Chapter Two

'thoughts'

"I can't believe Mumm-ra is alive!" Panthro stated in grim astonishment.

"He's the one that caused all this trouble, big brother?" Leisa asked as she looked up at him worriedly as they all stood within the control room of Cat's Lair. She'd had a warm reunion with Lynxo before the astonishing news told by Snarf had driven all happy thoughts from their minds.

"Yea, that old bag of bones. He's been as big a thorn in our sides as the Mutants have," Panthro growled out as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

"We know about him…but what I'm wondering about are these Lunatacs!" Snarf cried out in dismay as he shivered. "I don't like the sounds of them!" he purred in fear as he shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

"I have heard that they are dark beings that were from the Moons of Plundaar. It is said that they have great powers, or so I heard long ago," Lynxo offered quietly as he tilted his head.

"How do we find them?" Bengali asked in concern as he glanced around. "They could be anywhere."

"I could find them." Lynxo's soft declaration surprised them all and they looked over at him in surprise. "Since I became blind, my other senses have become more acute. I could touch all the places they have been and be able to locate their main base if I had a Braille board."

"A Braille board, hmm? Sounds easy enough," Panthro murmured thoughtfully as he stroked his chin.

"We have the technology. I am sure we can make one," Lynxo replied with a smile as he glanced over in Panthro's direction.

"Sure thing, then. Gonna help me, Leilei?" Panthro asked his sister fondly, grinning as she beamed up at him.

"Of course!" she chirped out, giggling as he ruffled her hair.

"Then it's settled. Lynxo, Leisa, and Panthro, you work on the Braille board. The rest of us are going to break up into teams and search as much as we can for Mutant activity," Lion-o ordered firmly as he nodded at them. With firm nods, they all broke up and went off onto their own separate missions, searching for the Mutants and the Lunatacs before it was too late.

They found out the hard way that they were too late to stop the release of the Lunatacs and that there were slaves being captured all over. They also, to their dismay, were running out of Thundrillium, which was the source of their equipments' power. With grim determination, they set to working on their plans to stop the Lunatacs, Mumm-ra, and the Mutants.

*~~**~~*

"I don't think that'll work, brother." Leisa's voice floated out in the Lair's garage as she looked over her brother's shoulder at his plans for the Braille board. "You need a sensor here for the various frequencies," she suggested as she pointed at the certain area.

"Yea but how will he interpret those?" Panthro asked as he frowned up at her.

"You just gotta trust his abilities, silly! His senses are very attuned to everything around him!" she replied with a giggle as she bopped him on the nose. They laughed softly and bent their heads together once more to contemplate the set-up before they began to build it.

"Speaking of senses…did you ever learn to control that little thing you could do?" Panthro asked a while later as they worked on the wiring.

Looking up and smiling, Leisa nodded. "With Lynxo's help I was able to control it at will. It sometimes overwhelms me, but other than that, I can use it efficiently," she responded before tweaking one of the control boards.

"That's good. I was getting kinda worried there when you kept getting so frustrated," Panthro commented lightly as he screwed in the last of the sensors. "There. Now we just have to tweak this and then we can install it into the Thunderstrike," he said in satisfaction.

"Done! Let's go!" Leisa cried as she bounced up and handed the last board to her brother so he could screw it in. Panthro laughed as she ran to the Thunderstrike where Cheetara, Tigra, and Bengali were working. She spoke to them excitedly as she gestured to her brother as he came over after putting in the last board and they all laughed with her.

"Leisa was telling us that it was finished, Panthro," Tigra said to his friend as Panthro came up and jumped up into the cockpit followed by his sister.

"She's got that right. Now we just have to install it and it's ready to go," Panthro shot back with a wink before they set to installing it. But they all stopped as the Cat Signal called to them. "And just in time too. Looks like the Thunderstrike's first test run will be a combat run!" he called out as he jumped out and headed for the Thundertank with his sister so they could head for the scene where Lion-o was fighting; followed by Bengali and Pumyra in the Hovercat and Thunderclaw and Lynxo, Cheetara, and Tigra in the Thunderstrike.

What they found at the site was a surprise as they got their first battle taste with a Lunatac. Tugmug surprised them all with his gravitational feats that ended up injuring Wily Kit and Kat as well as his breaking of the sword of Omens. Grimly, they discussed what was a new development in their fight against evil before making a plan to try and stop them before anymore innocent Third Earthians were captured and put to slavery.

