A couple of things first, I'd like to thank everyone who's been reading my work lately and especially those who have left so great reviews. I want to also thank those who left me constructive criticism, and I'll try to take your lessons to heart. Lastly I'd like to leave a very large and extra-special Thank-You to those of you who read my fic "Broken" and have said how much better it made you feel, there really is no higher praise than that and there is no gratitude great enough to offer you.

Until we get some more news on Season Two and what direction the show may take I'm going to hold off on writing any new Lion-O/Pumyra fics and will try to focus on Lion-O and the other cats as they explore Third Earth and I present my take on characters from the original series that the remake hasn't covered yet in what I like to think of as a possible Season 1.5, hopefully it can tide you guys over until we get something more solid.

I'm also going to pick back up my "Sailor Moon: Dawn" series and hope to finish the first major arc by the end of the summer (fingers crossed) as well as working on other short stories and ideas not related to fanfiction, let me know if you want to read any of it via PM and I might toss it up on FictionPress.

Once again, thank you for everything, as long as you're willing to read I'm willing to write.

"The Forbidden Woods..." Panthro growled.

"There are stories about what lives in there," Cheetara shuddered, "A thousand terrible things seen only in nightmares."

"Grune and I avoided it completely in our search for the Book, no one who goes in there comes out alive."

"Then where do the stories come from?" Tygra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm with you." Lion-O said. "We're supposed to meet the Berbils and pick up the Feliner on the other side. Even with the Thundertank going nonstop it'll take a week to go around, we'll have to drive straight through. Besides, with the Book is still pointing dead ahead for all we know the Fourth Stone may be in there. "

"That place is more of a swamp than a forest!" Panthro protested, "There's no way I'm letting you take my baby through that muck, she'll sink like a stone!"

"Tygra and I will go ahead to mark the trail. We'll rendezvous every two hours to make sure no one gets lost."

Tygra went to bid Cheetara goodbye while Lion-O waited at the edge of the dark and foreboding gloom of the treetops. He felt a tug on his belt and found WilyKit standing behind him.

"Please be careful, Lion-O." she pleaded.

Lion-O knelt down and gently placed a hand on her head. "I promise. Look after the others while I'm gone, okay Kit?"

She broke into that wide mischievous grin of hers and nodded sharply.

"We'll see you in two hours." Tygra said as they entered the woods. The darkness seeming to swallow them up.

Panthro was right, finding a solid path though this stuff was like trying to drown a fish and at their first two hour meet-up Lion-O immediately fished two shovels out of the cargo hold so that they could make a track wide enough for the tank to follow. It was slow, hot, messy work and Lion-O was starting to think maybe they should have gone around after all. Still, he had to admit these woods had their own sort of gloomy beauty. Strange birds he had never seen before sang melancholic tunes out of sight high in the treetops and small furry six-legged creatures scampered here and there weaving gigantic webs between the trees.

"Lion-O, take a look at this." His brother called. He walked ahead and found himself in a large clearing. As far as he could see large blobby mushrooms were growing in perfect little rows.

"Someone lives here." He whispered.

"Several someones judging by the size of these fields." His brother agreed.

"Let's get out of here, we're trespassing."

"How right you are, Cat!" A wild voice cried high above them. A rain of arrows and darts starting falling from the trees above, Lion-O slipped on the Claw Shield and threw an energy shield above them. As soon as there was a break in the onslaught Tygra deployed his whip, hooking a branch and pulling himself up.

"Tygra, no!" Lion-o roared. "Remember, we're on their land!" But it was too late, the tiger was already lost among the canopy and as another salvo of arrow made their falling Lion-O ran for cover.

The branches above rustled chaotically and the relentless assault of arrows lessened and finally ceased all together as the noise above reached a deafening hiss. Lion-O risked a glance above only to see Tygra fall to the forest floor below. He rushed to his brother's side, dark bruises were already forming all over his body. They had nearly beaten the stripes off him!

"Show yourself!" He roared. His attackers obliged, leaping nimbly and silently from their sanctuary in the trees.

