Path Into the Darkness
Part Two: Grune
*Third Moon of
Plundarr – Thirty Years Earlier*
Grune’s ship landed on the soil of the Third Moon of Plundarr, just outside the magnificent palace that had housed members of the Lunatacs’ royal family for countless generations. The sabertoothed Thundercat had no idea what to expect on his mission, so he prepared himself for anything and proudly stepped out of the ship. Several armed guards surrounded the landing zone, and at the edge of the platform an attractive purple-haired lunar woman dressed in royal attire greeted him. “So this is Grune the Mighty,” she stated, sizing him up as he approached her. “I am Sileira, Queen of the Plundarrian Moons.”
Grune nodded and extended his hand to the Lunatac. She was petite, as were most of her kind, and stood at about four and a half feet tall with slender limbs and graceful posture. Her hair was tied in an intricate braid that wrapped around her head once and fell the rest of the way down her back, across the velour cape she wore, presumably to block the evening chill in the air. “Ah, yes, King Lunaro’s wife. I recognize you from the pictures I’ve seen,” Grune replied as he greeted her, smiling slightly. “You’re much younger than he and much more attractive, too. I must say I’m surprised to see you here and not him, as I haven’t heard of you actually performing any form of duty other than accompanying your husband to his political engagements. I suppose the rumors that he married you and made you Queen only to make himself look better are untrue.” Though his words were blunt and what many would consider quite rude, no one could say that Grune the Mighty had a reputation for anything but directness anyhow.
Sileira frowned at the feline’s remarks. “And I can see, Ambassador Grune, that diplomatic relations are not your strong suit. This, then, must be among your first missions in your position then?” She eyed him directly, and he nodded slightly. “Still, I am not averse to taking a compliment, however left-handed it may be. I do make my husband look good.”
She gestured to one of the guardsmen to fetch Grune’s things and led him across the courtyard into the Great Hall of the Lunar Palace. “It’s my duty to see to it that you are made comfortable here and are kept safe, as you have come only to speak your mind in peace. I’ll give you fair warning that there are those among us who are not as tolerant as my husband and I of the Thundercats and the crimes of war that they’ve committed against our people in our battles. I, on the other hand, am here to welcome you to our world in the hopes that our respective governments can come to some sort of a treaty. War is a terrible thing, Grune, and it has taken its toll on all sides.”
“The Thundercats didn’t start that war,” Grune replied evenly.
Sileira turned and led Grune through the hall and toward the suite reserved for him. “We are an aggressive people, Ambassador. We will not go against our nature and not take what we believe is meant to be ours.”
Grune gave her an unsurprised look and forced a polite smile. “In other words, you will hear me out, send me off, and continue in your destructive looting of territories you have no business being in, in the hopes that you’ll eventually conquer everything in your path.”
Sileira let out an amused laugh. “You’re so suspicious, Ambassador. Whatever we do after your visit shouldn’t concern you at this time. We’ve promised to hear what you have to say and have you as an honored guest on our world. Anything beyond than that, at this point, would be premature, don’t you think? Now, let’s end this unpleasant political discussion while I show you around.”
* * *
Several hours later Grune attended a banquet being held in his honor. A guard led him from the guest suite to the banquet hall, where upon entering he saw a number of prominent-looking officers and nobles from the various Moons of Plundarr. A quick scan of the room told him that he was the only Thunderian in the place, and a Thundercat at that, no less. Had he not been a brave soul, being alone in a room full of the enemy might have intimidated him, but no matter what happened, he was determined to take it in stride. Lord Claudus wanted him to do his best make peace with these people, and he would do everything he could make that happen.
Shortly after he stepped into the room, Sileira came over to him and took him across the room to introduce him to her husband, King Lunaro. The Lunar King was a good twenty years the senior of his wife and stood around five feet in height. His face was stern, and his eyes were cold and calculating, which suited his reputation—that of a bloodthirsty, ruthless, and ambitious sovereign—quite well. Grune could feel the Lunatac silently evaluating him as he approached, and he did his best to ignore the monarch’s piercing stare. He reminded himself several times to remain in control, despite the fact that the arrogance that radiated from the Lunar King’s very aura him made him bristle inwardly.
