At long last I begin my quest to redesign as many ThunderCats characters as my hands allow! I'm a big fan of making Thunderians look more cat-like than their original counterparts. I am also a massive fan of having anthropomorphic characters be inspired by the cultures which hold the animal significant and coexist in that region.
ThunderCats, Thunderians and Thundera already have a lot of implied cultural influence from Egypt, Cats Lairs looking like sphinxes, the book of omens using hieroglyphics etc, plus there are multiple important lion deities in Egyptian theology. I wanted to keep the OG color pallet because it RULES, but I also wanted to nod to The White Pyramid (and the Ancient Spirits of Good) and the seven moons of Thundera in the design too.
Behold! Lion-O's Reborn AU Backstory!
Lion-O had the good fortune of being born in a time after Thundera had largely healed from the worst damage of nearly 50 years of violent Mutant Occupation had done to his world. Ever since he was a boy he wanted to be a great hero like Jaga and his late mother Lady Seka and father Lord Claudus. Snarf was his caregiver, and in the absence of other children for his earliest memories, his best friend. Who remembered his mother fondly as the heroine who had given her life to protect the Valley of Snarfs from the last remnants of Grune the Destroyer’s men called the Fanged Cabal. He loved his father dearly, as was true of the reverse. However, Lion-O seldom saw him, perhaps a few times a year at most. For the demands upon him as the leader of the restoration of their planet were great, and fatherhood was one of many urgent callings.
Jaga, after all, was a tough but fair substitute, though he often bickered with Snarf. Snarf wishing for the boy to be safe and happy, and above those things, kind. While Jaga was more concerned with ensuring the boy understood his responsibilities as future leader of the Lion Clan if not, moons forbid, Lord of ThunderCats. Though Jaga had never told him of the likes of ThunderCats by title, or the sleeping Sword that empowered them. It was Jaga’s hope that peace would remain and no evil would come to give cause for the Sword to reawaken. His own way of sheltering the boy despite his grumpy exterior.
Though Lion-O was not want for adults who cared about him, Snarf, his father, Jaga, Lynx-O, Pumyra, and even the smith Bengali when he would sneak away from the Cat’s Lair grounds to watch the royal armorers at their craft. All of this and loyal saber-tooth tiger called Kano, still, he was an only child, and he was lonely. Until Lion-O’s sixth birthday, the Caracal Clan sent to him their twin heirs Wilykit & Wilykat, as was their tradition to send their progeny out into other Clans, to return upon adulthood with all the had been taught. Thus Lion-O acquired a pair of siblings and all the joy, horror and chaos of a pair kittens two years his junior would inevitably bring. Six short years, Lion-O was twelve years old, the age that many a young Thunderian who possessed the old powers, and Jaga had his suspicions that the boy possessed Spirit Sight, the ability to see ghosts, for his own mystic powers of Astral Projection was cousins with such a gift (and burden). Yet Lion-O knew little of grief save for what he’d learned from adults around him, until he would endure more than any one person could comprehend, let alone a child.
The destruction of Thundera would come swiftly, the mysterious and powerful adults who delivered this baleful news, Tygra, Cheetara & Panthro, were awe-inspiring and frightening, only known to him in passing, by sight and name only. Saying goodbye to his planet would be hard enough, but thanks to the Mutant ambush, he would be torn from many adults as well. He would be torn from his father’s arms to save his life, unable to retrieve Kano, and witness what was believed to be the deaths of Lynx-O, Pumyra & Bengali. It would only be a matter of days before, in a desperate (and successful) attempt to save his and Snarf’s lives would he learn of his great destiny. Anointing the, albeit honorable, strangers (at least to Lion-O) clinging to the life raft that was the Thunderian flagship not as a matter of choice, but as a desperate ploy to ensure their survival.
In the final blow of his fiery emergence as Lord of The ThunderCats would be losing Jaga, his suspension capsule damaged, aged half the rate for the time they traveled, having entered as a child, and emerged, physically an eighteen year old boy, sturdy and strong to be certain thanks to the advanced nature of the capsules, but an overwhelming change, especially for one who had already endured so much, inexperienced in battle or mystic arts, forced to grow up swiftly in more ways than what the capsule had failed to prevent.
If you've got any questions about my ThunderCats AU please feel free to ask!
After many years, I introduce you to the first chapter in Rhynn's origin story. Please enjoy! (name pending)
The Sunbringer: Chapter One
The sky was a deep grey-blue, devoid of clouds. The heat of the long day was slowly dissolving, giving the inhabitants of the city below some welcome relief riding in on light, cool breezes. Golden scale lords drifted lazily on the thermals high above while desert crickets below shyly began the first peeps of their evening chorus. Dusk was preparing to settle over the city oasis of Arashin. Citizens of the great Dromoka clan bustled around the streets, finishing off any final tasks of the day. Shops were closing and many were finishing their preparations for an evening meal. The relaxed feeling of the city was palpable to all. All except for two teenagers sneaking around the back alleys on their secret mission.
A human girl lead the two. She walked quickly and confidently, hoping she was giving off an aura of ‘I’m supposed to be here.’ An aven boy trailed behind her much less comfortably. His vulture head darted behind them frequently, looking every bit as guilty and nervous as he was feeling.
“Eternal above Emre!” Exclaimed the girl in a forced whisper without breaking stride, “You’re acting as jumpy as an antelope near a cobra nest. Calm down or someone will think we’re up to something!”
The aven snapped back forward looking a little embarrassed. He tried to straighten his back and emulate his friend’s posture but to no avail. “But Rhynn,” he said loudly as he dared, “We are up to something,” He had been looking down and hadn’t noticed she stopped and bumped right into her. “Oh! Sorry Rhynn, I—“ she put one finger on his beak and one over her own lips. Emre immediately stopped talking and listened as a couple of people walked by the other side of the building they were sneaking behind. The two stayed still until they could no longer hear their chatter and both sighed with relief.
“Emre, you don’t have to come with me,” Rhynn said softly, “I don’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I can go by myself,” she finished and gave him a gentle smile.
“But… but we’re stronger together! A dragon with a single scale can’t endure the desert. It’s just…” Emre trailed off and looked down, idly poking his talons into the sandy ground.
