Beauty and the Beast
By: Thundercatroar
Rated R
Author's note: I know this is a long story, but I had to write it that way so that it would be right.  This story is about how good love is when it is right, and how bad it is when it goes awry. Poor Wilykit, needless to say, is going on a rocky ride.  There is going to be sex, violence, and some bad language in this story, so no minors, please.  I know that I am not the first to have the idea of Plundarian refugees hitting New Thundera, so I hope I don't tick off any previous writers.
 

Beauty and the Beast Part One: Enter Melik, Potty Mouthed Kids and Caring For the Mutant
 

      Wilykit walked down the sidewalk in the trade district, her arms were burdened with an unevenly balanced load of parcels. Wilykit already had to stop numerous times and pick up packages and resume walking.  She had only gained a few feet when the boxes dropped once again, Wilykit was tempted to leave the packages where they fell that time. Wilykit instead gathered the cumbersome pile, and resumed walking, the contents inside were desperately needed.  Wilykit sighed, and hoped she could make it a few more feet before she had to stop again.  Wilykit's mind was occupied with the excitement of the recent events at Cat's Lair.
      Two weeks before, a ship arrived from space, a Plundarian vessel.  Upon closer inspection, inside the ship there were two hundred and seventy nine Mutant slaves, there would have been more, but some were dead, their bodies littered the ship.  Wilykit remembered how Tygra, Panthro, Lion-O, Wilykat, Bengali, and Kelec looked after they returned from the disposal of the ship.  Wilykat still would not speak to her about the incident, or what he had seen, Wilykit knew that it had to have been bad for him to shut her out like that.  It wasn't until later that Wilykit heard whispers amongst the other Thundercats that some of the dead Mutants had shown signs of being cannibalized, there was also evidence that the pilots were murdered.
     Wilykit felt so sorry for the offworlders, almost all of them were half starved, some were so weak that they could not even walk much less feed themselves.  Wilykit and the rest of the Thundercats had never seen Plundarian women and children, the people took some getting used to, some of their customs were interesting, to say the least.  Despite it all, soon the Thundercats had become rather fond of the Plundarians, and they came to the realization that they were not all so bad after all.
      Wilykit's mind turned to happier things, she smiled. Snarf was completely in his element, he was the happiest she or the others had seen him in a long time, because he had a lot of people to look after that really needed it. Lion-O and the other Thundercats had set up tents to temporarily house the Mutants in the Lair courtyard, while they did that, Snarf cooked and fed the Mutants until they all could not eat another bite. Wilykit was grateful that the majority of the Mutants that they were caring for were ambulatory, after two weeks of care, only six were so weak that they could not look after themselves. Wilykit remembered the pitiful look that one of them gave her, A Jackalian Mutant.  He was tall, and large boned, she knew this because she could see them through his furred skin. Wilykit felt extreme pity for that one in particular, he had already lost his sisters and a brother, and his mother was ill. Pumyra told her that it was a fifty-fifty chance if she survived or not when she arrived, though she was doing much better.  Wilykit thought about the parents she never knew for a moment, when she could take no more, she filled her mind with another thought.  Wilykit tripped on a section of sidewalk that was standing proudly of the others and fell, all of her packages fell and rolled on the ground.
     "Gods, damn it!"  Wilykit looked at knees and her elbow, they were skinned, sharp and dull pain radiated from the wounds.  As Wilykit began to pick herself up, she felt an arm around her, and a hand under her forearm helping her up.  Wilykit looked up, and she was impressed with the sight that greeted her.  A young man had come to her rescue, a tall, handsome, red tiger, with a voice full of concern for her well being. "Miss, are you alright?" Wilykit looked herself over. "I suppose so, other than the obvious." The young man bowed when he saw the Thundercat symbol on her chest. Wilykit felt embarrassed. "Please, don't do that, i'm nothing special." The man sat her down at a nearby table and chair. "I don't believe that." The tiger flashed Wilykit a gleaming white smile, then gathered her parcels and stacked them neatly on the sidewalk.  The well muscled tiger's attention then turned to her wounds. "Miss, please stay here, i'll be right back." The tiger ran into  store behind them, and in seemingly no time at all, had returned with bandages and water.  The tiger smiled again. "Here, i'll clean your wounds for you, there's some grit in them, when you get back to Cat's Lair, you can get them a little better."
