Tygra awoke as the bright sun filtered onto the king-sized bed he was sleeping on. He rolled over and reached for Celeste, but she wasn’t there. She must have gotten up already. Tygra stretched and climbed out of bed. For some reason he felt more tired than he usually did after sleeping as soundly as he had. He still felt wonderfully relaxed and peaceful though, and figured that was enough. I’m probably low on energy because I need food. Celeste said I could just call one of the servants if I needed anything. Tygra pulled a rope that rang a bell in the servants’ quarters. He then opened the closet looking for something to wear. Curiously enough, his clothes were gone, along with his whip. Oh well, I don’t really need any weapons here anyway, he thought indifferently. He saw a toga-like garment similar to the one he had seen other men in the village wearing, one that was a stunning shade of emerald green. He put that on instead, and a pair of sandals that were on the floor of the closet. They fit perfectly. He admired himself in the mirror. Except for the fact that he was a tiger-thunderian, he looked like he belonged there.

There was a light rapping at the door. "Come in!" he called. Mirlana entered the room. "You called, Sir Tygra?"

He smiled as he greeted her. "I was just wondering where I had to go to get breakfast. Celeste abandoned me before I woke up."

"Lady Celeste is already out on the patio. She woke up an hour or so ago and didn’t want to disturb you. Breakfast is being served out there. Follow me." Mirlana led Tygra out the door.

Celeste and Chilla were sitting out in the morning sunlight. Chilla and Damien had woken up about fifteen minutes earlier, and Damien had temporarily vanished, telling Chilla only that he had a "surprise" for her. Celeste had dropped by the room and picked out an outfit for Chilla to wear, as her clothes had mysteriously vanished overnight too. She was wearing a brilliant red toga-gown similar in style to Celeste’s, only it was was a bit shorter and tighter. She too wore sandals, and her white hair hung loose about her shoulders and neck. Celeste had then taken Chilla down to the patio for breakfast. Like Tygra, Chilla was feeling very relaxed but at the same time very lethargic, as though her energy had been sapped from her. Of course, Celeste and Damien had each drained a considerable chunk of energy from their willing victims the previous night, but neither Tygra or Chilla was aware of what was really happening to them. They were too entranced by their charming hosts to notice or care.

Chilla sipped at a glass of red juice. Its taste was exotic and sweet, like the wine. "I wish Luna would stock this stuff in our fridge." she remarked.

"You have all these luxuries at your disposal here. You don’t need to return to your ungrateful companions. Damien told me how they treated you. You’re better off without them. You may stay on with us as long as you like, you know."

"I plan on it."

"Damien is much more suited to you than any of those uncouth men back at your home anyway, at least as far as I can see."

"Right." Chilla agreed absentmindedly.

Mirlana and Tygra entered. "Good morning Celeste!" Tygra grinned. He cast a glance at Chilla in her different attire. If he hadn’t known for sure it was her, he would have been positive she had a double. This Chilla looked cheerful, relaxed, happy, and friendly—the antithesis of the Chilla he knew. "Chilla, we’re still on a truce, right?"

"Yeah, sure." she answered. "No more light blue jumpsuit for you?" she asked with a wry smile.

"No more tight white dresses and capes?" he countered.

"Just tight red togas." she replied.

Celeste beamed. "Excellent! I’m so happy to see that you’ve put aside your differences here. I knew this place would be good for you both. Now Tygra, darling, you must have some food. You must be starving."

Tygra sat down and ate breakfast with the two of them.

Damien returned a few minutes later. He greeted them all warmly, then sat next to Chilla and put his arm around her. "My surprise for you is ready."

"What is it?" she asked excitedly.

"Have you ever gone riding?" he asked.

"Riding? Like horses you mean?"

"Not horses—unicorns. We do live in the unicorn forest."

Chilla’s face fell. "Oh right, like those unicorn guardians would let me within a hundred feet of any of their herd. They don’t exactly like us lunatacs. They’re Thundercat allies."

Damien waved his hand in protest. "You forget, you’re no longer with your old friends, and such petty group distinctions have no meaning here. We know only two distinctions-- our group and the outsiders. You are now one of our group. Besides, not all the unicorns are in the care of the guardians. Only the white unicorns. We have our own herd, a small band of the mystical black unicorns. They are who we ride. Come with me for a ride in the forest."

