True Deceit

Part Eight

Lion-O and Cheetara snuggled together as they slept comfortably close to each other for another morning. Cheetara slept on her back while Lion-O slept on his side with his large muscular arms wrapped around her. His head rested on her soft blonde, black spotted hair as if it was a pillow. Moments later Cheetara awakened. She dare not want to break the cozy position they were in. Lion-O awakened seconds later. Cheetara laughed feeling Lion-O's lips kissing her ear.

"I love waking up to you like this." Lion-O said as he kissed Cheetara's right temple.

"Mmm, I love it too." Cheetara commented.

"You want to join the others for breakfast?" Lion-O asked now kissing Cheetara's neck.

"Does it look like I want to?" Cheetara asked.

"No, and neither do I." He pulled her closer to him. "We've got a lot of making up to do." Lion-O ran his hands over his wife's body and began kissing her again.

Cheetara thought about telling Lion-O about Tygra. Maybe it would be best that she didn't. She believed she had taken care of Tygra and there was no reason to bring it up to her husband. Besides, there were better things to work on. The couple was planning on having a child now.

*****

In the dining room, the other Thundercats waited as long as they were going to. Lion-O and Cheetara were not coming down again.

"Here we go again," WilyKat said munching on his pancakes. "Lion-O and Cheetara are upstairs smooching again. It's like they are still on their honeymoon."

"I don't see what's wrong with that," WilyKit said eating her breakfast more diligently than her brother. "The two had a rough time for the past few weeks. They almost got a divorce. If they want to be affectionate with each other now more than before, who could blame them?"

"Yes," Pumyra agreed. "Cheetara also said that she and Lion-O are planning on having a child now."

"A family?" Tygra said surprised. "That's great!"

Panthro shot a surprised look at Tygra.

"That's the best thing that could happen to them now: a child. Having a child together will definitely seal their love for each other. Nothing and nobody could break that." Tygra said joyfully.

What is he up to? Panthro wondered. Then it dawned on him. No, he's going to tell

Lion-O and Cheetara about the affair. I didn't want to do this, but it looks like I must tell Lion-O about what Cheetara and I did. This is going to kill him, but it's better to come from me than Tygra.

Tygra looked over at Panthro and smiled. That fool fallen right into my trap. He's going to tell Lion-O and it will be the end of him and Cheetara.

As soon as Panthro finished eating breakfast, he left and headed for Lion-O and Cheetara's bedroom. Panthro knocked and when no one answered, he knocked again.

"Who is it?" Lion-O asked behind the closed door. He sounded upset.

"It's Panthro, Lion-O. I have to talk to you and Cheetara."

"Um, now's not a good time."

Panthro could feel a blush of embarrassment appearing on his dark skin. He was aware of what was transpiring in the room. "I know, Lion-O. I want to talk to you later. Maybe this afternoon?"

"Uh, sure, fine. Is that it?" Lion-O was getting impatient.

"Yeah, it is." When no one said anything back, Panthro called Lion-O's name. When Lion-O, didn't say anything, Panthro continued down the hall, preparing himself to tell Lion-O some very disturbing news.

*****

Later that afternoon, Lion-O and Cheetara sat in the council room waiting for Panthro to meet with them.

"Stop, Lion-O," Cheetara laughed as her husband tickled her. "Panthro's going to be in here any minute from now. I wonder what he has to say to us."

"Who knows, but as soon as he has to say what he has to say, we go out to dinner, okay?"

"I know. Why do you think I wore this dress? You have to get ready to." Cheetara pointed out to Lion-O, who was still wearing his Thundercat uniform.

Panthro entered the room. Panthro looked at the pair. They looked very happy. He noticed Cheetara wasn't in her usual gold leotard. She was wearing a red sleeveless dress with a pair of matching knee-high boots.

"So, Panthro you said you have something to tell us. What is it?" Lion-O asked.

Panthro paced back and forth and faced his two leaders. "This isn't going to be easy to say, but I must say it. It's about something that happened not to long ago. You won't be happy about it, but I think it's time the truth be told about us."

Cheetara and Lion-O looked confused. They looked at each other and then at Panthro.

"Us? What us?" Cheetara asked.

"You and I, Cheetara."

Cheetara looked baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Panthro looked at Lion-O. "Lion-O, you're not going to want to hear this, but while you were avoiding Cheetara, she and I had an affair."