      Wilykit had only been paying attention to half of what the tiger was saying, she had been too busy admiring his other admirable qualities, besides his healing abilities.  "How do you know I live at Cat's Lair?" Wilykit mentally kicked herself for saying such a stupid thing, the tiger laughed gently.  Wilykit changed the subject with haste. "Here, let me pay you for all this stuff."  Wilykit rifled through her pouch for money to give to the tiger, she eventually found it, but he wouldn't accept it. "No, that's okay, it's an honor to help a pretty Thundercat." Wilykit blushed as the tiger finished cleaning her wounds. "There you go, almost all better, your Ladyship." The tiger flashed Wilykit a mischievous smile. "Would you like for me to kiss the ouch, and make it go away?"  Wilykit thought of how truly nice that would be, she had already envisioned their marriage and what their kittens would look like.  Wilykit shook herself out of the fantasy and put on a mildly irritated face, just for show, so he wouldn't think her improprietous.  "You are awfully bold to suggest such a thing to a complete stranger, especially a girl." The tiger smiled. "You are no girl." Wilykit couldn't fight the crimson that had invaded her cheeks with all eight branches of the Thunderian military.  Wilykit was going to give the candid tiger a piece of her mind, but when she looked into his steely gray eyes, the desire to do so had completely diminished.  Wilykit was entranced by the tiger as he helped her stand up, then he asked her the next logical question. "So, your Ladyship, what is your name?" Wilykit stammered. "I-um, my name? Ah, it's Wilykit." The tiger smiled, Wilykit felt stupid,...again.  Wilykit quickly recovered and said, "What is your name?" The tiger smiled and said, "Melik."  Melik pointed to the shop behind him.  "Lucky for you, I work in there." Wilykit looked up, it was her favorite store on New Thundera, a candy shop.   Wilykit looked at Melik.  "I go in there more times a week that i'll ever admit, I haven't ever seen you before." Melik smiled again. "I started today. Oh." Wilykit said with a silly grin.
       Melik helped Wilykit load her supplies into her car, and closed the trunk. "Would you like a piece of candy, or a drink? My treat."  Wilykit was sorely tempted, but she heard the temple bells chime noon time, she was shocked back to the almost forgotten task at hand. "Oh, Jaga! I have to get back to the Lair, Pumyra is waiting for me." Melik looked as if he were impressed. "Isn't she the healer?" Wilykit nodded yes. Melik helped Wilykit get into her vehicle. "When you aren't too busy, come by and i'll make you a,  something, okay?"  Wilykit smiled at her savior. "Well, I," Wilykit looked in the tiger's eyes, then said cautiously,  "okay." Melik grinned. "It's settled then!" Wilykit turned the ignition to her vehicle, then turned towards the tiger. "Thank you for helping me, Melik." Melik gave her another smile. "It was my pleasure, Lady Wilykit."    She looked at Melik as she pulled away, then in the rear view mirror, he was watching her leave.
      Wilykit felt giddy, and her heart was pounding.  She had never had a male act so interested in her before, much less flirt with her. Most of the males she had been in contact with had either been extremely immature, or tried to kill her.  Wilykit looked at herself in the mirror, and made up her mind then and there that the tiger was worth closer inspection.

     Pumyra, and Cheetara both looked out the window, not quite impatiently, but with urgency, they needed the supplies Wilykit had gone for.  The two felt relieved when they saw the girl tear into Cat's Lair compound.
     Pumyra and Cheetara met Wilykit in the garage, along with Wilykat. Pumyra stepped forward and smiled, Cheetara in a scolding manner said, "You are going to kill a guard driving like that!" Wilykat stood behind Cheetara and Pumyra and made faces.  Wilykit looked at him and surreptitiously scratched her forehead with her middle finger, which made him have to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.  Pumyra seeing Wilykit's graceful salute, turned around to look at Wilykat's mischievous smile,  then mentally added a point to her Wilykit versus Wilykat scoreboard on Wilykit's side.
