Mystic

Talitha watched the campfire cast flickering shadows on the wreckage of her spacecraft. A mild breeze ruffled her white mane and stirred her thoughts. Why had the ship crashed? Had the engines failed, or had something more sinister occurred? Several blast lines marked the length of the ship, but only one strip of damage seemed to be of more recent origin. Unfortunately, the only person who knew the truth lay beneath a hastily erected cairn.

Despite the warmth that her fur and robe provided, Talitha drew the blanket about her. Mrísena help me, she thought, have I survived the destruction of Thundera only to be left alone on a strange world? Am I, in truth, the last one?

Talitha brushed away tears with the back of her hand. No weeping! Although I may be the last remnant of my people, I will live! Servalla would have insisted upon it. The older tigress still touched her in spite of the barrier that death had created. Talitha smiled as she imagined Servalla calmly charging her with the responsibility of survival on the planet that had received them.

A sharp pain in her joints, a temporary effect of an extended rest in a suspension capsule, broke her musings. Damn, I've been sitting far too long. Better stretch. The young tigress rose to her feet and paced. She focused on each step across the campsite conveniently carved by the spaceship's descent. As she studied the movements of her sandaled feet, her thoughts slipped into the past.

The great ark ships. The smaller, faster messenger ships. The lone royal cruiser. All had departed Thundera before the planet exploded in a fireball unleashed by Mutant science.

The Council of Worlds should have sent their superior ships to assist in the evacuation, but that august body, which had denied membership to Thundera, had insisted that their fleet travel to a designated rendezvous for assistance. Talitha shifted her gaze to the starry sky. She wondered whether the Council had suffered any remorse in the realization that their indifference had destroyed her race.

As the fleet prepared for the transition into hyperspace, the Mutants had launched their final attack. The ships of Thundera had been built for transport, not war. They were overloaded with people and possessions. The advanced weaponry of a newly combined Mutant force easily claimed each craft until only the royal cruiser had remained--and amazingly, Servalla's small spaceship.

Talitha returned to her place by the fire. In the dying flames, she saw the battle once more. As the Mutants annihilated each ship, she had wondered when they would target their craft. A stray bolt had felled their light drive; another attack would end their lives.

But the second assault had never come. While Talitha had wept for her people and the adulthood that she would not reach, Servalla had worked the computer at a frantic pace. A shrill sound pierced the silence when Servalla had finished her handiwork. As the noise subsided, the elder mystic had snarled, "And now we wait for Jaga's move!"

Jaga's move? The old sorcerer had no options either--or so Talitha had thought. As the Mutants eradicated the remaining messenger ships, Talitha wondered why they had been spared. Servalla had worn a veil of fury that she had felt too frightened to breech. Sensing her distress, her mentor had responded, "As long as we do not move, Jaga's magic keeps us safe."

A shield of invisibility! It was indeed possible, for this particular ship had been designed to Jaga's standards before he turned it over to Servalla. While Talitha had considered the implications of Servalla's actions, the elder mystic had leapt from her chair and roared at the display screen. The Reptilian mothership had fired upon the cruiser; however, it had soon become apparent that the blast had been sent to disable, not destroy.

The Mutant ship docked at the strike point. Reptilian warriors poured into the damaged craft by way of a boarding tube, but too quickly, the Mutants returned to their ship. The mothership disengaged with haste and pulled back into the main cluster of Reptilian vessels.

The hissing language crackling over Servalla's console had spoken of the powerful Sword of Omens and of the young prince who had dared to wield it. The Reptilian commanders had begun to argue over other methods of securing the cruiser, for above all else, they desired the magical blade. While they debated, the Thunderan ship vanished into hyperspace.

"Servalla, this is impossible!" she had cried, for the cruiser had clearly sustained significant damage.

"Patience, youngling," was the only advice her sister mystic had given.

Commander Slythe immediately ordered all forces to the rendezvous, and one by one, they had winked out of view. Lord Jaga was in trouble, Talitha had thought, for the Mutant ships were far faster and superior to the ancient Thunderan fleet.

A burning branch snapped. Her reverie broken, Talitha turned toward the rocky grave that surrounded her friend. "Somehow you always knew Jaga's mind, didn't you, Servalla," she admitted to herself.

Servalla had indeed guessed Jaga's tactic. When the last Mutant craft shifted to light speed, the royal ship reappeared at its previous location.

"Another cloaking device?" she had asked Servalla.

"Yes, little one, and now let us see what that old lion does next, for he is far too distant to be reached by our mind gifts, and he does not respond to my transmissions."

As if on command, the royal cruiser set off at sub-light speed.