Their meeting was polite but tense. Grune had little idea what was appropriate to say to a group of people he held no respect and more than a little animosity for. They sat at a table and engaged in nauseatingly superficial small talk for a time, but it didn’t get very interesting in Grune’s opinion until Sileira lost her calm façade and nearly choked on a bite of food as she shot an infuriated glare toward the hall door. Grune followed her gaze and noticed a rather unruly group of Lunatacs that had just entered the banquet hall. Although they were dressed as though they could have belonged, Grune realized from Sileira’s expression that they most certainly did not.
“In the name of the Moons, who invited her?” the petite Queen hissed coldly. Grune noticed that her stare fell upon one of the Lunatacs in particular, an extremely short lunar woman with purple and white striped hair that sat atop a large white Lunatac brute.
“I had to invite Cousin Luna, dear,” Lunaro said quietly to his wife. “I don’t like her either, but tradition requires that we extend an invitation to all branches of the royal family in an event such as this.” The Lunar King frowned at the woman across the room. “I had hoped she wouldn’t come.”
“Well she did,” Sileira snapped, twisting and contorting the napkin in her hands in anger. She lowered her voice so as to not draw attention and cast a look at her husband. “And that troublemaking cousin of yours brought along a party of her gutter-trash associates as well. You know how I feel about her. You know her reputation.”
Grune’s ears perked up at the hint of scandal between the royal couple and he suppressed a smile. Although listening to gossip was beneath him as a Thundercat, it was still entertaining in a lowbrow sort of way, especially when that gossip concerned the enemy.
“Her reputation is precisely why I had to invite her. You know how powerful she is. She effectively runs the capitol and we can’t do anything about it yet,” Lunaro replied with rising irritation.
“She runs the capitol as the outlaw ringleader of an organized crime group. Damn it, Lunaro, you’re supposed to be the King. You should be able to control her!”
“I’ve told you a thousand times that politics are not that simple,” Lunaro growled. He did not like being challenged, especially by his wife and most especially not in front of others.
Grune listened to their exchange and eyed the woman that sparked such controversy as she and her companions made their way toward the bar. “So that is Luna, the leader of the group known as the Lunatacs of Plundarr? I must say, she hardly looks as dangerous as the stories I heard of her on Thundera would have led me to believe.”
Sileira sighed in disgust. “Things are not always what they seem, Ambassador Grune. Surely you have learned that in your experiences as a Thundercat?” She glared one last time at Luna before returning her attention to Grune. “Luna and her low-rent friends are far more dangerous than they would seem at first glance. Even my husband, the powerful King Lunaro, can’t control her.”
“You’re trying my patience, Sileira,” Lunaro stated in an icy and dangerous tone. He gave her a pointed look, and then settled back in his seat, relaxing somewhat. “Besides, Luna and her friends appear to be behaving themselves. If they get out of line I will have them thrown them out. They were invited after all. Now I suggest you behave and act the part of dutiful hostess, my darling, because they’re heading this way. It would seem that they want to greet us in person and perhaps meet our guest.” He pointed to the group, who were now walking directly toward them with drinks in hand.
“How lucky,” Sileira grumbled, and then she turned to Grune. “Ambassador Grune, I apologize in advance for any disturbances they may cause. Thundercat or not, you are still a guest here, and I will not tolerate any uncalled-for hostile actions or words from them to you. Please try and look past anything they may do or say to instigate you, if you can.”
Grune nodded and gave the Queen an agreeable smile. “It’s not a problem, your highness. I’ve been handling troublemakers for years.”
