Cheetara pushed her way through heavy jungle vines, trying to keep up with Snarf as he darted and squeezed through small openings in the foliage. Behind her, she could hear Tygra maneuvering the duffel bags around and panting with exertion. The air was heavy with moisture and it would probably rain in the afternoon. Cheetara sighed. Under normal circumstances, she didn’t object to rain, but when the water pouring down was just as warm as the surrounding jungle, Cheetara drew the line. The day before, they’d all taken shelter in the Feliner, but today, that wouldn’t be an option. As if there wasn’t enough moisture in the air to begin with.

"The Feliner will have rusted away by the time we get back," Tygra grumbled, apparently sharing her feelings.

"If I continue to melt in this jungle, I’ll be nothing but a puddle and won’t have to worry about it," Cheetara answered. She reached back to take a duffel bag as Tygra squeezed through the trunks of two brilliantly green trees.

"Where’s Snarf?"

Cheetara shrugged. "He’s much more mobile than we are. Probably far ahead."

"If we could only keep up with him," the tiger muttered. "By the time we even get to this sight, Panthro may be beyond our help."

"He’s that bad?"

Tygra sighed as he hoisted himself over a fallen log. "When we left, he was." He reached back to take the duffel bags from Cheetara as she vaulted the mossy wood.

The two struggled on through the sweltering heat, each lost in thought. Cheetara was trying to accept the fact that this time, the Thundercats might be beaten. But to be beaten by something so intangible! Had it been the mutants, the Lunatacs, or Mumm-Ra, it would have been different. But a disease. Something they should be able to prevent and cure. Something that held no enmity for them but killed without remorse, without mercy, and without thought.

Cheetara was startled out of her dark thoughts when Snarf suddenly appeared. "There you are! I think I’ve found something, a remnant from the second age of Third Earth. Reow, we must be getting closer!"

"Closer is good," Tygra said, trying to be optimistic.

Cheetara had to smile at the tiger, knowing he was as hopeless as she was. "How far have we come from the Feliner?"

Snarf thought for a minute. "Brrrr, don’t know. About two miles, I would guess, snarf."

Cheetara looked back at Tygra. "How much further then?"

One thing Tygra prided himself on was his photographic memory. He could see a map and easily recall it later. He did so now. "Half a mile if we don’t have to go around any more rivers. From what I can see around us, we’re right on track."

"Then let’s go," Cheetara said. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave. This jungle is a little too hot for my tastes."

"This jungle is probably about Wiley Kit’s temperature right now," Tygra murmured.

"Do you have to be so morbid, snarf? Let’s go. Reeeooorrr, I don’t even want to think about what’s going on at Cat’s Lair." Snarf turned and scampered off into the jungle. But as Cheetara turned to follow him, Tygra following her, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d seen a slight trembling in Snarf’s tail that hadn’t been there before.

"Behold, Ma-Mutt." Mumm-Ra raised his bandaged arms above his cauldron. The water began to swirl and bubble. Ma-Mutt slowly peeked in, always hesitant to get too close whenever magic was involved.

"Behold," the mummy continued. "The disease of the younger ages takes its toll. Well do I remember its attack on the second age. The most brilliant minds in medicine failed to find a cure until it was almost too late. We have the Thundercats now, don’t we, my pet?"

Ma-Mutt barked and wagged his tail. Though he wasn’t certain what his master was saying, the tone of voice told him it boded well. Life around the pyramid was infinitely easier when things boded well.

"Vultureman has succeeded in producing a vaccination for the disease. With the mutant’s immunity, he saw better how to prevent the plague. But for those already affected, it will not help. And the vaccination will never reach the Thundercats." The images in the cauldron began to shift. "I see them now. Cowering in their Lair like mice. And we are the cats, now," Mumm-Ra added. He laughed, his eerie cackle reverberating off the stone pillars of the pyramid. "Ah yes, the end of the Thundercats. And it wasn’t even by our hand. Yet we shall enjoy its fruits. But wait—"

Mumm-Ra suddenly peered closer into the cauldron. "Lion-O, Pumyra, Wiley Kit, Panthro, Snarfer, and Lynx-O. Where are the others?" Ma-Mutt grew dizzy as the cauldron began searching Third Earth at a rapid speed. "Ah, Bengali on the Thunderclaw. Kat at the mercy of the Lunattacker. But we are still missing three Thundercats." Mumm-Ra continued to scan and Ma-Mutt backed away, feeling sick.

"What?!"

Mumm-Ra’s sudden outburst startled his dog, who yelped in surprise. He jumped back over to the cauldron to see what had caused his master to yell. For a moment he was puzzled. In the cauldron was the image of Tygra, Cheetara, and Snarf. His master had found the three missing Thundercats. What was wrong?

"Somehow," Mumm-Ra snarled, the pyramid growing darker in response to his mood, "somehow, those Thundercats know about the cure. I should have destroyed that years ago, but the second age’s technology would not allow it. How do they know of it? How can they possibly know?" Mumm-Ra grew silent and the pyramid’s shadows grew deeper as the room filled with the sorcerer’s brooding. "We will put a stop to this, my pet. We will put a stop to this. The Thundercats will not have the cure, if I have to destroy the entire southern continent to prevent it."

"Time to die, kitty," Alluro’s voice rang out. The whine of the main gun told Kat he was finished. He couldn’t move. His body cried out against its abuse and prevented him from going anywhere. Swallowing the fear that rose to choke him, he closed his eyes and prepared for oblivion.