"Servalla, how can we possibly know what direction he will take!"

"It is all programmed," she had answered with a cryptic smile. "Now, into the suspension chamber with you!"

Servalla had changed the subject too readily, Talitha thought as she watched the last flame die. Only rebellion on her part had coaxed a partial explanation from the middle-aged mystic.

"Our destiny points to a world many seasons from here. We have enough provisions to reach the rendezvous, but not enough to travel light seasons in space. We will require suspension in order to survive." Despite Talitha's pleas, Servalla had refused to tell her anymore, although she had promised to enlighten her once they reached their new home.

Obedience was the first discipline one learned in the Halls of Healing. Servalla had been the highest of her order, mystic and priestess of Mrísena. Her decision had not been subject to question.

Shrouded by the night, Talitha heard Servalla's last words in the rustling of the leaves. "Do not worry, little one. I have no desire to age or starve. I will enter the other capsule. I will awaken before you to guide this ship through the planetary system in which our new life will begin. Be at peace, dear one. Mrísena keep you safe."

The Goddess had answered Servalla's prayer, but had not shown mercy on her priestess. When Talitha emerged from the suspension capsule, she had found Servalla slumped over the control panel. The elder had died from an injury to her neck probably sustained during the descent. She had been dead about one day, the length of time that it had taken for Talitha's capsule to revive her. It had been difficult moving Servalla's body in the blackness spawned by the night and damaged systems. At dawn, Talitha had done what she could to prepare Servalla for her long sleep under a blanket of stone.

The night breezes had grown cooler; the hour had become late. Talitha covered the ashes of her fire with the damp earth, then strode toward the spaceship. Despite the lack of heat or light, the vessel was secure. There was no way to tell what creatures hunted when the sun went down, and she had no desire to discover the answer.

Pulling the hatch closed, Talitha slowly made her way to the open suspension capsule, the only pinpoint of light within the ship. She crawled into the egg-shaped case and extinguished the tiny beacon. Resting in the shadows and the silence, she felt entombed.

*****

The white tigress placed more wood on the fire. She had spent the morning ordering the ship's contents in an effort to stir from the numbness that Servalla's death had brought. She opened a packet of dried meat. Although the flesh was tasteless, it was safe to consume. The food and water storage containers had remained intact. The contents would last indefinitely as long as they stayed sealed.

Talitha carefully poured water from a silvered canister into a metal cup. The time that she had endured in suspension was an unknown that she had yet to resolve. The disc from the capsule could be deciphered by the computer, if only the computer was not a collection of rubble. Self-examination by means of her mystic gift had indicated that she had aged but half a season while in suspension.

The mystic rekindled the fire to a strong blaze while she ate. Survival now consumed her time and energy, but in tending the fire, she had found a calming strength that her standard meditations had failed to provide. Such focus was as important to her soul as food was to her body.

A resonant whisper suddenly broke the quiet. "Seven hells and fifty demons."

Talitha grabbed the staff by her side and leapt to her feet. Although trained as a healer, she was capable of defending herself, and was prepared to fight if the situation warranted such action.

She slowly lowered her weapon. The Thunderans standing before her appeared to be more exhausted than she. The tall, husky panther, who wore blue trunks and boots, carried a large bundle. He gently set his burden on the soft earth. The mystic glimpsed a face partially hidden by the linen. The orange and cream fur pattern marked the individual as one who belonged to the red tiger clan. The size of the body suggested an adult male. The cheetah female, who was attired in an orange body stocking, approached with the panther. Her soft boots muffled her footfalls.

"Who, by all Thundera, are you?" the grey one asked. The sun glinted menacingly off the spikes of his twin bandoliers.

Talitha's mind filled with questions. Besides Jaga and the royal family, who else had traveled to this new world on the cruiser of King Claudus? As she recovered her voice from her surprise, the young tigress replied, "I am called Talitha."

"You are from--"

"Thundera--yes."

"By all the saints, how?"

She answered with a gesture toward the spaceship and Servalla's grave. "My sister mystic brought us to this world...she did not live to see it."

"Mystic!" the panther roared. "By great Jaga, a mystic!" The large male yanked her wrist and pulled her toward the wrapped tiger.

"Easy, Panthro!" The golden cheetah shouted as she attempted to block their path. "Can't you see that this one is as weary as we are?"

Panthro growled back, "But Cheetara, her life is not in danger. Tygra's is!"

Tygra. A strange calm settled on Talitha despite the panther's strong words and harsh grasp. Now all three are named.

The young mystic met Panthro's gaze. "Peace, elder," she said softly. Perhaps the grey one had finally seen the pain that he had caused. He quickly relinquished her hand and stared at the ground as if ashamed.

