The sun was just starting to rise the day after the battle and Tygra's "betrayal". Lion-O was still trying to understand how Tygra could do this to him. It wasn't enough that he was Father's favorite son, that he was the best at everything, now he had Cheetara as well! He thought that Cheetara loved him, but apparently that was a lie as well. The young Lord was so angry and confused. He really wanted to run over to the new couple, demand some answers. He almost did. He was ready to, storm over where the couple was talking to Anet and confront them, when Snarf tripped him.

"Meow ah!" Snarf yowled. He didn't enjoy getting knocked around all the time by the bigger cats.

"Snarf! Why did you do that?" Lion-O demanded angrily. His caretaker looked him in the eyes, mewing puzzled like. Lion-O sighed, knowing he couldn't really be angry at his best friend. "Whiskers, you know Snarf maybe now isn't the best time to talk to my dear brother. We just won a major victory, although it cost us greatly," he reminisced, he looked over at Panthro who was yelling at the elephants. He kept insisting that he didn't need help, but it was obvious without his arms he was struggling. They needed to find a way to help him and quickly.

"Hey Lion-O, what are you doing there on the ground?" Wilykat asked curiously. The young siblings helped him up to his feet. "So now that we've won a major victory does that mean that Mumm-Ra will be easier to defeat?"

"Yeah and where are we going next? We don't know where the other two stones are. Maybe there in El Dara! Oh, shouldn't we help Panthro get his arms back? I bet the Berbils could build him something! Lion-O, are you okay?" WilyKit asked, concern for her silent leader growing. She noticed how sad and angry he was a few seconds ago. She wondered if it had anything to do with the way Tygra and Cheetara were acting. Whatever it was, she hoped he would come out this funk soon. She really cared about Lion-O. She took his hand in hers, shocking him slightly.

Lion-O jerked back in surprise stumbling into Auburn. "Oh Leono are you okay? Did you stumble over one of the bricks in the pathway? We must remember to clean up the mess here before someone gets hurt."

"Don't you need to meditate on that?" Wilykat joked earning a few giggles. Anet walked over to the cats, accompanied by Cheetara and Tygra, who were trying to balance a struggling, yapping Panthro between them.

"For the last time, I don need a nursemaid! I survived being blinded and losing my tail, not to mention crawling through a dessert. I can handle losing my arms and walking by myself!"

"Maybe so Panthro, but your center of balance has been greatly affected by the loss of your arms. Until your use to that, it's not wrong to let us help you out," Cheetara chided him gently.

"Yeah, give us a chance to help you for a change. Plus, with no arms, I guess I'll be the one driving the tank. We can't really let the kids do the driving and Lion-O does a much better job navigating then driving," Tygra joked. Lion-O didn't really appreciate the joke, not after what he had witnessed.

"That's not really funny, Tygra. Anet, does the Elephant Village need anymore help with repairs? We'd be honored to help after everything you did for us in retrieving the Spirit Stone."

"Thank you Lion-O, but we elephants are use to the semi destruction of our home. The nature around us will harmonize with it and we'll be okay. I do have some questions that I would like to ask. Have you discovered more of the properties of the Spirit Stone?"

"No, not yet. Other then holding the Astral Plane together, creating spiritual shields, and giving the Eye of Thundara a power boost, the mysterious of the stone remain. I know from the Book and Mumm-Ra's sneak attack that Spirit Stone must have unbelievable power. It's just going to take time. Like learning Sight Beyond Sight. Do the elephants know anything about the stone that could help?"

"We have writings that we uncovered during your journey in the Forest of Magi Ore. The writings are badly damaged, as years of rain have washed the tablets down. Still what remains might help you see the bigger picture. Here is what we recovered," Anet said. He reached into his pocked and removed a battered, washed out, stone tablet. WilyKit jumped up and took the tablet, stumbling under the weight. Her brother rushed over and helped his sister.

"I apologize; we sometimes forget that our tablets are heavy. As you can see this is part of story, passed down through the generations. It is said to explain how the Spirit Stone came into our possession and its powers," Anet explained. He pointed a finger at the top part of the tablet; the image was very faded and nearly cracked all the way through. Still the shape was recognizable to some of them.

"That looks like it's some of technological craft, maybe a space ship? Didn't you mention that the animals crashed to Third Earth and started populating it?" Tygra questioned his brother.