Dirt and foliage erupted around him like some chaotic volcano. What felt like the force of twelve Thundertanks slammed into the Thunderkitten. His entire body went numb and he found himself flying through the air. Kat wondered if he was already dead and analyzing this from the afterlife. But as he flew through the air, Kat had a chance to analyze the blast that had hit him and realized something. That had been a concussion caliber weapon. It wasn’t set to do real damage. That blast couldn’t have come from the Lunattacker.

Kat landed with a thud and pain rocketed through his legs. He was definitely not dead yet. A sudden wave of heat told him the main gun of the Lunattacker fired just as he landed and a large crater formed where he’d been only seconds before. There was a destruction caliber weapon. Only, it hadn’t hit him. Getting a little muscle control back and completely bewildered, Wiley Kat looked wildly around, searching for an explanation.

It came in the form of Bengali with his hammer powering up for a subsequent blast should it be needed. Dipping low on one of the Thunderclaw’s pods, he swept in, grabbed Kat by the tunic, tossed the kitten onto the seat behind him, and was gone again. Behind them, Kat could hear the Lunattacker starting to fire, but among his other talents, Bengali was an amazing pilot. The shots all went wide and the Thunderclaw was soon out of range.

When the adrenaline started to fade and even more muscle control came back to him, Kat abruptly realized he was clutching the white tiger with a strength that only fear can give. He quickly let go. Bengali chuckled slightly as he glanced over his shoulder at the kitten. "I realize you miss your sister, but I’m not used to these sudden moments of bonding."

"What happened back there?" Kat whispered.

Bengali’s mood abruptly shifted to a more serious tone. "I was about to ask you the same thing," the tiger answered with a growl. "The Sword of Omens starts roaring like a demon and Lion-O suddenly orders me on to the Thunderclaw while Lynx-O is giving me your coordinates. Next thing I know, you’re about to be blown away by the Lunattacker and I have about three seconds to come up with a way to save you. So I did the only thing I could think of. Rowr, I blasted you out of the way with my hammer." Bengali looked back over his shoulder with a slight flash of anger in his eyes. "How in Thundera did you get into that situation? You were almost killed!"

For an answer, Kat reached to his belt and pulled the vial loose. He passed it up to Bengali. "That. That’s how I got into it."

Bengali had set the Thunderclaw to automatic recall and they were nearing Cat’s Lair quickly. But he took the time to study the bottle. "What’s this?"

"Hopefully, something that can help us fight the disease."

The white tiger swung around as much as the Claw would allow him. "What? Did I just hear what I thought I heard?"

Kat nodded. "Because of the mutants’ immunity, I think they know a little bit more about this disease than we do. And from what it sounded like, Alluro and Vultureman put this knowledge together to help the Lunatacs."

"Just as a warning, this isn’t something to joke about, Kat."

Kat shook his head quickly. "I’d never joke about something like this. Not when it involved Kit. But Pumyra needs to get that right away. From what Vultureman said, it will prevent this disease."

Bengali kicked the Thunderclaw’s engines into a higher energy output. "I hope you’re right, Kat. We need a break like this. From what I’ve been able to get out of Pumyra, Panthro’s been getting steadily worse. And Kit’s scheduled to go down hill any time."

At the mention of his sister’s name, Kat’s breath became ragged and he had to fight hard to keep his emotions from showing. "It’s not a cure, Bengali. It’s only an immunization. It can’t help Kit or Panthro. Vultureman didn’t think he’d ever find a cure."

The despair in Kat’s voice sounded so much like the despair in Pumyra’s. Everyone was giving up hope. Bengali growled softly. This wasn’t the way of the Thundercats. They would find a solution. They always did.

"Rowr, It may not be a cure," Bengali said to Kat. "But it’s a start."

Lynx-O breathed a sigh of relief as Bengali radioed in that he and Kat were returning to Cat’s Lair. "How did Kat get into that situation?"

There was a pause and then Bengali radioed back. "He’s got an explanation, but he wants to wait and tell everyone at once. Rowr, and include Pumyra on this one, too. She really needs to see something."

Lynx-O’s brow furrowed. "Is Kat injured?"

There was a pause during which Bengali held a quick consultation with his passenger. "Torn ligaments in his knees. But that wasn’t what I was referring to, although it should also be looked at. Let’s just call it a surprise."

Lynx-O knew when Bengali could be talked out of something and when the tiger’s mouth was glued shut. "Very well, we will meet in sickbay. I will inform the others. Lair out."

"What do you think that’s about?" Snarfer asked.

"Something good," Lynx-O mused. "Bengali sounded excited."

"I wish I could read voices like you do," Snarfer grumbled. "To me, he just sounded gruff. He always sounds gruff."

"You don’t listen well enough." Lynx-O reached for the intercom controls. "Lion-O? Pumyra?" Lynx-O waited for his call to be answered. "Sickbay? This is the control room."

A little concerned, Snarfer called up the security cameras. "They’re in there," he announced. "But they’re both staring at Panthro, snarfer. They’re not listening to the intercom."

"Odd. Is the system working?"

Snarfer called up more schematics on the computers. "According to this, it is. Yep, detectors outside the hall are picking up the sound of the intercom calling. But Lion-O and Pumyra act like they can’t even hear it, snarfer, snarfer."