"Oh, well in that case..." Chilla grinned. "Let’s go!"

Damien turned to Celeste and Tygra. "You’re welcome to join us."

"I think Tygra is a little tired to ride, aren’t you dear?" she asked.

"Yes Celeste." he replied automatically, and sank deeper into the chair.

Mirlana cringed inwardly watching the scene. It’s such a waste! she thought angrily. A powerful warrior like him reduced to nodding and smiling and doing whatever Celeste says, like he has no mind of his own. Doesn’t he realize how she’s controlling him, what she’s doing to him? Mirlana cast another quick glance at the two of them after Damien left with Chilla. Of course he doesn’t realize it. None of them do, not until it’s too late. I sure didn’t.... Mirlana thought miserably. I hope that bird gets to Castle Plundarr, and soon.

An incessant pecking droned on the window of Vultureman’s sleeping quarters at Castle Plundarr. Vultureman tried to ignore it, but it wouldn’t go away. "Cawwww, why me? I’m a fellow bird, you know!" he yelled, and threw a gadget at the window. The glass pane shattered. "Oh great! Well at least I got rid of that annoying pecking noise." He started to drift off to sleep when the bird flew through the broken window and squawked loudly.

"Keep it down, ssssome of us are trying to ssssleep, yessss?" Slythe bellowed from down the hallway.

"Then get this damn bird out of my room!" Vultureman yelled back. He threw a pillow at the bird, but it missed. The bird flew

above him and dropped Jackalman’s shoulder straps on him.

Vultureman sighed. He was never going to get back to sleep. He picked up whatever it was that the bird had dropped on him. He focused his eyes on the straps and recognized them. "Jackalman! These are his!" The bird squawked again and perched on the window, as if willing Vultureman to follow him. He looked at the lesser bird and realized that the bird knew where Jackalman was. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he knew. He darted down the hallway. "SLYTHE! MONKIAN! GET UP NOW!"

Slythe’s door opened and he stood there holding a large club. "I ssssaid keep it down!" he roared.

"Hoo hoo, I’ll turn you into a feather duster if you don’t shut up!" Monkian said as he emerged from his room.

"Look! Some bird just broke into my room and dropped this! Caw! It’s Jackalman’s! The bird knows where he is. We have to find out what those double-crossing lunatacs did to him last night." Vultureman.

Slythe looked at him incredulously. "The bird knows where he is? Did he tell you that, yesss?" he asked with a sarcastic laugh.

"I just know, ok? Call it a bird thing."

"You’d better be right, Vultureman, yessss, otherwise you’re going to be the one who’s missing—because we’ll vaporize you with your own vari-cannon for coming up with such an asinine idea!" Slythe threatened.

"Hoo hoo, do we have to go now? I’m tired."

"Quit whining, you pathetic primate. Just be glad I didn’t leave you in your coma. I could have, you know!" Vultureman yelled. "Now let’s go!"

Slythe rolled his eyes. "Follow that bird-brain." he muttered.

"Hoo hoo, which one would that be—the bird or Vultureman?" Monkian asked.

Slythe sighed. "Both."

WilyKit and WilyKat raced above the unicorn forest on their spaceboards. "Kit, slow down! You’re going to get us killed going at that speed!"

"What a wimp! Stop talking like Snarf! Of course, if you’re chicken, I’ll slow down...."

"I’m not chicken!" he protested. "Besides, we should go below the tree line and see what we can find of Tygra down there. Maybe we’ll see him or Celeste’s village at least. It’s light out now. That should help."

"Oh all right." WilyKit agreed, and the two descended into the forest. They sped along, maneuvering between the trees. Kit suddenly slowed way down and brought her board to a hover. "WilyKat! Do you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?"

"Slow down, and come over here and listen!"

WilyKat joined his sister and strained his ears. He heard a galloping sound in the distance. "Oh, that’s the unicorns. They’re probably running."

WilyKit shook her head. "It can’t be. We just passed the whole herd back on the banks of the river of despair. Remember, we saw them when we waved at the two guardians?"