"What?!" Lion-O and Cheetara shouted.

Panthro looked at Cheetara. "I know you didn't want Lion-O to know, but I think he should know."

Cheetara turned to Lion-O. "Lion-O, it's not true, I swear. I never slept with Panthro. I would never sleep with anyone besides you, you know that. Panthro is lying."

"I would never make up something like this. I would never want to cause you two any harm." Panthro said as sincerely as he could.

"Then why are you telling us these lies?!" Cheetara shouted.

"I know you don't want to admit to it, Cheetara, but it did happened."

"It didn't! Liar!" Cheetara shouted angrily at the panther.

"I did turn you away, giving you a chance to go to another man," Lion-O said quietly.

Cheetara turned to back to her husband. "No, Lion-O. Don't believe him. It's not true. Yes, I was lonely but I rather be alone for the rest of my life than be with another man. You must believe me."

Distraught, Lion-O got up and left the room.

"No, no," Cheetara begged. "Don't leave, Lion-O. It's not true. It's not true!" Tears came out of her eyes, as Lion-O didn't come back after hearing Cheetara begging him to stay.

"I'm sorry," Panthro apologized.

Cheetara walked to Panthro and slapped him. "How could you?! How dare you tell these lies?! How could you do this to Lion-O and I?!"

"I know you didn't want to relive that night." Panthro said.

"A night that never happened! How could you! Just when Lion-O and I were getting our life back on track, you go and do this to us! I thought you were my friend! I thought it was Tygra who was trying to break up me and Lion-O, but I see it was you all along!"

"Cheetara…"

"Don't Cheetara me! Don't even say my name! I want you out of here! As Lady of the Thundercats, I'm ordering you to pack your things and get out of here!" Cheetara snatched the Thundercat insignia off Panthro's belt. "You are no longer a Thundercat! I want you out of here by sunset!"

Cheetara clutched the insignia in her hand and stormed out. She wanted to go to Lion-O, but she figured he didn't want to see her. The cheetah entered Lion-O's private study. In there, was a sofa. She fell upon it and began crying.

"Why is this happening to us? How could Panthro do that? Why does he want to destroy us? I just pray that Lion-O doesn't believe that lie. And here I thought it was Tygra who was trying to break up me and Lion-O."

From the control room, Tygra watched the scene in the council room and followed Cheetara out to Lion-O's study, where she cried her eyes out. The wicked tiger almost fell out of his seat laughing at the scene.

"Brilliant! I couldn't have planned it better myself. Soon, my dear, you will come to me and then you'll be mine forever."

*****

Lion-O laid on his bed in his bedroom, just thinking, hurting. In his hands were his wedding ring and a picture of he and Cheetara on their wedding day.

Lion-O put the picture frame down and stared at the ceiling.

"I did push her away, but she wanted to work things out. Cheetara wouldn't, couldn't do this to me. She's too honorable. Right? I don't know. I thought I knew her."

"And what makes you think you don't?"

Lion-O blinked. At first, he thought the ceiling was talking back to him. He sat up and looked to his right. His father appeared before him in a bluish image.

"Father, I don't know what to think."

"Think about it, Lion-O. Think about the person Cheetara is. Think about all the times and the things you've been through. Do you actually think Cheetara would do this?" His father asked.

Lion-O shook his head. "No, I don't think she would truly do this to me or to herself‚ but I don't understand Panthro. He's been my friend for so long. I can't imagine him betraying me like this or trying to break up Cheetara and me. He never showed any interest in her."

"Maybe. Maybe not, but there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Claudus asked and faded.

*****

Cheetara knocked on Tygra's door. A moment later, Tygra opened the door and allow Cheetara to enter. He saw that Cheetara looked terribly upset.

"Cheetara, what's wrong?" Tygra asked closing the door.

"Everything. My marriage is in shambles because of Panthro and I owe you an apology."

"Apology? Panthro? What's going on?" Tygra asked as if he didn't know.

"Panthro told Lion-O that he and I had an affair."

"What?" Tygra act as if he was just hearing the news.

"I know. I was in complete shock."

"How did Lion-O take the news?"

"He was speechless and completely hurt about it. I tried to explain to him that it was all a lie, but he wouldn't listen. He just got up and left." Cheetara answered and begin crying again.

Tygra hugged her to soothe the cheetah. "Shh. Cheetara. It'll be okay."

