The Thundertank rolled across the plains outside of Cat’s Lair. The driver, Panthro of the Thundercats, stopped the tank and hopped out. Beside him was his long time friend, Tygra. Panthro rubbed his bald scalp absently and knelt down beside the treads on the driver’s side. "Did you hear it?" he asked.

"It sounded a little like you ran over a small animal if you ask me," Tygra said, hopping down to investigate.

"Not to me it didn’t. It sounded like something might be loose," Panthro said.

"Are we going to get going or not? We’ve got a whole load of candy fruit to pick up, snarf, snarf," Snarf said from the back of the tank.

"In a minute. Panthro wants to check on something," Tygra said.

Several minutes later, although to Snarf it seemed like an eternity, Panthro climbed back into the Thundertank and soon had it plowing through the undergrowth. "It looks like you were right after all Tygra. There was a fair amount of blood on the treads. Nasty little critter must have made quite a noise," Panthro said.

"All of a sudden I’m not that hungry," Snarf said.

Meanwhile, near the Berbil village Vultureman was sitting under a tree with his latest invention. The hero-matic 2000. By flipping a switch a person’s greatest hero could be brought to them. A flick back and the hero would go back. That was what it was supposed to do anyway. Slythe had mocked him saying that it would "probably end up making you chess pieces instead." Vultureman hadn’t found the comment funny at all. Since he had plans to raid the Berbil village anyway, he figured that he might as well summon his hero to help him. He rubbed his hands together and flipped the switch.

"That blinding light. What was it?" Tygra asked.

"I don’t know. It came from the Berbil village," Panthro replied, "we’re heading there anyway. All the more reason to go."

"Don’t you think we should contact the Thundercats?" Snarf asked.

"You can do it. Panthro and I have hard work ahead of us," Tygra said, swinging his whip around his body. The action only served to enhance his natural invisibility powers. Before Panthro or Snarf knew what was happening Tygra had vanished. "You check out the village, I’ll scout around the area," they heard a voice beside them say as they got nearer.

Vultureman rubbed his eyes and saw the great avian warrior Peregrine. "Who are you?" the tall warrior demanded. At least six and half feet tall the man loomed over Vultureman. "I am Vultureman, and I have summoned you to help me attack that Berbil village over there," Vultureman stammered, thinking quickly. Peregrine looked at the man before him in disgust. Still, if a mutant needed help then he could not refuse. "Very well," he spat, "where are these so-called Berbils?"

Tygra watched as Vultureman set down some kind of control box and walked into the panicked village. He had to do something. Tygra dashed over to a spot from where he could look into the place. Berbils were running around being tossed about like tin cans by some massive avian. "A new mutant?" Tygra thought, "This guy looks like trouble." Tygra backed away and picked up the control box. Panthro would be attacking soon and could probably take care of things.

Panthro charged in at the two mutants. He didn’t know who the second one was but it was attacking Thundercat allies. His nunchuks leapt to his hands and he began swinging them around hoping to intimidate the villain.

"Ah, finally. Prey worthy of my talents," Peregrine said, noting the Thundercat. Razor sharp talons extended themselves from the mutant’s hands as he waited for Panthro to get closer. Soon they would taste blood, not the machinery of the Berbils.

Although the nunchuk display was well done it did little to impress the stranger helping Vultureman. Panthro quickly flipped a switch and a stream of gas spread out from his weapons. He quickly adjusted his course, to avoid running through the sleeping gas and attempted to attack the mutant from the side.

"What a pathetic attack," Peregrine muttered, leaping into the air to avoid the fumes. When the blue skinned Thundercat got around his self made diversion Peregrine plummeted down to the ground and scooped him up.

Tygra felt the area around him shift somehow. "Why have you brought me here?" a strangely familiar voice said from behind him. Vultureman’s hero-matic 2000 fell from Tygra’s hands, smashing into tiny pieces, as he recognized the voice. "Master?" he asked, almost a whisper.

"Well, at least you give me the respect due me. But who are you?" the voice asked.

Tygra turned around and faced the man he had known all his life. He had been raised in the ways of being a Thundercat by this man, had earned his name and abilities thanks to this man’s tutelage. Black Claw, master Tiger of Thundera. "You don’t know me? I used to be one of your pupils, Tygra," he said.

"What kind of games are you playing. Tygra is but a boy. He has talent but is nowhere near being ready," Black Claw said.

"But I am. I remember you leading me through my test, giving me the bola whip I carry at my side," Tygra stammered.

"Whether this is true or not is a moot point at the moment. I hear a cry for help. Feel free to join me and prove yourself," Black Claw said, upon hearing Panthro’s startled cry.