When he lifted his eyes once more, he spoke. "Mystic, our companion is near death. His body is ravaged by a fever that we believed was caused by an arrow wound received during our initial journey toward this very location two days earlier. Our intention had been to track an object that had appeared on our sensor screens on the previous evening. Telemetry indicated that it had come down in this section of wood.

"After the fever struck Tygra, Lord Jaga directed us back to this spot. He said that we would find the help that we needed. We utilized our Thundertank once again to travel the long distance from the Lair, but the trees grew too dense. We have abandoned the vehicle about a mile from here. We saw your ship in the distance, and walked to your campsite. Now we know that it was your ship that we originally tracked.

"Mystic, we do not know what manner of substance the forest tribes use to coat their weapons, but it is said that there is no treatment for the infection that their poison brings. Cheetara and I have kept Tygra sedated to prevent him from harming himself, and others, with his ability to create illusions.

"Mystic, can you help him?"

Talitha wished that she could remove the concern that rested in the older Thunderan's heart. She answered him honestly. "I will try to help, elder, but I must tell you that my powers are not yet as strong as an adult mystic."

"All we ask is that you try, healer," Cheetara responded.

"Then, elders, let us see to your friend."

*****

Talitha stroked the tiger's hot, wet forehead. By the Goddess, I have never encountered a fever such as this, she thought with dismay. The mystic carefully studied the strain on his face and watched the erratic spasms that shook his body. As she listened to the madness in his frenzied whispers, she feared a final convulsion would soon claim him.

"No, Jaga...Thundera is doomed...no, I won't, I can't...no, Jaga, please...don't force me into the capsule."

The insanity in his voice bore a cold serpent of fear that slithered into her heart. There's nothing that you can do for this one, it hissed. His brain has already been injured by this fever, and such destruction cannot be healed by one so young as yourself. If you were older...there might have been a chance, but now only the priests of the Circle could save him...or Servalla, who sings the silence.

Talitha turned from the ill tiger, only to be restrained by Panthro. "Let me go, elder, I cannot help him!" she cried. "Only my sister mystic had the strength and experience to cure this poor soul. If I try to heal him, I will kill him!"

The panther threw her to the ground. "How dare you call yourself a mystic!" he shouted. Her hands flew to her face to block his spittle and his contempt. Talitha was afraid that a blow might follow, such was his rage. When it did not, she lowered her hands, and saw that the cheetah had positioned herself between them. The great Thunderan effortlessly shoved the tall, slender female aside. He roared, "Mystic, if you knew Tygra, you would know that he would not choose to live as one crippled!" The stunned cheetah nursed a bruised elbow, but managed to nod in agreement.

Wisdom from the Mystics' Code provided the courage that she needed: "To ease the suffering of others, I offer my life; to help the dying find release, I open the path." Although it was unlikely, it was still possible that the tiger's fever had not injured his brain. His cries might be no more than nightmares formed by his mind gift. Focusing her strength, Talitha decided, I must try a cure, or release him to the silence.

The small, but strong, tigress pushed Panthro back and snarled, "Aside, elder! I have the work of the Goddess to perform."

*****

Talitha knelt next to Tygra. She peeled back the constricting linen, which covered his nakedness. The mystic maneuvered him so that his head and shoulders rested against her knees. While she worked, she addressed the others with the detachment born of her vocation. "If you have never seen mystic healing, know this above all else: do not interrupt my trance once I have begun. You could cause harm to both me and Tygra. Also, do not be frightened by the blue light of my power, or the jumbled words that I might utter. Is all this clearly understood?"

"We have seen such workings before," Cheetara replied.

"Good. Then may the Goddess grant our prayers."

Talitha placed her long, slender fingers against Tygra's skull. She closed her eyes, and took a series of deep, rhythmic breaths to facilitate the relaxed condition necessary to achieve a state of critical healing. Her power opened gently as if she had slowly pulled back a curtain.

The mystic connected with the energy flow of the tiger's brain. Sharpening her focus, Talitha touched the fields around each nerve cell. The disruptive energy characteristic of innumerable viral particles filled his brain. The dissonance told her that the infection cycle was close to completion, but a ripple of cellular strength indicated that destruction had not yet begun.

There was no time for her to select the healing pulse specific to the germ. Praying that she was not harming him, Talitha summoned a powerful wave of healing. Her energy traveled along every fiber of Tygra's nervous system. She felt it neatly destroy the microscopic invader. The music of natural healing surfaced, and set to work on restoring the tiger's health.

