Seems like the saying "When it rains, it pours" is always true, unfortunately. Lion-o had come down with a nasty cold, and so was "confined" to bed by Snarf. Almost as we walked in the door, the Lair alarm sounded. As we got to the control room, everything was chaos. The Lair felt like it was being shaken apart, and systems were damaged. I looked up at the screen, but there was no sign of the Mutants. I looked at Panthro in puzzlement. "Earthquake. It should pass," he said by way of explanation.
The Lair shook again. then we heard something akin to an explosion. Cheetara ran out the door toward the Great Hall; I went with her, quiver and bow still strapped to my back. "Great jaga!" I heard her exclaim. Then I saw what she saw; The Great Hall had collapsed so that there was a distinct separation, rubble everywhere, like a giant hole.
"The Lair must have been built on an earthquake fault. Look how everything seems to be shifted. I've only seen this once before, Cheetara, in pictures of the San Andreas fault in California." I looked again at the damage. "Those were only pictures, but this...this is too frighteningly real!"
"The fault wasnt there when we built the Lair here. We inspected the terrain very closely," replied Cheetara.
"Maybe so, Cheetara. It could have just been formed, or the fault could have been dormant for millions of years, so that you couldn't see it. But if that's true, what set it off today?" I wondered.
"Tygra, no!" cried Cheetara suddenly. "Brittany, help me, quickly! We have to get him out," she said, then quickly began jumping over the rubble.
I looked to where she was going, and I saw Tygra amongst some rubble. His leg seemed to be pinned beneath a pillar; his head was bleeding. I took off my quiver and bow and went after her.
When I finally reached them, Panthro was starting out after us. "Be careful, Brittany. I think his leg is broken," Cheetara told me.
"How bad is his head?" I asked.
"Not as bad as I had feared, but not good, either. We'll have to wait until Panthro gets here. Neither of us can lift that pillar."
I knelt beside Tygra. He was out cold. I looked up at Cheetara. "Just as well. He would have been in extreme pain, to put it mildly, Cheetara."
Panthro arrived and grabbed the pillar. He threw it to one side, then turned to the leg. "It's broken, all right," he confirmed grimly. He picked Tygra up, then began threading his way back through the rubble; Cheetara and I followed.
When we finally got back to stable ground, he laid Tygra down gently. "Pumyra's at the Tower of Omens. She wasn't supposed to be here until tomorrow to tend to Lion-o. Cheetara, would you go and check on him, see if he's all right? Brittany, you'll have to take Pumyra's role for now. Help Tygra."
I knelt beside Tygra to see what I could do. "Panthro, please go get me some water, have towels, and bandages, and something for a splint."
"Will do," and he was gone.
I cradled Tygra's head, trying to hold it gently. There was so much blood. I realized with a head wound like tis, he could be in a coma, one he might never come out of. Even if he did, there could be brain damage. I shivered at the thought.
Wilykit and Snarf came down the hall with the water, hand towels, and bandages. "Where's Panthro?" I asked them.
"He's getting the materials for the splint," Wilykit replied. She looked at Tygra's leg. "Ouch. I'm glad he's out. That has got to hurt!"
"No kidding, but the fact that he is out is what's worrying me. I hope we don't lose him." I frowned. I propped up his head with a rolled-up hand towel, then set about cleaning his head. When I had it bandaged, I went to his leg. "He's lucky. The head wound is only superficial, but he banged it pretty hard." I scowled at the leg. "I can't do anything much with the leg until Panthro gets here, except clean it. I want him to help me hold the leg straight until I have the splint tied on."
By the time I had stripped off the pants leg and cleaned it, Panthro was back. I told him what I wanted him to do. "I'm grateful now that he is out; otherwise we'd probably have to drug him to numb the pain. At least it's a clean break. In a person who is wide awake, the setting of the le would be even more painful than the breaking, especially in a break worse than this."
"You learned all this from Pumyra?" Panthro inquired.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Chapter 3
As time went on, I became a swift runner, able to move through the trees with eloquent ease, I mastered the martial arts (ThunDerian, of course), mastered mechanics, academics (ThunDerian again), blacksmithing, swordfighting, domestic chores, and the art of healing. Also, with Wilykit and Wilykat's tutoring, I became very cunning. I have only been here three years, but we have been working on my lessons constantly. The Mutants and the wizard Mumm-Ra have not proved easy to live with, but following the Thundercats' examples, I have endured well enough. I am no longer the frightened little 12-year-old, city-bred girl I was when they first took me in as their ward.