      Pumyra's attention turned to Wilykit's scraped knees and elbow she looked at the girl in surprise. "What happened to you?" Wilykit looked down. "Oh, I fell and got a little scratched up, a nice man helped me," Cheetara and Pumyra noticed the red trace across her face. "he was really sweet, he bought bandages and water and cleaned me up."  Cheetara and Pumyra shared a quick glance at one another, and a small smile.  As Wilykit continued, they could hear the happiness in Wilykit's voice.  "His name is Melik, and he works at the candy shop, he started today."
     Cheetara thought the girl practically spent most of her free time at the tiny store, now knew she would be moving in.  Pumyra began unloading boxes, and said, "Well, is this fellow handsome?" The two women watched as Wilykit's face got even more red as she looked at the floor. "Yes, very, he's a tiger."  Wilykit turned to unload the trunk and closed her eyes, she knew she was getting carried away.  Cheetara smiled. Both she and Pumyra had remarked to one another not too long ago that Wilykit seemed to finally be over her crushes on their mates.  "Well, Wilykit," Said Pumyra. "that sounds nice. C'mon, we have to get these herbs and things upstairs, the big Jackalman needs to have these vitamins, hopefully they will help his coat get shiny." Wilykit nodded okay, but Pumyra knew that Wilykit was going to have her mind on the tiger that so chivalrously helped her out of her bind.
      Wilykit and Pumyra along with Cheetara rode up to the third floor, where the sick Mutants were being treated.  Pumyra looked at Wilykit. "'Kit, the old woman is doing much better today. Two of Reptilians were well enough, so I let them go to a tent outside, they wanted to be with their family. There are only three remaining patients, the worst one, the tall one, even he is showing signs of improvement." Pumyra looked to her side. "If you want to, you can go feed him when Snarf comes up, and i'll take care of the the other two. Okay, Pumyra."
      Snarf ambled up with a rolling cart with three plates of food on it, on the last shelf of the cart, Tyger and Ardua were riding. Pumyra looked down at her cub. "Tyger, what are you two doing?" The little boy looked up at Pumyra with his father's big blue eyes, through the visor of a toy helmet and said, "I'm a race car driver!" Ardua stuck her head out from under the shelf. "And i'm Tyger's pit chief and we're running the Hell out of this car!" Ardua said in a fashion not unlike her father. "ARDUA!"  Said Cheetara, Pumyra, and Snarf in unison, the little girl cringed.  Wilykit had to fight a smile.  Cheetara pulled Ardua out from the cart gently and helped her stand. "What did we say about using the words that your father likes to use?" Ardua looked down, and fiddled with her hands. "Not to say them because they are bad." Cheetara added, "And?"  The girl continued.  "And just because daddy says 'em doesn't mean I can. Okay," Said Cheetara. "don't say that or any of the other words again, alright? Okay."  Cheetara kissed the little girl's head, and the child looked up with a smile. "Alright you two," Said Pumyra. "go downstairs and play with Kera and Tygro." The kids looked at each other and ran towards the elevator.
       Cheetara, Snarf, Wilykit, and Pumyra waited for them to be off the floor before they all let go and laughed. Cheetara turned to the others with a little more serious attitude.  "I wish Panthro would stop using language like that around her. I have heard her say a whole lot worse!" With barely contained horror Cheetara said,  "She used the "S" word one time!"  Pumyra smiled at Cheetara's candor, but agreed with her. Cheetara continued,  "She's going to be starting school soon, what if she lets loose with something like that there?"  Wilykit looked at the others.  "Well, nobody can deny that's Panthro's kid!" The other's nodded their heads in agreement. Pumyra took her two plates and Wilykit took her one, and walked into their respective patient's rooms.