“It’s just that we’re breaking a rule and you don’t like that,” Rhynn finished for him. His head hung lower at her words and Rhynn frowned. She put one hand on his shoulder and the other she put under his beak so she could raise his face to look him in the eye. She put on the most reassuring smile she could and kept her voice soft.
“Emre, I’m not mad or upset at you, I promise,” He looked a little relieved and she continued, “ And truth be told we’re breaking several rules technically and I don’t love that either. It’s just,” she took her hands off him so she could try to articulate her thoughts, “I know the rules are there for a reason but this is something I need to do. Or at least try. The Foremost denies every request I make for missions and I know he’s giving me special treatment. Whenever our garrison gets assigned any kind of remotely dangerous route, somehow I’m needed somewhere else and I’m left behind,” Rhynn had been gesturing while she talked and now that she stopped she didn’t know what to do with her hands so she just bunched her fists and let them awkwardly drop. She looked over to Emre lamely. “I’m sorry. This sounds so dumb and selfish now that I’m saying it out loud. Let’s just go back,” she said and took a couple steps with her head hanging low. Emre grabbed her arm and turned her around to look at him this time.
“It doesn’t sound dumb, Rhynn. You’ve always wanted to explore the further borders, especially the ones near the northern forests,” his eyes got wide and he gulped, “Even if that is close to Atarka lands.” Rhynn knew her friend was terrified of Atarka. Rumor said she preferred ainok and aven as favored meals. Emre steeled himself and continued, “And I guess technically it could be selfish to add yourself to another caravan just because you want to,” Rhynn frowned at that, “But it’s not like you would just be tagging along as dead weight. It never hurts to have an extra Sunbringer and you’re one of the best in our age group! If, if anything this would be good training for you!” Emre beamed at his friend and she smiled back.
“Thanks Emre,” she said and pulled him into a hug he gladly returned. When they broke apart Emre looked like he regained his confidence.
“Ok! So. We’re almost to the building where they keep the route schedules. Let me, let me see if I remember the plan” he began, “You’ll sneak in and I wait by the window outside.”
“Good so far,” Rhynn said.
“Then you add yourself to Adi’s caravan going north in a week and make only that change,” Rhynn put her hand over her heart.
“Sunbringer’s honor,” she replied and Emre nodded.
“And finally you sneak back out like nothing ever happened! Oh! And I’m here keeping watch. If anyone enters the building after you, I’ll—I’ll whistle!”
“The perfect plan,” Rhynn concluded and Emre cocked his head to the side.
“Before we do this… Are, are you sure you want to? It is a dangerous route. Maybe you could merge our caravan with theirs instead…” Emre trailed off. Rhynn looked at him fondly and put her hand on his shoulder.
“I know you’re worried but it’s best this way. They’d notice a change that big and besides; I wouldn’t risk the lives of our brothers and sisters just for me. You and Reyna would be in extra danger and I think a smaller group has a better chance of being undetected. Besides, our caravan was due for a long rest anyway. It’s something I need to do though, Emre. Real, proper forests. Trees bigger than dragons! Strange creatures none of us have ever seen before! I need to see it, something there just calls me to it. I,” she struggled to find the proper words, “I don’t know. I can’t explain the feeling.” It was true. Rhynn didn’t know why she was so drawn to the northern border but the thought of the ancient forests up there never failed to give her shivers. She looked helplessly at her friend and he chuckled.
“Well we better finish this if we’re still doing it,” Emre said with more resolve.
“Right,” she replied and they clasped arms in typical clan fashion. The two crept the final bit left of their journey and wound up outside the records building. The sky was shifting from a brilliant orange to a dusky violet which meant not many people should be within. Rhynn darted into the front while Emre took a position near the window of the room that the schedules and routes were planned and kept, but remained within eyeshot of the front entrance. He was conspicuously trying to look inconspicuous.
Rhynn got inside without attention and quickly made her way along the halls. While it wasn’t exactly an honorable talent she had always had a knack for sneaking and it was coming in handy now. She made it to the caravan schedule room without seeing anybody and slipped inside. Once inside she just needed to find the right book. Let’s see are they sorted by Scalelord family groups? Maybe location of travel? Hmmm. After perusing a few she found what she was looking for. Ah-ha! The trip to the northern-most aerie! Now just to add an extra Sunbringer. She scribbled her name onto the list of people on the caravan and just as she was placing the book back in its spot she heard a raspy whistle from outside.
With a new sense of urgency Rhynn slipped back out of the room and began cautiously making her way back to the front of the building. She didn’t hear anybody and thought maybe she imagined the whistle when she turned the corner and barreled into somebody.
“Oh sorry,” she stammered and tried to speed away.
“Sunbringer Rhynn?” The deep voice questioned and Rhynn had no choice but to stop and turn around. Of course it was him. Why would it be anybody else?
“Oh Foremost! Sorry sir. I didn’t see you there. I’ll be getting out of your way now,” she said while standing as straight as her spine would allow. The Foremost stared down at Rhynn, his expression unreadable. She thought about bolting but knew it would be better to wait until she was properly dismissed.
“And what would you be up to in the records building at this time of day?” He finally asked. Rhynn’s heart skipped a beat. She forgot to come up with a cover story. She was bad at lying even when prepared, but to come up with something on the fly like this? She was doomed.
“Oh! I was just, uh…” she stammered, desperately trying not to break eye contact as she strained her neck to look up at him, “I thought I saw Adi come in here and I had a question for them,” she finished, looking down.
The Foremost didn’t say anything, he just stared at her. Rhynn began to fidget and he sighed. “Why don’t we have a little talk. Please follow me to the records room,” he said with formal air and began to walk away. Rhynn just hung her head and followed. She knew she had been caught and didn’t see the point of arguing; it would only make things worse.
The Foremost closed the door behind them and gestured for Rhynn to sit in one of the chairs. So this was going to be a long talk. She hoped Emre had followed the plan and skipped out. She didn’t want him to miss dinner on her account. The Foremost grabbed a book off the desk and sat across from Rhynn.
“Posture, Sunbringer, you’re slouching,” He said without looking up as he thumbed through the book. Rhynn snapped her spine straight until it ached and looked forward. Somehow the Foremost always looked perfectly at attention, even now as he peered down into the book. She wondered if he even knew how to sit comfortably. She resisted the urge to tap her foot.
