Thundercats Fan Fiction ❯ Last Life ❯ Chapter Eleven: The Observation ( Chapter 11 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter Eleven
Deep in the deserts of Third Earth laid a black pyramid. Lightning seemed to spout out of the very top of the pyramid, adding more onto the ominous feeling that one would get from just looking at the pyramid alone. Dark clouds rolled overhead, making it almost hard for anyone to see anything. Three figures walked through the desert, coming to the entrance of the Black Pyramid. A small woman riding on top of a strange, large creature screeched in displeasure.

“Curse this Mumm-Ra for living in such a dirty place.” Luna growled, holding onto Amok’s large horns to keep from falling off. Her purple eyes glanced around the Pyramid. There was nothing, but dirt surrounding the place, except for the four Pillars that provided Mumm-Ra’s Pyramid with power, but that was all she could see. The Lunatac twisted half way around from atop Amok’s head at hearing a small groan from behind her. There, shackled by a pair of cuffs and being led by Chilla was a young girl.

She was a Thunderian. A Thundercat. An enemy to be precise. The girl’s tawny blond mane hung over her eyes, obscuring them from Luna’s view. She was moving very slowly—too slow—much to Luna’s dislike. Despite her Thunderian appearance, the girl wore strange clothing that was unlike anything the Lunatacs had ever seen. Strange blue pants that was neither cotton nor wool, strange shoes that seemed to be made of a rubbery substance mixed with leather, and a cotton shirt that has a strange picture on the front with equally strange writing below the picture. What kind of Thunderian planet did she come from?

This one question burned strongly in Luna’s mind, but she shook her head and turned back around. Luna reached out with a small hand and gently touched the top of Amok's head, making the beast growl softly in appreciation. Amok was the only person who mattered to her. Not the other idiotic Lunatacs, not the stupid Mutants, not Mumm-Ra. No one, but Amok.

They finally arrived at the entrance to the Black Pyramid where Luna tugged gently on Amok’s horn to get him to stop. The pack mule did stop, letting out a small growl. “Mumm-Ra. Amok no likes.” Amok snorted, but he calmed down at Luna’s touch.

You and me both, Amok. Luna watched as Chilla growled and yanked hard on the prisoner’s chain to force her back onto her feet. The girl cried out in pain at having her arms being pulled so roughly. Chilla just smirked in pleasure at her pain.

“Such a fragile girl now that you’re captured, aren’t you, little kitten?” The frosty woman cackled in amusement. The girl just kept her gaze down. It was hard to tell whether she was scared or planning something for when the time comes. Her body was not trembling, but she was not exactly still either. Luna could see her body moving on its own accord with every breath she took. Maybe she is still sluggish from being caught in Chilla’s ice attack.

The doors to Mumm-Ra’s Black Pyramid opened in silence, giving Luna, Amok, Chilla, and their prisoner entry. No one enters Mumm-Ra’s lair without his permission.

The four of them walked into the darkness that lay in the Pyramid. It didn’t take them long to arrive in Mumm-Ra’s sleeping chambers where the said Devil Priest lay asleep in his sarcophagus across the room. The only light entering the room itself was from the magical pool of bubbling water that lay in the heart of the chamber.

“Did you bring the child?” A growling voice reverberated throughout the entire room as the coffin slowly opened up, allowing the sleeping figure within to come out. A mummified figure stepped out, his face completely concealed by the shadow of his red cloak. It was Mumm-Ra, the ever living.

“Of course we did, Mumm-Ra.” Disdain dripped in Luna’s voice as she answered his question. She looked back over her shoulder and nodded to Chilla. Chilla sneered and yanked on the chain again, pulling the girl with her as she approached the wizard.

“I hope she is to your liking, your evilness.” Chilla shoved the girl towards him with a faint hiss. The girl stumbled from the force of Chilla’s action and landed at Mumm-Ra’s feet.