"When Bengali and Kat arrive, meet us in sickbay," Lynx-O instructed, standing up and heading for the door. "I’m going down there now."

"Wow."

"I think it deserves a little more than ‘wow.’ "

"Impressive."

"That was closer."

Tygra, Cheetara, and Snarf stood before a massive structure of decaying technology. Vines snaked along the outer walls, plants sprang from every crack in the rusting metal, but even with all this, it was still an awe-inspiring glimpse into the second age’s vast knowledge of science.

"So what’s the next move?" Cheetara asked.

Tygra took a moment to study the sky before answering. "It’ll be dark soon. We probably want to go in when it’s light. We’ll be able to see if there’re any automated defenses that are still operational. I vote we camp out here tonight and start first thing in the morning."

"Sounds good," Snarf said, stifling a yawn. "Should we set a watch?" He shook his foot vigorously.

"I’ll take the first one," Cheetara volunteered.

"I’ll follow you," Tygra offered. "Snarf, why don’t you just sleep tonight? You can watch tomorrow night if we don’t make it back to the Feliner."

"Is that fair to you two, snarf?"

"You were far more active than we were," Tygra answered. "And that stronghold probably has lots of nooks and tunnels only you can fit through. We’ll need you active again, tomorrow."

"Maybe you’re right," the snarf mumbled. "My foot seems to have gone to sleep," he added with a grumble.

"Perhaps the rest of you should follow," Tygra suggested.

"Tygra and I can set up camp," Cheetara added. "We’ll fix a quick supper while you rest and after that, you can sleep."

Snarf nodded and curled up on the ground. He didn’t hear Tygra and Cheetara start to unpack the duffel bags. As soon as he was down, he could feel himself drifting off to sleep. The tingling in his foot never really did leave, but seemed to spread up his leg. Snarf wondered about it for a moment, but sleep was overtaking him too quickly. He finally gave in and drifted into dreams.

"You let him escape."

Only Mumm-Ra could put that much venom into a single statement. Alluro cringed as he tried to think of an answer. Why did he have to end up at the pyramid? If Mumm-Ra hadn’t taken over the controls of the Lunattacker…How had he done that anyway? There had to be a way of proofing technology against the sorcerer. Showing weakness or vulnerability in front of the mummy was a big mistake. Then again, that’s what he was about to do with his answer to Mumm-Ra’s question. "We didn’t let him escape. He had help."

Mumm-Ra turned slightly, focusing his anger against Vultureman. "And you? What’s your excuse?"

Vultureman squirmed under the sorcerer’s gaze. "Bengali. That stupid Thundercat showed up and ruined everything."

"And now the Thundercats have the vaccine."

Alluro shuffled his feet. It was amazing how Mumm-Ra could take a simple fact and magnify any implications it had tenfold. "So?" Mumm-Ra and Vultureman both stared at Alluro. "Okay, so it’s not the best of situations, but there’s nothing we can do about it."

"How many Lunatacs have the Pain Fever?"

Alluro squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to think about what was happening in Skytomb. He kept telling himself that he didn’t care. That he owed the Lunatacs nothing. That it didn’t matter what happened to them and it was all probably for the better. And yet, when he was powerless to stop this disease…"Chilla came down with it this morning. RedEye has almost died from it. I don’t know how long he’ll stick around. We just ran tests on everyone else this morning. Amok will get it in a few days. The rest of us can be vaccinated now."

Mumm-Ra closed his eyes and pondered the information. "Very well. This is acceptable. Vultureman, you and the mutants will continue to make life miserable for the Thundercats here. Alluro, you and the Lunatacs will take a journey to the southern continent."

"Excuse me?"

Mumm-Ra swung his blood-red eyes on the hypnotist. "You have a problem, Lunatac?"

"My teammates are dying. We can’t up and take an impromptu trip at your whim and pleasure. What’s so important about the southern continent?" But as he spoke, Alluro’s mind was racing over what Wiley Kat had said. If Mumm-Ra was concerned about the south, there must really be a cure. They could still save RedEye and Chilla.

"You can make this trip, and you will make this trip. And I so will I. There are Thundercats in the southern continent, and we are going to make sure they never leave the southern continent alive!" Delighted with the prospect, Mumm-Ra started to laugh.

As annoying as he was, Alluro had to admit that Mumm-Ra had a pretty contagious laugh. And maybe the old bag of bones was right. Maybe the Lunatacs could take Skytomb south. But if Mumm-Ra thought he would call all the shots on this excursion, he was dead wrong. Alluro would make certain the Thundercats found that cure before they were terminated. And the cure would be transferred to the Lunatacs. Afterwards, there would be plenty of time for fun with the Thundercats.

When Bengali walked into sickbay carrying Wiley Kat, he hadn’t expected a celebration. But he didn’t expect a war-zone, either. Or, what felt like one. The tension was so thick that his hammer would have had a problem blasting through it. Snarfer, following Bengali, felt it, too. Unlike the tiger, Snarfer had the benefit of a little forewarning. Lynx-O hadn’t said a thing since leaving for sickbay and Snarfer knew the old Thundercat well enough to figure out that something was wrong. But he was still surprised by the looks that were turned on them as they entered.

Lion-O looked like he’d seen a ghost. Pumyra was about to fall over. Panthro’s angry glare would have been enough to stop Slithe cold. Lynx-O had taken a seat and was massaging his temples with the vigor indicative of a large headache. Wiley Kit was the only one in the room who was even close to normal, and she was unconscious, strapped to a bed, and moaning softly.

