Another arduous work translating. Don't expect another chapter soon, it takes about a week for me to write and translate and due work and classes it will be difficult but I'll do my best.

YOU'RE WARNED BY NOW. I don't speak English actually my language is Spanish so this may have some grammatical errors. It's worth to say that first I had to write the story and then translate it to English. (I'll be posting this on all my fics to remind you all I'm not a born english speaker.)

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Lion-O spent much of that night going around Pumyra's betrayal. Something did not seem right. In his mind, the more it repeated the doubt grew stronger. Just to remember the pit made the phantom pain of her kicks and claws on his body make itself present again. And every time Pumyra was struck or hit, weather from Mumm-Ra's power attacks or his generals' crazed outbursts he was quite sure her body felt and suffered for it...her body, and mind as well. How could all of that be a masquerade? How could Mumm-Ra be capable of put her under so much suffering, if all she's done she did it with the purpose of helping him?

The answer was simple, Mumm-Ra was pure and twisted evil. Completely unfamiliar with the meanings of compassion and loyalty to others.

"Could it be..." Lion-O murmured. Could it be that by raising her angered spirit, they also provided her with a body of flesh and blood to carry out her revenge? He needed to dissipate that doubt, but how?

Lion-O rose up from his bunk, looking through his things for the Book of Omens. He looked at it intently up and down, right to left…nothing happened. "Come on!" He tried to open it using the force of his fingers. "The last time I tried to get you open." He struggled with the cover. "Just like this...and then zapped me down so my spirit could get in. Why isn't working?" He was getting desperate. Trying to pick the tiny lock with one of his claws and nothing. That was the last straw. He growled.

"Whiskers!" Frustrated, he fell back on his bed with the book grabbed in his right hand. "Jaga,…please." Implored. His free hand covering his eyes. Feeling exhausted, Lion-O fell asleep.

A strong and heavy sensation makes his eyes shot open. "Lion-O." A familiar voice called.

"Jaga!" The young cat whined. "Am I inside the book?" Looking around realizing they were still in his room.

"No Lion-O, you are asleep. My boy, you should not try to force the power of the book like that." His master said.

"Jaga. Pumyra...your soul resides inside the Book of Omen. You were with us this whole time." He began babbling. "You have to know something, you have to help me." Lion-O pleaded.

"Calm Lion-O." Jaga's voice serene. "Indeed, I am able to witness many things but not always allowed to intervene." His head low. "You truly are worried about her, I can sense it."

"I wish I could hate her but I can't." Scolding himself. "Her betrayal, I haven't stopped thinking and meditating about it. Something ah...a hunch, is telling me that there might be something else behind all this."

"If it is your heart which is communicating this to you then you must listen to it, Lion-O." The fallen head cleric said.

"But how can I be sure? I need your guidance Jaga."

"Listen to your heart, for it's never wrong. If the warmth of her body and breath are real, so is her existence as a living being. I assure you that is something that cannot be faked by any sorcery." Jaga affirmed.

As cheesy that might sound, Jaga was right. His heart and emotions were always true to him. But after Pumyra…Lion-O wondered how could he trust in his heart again? "But how can I be sure?" What was he trying to say? If Lion-O wanted to face her that would mean he would have to face Mumm-Ra as well. He felt lost for a moment. Seeing Pumyra by Mumm-Ra's side has been the loudest hit he's ever taken, more than any blow from any weapon.

"Pumyra must be standing somewhere in between of reality and a dream or illusion of some kind induced by Mumm-Ra. I do believe there were moments in which she was fully responsible for her actions. Noble and pure acts in which he could not have intervened. And I believe you do too, Lion-O. Try to remember." Jaga asked.

"Remember..." The lion repeated like in a trance state. His mind positioned itself in the past when it came to him…The baby winged frog! That could have been the only moment of pure goodness Lion-O has been witness of coming from her. "Yes, there was one!" His head jumped up to face the blue ghost. "That means it's possible to save her. And also..." A small blush formed on his face.

"Go on..." Jaga requested.

"Well, there was one night...I asked her that we had a talk and before leaving she came over to me and...she said something." Embarrassed to say 'what' out loud. The corners of Jaga's lips twitched up assimilating a fatherly smile. "I don't like thinking it could have been just part of a cover. But the point is, in that moment, I'm sure I felt her breath close on my face…" Lion-O remembered with a sad smile. "You said that her breath can't be faked, right?"

"Correct." The spirit nodded.

"Could it be a brainwashed?" In a blink. "No, it can't be that." He whipped out.

"Perhaps her soul was divided." Jaga said. "Mumm-Ra may have invoked her spirit on the basis of her ardent desire of revenge, gaining for himself the collaboration of the Ancient Spirits of Evil."