They were all women, the smallest among them were about Lion-O's size but most of them were as big a Panthro! And yet their shapes were still soft, curvy and undeniable feminine. Their smooth skin came in rich tones of brown and red and they were dressed scantily in skins and leathers. Every one of them carried a bow, a quiver of arrows, and wicked-looking knives that seemed to be carved of stone. They trained their arrows on the two cats.

"Surrender, Cat." A raven-haired beauty who seemed to be the leader ordered, "You are prisoners of the Warrior Maidens."

"...Whiskers."

The two of them were stripped of their weapons, trussed up, and forced to march at the center of the column. From the mushroom fields they passed what seemed to be an orchard, cultivated gardens of flowering plants until they were lead to a grand village suspended in the trees above the muck of the bog.

"This is incredible!" Lion-O gasped.

"Move along!" one of the women ordered, shoving her bow into his back.

While rope ladders were lowered for their captors the cats were forced to be dragged up to the wooden platforms like dirty laundry. A young girl around Lion-O's age ran up to meet them.

"Hail, Sisters!" She called, "What have we here?"

"Hail, Sister. These cats were captured trespassing in our fields."

"We mean you no harm," Lion-O tried to explain, "We're just looking for a safe path through your forest." His pleas fell on deaf ears and he received a sharp smack to the back of his head for his trouble.

"Silence, Cat! Your fate will be decided by Queen Willa."

Through the village, over wooden walkways between the trees and up more ladders their route was always up and in. Further into the forest, higher into the treetops until they were finally at the entrance of a grand treehouse that was far larger than any of the surrounding huts and cabins.

"Wait here." Their lead captor ordered leaving the cats with two guards and the young girl who kept staring intently at Lion-O.

Lion-O turned to her, "What?" he asked irritably.

"You don't look like monsters."

"Monsters? You attacked us, all we want is to get out of here!"

Lion-O was dealt another sharp smack from one of his guards "Hold your tongue! You will not speak to the Princess Nayda in such an insolent tone!"

"I'm sorry," Lion-O said, more to Nayda than his guard. "I didn't know."

Nayda laughed at him "How could you?"

Their lead guard returned and gave the others a short nod, signaling them to shove the two cats through the door. The brothers found themselves in a large circular room decorated with wild flowers and bright colored tapestries. At the the center sat a raised dais and an ornately carved throne of polished black wood. On it sat a woman who was immediately recognizable as the Queen. She wore no more or less than the other women in the village, with the exception of a blood-red orchid tucked in her jet-black hair. It was her face that made her so recognizable, fierce, proud, and beautiful. The realization of who she reminded him of sent a fresh stab of pain to Lion-O's heart but he pushed it aside.

"Queen Willa?" He asked.

"Yes."

Lion-O dropped to one knee, signaling Tygra to do the same. "I am Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats. My friends and I are seeking safe passage through your forest."

"You claim your mission is one of peace." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes."

"And yet you bring weapons of destruction into our home."

Lion-O eyed the Sword and Claw Shield that was currently resting in her lap. "It is an ancestral weapon I carry out of tradition and for self-defense."

"We are not talking about your sword, Cat." With a nod from her a curtain next to throne was cast aside to reveal Cheetara, Panthro, WilyKit, and WilyKat bound and gagged on the floor surrounded by spear-toting guards. "These ones were captured along with your death machine outside our fields. The damage they could have done would be catastrophic."

Lion-O growled but managed to keep his cool. "We were trying to find a way around. Release us and we will leave your forest immediately."

Willa seemed to consider his words before answering. "We are not blind inside our forest, Cat. We have lived on Third Earth since long before Mumm-Ra and his children invaded it with their perpetual war."

"We are not his children!" A hint of a roar crept into his voice. "We overthrew and abandoned Mumm-Ra and his oppression a long time ago. I've been trying to unite all the people of Third Earth against him so that we may finally have peace."

"You outsiders all talk highly of peace and yet you continually wage your petty wars and wanton destruction, even upon the earth herself! Now you attempt to bring your devastation into the last sanctuary we have left. There is a reason why we have encouraged the rumors surrounding our home, and now you will become a part of them yourselves. And yet we are inclined to be merciful, you can either join our society and live out your days in true peace among us or you can instead choose death."