The Foremost stopped on a page and ran his finger up and down and his brow furrowed. “Huh,” was all he said.
“Is something the matter, Sir?” Rhynn asked, concentrating on her posture and keeping her voice politely disinterested. Was she supposed to look at him or straight ahead in this situation? He glanced up at her briefly and back down to the page. She thought she could detect some irritation on his face but she couldn’t be sure.
“It seems,” he began slowly, “I owe you an apology.” That wasn’t what she expected. She cocked her head in genuine confusion.
“Sir?” She asked.
“You see, I had believed you had snuck in here to mess with the caravan routes,” Rhynn flushed at the words but tried to keep her face neutral. He held up the book he had leafed through. “But it seems your caravan is intact. No missing personnel, no last-minute route change.” Rhynn stared at him, unsure what to say. He had it half right and she didn’t want to make him suspicious. He sighed and shook his head.
“I would like to let it go, and yet the guilt is plain on your face. Explain why you were really here,” he said in a commanding tone. His hazel eyes bored into her own. Rhynn took a deep, steadying breath.
She didn’t know how to respond so she decided to go on the offense. “Why do you treat me differently?” He looked taken aback by this.
“Excuse me?” he said, his normally confident tone now mixed with a touch of uncertainty.
“You treat me differently than everyone else in my age group, especially in my caravan group. Why?” She did her best to keep her head up, chin forward, and feet still.
The Foremost narrowed his eyes and answered, his voice suddenly gruff. “That is absurd. I treat you as I treat all young Sunbringers. As all young members of our Clan. You are all equal and will earn treatments based on your merits. Nothing more. Nothing less. You are avoiding my question. Now Sunbringer Rhynn, tell me what you were doing here.”
Rhynn knew she should probably drop it, but now that she asked the question that had been burning her tongue for so long, she didn’t want to.
“If you don’t treat me differently, how come I’m the only Sunbringer my age that isn’t allowed weapons training?” she spat at him and he actually sat back with raised eyebrows.
“You’re allowed the training, it just isn’t necessary for you as a mage. It would be a waste of time and resources.”
“Just like it is for all the other mages that do basic combat training? If I’m really allowed it, how come I’m shoo’ed away when I try to learn on my own down time?” The Foremost scowled but Rhynn pushed through. “How come whenever I face a punishment, it’s usually working in the stables, or some other activity I actually like? How come I get extra attention from you despite you being a warrior and strategist and I’m a healer? How come whenever my caravan gets assigned a route that’s so much more exciting than our usual ones, but it’s slightly more dangerous I, alone, get called away to help with something else and get left behind? How–”
“Enough!” Rhynn startled back as The Foremost slammed his palms on the desk and stood over her. She had lost control of herself, when had she stood up? Meekly she sat back down under the hardened glare of the soldier before her, holding her hands together to try to keep them from shaking. He took a deep breath and also sat back down.
“So many damned questions Rhynn. Always with the questions. Keep it up and maybe we’ll have to send you along with our next trades with the Ojutai.”
Rhynn was pretty sure he was attempting to relieve the tension with a joke. Probably. Part of her wondered if it would actually be nice though. If the Ojutai actually liked that you asked questions, that would be a welcome change, maybe she could convince Emre to come too…
The Foremost cleared his throat and Rhynn looked back at his face, his expression was unreadable.
“I… try to keep you from dangerous activities because I don’t want you getting hurt. I’m not trying to be unfair, I’m trying to protect you,” he kept his voice even but his eyes betrayed a look of sorrow that confused her. Rhynn knew this was supposed to make her feel better but it actually filled her with shame and anger.
“That’s not protecting me though! We Dromoka are supposed to be prepared for anything and I’m only allowed to learn safe things? That’s dangerous for me and my clan siblings!” She was trying to keep her voice even, but she could feel her voice rising involuntarily. “Plus you say you’re not trying to be unfair, but you are! I should face the same dangers and responsibilities as everyone else. I can’t just stay in Arashin my whole life only tending to the same animals and those with the same routine injuries, I–”
“With this insubordinate behavior, maybe you should!” Rhynn’s heart sank at the words. “That is as important a job as any other, even if it is safe and boring as you imply.”
“But–” Rhynn tried but he kept going, voice slowly rising.
“One of the most gifted Sunbringers of your age. Even some of the dragons request your services specifically, even over more experienced healers because of your innate gifts at healing and natural understanding of scales and draconic physiology. Do you understand what an honor that is?” The Foremost ran a quick hand through his hair as his lecture picked up pace. “And yet you would want to throw that honor away traipsing along the foothills of Atarka lands? Or permanently injuring your arms or hands in a weapon training accident? You get the same physical exercise and evasive trainings as everyone else, you don’t need to risk injury with swords and spears. You’re being selfish Rhynn. We all have a part to play and you should focus on what you’re good at.” His voice was even again; he knew he was right. Rhynn suspected he was right too, even if it hurt to admit it. She could feel her eyes stinging with unshed tears but she managed to keep her composure.
“I… I have other strengths, I could help others way too,” she offered cautiously. The Foremost didn’t stop her so she timidly continued. “Extra healers only make a caravan more safe. And I always hear complaints that we don’t have enough information on the creatures beyond our borders. I’m good at understanding animals, I could help with healing, even learn more from non-routine injuries and illnesses! I could practice more bolstering magic! I could even study the animals as well, I could make our clan a bestiary! I could–”
“We don’t need bestiaries of exotic beasts!” The Foremost raised his voice but wasn’t truly yelling; still it stopped Rhynn mid sentence and her brief excitement deflated in her chest. “Our Scalelords’ hides are strong because each scale falls neatly in its place. A loose or damaged scale compromises the whole dragon’s well-being. Each member of our clan represents each of those scales. That’s what makes us the strongest and most enduring clan in all of Tarkir. You should know this only works if we all do what we’re supposed to do. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” Rhynn managed, stifling a sniffle. She would do anything for her clan, but that didn’t stop the sinking feeling she had in her stomach right now. Like her future could never be her own.
“Now that we’ve got that out of our systems, I’d like you to answer my question you so expertly dodged around,” The Foremost snapped her back to the present, “And please sit up,” he added with a hint of exasperation.
“You never answered mine,” she replied sullenly. He sighed again.
“We just went through this Rhynn,” he rubbed his forehead as he spoke.