     When Wilykit walked into the room, she looked at the Mutant in bed, he looked like a living scarecrow.  Wilykit put the plate of food down, then opened the drapes to allow some sunlight to penetrate the darkened room. "Good afternoon," Wilykit said cheerfully. "are you hungry? I have some food here for you." The animal's eyes were sunken, there were dark circles under them.  His red eyes tracked her movement, but that was the only part of him that moved.  His sheets were pulled down a little to accommodate intravenous tubes, and a heart monitor.  The sheets were pulled down enough to expose his emaciated torso, his ribs could be easily counted, it hurt Wilykit to see the creature in such a shape, even though he was a Mutant.
      Wilykit pulled up a chair and the small table at the side of the door, and put the plate on it. Wilykit gently brushed his face, the Mutant leaned into her gentle touch, and closed his eyes. "Brod? Is that your name?' The Mutant nodded slightly. "Well, I have some good news for you, if you didn't know already, your mother is doing much better!" Brod nodded again. "Well, I, I guess that Pumyra did tell you didn't she?" Brod managed a slight smile. "Well, I hope you like meat fruit, and squash, because that's what you have here."  With that Wilykit took a spoon and began to feed the Mutant, he only ate part of it, but much more than he had when she and the others started looking after him. Wilykit prayed that it stayed down, when he ate too much at first he threw it all back up.  As Wilykit fed the Mutant, she saw  evidence of cruel treatment all over his body.  Scars from lashings, she assumed, adorned his body, as well as from injuries suffered form his labors.  Brod had told them that he was a farmer. Wilykit could only imagine the terrible life of drudgery, and cold cruelty he had endured. Wilykit could not imagine how anyone in that day could be allowed to live like that.
     Wilykit wiped the Mutant's mouth and checked his intravenous solution, as she was fiddling with the drip rate, she spied a book on the shelf underneath the nightstand. Wilykit picked it up and looked at the title. "Children's Fairy Tales". Wilykit opened it and looked at the inside cover, there had been an inscription, but it was scratched, smeared, marred, and illegible, it looked as if whomever had erased the name was angry when they did it.   Wilykit looked at the Mutant, she felt silly for asking the next thing. "Would you like to hear a story?" Wilykit looked at the weak creature, he nodded.  "Okay." Wilykit opened the book and began to read.  "This one is called "Puss In Boots".
      Pumyra looked at the old female in bed. "Your son is doing better, he is eating more now." The old woman said nothing, but took Pumyra's hand. Pumyra looked at the old Jackal woman, smiled and put her other hand on hers.  Tygra walked into the room. "Pumyra, i've come looking for Wilykit, it is time for her lessons." Pumyra smiled as Tygra bowed and handed the old woman a piece of candyfruit.  The old woman took it and ate slowly. Tygra looked Pumyra's patient and smiled.  Tygra then turned back to Pumyra. "Where is she? In the next room with this one's son." Tygra nodded and left the room.
       Tygra walked down one door and heard Wilykit reading, he poked his head in the door, and grinned at the sight that greeted him. Tygra never would have thought that a Mutant Jackalian would be lying in a bed in Cat's Lair being read fairy tales.  Tygra stepped back into the hall and walked towards the room he came from, Pumyra met him. "Did you find 'Kit? Yes." Tygra said with a laugh. "Where is she? Reading "Puss In Boots" to a Jackalman." Pumyra raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "I think she'd make a great healer. I do too, Pumyra, she has a heck of a bedside manner."  Pumyra and Tygra shared a good laugh. "When 'Kit is through, please tell her that i'll be waiting for her in the lab, okay? Sure."  Tygra left, and Pumyra rushed off to tend to her other patient.
      Soon Wilykit finished and she put the book down. "Do you want some more to eat?" The mutant shook his head no.  "Okay, I have to go. I'll be back tonight with your supper, okay?"  The Mutant rose slightly, he opened his mouth then weakly, quietly asked, "Your name?"  Wilykit had never heard him speak before, his voice was deep. "I am Wilykit." The Mutant blinked. "Kitten."  Wilykit smiled. "No, it's Wilykit." But she looked down and saw that the Mutant was asleep. Wilykit shook her head, pulled the sheets a little higher on her patient, and left the room.