"I refuse."

"...What?" Willa asked.

"I am not willing to let my people die or live as prisoners. I am not willing to abandon my quest to unite the peoples of Third Earth and defeat Mumm-Ra once and for all. I am not willing to leave my own people without a king to care and look after them. Find another way."

The Queen closed her eyes and sat back on her throne, tapping her bare foot thoughtfully. "You are stubborn, Cat, determined to find a third alternative when there is none. But because of your station as King and the courtesy you have shown us we are inclined to indulge you by royal privilege, are you willing to fight for your people?"

"Always." He answered.

"And you are also willing to die for them?"

"... Yes."

"No!" Tygra hissed, "You don't have to do this Lion-O!"

"Silence!" Their guard snapped, dealing him a blow with the butt of her spear.

"We are willing to invoke the sacred rite of Trial by Combat. If your cause is as just as you claim you will have no trouble overcoming your opponent. Win and your people will be freed, lose and your life will be forfeit and I will deal with them as I see fit. Do you accept these terms?"

"And just who is to be my opponent?" Lion-O asked.

Willa smiled cruelly. "Me."

"Done."

Lion-O was stripped down to his breeches by two red-headed Maidens who might have been twins.

"You will fight as we fight," They explained, "No armor, no magical help from your weapons, skill on skill alone." Finally they tossed him into a cell, plunging a knife that was to be his only defense into the floor and leaving him alone in the darkness.

Great, He thought to himself, Another cell, another arena, and another woman who wants to kill me. He sat against the wall and closed his eyes. Lion-O knew he wouldn't get away with not fighting this time. If he didn't give this everything he had Willa wouldn't hesitate to kill him on the spot, and there's no telling what she would do the other Cats then.

His meditation was interrupted by the door of his cell opening and a slender, nymph like figure crept inside. It was the ones the guards identified as Nayda, the princess.

"What do you want?" He asked.

She tiptoed over and knelt down to look into his eyes. He started right back at her.

"I have never seen eyes like yours before." She said.

"Blue eyes are a family trait of the Lions." He explained.

"That's not what I meant. They burn with such fire, such determination. Yet behind that is a kindness, and compassion." She placed both hands on the side of his face and stared at him in wide-eyed amazement. "And pain, such terrible sadness..." She finally dropped her gaze and pulled away from him. She seemed troubled and huddled against the far wall near the door. "You must be very careful Lion-O," she whispered, "The Warrior Maidens choose only their strongest and most cunning to serve as Queen. While I have no desire to see either of you killed my sister will show you no mercy."

"I figured that out for myself." He said sourly.

"You must not think of her as cruel, Lion-O" She insisted, "If you had come at any other time she might be inclined to help you, but the truth is she is afraid and will do whatever she must to protect her people."

"Afraid of what?"

"There is a terrible monster roaming our forest." Nayda confessed, "It ravages our crops and steals our sisters. It is why we always travel in groups these days. She fears outsiders might lead it to the village itself."

"And you can do nothing to stop it?"

"No one who has seen it has lived long enough to describe it for us. We don't even know if it is the work of a single creature."

"If I get out of this I promise I will help you."

Nayda smiled as she left his cell. "Thank you Lion-O, but I'm afraid this is a promise you will not be able to keep."

"Well," Willa said as Lion-O entered the arena, "You do have the look of a warrior at least." she looked him up and down as if grading a piece of meat. The way she smiled made Lion-O uncomfortable.

"Let's get this over with."

"Are you really so eager to end your life? Very well, We shall oblige." She rushed at him, blade bared for the strike.

She's fast! Lion-O thought as he sidestepped nimbly and dealt her a blow to the small of her back with the hilt of his knife. Willa regained her footing quickly and launched another assault, thrusting a devastating kick to his midsection. Lion-O went limp and let the force of her leg push him back to avoid getting the wind knocked out of him tumbling across the small wooden ring rising to his feet just in time to leap out of the way of another thrust of her knife.