Vultureman picked a Berbil up in the air and tossed him against a tree. This was going far easier than he’d expected. Panthro was proving to be no match for Peregrine and the stupid Thundercat appeared to be alone. He was just picking up a second Berbil to toss around when he felt a rush of air behind him. He barely had time to register the feline form before he was thrown to the ground. A second feline, Tygra he observed, soon followed, using him as a stepping stone.

The Berbils let out a cheer as they saw reenforcements arrive. Peregrine looked around and saw the two additional Thundercats. Even the best fighter knew that there was a time for combat and a time for strategic retreat. Dropping Panthro to the ground he soared through the air, picking up Vultureman on his way. Led by the cowardly mutant he soon made for Castle Plundaar.

"Thanks Tygra," Panthro said, choosing to remain on the ground for the moment, "but who’s your friend?"

"You’re not going to believe this, but this is my old mentor from Thundera, Black Claw," Tygra said.

"Then, he really is Tygra?" Black Claw asked. "And, are you implying that we aren’t on Thundera?" Tygra sighed and motioned his friend to sit beside them.

"This is going to take quite some explaining. Somehow you’ve been ripped from the past, my past. I suspect that’s where the flying mutant came from, as I’ve never seen him before," Tygra began.

"I have heard of him. He went by the name Peregrine, but he’s been dead a long time even from my time period," Black Claw said.

"At any rate. A long while back there was a problem on Thundera," began Panthro as he told of Thundera’s destruction and the frantic launch of the shuttle led by Jaga. He proceeded, with Tygra’s aid, to detail the events that had transpired on Third Earth, from their encounters with Mumm-Ra and the evil Lunataks to their more peaceful encounters with the Berbils and the warrior maidens. Soon it was getting dark. The Berbils had supplied them with a small meal in token of their thanks, but then had gone to tend to their wounded. The three Thundercats joined Snarf, who had remained cowering in the Thundertank, before making the long journey back to Cat’s Lair.

Lion-O was pacing back and forth. He wondered where his friends were. They surely should be back by then. He’d thought about using the Sword of Omens but decided that there couldn’t be any trouble as it hadn’t warned him. He would just have to trust in Tygra and Panthro to use their better judgement.

Despite his confidence in his friends’ abilities Lion-O was the first one down in the garage when the Thundertank rolled in. Cheetara and the Thunderkittens, Wily Kit and Wily Kat, had joined him. All four were shocked to see that they had a visitor, and a Thundercat by the look of him. Perhaps more startling than that was that it had been Tygra driving the tank with Panthro looking like he had seen better days, slumped in the back. Introductions were made as Tygra carried Panthro up to the infirmary.

"You failed, yesss?" Slythe asked as Vultureman was unceremoniously dropped on the floor.

"Of course he failed, nyah ha ha," Jackalman chuckled before being silenced by a scathing look from Slythe.

"I am led to understand that you are the leader of this band?" Peregrine asked.

"I am. Who are you?" Slythe asked.

"Your newest warrior, much to my displeasure. I had been hunting a young Lion when this wretch grabbed me from my home. However, my code of honor dictates that I follow you, regardless of my personal preferences," Peregrine replied.

"Hoo, hoo. We don’t need another warrior, why don’t you go back?" Monkian scoffed.

"Do you think you can beat him?" Vultureman asked, weakly.

"Of course I can, hoo, hoo," Monkian said proudly. The Ape soon regretted having said the words, for Peregrine was on him in an instant. Luckily for Monkian he had been wearing his shield at the time and quickly loosed a fireball at the bird. The pair separated and gave each other a hand shake based on a grudging respect. "Excellent, yesss? We will sssoon teach thossse Thundercatsss a lesssson they’ll never forget," Slythe said.

The mutants boarded their vehicles and began moving swiftly through the forest, hoping to catch the Thundercats napping. They knew that Panthro was injured, so they could count on there being one less Thundercat to deal with. They knew that there was a second Tiger about but knew nothing of him or his abilities.

"So, a mere boy leads the Thundercats. A pupil of mine is now older than I. My home planet is gone. I am presumed dead. I must admit, it’s all very daunting," Black Claw said, when he and Tygra were alone.

"I can imagine. You’ll stay with us, right?" Tygra asked.

"I don’t think I could return to Thundera knowing what was going to happen. Maybe, though, I could better prepare the people," Black Claw said.

"Would that be wise? It might upset everything, creating some sort of temporal paradox," Tygra said.

"You’re probably right. Though how do you know that by taking me from my time line you haven’t already upset things?" Black Claw asked.

"I don’t know that for sure. That’s the trouble. I can only assume that I haven’t done anything serious. Otherwise, all my memories of those later years would be long gone by now. In fact, your memories of Peregrine would surely have disappeared if that were the case," Tygra said.