     Wilykit met Pumyra in the hall. Pumyra answered her question before she asked it. "Yes, Wilykit the mail has come, no it hasn't come yet." Wilykit frowned a little. "I bet I didn't get in!" Pumyra put her hand on Wilykit's shoulder. "I'm sure you did, Thundera Technical is notorious for making people wait! I know, Pumyra, I just want to know, one way or the other, I can't stand this waiting!"  Pumyra smiled. "I know, Tygra is waiting for you downstairs in the lab for your chemistry lesson." Wilykit sighed. "Okay. The big guy is fed, he ate a little more than he usually does." Pumyra inspected the plate. "I see, you are turning out to be quite the nurse. Have you ever considered the rewarding career of being a healer?"  Wilykit smiled. "Oh, 'Myra you sound like one of those commercials!" Pumyra laughed. "I'll send you an informative booklet, now get going, Tygra is waiting for you." Pumyra watched Wilykit rush down the hall and smile, Wilykit had turned out to be quite a great person in her personal opinion, despite the trials of her life.
      "Okay, Wilykat, 'Kit, that does it for today. You two have both done very well." Tygra looked at his young charges.  Both Wilykit and Wilykat looked occupied, Tygra knew what over.  "Don't worry, you both got in, i'm sure of it! Now why don't you go have some fun?" Wilykit and Wilykat got up and walked out of the room. Wilykat jumped in front of Wilykit and started teasing her in a sing song way. "I know where 'Kit is going!" Wilykat laughed and batted his eyes. " You're going to see your knight in a shiny candy jar! OOOOOH! My handsome tiger!" Wilykat said in a high pitched voice, the highest he could muster. Wilykit growled "Oh! Shut up, snot face!  Oooohhh!"  Taunted Wilykat. Wilykit pushed past her brother then turned and pointed at him with a smile. "You're just jealous because you can't find a girl that can put up with you!" Wilykat frowned, Cheetara and Panthro watched on from another passage. "For YOUR information, Wilykit, there are PLENTY of girls who would love to put up with me!" Wilykit smiled. "Name one."  Cheetara and Panthro almost laughed at the labored look Wilykat had on his face. "Well?" Said Wilykit impatiently. Wilykat triumphantly said, "They're just too shy to voice their true feelings for me." Panthro looked at Cheetara in surprise, he was impressed with Wilykat's answer, even he had never come up with anything that good.   Wilykit laughed. "They're too smart to have anything to do with you, booger brain!" With that the twins laughed and Wilykat chased after his sister. "I'll get you, 'Kit!"  Panthro and Cheetara watched the two run and tag each other. Cheetara turned and looked at Panthro with an upturned eyebrow, in that moment he knew he was in the hot seat. Again.
      "Panthro?" Cheetara said with halfhearted disgust. "Yes?" Panthro wondered what horrifying thing Ardua had done or said, influenced by him, that had angered Cheetara that time. "Do you know what your daughter said today?" Panthro looked at Cheetara with a smile. "Was it cute? No, it wasn't!" Panthro sighed. "What did she say?" Cheetara took a deep breath. "She said the "H" word. Hello?" Asked Panthro with a grin. "NO! Hell!"  Panthro put his hand on his chin and smiled. "It seems to me that you are the one with the potty mouth, Cheetara." Cheetara's face contorted. "Confound it, Panthro!" Panthro shrunk from the aggravated cheetah.  "You are going to have to be careful what you say around the girl, you know how kids are, you'll have her cursing like a space sailor, then the other kids will start it! She's said the "S" word before too! Really?" Panthro rubbed the back of his head. "Alright, i'll try to do better."  Cheetara smiled. "Thank you."  Panthro eyed Cheetara. "The "H" word?"  Cheetara growled, "Oh ,"  Cheetara didn't finish her tirade, Panthro opened his mouth and put his hand on it, acting as if he were surprised at her, which further irritated Cheetara.