"And here I thought it was you who was trying to break up me and my husband, but it was that rat Panthro."

"Where's Lion-O now?" Tygra asked rubbing his hand up and down Cheetara's back.

Cheetara suddenly pulled apart from the tiger's embrace. "I don't know. In our room I guess. I'm giving him time to cool down. I know he doesn't want to see me now." She turned away with her back to him.

Tygra frowned at Cheetara separating herself from him, but he was determine to make her his. "He should immediately know you wouldn't do anything like that. You have too much honor and you love Lion-O deeply."

"That I do," Cheetara said hugging herself.

Tygra reached into his pocket and pulled out a needle. He smiled and put it back in his pocket. He stepped closer to her. He laid his hands on her shoulders

"It's time you realize that Lion-O isn't right for you." He moved even closer to smell her hair.

Cheetara suddenly became worried. Her sixth sense signaling danger. "Tygra? What are you doing?"

"Just proving to you that I am the man for you." He reached to touch her hair, but Cheetara immediately turned around, stepping away from him.

"You too?"

Tygra pulled out his whip and before the cheetah could react, he wrapped it around Cheetara body from the lower part of her arms to her upper thigh. She struggled to break free from it.

"I always…." He grabbed Cheetara and put his arms around her. He kissed her deeply, forcing her mouth to open so he could explore it. He pulled back abruptly. "…wanted you and you shall be mine."

Cheetara spit in his face. "I'll never be yours."

Tygra took his right hand to wipe the spit off.

"That's what you think." He said moving closer to her.

"You try kissing me again, and I swear I'll scream." Cheetara warned.

"I'll risk it. Besides the others aren't here. Pumyra and the twins are working in the New Tower of Omens until late tonight. And like I said Lion-O is probably beating Panthro to a bloody pulp."

"What do you plan on doing to me?" Cheetara asked worried.

"Making you my wife, my lover, my queen."

"Lion-O will stop you."

"Oh, really. Right now, Lion-O is more than likely beating the brains out of Panthro for his so-call affair with you."

"You had something to do with it, don't you?" Cheetara asked.

"Yes. It's amazing how intelligent and what powerful illusionist we tigers are."

"Panthro made love to an illusion? How?"

"Simple. I entered his room when I was invincible and created an image of you from my mind. One simple flirtation was all it took for Panthro. It also proves that Panthro would take you to bed if he had the chance, so Panthro isn't such a good friend. You could say he's as bad as I."

"No. There's a difference. He's different from you. He wouldn't come up with an evil plan to get me. He did the honorable thing of keeping his feelings in control, not trying to make a pass at me. He wanted me to stay married to Lion-O and not get a divorce."

"Of course Panthro wouldn't. He's too honorable and stupid, whereas I'm not." Tygra looked her over her red dress that came to her knees. "Such a lovely dress for you to wear. It'll look better on the floor, and you'll look much better in nothing beside me."

Tygra leaned forward and begins kissing her neck.

"No, Tygra. Don't do this." Cheetara begged turning her head so he wouldn't kiss her, but the tiger held her firmly and turned her face to him so he could kiss her.

"Oh, no, Cheetara. I must." He breathed heavily. Tygra busily ran his lips all over Cheetara's neck, face and mouth. "You know, my dear, if you would just give yourself to me, this will be a lot easier for both of us."

"Never!" Cheetara spat. She struggled with Tygra's whip around her body. She couldn't break free. She never knew how strong it was. Her only hope was that someone would come to her rescue.

"You're not getting away from me." Tygra retorted eyeing her.

Cheetara used her head and hit Tygra's when he stopped to look at her lustfully. The hit was hard. Tygra fell back with a cry.

"You are a tough girl. I'll just have to take care of that," Tygra replied. He pulled out the needle he had in his back pocket.

Cheetara saw the needle tried to move from him as fast as she could bundled in his whip, but Tygra was able to catch up with her.

"Not so fast when your legs are tied up, are you?"

The tiger pushed Cheetara against the wall. His frame pressing hers. He pushed some of the whip around her down so he had an open space to stab her around her hips. Cheetara struggled with the tiger, but all her struggling didn't do a world of good when he inserted the needle in her.

"Ahh, that is so much better, isn't it, Cheetara?"