Now, I am preparing to leave for the Warrior Maidens' Treetop Kingdom to fulfill the other part of my promise, that I was to go to them for lessons in learning archery. As of yet, I have not been able to find a way home, but most certainly not the lack of trying! I have been thinking about my family and how much i still miss them. I have accepted the Thundercats as the only family I have now, until I return home, but somehow, it is just not the same. If I ever return to my beloved home.
There was a knock at my door. "Brittany? Are you about ready to go?" Willa, then.
"Yes, just a minute!" I called back. I slung my bag strap over my shoulder and took one last look at the room I have called my home for the last three years. It was here I finally accepted the Thundercats as family, here where I have been sick; from illness, longing to go home, and battle. But this room also held many fond and joyous memories for me. It has been sanctuary and home. Last East 6. How I will miss it. Ah, well, no time for nostalgia, Birttany! Willa's waiting. Besides, you'll see it again, I think as I turn to head out the door.
Willa was waiting for me. "Let's go," I said.
"Brittany, wait!" shouted Wilykit from down the hall. "We've found something that looks like it might be a time portal, a way home for you!"
I dropped my bag beside my door and took off for the control room at breakneck speed, knowing my face had become pale as Wilykit said that. A way home-could it be? It was too much to hop for. But still, if there was a chance...
As soon as I got there, I looked up at the screen."Wilykit said ou may have found a way home for me."
"Look," Panthro punched up the data. An ominous-looking acene filled the screen.
"Dios mio," I breathe in Spanish. What looked like a giant rip in the air loomed in the same copse of trees Cheetara had found me in so long ago: I had never thought to return to it, not wishing to. A scene of home filled it, promising me my fondest wish. "It's too mch to hope for, isn't it? But how..."
"I don't know. But it looks mighty unstable-it might collapse." Panthro frowned and looked directly at me. "Brittany, I can't give you any promises."
Willa and Wilykit arrived. "if it is unstable, we'd better get moving before it closes," Lion-o stated.
Everyone started for the door. Everyone, that, is except me. "what's wrong?" Cheetara asked. "This is what you wanted. This is what you have longed for."
"I don't know," I said with a sigh of indecision, then laughed a little. "Let's go." But I did know. I had mixed feelings of whether or not I should go. Part of me longed to return home, but part of me protested, knowing I would miss these generous people who had given me so much of themselves to me so I could survive. An unstable portal meant it would close, cutting me off forever from the Thundercats, from my adopted family. Yet, it also meant i could go home, to be with the family I was born to, whom I missed very badly, and also it meant I could lead a normal life. But still I went.
Now, I am preparing to leave for the Warrior Maidens' Treetop Kingdom to fulfill the other part of my promise, that I was to go to them for lessons in learning archery. As of yet, I have not been able to find a way home, but most certainly not the lack of trying! I have been thinking about my family and how much i still miss them. I have accepted the Thundercats as the only family I have now, until I return home, but somehow, it is just not the same. If I ever return to my beloved home.
There was a knock at my door. "Brittany? Are you about ready to go?" Willa, then.
"Yes, just a minute!" I called back. I slung my bag strap over my shoulder and took one last look at the room I have called my home for the last three years. It was here I finally accepted the Thundercats as family, here where I have been sick; from illness, longing to go home, and battle. But this room also held many fond and joyous memories for me. It has been sanctuary and home. Last East 6. How I will miss it. Ah, well, no time for nostalgia, Birttany! Willa's waiting. Besides, you'll see it again, I think as I turn to head out the door.
Willa was waiting for me. "Let's go," I said.
"Brittany, wait!" shouted Wilykit from down the hall. "We've found something that looks like it might be a time portal, a way home for you!"
I dropped my bag beside my door and took off for the control room at breakneck speed, knowing my face had become pale as Wilykit said that. A way home-could it be? It was too much to hop for. But still, if there was a chance...
As soon as I got there, I looked up at the screen."Wilykit said ou may have found a way home for me."
"Look," Panthro punched up the data. An ominous-looking acene filled the screen.
"Dios mio," I breathe in Spanish. What looked like a giant rip in the air loomed in the same copse of trees Cheetara had found me in so long ago: I had never thought to return to it, not wishing to. A scene of home filled it, promising me my fondest wish. "It's too mch to hope for, isn't it? But how..."
"I don't know. But it looks mighty unstable-it might collapse." Panthro frowned and looked directly at me. "Brittany, I can't give you any promises."