      Wilykit walked through the door of the candy shop, the bell rang, she looked around, but there was no sign of her savior.  Wilykit sat down at the bar on a small stool and looked at herself in the mirror, she primped her hair as best she could and waited.  Wilykit heard footfalls coming from the back and Melik emerged. "Well, hello, Lady Wilykit!" Wilykit turned and saw the tiger smiling widely at her. "Hello, Melik." Wilykit turned as Melik walked behind the counter. "I ah, wanted to come by to thank you for helping me today, again. I hope you didn't get into trouble?" Melik shook his head. "No, we weren't busy, besides, you are one of Mr. Damach's best customers," Wilykit blushed, she prayed Melik didn't think she was a pig. "I don't think he would have liked it if I didn't stop to help you." Melik leaned closer to Wilykit. "Now, earlier I promised you a complementary drink." Wilykit smiled. "No, that's not necessary, I can pay." Melik waved his hands. "I insist." Melik smiled and put his hand on his chin, as if he were contemplating something important.   "You're special, so i'm going to make you something I made up myself." With that Melik began making an exotic concoction, he was putting everything behind the counter in it. Wilykit watched what he was putting into the glass and wondered if it would be any good or not, she knew she would have to drink it, she didn't want to offend her benefactor. Melik was soon finished and set the dark looking glass in front of her. "What's it called, Melik?" Wilykit asked cautiously, the drink was foaming and it's contents were spilling over the lip of the glass. "It's called a suicide."  Wilykit looked at the glass. "Well, it looks, um,  interesting. Yeah," Finished Melik, "but it's good. Try it!" Wilykit took a sip of the drink and her eyes lit up. "This is great!"  Melik stood with his arms crossed, and with a voice of complete self satisfaction said, "Of course! The tow tow pepper sauce is what really sets it off."  Melik grinned. "So, tell me about yourself." Wilykit took another sip. "Well, what do you want to know?" Melik looked deeply into her eyes. "Everything."  Wilykit blushed and began to regale him with a shortened version of her origins, Third Earth, the Thundercats, and her future plans.
      Melik looked at Wilykit impressed. "Sounds like you have led an interesting life, Wilykit.  How old ar you if I may be so bold to ask?" Wilykit put down her near empty glass. "I'm eighteen, i'll be nineteen in a two months." Melik smiled. "You'll have to come see me on your birthday, i'll make you another drink,"  Melik paused. "unless you and I see more of each other before then." Wilykit looked up at the tiger as she licked the spoon that was covered with root beer syrup. Melik continued.  "How would you like to go see a holo-picture with me sometime?"  Wilykit looked at the tiger, she didn't know what to say, quite. Wilykit found her voice. "Like, on a date?" Melik smiled. "You said it, I didn't!" Wilykit laughed. "Well, I," Wilykit thought for a moment. "Maybe."  Melik looked at her slyly. "I promise that i'll be a perfect gentleman." Wilykit stammered, "It's just, it's not like I don't trust you, or anything like that, I, we are strangers, and," Melik interrupted. "I understand, Wilykit, it's okay." Melik flashed his teeth at her again. "But, how can we get to know each other better if you and I don't see each other?" Wilykit thought for a moment. "Okay, I will go with you. When?" Melik smiled. "Whenever you would like, your Ladyship." Wilykit laughed. "Everybody else calls me 'Kit, would you please? You shouldn't be so formal." Melik nodded his head. "'Kit it is. Thank you."  Wilykit finished the glass of putrid looking liquid. Wilykit pushed the glass towards Melik. "What are the chances of me getting another one of these?" Melik looked at Wilykit with a broad smile. "I'd have to say pretty good." And Wilykit watched the tiger make her another suicide.
      Wilykit and Melik made their date, and more small conversation. Wilykit returned to Cat's Lair as slowly as she could, she had lost track of time, and she was late to dinner, she wasn't hungry anyway after her drinks.  Wilykit enjoyed the peaceful quiet ride as long as she could,  she knew she would suffer through the same lecture from Snarf whether she was ten minutes late, or an hour, so she had might as well enjoy the trip home.  When she got back to Cat's Lair, there would be Hell to pay.