"Did we interrupt something?" Bengali asked.

"Come on in. You said Kat’s found something?" Lion-O’s voice was soft and to Bengali, he sounded scared.

The tiger laid Wiley Kat down on a bed and motioned Pumyra over. "I think we’ve got some torn ligaments over here." Pumyra nodded and moved to Wiley Kat’s side, walking like she was in a dream.

Bengali took all this in, hesitated, thought for a minute, and then decided to hand control over to someone else. "Yes, well, uh, Kat, why don’t you tell us what you’ve got." Bengali stepped back, trying to evaluate the situation from the background.

"Thanks," Kat muttered. While Pumyra gently probed his throbbing knees, he pulled out the vial he’d stolen from Vultureman. "The mutants have managed to find a vaccination for the Pain Fever. They tested it on me and then gave me the disease. I haven’t gotten the disease and—" He stopped. Everyone in the room was watching him intently, with the exception of Wiley Kit and Lynx-O, and Lynx-O had his ears perked up with extreme interest.

"You have a cure?"

Kat almost backed away from Lion-O. The need in the lion’s eyes was frightening. "N-no, but we can prevent it now. As long as someone doesn’t have the disease already."

Lion-O’s head drooped and a trembling took his shoulders. Lynx-O’s head slowly raised and he turned toward Lion-O’s position. "You must do it. As a Thundercat, he does have the right to ask this of you."

Snarfer cleared his throat. "Shouldn’t we be happy? I mean, we’re better off now than we were yesterday."

"If you only knew," Pumyra murmured.

"Knew what?" Bengali asked.

"Why keep—them in the—dark?" Panthro grunted. "They’ll—find out—sooner—or—later."

"Who’s keeping us in the dark?" Kat asked.

"We are," Lynx-O answered. "We all are. But not anymore, I suppose. Lion-O, you should explain it. It may help you understand it yourself."

"Understand what?" But Snarfer was afraid he really didn’t want to know.

Lion-O rubbed his forehead but knew the time had come to speak. He wondered how everyone else would take this sudden turn in events. "According to Lynx-O and Panthro, and I suppose Tygra and Cheetara would know about this as well, there are a few powers endowed in the Sword that I was never told about. And they’re powers I wish were nowhere near this Sword."

"What kind of powers?" Like Snarfer, Bengali really didn’t know if he wanted to find out, but he had to ask.

"If a Thundercat is suffering and death is imminent, I have the power to end his suffering. It’s called the right of death." Lion-O took a deep breath. "Panthro has requested this right. But his death isn’t imminent. According to Lynx-O, I now get to use my judgement and decide if his suffering warrants the use of the Sword’s powers."

There was silence for a small eternity, and then Bengali literally exploded in rage. "He just wants to die? That’s insane! You can’t just give up. Wait for Tygra and Cheetara. They’ll find a cure!"

"It’s not that simple," Lynx-O tried to explain. "The right of death takes priority over all else. To ask for it indicates that the Thundercat is near his breaking point and about to cross the threshold into madness. It must be carried out immediately."

"But Lion-O just said he had to make a judgement call," Kat pointed out as Pumyra rubbed a painkiller over his legs. "If he doesn’t decide immediately, it won’t be carried out immediately. Right? And this is something Lion-O should think over, right?"

"Traditionally," Lion-O whispered in a defeated voice, "I have one hour to make a decision."

"One hour! You can’t be serious!" Bengali looked around to see if anyone was as livid as he was. "And what kind of death does the Sword give, anyway?"

"Swift and painless," Lynx-O answered quietly. "In the blink of an eye, Panthro’s life will be stolen away by the Sword."

"Why can’t we wait? Uncle Osbert won’t let us down," Snarfer argued.

Lynx-O slowly shook his head. "You’re not listening, Snarfer. When invoked, the right of death requires that all other considerations be placed to the side. It does not allow for waiting and must be decided immediately or in the timeframe of one hour. Unless something drastic happens in the near future, this right must be carried out."

"Or I decide otherwise," Lion-O added. "If I decide that Panthro’s suffering doesn’t warrant this right—"

"How—dare you!" Even in his weakness, Panthro’s anger was a force to be reckoned with. "You have—no—idea—what I’m—going through."

"But can’t you wait just a little longer?" Bengali pleaded. "We’re sure to find a cure sometime."

"I—have waited—long enough," Panthro interrupted with a gasp. "I will not—wait longer. Though—I would prefer Cheetara—and Tygra—were—here, I cannot—hold out for them." He turned to Lion-O. "And if you—do not do it for—me, be assured—that I will take—it upon myself."

The ensuing silence was deafening. Despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, Lynx-O found this concept of deafening silence intriguing and while waiting for a reply from Lion-O, he theorized as to why complete silence should be deafening as that implied a cessation from noise. But he was prevented from thoroughly exploring the subject when Lion-O abruptly cleared his throat. "Give me a while to think about it, Panthro. I know you’re in pain, but I don’t think you know what you’re asking me to do."

"I know—what—I’m asking," the panther heaved. "Do—you—know what—you’re denying?"

But before Lion-O could respond, alarms suddenly rang out through the Lair. Unauthorized craft had breached the sensor perimeter. "Mutants!" Bengali announced as he accessed a remote terminal.