"I did, look this part shows the animals united I think. They're all getting along at the least,"

"Yes, but the rest of the tablet so badly worn down you can't make any sense of it. Does say anything about the other stones or their powers?" Panthro questioned, frustrated that he couldn't get a better look at the tablet.

"Some of these symbols and pictures looked to have been added by different animal groups. I recognize some of the symbols from my time as cleric. The words are Old Cat, but I think its says something about spirits and life. There's also mention of a cat searching for the stone, but it was lost or found by the elephants. It's just to worn down to read clearly. Thank you for your kindness by letting us see this," Cheetara said.

"Hopefully, you'll be able to discover the truth of this tablet. Leono, the Elephant Village owes the Thundercats a debt for protecting our home and helping recover the lost Spirit Stone. Should you need help fighting against Mumm-Ra, the village promises to meditate before taking the appropriate action to assist," Auburn, promised, much to the joy of the two youngsters.

"Look at that little brother, you managed to do one right thing. You united the cats with the elephants. Maybe you are the King of Prophecy Jaga talked about sometimes. Hey what's wrong little brother can't take a joke?"

Lion-O felt his face flush in anger, but refused to give into his feelings. He would confront his betraying brother later. Right now he needed to take some action. "Thank Auburn, Anet we appreciate it. I have no doubt Mumm-Ra escaped and is now raising a new army to find the remaining two stones. Our first job is to get the team to full strength. WilyKit suggested returning to the Berbil village. I'm sure Robobear Bill and the rest can give Panthro some new arms. Maybe they can help tweak the tank so the Book can locate the stones easier. At the very least we'll get more supplies and pick new direction to go."

"Yeah sounds like a fun plan! I can't wait to eat the candy fruit again."

"Meow oo ra."

"I think Snarf is saying you guys should cut back on the fruit," Tygra mentioned. The little guy nodded and enjoyed having the tiger pet him. Lion-O repressed his feelings once more, trying to be the proper king he was supposed to be.

"We should get going as soon as possible. The Berbil village is at least a two and half day's journey from here. Mumm-Ra will need some time to recover, but not by much. The sooner we get on the trail for the other two stones, the sooner we can unite the animals and defeat Mumm-Ra once and for all. Cheetara, gather our supplies, Tygra, I need you to help Panthro prep the tank. WilyKit and WilyKat, I want you to go with Auburn and see if they have any maps or other texts that could assist us. Anet, if I could talk with you in private?"

"Of course Lion-O, in fact I wanted to talk with you as well about something."

"Come on Auburn, let's see if you remember where you keep the maps and books in this place," WilyKat insisted.

"Of course there this way or was it in the other temple? Hmm this may take some time," the elephant muttered to himself, as the kids rode on his shoulder giving him helpful suggestions. The other cats smiled and then went to carry out their tasks leaving Lion-O alone with Anet.

"I think I know what you wanted to talk to me about. My brother did betray me, in the worst possible way. I just don't understand how could he take her from me? First, he lied to me about the past, and now I'm not sure if I can trust him in the future. I want so much to unleash my fury on him, but I can't. As Lord of the Thundercats I can't, especially now, divide the remaining subjects. Still, its taking all the control I possess to not claw him to death!"

"Anger is natural, but allowing it and hatred to rage inside you, is disrupting the harmony inside you Lion-O. While the personal betrayal is difficult to deal with do not forget that there is another involved in this story," Anet reminded the young lord. He had seen the way Tygra and Cheetara were interacting so he knew what must have happened. "Cheetara is not a prize to be won young lord, but a woman who is capable of making her own choices when it comes to the affections of her heart. If you are angry with your brother for wining them, ask why he earned them and what your relationship to her is, otherwise you'll be tormented and blinded by revenge just as the other cat girl was."

"What other cat girl?"

"I don't remember exactly, but the tablet I showed you is supposedly the story of two sisters, who were in a parallel situation as you are. I don't know the context, but legends speaks that one girl will return seeking her vengeance and only the harmony of love and truth will stop her. Take heed of this legend Lion-O, I sense that it will help you in the coming days," Anet warned the young lord. He knew that the conflict inside Lion-O was getting larger and darker. He hoped that it would resolve itself before Lion-O was consumed by his rage.