So it was with surprise that they greeted the news that a Wholo and a Baulkin brought that the Lunatacs were based in Darkside, where a large ship, Skytomb, had been built for them there. What surprised them even more was that there was another passageway into Darkside that didn't pass over Firerock Mountain and that, with Lynxo's Braille board, they'd be able to cross into there with little problem. A small party was decided upon to go and investigate, but the investigation brought up some alarming results. The Lunatacs' ship Skytomb…was mobile.

Grimly, Panthro and Tigra set to work on building a way to track the Lunatacs while Leisa worked with Lynxo on building another Braille board for the new Tower of Omens that her brother was working on with Tigra. They got to work immediately, but it was tense and stressful as they all worked to finish the tower in time so that they could keep the latest threat to the people of Third Earth under watch.

The Tower of Omens was finished swiftly with the Berbils' help, much to the relief of the Thundercats, but it wasn't yet ready for operation. It was on a day where operations were being finalized and connected that the Lunatacs attacked full force.

A fireball blasted the Tower, knocking the gathered Thundercats to the ground in shock. "It's the Lunatacs!" Bengali cried as he helped Pumyra to stand.

"Brother! Are you ok?" Leisa cried as she leaned over her brother, who had been shocked from the electrical backwash.

"I'm fine…just let me at those blasted Lunatacs!" Panthro snarled out softly as he struggled to sit up. They all cried out again as another blast hit the tower, sending them down again. Snarf managed to help Lynxo up as they struggled to get their senses back.

"Bengali! Pumyra! Split the Thunderstrike and take care of that Lunatank! Panthro…Leisa. You're with me! Lynxo and Snarf, stay here!" Lion-o commanded firmly as he got to his feet and pointed at them while giving orders. He, Panthro, and Leisa ran out to face the Lunatacs head on while Bengali and Pumyra took on the Lunatank.

Lion-o growled in annoyance as Tugmug attacked, surprising Panthro before Lion-o used the sword to blast the Lunatac back. He then faced off against Tugmug, leaving Panthro to face Alluro. Lion-o faced off with Tugmug, dodging the blasts that came at him. Suddenly, four daggers flew out, surrounding the Lunatac. Leisa called out “Bind and sleep!” Tugmug roared in annoyance as twine appeared and bound him before a gas shot out, putting him to sleep. She recalled her daggers back, then grinned at Lion-o as he saluted her in thanks before they both faced against Alluro.

But the battle came to a crashing halt as the Tower of Omens sent a blistering beam onto Skytomb four times, causing the Lunatacs to retreat. It was indeed a close call…

"Brother! Are you ok?" Leisa cried as she ran over to Panthro and hugged him tightly.

"Yea I'm fine. That Alluro is very strong," Panthro muttered as he rubbed her back, then leaned back and smirked at her. "I saw you help Lion-o! Good work!" he said proudly.

"Aw thanks, brother," Leisa mumbled as she blushed, looking down.

"I agree with Panthro, Leisa," Lion-o added as he came over, smiling warmly at her as he sheathed his sword. "You certainly had my back. Can I ask where you got those daggers though? They seem special," he queried as he tilted his head in curiosity as the other four joined them.

"They are indeed, Lord Lion-o. They are a family heirloom that has been passed from one generation of women to the next. My mother gave them to me before our home was destroyed," Leisa replied sadly as she held up one of the daggers. It was an intricate weapon, no longer than her middle finger, and it had a jewel in the hilt with several smaller jewels going above it.

Lion-o turned it over, appreciating its intricate design as well as its usefulness before handing it back with a smile. "Something special to hang on to," he murmured softly and smiled more as she nodded in agreement. Looking at the others, he nodded. "Let's head back in and see what Lynxo and Snarf have to say about what just happened."

Laughing, the others headed inside of the Tower of Omens, though Lion-o and Panthro hung back, talking softly. Leisa goofed around with the Thunderkittens as they discussed the battle before going in to see what the damage was.

*~~**~~*

Peace came for a small bit, but was soon destroyed as the latest member of the team, Snarfer, crashed down in Darkside. Fearful for the young one's safety, Lion-o, Bengali, Pumyra, Lynxo, Leisa, and Snarf took the Thunderstrike and headed for the Forest of Mists. But things turned disastrous quickly.

