Lonely Kitten

Chapter Two

Four Years Later

The roar of engines drowned out the spectator’s cries. 'Catch the updraft, cutback to the right, stay downwind of the competitor from Zoan'. The sixteen-year-old competitor followed her own train of thought as she successfully dodged all the obstacles in her path. Coming up in front of her was her objective, the checkered flag. The petite girl crouched down and pushed her light blue space board even faster. A moment later the fans screams became deafening as she crossed the finish line. As she slowed to a stop, a young man stood waiting for her.

“Very nice, Kitara,” The man commented as he helped the girl off the board. A horde of reporters appeared then, thrusting their mikes in the winner’s face. They all shouted her name while the cameramen angled in for the best possible shot. The camera flashes gave the whole scene a strobe-light effect.

“Kitara how was your ride?” One reporter asked.

“It was exhilarating thank you, there was a lot of competition out there.” The boarder answered calmly and with a smile.

“Ms. Kitara, you’ve only been on the circuit for three years, and yet you’ve won more competitions than most long-term racers.” Another reporter stated. “What’s your secret?”

“My only secret is practice and a lot of passion for the sport.” Kitara gave a small laugh. The man at her side suddenly stepped in front of her and ended the impromptu press conference. With another smile and a small wave, Kitara allowed herself to be lead away.

“Thanks Lygi, I was starting to feel claustrophobic.” The young competitor commented as she readjusted her board under her arm.

“Give me that,” Lygi took the spaceboard and placed it under his own arm. “No problem about the save, we needed to get going anyway. The prize money should be wired by now.”

“You know, I kind of miss the days when you got an actual trophy in addition to the prize money.” Kitara stated as they came to a vehicle. The vehicle was similar to a RV, except that this one had more room and could travel in space.

“Ah yes, the good old days,” Lygi gave a sigh. “You do realize though that if they did still give out trophies, we’d receive less money and have a useless piece of junk to lug around, right?” The white and black Thunderian asked as he wrenched open the door.

“I know that, but still, it would be nice to have a material object to show your success.” Kitara answered as she climbed into the vehicle.

“Hey kids, great timing, the money just showed up in the account.” An old Thunderian with a scraggly man called from the small table.

“Great dad, that means we can leave now right?” Lygi asked excitedly, bounding up the steps into the vehicle. A moment after he had landed, a wooden rolling pin came down on top of his head. “Ow! What was that for?” The teenager demanded turning to face his attacker.

“How many times have we told you not to bound up those steps young man?” An orange and black Thunderian woman scolded. Lygi tried to stammer out an answer under his mother’s stern gaze.

Kitara smiled and sat down at the table across from the older Thunderian, Lioner. After boarding the Berbil ship, Wilykit had snuck off on their fifth stop, a planet called Altarr. From there she’d taken a space transport to Calskan, the planet where according to Tygra, lived the people she was searching for.

Upon disembarking from the transport, it was rather easy to locate them. Lioner and his wife owned and operated a small space board repair shop called Broken Thundera. The moment she stepped through the front door she was invited to dinner simply for being a fellow Thunderian. When her tale came out over dinner, Lioner had burst out laughing.

“’bout time that group of pompous aristocrats drove someone away.” This remark was followed by a slap on the arm from his wife.

“Wilykit, I do admit that my brother can be a little difficult, but I know that he’d never mean to make you feel like you weren’t a Thundercat, worthy of their respect.” Tygre comforted. “You can stay with us for as long as you need to, as long as it takes to find a way to prove yourself.” Wilykit had thanked them immensely. Lioner and Tygre had a son, Lygi, who was only a year older than herself. The two kittens had quickly become fast friends.

A few days after arriving, the feelers of the Thundercats started to make themselves known. Flyers with Wilykit’s face had been posted around town, and some of the Berbils from Third Earth were starting to show up, looking for her. Tygra had even stopped by and asked his sister to be on the lookout. Apparently Wilykat had snitched on the connection between their parents and Lioner. Wilykit had barely been able to hid in time from Tygra that time.

In light of all the excitement going on around their shop, Lioner decided to his business on the road. Wilykit became Kitara, an orphan of Thundera that the couple had taken in. So the new family of four left Calskan in their mobile house and planet-skipped for a while.

