Darkslayer Part Three: Candyfruit Pie, Good Advice,
and Culture Shock The next morning, after breakfast
and goodbyes, Ardua hopped onto her electra charger and programmed the
coordinates of the Valley of Snarfs into her navicomputer. As the
auto pilot controlled her craft, Ardua enjoyed the sights of her beloved
Thundera. As a control officer all Ardua mostly ever saw was space,
city streets, and a lot of gray buildings. Here on New Thundera,
well planned cities gave way to lush green lands with brilliant reds, yellows,
purples, the entire spectrum. Ardua leaned her head back and
felt her ponytail flap in the wind, the air was so cool and clean, she
hated the fact that she would have to return to control in a few short
weeks. As Ardua's bike neared Wilykit and
Brod's farmhouse she switched to manual control, the green landscape had
given way to neatly arranged rows of berbil fruit trees, the sight of which
was almost mesmerizing on a speeding electra charger. Below in the
orchards there were Snarfs, Jackalians, Monkians, and Reptilians working
the trees, as she sped by some waved and she waved back. Ardua scouted around the farmhouse
looking for a place to land, Wilykit inside heard the noise and stopped
work to look out the window. Wilykit had been cooking all morning
in anticipation of Ardua's arrival, she loved Ardua almost as much as her
own, and had a strong bond to her, their lives were almost parallel. Wilykit exited the door and with
a wide smile and outstretched arms and walked towards Ardua. Thorn,
Keena and Tark's pet saber-toothed cat pawed at the front door whining,
Wilykit turned in time to see a blur of purplish blue bound through the
door, tearing it off the hinges, scramble down the steps, and gallop towards
Ardua with great speed. "No, NO, THORN!" Screamed Wilykit.
The cat knocked Ardua down and assaulted her with a barrage of wet, sandpapery
kisses. "Thorn, get off of her! Bad kitty! BAD, BAD, BAD!"
Ardua was laughing because of Wilykit's irate scolding and Thorn's tickling. "Thorn, do you want squirt squirt?"
Thorn scrambled away and Wilykit helped her up. "I'm sorry, Ardua that
stupid cat does that to everyone!" Ardua wiped her face and asked, "What's
squirt squirt?" Thorn heard the dread phrase again, then ran and
hid in a bunch of bushes next to the porch steps. "Oh," Continued
Wilykit, "it's just a water bottle we use to correct Thorn with. When he's
bad we give him a little spritz with it. We started using it after he tore
up a bed mattress and chewed the corner off of a door. We usually
just have to say it to make him stop being naughty." Ardua looked
at Wilykit funny. "It doesn't hurt him it just gets him a little
damp!" Ardua smiled and picked her bag up off of the bike and began
to carry it inside. "Here," Said Wilykit,"let me get that for you."
As Wilykit took the bag from Ardua it immediately fell to the ground, Wilykit
looked at her friend. "Girl, what is in here?" Ardua picked
the bag up off of the ground and walked into the house with Wilykit. "Oh,
um, boomslang, skatternets, zip cages, helmet, restricting ray cuffs. I
thought that the kids would like to see how some of my evil chaser gadgets
work." The couple walked up the steps to the second level of the house.
Ardua looked to the left and saw a room that looked like a wild storm had
hit it. Wilykit laughed and closed the door. "Oh, Ardua don't even
look in there! I told those two to clean their room. I guess Snarf is having
his revenge, because Wilykat and I were messy for him. They get it honest,
I guess. Keena and Tark were so excited you were coming today that
they tried to fake being sick to get out of going to school. Keena
even went as far to put melted cheese in the toilet to simulate vomit.
Well," Said Ardua haltingly, "it's nice to be loved." Wilykit led
Ardua to the last room down the hallway. "Well,'Dua this is your
room. Brod will be in shortly to see you, and there will be candyfruit
pie in a few moments, so when you get settled, come on down." Wilykit
smiled and left. As Ardua unpacked she heard Brod and Wilykit speak.
"Kitten, what happened to the door? Thorn happened to the door, sweetie.
Stupid cat, where's our esteemed visitor, Kitten?" Ardua walked the hallway and down
the stairs. "I don't think I would say esteemed, Brod. 'Dua!"
Brod and Ardua hugged and laughed. "It's so good to have you here."