Luna, riding Amok, approached the royal table with her associates behind her. Grune looked them over carefully. Luna conveyed a rebellious and aggressive demeanor, and her voice was shrill enough to peel paint, in his humble opinion. Her brute was the opposite, large and silent, but it was clear that he was quite strong and he imagined like most brutes, very protective of the one he guarded. Behind Luna was Alluro, walking with a stride that conveyed the arrogance and charm he still had in his later years. On his arm was an attractive young psi woman that gave the impression of being somewhat of an airhead. Also with Luna was Chilla, then only barely out of her teens in age, who seemed quite out of place in such an establishment as the royal banquet hall. She was appropriately dressed, but she did not carry herself like nobility. The unpretentious, angry scowl on her face made it quite clear that schmoozing with the rich was hardly an enjoyable thing for her. In the back of Luna’s crowd was RedEye, strong, silent, and observing, and lastly a rather striking Lunatac woman that belonged to a race Grune had never personally encountered but had heard of—the hunters. For some reason, the sabertooth could not take his eyes off of her. She was on the tall side, a few inches short of six feet, athletic and lean, but with enough well developed womanly curves to make her quite attractive. Her skin was pale ivory in color, and a thick mane of forest green hair flowed from her head and down over her shoulders in a wild, untamed fashion. Grune had a feeling that she was equally wild, and more at home in a jungle or a dangerous city street than in the pretentious air of the palace. She fixed her luminous eyes on him and smiled mysteriously, but remained silent.
Luna was the first to speak, and Grune snapped out of his distraction of eyeing up the hunter woman. “Thank you so much for inviting me to your party, Lunaro,” Luna said to the King with clearly false sweetness. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought along some of my friends. After all, Lurella here had invited Alluro as her escort anyway, and I didn’t think that bringing along a few more of my associates would be a problem.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Sileira replied civilly, flashing Luna a forced and phony smile. The Queen turned to Lurella, the psi on Alluro’s arm and the only one of the entire group she could say she liked. Lurella was the daughter of one of the more prominent Fourth Moon families that stayed in the area and Sileira had known her for a number of years. She had no idea why Lurella would have given the man with her, an associate of Luna’s of all people, the time of day, much less actually date him, but then again, Lurella had never been the sharpest psi she’d known either. Sileira nodded to her. “Lurella, it’s good to see you.”
The psi woman smiled back at her warmly. “It’s good to see you too, Sileira! This is a wonderful banquet you’ve put together. Oh, I’d like you to meet my lover.” She gestured to the man beside her. “Sileira, this is Alluro. He rescued me from a bunch of creeps in the city that were giving me a hard time a few weeks ago and we’ve been absolutely inseparable ever since. Isn’t that romantic?” she said in a bubbly and sweet voice, squeezing the psi man’s arm and giving him a dreamy look. Alluro smiled back, his ego basking in the attention, while the rest of Luna’s crew that stood behind them rolled their eyes. It was clear that they thought she was a bit of a ditz, too.
“That’s right, my dear,” Alluro replied smoothly before turning to Sileira. “Your highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Sileira replied politely. “And allow me to introduce you all to our honored guest,” she stressed the word with a firm no-nonsense tone, “Ambassador Grune from Thundera.”
“Ambassador Grune,” Luna said, eyeing the sabertooth curiously. “Grune the Mighty, of the Thundercats, am I right?” Luna asked.
“Yes I am,” Grune replied, shifting his position so that his insignia showed clearly.
“Grune the Mighty,” the hunter behind Luna repeated in a husky feminine voice, “it is such a pleasure to meet you. I have heard many stories about you. You are a valiant fighter, even if you do fight against us.” She moved closer to him and eyed him intensely for a long moment.
“Thank you,” Grune said, not really expecting to receive any complements from the Lunatacs, especially one from the infamous Luna’s crew. “And who is it that bestows such praise on me?” he asked, intrigued.
“My name is Kalin,” she replied.
Luna then gestured to the others with her to leave and return to their table. Kalin smiled at Grune one more time before they departed, and then wordlessly left with them.
Despite meeting countless other officials, nobles, and royals, and discussing peace and politics for countless hours to follow, meeting Kalin was the only event that really occupied his thoughts for the remainder of the evening.
* * *
Across the room, Luna and her group settled in at their table, taking advantage of the free gourmet food and indulging generously in the free cocktails. Chilla turned to Kalin and laughed.
“What?” Kalin asked, giving the ice woman an irritated look.
Chilla made an exaggerated face. “‘Oh Grune, you’re such a brave warrior! You’re so big and tough,’” she said in a mocking tone, imitating Kalin’s earlier flirtatiousness with the sabertoothed Thundercat. “What was that about?”
“Yes Kalin, I never knew you had a thing for Thundercats,” RedEye remarked, chuckling in amusement.
