Author's previous notes: the two separate plots (thundera and far north) begin to reveal their history. Not everything is what it seems and dark clouds overshadow the peace that was beginning to be seen.
THUNDERCATHIANS
Chapter 16: Midnight Military Parade
The lights of the aurora borealis were shown in all their glory in the night sky, their brilliance was such that they hid all the stars that wanted to show their brilliance to all the mortal creatures of the Third Planet in those latitudes.
Like a distant reflection on the surface of the water, likewise, a reflection of the aurora borealis was glimpsed beneath the ice surface, forming what appeared to be a signaling of underground lights that together formed a kind of cat's-eye of some highway of supernatural characteristics.
“In the end we didn't need to climb to the top of the peak to see the sign for the road to El Dara," said Bengali, "it's only a couple of metres above the feline tank.”
“It's true," said Pumyra, who this time had a calmer countenance, "I suppose the ancient travelers to the lost city only needed to climb a couple of feet to see the sign.”
“What can you tell us, Linx-O?” Risu asked.
“My ears tell me that the ice beneath us is very thick.”
“Panthro, you heard the man," said Risu, "full speed ahead!”
Obeying the orders of the cathian, the muscular general thundercat forced the engines of the feline tank and reached a mountain range. What appeared to be an entrance now was nothing more than an impassable heap of huge rocks due to an ancient landslide.
“This looks very bad Panthro," said Tara, "do you think there's a way through here?”
“I don't see how, I think we'll have to walk from here.”
All the thundercats watched Risu to see what his decision regarding the mission would be.
“Panthro, Tara," said Risu, "as engineers I want you to stay here and have the feline tank ready in case of any eventuality. The rest of us will continue the mission.”
All present agreed, especially Panthro and Tara who did not want to separate from the feline tank among other things.
“What do you think we'll find up ahead?” Cheetara asked Tigro.
“Well, according to the stories, the city of El Dara is a place where there is no evil or poverty, a place where everyone is happy and nobody suffers from pain or hunger or misery, a place where even the poorest of the poor carry a bag of gold and precious stones, a place of laughter, dancing, art and endless banquets.”
“That sounds very beautiful," said Rauri, who was helping Risu prepare his luggage for the trip.
“I hope that's the case,” said Linx-O, “but the years have taught me that people are incapable of creating such utopias.”
We'll soon see if the stories are true," said Risu, and they all came out of the feline tank to look for an opening in the clogged entrance.
It turned out that the entrance to the mountain range was a narrow canyon that had suffered several landslides along its entire length, forcing the travelers to move very slowly.
“How good that neither Panthro nor Tara accompanied us," said Tygra with difficulty, "they would not have been able to pass through here.”
“I think I see the end of the canyon," said Risu, relieved to glimpse an exit into the narrow corridor.
As soon as the group crossed the canyon, they had to drown out a shout of surprise. There before them was the lost city of El Dara.
.
.
At Thundera's palace, Lion-O had arranged a dinner for Leonore and her four children with Jessie and Sebastian, but the two older pairs of children got bored and retired early, leaving the two adults to babysit Minino and Minina.
“I'm very sorry, Lion-O, about my children's attitude, after all the work you did to organize the dinner," apologized Leonore.
“Don't worry Leonore, after all, they are very young and don't like to be quiet for long.”
“Thank you, Lion-O.”
“And tell me, Leonore, what did you think of dinner?
“It was wonderful, but why did you set the table so close to the balconies?”
“At first I wanted us to have dinner at the main table, but this one is very long and we wouldn't enjoy the view we have at the moment.”
“You're right, Lion-O, the breeze is so nice.”
“Let's go out on the balcony for a moment," the thundercat suggested nervously.
Leonore nodded with a smile that almost made poor Lion-O melt right there.
After the king nearly spilled his glass of wine as he hurriedly and clumsily rose, he and the thundercat stepped out onto the long balcony.
The view was spectacular and as the night began many subjects still worked in the large gardens under the shelter of the newly installed electric Cathian lanterns and the gentle moonlight.
Leonore had her beautiful gaze fixed on the beautiful gardens, while Lion-O did nothing but look at the beautiful face of the young mother illuminated by the moonlight.
“Lion-O, look.”
The young king came out of his self-absorption and fixed his gaze on the gardens. Several of his subjects greeted him with their hands, and Lion-O returned the gesture.
When Leonore imitated Lion-O's greeting, several of the subjects cheered the couple.
“What a cute couple they make!”
“It would be good if she were our queen!”
“But who is she? Her demeanor indicates that she must be of the aristocracy!”
“She look so elegant and beautiful!”
“The war is over, it's time for our young king to think about getting married!”