Wilykit stuck her head out of the kitchen doorway. "Who wants candyfruit
pie? I do, I do!" Said Brod in a child like fashion. "I do too!" Ardua
said, as she followed Brod into the kitchen. Ardua looked at Brod
as he wrapped his arms around Wilykit and kissed her cheek. He was a muscular,
hulking man but soft spoken and gentle, he and Wilykit really seemed to
be in love, he wasn't too bad looking either, for a Jackalman. Kitten, I had to call Bengali in
Jaga city, his son Tyger is bringing a part for cultivator number five,
it has a crack in it. I can weld it." Said Ardua to Brod. "No, thank
you but, this part receives a lot of wear, it is best to put a new one
on." Wilykit set a large slice of pie, and a glass of milk in front
of Brod and tickled his ear, he giggled, and began to eat quickly, a behavior
learned when he was a slave on Plundarr. Wilykit smiled and looked at Ardua,
"Tyger is such a nice young man." Wilykit set a smaller piece of
pie in front of Ardua and a glass of cold water and noticed her red face.
"You remember? Oh yes, Snarf called me this morning to remind me
you can't have dairy products." Ardua leaned back and laughed, soon all
three were . Wilykit sat down and began eating her own slice of pie,
Brod got up and wiped his mouth and began taking pies outside for the workers. "Is he going to eat those 'Kit?
No, he wouldn't be above trying though, sometimes I think that man doesn't
even taste his food. I remember when the slave ship he was on landed here,
they thought the Thundercats were going to kill them for sure, but then
were surprised when Snarf cooked and fed them all until they almost popped.
Brod was skin and bones, he wasn't even able to feed himself, so Snarf
and I nursed him and a few others back to health. Yes," said Ardua, "I
can barely remember that." Wilykit's eyes darkened. "Bastards," Wilykit
said with a hiss. "how can people do things like trade in slaves? And their
own people too!" Ardua shook her head. A few moments passed and 'Kit's
brow softened. "Well anyway I hope I made enough for everyone, fifty-six
workers and ten pies cut six ways makes sixty slices, if," Added Wilykit,"
Brod doesn't sample." Ardua smiled and asked, "How long have you two been
married? Twelve and a half years. You guys act like newlyweds. Well,"
Said Wilykit with a smile. "we argue about silly things but we get along
pretty well, I think." Wilykit looked at Ardua, searching for the right
words. "Ardua? Do you have a special fellow? Someone you like? Well no,
but" Said Ardua cautiously. "that's why I wanted to come see you so soon,
for some advice, maybe. I'm starting to look at someone in a different
light. Really," Said Wilykit, "anyone I know? Well, he's coming here, today."
Ardua said sheepishly. Wilykit smiled "You two would make a wonderful
couple, you have always been close, haven't you? Not that close!" Said
Ardua. Wilykit put her hand on Ardua's. "I see. You, see,'Kit, I made such
a big deal about us staying just friends and I wouldn't want to ruin a
perfectly good friendship with a failed romance, and besides," Ardua looked
at the table, "i'm part Monkian." Wilykit thought for a moment. "Ardua,
has Tyger expressed any interest in you? Yes, but I pushed him away. I
think he might still, but i'm not sure. Well, if he has expressed
interest in you before, your being part Monkian doesn't matter to him."
Wilykit took a deep breath. "Sometimes, 'Dua you just have to shut your
eyes and jump. That's what Brod and I did and look what happened." Ardua
looked away from Wilykit."I wouldn't want any children, though. Oh, I understand,
Brod didn't want to have children either, and I wanted kittens so badly
I didn't know what to do. Well," Said Ardua. "you two adopted so you have
kittens." Wilykit looked at Ardua gently. "No, Ardua Keena and Tark are
Brod's." Ardua looked dumbfounded, but was not about to ask how that came
about. Wilykit smiled and said, "Jaguara and nameless others helped us,
and let's leave it at that." Ardua sat in silence, still pondering
the new mystery. Wilykit quickly changed the subject. "Besides, Ardua being
part Monkian does have it's benefits, Thundranium doesn't affect you, and
you are as strong as the average Thunderian male, maybe even stronger.
Yes," Said Ardua, "but none of those things make me dateable! Well, maybe
Tyger thinks you are quite a catch, and would be ecstatically happy with
you. You deserve to be happy, and to have someone special. You deserve
Tyger because you have put up with him the longest!" That statement made
Ardua laugh for an extended period. Wilykit's expression turned serious.
"If you care anything at all about that boy, you will tell him, don't even
wait for him just tell him how you feel and let things progress in their
own way. If you continue to push him away, I guarantee you he will look
elsewhere, and you will be faced with the question of "what if?"
Wilykit paused then continued, "Ardua, i'm not trying to tell you how to
run your personal life, but i've seen what regret in relation to love can
do to someone. Regret is the most costly thing
in any aspect of life Ardua, it is best to go ahead and take a risk."