"If that's true, what happened to her original self? The cat that fell in battle." Lion-O asked.

Jaga held a moment in silence. "The Spirits' Realm."

"The Spirits' Realm? You mean the Astral Plane?" The lion thought.

"No, Lion-O. The spirit realm is where certain souls are to go once divested of its physical body when this has fallen." The dead cleric enlightened. "Remember when you fell in battle. The trials...The spirit realm is the plane I belong to. Of course, my will and duty hold me here and so I can exist inside the Book of Omens."

"I understand. But Jaga, if I want to rescue her that means I have to die?" The young cat questioned. Sure he would not hesitate giving his life if it meant saving Pumyra's (or any other Thundercat's), but...did it really had to be him or her?

"I have no doubt of your capability to put your friends' lives over your own, but that won't be necessary." Jaga granted. "Your body can not enter the realm, therefore only the spirits dwell there. But you have the Spirit Stone, your soul may enter without the need to surrender your life in the process. The stone is the key that will allow you to return when you find your mission accomplished."

Jaga's words were a brief relief for Lion-O...but. "But what about Pumyra? Will I be able to bring her back with me?"

The ghost's gaze narrowed. "Since she has a body to return to she can come back...but-" He paused. "I'm afraid, that is not in you to decide. You can find her soul, but only she can choose to return or remain there. Given the possibility she chooses to return, there is a risk of being overtaken by the fraction of her soul Mumm-Ra has a hold on," He warned.

Lion-O took a moment to consider his options. He let out a deep breath getting to a conclusion. "Pumyra doesn't own her actions. As much as her purpose is revenge, in the end he's the one pulling the strings." Indignation filled his eyes and voice. "I won't allow it! I'm taking my chances."

"You have a new mission then. Good luck Lion-O."

Lion-O nodded sharply. In a blink his eyes snapped open in contact with the sunlight that peeked from the window of his room in the new Thundertank.

"Is Panthro coming for breakfast?" Cheetara asked taking a sip of her cup of tea.

Tygra took a seat beside her. "He is in the main cabin. Since the tank's rebuilding he said he wanted his first breakfast to be behind the control system." He chuckled.

The girl looked puzzled. Lion-O then walked in through the door, his eyes fixed on the stone attached to the claw shield. "Good morning." The female greeted silently.

"Sleep well?" Tygra asked. His brother had gone through a few nights having gruesome dreams making it impossible for him to rest properly.

His answer surprised them. "Pretty much."

The two cats outlined a little smile in relief. Cheetara noticed the almost clinical way Lion-O watched his gauntlet. "Is something wrong?" Pulling her head to see him.

"There's something important I have to say." Lion-O took a seat across the room. The kittens also sat next to the couple, looking at him expectantly. "Where's Panthro?" Tilting his head backward.

"I'll get him." The Cheetara got up on her feet and moved toward the cockpit returning with him after a moment. She went back to her seat while Panthro remained standing behind the large couch.

The Thundercats' eyes in Lion-O now "Go on Lion-O." Willykit grinned with excitement.

Lion-O's eyes remained closed for a few seconds. "I spoke with Jaga." Everyone got the same expression of awe on their faces.

"What did he say?" The cleric lifted her head up to him. Her mate raised an eyebrow tilting his chin slightly down.

"He helped me to see a way to save Pumyra and bring her back." Just the mention her name makes Tygra stiffen.

"Bring her back? Lion-O, she turned her back on us and turned out to be one of Mumm-Ra's henchmen." Panthro tried reasoning with him. It felt like a punch in the guts for the young lion to think of Pumyra as such.

The tiger stood up, Cheetara glanced at him. "Lion-O she played with you. Why would we want to-"

"Please! Let him talk...I'm sure there must be a good reason for Lion-O to tell us all this." Willykit exclaimed, her hands rose calming the other cats. "Isn't it, Lion-O?" She turned to him with a smile.

"Thank you." He returned her the smile widely. Lion-O lifted his gaze to the other cats. "What I'm trying to say is I don't think Pumyra is fully aware of what she's doing. Yes, she wants to take revenge on us...revenge on me for what happened to her. But it was Mumm-Ra's army and invasion who destroyed Thundera. He is also responsible for what happened to her." His voice rising in anger. "I know Pumyra would not follow him unless he is forcing her somehow and that's why I have to do something to save her." His fists shaking on his sides.

Tygra's eyes shut close, his lips encaging a groan inside his mouth. "Pumyra's dead Lion-O!" He hissed.