Willa and Wilykit arrived. "if it is unstable, we'd better get moving before it closes," Lion-o stated.
Everyone started for the door. Everyone, that, is except me. "what's wrong?" Cheetara asked. "This is what you wanted. This is what you have longed for."
"I don't know," I said with a sigh of indecision, then laughed a little. "Let's go." But I did know. I had mixed feelings of whether or not I should go. Part of me longed to return home, but part of me protested, knowing I would miss these generous people who had given me so much of themselves to me so I could survive. An unstable portal meant it would close, cutting me off forever from the Thundercats, from my adopted family. Yet, it also meant i could go home, to be with the family I was born to, whom I missed very badly, and also it meant I could lead a normal life. But still I went.
Chapter 2
"No, I will not learn to fight!" We had been discussing my education, which would be split up between the Thundercats. Panthro had just said he would teach me mechanics and martial arts. "I hate to fight! I always have! Don't try to change my beliefs-I am a Christian, and as such, I am not going to even learn to fight! Besides, someone always gets hurt in a fight, and I hate to see people hurting."
"Brittany, you must learn. It's part of survival, and in this world, particularly in this world, you must learn to fight to protect yourself, especially against the Mutants. We will not be able to protect you all the time." Panthro lectured me patiently.
"No!" I stalked away angrily, going over to the window and looking out at the forest. I had already spent much of the month I had been here exploring it. The forest had become one of my favorite places.
"I'll let you think about it, but will you at least let me teach you some mechanics? It may come in useful some day," said Panthro.
"All right. Mechanics yes, martial arts no." I didn't look at him.
Buzz, buzz! The alarm! I found myself runnign with Panthro up to control room. Tygra and Cheetara were already at their stations, Lion-o gave up the control board to Panthro. The scene in the courtyard of the Cat's Lair came up. A shudder wracked the Lair tself, knocking me down. "Skycutters! Those blasted Mutants again! swore Panthro.
Mutants! A sudden chill of fear ran through my body, and I found I could not move. Always before, they had only been on the Thundercats' shows. But now I was seeing them live, and I was frozen with fear.
An explosion. Tygra was thrown back. His station was in flames. "Tygra! Are you hurt?" someone shouted. There was so much smoke I couldn't see who. I thought it was Lion-o, but I wasn't sure.
"No. But my control board is completely demolished,"he said.
"enough of this nonsense!" roared Lion-o. He was already out the door with the Thunderkittens and Tygra close behind. Somehow, I found myself moving out with them.
Once outside, Lion-o brought down the two skycutters with the Sword. The Sword! I had never really seen it before, never given it much thought, but it was magnificent. The power that came from it was pure, the purity of the forces of goodness.
I heard Wilykit yell out, "Look out Brittany!" I looked up. A stray bolt form one of the downed skycutters was coming in my direction! Agh! The pain! I am on the ground; nothing is in my mind but the pain. Is the how it ends? I wonder as blackness welcomes me.
"Brittany, you must learn. It's part of survival, and in this world, particularly in this world, you must learn to fight to protect yourself, especially against the Mutants. We will not be able to protect you all the time." Panthro lectured me patiently.
"No!" I stalked away angrily, going over to the window and looking out at the forest. I had already spent much of the month I had been here exploring it. The forest had become one of my favorite places.
"I'll let you think about it, but will you at least let me teach you some mechanics? It may come in useful some day," said Panthro.
"All right. Mechanics yes, martial arts no." I didn't look at him.
Buzz, buzz! The alarm! I found myself runnign with Panthro up to control room. Tygra and Cheetara were already at their stations, Lion-o gave up the control board to Panthro. The scene in the courtyard of the Cat's Lair came up. A shudder wracked the Lair tself, knocking me down. "Skycutters! Those blasted Mutants again! swore Panthro.
Mutants! A sudden chill of fear ran through my body, and I found I could not move. Always before, they had only been on the Thundercats' shows. But now I was seeing them live, and I was frozen with fear.
An explosion. Tygra was thrown back. His station was in flames. "Tygra! Are you hurt?" someone shouted. There was so much smoke I couldn't see who. I thought it was Lion-o, but I wasn't sure.
"No. But my control board is completely demolished,"he said.
"enough of this nonsense!" roared Lion-o. He was already out the door with the Thunderkittens and Tygra close behind. Somehow, I found myself moving out with them.