Amusement crept onto Mumm-Ra’s face at seeing the girl kneeling before him. He reached out with a bandaged hand to touch her head. “So this is the measly Lord of the Thundercats’ object of affections. The one he holds near and dear to his heart.” Mumm-Ra cackled, but his joy was short lived for he did not sense fear coming from the Thundercub in front of him. Anger started to surface from his soul and he glared at her. “Why do you not tremble before Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living, cub?”

It was then that Catrina opened her eyes. She lifted her head to stare at him. “B-because I’ve seen horrors worse than you. You may be an ever-living being and an all powerful wizard at that, but I have experienced scarier things than you. The only thing I’m scared of is myself.” Catrina breathed deeply as she tried to keep herself from trembling. Of course she was scared of this mummified zombie wannabe, but she was not about to let him smell her fear. Catrina could sense anger radiating from the red-cloaked figure looming over her. From what the preteen could see, she was staring into a pair of red eyes that seemed to hold a lot of malevolence and the red depths of Mumm-Ra’s eyes were full of scorn. Perhaps he secretly hated what he became? She has often heard tales of those who feared Death so much that they were willing to sell their own souls to achieve the higher powers to keep themselves alive. These escapers of death were often evil tyrants who lusted after power or just wanted a taste of revenge. Whatever the reason Mumm-Ra had for selling his soul, he sure fit the bill.

“You think Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living is a joke?” Mumm-Ra roared angrily. The magician seized the thirteen-year-old by the throat and started to squeeze. “I shall show you the true extent of my powers!” He started to glow a faint red color, but he stopped at feeling something around Catrina’s neck. Feeling a bit surprised, Mumm-Ra brought his other hand to grab Catrina by the scruff of her neck while removing his hand.

A strip of velvety fabric was clasped around her neck and on the strip of cloth was a small pendant that looked like the insignia of the Thundercats. It was then that Catrina saw the corners of her captor’s lips pull back into a sneer. An eerie chuckle met her ears, sending a wave of fear down her spine. She did not like the look on the evil wizard’s face.

“I see it now.” Mumm-Ra growled lowly. He slipped a clawed finger between the strip of cloth that was Catrina’s necklace and her neck for a better hold. Her heart jumped in fright and she grabbed onto his arm.

“Don’t you dare touch this band. Lion-O gave this to me and this is what I hold closest to my heart.” She growled angrily as every inch of fur on her body bristled from fright. If anything happened to this necklace…

Mumm-Ra laughed in sheer amusement at the girl’s empty threat while Luna and the other two Lunatacs stared on in amusement. Chilla had an evil gleam in her eyes, one that was thirsty for blood. Mumm-Ra pulled Catrina to her feet so that he could better grasp her neck. His eyes narrowed, his lips pulling back into a sneer. “Such bravery for a foolish cub!” The Devil Priest mused, looking her over, “Perhaps there is use for you yet, Thundercub.”

Catrina bared her teeth at the mummy as a growl rumbled from the back of her throat. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mumm-Ra, but I refuse to help you take down my friends.” Her growl was cut off from the added pressure Mumm-Ra exercised through clenching his seemingly fragile fingers around her neck.

His anger was returning in full force. “You will help me, Kitten, whether you want to or not. If you don’t, then your precious mentor and his white counterpart will both die alongside you.” Just as Mumm-Ra said that, two figures stepped out of the nearby shadows, guided by the same three Mutants who had attacked her house on First Earth.

Catrina could see through the faint blackness of her fading vision the two mentioned Tigers chained together by metal shackles connected to each other. Both Bengali and Tygra seemed to be sleepwalking or in a trance or something for their eyes were half open, their shoulders were not tense, and their faces were blank.

Ty...gra… Ben…Ga…Li… Catrina thought to them as Monkian hooted gleefully to himself. How she wished she could break free from Mumm-Ra’s grip and just slap them out of the trance!