"No, she's is not. She's alive!" Lion-O growled, feeling the muscles of his arms tensioning. Everyone blinked in astonishment.

Panthro stepped from behind the couch where all but Tygra were sitting and looked at Lion-O sadly. "Let's face it kid. That's how you want to see it...only 'cause you still have a thing for her."

"I did not want to say it but, Panthro's is right." Tygra crossed his arms and looked at him dead in the eye. The room filled with silence.

Cheetara rose from her spot and crossed the room to see Lion-O face to face. She searched his eyes. For a long time she suspected, feared Lion-O's infatuation for Pumyra could hurt him badly. She couldn't have been more wrong. Cheetara closed her eyes and just listened.

"Jaga told me to listen to my heart..." Lion-O told just her.

"...for it's never wrong." She added just like Jaga himself had said. She nodded, a smile drawn on her face.

The cubs looked at each other and toward the two standing in front of them. "So..." Willykat began.

"Will we rescue Pumyra or what?" His sister said. Her childish smile showed the lion had her support all the way, like always.

Lion-O stretched his neck to look at them with renewed confidence. Cheetara stood by him and turned around. Tygra's glare fell on his mate calm gaze, their eyes communicating for them. Tygra softened his look after a few seconds.

"Seriously?" Panthro broke the silence looking in Lion-O's direction.

"I have to try." He said settling himself to go on with the task.

"And you will succeed..." Cheetara assured him. "I trust Jaga and believe in you." Her hand rested on his shoulder while Tygra approached them.

The tiger ducked his head, then looked up and straight. "We will help you." Cheetara smiled broadly at him.

"What are your orders?" Panthro's waited.

Lion-O's left hand reached for the Gauntlet of Omen. "I have to enter the Spirits Realm, I know Pumyra's still there."

"I hope you know what you're doing." His brother said.

"It's a one shot chance...There is no room for doubt." Lion-O said firmly.

"You're going alone?" Willykit's face sadden "Please come back safe to us Lion-O."

"I promise." He said stoutly. "And won't be alone."

"You do know how to get the stone to work to take on this mission, right?" Cheetara questioned.

The Lion-O's head turned to think about that detail, changing his face denoting a lack of certainty. "Well, the first time it worked I actually died." He recalled. "Though Jaga assured me it won't be like that this time."

Cheetara smiled, suppressing a little laugh. "Then what you need is to relax so your mind can connect with the Spirit Stone." Reassuring him.

"That I gotta see." Tygra smirked.

"What now? You're going to take a nap so you can dream about Pumyra." Panthro mocked raising one eyebrow. Lion-O frowned at him.

"Not really." Cheetara looked over at Panthro with an 'are you serious?' kind of expression.

The lion tipped his head down. "Perhaps I should go somewhere else so I can have some fresh air." He sighed making his way through the door out. The female stopped him on his track.

"We're with you, no matter what." She said supportively.

He nodded and went off. Tygra then stood in the frame door and locked eyes with Cheetara intertwining her fingers with his. She cut the silence. "Remember the breakdown in the mines." It wasn't a question. She did not hesitate in staying at his side, although it could have been their last moment together.

The other way around, he would have done the same. In fact they both did, staying by each other's side even knowing they could've died right there and then. "I just hope he won't have to get to that point." Cheetara looked him right in the eye and was then when she realized, Tygra was not just angry about all this, he was also worried about Lion-O knowing what could happen to him…if he didn't come back. Cheetara embraced him to comfort him.

Lion-O went into the woods and paused next to the only tree standing there. Eyed back to check that the Thundertank was still in sight, surely if any of the cats wanted to check on him they could through the telescope in the front cabin. He threw a heavy sigh and dropped on the floor, the words of the cleric appeared in his mind. "Just relax..." He breathed in a whisper while he closed his eyes.

Without even notice his body leaned back, carrying the Gauntlet of Omens to rest on his chest. When his mind got cleared, the Spirit Stone emanated a light that slowly covered his body...all his senses gradually fading till look seemingly dead. His hand slid down his side to rest on the ground.

Far away inside the dark desert, Mumm-Ra rested on his imposing throne admiring the Tech Stone between his slender fingers with clinic eye. His most recent battalion acquisition kneeled at his feet. Now with Pumyra with him Mumm-Ra no longer had his tracker on the cats while researching on his mind for a way to locate the last stone yet to be found. His blood red eyes left the stone and wondered into the thick darkness of his chamber. On one side of the gloomy room, his three generals waited for orders.

"Vultaire..." The echoing voice of the evil priest called. The feathered shape came out of the shadows. "I have a task for you."

The bird bowed to his master, a ghoulish smile drawn on his beak.

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