"Maybe they weren’t all there?"

"Yeah, but that’s miles away. The unicorns don’t travel that far from each other."

"Wild horses?"

"Not in this part of Third Earth."

WilyKat frowned. "It’s getting louder. Whatever it is is coming closer. Do you think we should find out what it is?"

"Well... yeah. But it might be something dangerous. Maybe we should get up in the trees and watch, in case it’s something big."

"Good idea." The kittens rode their spaceboards to some high branches in one of the trees, then dismounted and sat in the branches. They turned off their spaceboards and set them down in a crook in the brances to hold them securely.

They could make out two figures that looked like someone riding horseback coming at them. The kittens stayed very still as the galloping figures slowed to a walk. They were astonished to see that what was being ridden were two black unicorns, and they were being ridden by a human-looking man in a toga and a woman with blue skin and white hair that was a dead ringer for Chilla. Of course, the kittens didn’t think it could possibly be Chilla, she only hung out with the lunatacs or mutants, not handsome strangers in the woods that rode unicorns. She also didn’t wear sandals or red togas. The kittens exchanged puzzled glances. The two riders stopped beneath them.

"I told you this was fun." the man said, dismounting the unicorn. "They should rest. We’ve been riding a while. They need a break." He walked over to help her off her unicorn. "Allow me, dear Chilla." he said smoothly.

She smiled and took his hand. They spoke softly, and the kittens couldn’t make out their words. Then the kittens got a second shock when the man pulled Chilla into a tight embrace and kissed her. She didn’t seem to mind it either, in fact, she seemed just happy as could be with him. They talked for a few minutes, kissed each other a few more times, and then returned to their unicorns. They galloped away again.

"Great Jaga, Kit, that was Chilla! Who’s her boyfriend?" WilyKat asked in astonishment.

"This is too wierd. She was actually smiling and being nice! Why was she wearing that goofy outfit, and where are the other

lunatacs? Do they know she’s hanging out with this guy?" WilyKit asked.

"There’s only one way to find out..."

"...follow them." WilyKit finished. The two kittens grabbed their spaceboards and sped after them, staying just far enough behind to avoid being seen.

Lion-O drove the Thundertank along the countryside towards the Tower of Omens. Cheetara sat in the passenger seat next to him. "Thanks for keeping me company on my trip out here."

"It’s no problem, Lion-O. I wanted to get out of the lair anyway. I can’t stop worrying about Tygra. I hope he’s all right."

Lion-O looked at her with concern. "Is your sixth sense telling you anything about him?"

"No. I’m just worried. Do you really think this Celeste might be drugging him? It’s not like him to not come home."

"I don’t know. I’m not as confident as I was last night that everything is ok. I think we should have heard from him by now." Suddenly the console beeped. "Oh great!" Lion-O groaned.

"What is it?"

"The scanner picked up the lunatacs heading for the mountains—the ruins we were in yesterday. I think they’re going after the little bit of Thundrilium we left behind—you know, what was left after our cargo bays were full. There was still a sizable chunk left. I didn’t think they realized that."

"Maybe we should try to stop them. The last thing we need is for them to get more fuel to use in their weapons against us." Cheetara said.

"I think we should. Let’s go." Lion-O said authoritatively. He turned the tank and sped toward the ruins.

"Now that’s odd." Lynx-O muttered, typing furiously at the braille board.

"What’s wrong?" asked Bengali.

"The mutants just all came tearing out of Castle Plundarr like there was no tomorrow. They seem to be pursuing a bird."

Pumyra laughed. "A bird?"

"Are you sure that it’s not Vultureman?" Bengali wondered.

"No, because Vultureman is one of the ones in pursuit. So are Slythe and Monkian. The only one not present is Jackalman."

"Why would they be following a bird, snarfer, snarfer?" Snarfer asked.

"According to these readings, the bird is holding something in its beak, some kind of straps or clothing it seems."

Pumyra frowned. "Are you sure that the braille board isn’t malfunctioning? That’s really strange."

"No, it’s working fine. Panthro calibrated it three days ago, and all systems were fine." Bengali said. "I hope this doesn’t mean that those mutants are up to something."

"When are they not?" Snarfer asked.