Wilykit pat Ardua's hand "Let's go outside." Wilykit and Ardua went
outside and sat down on the steps and continued talking. "'Kit, how
did you know that you were in love with Brod?" Wilykit sat for a few moments
and said, "I don't know if there was a precise moment when I fell in love
with him, but I can tell you the moment I knew his love for me wasn't pure
friendship. When?" Asked Ardua, interested. "Is that candy fruit tree still
in the middle of the courtyard at Cat's Lair? Yes. Brod and I planted that
tree. We had a deal, I was interested in horticulture so, I taught
Brod how to read and write, and he taught me everything he knew about plants,
he was a farmer when he was a slave. The day we planted that tree
Brod looked at me with those big amber eyes and called me kitten. Now,
Brod had always called me kitten since the days that I looked after him
when he was sick, but that day, what I saw behind those eyes was love,
true love, not possession, not pride, but love for me, the person, not
the Thundercat. Every time Brod said "kitten" he was saying I love
you. I thought about it for awhile, and I found that I cared for
him too, and in the same way. But Brod and I weren't always that
close, I started spending a lot of time with him when he helped save me
from a fate worse than death." Ardua sat up with even more interest.
"What do you mean? 'Dua you were very young, and I was seriously seeing
a man. I was young and dumb, I loved him and I thought he loved me, but
he was after two things, Well," Said Ardua "I can guess one. Yes,"
Continued Wilykit, "Power was the other. Cheetara tried to warn me
that he was not what he seemed, but I wouldn't listen, I charged forward
headlong. Eventually he asked me to marry, by then I could see what
Cheetara tried to tell me, I told him it was too soon to make a big decision
like that, we argued and he hit me, punched me actually, pretty hard too.
Brod was working in the courtyard that day so he saw everything.
Ardua, I wish you could have seen it. Brod came flying out of the
bushes then knocked and held Melik down, Brod was always so sweet and gentle,
but at that moment he was drooling, his ears were lain back, he had his
teeth bared, growling, and his eyes were black, I swear to the Gods black.
It frightened me, I think Melik wet himself. Lion-O and Panthro saw
the whole thing too and it took them both to pull Brod off of him. Both?
Yes. Panthro kicked Melik out of the Lair and told him not to come back
but he did. Finally it took Tygra, Lion-O, Panthro and twenty palace
guards to convince him not to return. I thought that was the last anyone
would hear of him but I was wrong. One night on the way home, Brod
was attacked by Melik and some of his friends, they beat him within an
inch of his life. Anyway about six years after that happened, Brod
and I were in love and decided to get married, everyone was shocked, to
say the very least. Wilykat wasn't too happy about it, but we had
a long talk and I explained that Brod loved me, almost died over me, Melik
was a full blood Thunderian and look at what a scumbag he turned out to
be. After that Wilykat became Brod's best buddy. When I told everyone
of my intentions to renounce my title, Lion-O offered to anoint Brod, But
he didn't want charity, and frankly neither did I. It wouldn't have been fair to the
other Thundercats for me to be an hour away from Cat's Lair and not share
in duties, and what is the point of being a Thundercat if you can't serve?
Well, long story short, Brod and I decided to grow berbil fruit here in
the Valley of Snarfs, after we got married. At the reception of our
wedding Tygra, Lion-O, Cheetara, Tygra, Bengali, and Pumyra gave us our
first parcel of land to start with. Over the years we have expanded,
bought adjoining lands and have become one of the most productive farms
in the area." Ardua sat listening entranced. Wilykit smiled. "All i'm saying
is that things work themselves out. Okay i'm done preaching." The Plundarian and Snarf workers
were through working for the day, and walked past Wilykit and Ardua, thanking
Wilykit for the pie, and sat down to rest, the Jackalians huddled close
to Wilykit. As they all sat and talked an old Monkian woman named Vida
asked Ardua if she was married, when she was told no, Vida braided a small
amount of hair in Ardua's ponytail and told her it was important for a
young single Monkian woman to have it. "What is the significance
of the braid, Vida?" Asked Ardua. "Oh, my dear, it is a sign to males that
you are eligible to be married. When girls are eighteen years old,
their mothers put this braid in their hair, if a girl attracts a male and
marries him, he cuts off the braid and saves it, and later when a baby
comes, the braid will be tied around the infant's wrist, to ward off evil." Ardua allowed the old woman to braid
her hair, but thought it a little backwards to have such a custom.
"Are you close to taking a mate, child?" Asked the old woman. "No.