“You dodged the question too though! You just said you treat me the way you do because you want to protect me. Shouldn’t you be protecting us all equally? Reyna is a mage and she does martial training. Emre is a scout and he learns more than observation. Adi is a Sunbringer, but they get to learn almost everything!”
“That’s different, none of them–”
“Are your daughter?” Rhynn cut him off and then blanched at her own words. She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, it was just a theory she and her friends had. If she had been in trouble before, now well… maybe they really would send her to the Ojutai. Hopefully it would be in one piece. The Foremost just stared at her with eyes wide and his jaw dropped. Rhynn bowed down her head and spoke frantically.
“I’m so sorry sir! That–that was out of line. I shouldn’t–”
“How did you know?” he asked, barely above a whisper. Rhynn snapped her head back up to look at him. It was her turn to look utterly dumbfounded.
“It’s… it’s true?!” she squeaked out. The Foremost rested his forehead onto his hands and began to massage his temples. He looked tired.
“You’re a clever girl Rhynn, I know this wasn’t a lucky guess. How did you figure it out?” His voice was coming back to him. He looked over to her and his expression swirled with different emotions.
Rhynn was so certain about her theory and yet hearing it confirmed out loud was surreal. It took her a moment to find her voice. “Well I look a lot like Keeleh, everyone who has eyes can see that. And it’s not like bondkins from the Atarka clan are common enough to say it’s a coincidence. You’ve been married longer than I’ve been alive so it makes sense. Plus…” she added sheepishly, “I have your eyes. Oh and the obvious special treatment.”
He had been looking at her with equal parts sorrow, affection, and pride until her final addition; then anger won.
“Damn it Rhynn!” he yelled and slammed the desk, causing Rhynn to flinch. She figured she should be done pushing her luck for tonight. “I’ve been trying to do what’s best for you! You have no idea what it’s like to have your children ripped from you and raised by other parents!” Rhynn was shocked by the conviction of emotion in his voice. “Sure we got to be there and help, but to not have you with us each night? To know we couldn’t be there every time you were sick or hurt or sad? It should be voluntary, it shouldn’t be this way. It didn’t used to be,” he trailed off at the end.
Rhynn was puzzled at that. Children of the Dromoka clan had always been raised together, had always been one big family. She fidgeted. She didn’t understand. She was feeling confused, frustrated, and angry. None of that was supposed to matter, but she had never seen the Foremost so upset.
“But… it’s always been this way,” she dared to offer in a soft tone, her brow furrowed.
“No. No it hasn’t. Not before–” the Foremost cut himself off and snapped his head back up, looking alarmed. This only made Rhynn more confused.
“Before what?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.
“Nothing. I misspoke. Enough damned questions,” The Foremost was giving in to his temper. Rhynn was pretty sure he was doing it to hide something.
“But–”
“No buts! Enough of this. You were sneaking around like some thief and refused to state your intentions. Your punishment will take place in the armory.”
Rhynn dared to hope against reason at that, but her heart dropped as he continued.
“Crack of dawn before the first birds wake. You will clean and polish all arms and armor. I’ll let Brak know to be expecting you,” his voice was lower in volume but the heat was still there.
“But that’s not–” Rhynn began to protest but was cut off when The Foremost stood up, voice raised once more.
“No buts! No more questions! You will do as you’re told just like everyone else; no special treatment. Now get out of my sight and I would recommend going straight to your bunk. You’ve got an early and long day ahead of you tomorrow.” He glared down at her in her seat while she tried not to squirm. She opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. She wasn’t sure any words would have come out anyway. Tears stung at her eyes but she managed to keep them from falling and merely nodded. The Foremost stood straight and addressed her more calmly now.
“You… are dismissed,” he said with an even voice and an expression Rhynn couldn’t read. Her vision was beginning to blur from building tears and that certainly didn’t help either. She stood up as straight as she could and managed to choke out a ‘Yes sir’ before she practically ran out of the room.
Once she got out of the building the tears began to fall. She wiped them on her cowl as best she could, she didn’t want to attract attention. She looked around for Emre but couldn’t find him. Good, that meant he followed the backup plan and should have set off for dinner. At least that way only she got in trouble.
Rhynn began speed walking to her bunk. She was too upset to eat, plus she didn’t want people to notice she had been crying. Her thoughts and emotions kept swirling around her head that she barely registered changing into night clothes and hiding under the covers of her bed. Her breathing hitched as she replayed the conversation with The Foremost in her head over and over. She loved healing but was that really all she would ever be allowed to be? Would handling animals one day be considered too dangerous for her? What did he mean when he let slip that families apparently weren’t always raised this way? Was he lying and if so, why? Would things be better or worse now that she confirmed her suspicions about their connection? Dozens more questions burned at her for the one that had been extinguished. She should be happy though. Her mission was a success; he never caught the change she made to the caravan. Emre was never caught. She finally got a punishment that seemed like a real one instead of something she actually enjoyed disguised as a punishment. Not that she wanted a punishment at all, but not getting special treatment is what she wanted, wasn’t it? Then why did she feel so awful? She curled up into as tight a ball as she could under the covers and tried to keep her breathing as even as she could as she started to cry herself to sleep.
Here’s some pictures of my Rexsoka child OC Jaig from my fics https://archiveofourown.org/series/1400095
Some info about her: she’s 16 in this pic, and she was born 4 years after order 66
She grew up on Mandalore and her official name is Anakin Cody Fives Tano (named after the closest thing she had to an uncle on her mother’s side, her father’s batchmate and the person who deserves credit for helping both her parents escape order 66) but it was shortened to Anna when she was younger. At 12, she decided she wanted to be named Jaig after earning her Jaig Eyes
She’s mostly Togruta, but has some human features like eyebrows, a more human built (Togrutas are skinnier because carnivores have shorter intestines than omnivores) and she’s an omnivore, though she can digest raw meat much better than humans. Her facial markings resemble Jaig Eyes, and her parents joke that that’s because the force wanted her to resemble her father a bit more (which might actually be true). Her lekku markings are spotty and uneven because she’s half human, and her montrals don’t have any markings. They’re also kinda small
She’s good with guns, though only small ones like her father uses. Bigger ones are unfamiliar. She has her own costum made Mandalorian Armor that can hide her lightsabers in the Jet Pack holder
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Tygra was born into a family of great renown and import within the Tiger Clan, known for its academics. The heads of this family were Rajan & Syra, his father and mother. Who would bear two sons, Tygra, then four years later, his younger brother Bengali. The elder of the two brothers born at the tail end of the Mutants’ occupation of Thundera. Remembering little of it except for dark tales and shadows on his elders’ faces when it came time to speak of it.