"Good point. Snarfer, you stay here and watch the tower. Pumyra, Bengali, I think the three of us should go and find out just what it is that those mutants are up to." Lynx-O, Pumyra, and Bengali took off a few minutes later in pursuit of the mutants.

WilyKat and WilyKit pursued the two unicorns and their riders through the twists and turns of the dense forest. Eventually the riders turned down a dirt path lined with flowers. The Thunderkittens paused, waiting to make sure that they were far enough behind to avoid being seen by Chilla and her mysterious companion.

"This path! Do you think it could lead to the village where Tygra got that elixir from Celeste?" WilyKat asked.

"I’d bet a bushel of candy fruit on it." WilyKit replied. "Let’s check it out!" The Thunderkittens darted down the path. Before them they saw the village that had impressed Tygra so much.

"Wow!" WilyKat breathed. He then noticed the mystery man leading Chilla into a large structure that appeared to be a palace. He pointed, and Kit nodded. The twins made their way through the village in secret, hiding behind things and darting to and fro to avoid detection. They found a side archway and ducked into the palace.

Mirlana stood in front of the heavy oak doors in front of her. The vault. Celeste and Damien’s collection room. All the mementoes, all the things that linked all of us, all their victims, to the outside world. The one place in the palace I’m forbidden to go. Mirlana reached for the door. I have to know. I need to know what they keep in here, I might be able to use it to free the others. There may be a way to save everyone. She was about to lift the latch when another thought made itself heard. If they catch you, they’ll exile you. They’ll destroy you. She drew her hand back as she silently argued with herself. The other urge to go in took over. If you don’t go in and try, you’re all doomed already. Mirlana made her decision and pulled the heavy doors open.

A musty odor greeted her as she crept in. The room was immense and black as night. Fortunately, Mirlana carried a torch with her so she could still see. Situated at the front of the room were two piles she recognized. One was a light silvery-blue jumpsuit, neatly folded, with a fully retracted bolo whip sitting on top of it. The next pile was a folded cape in various shades of blue and white, with a white dress, shoulder straps with a crescent moon in the middle of them, two white boots, and a pair of white gloves. So this is where Damien and Celeste keep the belongings of their victims. Mirlana then cast a glance around the room and gasped. The room was full of similar piles. In the name of the gods, how many have they taken during their existence? Mirlana fought back a wave of nausea as she contemplated the number of beings that had fallen prey to her masters’ scheme. She realized there were a lot more piles than people who lived in the village. I guess they’ve banished and executed more than a few of their victims after they got what they wanted from them, once they were no longer useful or obedient. Mirlana then traveled towards the back of the room, scanning for anything that might be of use to her. A pile farther back made her stop dead in her tracks. She set the torch in a holder and ran to the pile.

It consisted of an animal-skin halter top and loincloth, a shoulder strap that had an attachment meant for holding arrows, with five arrows still in it. On top sat a long forgotten bow. Tears sprang to her eyes as she held it. These were mine! All these years and they had them! Memories of her times living among the warrior women flooded her head. She caressed the bow in her hands. I used to be so fearless, so powerful. I used to be brave and strong. Look at me now, cowering in the darkness, terrified to make one wrong move or speak my mind. What have they done to me? How could I let all this happen? Mirlana wiped the tears from her eyes and picked up her things. Well no more, Celeste, Damien. You’re finally going to get what’s coming to you. I’ll see to that.

Mirlana picked up her torch along with her things and walked to the door. On the way out she picked up Tygra’s whip as well. She slammed the vault door behind her and headed for her quarters, a fierce determination burning inside her.

Tygra yawned and stretched. He laid out on a lounge chair as the afternoon sunlight baked him. "It’s been too long since I’ve had a chance to rest and relax like this!" he said to himself.

Celeste came out onto the patio with Chilla. "Hello Tygra! I just found Chilla and asked her to join us. Damien is busy getting the unicorns back to their pens at the moment. How has your afternoon been?"

"Great! I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve felt so at ease."

"Yeah, this place is amazing. Someone should send Luna here to calm her down." Chilla remarked.