When Wilykit was thirteen, she and Lygi entered an open space board contest. Both of them did extremely well coveting first and second place, Wilykit in first. After that the kittens entered more competitions with Wilykit winning every one and Lygi coming in second. Soon Wilykit decided that she wanted to try her hand out at the real circuit. Wilykit won her first race.

After that Wilykit rode the circuit exclusively, while Lygi focused on the amateur competitions. The two’s winnings soon became a major part of their family’s income, and because space-board competitions are always in season and all over the galaxy, they were always on the move. After a year of nothing, the Thundercats on Third Earth reeled in their feelers and stopped searching for Wilykit.

Lygi had finally made peace with his mother and moved on to his next task, looking over the sites for the next space board competitions. Tygre congratulated Wilykit on her victory, then went into the bedrooms to do laundry. Lioner was busy fiddling with hers and Lygi’s boards, tweaking this, twisting that, making numerous adjustments so that they were always in perfect order. Wilykit smiled, this was her new family. Her hand unconsciously sought the pendent that hung around her neck, right next to her half of the pendent she shared with her brother.

This pendent was a smaller version of her Thundercat insignia. A month after she’d left the Thundercats; the small family had made camp next to a small lake. That night she had gone down to the dock and proceeded to throw her insignia into the lake’s murky depths.

The moment it had left her hand, Lygi had dived into the water after it. He resurfaced a minute later and Wilykit helped him drag himself back on the dock. As he held the insignia out to her, he told her to keep it close to her heart.

“After all, it’s the only connection you have to your family back on Third Earth.” Wilykit had started crying then, because he was right. It was the only connection she had to all the Thundercats. Two days later, Lygi gave her the pendent necklace, so that it really would stay close to her heart. After that the two’s connection had grown to sibling bond. Though that changed when Wilykit was fifteen and she’d gone to a dance with Lygi. The two of them had danced to a slow song, and ended up kissing each other. They realized that they brotherly, sisterly feelings had changed over the years, and they hadn’t even noticed. They’d been together ever since, with Lioner’s and Tygre’s full support.

Wilykit’s musings were broken by a startling announcement from Lygi concerning the next competition.

“There’s only one space board race coming up in the next month, circuit and amateur.” Lygi locked his eyes with Wilykit. “It’s on Third Earth, the Thundercat’s are hosting it.” The small vehicle grew deathly quiet.

Wilykit soon found her voice. “A-are you sure?” Lygi nodded, and Wilykit was stunned. She knew she had to go back some time, but there had never been an actual date. “Is there a way we can take a month off?”

“No, it’s expensive to rent parking space for this heap of junk for more than a couple of days. Without the money from your guys’ competition wins, we’d only have enough leftover for food.” Lioner answered calmly, frozen in the middle of oiling some parts in the boards.

“What if we stayed here and entered the off circuit races, the underground ones?” Wilykit asked, looking for excuses to stay.

“Impossible, if you get caught then both our reputations would be ruined. Besides, there won’t be any racers here for another six months, so dad couldn’t do any decent business. Everyone will follow the circuit.” Lygi stated. “We have to go to Third Earth, we need the money.”

“Maybe it’s time you go back anyway dear.” Tygre suggested as she sat next to Wilykit. “It has been four years, and in that time you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman, whom the Thundercats could never treat with anything but respect.”

“Do you really think so?” Wilykit asked as she looked up into the eyes of the woman who had been her mother for four years. Tygre brushed a stand of red hair out of Wilykit’s face.

“I know so.” The two women embraced each other. Breaking the hug Lygi gave a small cough.

“So, are we going or not?” The teenager asked the females in front of him.

“We’re going.” Wilykit stated, and they all smiled.

“Good,” Was all Lioner had to say before he headed towards the vehicles cock pit. Tygre gave Wilykit one more hug before following her husband. Lygi scooted over and took her mother’s place next to Wilykit.

“Are you sure about this, I mean we could try to find another way to get money.” Lygi placed his hand on top of Wilykit’s. “We could try the underground circuits if you want, we’d just have to be careful not to get caught.” Wilykit gave her boyfriend a slight kiss and placed her other hand on top of his.

“I’m sure about this. Your mom is right, it’s time I stopped running and faced my past.” Lygi kissed Wilykit again. The two of them stood up and went about preparing to leave.