It was right after lunch that the Thundercats got on their way. Panthro was yelling at Tygra, telling him to it easy on his baby and not ruin the engine. Cheetara was inside trying to make sense of the tablet and other texts, while the kids shared some food with Snarf. Lion-O was examining the Spirit Stone trying to unlock its inner power.

"The Book of Omens said that the four stones were said to be the most powerful weapons in the entire galaxy. We know the Eye of Thundara can enchant the Sword of Omens to make it stronger and give us Sight Beyond Sight. The Spirit Stone held the entire Astral Plane together and augmented the Claw Shield and Sword, but what else can it do?" Lion-O pondered. He fingered the stone willing its powers to be revealed.

The stone glittered and sparked, a warmth emanated from inside. The Spirit Stone seemed alive and that it was hiding a big secret. Pressing his finger on top of the gem, he let out a surprise yelp as it burned him. "Ouch!"

"Lion-O, are you okay? What happened?" WilyKit asked, leaping over Snarf to come check on him.

"I'm fine; really the Spirit Stone was a little warm that's all. Why don't you go back to playing?"

"Are you sure? I mean my Mom taught me and Kat how to heal wounds before she died."

"I'm fine, really WilyKit. Thanks for your concern. Go on, I'll be fine," Lion-O assured her. Kit looked like she wanted to argue, but went back to her brother.

"You know she was just trying to help. They look up to you Lion-O; they look up to all of us. We're the closes thing they have to family and we should remember that. My old teacher Jaga use to tell me that family more then blood we share and clan we belong to. It's the bonds of love and friendship that forge a strong united family," Cheetara told him kindly.

Lion-O turned away from her; he didn't want her to see him holding back tears. "Jaga was always wise and knew exactly what to say; no matter what the situation. I know there's more to the Spirit Stone then meets the eye. I just wish I knew what to do. If I can't figure it out I know Tygra goings to challenge me again, saying that I'm unworthy to wield its power."

"I thought that you patched things up between you and him in the Astral Plan. Do you need to talk with him again? I could relieve him from driving or ask Panthro how to put the tank on autopilot if that would help."

"I don't need to talk with my brother and I don't need your suggestions right now! I need you to figure out how to make sense of the tablet so we can use them and the Book of Omens to beat Mumm-Ra!" he snarled, surprising everyone with his aggressive actions. Seeing them look at him in horror, he headed up top to speak with Panthro about getting to their destination faster.

"I've never seen Lion-O so angry. Do you think he's okay Cheetara?" WilyKat asked.

"I'm sure that he's fine, but something is on his mind. I fear I know what it is. When we stop for the night I'll have to have a talk with him. Until then would you kids like to help me?"

"Yeah I love stories!" WilyKit exclaimed. Even Snarf seemed eager to help. So they spent the next few hours going over the tablet and books, comparing them to the maps they got from the Elephant Village. Hopefully, this would help them locate the other two stones before Mumm-Ra and his Lizard army did.

Later that night they stopped to eat dinner and reflect on what their next course of action should be. The Berbils would more then likely be able to fit Panthro with prosthetics fairly quickly, but Panthro was not looking forward to that much.

"I love my tank as if it's my baby, but I'm not sure if I want to graft some their tech onto my body. It almost saying that my sacrifice was worth nothing, besides it won't be the same as my old ones. What if those bears try to make me cute or something like them?" Panthro whined. It was the kids turn to help feed him and they were getting more of the meal on him then in his mouth. "Would you two watch what you're doing already? I'm likely to starve to death at this rate."

"Oh stop whining Panthro. Personally I think it's adorable how well they're taking care of you," Tygra commented.

"Yeah, you're always talking about how we need to take more responsibility. Well that's what were doing! I bet we could clean your clothes," WilyKat stated.

"Or even give you a bath! We're really good at giving baths just ask Snarf!"

"Meow ra!"

"I don't need a bath, especially not from kittens! Ugh, the sooner we reach the village, the sooner I can get my life back on track."

"That's not all we're going to do. I didn't think of it before, but maybe we should question the Berbils more about their past," Lion-O suggested. The others looked at him curiously. "Think about it, their robots, but they have fur, feelings, and harvest candy fruit for a reason. We don't know a lot about tech, but someone had to build them."

"You believe that the original bears, fully alive ones, might have constructed them, before an untimely demises? It would explain a lot about the set up of the village and family units," Cheetara whispered. "They have long memories, maybe even an archive of their history. If we could gain access to that and work with them, maybe we could understand the Elephants history tablet."