“You called us, oh mighty evil one?” Slithe hissed, giving Mumm-Ra a wary stare as he stared at him from the corner of his eye. Slithe gave another hiss at seeing the three Lunatacs standing nearby, waiting for Mumm-Ra’s next orders. “Those three are here?”

Jackalman growled from behind his two companions, his yellow gaze staring warily at Luna, Amok, and Chilla across the room. “W-why are they here?” He asked in a somewhat reluctant tone.

Luna glared back at the three mutants and screeched again while Amok growled and Chilla hissed. It was a well known fact that Mutants and Lunatacs don’t work well together, let alone get along, but there have been times where they worked together to try and bring the Thundercats down. It would have worked too, if it had not been for that blasted Vultureman’s inability to cooperate with Alluro.

“We’re here because Evil Lord Mumm-Ra ordered us to capture that little runt you see before you.” The Princess of the Lunatacs said in a gloating tone. She pointed her riding crop at Catrina, who was still in Mumm-Ra’s grip, only now Mumm-Ra had relaxed his hold on her throat, giving her just enough room to breathe.

Catrina found that she could breathe again. She casted a quick glance at her two fellow Thundercats and saw that they were still in that strange, hypnotic state. What kind of power did Mumm-Ra have over them? Or was it something the Mutants used on them?Either way, she had to get them to snap out of it or find a way to call for the others. The Thunderian girl closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax while Mumm-Ra yelled out his next orders to the two squabbling groups. She has to do something fast.

What was it that Tygra did to me on the way to Third Earth? She thought to herself. Telekinesis? Telepathy? Telepathy!

The girl would have gasped at her startling discovery had it not been for the situation she was currently in. Subconsciously remembering her childhood training and all the mind exercises she practiced with Tygra, Catrina focused all of her powers into a single thought and tried to project the thought to Tygra through the bond they shared. Please let this work… Tygra? Can you hear me? Say something! Anything!

At first she felt only a weak spark from the orange tiger as he stood there, waiting for the next command from either Mumm-Ra or the Mutants. She sensed her friend’s mind suppressed by the veil of Mumm-Ra’s hold on it. Catrina suddenly felt a jerk from Mumm-Ra as he lifted her to her feet.

“Don’t tell me you’re dead already, Kitten!” The mummy chortled in amusement. His red eyes narrowed a bit as he looked down at her, only to see the girl staring back at him. Catrina just gave a faint smile.

“I-I’m not dead.” Catrina said weakly. The thirteen year old barely flinched as Mumm-Ra lifted her up more, only to toss her to the Mutants. She landed rather hard at Slithe’s feet, only to be snatched up by Monkian.

“Take her, Mutants. Guard her well until after I destroy that cursed Lion-O and have retrieved the Sword of Omens.” Mumm-Ra started walking back to his sarcophagus. This was just too much excitement for him for one day…

“Yes, my Dark Lord.” Slithe hissed with a smirk. He glanced at his two cohorts and snarled at them. “Monkian, you take the girl. Jackalman, you take the two tigers and make sure their shackles are tight. We don’t need the three of them to get away from us.”

Jackalman bared his teeth at the Lizard, but he kept his tongue and took a hold of the chains as Monkian hefted Catrina to his shoulder. Catrina did not even need to struggle. Now that Tygra was within her reach, she could concentrate her thoughts better.

Luna watched in shock as her prey was tossed to the Mutants, only to be carried away by them. This made her angry, but the Princess kept her cool as she addressed Mumm-Ra. “What about us, your Almighty Darkness?” She asked, not hiding the hatred in her voice. Her red eyes watched as Mumm-Ra hobbled off to his coffin.

The priest was barely at his sleeping place when she asked that question. He looked over his shoulder at her and gave Luna a snarled smirk. “Stand by at Sky Tomb. Mumm-Ra will send for you when the time is right.” With that said, he waved the three Lunatacs away and retreated to his coffin for a long rest.