 

      "Brrrrr, snarf, snarf, where have you been? Everyone's almost through eating." Wilykit looked down at the snarf.  "I went to the candy shop to meet the man that helped me today to thank him again. A man," Snarf said in surprise.  "snarf, snarf, brrrr, I told you about talking to strange men!" Wilykit rolled her eyes. "He's not a STRANGE man, Snarf, he's actually pretty nice. Brrrr, I don't like it, snarf, snarf, accepting drinks from a strange man, he could have slipped some dope in it or something, he might have tried to do something perverted with you,  brrrr!" Wilykit burst out into laughter. "Oh, Snarf! Well, he didn't!" The old snarf looked at Wilykit and tapped his foot on the floor. "Well come on, your supper is getting cold." Wilykit shook her head no and prepared to send Snarf on a new tangent. "Snarf, i'm not hungry, those fountain drinks were pretty filling, I just want to go ahead and feed the Jackal Mutant, take a bath and go to bed, okay?" Snarf looked at the floor. Wilykit knew what was coming, Lion-O stuck his head out the door, and mouthed Snarf's lecture word for word, with the aid of hand gestures. "Brrrr, poor old Snarf, I work and slave over a hot stove to make sure all you cats get your vitamins....." Wilykit tried to not watch Lion-O but he had her attention, she tried desperately not to smile.  Soon snickers turned into laughs and Snarf stopped his rant. "Brrrr. Alright young lady, snarf, snarf, when you have rickets, or snarf, snarf, beri-beri, or the Pip or something, don't come crying to me!" Snarf looked at Lion-O who gave Snarf an innocent smile. Snarf said with irritation, "Brrrr, don't mock me behind my back, snarf, snarf!" Lion-O had a look of surprise on his face as Snarf rambled into the kitchen complaining about smart aleck cubs and and started to clean up his cooking mess.  Wilykit looked at Lion-O and mouthed, "I'm going to kill you!" Lion-O shrugged his shoulders and Wilykit went upstairs to the third floor where Pumyra was waiting for her.
      "Hey, 'Kit you're just in time, how did your meeting go?" Wilykit blushed. "I ah, i've got a date to go to a holo-picture in a couple of days." Pumyra looked at Wilykit as if she were impressed. "You work fast! You'll be married before you know it!" Wilykit gave Pumyra a look of surprise as she took a plate into the large Mutant's room to feed him.
      Wilykit walked into the room and smiled. "Hello." The Mutant looked at Wilykit. "Let's see, tonight we have ah, meat fruit, some lovely green beans and I brought you a piece of candy fruit. Have you ever had candy fruit?" The mutant shook his head no. "Well, you are in for a treat. But, you can't have it unless you eat all of your food first."  The Mutant looked at her. "I'm just kidding, you can eat as much or as little as you wish, I hated it when I was a kitten, and the others would make that ultimatum to me."  Wilykit took a spoon and slowly fed the Mutant his dinner. Soon the Mutant had eaten all that he wanted of his entree, he was more interested in the candyfruit. "So," Said Wilykit, "Would you like to hear another story tonight?" The mutant nodded yes. Wilykit mashed up the candy fruit and gave him small pieces with her fingers. As he slowly chewed, she told him the story of "The Billy Goat's Gruff" and tried to do the voices of the goats, she quit when she started to sound like Mongor a little too much for her liking. Soon Wilykit was finished, and the Mutant had eaten all of his candy fruit. "Well, um, Brod?" The Mutant nodded. "I hope you have a good night's rest, and i'll see you tomorrow with your breakfast, okay?" The Mutant nodded and weakly said, "Okay."  Wilykit smiled and said, "He speaks!" Wilykit gently brushed his head with her hand, turned off his light, and closed the door.
      Wilykit sighed, stretched, and headed for her room, in anticipation of the days ahead, she couldn't wait to have her date with Melik.