A soft gasp from Leisa came a second before Lynxo's Braille board lit up with shorting circuits, making it impossible for him to navigate. Fearful, the others all watched for the ship to crash…all but Leisa. She stood up carefully from behind Lynxo and put her hand on the board, ignoring the electric shocks she was receiving as she concentrated. She grunted suddenly and her eyes flashed white as she trembled. Slowly, the shocks disappeared and Lynxo was able to pilot the Thunderstrike safely to the side while she kept her hand on it.

Once outside of the Forest, they landed. But not all was good as Leisa collapsed onto Lynxo. "Leisa!" he cried in shock.

"What happened?!" Bengali demanded as he jumped up immediately and helped sit their friend back, Lion-o hovering nearby worriedly with Pumyra and Snarf.

"She collapsed. I think that the strain from redirecting the source of the blockage was a bit much for her," Lynxo replied in worry as he touched his fingertips to her face.

"That and the electric shocks overloaded me, old friend…" Leisa slurred out as she came back to consciousness.

"What did you do, Leisa?" Lion-o asked in concern as Bengali made Leisa sit more comfortably.

Flushing, she glanced away. Gently, Bengali leaned his head in and murmured, "Did you use it?" He sighed as she nodded and rubbed her back.

"Used what? What's not being said here?!" Snarf demanded as he bounced onto his tail.

"Leisa has a special ability. She can control things with her mind, but mainly other creatures. It's very powerful, but drains her," Pumyra responded soothingly, smiling.

"I was able to find out who was causing the disturbance to Lynxo's Braille board and 'made them' fix it. I dislike using my power for it is so invasive," Leisa added unhappily as she rubbed her temples.

"Well we owe you our lives, Leisa. You and Lynxo stay here and try to fix the Braille board. The rest of us should split up and find Snarfer before the Lunatacs do," Lion-o said firmly as he looked at the other two after Leisa and Lynxo had nodded in agreement.

Splitting up, the three other Thundercats and Snarf went on their search, while Leisa and Lynxo worked to at least jury-rig the board. They had just made the last connection when Leisa cried out in shocked pain as she held her arm. "Leisa! What is it?!" Lynxo cried in surprise, holding her steady.

"C-cold! So cold! Can't move my arm!" Leisa whimpered out as she tucked her arm into her body, shivering. "I'm…feeling Lord Lion-o's p-pain! We have to hurry!"

"Then we best get moving. Block out his pain, Leisa, though I am surprised you should feel his pain at all," Lynxo commented softly in concern as they lifted off.

"I don't know why either, Lynxo, but he needs us. See! The signal!" Leisa cried as she pointed.

"Then we must get there now!" Lynxo said firmly as they headed for the signal.

But once they got there, they saw that the others were indeed in great danger. "Land quickly, Lynxo while I hold off the Lunatacs!" Leisa commanded as she came up to the front.

"No! It's too much for you!" Lynxo cried as he landed.

"Just trust me old friend!" she replied before concentrating as they landed. All of the Lunatacs stopped, frozen as they cried out in shock at their inability to move. Lynxo called for the others to hurry as she held the Lunatacs, trembling with her effort to hold them all still. Her power slipped as they turned, enabling Tugmug to attempt a capture but it was thwarted by Lynxo's timely turning. Leisa collapsed unconscious as soon as they were away and didn't even move as Bengali picked her up to carry her into the tower once they were home.

*~~**~~*

"How is she, Panthro?" Lion-o's soft inquiry caught Panthro's attention and the older Thundercat smiled wearily as he looked up from where he was sitting next to his sister's bed.

"Still out cold. I should never have let her go out..." Panthro whispered huskily as he returned his weary gaze to his sister's lax countenance.

Smiling sadly, Lion-o put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "She's a strong woman, Panthro. She'll do what she wants to. I'm sure she'll be safe," he murmured reassuringly as he gazed at the young woman that was laying silently before them.

"I can't help worrying, Lion-o. She's all I have left for my family. And those blasted Lunatacs tried to take her away!" Panthro snarled softly as he squeezed the hand he held tenderly.

Squeezing his friend's shoulder, Lion-o sat down on the edge of the bed to look at Panthro. "She's a Thundercat, Panthro...she can handle herself," he stated quietly. He smiled as his friend looked at him in surprise. "I think she's earned it...don't you?"

Smiling brightly, Panthro nodded firmly. "Yes, she has indeed."

Nodding back as he grinned, Lion-o stood up. "Come on...we need to come up with a plan to free those slaves and take care of the Lunatacs."

"I wouldn't mind on that. Just let me at em..." Panthro growled before standing. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to his sister's forehead before they left the room to meet with the others. Time to make their own plans of attack.

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