Cheetara could already feel the affects of the needle on her. She was feeling drowsy, drugged. "Lion-O….will….get you….for …this."

"Ha, I'd like to see him try." Tygra said and kissed her. He moved back to kiss her neck when her head fell over. Tygra saw that Cheetara had fallen unconscious. "Don't worry, love, you'll be awake for the main event."

*****

Panthro was in his room packing when Lion-O knocked on Panthro's door.

"Who is it?" the panther asked, putting some of his clothes in a suitcase.

"It's Lion-O."

Panthro immediately opened the door. As soon as Lion-O saw him, he punched Panthro. The panther fell to the ground.

"How dare you make up lies about my wife?!"

Panthro wiped the blood from his lips off his mouth. He stood up. "I know you don't want to believe it, but it did happen."

"Liar! I thought long and hard about it and I realize that Cheetara wouldn't do this to me or to herself. She's too honorable."

"I know and I understand that. I was surprised myself when she came to me in my room."

Lion-O folded his arms in disbelief. "Oh, and if that is true, why did you give in and sleep with her. Since you don't have any feelings for her, why did you supposedly sleep with her?"

"Um," Panthro began as he rubbed his left arm nervously. He turned away. "The problem is that I did have feelings for her."

"You what?" Lion-O asked feeling anger rise.

"You don't know this, but I've had lustful feelings for your wife for years, since we landed on 3rd Earth. I was certain that I had it in control. I didn't hit on her or try to make a pass at her whatsoever because I knew she had feelings for you and it seem you two would get together and I didn't want to get in the way of that. When you and Cheetara finally got together, I was certain that I didn't have any feelings other than friendship for her, but I was wrong that night when we slept together. Afterwards though, I felt completely guilty, giving in to my awful, lustful feelings. After that night, I didn't have any feelings other than guilt."

Panthro turned around to face Lion-O. "I don't have any desirable feelings for Cheetara, anymore, and if any should arise again, I know to push it down."

Lion-O shook his head. "I can't believe this. You, all this time, wanted Cheetara."

"She's a very beautiful woman, Lion-O: inside and out."

"Yes, she is," Lion-O agreed.

"But I wasn't the only one."

Lion-O's arms dropped to his sides. "There was someone else? Who, WilyKat? I always figured he---"

"Tygra." Panthro said.

"Tygra? Oh, I don't believe this, and you two are her good friends. Well, at least, he didn't make up lies about sleeping with my wife."

"No, but he did want her, and if he had the chance, he would have slept with Cheetara."

Lion-O threw his hands up in disgust. "Oh! And you all are suppose to be Thundercats? Whatever happen to honor? It's in the Code of the Thundercats, you know."

"Yes it is, and Tygra and I haven't been real for it apparently, and I am terribly sorry. If I could turn back that night six weeks ago, I would have never slept with Cheetara."

Lion-O looked at Panthro curious. "Six weeks ago? What day and time?"

Panthro folded his arms and began to think. "Six weeks. It was a Wednesday around eleven. The last time I saw her, she was in bed with me and I fell asleep. It was at 12:05am. I know because I looked at the clock."

"That's impossible. I was with Cheetara at midnight. I knew you were lying. Cheetara wasn't with you at the time. She was with me. I was rereading my speech for the city opening the next day and Cheetara came in there. It was midnight precisely. I know too because I glanced at the clock when I heard her enter."

"That doesn't make sense, Lion-O. How could Cheetara be in two places at once?"

"Good question. Easy answer. One of us is lying and that person is you."

"I'm not lying, Lion-O. She came in my bedroom. She was wearing her yellow silk robe and gown assemble."

"You're lying again. Cheetara wore a black robe and she had…" Lion-O paused not wanting to give anything about that night away. "Well, she wasn't wearing a yellow gown I can tell you that."

Panthro caught on. "I see. Still, I know what I saw."

Lion-O froze for a moment. "Saw? Hmm. Tygra wanted her too?" A realization came to Lion-O. "No. Cheetara!" Lion-O called out running out of Panthro's room.

Confused, Panthro followed him.

*****

When Cheetara awakened, she noticed that Tygra no longer had his whip around her body. Instead, her wrists were roped to his bed. She still had her clothes on, thankfully. She wondered if Tygra had already taken advantage of her.

"She awakens," Tygra replied.

Cheetara looked to her left and saw him. "Let me go now, Tygra!"