"I’ll get back to you on this," Lion-O told Panthro. "Come on, everyone. Battle stations!"

"Tygra?"

As the stars glimmered above him in the night sky, he turned from his patrol around camp and looked toward the source of the sound. "Cheetara? What are you doing up?"

Cheetara struggled out of her sleeping unit. "I need to talk to you while Snarf’s asleep."

Tygra sighed. "We have a big day tomorrow. If there aren’t some booby traps in that structure, I’m not an architect. That place is perfect for it. We need to be alert tomorrow. Go back to bed."

"I really need to talk to you." Cheetara walked over to Tygra who tried to voice another protest, but she quickly shushed him. "It’s about Snarf. Earlier today, I noticed some trembling in his tail. It might not have been anything to worry about, but my sixth sense thinks it is. And then there was his foot tonight. It fell asleep. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but my sixth sense went off like the alarms in the Lair." After a quick glance at Snarf to make certain he was still sleeping, the cheetah continued. "Tygra, I think he has the Pain Fever. It just hasn’t taken hold, yet."

Tygra muttered something and turned away from her. "Nothing’s happened yet. Let’s not get paranoid."

The cheetah bristled slightly at the implication that her sixth sense was "paranoid." "What if something does happen? What then?"

"Then something happens. There’s nothing we can do about it, so get some sleep."

"Tygra!" Cheetara caught hold of his shoulder and spun him around. "There’s a possible threat to this mission and the Thundercat team, and you’re just going to dismiss it like that?"

"Listen. I know this plague has everyone stretched tight. But just because Snarf’s tail has the jitters doesn’t mean he’s a victim."

Something in his reply tipped Cheetara off and she studied the tiger’s eyes before he could turn away from her. The architect rarely shared his feelings or thoughts, but sometimes one could catch a glimmer of them in the warm amber of his eyes. Cheetara found what she was looking for, but what she found frightened her. "You know." She stepped away from the tiger in disbelief. "You know that Snarf has the Pain Fever."

The muscles around Tygra’s jaw tightened. "Sometimes, that sixth sense of yours can be a real liability."

"You knew before we even started this trip," the cheetah continued. "You knew he had the Pain Fever. How did you know? Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell any of us?"

Tygra rubbed his hand through his mane and sat down on a convenient log. "Would it have helped? Do you think Snarf needs to know that he has the plague? That his chances of surviving beyond the next few weeks are almost nothing? That he’s basically a walking time-bomb?"

Cheetara sat down next to him. The soft night noises were a bitter contrast to the sorrow she felt squeezing her soul. "How long have you known? How did you find out?"

"It was one of the first things Pumyra and I discovered about the disease. We discovered how to catch it in the early stages. Additionally, we learned there was nothing we could do about it. It wasn’t an easy decision, but we agreed that those infected shouldn’t be told."

The cheetah stared at the tiger. "You knew about Wiley Kit?" Tygra hesitated for a brief moment, but then he nodded. "And that’s how you know about Snarf?" Another nod. Cheetara had come to a hard question, but pressed ahead. "Who else? Who else is infected?"

"Wiley Kit caught us by surprise," Tygra murmured. "We didn’t expect it to attack as early as it did. But we figured out why and corrected our calculations. Snarf still has a day or two left."

"That didn’t answer my question, Tygra. What about us? Do you know about us?"

"The latest information I have is who was infected up until the day we left. Our information was based on the tissue samples we took from everyone. The ones we kept comparing to Panthro’s. I don’t know about the last two days."

"So tell me who was infected when we left."

Shaking his head, the tiger turned a fierce glare on Cheetara. "Why? What good will it do?"

"We’re both infected, aren’t we?"

With a sigh, Tygra capitulated. "No. You aren’t infected, Cheetara. At least, you weren’t yesterday morning. Bengali, Wiley Kat, and Snarfer weren’t infected, either. Lion-O and Lynx-O both have at least a few days before they fall to the Pain Fever. Pumyra showed the first signs of it just before we left. She has about a week."

Cheetara ran her fingers through her thick mane of hair. "And you told no one?" Tygra shook his head. "What about yourself?"

There was a brief hesitation, and then, with a small shudder, Tygra answered. "About as long as Snarf. A day or so. Maybe a little longer."

"No."

Tygra placed a hand on Cheetara’s shoulder. "I’m—well, I’m sorry."

Cheetara jerked away from the tiger and abruptly stood. "Why? Why did you come with us? Why did you allow Snarf to come with us? You’ll both be helpless in a few days. I can’t do this on my own."

"Pumyra and I judged it to be safer this way," Tygra explained. "Had we remained at Cat’s Lair, we’d become another drain on the system. They would have to watch us as well as themselves. At least this way, we leave capable hands in the Lair and are still given a chance to find that cure."

"It will take more than a few days to find the cure unless it happens to be in this structure."

"If it isn’t this one, it isn’t any of them."

Cheetara was growing angry and starting to pace. "How can you be so certain? Why have you been keeping so much back? We’re a team. We can’t afford to hold out on each other.

"We didn’t hold out on you. There was nothing that could be done. And before we left, I went over the maps again and found some things the snarfs missed. This has to be the one. The others don’t have some necessary geologic sites. This is our one and only shot. If this isn’t it…" Tygra shrugged and looked at Snarf who lay sleeping peacefully. "If this isn’t it, it doesn’t exist."