He and his brother were raised away from the worst scars of Plundarrian rule. With the best tutors and a well connected family, Tygra’s natural intelligence thrived beyond his parents’ wildest dreams. Mathematics, chemistry, botany, and especially architecture were among his favored subjects. Though he was not neglected in physical training matters either, the Tiger Clan’s unique martial arts, dances and most uncommonly among Thunderians, swimming were among his parents’ strict regiment for him as well.
The bar was raised ever higher, and his desire for heightened skill to the point of perfection ever deepening in his heart. His only respite being the times he spent outside of training with Bengali, who was in some ways less burdened by their parents’ expectations than he was, younger and in some ways freer. Bengali’s talents appeared to land outside the narrow lines of their parents’ expectations and desires. Unbeknownst to Tygra, this cast a dark shadow on his little brother, despite Tygra's innocent desire to simply enjoy the company of the only other child he knew.
(The rest of Tygra's origin & art WIPs under the cut! Feel free to ask questions!)
Imagine then his utter confusion and dismay at being bestowed a gift he could not comprehend or control instantaneously, the mystic power of illusion. Unintentionally wreaking havoc upon his parents, tutors and the staff of his family’s estate, finding himself stricken and exhausted between bouts of false reality that not even he who created it could fully detangle. Only getting so much of a handle on it as to disappear out of an instinct of fear and embarrassment. He would be sent away from all that was familiar to him to the Hall of Mystics, his parents hearts full of joy, Bengali’s of abandonment and jealousy, and his own full of fear.
However, he would come to reflect on his time in the Hall of Mystics as one of the better times of his life, though it certainly did not begin that way. Sheltered from other ways of life beyond the Tiger Clan’s, and ceasing to be the smartest child in any given room, he grew withdrawn and bitter. Were it not for stumbling into a fellow outsider in the form of Cheetara, he would never have opened his heart or mind to more novel ways of thinking. Here, in no small part due to Cheetara & Tygra’s mutual fondness for one another Tygra began to find a path independent from that which was laid out before him by his parents.
Here he developed a taste for philosophy and history and a deep appreciation of ways that deviated from his own, learning from the most distant of his Thunderian kin to even various outworlder cultures. Finding no more reason to stay within the Hall of Mystics once Cheetara abandoned her own training, he graduated from the Hall of Mystics an accomplished illusionist. Continuously devouring knowledge into his adulthood, not however, in the lands of the Tiger Clan, but the Thunderian capital of Thazera, where he would learn and teach in equal part. A place where he would come to meet another dear friend, the war-hero Panthro.
This friendship would lead to the invention of Tygra’s bolo whip, a weapon that could near seamlessly blend his own mysticism (particularly his invisibility), ancient Thunderian weaponry, and modern technology. Leading Tygra, somewhat reluctantly, into the path of spy work. As the looming threat of Mutants and the Fanged Cabal lurked in the shadows of an oh-so-recently liberated Thundera. This work began to take greater and greater precedence over his educational pursuits after the death of Lady Seka, Lion-O’s mother.
His last mission while Thundera still stood would be the acquisition of war machine blueprints that confirmed what Jaga and Lord Claudus had long suspected and feared, the Mutants had plans to once again lay siege against their world under the rule of Ratilla’s heir and successor, Ratar-O. Thundera of course, would not survive to see another war, rogue Mutants exploiting this vulnerability to put an end to the lives of many a Thunderian who tried to escape. Among them, by all appearances, Tygra’s younger brother Bengali. With whom he had not spoken since leaving for the Hall of Mystics, much to his devastation and regret in the aftermath.
It would not be long afterwards Jaga would bestow upon him yet more new responsibilities. Though for reasons yet unknown, the Sword of Omens had chosen the child Lion-O to wield it, and thus by magic & tradition would shoulder the burden of Lord of the ThunderCats, he was still a child. That should anything befall him, Tygra would be the one to lead the precious few surviving Thunderians until Lion-O reached maturity. To further complicate matters, due to Mutant ambush, unplanned trajectories, and a damaged suspension pod. The ThunderCats would emerge on an alien world, with Lion-O, while still a boy of twelve internally, bearing the face and form of an adult.
Stranded with two dear friends, a domestically inclined Snarf, and a small gaggle of cubs. He must lead them to safety and tantamount to their survival, mentor the young Lord Lion-O to lead when the time was right. None of which he felt inclined or prepared for. Tygra would of course, accept this duty, as he did with all expectations of him, however high, but he took no solace in it.
WIP game! I was tagged by @shardssystem ! Thanks for the tag! I’ve been wanting to get back into writing fanwalker stuff, maybe this will help motivate me 😅 There are two that I’ve been working on for awhile, that I’d love to actually work on again and finish.
First is from the second chapter of A Breeze Through the Multiverse. First chapter is up here on tumblr and on AO3. Here’s a snippet from the end of where I’m at:
There was a mountain of clouds nearby but none seemed to be storm clouds, still she looked in their direction with alarm. She could see an enormous shadow dancing behind the clouds, but it must have been a trick of the light. Nothing in the air was that large, not even dragons. He heart still fluttered in her chest as she convinced herself of her own safety but then sank as the face of an enormous flying serpent peaked out from the clouds. A leviathan in the air?! Those are only a danger in the deepest of seas! How could one fly?!
I’ve also been working on continuing the story of my two characters Rhynn and Helis meeting each other. Here’s a snippet post danger >:3
“Well we actually lucked out, she was exhausted,” Helis jerked his head to look at her. She was pulling a large notebook out of her pack and was writing in it as she spoke. “She just laid a clutch of eggs, so she might be there awhile. Oh! We might want to make a sign further up the road before we continue on our way, you think?” She looked at him like they were having a regular, everyday conversation. Not like they had just almost died.
“How,” he began, “Pray tell, do you know that?” He asked her incredulously. She looked up from her note taking.