Tygra sat on the bed beside her. "Now why would I want to go do a thing like that?" He asked and lean in close to her. He planted his lips on her neck and begins to feel the rest of her body.

"No, Tygra! Stop!"

But the tiger wouldn't listen. He got on top of her. He continued planting kisses on bare parts of her body. As he did so, he reached behind Cheetara's dress to find the zipper. Cheetara used her free-moving legs to kneed Tygra. Tygra groaned and sat up, clutching his abdomen. Cheetara meant to aim lower. As Tygra sat up, Cheetara pulled her right leg back and kicked him in the face with her three-inch red boots as hard as she could. Tygra fell backwards off the bed. She struggled to free her wrists that were tied to the bed.

"I've got to get out of here." She told herself. "I wish I had my staff."

"You can try all you like, but you're not breaking free from those ropes," Tygra said. He was breathing heavy and was clearly upset. He wiped the blood from his swelled lips. He walked back over to her. "If you don't comply, I may have to get tough."

"You're not going to touch me again."

"I'll be the judge of that." The evil tiger said and strolled over to her.

*****

Lion-O search through the rooms Cheetara would be in. She wasn't in her old room, the lounge, council room, library or study. He then headed for the Sword Chamber.

"I don't get it, Lion-O. Why are you looking for Cheetara?" Panthro asked running beside him.

"Cheetara couldn't be in two places at once. You mentioned Tygra wanted her and when you said 'saw', pieces came together in my mind. Maybe Cheetara did go to your room, but it wasn't the real Cheetara, but an illusion."

"An illusion?" Panthro repeated.

They entered the Sword Chamber. Lion-O quickly grabbed the sword. "Sword of Omens, show me where Cheetara is."

The sword's hilt curled and Lion-O saw Cheetara strapped to Tygra's bed and Tygra taking advantage of her. The lion's mind boiled with anger. He immediately ran out of the room and headed for Tygra's room.

Tygra had pinned Cheetara's legs beneath him so she wouldn't try to move. He ran a hand up her dress while his other was behind her back, where he freed her dress from the zipper and exposed more of her skin. Cheetara struggled with the tiger, but it was useless. Nevertheless, she was determined to fight him. Hopefully someone would help her.

As soon as he got to his room, Lion-O pounded on the door.

"Tygra, get your dirty hands off my wife now!!"

When the tiger heard Lion-O's angry voice, he jumped at the noise.

"I'm in here, Lion-O!" Cheetara shouted.

Tygra removed the ropes on Cheetara's left wrist. He turned her around on her stomach and freed her right wrist and he tied both wrists together. He pulled Cheetara off the bed and put an arm around her. Cheetara continued to struggle with him. Outside, Tygra heard the sounding of "HO!" He knew Lion-O was using his sword to break in the room. Tygra saw the metallic door turning red as if it was hot. Quickly the tiger closed his eyes in concentration.

The door burst opened and when Lion-O and Panthro entered, they didn't expect to see what they saw. Everything around them became dark. Something was coming towards them. The loud, thunderous steps indicated something huge was coming towards them. Suddenly the temperature was rising around them. Lion-O and Panthro had their weapons out ready to face what was coming to them. The Thundercats eyes widened when they saw a burst of hot fire hurling towards them. The two got on the floor. When they looked up, they saw a fire-breathing dragon moving towards them.

"A dragon!" Panthro shouted. When the dragon blew out its flames again, both the panther and lion rolled out of the way and jumped up.

"No," Lion-O said. "It's an illusion. Tygra created it with his mind. It's not real, Panthro."

"So, the panther is here, too," Tygra's voice echoed over them.

All of a sudden a train of bats flew out of the room, heading for Panthro. The strong panther pulled out his whip to fight them off.

"It's not real, Panthro. It's an illusion!" Lion-O told him, but the Panthro wasn't listening as he fought the bats surrounding him off. "Cheetara!" Lion-O called.

"I'm here, Lion-O!" Cheetara screamed but Lion-O couldn't tell where she was. He tried to run in the room, but the dragon shot out another breath of fire from his mouth, preventing his entrance.

Lion-O ducked from the hot flames. "I'm coming for you, Cheetara, and you're going to pay for this Tygra!"

"Your threats don't scare me, boy! Cheetara is mine forever!"

"No! Tygra, let me go!" Cheetara screamed.