"If we can unlock the secrets of the past, with the power contained in the Book of Omens, a way to unite the animals and stop Mumm-Ra might finally be made clear. Maybe next time we you use the Book of Omens I should go with you Lion-O. Two observers can learn a lot faster, plus I have a sharp eye out for details."

"Yeah, your help would be greatly appreciated. We'll ask the Robobears tomorrow owwwwww!" Lion-O was caught of guard, when WilyKit stumbled over his legs and dropped hot soup all over him. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"

"I'm… sorry… it was… an accident. I'll get it cleaned up hey!" WilyKit was horrified when Lion-O shoved her away and stormed off angrily.

"Hey that wasn't nice! You come back here and apologize!" WilyKat yowled, but Lion-O ignored him. "Are you okay sis? I don't care if he's the king or not! If he doesn't apologize I'm going to use my flail on him and…."

"I'm fine brother; he just surprised me is all. Please don't be so angry with him. He's just got a lot going on inside right now. I'm sure he'll be back to normal soon, right?"

"Don't worry about little kittens. Panthro, why don't you help the youngsters get ready for bed? Tygra secure camp for the night, I'm going to have a long overdue talk with our king."

"Sure you don't want my help? I'm his older brother maybe I can knock some sense into him."

"I think your part of the problem right now. Let me handle this. Jaga if you can hear me, give the words I need and the patience to reach Lion-O." Cheetara approached Lion-O quietly, simply observing him as he watched the moons rise. Their rutilant light cast a shine on his face. She had never seen Lion-O this depressed before, not even after the death of his father Claudius.

"I know your there, I can hear you. What do you want? Have you come to reprimand me for yelling at the kids? I apologize tomorrow and make it up to them."

"They're not the only ones who need an apology from you. All day you've been keeping something ugly and dark inside you. I feel that you've been holding back how you really feel for the greater good of the team, but you need to let it out. You're unhappy that I chose Tygra over you aren't you?"

"Unhappy no? I'm shocked, angry, horrified, and feeling pretty much like an idiot. I thought you cared for me Cheetara! You were always the one encouraging me, saying how much you believed in me, and even kissed me! Was I wrong to believe that you loved me? What is it exactly about my brother that makes him worthy of your heart?"

"I never meant to lead you on; I support you, both as your cleric and your friend. I do value your friendship more then anything. You're a brave and strong soul Lion-O with a good heart. You work so hard to earn the respect of others and prove yourself. I can see why the Sword chose you to lead us. A sword will not help us alone to defeat Mumm-Ra, we need to make friends and learn from others, something you strive for. You asked why I chose your brother; on the day we met, he showed me a great kindness. A kindness that helped me fulfill my dream and carry on during the tough road ahead. When someone performs an act of selfless love, it creates a unique bond between the two. One day, you'll find someone like that, and you'll understand."

"Really and what are the chances of that happening? Considering that you and WilyKit are the last two females of our kind around. Even if by some miracle other Thundercats survived, the chances of meeting them are remote. Unless there's a large group of cats that we never knew about our kind is doomed to extinction. There aren't enough genetic bases to recreate Thundera. I just realized I'm the King to a dying race."

"Don't give up hope; if the stones are powerful enough to defeat Mumm-Ra, surely they have a power to help us rebuild our home. Lion-O, I know your upset, but please don't hold in your feelings forever. Only by releasing them can you be free and help us in our mission. Who knows, maybe you'll meet someone who can help you save our kind and loves you with all their heart."

"Yeah that would be a real miracle," he muttered sarcastically. "Look Cheetara I really want to be alone right now. I'll think about what you said. I just hope my brother realizes how lucky he is to have you as girlfriend." Knowing that there was nothing else to be said she left Lion-O with his thoughts. "The chances of meeting another girl out there are next to impossible. I'd be better off with a ghost then praying for a girlfriend. Some king I'm turning out to be. I can't even get the girl in the end."

Caught in wave of self pity Lion-O didn't notice Spirit Stone acting up. A swirling storm of small black specks, were attempting to break out only to remain trapped. One black speck pressed itself up against the surface of the stone, leaving behind a glittery residue. What that residue would do and what the speck wanted remained to be seen. One thing was certain as the cats hunkered down for the night. Soon they be facing a threat from the past that could not ruin the present, but change the course of their future.