How old are you child? Twenty two." The other Monkian females, the younger
ones especially, turned and looked at Ardua in surprise, and then apologized
for her condition and offered to introduce her to some eligible males as
soon as they could. Ardua didn't know what to say, thankfully Vida helped
Ardua through the difficult situation. "You see Ardua, Monkians marry
early in life, you are considered, what is the phrase Wily kitten? Old
maid, Vida." Wilykit said with a wicked grin. Vida looked at her
younger workmates, and explained Thunderian marriage rites and ages were
different than theirs. Wilykit looked down the road and said to Ardua,
"Uh,oh, Ardua, batten down the hatches and prepare, to be mobbed!" Ardua looked down the dirt road
herself and saw two small children running at top speed towards the farmhouse
yelling her name. Thorn jumped off of the porch and ran to the children.
The two kids got onto the gigantic saber-toothed cat and rode him the rest
of the way to the house. Wilykit stood and admonished her kittens.
"I told you two not to ride Thorn anymore, he is getting some age on him
and you two are bigger!" The kittens leapt into Ardua's lap, "Don't ride
Ardua either, she is getting some age on her too!" Ardua stuck out
her tongue at Wilykit when her children weren't looking. Keena and
Tark excitedly asked as Wilykit gave them pie, "Can we ride the bike? I'm
sorry but no," Said Ardua, as she saw the disappointment in their eyes,
"you are both too small you might fall off, but I did bring some things
I use to catch bad guys with to show you." And to the jubilant cheers of both
children and adults alike, Ardua showed the group how skatternets worked,
zip cages, and restricting rays, with willing participants. As a
finale Ardua saved the best for last, she put on her helmet and unholstered
her boomslang and programmed it for her usual training exercise.
Everyone, even Wilykit was impressed with Ardua's acrobatic skill as she
executed back flips and cartwheels as the boomslang darted around her body.
Wilykit had taught Ardua well. "Showoff!" Ardua recalled
the boomslang, holstered it, and turned. Tyger stood with a smirk
on his face with his arms crossed. "How's your arm? It's okay."
Ardua said with a smile. "Well then, evil chaser," Tyger said slyly, "let's
give them a real show!" Ardua got into a defensive stance and Tyger
jumped up and tried to deliver a blow to Ardua in the midsection, Ardua
blocked his attempt, and swept the leg he was standing on, knocking him
to the ground. Ardua jumped back and waited for Tyger to get up.
Tyger reared back onto his shoulders and with a burst of movement propelled
himself up on his feet. Tyger growled at Ardua and she growled back,
for the next few moments he and she traded kicks and punches each one effectively
blocking the other. Tyger attempted a roundhouse kick and again Ardua
threw him to the ground. Tyger was smarter the second time
and locked his leg around Ardua's, as he attempted to topple her, he made
a grave error though, and left himself open to an unkind strike to the
worst place a male can be struck. Tyger looked at Ardua with
a worried look on his face. Ardua's face lightened, "Tyger you know
I won't do that." Ardua then flipped Tyger with his leg and held
him down to the ground, he had no other recourse but to concede defeat.
The Snarfs and the others cheered as Ardua helped Tyger off the ground
and brush himself off, as the workers left they pat Tyger and Ardua on
their shoulders and thanked them for the show. Wilykit put her
hands on her kitten's shoulders. "Alright you two, homework. Awwwwwwww!"
Brod smiled at his children and said softly. "Listen to your mother." Keena
and Tark reluctantly went inside and slogged upstairs to do their homework.
"How do you do it, Ardua? You almost had me. Do you want some help with
the operation? Well," Said Tyger," if you are offering i'd appreciate it,
you are a good mechanic." Brod and Wilykit walked over to the two
friends. "That was quite a show, 'Dua, Tyger. Thank you." Ardua and Tyger
said almost in unison. "Tyger the cultivator is this way." Said Brod.
Wilykit chimed in. "I tell you what, while Brod and I make supper, you
two can go on and start fixing the cultivator." Wilykit looked at Ardua.
"When it's ready, Brod will go to the barn and get you. You will
stay won't you Tyger?" Wilykit looked at Tyger with her arms crossed, and
a smile. "We won't take no for an answer. Well," Replied Tyger, "I suppose
I will, since you've given me an offer I can't refuse. Thank you." Ardua
looked at Wilykit with squinted eyes. Tyger walked towards the barn with
Brod as Wilykit made a "shoo" motion with her hands and mouthed "go on"
to Ardua. Ardua walked far behind the men
wondering if asking anyone for advice on her love life was a good idea
after all.