Lion-O ran in the room and blasted his sword's power at the dragon's head. "HO!"

Lion-O shouted.

The dragon moved his head out of the way to dodge the sword's blast. Because of the darkness surrounding them and the dragon illusions, Lion-O and Panthro weren't able to see Tygra and Cheetara escaping the room.

"Lion-O!" Cheetara called.

Tygra put his hand over hers.

Lion-O turned back. Cheetara's voice was behind him down the hall.

"Cheetara!" Lion-O called.

Busy worrying about Cheetara, Lion-O didn't see the dragon shoot his flames at him. Panthro still fighting the bats saw it.

"Lion-O, look out!" Panthro shouted. "AAH!" He screamed in an almost high pitched voice as a bat bit him.

Lion-O turned around as the flames shot at him. Lion-O jumped out of the way, but not in time, the flames hit Lion-O's right leg, scorching it all the way up to his thigh. Lion-O cried in pain and fell to the ground, dropping his sword.

"I'm coming, Lion-O!" Panthro said, but the bats suddenly attack Panthro at once and they and his fear of the night creatures were soon overcoming him.

Lion-O rolled over and saw the dragon heading towards him.

"It's not real. It's not real." Lion-O told himself, but the pain he was feeling from his burnt leg was telling him otherwise. He looked down at his right leg, and saw blood oozing out all over his leg, the skin was burnt off and even the bone in his calf was exposed.

Lion-O groaned in pain as he moved to reach for his sword, but it was too far off for his hands to grab it. The dragon continued on closer to him. Lion-O could feel the heat from the breath of the dragon on his face.

"You're an illusion. You're not real."

The dragon opened his mouth preparing to burn the Lord of the Thundercats. Lion-O began to remember his training as a Thundercat when Tygra gave him lessons on fighting illusions.

Lion-O looked at the dragon, bravely, showing no fear. "I know you're not real! You're just an illusion from Tygra's evil mind! You're a fake! And I do not fear you!"

The dragon blasts his fire on Lion-O. Lion-O had his eyes open ready to face it. The fire breath vanished, as it was about to touch Lion-O. Lion-O looked down and saw that his right leg was just fine. He picked up his sword and headed for Panthro. He saw Panthro swinging his nunchuks at air, but Panthro was seeing bats. He went to help Panthro, but he stopped him.

"No, Lion-O. Go get Cheetara."

"Right." Lion-O said.

*****

Tygra struggled with Cheetara to get in the Thunderclaw.

"Let me go, you monster!" Cheetara screamed.

"Get in there!" Tygra said forcing Cheetara in the flying machine. He set her in front of him. He fired up the Thunderclaw and flew off.

Lion-O just entered the hangar and saw them fly off. "No, Cheetara!"

Cheetara looked back. "Lion-O!" She screamed.

Tygra turned Cheetara back around and hit the Thunderclaw in top speed. Lion-O hopped in the Hovercat and flew off after them. Tygra looked back and saw Lion-O was gaining on them.

Lion-O opened the communication to the Thunderclaw. "Tygra, let Cheetara go now!" Lion-O ordered.

"Never!" Tygra said.

"Lio—" Cheetara tried to say his name but Tygra covered her mouth.

"Cheetara! What have done to her, you monster?! I'm ordering you to release her or else!" Lion-O threatened.

"If you try damaging the Thunderclaw, Cheetara and I will crash, and I know you don't want anything to happen to Cheetara!"

Lion-O knew Tygra had a point there. However, he was determine to get his wife back.

Cheetara bit Tygra's hand. "Don't worry about me, Lion-O. I'll be all right."

Tygra dived the Thunderclaw down.

"Tygra, what are you doing?!" Cheetara shouted as she saw them aiming towards the trees.

"Lion-O is never going to get you back. You will always be with me, in this world and the next."

Cheetara really became worried. "Tygra, what are you saying?"

"You and I are meant for each other, and if I can't have you in this world, then I will in the next."

"Tygra, you can't be serious!"

"No, Tygra, don't do it!" Lion-O shouted over the speaker.

"Yes! I must! We'll die together, my love, and be with each other for all eternity."

"NO!" Cheetara screamed as Tygra suddenly pulled up and flew up in the sky at full speed.

Lion-O maneuvered the Hovercat the up trailing them.

"YES! YES! Oh, what a way to go!" Tygra screamed maniacally.