"And then what happens?"

Tygra glanced over at Cheetara. Her cat’s eyes glowed in the moonlight, but they also glowed with apprehension, anger, and fear. "Well, if it doesn’t exist, I guess we’ll have to accept the fact that there is no cure. And the fact that some of us may not live much longer."

"Panthro seems to be lasting long enough," Cheetara observed bitterly.

"Actually, that has to do with the painkillers he’s been given. They ease the transition from health to acute pain. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not, but they prolong life. Snarf and I won’t have that problem."

"Why not?"

"Simple. I didn’t bring any painkillers. If the cure doesn’t exist, there’s no reason for the two of us to become a tax on you. After it hits, the pain should force us into a coma after about five or six hours. Pumyra estimated that once in the coma, the disease will be allowed to spread unchecked and our time is reduced from weeks to days. You won’t have to watch us if you don’t want to. You can just leave us here." As Tygra spoke about it, he was completely detached. While navigating the Feliner to the southern continent, he’d found quite a bit of time to think about probable outcomes. The possibility that there was no longer a cure was high. And he’d come to accept the fact that he would probably never leave the southern continent alive.

"If Panthro weren’t on painkillers would he slip into a coma right now?" Cheetara was trying to veer away from the subject of Tygra and Snarf. She’d deal with that later on her own.

"No, because he’s been on them too long. It’s the initial onset of the disease. Like I was saying, the coma results from the sudden shock to the system. Panthro’s too used to the pain. There isn’t anything we can do for him now unless we find that cure."

"Or you." Cheetara sank back down beside Tygra again. "There’s nothing we can do for you or Snarf." Cheetara’s head drooped. "How long have you known about yourself?"

"Cheetara…"

"How long?"

The tiger sighed. "Since I was first infected. We detected the disease in Wiley Kit almost by accident. That’s when we decided not to tell her. After finding the disease there, we decided to try it on samples from everyone else. The next day, I found it in my own tissue samples. That was about a week ago."

"You’ve known about it for an entire week? And you told no one?"

"Pumyra knew about it." Tygra shook his head. "I tried to keep her from finding out, but she got a hold of the lab reports."

"Why didn’t you come to me?" Cheetara’s eyes shone in the dim light as she probed Tygra for an answer. "Maybe we could have worked something out. If nothing else, I could have helped. The last week couldn’t have been easy for you."

The cheetah was very right. After discovering a virtual death certificate in his tissue samples, Tygra had been forced into some serious thinking. But the tiger quickly saw that Cheetara wouldn’t have helped. She was already emotionally distraught over his upcoming illness. He’d had almost all he could handle with this disease. It had worn him ragged and if it got to Cheetara, he didn’t know if he could take it.

"No, swift one, there would have been nothing you could do," Tygra whispered, pulling Cheetara against his shoulder. She didn’t resist, but he could tell that she was still angry. "Listen, Cheetara. What’s been happening has been unavoidable. And I don’t think there’s much we can do about it even now. But we’ll never give up. We’ll keep searching up until—well, until the end, whatever that may be. You’ll be okay." He started rubbing her shoulder in slow circles. "You’ve come through hard times before."

"But you’ve come through them with me," Cheetara protested. "We’ve always come through together."

Tygra shifted his rub to include her upper arm and back in his massage. "We can’t cheat death forever, Cheetara. You and I both know that."

"But to escape Mumm-Ra, mutants, Lunatacs, deranged safari hunters, ghosts from the past and who knows what else, only to fall before something so small we can’t see it." Cheetara abruptly noted that she was quickly relaxing and wondered at it. Tygra seemed to be soothing all her trigger points in his practiced massage and her anger was fading away into a haze. She struggled to stay focused on the situation at hand. "Knowing that you might not make it, I don’t know if I’ll make it."

"You’ve always been strong," Tygra assured her. "You always will be." His voice had dropped into a lower pitch and was soft, soothing, flowing. "You don’t need me with you."

Sleep suddenly seemed like an excellent idea to Cheetara. The feeling came so suddenly, that she instantly started searching for its cause. And almost as quickly, she recognized the source. "I know what you’re doing," Cheetara murmured. She tried to shift away from Tygra or at least disrupt his rubbing, but moving seemed to take so much effort. She knew her sudden weariness was the result of Tygra’s hypnotic rub, but why fight it? She fit so well against his muscular side, his strong arm bending around her back and his gentle hand softly kneading away the tenseness in her muscles. She was turning to liquid under his touch. Against her will, she felt her breathing deepen. "You taught me this, once. It puts someone to sleep if done with the right pressure in the right area." Despite her fight to keep it back, she yawned.

"Really?" Tygra asked softly, feigning innocence with perfection. "Am I doing it correctly?" He altered his massage ever so slightly as he felt her relax even more.

The cheetah tried to be angry, but that, too, took energy that she just didn’t have anymore. And she was so warm and comfortable. She decided to give in, as Tygra had clearly won this round.

"Well?" Tygra’s deep whisper was the final blow, banishing all tension from her body and ushering sleep into her tired mind. "Is it working?"

"Conniving tiger. Ask me in the morning," Cheetara managed to mumble before she drifted off.