Kalin frowned. “Grune is an admirable warrior. Enemy or not, I can respect that, one great fighter to another. Besides, he is attractive, for a Thunderian. Not that you’d know much about attractiveness, RedEye,” the hunter retorted.
“It didn’t look like fighting was what you wanted to do with him, Kalin,” Alluro said wryly.
Kalin resisted the urge to punch the smug hypnotist and instead shot him a nasty glare that conveyed her feelings. “If I cared in the least bit what you think, Alluro, I would have asked,” she snarled. “I have my own reasons for being nice to the Ambassador.”
RedEye laughed and set his drink down on the table. “Yes, the reason is called ‘I want to get laid’.” Chilla and Alluro both joined in laughing with the darkling at that statement.
Luna however was not amused by her cohorts’ lowbrow behavior and narrowed her eyes at them irritably. “Enough! We’re in public, and attending a banquet at the palace, or have you forgotten? The least you can all do is pretend as though you were born with some manners and not embarrass me by association.”
Lurella nodded. “Besides, give Kalin a break. So what if she thinks Grune is handsome? He is, in that wild and animalistic kind of way,” she spoke up in Kalin’s defense.
Kalin blinked, not sure how to take the psi’s words. “Thanks... I think.”
Alluro pouted and gave Lurella a look of mock jealousy. “So you find that Thundercat attractive, do you my dear?”
Lurella smiled back at him and leaned against his shoulder. “Not as attractive as you are, sweetie,” she purred, much to the nausea of nearly all the other Lunatacs at their table.
Boy, is she delusional, Kalin thought nastily, although she kept the thought to herself. In a way she was almost felt sorry for the girl. Kalin and the others at the table knew for a fact that Alluro was only using Lurella as a means to get his hands on her money. Not that any of them cared in particular about the hypnotist’s personal life, but his ego generally felt the need to share his conquests, especially when it came to women that “could not resist him” as he liked to phrase it. He had bragged at length to her and to his sister Torlei, who had been spared attending the party, that he intended to charm Lurella into taking him for a husband so that he could pay off the money he owed Luna from gambling debts. It was a considerable amount that the psi owed her, too, so it was little surprise that his girlfriend would need some convincing. Kalin generally thought that if a woman was stupid enough to get snookered in by a creep like him, she deserved what she got.
As Kalin mused silently over her drink about what a sleaze Alluro was, the pair of psi lovebirds exchanged a few more oh-so-sweet words of affection, and then leave to take a walk on the terrace in the moonlight, likely so he could lay it on thicker, although in Kalin’s opinion it was already thick enough to slice with her own claws, and she didn’t mean his so-called manly charm.
Chilla seemed to share Kalin’s sentiment, and was actively scowling at the pair as they left. “I’ll be glad when he’s finished with whatever he’s doing with her,” the icewalker hissed. “She has got to be the most irritating airhead I’ve ever met!”
“Her naïveté is sickening, I’ll give you that, but we all know full well why you don’t like her, and it has nothing to do with her being an airhead,” Kalin pointed out snidely.
“You don’t know what in the Moons you’re talking about, hunter,” Chilla hissed back.
“I know more than you think,” Kalin retorted.
“Go chase your Thundercat, Kalin.” Chilla exhaled a thick mist of frost and finished her drink.
“Chilla, stop it,” Luna berated the icewalker. “Kalin’s reason for flirting with the Thundercat is business. I suggested she do it to further our needs. Imagine how easy things could go for our people on Thundera if we could get a Thundercat on our side to keep trouble away from us until we get what we need. Someone in our pocket who would look the other way when we want to make a raid on their miserable planet, and allow us easy passage on and off their world. Grune is someone who could open numerous doors for us if he’s amiable to the possibilities of the wealth we can provide, especially if given the chance to better tap the riches on Thundera. Just think, if Kalin can successfully seduce and lure him into our world, envision the possibilities for all of us. The potential for wealth and power is staggering.”
Chilla raised her eyebrow, ignoring most of the point of Luna’s speech and choosing to take a personal shot at Kalin instead. “Using sex to get a material payoff… I believe the common term for that, Luna, is ‘prostitute’.”
Kalin’s eyes flashed with fury at the insult. “You bitch!”
“I only call it like I see it,” Chilla replied with mock sweetness.