“Oh, uh. She told me?” She offered sheepishly. Helis just stared at her until she began to fidget. “What? I mean not told me told me,” she said waving her hands as she spoke, “But I’m good at communicating and bonding with reptilian and avian creatures. It’s not talking per se, but it’s an empathic communication. I shared what I was feeling with her and she shared what she was feeling with me.” Helis sighed and put his hands over his face again.
Looking back that second one is really cute. I should work on that some more. The first part of that story is on tumblr, I believe I titled it Perenian Hospitality. (All my stories are under ‘Tabby Writes’ for the curious 😜)
Thanks again for the tag! No pressure just fun, I will tag @connoissuer-of-fine-vines @little-red-rabbit @niuttuc and @magus-of-the-color-pizza
Posted the first chapter of my Breeze fic on ao3! I may eventually post all of my fics there, it would be nice to have them all in one organized location :3 Maybe I’ll actually get inspired to work on this fic….. chapter 2 is technically started and i have ideas for like several more chapters 😅
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I don’t know how long this will end up being but this is the story of Rhynn and Helis meeting for the first time! It takes place shortly after War of the Spark. Elrick encourages Rhynn to take her mind off of everything that just happened by being daring and going someplace entirely new. She winds up on Perenia. I’ve got a little more written than what’s here but this seemed like a naturally pausing point for now. Enjoy!
It was somewhat cloudy on a warm afternoon, shortly after midday. A slight breeze nudged the puffy clouds around, which offered cool patches of shade wherever their shadows lazily fell. In the forest below Helis was napping on a wide branch of a tall tree. To him, this was the perfect kind of day. He stretched out his body, letting out a satisfied grunt as he felt all his joints pop back into place. He stretched out all the toes on his taloned feet and then dug the claws into the warm wood. He enjoyed the satisfying feeling of his talons sinking into the soft outer part of the wood. He yawned deeply and arched his back like a cat after a nap. It really was the perfect kind of day. Though honestly, every day on Perenia was the perfect kind of day if you looked at it right. A day people complain of as being too hot? Perfect for visiting the cool pools of the outer swamps. The mud there is soft and good for cooling off hot, dry skin. A day too cold? Perfect for enjoying some hot mulled cider with some of Hiviny's finest honey. Svellmani herself brings winter early and there's a week-long blizzard? Perfect for heavy, delicious meals all week, more honeyed cider, and seeking out companions to warm up with. Helis smiled to himself. Yes, life truly is wonderful if you look for it to be. After his ordeal on Ravnica, he figured he may never feel the need to leave his perfect corner of the multiverse ever again.
"ARRRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!! What are you doing with my fruit, you thieving miscreant!?" Helis started out of his reverie as the peaceful silence of the forest abruptly ended with a hoarse voice screeching nearby. "You cruel, arrogant creature! Do you even know what you've done?!"
"Sounds like Madam Crabapple has found a new poor soul to torment," Helis laughed to himself. This was an event usually worth checking out so he quickly finished his post-nap stretches and jumped to some nearby branches so he could get closer to the commotion and watch without being seen. As he climbed towards the yelling he finally got to a vantage point where he could see the large, agitated treefolk. The source of her ire was a young human woman who looked very out of her element while clutching a shiny green apple. One that happened to match the rest hanging from the upper branches of Madam Crabapple. "Oh the poor dear," Helis said to himself with amusement as he settled in his hidden spot to watch.
"I'm so, so sorry m’am! I had no idea, the fruit all looked so inviting. I-I thought they were hanging from a regular tree. If I had any idea a dryad could grow so--" the woman was cut off.
"A dryad? A DRYAD?! You think that I am one of those aloof, frivolous twigs dancing out in the moonlight?" The poor woman blanched.
"Oh sweet thing, that was not the thing to say," Helis whispered to himself and propped his face onto his chin.
"Thinking me to be a plain old regular tree is bad enough, but a dryad? Ugh, I cannot believe humans these days!" Madam Crabapple glared at the woman who was clearly at a loss of what to say. There was a bit of an awkward silence before the woman realized she wasn't being berated any longer. She had the look of someone who was used to knowing just what to say to diffuse a situation, and yet here she was, stumped. Helis almost felt bad with how amusing the whole situation was. The woman took a long but shaky breath. It seemed to settle her a bit.
"My sincerest apologies again. Both for stealing the fruit and for the double mistaken identity. I have just never met a.. uh?" she paused and stared questioningly at Madam Crabapple, who renewed her glare at her.
"A treefolk, girl. I'm a treefolk," she growled. The woman looked mildly relieved, she thought she was getting somewhere. Poor thing.
"Yes, a treefolk! Of course, how could I be so dense!" she placated.
"Ah, she knows how to play! Madam does love self-deprecation," Helis mused. Indeed the treefolk appeared to be calming. Helis knew better though, she was preparing a second wave of criticism. The woman offered up the apple as if it were a precious jewel as she continued to speak.
"I offer back your apple, which I took out of complete and utter foolishness. I hope you can forgive my thoughtlessness." She looked up to Madam Crabapple expectantly. The old treefolk held her gaze but said nothing. The woman began to fidget under the scrutiny, shifting her weight from side to side. Helis grinned; it was kind of endearing. Madam Crabapple began to move closer to the woman, her limbs creaking as she slowly moved.
"Tell me girl, where do baby trees come from?" Madam Crabapple sounded calm now, but there was a dangerous tone hiding in her voice. The woman looked nonplussed, this was not the direction she was expecting this to take.
"Baby... trees, m’am?" she asked.
"Are you deaf? Yes! Baby trees! Where. Do. They. Come. From?" she articulated each word sharply and moved closer to the woman, who took a step back and was looking more and more uncomfortable.
"Oh. Well, they-they come from seeds m’am? Depending on the type of tree the seeds can come from pods or cones or..." she looked down at the apple in her hands with a dawning realization of horror, "or fruit." Her head snapped back up to look at Madam, her eyes wide.
"Oh yes, very astute girl. So, where do you think baby treefolk come from, hmmm?" The look on Madam's face was predatory; the woman however looked like she may be on the verge of tears. She clasped the apple close to her chest like one might a child.
"Oh stars. Oh my gosh, I'm-I'm so sorry. I... Is there anything I can do? I'm a healer! Is there some-" Madam cut in.
