Love's Eternal Song: Tygra's Story

Chapter 5: The Meeting and Something Unexpected

It was almost nighttime, but to Tygra, it was as bright as if the afternoon sun was still in the sky as he walked towards the others. He was still getting used to hearing his footclaws tapping on the hard stuff that Tim called asphalt. It feels strange under my feet, Tygra thought as he stepped off it and onto the grass in front of the others.

"Where have you been, Tygra? We've been waiting for also an hour," WilyKit asked before any of the others could.

"I was with Tim," Tygra answered, turning and looking down at her.

"Doin' what?" asked WilyKat, bending down and letting Snarf jump onto his arm.

"Talking," Tygra replied, not saying anything else.

"Is he alright from his fall earlier?" Cheetara asked, looking concerned for one of their new friends.

"Yes, he should be fine; I helped him come to terms with a tragedy that he thought was his doing," Tygra explained, not wanting to break Tim's confidence.

"At least he's better," Panthro said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Alright, now that we're all here, let me ask the important question: Do we want to stay here, on Earth?" Lion-O asked, looking at each of them in turn.

"We do!" the ThunderKittens exclaimed together from where they were standing next to Panthro.

"The people here are very hospitable," Cheetara replied, going first.

"I agree, they don't seem to want to cause us harm," Tygra answered, thinking about Tim and the kisses that they shared in Tim's room. They looked to Panthro, who hadn't said anything, but seemed lost in his thoughts.

"Panthro? What do you think of Earth?" Lion-O prompted.

"What? Oh, the planet. I like it, it'd make a great home for us," Panthro replied, seeming to decide on something.

"I agree with the rest of you; I say we stay," Lion-O answered, having the final word in the matter.

They all nodded agreement before turning and walking back towards their separate buildings. Little did they know that they a silent audience listening in on their conversation.

Tim opened the swinging doors of the Mess Hall and stepped out into a clear, calm night and breathed a sigh of relief. When he had got there, Selena was just getting ready to murder Matt because he had said something stupid and had got her all worked up. The minute she had seen Tim, she abandoned her quest of killing Matt in favor of squeezing the life out of Tim. She asked if he was alright and he answered that he was and that he felt better than he had in months. Selena gave him a strange look right before he had left and he got the feeling she knew what had happened between Tygra and himself even though he hadn't told her.

Tim flipped the collar of his jacket up and decided to take the shortcut between the Mess Hall and the Medical Building to get back to his building before it got any colder than it already was. He thought about all that had happened over the passed few days and realized that, if he listened hard enough, that he could make out Tygra's heartbeat. When the hell did that happen? Tim thought as he continued on his way. He never heard the footsteps behind him until it was too late and he found himself pushed up against the side of the Medical Building.

"Let the fuck go," Tim said, thrashing around, trying to get free.

"You made a big mistake, Timmy boy," the voice said, tightening its hold on Tim's throat.

"General Livingston, why are you doing this?" Tim replied, recognizing the voice of his commanding officer.

"Why? Because I want you for myself, that's why," Livingston answered, holding Tim up by nothing but his throat.