Tygra flew as high as he wanted to and suddenly stopped. They were leveled in the air. They looked down at the ground thousands of feet below them. Tygra was about to maneuver the vehicle to go down and Cheetara struggled with him.

"No, you're not going to kill me with you, you maniac!" Cheetara shouted and fought with him.

However, with her arms tied behind her back, Cheetara couldn't do much and Tygra was able to set the vehicle for down. Lion-O was close enough to jump on the Thunderclaw until it went straight down. Lion-O hit the Hovercat with everything it had to go down after them.

"Stop struggling, Cheetara. It'll all be over soon." Tygra said holding on to her tight.

Lion-O lifts the gold shield on the Hovercat. He was inching closer to the Thunderclaw. Tygra saw him and maneuvered the vehicle dangerously. The two began to spiral out of control.

"AAHHHHHHHH!" Cheetara screamed.

"We'll go even faster now!" Tygra yelled.

Cheetara struggled to free herself. Her ropes were loosening behind her. Tygra held onto her tighter but Cheetara knew that if she could free herself from the ropes then she'd be able to get control of the Thunderclaw. Using her claws, the ropes began to unravel. When Cheetara, realized she was free, Cheetara broke her grip from Tygra and begin taking control of the Thunderclaw.

"Oh, no you don't," Tygra said as he fought Cheetara for the controls. Tygra tried to force the aircraft down while Cheetara was trying to pull up.

Lion-O was as close as he was ever going to get to the Thunderclaw. To get Cheetara, he knew he would have to do something drastic. They were only hundreds of feet from the ground now.

As Cheetara fought Tygra for the controls, Cheetara looked back and saw Lion-O.

No, Lion-O. Don't! Cheetara screamed in her mind.

Not even knowing it, Lion-O ignored Cheetara's plea as he set the Hovercat on auto and jumped on the Thunderclaw.

There was a loud thud. Tygra turned back and met Lion-O's fist. This was a mistake as Tygra fell back on Cheetara hard causing them to plummet even faster.

"I can't pull up! The controls are locked! I can't fix it at this speed! We've got to jumped!" Cheetara shouted.

Tygra recovered and punched Lion-O. Lion-O gave Tygra a right hook, left hook and an uppercut.

"That's for assaulting and trying to rape my wife!" Lion-O shouted.

Tygra lunged at Lion-O with his right fist. Lion-O caught it with his left hand. Tygra punched Lion-O in the stomach with his other hand. He saw the Sword of Omens and grabbed it from the Clawshield with intention of stabbing Lion-O with it.

The Sword of Omens electrified Tygra, proving that his cause is evil and that he is now an enemy of the Thundercats. Tygra threw the sword off the craft. It flew down and landed in the ground below. Lion-O took to this opportunity to punched Tygra so hard; he would be unconscious or fall off.

Just at this time, Cheetara saw that they were closer to the ground. "We've got to get off, Lion-O!"

Cheetara begin to raise from her seat, unsure what to do next, but she was going to make sure she'd be in Lion-O's arms. If she died, at least she would be with her husband. Tygra noticed Cheetara's movements. He took her hands as he allowed Tygra to punch him.

Tygra fell back purposely, taking Cheetara with him out of the seats of the Thunderclaw. Cheetara screamed and Tygra laughed victoriously. Lion-O's eyes widen in horror. Tygra grabbed the front end of the Thunderclaw.

"If you're smart, Lion-O, you'll leave and maybe you'll be able to save yourself."

"Not without Cheetara!" Lion-O shouted and reached to grab Tygra's hands.

"You try reaching for me and I'll let go for sure, and Cheetara will die with me and you'll have the guilt on your conscious forever! Hahahahaha! It's over, Lion-O, and I've won!"

"Save yourself, Lion-O!" Cheetara yelled.

She was farther from him than Tygra and would certainly die a brutal death if he tried to grabbed Tygra.

Cheetara looked down. There were only hundreds of feet away and death will overcome her. No! Her life wasn't going to end like this. For all she knew, she could be in the early stages of pregnancy and not know it. There was no way she was going to let her unborn child die because of some maniac's obsession. Hanging Tygra's legs, Cheetara begins climbing up on Tygra.

"Wanting to die by my side, my love?" Tygra asked Cheetara.

"NO! I'm joining my husband." Cheetara reached out for Lion-O's hand. Lion-O reached to grab hers.