“Maybe you’re just so familiar with that term because your would-be lover is ignoring you so he can be a male one from Bubbles over there,” Kalin snapped back.
Enraged, Chilla spat an arctic blast of ice in the hunter’s direction, but much to Chilla’s disappointment, Kalin ducked out of the way so the worst of it frosted the back of her chair instead. “Temper, temper, Chilla,” Kalin sneered arrogantly at the younger Lunatac.
As this transpired, RedEye watched the scene with the utmost amusement. Luna however failed to see the humor in the childish outburst her two female companions displayed and promptly smacked Kalin in the back of the head with her riding crop while glaring daggers at Chilla. “Both of you stop this nonsense right now! I won’t stand for the two of you embarrassing me any further in front of the Moons’ nobility and my weasel of a cousin. This behavior may be acceptable back at the club in the capitol but it is grossly inappropriate here. If you two cause a scene, there will be hells to pay.”
She turned to Kalin. “I think now would be a good time to advance your little mission.” Luna swiveled and faced Chilla. “As for you, watch your mouth, or I will have Amok shut it for you. Am I making myself clear?”
Chilla sighed, not bothering to hide her annoyance. “Yes Luna.” Although she was glad her loudmouthed boss had done her a favor by giving her employment that had gotten her off of a rougher life in the capitol’s streets—the unfortunate consequence of leaving her father’s abusive home in her teen years—she really hated having to answer to the critical shrew at times.
Kalin set her empty wine glass on the table and stood. “All right then. I’ll be back when I’m back. Don’t wait up,” she informed them, and departed.
* * *
Grune meanwhile managed to make it through the banquet with no further incidents or insults, much to his surprise and somewhat to his disappointment. He had come to the conclusion that the nobles of the Moons were not all that different from the nobles of the Thunderian clans, at least in that they seemed overly preoccupied with their own importance and ability to impress each other. The sabertooth also had to admit that the Lunatac royalty appeared to actually be making an effort to treat him well during his visit. Those who would insult him were met with quick disapproval from the royals themselves and the staff and guards were nothing but courteous to him. Grune supposed that even if the Lunatacs did not intend to settle any of their political disputes peacefully, at least they had not tried to pull anything sneaky, underhanded, or treacherous on him. Yet, anyway.
After a couple of hours of meeting various nobles and government officials, Grune was getting bored, however. He was not the type to enjoy hours of ego blustering, and all things considered he preferred short and to the point conversations. These sorts of meetings and affairs were always more along the lines of a duty that someone like Lord Claudus or Firestripe would enjoy. Grune nodded as the royal couple excused themselves to confer with their head of security for a bit, and since he didn’t feel comfortable going and talking to anyone else who was present, he simply got up and took a walk around. A couple of Lunar Royal Guardsmen watched him, but did not follow. He supposed that nothing too terribly secret nearby would be unlocked or unguarded and they knew he wouldn’t see anything he shouldn’t out on the terrace or in the gardens outside it.
Grune stepped out into the hallway that led to the courtyard and leaned against one of the tall marble pillars along the archway to the terrace. “Feeling tired, Ambassador?” a sultry voice questioned from behind. The feline whirled around and saw the woman he remembered as Kalin standing in front of him. “Relax, Ambassador Grune, I’m not going to bite,” she said with a sly smile.
“Kalin,” he replied gruffly. “That is your name, correct?” He eyed her closely and somewhat apprehensively. He was not sure why he might have felt that way, as she did not intimidate him physically. In fact he thought of her as rather attractive, for a Lunar Plundarrian. Then again, he thought, maybe that did explain his feeling. That was not the sort of thing an honorable Thundercat with a loving fiancée should think, especially of a woman from an enemy world.
Kalin nodded smoothly in response to his question. “It is. So why are you out here all alone? Did the royals and nobles bore you to tears with their long-winded political speeches?” she asked with a hint of amusement.
“I just wanted a break, that’s all,” Grune replied, relaxing somewhat. “It got a bit stuffy in there.”
“I can imagine. They’re not my preferred type of company either,” she remarked with a smirk. Kalin took a step closer to him, and he got the sense that she was testing him in some way, although he could not place exactly how. “So, Grune—if I may call you that—”
Grune nodded. “You can.” Unlike the other dignitaries, he did not define himself by his title, at least not the one of Ambassador.