"A healer! Oh thank Poulios, a healer," she intoned with sarcasm, "What exactly do you think you'd be healing, eh girl? The fruit is detached.” She crossed her arms, making the wood creak like trees in a storm.
“I-in the past, I’ve helped re… reattach…” the woman began but she also started to breathe heavily. Madam further glared at her and she just sunk down to her knees, cradling the apple. Her shoulders began to shake.
“And that Madam, was a line crossed,” Helis sighed. He loved watching Madam Crabapple have her fun with travelers. Watching them squirm and try to appease her while she talked circles around them. It usually ended in amused, if frustrated, laughter. This though? Clearly the woman was going through something and Madam was not receptive to it. Plus, this was a crueler joke than she usually settled for. Helis had seen enough despair after his brief time on Ravnica so it was time to step in.
Helis slid down the trunk of the tree using his talons and walked towards Madam Crabapple and her quarry. As he got closer, he began to saunter and assumed a charming look.
“Why is that the lovely creaking of Madam Crabapple I hear?” Helis purred as he stepped out from the brush. Both ladies snapped their heads in his direction at his sudden entrance. The human woman looked nonplussed and was still cradling the, unbeknownst to her, ordinary apple. Madam immediately set all her attention on him and began to preen.
“Ooo hoo-hoo! If it isn’t young, handsome Helis here to brighten my day,” she cooed while rustling her branches. “To what do I owe this pleasant surprise visit?” She fluttered her eyes at him, at least as much as a treefolk could. He smiled.
“Oh do I need a reason to visit my favorite treefolk? Ah,” he turned his attention to the now visibly confused, but still distraught, woman, “Who is your charming friend?” Her bright eyes still looked glassy, but she no longer looked on the verge of tears. He wondered if she was figuring out Madam’s trick.
“Oh, I’m—“
“She’s just some flotsam that drifted south from the Archipelago, look how she’s dressed,” Madam cut in with an annoyed undertone, “didn’t even know what a treefolk was.” The woman bristled at the jab. The way she was dressed was unusual, but it didn’t even look like Perenian fashion to Helis at all. He wasn’t going to bring that up just yet though.
“Now now Madam, that means she is a guest and we shouldn’t be so rude to guests,” he lightheartedly waggled a finger at Madam Crabapple and she batted him away playfully, “And I’m sure after whatever game you two were playing, she’ll never forget a treefolk again.” Helis tried to give the woman a comforting smile, “I am Helis, and it’s a pleasure to meet you Lady….” He trailed off and held out his hand welcomely, hoping to help her up and coax out her name. She just stared up at him blankly, then looked at the apple in her hands, and then up to Madam Crabapple.
“This. This is just a regular apple, isn’t it,” she said flatly. Madam Crabapple let loose a shrill cackle. She then snatched the apple from the woman’s hand and ate the whole thing in one messy crunch herself. The woman blanched before fixing her face back into a neutral position.
“Of course it is, girl! You should have seen the look on your face!” She continued her cackling. “Welcome to Flamoria!” She said with cruel mirth.The woman did not look amused and Helis couldn’t really blame her. He was still working a way to chastise Madam without getting her defenses up too high. The woman seemed to have had enough though. She unceremoniously stood up and dusted herself off.
“Well thank you for the warmest of welcomes. If that’s how kind all folk from Flamoria are, I think I may just make my way back north. Thank you and good day,” she said with a curt nod and made to turn around. Helis couldn’t have that! He was fairly certain she was a planeswalker although he had no real proof yet, just a feeling, and he couldn’t have someone thinking the home of Autumn was a cruel place. He snatched her hand before she could go too far.
“Wait, hold on now. Let’s not end a new friendship like this!” He said with concern. The woman glared at him, with lovely hazel eyes he noted, but she did not fight him. He held her hand lightly just in case, and looked to Madam Crabapple. “Now Madam, we can’t have new people to the land of Autumn think us cruel. Perhaps your usual jokes took a turn more mean spirited than usual?” He did his best not to sound accusatory. If she felt threatened Madam would only double down. She was considering him but did not respond, “Besides, what if she was coming down for her very first proper Autumnal Equinox? The festival starts in a week and imagine if she missed the greatest celebration in all of Perenia just because of one unpleasant first impression?” He was being ballsy but he had to, the woman was still letting him hold her there but he didn’t know how long that would last. Madam Crabapple creaked in place and finally sighed.
“Ugh, FINE. I guess, the joke I played could be seen, in some situations as a tiny bit over the top,” she leaned towards Helis and the human woman leaned away but did not break her hand out of his loose grip, “but Helis, she called me a dryad!”
“I know, I know,” he placated, “but she—“
“Also said I was sorry,” the woman said almost imperceptibly. Helis smiled at her and gave her hand a little squeeze. She kept looking the other way, but squeezed his hand back which he took as a good sign. “Don’t have treefolk where I’m from,” she finished, still quietly. Hmmm. If she was a planeswalker, maybe she had been here before? To know that the Stillfrost Archipelago doesn’t have treefolk, or she’s doing very well thinking on her feet. Or he was wrong and she’s not a planeswalker…
“Alright alright, I’m sorry. Happy now?” Madam Crabapple finally creaked out while starting to tug at stray twigs amongst her branches. The woman turned to her, surprised.
“Oh. Well, thank you,” she smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes, “Madam Crabapple.” Madam looked too distracted with whatever she was doing with her branches to really notice. The woman tugged at Helis’ arm a bit and leaned down to whisper in his ear. He noted she was at least a few inches taller than him.
“Is it weird she hasn’t responded? Did I… upset her again?” Helis leaned up to whisper back in her ear.
“Nah. She just has her ways, we’ll see what she’s up to in a second,” he leaned away and looked her in the face now and with a regular voice, “Still haven’t caught your name though.”
“Oh it’s Rhynn. Nice to meet you, Helis,” she went to shake his hand but realized they had been holding hands the entire time. She burst into a fit of giggles and Helis couldn’t help but laugh himself. She gave his hand one final squeeze and finally pulled her hand away, wiping at the moisture in her eyes. At least they were tears of joy this time.
“Sorry, that was silly. I just… had a lot of emotions in the last five minutes,” Helis smiled his most charming smile.
“Never apologize for laughter my dear Lady Rhynn, for pleasure is what we are all on this world to experience,” as he said it, he bowed dramatically. Rhynn smiled and looked thoughtful. Madam Crabapple laughed and turned around.