Tygra knocked Cheetara down and she fell to his legs again. "No! No one is going to take Cheetara from me!"

Suddenly, Lion-O thought of a plan. He quickly climbed back to the end of the Thunderclaw.

"Yes, that's right. Jump! You never deserved her!" Tygra shouted as he saw Lion-O and then he didn't see Lion-O anymore. It was as if he jumped off. In his craze state, that's what he thought.

With the Thunderclaw plummeting straight down, Tygra was only able to see the front end, but he didn't see Lion-O climbing under the Thunderclaw. Cheetara, who was hanging on Tygra's legs, saw Lion-O. She smiled with relief but she didn't like her husband's actions. What was he doing? If he made the wrong move, he could slip and fall to his death. There wasn't much time though. They were closer to the ground around a thousand feet and going a mile a minute. There wasn't much time.

Lion-O motion Cheetara to be quiet. He got as close to her as he could. With one hand on the Thunderclaw, he reaches out for hers. It was a challenge since Cheetara was scared she wouldn't reach him. Cheetara let go of one of Tygra's leg and reaches to grab Lion-O's hand. Tygra felt Cheetara letting got one of his legs and looked down. He saw Cheetara reaching for something.

"Lion-O!" Tygra shouted. "You won't get her!" He releases his hold on the Thunderclaw.

Lion-O and Cheetara's fingers slipped through each other as Tygra let go of the Thunderclaw. Cheetara screamed.

With one final attempt, Lion-O jumped off the Thunderclaw. With that extra leap, he was able to grabbed Cheetara's hand. He pulled her to him and put his arms around her. Cheetara buried herself in his chest.

"We're not going to make it." Cheetara said.

"Oh, yes we are." Lion-O commented. "Sword of Omens come to my hand." He commanded.

With only 100 feet to go before they hit the ground, the Sword of Omens pulled itself from the ground and flew to its master. When it came to Lion-O, they only had fifty feet to go.

"I love you, Lion-O," Cheetara said.

"I love you, too, Cheetara," Lion-O said. "HO!" Lion-O shouted and the Sword of Omens stretched to its fullest length. Lion-O didn't think they would make a safe landing as they plummet faster.

With one arm around the Cheetara and the other hand on the Sword of Omens, Lion-O aimed the mighty blade at the ground. Ten feet to go, the Sword of Omens touch the ground first and Lion-O and Cheetara flipped. Lion-O fell on his back with Cheetara on top of him.

The impact was hard. Cheetara knew she was all right, but what about Lion-O? She looked at him and saw that he was unconscious.

"Lion-O? Lion-O, wake up!" Cheetara shouted.

Lion-O groaned a little bit and awakened. "Oh, my head."

"At least you're alive."

A loud booming crash distracted them from each other. They looked back at the fiery blaze of the Thunderclaw crashing to the ground and burning up.

"That's the end of Tygra," Cheetara said. "He couldn't possibly survive that. The Thunderclaw had to have fallen on him."

"No, and if he had, he would've been severely punished for what he did." Lion-O commented and looks back at Cheetara. He was able to get a good look at her. Her hair was a mess; her clothes were half on her. "What did he do to you?" Lion-O asked angrily. "Did he…" he voice was laced in anger, so much so he couldn't even finished his question.

"He didn't. You came in time." Cheetara said. She started to cry a little thinking what had almost happened. "And you…pulling a stunt like that, jumping off the Thunderclaw to get me. If you scare me like that again, I'll kill you myself," she joked. "You know I hate it when you do stunts like that."

"If I didn't do it, you wouldn't be alive right now." Lion-O commented. "Besides, I thought you loved it when I do that too." He joked.

Cheetara couldn't help but smile. "No, I wouldn't be right now." Cheetara got off Lion-O and helped Lion-O sit up. "Are you all right?" She asked touching his head.

"My back and head may be sore for a few days but other than that I'll be fine. What about you?"

"I'm all right," she moved to hug him. "It's over now. I just can't believe Tygra. How could he do such a thing?"

"I don't know. His possessiveness of you got the best of him, but it's over," Lion-O said squeezing Cheetara a little tighter making sure she was with him. Lion-O looks over at the Thunderclaw, as it's metal melt, burning to a crisp. Tygra's body must have disintegrated in the fire. "It's over."

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