done that."

"She's proof all Cheetahs aren't bad and can be trusted," a panther said before putting his arms around a female cheetah. "It's made other citizens trust my wife again."

"She's proof Cheetahs should be ThunderCats again."

"Look at the power she displayed when fighting Rataro," a young female Cheetah with two children in tow said. "She could've done that to the ThunderCats at trial but didn't. I think it's proof we should give Cheetara another chance."

The camera was once again on the reported. "Of course not all felt this way."

An angry old lioness appeared on screen. "I lost my husband of thirty-five years to that witch and her army. She must pay for her crime!"

WilyKat shut off the monitor. "Despite that, the majority of the people support you, Lady Cheetara. I'm sorry for the guilty verdict and I didn't want it. I will do everything I can to overturn your conviction."

"Thank you, WilyKat."

WilyKat smiled grateful his leader forgave him. He would never tell Lion-O, he and his sister were was forced into the decision and hated the thought of voting Cheetara guilty lest Lion-O think unkindly of his comrades. Despite his initial thoughts of Cheetara, he grew to like her a lot and respect and saw all this as a new beginning. "Lion-O, I think this is as good as time as any to tell you the Elders of the other clans are rethinking the Cheetah's position and like to make them equals again." He looked to Cheetara. "This can mean making you a ThunderCat, Cheetara."

Cheetara couldn't believe this was happening. She was being accepted by the people of Thundera, she could actually have a safe, long life on here and even be a ThunderCat. More importantly, her children would be accepted as the true heirs and never endured the life she had. "I can't believe it's possible we can have a normal life."

"Maybe not normal," Lion-O mused, "But we can have a life together. We'll get remarried and you'll become a ThunderCat. Of course you'll have to go through your own trials but I'm sure you can beat it."

Cheetara smiled. "I think I can, but first..." Cheetara gathered Lion-O in a deep searing kiss. It was the first real kiss they shared since the battle and Lion-O this was just a kiss, but as Cheetara's body began to glow, he realized Cheetara was returning his energy to him. When Cheetara pulled away, she fell on him weakly. "Don't worry. I'm all right. Just a little weak."

"I know you're going to get better, Cheetara," Lion-O spoke optimistically. He knew as he always did that things were going to work out. "And once you, we'll start our life again."

********

It was a warm, spring afternoon when Lion-O stepped outside Cat's Lair with Cheetara's hand in his. Even after all their years together, he was still affectionate and never shy of his feelings. There were times he still acted like a newlywed husband even to the embarrassment of their grown children at times. Today was exceptionally special. They received word from their son, he and Christina were coming into Thundera's atmosphere. Lion-O wanted to meet his children once they landed and congratulate them personally on a job well done.

It had been an amazing twenty years since that fateful battle that changed everything for Thundera. Once Cheetara fully recovered she faced the trials that would make her a ThunderCat. The ThunderCats showed no mercy on Cheetara during the trials, which Cheetara preferred and she passed with flying colors earning even more respect among the ThunderCats and the people of Thundera. After the trials, Lion-O and Cheetara married again.

Cheetara was a strong yet gentle queen with class and grace. In battle as a ThunderCat, she was strong, fierce and fought hard to defend Thundera from attacks against the Mutants and Lunatacs. Though a small group still disliked her for her past, the rest of Thundera forgave Cheetara for her past and embraced her fully.

"Don't be nervous, Cheetara. They're almost home."

"I can't help but worry. I'm a mother after all. They're too young to be doing this."

"I recall we were doing the same thing when we were their ages. In fact, you and I were fighting each other."

"On Thundera," Cheetara informed him. "I did show some mercy when we fought each other."

"Yeah," Lion-O said as he recalled the time they fought each other. "Amazing how things change in twenty years. The prophecy was right, Cheetara. You did bring peace here."

"I recall a horrible war."

"We did have a war, but in the end you brought peace and respect to the Cheetahs. Because of what you did twenty years ago, Cheetahs were trusted again. Cheetahs were respected and made ThunderCats again. We had a record number of Cheetahs competing to be the next generation of ThunderCats to serve under our son. Despite your past, you became a loved and respected Lady of Thundera and a beautiful one at that."

Cheetara could feel herself blushing. Twenty years, older, wiser, with tiny gray hairs sneaking in and wrinkles around her eyes and whenever she smiled and Lion-O never fail to compliment on her beauty. He aged very well, too. He still had his muscles and a few wrinkles here and there with tiny gray hairs that made him look even more distinguish and handsome.

"You're handsome as well," she complimented him with a kiss, "But I still think you're wrong about our children, especially Lyle. He should be older to be Lord of the ThunderCats and you're still in fine ThunderCat form. You shouldn't have relinquish your title so soon."

Lion-O laughed at Cheetara's over protectiveness of her children. "Lyle's twenty-three and passed the trials. He has fought alongside me since he was sixteen. He even saved me a few times. I'm still Lord and my title won't be fully relinquish to our son until I'm gone. I'm glad to still be here and give our son advice when he needs it, but right now, I just want to take things easy and let our children handle it. They are ready. They've wanted to prove themselves ready for a long time, which is why I let them go on this mission."

This last mission was certainly something he and Cheetara fought about to the point of yelling. Rataro and his son ruthlessly attacked Thundera during a holiday and killed many Thunderians even injuring Lyle's wife who just learned she was expecting. Luckily his wife recovered but Lyle wanted to attack and deal with Rataro once and for all, and to do that, he'd have to strike Castle Plundarr and overthrow Rataro. Cheetara was against her son going but after being backed into a wall from her husband, her children and the ThunderCats, Cheetara relented.

It had been a grueling three months, worrying and wondering about her children but now it was over. Lyle and Christina lead the charge to overthrow Rataro and his son. They were dead and a new government was being formed. Plundarr was under a new rule where members were elected and working towards peace. After their defeat to the ThunderCats, plotting to attack them wasn't something to happen for a long time if ever again.

Behind them, Lyle's wife stepped out with Christina's fiancée. She was progressing well at six months and beaming with pride and happiness knowing her husband was returning alive and well. Christina's fiancée was one of the new ThunderCats but was chosen to stay behind and protect Thundera in case of an attacked. He didn't like the idea of being away from his fiancée and not protecting her but Christina could always hold her own like her mother and respected his future father-in-law and brother-in-law judgments.

The four looked up to see the Feliner coming in for a landing with several convoy ships flying alongside them. Once they all landed safely in front of Cat's Lair the Feliner opened with Lyle and Christina walking out. They were almost the mirror image of their parents as they walked up the steps before them. Not only did Lyle inherit his father's strength, courage and optimism, he inherited his mother's speed, telepathy and sixth sense though it wasn't as strong as his sister. Christina inherited all her mother's speed, telekinetic skills, sixth sense and telepathic skills which always kept her in contact with her brother and helped each other out of sticky situations.

When reaching his father, Lyle saluted him. "Mission accomplished, my Lord."

Lion-O saluted before shaking his son's hand and hugging him. "Welcome home, son and well done. I'm proud of both of you." After Lyle hugged Cheetara and assured her he was all right, he embraced his wife and her growing belly, happy to know they were alive and well. Christina embraced her father, too. "I was so worried about you."

Christina smiled back, the apple of her father's eye. "I know. I missed you, too, Dad." She hugged her mother next before jumping in her fiancée’s arms.

Lion-O and Cheetara watched their children with their loves ones, happy they were safe, home and that their world was finally at peace.

THE END!

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