Celeste’s smile faded for a moment as Chilla brought up the outside world. "Damien isn’t doing as well as he should in making her forget the outsiders. I’d better get her some more of that wine of forgetfulness." "I doubt your friend could appreciate our place the way you can. Oh, I had the servants whip up something you might like, given your unique physiology-- a frozen dessert made from a combination of the wine and the fruit. Something to keep you nice and cool in this warm sun." Celeste motioned to a servant, who brought a dish of a frozen reddish pink substance out.

"Hey! Thanks!" Chilla said, tasting it. "I’ve never had anything like this. It’s great!"

"It’s an ancient recipe that our ancestors discovered in a First Earth ruin. It’s called sorbet." Chilla took her dish of sorbet and walked to the other side of the patio, looking out at the view beyond. Celeste sat next to Tygra. He smiled and put his arm around her.

"I missed you while you were out." he told her.

"Don’t concern yourself with it. I’m never gone long." Their eyes met for a moment, and they kissed deeply. Celeste used the opportunity to take a bit more of his vitality from him. Tygra didn’t notice.

WilyKat and WilyKit, who had been sneaking through the palace, saw the group on the patio. "Kat, look! It’s Tygra!"

"Yeah, and look at the babe he’s with!" WilyKat remarked. "If that’s Celeste, I understand why he took off to hang out with her!"

WilyKit gave the couple a suspicious glance. "I don’t know. Something doesn’t seem right with them. Did you notice how out of it he seems? I think Cheetara was right, something strange is going on."

"It’s called love. He’s hot for her. It makes guys act funny."

"And how would you know? Like you’ve ever had a date! Besides, look how wierd Chilla’s acting too. I think Celeste and Chilla’s boyfriend are doing something to them."

"In Chilla’s case, it’s an improvement! They should keep her sedated like this!" WilyKat joked.

"I think we should go back to the lair and tell Lion-O what’s going on. I bet he’d want to know about this."

"Yeah, I guess you’re right. Let’s go." The kittens turned to leave the palace, and came face to face with Damien.

"Well well, what have we here?" Damien asked with a vicious smile.

"We’re friends of Tygra’s." WilyKat answered nervously.

"Friends don’t sneak around and spy on the private lives of other friends. I think you’re here to cause trouble." Damien replied.

"No, we’re from Cat’s Lair, where Tygra’s from, and—"

Damien reached over and grabbed each of them by the collar, and pulled them up. "I know who you are, Thunderbrats! I’m not about to let you run home and tell your little thunderkitty friends about what you’ve seen here and risk losing what Celeste and I have worked so hard to obtain. Tygra and Chilla are ours, and the rest of you had better accept that!" he growled.

"Let go!" cried WilyKit as she kicked him in the shin. It stunned him temporarily and he dropped them.

"Now you two are really going to pay. Nobody gets away with trifling with me!"

The kittens backed up in a defensive stance.

"Who do you think you are that you can just take Tygra from us and then attack us when we want to talk to him?" WilyKat yelled.

"I’ll tell you who I think I am. I am Lord Damien of this village, and I will take whatever and whoever I want." he hissed, and began to transform into his vicious supernatural form. The kittens gasped in fear.

"Kat, let’s get out of here." WilyKit whispered.

"I don’t think so!" Damien yelled, and lunged at them. He swiped at WilyKit with his razor sharp claws, but missed by inches. The kittens ran down the hallway with Damien in hot pursuit. They turned a corner looking for the exit. Unfortunately they found a dead end. They turned and gulped. Damien had them cornered.

"You won’t take us without a fight." WilyKat stated bravely.

Damien laughed. "As if two weak cubs such as yourselves could be a challenge." He lifted his arm and struck WilyKat in the head with supernatural speed and strength. WilyKat collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"NO!" cried WilyKit. Seconds later Damien struck her too, and she fell next to her twin.

Damien picked up the children in his arms and chuckled to himself. "At least that jackal mutant won’t be lonely in the dungeon anymore!" He carried them to the dungeon and threw them into the cell across the hall from Jackalman.

"Hey, are you going to let me out now?!" Jackalman demanded.

"Hardly. I just brought some company for you to talk to." Damien looked at the three of them. "Hope you like your new home!" he said sarcastically. He then turned and left the three to rot in his dungeon.