“Always the charmer Helis, and here I thought I was special,” she said, but without animosity. Helis mocked outrage and put a hand over his heart.
“Of course you’re special!” He gasped, “I just have an overabundance of charm and I must share it with all the lovely people I meet!” Rhynn snorted at that and Helis crinkled his nose at her. “See, I am abundantly charming!” Rhynn just shook her head, but she did look amused. Good, at least her foul mood from the prank was fading. Madam Crabapple just sighed.
“If you’re quite finished, to end all this on a better note. Here,” she held out a make-shift basket that she had just crafted from her own loose branches. It was filled to the brim with her own bright green apples. She shoved the basket into Rhynn’s torso. She barely recovered from the surprise in time to catch it without spilling any apples. She looked down and then back up at Madam in shock.
“That’s so generous. I, I don’t know what to say! Thank you seems like not enough,” she genuinely looked touched. Helis had to admit he was surprised, normally Madam doesn’t go through this much trouble. Madam bristled and tried to look aloof.
“Well I suppose making a healer think she murdered a child was a bit cruel, even by my standards. HOWEVER, I do think that humans need to grow stronger backbones,” she whipped around and poked Rhynn in the forehead with a gnarly finger as she said it. “Anyway, you two enjoy the apples. Helis, make sure she gets to enjoy the festival, I have to go prepare for it myself, my my just a week? Where does the time go,” she sounded distracted and lumbered away without saying another word. Rhynn just looked down at the basket and then to Helis, dumbfounded.
“So. Does that happen a lot?” She asked him, still looking a little in shock. Helis laughed.
“Madam Crabapple finding random travelers to prank and berate? Yes. Her eventually feeling bad for going overboard and apologizing? Sometimes. Her feeling so bad she weaves a basket of her own branches and fills it with her own apples?” he gestured to the basket in her arms, “That’s a first for me to see.” Rhynn smirked and looked at him slyly.
“And how many of these pranks of hers do you tend to see?” Helis laughed nervously.
“Oh you know, I just catch them towards the end sometimes,” he said. He didn’t expect for her to catch on to him so soon.
“Uh huh,” she said, still smirking. Helis just smiled and grabbed the basket from her. She did not protest.
“Let me carry this for you anyway, your pack looks unreasonably heavy.” He was trying to change the subject, but it really did. It looked like she really was prepared for a long journey. That would be true for someone from the Archipelago but could still be true for a planeswalker, even if he normally traveled much lighter. “Can’t have you tiring out before we can get on our way to Ornio now can we? We can be there before dark if we leave now!” He flashed her his brightest smile. Rhynn looked a bit caught off guard.
“You want to travel together?” She tilted her head to the side as she asked, “And what’s in this Ornio?” Helis smiled, he was now pretty sure Rhynn was a planeswalker again. There’s no way even someone who lived their whole life in Stillfrost wouldn’t at least recognize the name of the capitol of Flamoria. Especially if they made it this far into the province.
“Why of course the Autumnal Equinox Festival is in the capitol and very heart of Flamoria!” He said with a flourish, “As we celebrate the rebirth and return of our great phoenix avatar Poulios as he ushers in Autumn.” Rhynn definitely looked intrigued. He decided to be cheeky. “You know, much like you folks up in Niflgard do for the Winter Solstice when you placate Svellmani?” He resisted the urge to wink. To her credit Rhynn only looked utterly lost for a second before she fixed her face into a knowing expression.
“Of course! I don’t know where my head is at today,” she mockingly knocked on her own head, “Meeting a treefolk really razzled me for the day,” she finished. That was the final proof Helis needed. No true resident of the Archipelago would tolerate someone from any other province saying they were merely placating their avatar and not celebrating her just as the other provinces celebrate theirs. He smiled warmly at her once more and waved his arm out in the direction they would need to go to head to Ornio.
“So my dear Lady Rhynn,” he gave a slight nod of his head as he said her name, “Would you like to honor me by letting me guide you to Ornio and introducing you to the greatest festival of all time?” He really did hope she would say yes. She seemed like an interesting person and he never really had a chance to get to know another planeswalker before. He didn’t stay on Ravnica long enough for that to happen. It didn’t hurt that she was lovely on top of it all. She smiled timidly and Helis’ hope increased.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t mind? I don’t want to be any trouble,” she began to trail off.
“Of course not, it’s no trouble at all,” Helis said with complete sincerity and Rhynn smiled. “And besides I’m being a bit selfish,” this time Helis did wink at her, “I’d much rather travel the way back to Ornio with company than by myself. Doubly so if that company is an interesting new friend that I can gush about the festival to!” Rhynn smirked this time.
“Well then I may just have to take you up on this offer,” and Helis beamed.
“Well then, onward!” He said dramatically and began to walk. Rhynn fell in next to him. Helis fished an apple out of the basket and offered it to Rhynn. “Want one for the road?” Rhynn actually groaned.
“I’m not sure I can have an apple for a month or two after all of that,” she hid her face in her hands for a second as she said it. Helis looked aghast, but pulled the apple back.
“Now you can’t wait that long. The festival has some of the best apple dishes of the whole year!” He took a juicy bite of the apple he was holding “Mmm, and these are so fresh and tart!” They really were. He forgot how good Madam’s apples really were. Rhynn did look intrigued.
“Well maybe by the time the festival starts I’ll be ready. It’s hard to say no to a good apple dish.”
“And nobody does an apple dish like Flamoria,” he took another bite of his apple, “And these? Hmm these would be perfect grilled up and drizzled with honey.”
“Grilled apples? Really?” Rhynn sounded genuinely surprised and Helis crinkled his nose at her again.
“Yes really. The smokey taste of the fire, the tartness of the apple being softened and sweetened by the heat sort of like it does in a pie but not quite, the richness of the honey. MM!” He smacked his lips together. “Perfection!”
“Hmmm. Ok I’m sold, I might just have to try that,” Rhynn looked thoughtful. Helis laughed, victorious.
“My food ideas are often outlandish but that’s what makes them good.” Rhynn smiled.
“Well maybe I’ll just have to convince you to let me try some of these outlandish ideas.” Helis beamed once more.
“I would be more than delighted to make them for you.”