Once outside, Lion-o brought down the two skycutters with the Sword. The Sword! I had never really seen it before, never given it much thought, but it was magnificent. The power that came from it was pure, the purity of the forces of goodness.
I heard Wilykit yell out, "Look out Brittany!" I looked up. A stray bolt form one of the downed skycutters was coming in my direction! Agh! The pain! I am on the ground; nothing is in my mind but the pain. Is the how it ends? I wonder as blackness welcomes me.
Chapter 1
I've never been sure why, perhaps it is the small percentage of Indian blood in me, but I have always loved the outdoors, particularly the woods. I live in the central part of Indiana, which has its share of woodland. There is a smal area of woodland behind my house and I will often go there whenever I feel the call in my blood and my mind and whenever I can get away from my parents and my chores. The woods are owned by the railroad and so it is illegal to go into the woods. Thus I have learned to be quiet while I am there for fear of someone finding me. But luck has always been with me: only once did I ever see anyone back there.
I have always been rather bold and brash. There was a day when I had skipped school to walk in the woods. I was wandering through some ruins, which had been blackened by fire at one time-there was plenty of ash around. I have concluded that these ruins were once a railroad depot were perhaps people had once waited for their train or animals were loaded onto the waiting trains.
But, as I marveled at the beauty of the natural surrounding around me, something made me turn around, startled. I saw an extremely ugly face with a very malicious grin staring at me! I became very frightened and bolted. Through trees, bushs, and briars I ran so fast, breathing hard, and did not stop until I had reached home and was safely inside. I did not come out for the rest of the day, so frightened was I.
Well, that was two months ago. I have decided to overcome my fear, and I am here again in the woods.l My parents cannot understand why i love these woods so much. I, their wild, temperamental daughter, who cannot be tamed. "Brittany Walker," they will say, "you must learn to control your tempre, and teach yourself some discipline," whenever I get into trouble. Brown-haired and green-eyed, I am often called odd, having been born blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Ah, but that was in Texas! I know a young 12-year-old girl does not know how to survive in the woods or defend herself against enemies, but I do not care. The green trees here in the spring call me, and the flowers are very beautiful.
I have always been rather bold and brash. There was a day when I had skipped school to walk in the woods. I was wandering through some ruins, which had been blackened by fire at one time-there was plenty of ash around. I have concluded that these ruins were once a railroad depot were perhaps people had once waited for their train or animals were loaded onto the waiting trains.
But, as I marveled at the beauty of the natural surrounding around me, something made me turn around, startled. I saw an extremely ugly face with a very malicious grin staring at me! I became very frightened and bolted. Through trees, bushs, and briars I ran so fast, breathing hard, and did not stop until I had reached home and was safely inside. I did not come out for the rest of the day, so frightened was I.
Well, that was two months ago. I have decided to overcome my fear, and I am here again in the woods.l My parents cannot understand why i love these woods so much. I, their wild, temperamental daughter, who cannot be tamed. "Brittany Walker," they will say, "you must learn to control your tempre, and teach yourself some discipline," whenever I get into trouble. Brown-haired and green-eyed, I am often called odd, having been born blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Ah, but that was in Texas! I know a young 12-year-old girl does not know how to survive in the woods or defend herself against enemies, but I do not care. The green trees here in the spring call me, and the flowers are very beautiful.
My Thundercats story
- Intro to the bookThundercats-Brittany Walker
A young 12-year-old girl is walking through woods she has known all her life on First Earth. She is from a rich family, and so has not needed to learn ow to take care of herself. Suddenly, the scenery around her changes. Her small, familiar woods by the city she has lived in all her life have become a large unfamiliar forest. This, or course, is Third Earth. Being from the city, the girl does not know how to take care of herself in the woods. She realizes this, becomes very frightened, and starts crying.
Nearby, Cheetara is out on her morning run. She hears the young girl crying and seeks her out. Hearing the girl's story, she resolves to take the girl, whose name is Brittany Walker, back to Cat's Lair.
In the Cat's Lair, Lion-o hears out Brittany's story. Cheetara takes her to her room that they have designated for her. Then, the Thundercats vote to find a way to get her back to her home. In the meantime, she is their ward.
As time goes on, the Thundercats teach Brittany all they know; how to survive in the wild, how to fight, and academics. Through this all, Brittany becomes one of them in soul, a part of their "family." But Brittany is something of a pacifist; she hates to fight. At first, she refuses to learn to fight. But, after being badly wounded while caught in a battle between the Mutants and the Thundercats, she reluctantly consents.
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