Slowly, Tygra eased off the massage. For a while, he didn’t move, waiting to see if Cheetara was really asleep. After a few minutes, Tygra was satisfied and he gently carried her back to her sleeping unit. For a long time he stayed by her side, just watching her breathe. He would miss her when he went. "You know, Cheetara, there’s a way to resist that massage. Maybe someday, if I have a someday, I’ll teach you how." Almost of its own accord, his hand gently started to stroke her soft hair. "But for right now, forget all about this stupid disease. Forget about the pain and the suffering, and just rest. There’ll be time enough for the plague tomorrow."

Tygra backed away to return to his patrol, but as he did so, he couldn’t help but notice something. In any other situation, he would have credited it to lack of sleep. But right now he couldn’t. It was there in front of him, terrible evidence of a malady about to come. A trembling had suddenly taken his hands.

"It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack," TugMug complained. "And what are they doing down here anyway? Running from the disease? Let them stay down here, then. They’ll be out of our way."

Mumm-Ra grumbled slightly and turned his venomous gaze on the Lunatac. "The Thundercats are here. And if we do not terminate them, they will return. That should be reason enough for you."

"That doesn’t answer my question, Dumb-Ra," TugMug snarled. Had the Lunatac gotten another hour of sleep in, had he not been as stressed as he was, or had the sensors showed the slightest sign of possibly finding the Thundercats in the southern jungles, he wouldn’t have held his tongue. But he hadn’t gotten that extra hour of sleep, he was amazingly stressed, and the sensors were as dead as RedEye would be in a few days. Besides, it felt good to snap at the ancient servant of evil. With a sneer, he waited for an appropriate response.

It came in the form of a massive fireball that pinned him against the floor. "How dare you!" Mumm-Ra roared. "Know that I have your life in my hands. Know that I could melt you, burn you, turn you into ash without notice. I suggest that you apologize, Lunatac, unless you wish this moment to be your last." TugMug had to concede that this was not a bad threat as far as threats went and said as much, also tacking on an appropriately humble apology.

"What is going on in here?" Alluro demanded as he appeared in the control room.

"Mumm-Ra and I were just exchanging thoughts about the scanners," TugMug explained. The fireball had vanished at Alluro’s interruption and TugMug slowly lifted himself off the floor.

"Right," Alluro muttered, really not in the mood to press the issue. He threw a medical notepad down in front of TugMug.

"What’s this?"

"Read it," the hypnotist answered.

Already irritated, TugMug was tempted to ignore Alluro, but he knew Alluro to be as short on sleep as he was. And Alluro could be nasty when annoyed. Quelling his temper, TugMug picked up the notepad and started to read. After a few minutes, he looked up at Alluro in astonishment. "So soon?"

"I give him 36 hours."

"Have you told Luna?"

Alluro nodded. "Actually, she was there when we put him on."

Behind the two Lunatacs, a large ever-living servant of evil cleared his throat. "What is it you are discussing?"

Temper boiling, Alluro swung on the mummy. "You wouldn’t care, but RedEye’s dying. We’ve just had to put him on a respirator because his diaphragm can no longer respond to neural impulses and the rest of his muscles, with the exception of his heart, have also shut down. And it won’t be long before that goes, too."

"How long has he had the disease?"

Alluro glanced at TugMug for an answer. TugMug had to think for a minute. "About two and a half weeks, give or take a day."

"Excellent." The mummy closed his eyes and smiled. "RedEye had a marvelous constitution, didn’t he?"

"You sick, deranged—"

"The Thundercat Panthro should almost be dead. We can gauge his process by RedEye’s. When RedEye dies, Panthro will soon follow."

Both Alluro and TugMug were ready to spring at Mumm-Ra when a light on the console suddenly started to blink. Alluro turned sharply to see what it was and then get back to turning Mumm-Ra into so many pieces of goo. But he stopped when he realized what the light meant. The scanners had found something.

In a flash, he had called up the computer schematics on the find. TugMug was right next to him. As the computer started to resolve its picture, TugMug turned back to Alluro. "What about Chilla?" he asked in a whisper.

Alluro’s face took on a pained expression. "She woke up just in time to see RedEye’s breathing fail. Probably not the best time to wake up. We dosed her up on some heavy painkillers, but she just kept staring at RedEye." He shook his head. "We need to find a cure. We need to find something. Anything."

"I think we just did," TugMug announced, indicating the computer monitor.

"The Feliner."

Mumm-Ra strolled up behind them. "Perfect. Land next to their ship." He cackled and an evil smile twisted his craggy features. "I shall enjoy this little venture."

Bengali growled softly as Pumyra finished the injection. The puma gave the tiger an amused look. "Was that so bad?"

Bengali answered her with a short snarl and rubbed his upper arm. "Why is it that all doctors say the same thing? ‘This won’t hurt a bit. You should only feel a little prick. Was that so bad? Be a good patient now.’ You all must think we’re stupid or something. What’s so hard about telling the truth?"

"I didn’t think it was that bad," Snarfer piped up.

Pumyra smiled as Snarfer jumped back from Bengali’s glare. "Well, let’s get this vaccination over to the Warrior Maidens. They need it. The Wollows and Bolkins, too. I heard last night that ten Bolkins went down." The puma shook her head in dismay. "They were doing so well, too. Only five victims up until yesterday."

"Pumyra?"

Pumyra’s spirits took another drop as she turned toward the source of the voice. "Yes, Lion-O?"