"We will grant that you are an excellent dancer, Cat" She panted, "But this is a battle, not a party!"

Lion-O was starting to understand Willa, she was blindingly fast and very strong, but used to defeating her enemies quickly and often put everything she had into a single strike. If he could outmaneuver and outlast her there was a chance he might just win. That's right, bend in the wind... He thought as he dodged her blows, counterattacking with every strike she missed. A few times he wasn't quite fast enough and received a cuff to the head or a scratch on his arm, but he was mostly able to keep out of the murderous path her blade cut. With every near miss her anger and embarrassment grew.

Willa was tiring quickly, the only thing keeping her going was the raw, burning anger at this cat who had humiliated her in her own kingdom. She was bathed in sweat, cheeks flushed, hair wildly out of place. She was no longer the proud, reserved Queen she first appeared, but a savage beast out for blood.

"Willa, please," Lion-O pleaded, "End this, I don't want to hurt you but I will if you don't call this off!"

"Shut up!" She shrieked, "You are a beast and a coward! Stop playing and fight me or I will slit the throats of every one of your friends once I am done with you!"

Lion-O growled THAT'S IT! He thought as he switched from evasion into attack mode. He didn't care what she did to him, but threatening his friends was the last straw! Beating her would be easy now, she was tired, she was slow, and she was too angry to bother thinking her actions through. Lion-O pummeled her, he refused to use the blade of his knife so he continued striking at her with the hilt and even dared to smack her once on the behind with the flat of his blade. She overextended a trust aimed for the lion's side and he swatted the knife from her hand and tossed her across the ring. Then, just to insult her, he turned his back daring her to come at him.

She obliged, wrenching a heavy plank of wood from the side of the ring and clumsily ran at him screaming like wild animal. In a blink Lion-O whirled and hit her with a iron-fisted uppercut that left her crumpled on the ground. He forced her to her knees and placed the tip of his blade at her throat.

"Your Queen has lost!" He shouted to the assembled Warrior Maidens. "Release my friends!"

Silently the guards cut the Cat's bonds and tossed them into the ring. Lion-O released Willa and she collapsed to the ground.

"Finish it." She begged him.

However instead of plunging his knife into her heart he offered her his hand. "I'm already a trespasser, Willa, I won't become a murderer too."

"I don't understand," She gasped, "You show mercy knowing you would not receive any if the situation were reversed."

"That's why it's so important." He insisted.

Slowly, cautiously she reached for his hand and grasped it. He pulled her up, and helped her from the ring.

"I-We're afraid we've been a fool, Lion-O. Will you allow me, I-we mean, us to try and make it up to you?"

"There's no need." He answered, "Nayda told me of the hardships you have suffered. You did what you thought what right to protect your people, and were able to see the error of your ways before it was too late."

"Even so, you and your friends will be our honored guests tonight. I assure you I will secure them all safe passage through our sacred forest."

Willa was as good as her word. That night Lion-O and the cats were entertained with the best the Warrior Maidens had to offer. Lion-O himself was the guest of honor, seated at Willa's right side and she took great pleasure in explaining the various dishes that were prepared, the dances performed, and even the finer details of life in their treetop kingdom.

"You said you've lived here since before Mumm-Ra, but how does the village survive without any men?" Tygra asked. "How do you... y'know?"

"We are children of the earth itself," Nayda explained, "Occasionally one of our sisters will venture outside our home and take a man for her own purposes, but truthfully we have no need for them. When one of our sisters is taken in death we place her body in the sacred bog just outside our village and we are provided with a new sister in return."

"Provided we can find the body..." The Queen added bitterly, "The beast that stalks our lands prefers to take our sisters whole, never to be seen again. Since we cannot make the exchange of new life for old their loss is empty and meaningless."

"I promised I would put a stop to that." Lion-O said. Much to his surprise Willa grabbed his hand and smiled.

"We have no doubt you will, beloved."

"... What did you say?"

Willa smiled seductively, "Tomorrow we will hunt this beast down, slay it, and then you and I will be wed over its corpse."

"Whiskers..."