“So, Grune, how has your stay here been so far?” Kalin asked. “I’d think a trip to an enemy world with no friendly faces along with you must be a rather lonely duty. Does it bother you?” she probed. “I’m sure it would bother me.”
“It’s different than my usual sort of mission, but it’s not unbearable,” Grune replied diplomatically. As he answered, Kalin laid a hand on his shoulder, and inwardly Grune shivered slightly. It was a forward and distinctly flirtatious move, and he should have sent the message to her then and there that he was not visiting the Moons of Plundarr for such things, especially not when he had his beloved Scarlette waiting for him back home. Unfortunately logic seemed to take a back seat to what he thought was his curiosity—it was not attraction, he assured himself quickly—for her.
Kalin was pleased when he did not shy away from her touch. Things were going well according to her and Luna’s plan. She glanced up at the night sky, filled with stars and the luminous orbs of the neighboring moons and the planet Plundarr itself. “It’s a nice night… would you like to go for a walk, Ambassador?”
In spite of his better judgment, he answered a definitive “Yes.”
Flashing him a dazzling smile that masked a healthy dose of smug complacency for having her task of seduction go so smoothly, she snaked her arm around his and led him through the archway and down the landscaped path that led into the palace gardens. “Have you had a chance to see the gardens yet? I hear they’re one of the royal palace’s most impressive features,” she stated as they passed an ornate marble fountain with four tiers.
As they walked, Grune marveled at the beauty of the different types of plants that grew on the Moons as opposed to those of Thundera, and was surprised to see even some Thunderian species there that were likely imported, or stolen, from his home world and cultivated as an exotic ornamental trophy. Also, though he was loath to admit it to himself, he caught himself admiring his hunter companion’s beauty as well. He had never met anyone like her, not on Thundera and from his limited experience staying in the Lunar Palace, not on the Third Moon either. In general he had always held her kind in disdain, mostly because of the attacks Lunar Plundarrians and their planetside cousins seemed to enjoy visiting on his home world. However he felt no such animosity toward her, and that realization disturbed him.
The unlikely pair walked and engaged in some small talk for a while before settling down on a bench along the path for a break. The bench was situated next to a particularly pretty and fragrant bush that released a soft, alluring scent into the warm evening air. Grune inhaled the fragrance deeply and stretched his legs as she sat beside him. “So tell me, Kalin, what is it exactly that you do?” Grune asked. “I saw that you came to the banquet with the infamous Luna. Are you a member of that group called the Lunatacs of Plundarr?”
“Luna’s reputation carries all the way to Thundera, I see,” Kalin replied with a grin. “She’d be quite pleased by that.”
“At having her name well-known as that of a dangerous criminal on a foreign world?”
“At having her name known period,” Kalin laughed. “Notoriety is an ego boost to some.” She eyed Grune closely, watching for his reaction as she went to address his question. “And if I were to tell you that I was part of her group?”
Grune paused thoughtfully. “I would be intrigued,” he replied. “From what I’ve seen of you tonight, you don’t fit the image I envision of a worthless, destructive, greed-driven raider that places no value on innocent lives. You’re clearly an intelligent woman, a class above the sort of hired thug that would gravitate toward such a lifestyle, and that would compel me to wonder why you would choose to live it.”
“And if I wasn’t?” she pressed.
“I would still be intrigued,” the sabertooth admitted.
Kalin smiled. “I see. All right then Grune, to answer your question, yes I am associated with the Lunatacs of Plundarr, if you want to classify it that way. I’ve worked for Luna for the past five years now. She’s a difficult woman, but she pays well, and she’s certainly no one I can’t handle my own with.”
“You’re confident,” Grune noted with a smile. “I hope that confidence is well-founded.”
“Do you really think it isn’t?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I grew up in Serilune, Grune.”
“Serilune?” he inquired.