The lion walked quietly into sickbay, avoiding Panthro’s scathing glare. For once, Lion-O was actually thanking the mutants for their last attack. The timing couldn’t have been better, as their distraction had gotten everyone out of sickbay and away from the suicidal panther. For the night, that had solved the problems. But now the attack was over and with the dawning of a new day…

"I think we’ll go now," Bengali said as he and Snarfer left sickbay. He gave Pumyra an encouraging smile as he left.

Lion-O looked around, trying to determine a way to start the conversation. With the arrival of Kat’s vaccination, Pumyra had been forced to explain that not everyone could receive the inoculation. Some of them were incubating the disease. After that, Lion-O had felt a little awkward around the healer, knowing he would become one of her patients in the next few days. "Finished with the vaccinations?"

Pumyra nodded. "We were going to deliver them to the Wollows, Bolkins, and the Warrior Maidens. It’ll stop the spread of the disease, even if it can’t cure it."

"That’s what I wanted to talk to you about," Lion-O said, dropping his voice a few notches in volume. "Is there any possible way you can derive some kind of cure from this? Anything? Just something to give Panthro some hope?"

"Or the rest of us?" the puma added. Lion-O nodded mutely. Pumyra started to pack away the vaccinations in a portable bag. "I don’t think so. I’ve already told you that neurology isn’t my specialty. If I found a cure, I don’t think I’d recognize it. And I don’t know where to look. I think we may have to accept Tygra, Cheetara, and Snarf as our only hopes in this."

"Panthro won’t last that long, Lynx-O and I only have a few more days, you have about a week, and you told me yourself that Tygra and Snarf would come down with it today or tomorrow. We don’t have a last hope unless you come through!"

A few days before, Pumyra would have been hurt by Lion-O’s demands. She would have felt inadequate and unworthy of her status as a Thundercat. But she was past that now. She had accepted the disease as an inevitable part of her future and she had accepted her future as being rather short. Understanding this seemed to put everything else into perspective. "I’m sorry, Lion-O. I’ve done all I can. There’s nothing more I can give you." She wandered over to Wiley Kit and checked her readings. The Thunderkitten was steadily going downhill. Pumyra hesitated and then gave the patient another sedative. It wasn’t good for the kitten, but she couldn’t bear for Kit to awaken with pain as intense as hers was. The next stop was Panthro.

She noticed Lion-O following her discreetly and wondered what the next few moments would hold. Panthro watched her intently as she checked his monitors. Pumyra was beginning to feel uncomfortable under so much scrutiny. She finished her check on Panthro’s monitors and turned to the Thundercat. "So, how are you?"

"How—do you—think I—am?"

Ignoring his remark, Pumyra slid a hand under the panther’s strong back. "Can you breathe for me?"

"I shouldn’t—have—to—breathe anymore."

"Listen, I’m not in charge of that," Pumyra snapped. "While you’re alive, you’re still my patient. Now, can you breathe for me?"

The panther’s eyes rolled back in his head and he tried to inhale for the puma. A strong rattling shook his torso and sharp wheezes of pain interfered with the inhalation process. "That’s fine," Pumyra hastily told him. "Now, exhale."

The air staggered out of him like a drunken Berbil. Pumyra had to wince at the sound and knew his diaphragm would soon be beyond his control. After that, it was only a matter of time before his brain started to swell or he lost control of his heart. Either one would be the fatal stroke of the disease. "Okay, Panthro, I’m going to be gone and I don’t know how long it will take me to get back. So I’m going to start you on a respirator in case your breathing fails. I’ll just hook you up now and if the monitors register a stop in your breathing, they’ll kick in. Sound okay?" Even as she spoke, she was reaching for the necessary equipment.

Panthro’s eyes darted to Lion-O and narrowed. Lion-O’s mind was working rapidly and he thought he’d found a compromise. "Can you give me one day?" the lion asked. "What if I send Bengali to the south with the vaccination for Cheetara and get him to check on the progress of the cure? He can be down there tonight, he can follow the trail they made and reach them by midnight, he can be out again tomorrow morning, and the Thunderclaw will be out of the jungle’s communication block and able to tell us the status a few hours after that. Will you give me until tomorrow afternoon?"

Had Panthro still been able to, he would have sighed. "If Bengali—isn’t out—by—then, will you—do it—anyway?"

Lion-O looked stricken. What did he say to that?

"You’ll—also—fall to this—disease about—then," the panther reminded him.

Beaten, Lion-O finally nodded his head. "If we don’t hear from Bengali by three tomorrow or if we hear negative reports…I’ll do it."

"And—if something—happens in the meantime—and you—might not—be—able—to do it at—that time, will you—do it earlier?"

"Like if the mutants attack and there’s another delay?" Lion-O asked. There was a tiny nod from the panther, almost impossible to see through his trembling. Weighted down by despair, for once, the lion couldn’t see another way out. All his life, there’d been another way out. But not now. His oath as a Thundercat and his responsibility as Lord of the Thundercats had conspired against him. With a slow nod, Lion-O responded. "I promise that if something happens and there’s a possibility we’ll be delayed beyond that time, all right. I will grant your right."

Panthro seemed to relax back into his bed. "Okay—then. Go—ahead, Pumyra."

"This may hurt a bit," the puma warned as she started connecting various tubes and wires. "I’m going to be directly monitoring your neural impulses as they are relayed to your diaphragm and to do this, I need to insert a wire into your chest."

"Everything—hurts—already," Panthro responded in a tortured whisper. "Go ahead."