"That reminds me. I would anticipate that the mutants will make some sort of strike soon. I should inform you and the rest of the Thundercats about Peregrine," Black Claw said.

"It all began back on Plundaar about four hundred years or so before my time. There was a young lad, or so the stories tell, who was quite ambitious. He boldly declared that he would ‘fly to the sun and steal its power.’ Most of the people on the planet thought him quite mad and tried to discourage him from trying, but he would not listen. No one knows for sure what happened. Most speculate that he did indeed try and go to the sun and some great power bestowed upon him a gift. Raw strength. But it exacted a terrible price. A weakness to keep him under control, perhaps. Whenever he comes in contact with fire his energy is sapped and he must recharge under the light of the sun for twenty-four hours.

With his new found powers Peregrine became a mighty general for the mutant army. He killed without effort and seemingly without remorse. When he set foot on Thundera, many Thundercats died trying to defeat him. It was only through the Sword of Omens that he eventually retreated. What happened next is unknown. It’s assumed that he died an old man and is buried somewhere on Plundaar. He never returned to Thundera."

"Hmm. Fire is his only weakness, eh?" Lion-O asked.

"Yes. Fire from any source, be it a torch or from the Sword of Omens," Black Claw said.

"Sorry to interrupt your story time but the mutants are on their way!" Cheetara said, running in from the control room.

"Then it is time for us to fight them. Panthro, you stay here and rest up. Try and get the Tower of Omens on the radio," Lion-O said.

The mutants flew in a ‘V’ formation, with Slythe in front, Jackalman and Monkian next, and the two birds taking up the rear. Soon they saw the Thundercats emerging from their Lair. "Remember. Hit them hard and fassst, yesss?" Slythe said. He received shouts of agreement from all sides.

Tygra and Black Claw shifted into their invisible forms, while the Thunderkittens readied their explosive pellets. Lion-O and Cheetara stood side by side, discussing last minute strategy. At a curt nod Cheetara began the offensive, Wily Kit and Wily Kat close behind. She raced past Slythe and tackled Vultureman to the ground. The two youngsters flew by in an arch and deposited their pellets down onto Jackalman and Monkian.

Peregrine hissed low. The Thundercats were making quick work of his allies. Obviously they weren’t trained efficiently. He would have to do something about that. He adjusted his course ever so slightly, his mind making quick calculations, and nabbed the twins as they attempted to jet by. He promptly hurled them into two nearby trees. Next up was Cheetara. He turned neatly, with barely a moment’s pause, and propelled himself at the speedy Thundercat. The Cheetahs always provided the most sport. They were swift and difficult to catch, and they could fight well when cornered. The key to defeating them was to wait for them to slow down and hit them before they could regain their breath. Cheetara was no exception to the rule. Although she managed to keep out of Peregrine’s reach there was no denying that she was beginning to lag a bit. Soon Peregrine had gained enough for him to grab her by the shoulders and throw her to the ground.

Cheetara rolled across the ground for several meters, her head bouncing across a rock and a recent wound on her leg reopened. "Excellent. Three down, three to go," Peregrine muttered, spitting contemptuously on Cheetara’s unmoving form.

Tygra could sense, rather than see, his mentor running beside him. They had to catch up to Cheetara and Peregrine before it was too late. They had left Slythe in the very competent hands of Lion-O. When they saw Peregrine hovering over Cheetara Tygra’s first instinct was to scream, but then he remembered his lessons, knew he had the advantage of surprise and needed to keep it. Black Claw faded into existence, as had been the plan. "Hey bird! Over here!" he called out. Peregrine snarled and began to fly at the seemingly helpless Thundercat.

"Wait for it," Tygra cautioned himself, "We agreed to a plan, now I have to stick with it." Tygra waited for a long moment before finally he saw Black Claw fall far enough away for Tygra to make his move. His bola whip snapped once and three fist sized fireballs rocketed out at the bird-man. Peregrine turned, his eyes widening. "No! This can’t be happening!" he cried, feeling the fire scorch his feathers. He crumpled to the ground badly injured.

Tygra carried Cheetara back to Cat’s Lair and laid her beside Wily Kit and Wily Kat. Panthro was feeling marginally better and was helping to care for the patients. Lynx-O, Bengali and Pumyra had arrived to help but found that they weren’t needed after all.

"What will happen to the mutants?" Black Claw asked.

"They’ll stand trial and we’ll find some place to keep them," Tygra said.

"Back on Thundera we’d have had them locked up for some time. But I suppose you don’t have the resources here," Black Claw said.

"No. We can only hope that some day they will see the error of their ways and help us rather than trying to kill us," Lion-O said.

"Especially now that they have Peregrine. I hope we’re up to another attack by him," Panthro muttered.

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