Kalin nodded. “Serilune is where all the hunters are from. My clan is not like the other Lunatac races. Generally we prefer to keep to ourselves as a people. Most of us stay in our exclusive settlements in the jungle and don’t live in the outside civilization among the others. There are some of us that do, myself being one of them, but many of us never leave the village we’re born in,” she explained to the interested Thundercat. “I chose to leave Serilune because I wanted to see something different, and experience whatever else was out there beyond its borders. However, I haven’t forgotten what I learned from my people: The laws of the jungle. Those laws are very simple, but very true everywhere—in Serilune, elsewhere on the Moons, and I suspect even on your Thundera. ‘Watch your back,’ and ‘everyone for him or herself’.”
“How harsh,” Grune said, shaking his dark mane. He could not imagine not being able to trust those around him and those he cared about, like his fellow Thundercats, not to stab him in the back. It seemed to him such a lonely and bitter outlook to have, and he could not imagine feeling that way himself and especially not enjoying it. “Does living that way make you happy?” he asked. He was not being condescending, he was genuinely curious.
“If it didn’t, why would I do it?” she replied, equally puzzled with Grune’s inability to understand her outlook on things.
They lapsed into silence for a long moment while Grune thought about what she said before he nodded and spoke up again. “I understand your point, but I still have to wonder how you can be happy when you don’t have the freedom to trust or love without fear of betrayal.”
“There is no such thing as love or trust that cannot be betrayed,” she said with a dismissive wave. “And why wouldn’t I be happy, Grune? I can do as I please without concern of the burdens of guilt or shame. If there is something I want to do, I can just do it. If I see something I want, I can take it.” She laid a hand on his arm suggestively, her fingers caressing the outline of his muscles through his thick fur. The sabertooth felt an excited shiver run down his spine at her touch, and although he knew he should have, he did not push her away and felt a disconcerting lack of an urge to do so. “Can you say the same for yourself,” she countered, “when you constrain yourself to live by the rules of all your Thundercat codes?”
“Being a Thundercat makes me happy,” he stated abruptly.
“Does it?” she pressed, leaning closer to him. He couldn’t help but notice how lovely her features were when illuminated in the soft glow of the moonlight. “Or do you sometimes wonder if…” her voice trailed off seductively for a moment, “you might be missing out?”
“Never,” Grune answered quickly.
“I don’t believe you,” Kalin whispered back. “And neither do you.” The Lunatac then pressed her lips to the sabertooth’s and kissed him deeply. It caught him by surprise, and he found himself responding to the aggressive kiss not with repulsion or even a modest but flattered refusal, but with a spark of passion and excitement. He knew it was wrong, and although his rational side pleaded for him to do so, he could not help himself.
Then as suddenly as it began, the kiss ended and Grune was filled with guilt for indulging the forbidden desire. “I’m sorry,” he said automatically, pulling back from her.
Kalin was amused by his reaction. “No you’re not. You wouldn’t have kissed me back so enthusiastically if you didn’t like it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” the embarrassed Thundercat stated gruffly.
“Yes I do,” Kalin asserted. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with giving into desire. Or are you going to tell me that Thundercats deem lust a taboo too?”
“When giving into it hurts others, yes,” he countered stonily.
“It didn’t seem like any ‘other’ was who on your mind a moment ago,” she observed smugly. “Am I wrong?” she challenged. When Grune didn’t answer, her smirk widened to a knowing grin. “Your silence answers for you.”
Realizing that she was not going to get any further with the sabertooth that evening, Kalin abruptly rose to her feet and stepped away from the bench, glancing toward the palace. “It’s getting late, and I have to be on my way. If you would like to meet again, come to this address and ask for me.” She reached into her evening bag and quickly scribbled an address on a piece of paper, which she handed to him with a seductive smile. “I hope to see you again soon, Grune.” Her fingers lingered against his for a moment as he took the address from her hand, and then without another word she turned and walked off into the night, leaving him alone in the palace garden.
Grune watched her retreating figure until it was gone. He unfolded the paper, read the address, and then looked up again into the darkness. Don’t do it, he warned himself. She’s nothing but trouble, the last thing you need on this mission is trouble. The rational part of himself told him to rip up that small piece of paper and never look back, never think of her again. He crumpled it and went to drop it, but at the last second he stuffed it into his pocket instead. Simply forgetting about her was out of the question, that much he knew already, much to his dismay. His eyes lingered on the darkened cobblestone walkway down which she had vanished for several long moments, and then the sabertooth sighed and started his walk back to the palace alone, lost in his thoughts.
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