“It's true, she would be the ideal queen!”
The night was so serene that the sudden cheers of the joyful subjects reached the ears of Leonore and Lion-O.
The young king, surprised, lowered his arm and his hand landed accidentally on the delicate and warm hand of the long fingers of the thundercat.
A very blushing Lion-O looked at Leonore worried and ready to apologize, but he saw that the woman was also blushing and, what's more, she turned the palm of her hand so that the two palms of the adults connected... and they crossed their fingers.
Time stood still for the two thundercats and they each noticed that each other's gaze was shaking, but still those glances were getting closer and closer... those breaths were getting closer and closer...
“Mommy, Mommy, look what I can do!” said Minino who stood on the railing of the long balcony doing an acrobatic exercise similar to walking on a tightrope.
“Minino, don't do that, is dangerous!” the mother said as she ran to her son and proceeded to embrace him.
“Why is dangerous? Why? Why? Why?” Minina said as she was holding on to her mother's dress in a funny way.
“I'm sorry Lion-O, my two little ones were so calm.... now they look more and more like Wilykat and Wilykit," said Leonore with a slightly bewildered look and gesture on her face.
“Don't worry, I think the kids got bored.... Minino, Minina, how would you like to see your mom dance?”
“Yeah, come on, Mom!”
“Lion-O...”
“Well, Leonore?” said the thundercat to her while with his arm outstretched and a smile of confidence, he invited the young mother to a dance.
Since dinner was private, there were no musicians, but Lion-O used the music player given to him by the assistedroid Rauri.
The melody was very gentle and both adults danced very close to the rhythm of this one while the two little ones watched in awe.
Minino and Minina decided to imitate the adults and began to dance like them, but after a while all they did was spin like spins while laughing.
The doors of the hall opened and the dry, loud sound of a pair of severe walking boots reverberated into the room, cutting short the previous scene of romance and amusement.
“Yuubi, what are you doing here?”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I came to give you my report on the diverse production in the factories of what used to be the "pyramid" of Mumm-ra.”
Lion-O grimaced, while Minino and Minina took refuge behind their mother's dress.
“Does it have to be now?” Lion-O said when he saw the thick and intimidating folder that the cathian was carrying under his arm.
“I'm sorry to interrupt King Lion-O, I don't need you to read my entire report, I just need your royal seal on this letterhead. I ask Your Majesty to authorize the movement of the asistedroids to the mumm-ra pyramid.”
“What do you need the asistedroids for?”
“I require labour that is not affected by the emission of toxic gases. It turns out that I have to replace several machines and therefore the object of my request.”
Lion-O looked at the document Yuubi handed him and then set his sights on Lion-Ore.
“Okay, Yuubi... I'm sorry, Leonore, I'll just be a moment.”
“Don't worry, Lion-O," said the thundercat as she bowed to the two men.
The young king and the Cathian went to the royal office and there on a desk, Lion-O took out his royal seal and printed the face of the seal on the petition sheet.
“Thank you very much Your Majesty, don't worry, now that I'll take care of everything, you can go back to your evening with your guests.”
Lion-O, relieved not to have to read Yuubi's extensive report, nor to accompany him to the depots where the disconnected asistedroids were, smiled uncomfortably and hurried back to Lion-Ore.
"This was easier than I thought," Yuubi thought, as he hurried his martial step. "Love is the most... convenient."
Yuubi did not go directly to the depots, but rather to the chamber where the sword of omens was located among other things.
"For a kingdom just out of the war, its security is very lax," Yuubi thought, seeing the absence of guards at the entrance. "The sword of Plundar and the mumm-ra gauntlet are mine now."
Apart from Mum-ra's possessions, the Cathian wanted to take Lion-O's gauntlet, but the sword of omens opened his "eye" and began to "roar".
Fearing that the noise would alert Lion-O, he left the gauntlet in place, but took the stellar stones that were in the royal gauntlet.
Once in the depots, he showed the king's seal and to mobilize the enormous amount of asistedroids, he used the cathian motorcycles and the feline tanks that were in reserve, each one of the machines operated by an activated asistedroid.
The military "parade" was impressive, but no Thundercat, whether this civilian or guard of the palace, noticed it, as the general attention of the various conversations was focused on the attentions given by his young king to an unknown Thundercat of beautiful and gentle bearing, who might well be an excellent candidate to be the next queen of the Thundercats.
Lion-O's subjects gladdened their hearts with the promise of long awaited peace.
CONTINUARÁ...
Author's final notes: hell, just when things were getting better! And I'm not referring to the interruption of Minino and Minina, but rather to Yuubi's intentions.
Is there a new war coming? Find out in my next chapter and please don't forget to write your comments.
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