Talitha continued her scan. Permanent brain damage had not occurred, but she noticed a vibrational pattern that was unknown to her. Although fatigued by her efforts, she decided to probe deeper and merge completely with his mind.

Talitha surrendered to Tygra's reality and plunged into terror. Visions of war flooded her senses and severed her trance.

It took a moment for her to realize that the blue filling her sight was the clear sky above. It took another to know that the weight of the tiger had disappeared. Strong grey hands helped place her in a sitting position.

"Seven hells, are you all right?" Panthro howled. "That explosion of blue, the way you fell back, Jaga be blessed, I thought that you had died!"

"Where's Tygra?" she mumbled weakly.

"Beside you...here...see." The panther set her hand along the top of Tygra's mane.

Struggling to focus her eyes, Talitha finally saw that the tiger lay beside her thigh. "Viral infection, Panthro...very bad...." she said through lips that had become thick and leaden. "Very bad."

"Is he going to die, mystic?" Cheetara asked from somewhere behind her.

"Hopefully not. I destroyed the virus, but there is still a...I don't quite know, I...feel faint, Panthro--"

"Talitha!" Blanketed by the darkness, the mystic wondered who called her name with such urgency.

*****

Talitha awoke and greeted the night. A small fire illuminated the comatose tiger and the large panther, who guarded him. Another figure, who slept near the edge of the firelight, moved slightly then quieted. Talitha skirted the cheetah and silently crossed over to Panthro. "How long have I been unconscious?" she asked the grey warrior.

The startled male hissed, "My nerves are jangled enough! I don't need you sneaking up on me, cub."

"Sorry," Talitha replied meekly. She knelt beside Tygra and touched his forehead. "Has he shown any significant improvement, Panthro?"

"First of all youngling, you were out for hours. Scared the seven hells out of Cheetara and me. And second...well, his fever is gone, but he still calls out in his sleep as if he were being chased by all the demons of Plundarr."

"Then I have not yet finished my work," the mystic declared. "I knew that something else was still wrong, but when I tried to examine Tygra's mind, he sent me reeling."

"Explain." The panther seemed genuinely puzzled by her statement.

"Often a mystic will use her power to merge completely with a patient's mind in order to obtain his cooperation in the healing attempt. Tygra was in too critical a condition to make this approach feasible. Although I cleansed him of infection, a problem still existed. I tried to reach him, but instead, I encountered an all too real vision of the Mutant hells."

"Could brain damage account for this?"

"Unlikely, Panthro. I have healed his physical problem. If there had been neurological damage, I could not have helped him. What he might be suffering from is psychic trauma."

"Mystic, how else would a virus effect his mind gift? It took everyone in the Lair by surprise when he manifested wild illusions in his fevered state."

Talitha answered, "I do not know myself, elder, but it is obvious that it has. As the disease exhausted him, he may have retreated to a place where the nightmares of his own creation could not haunt him. I think I may have touched that residual illusion, the horror that drove him deep within himself. To restore him, I must...find him." The scowl on Panthro's face made Talitha pause. She finally sighed, "You don't believe me, elder, do you."

The panther rumbled, "Oh, I believe you, Talitha, but I don't understand the condition that you have described. I'm a warrior...the tiger is the one with the medical knowledge." Panthro chuckled nervously. "I can just imagine what he would say to all of this!" His smile gave way to a stern frown. He wiped away several tears. "Damn...hate this!" he rasped. The panther clenched his fists and forced composure. His words came with difficulty. "Can--you-try--again--tonight--to--help--him?"

"I probably should wait until morning, elder," Talitha conceded, "but I believe that I must try now. Patients in this condition have been known to die unexpectedly. Their retreat from reality becomes literal. The soul flees the body...I don't want this to happen to Tygra if there is any chance that I can prevent it."

"And I thought he was out of danger."

"Panthro...I wish that were so. Perhaps with the help of the Goddess, I can bring him safely back."

*****

Tygra rested against her knees, and once again, Talitha aligned her fingers along his temples. She looked at Panthro. The older Thunderan centered his attention only on Tygra. She knew that he did not comprehend the danger that she faced, and she intended to keep him ignorant. If Tygra died during her healing, she might also die. Unless she could successfully sunder the link, she would also journey to the silence.

Talitha looked to the starlit sky for solace. Unlike Thundera, this new world possessed a moon. She missed the comfort of its light, for it had already begun its descent to the west, and had disappeared behind the trees. Perhaps the Goddess would smile on her this night, even though she lacked a celestial ally. Tygra certainly deserved Mrísena's blessing if only because of the hardships the others had endured on his behalf.

Talitha glanced down at the tiger's face. His strong features befitted a handsome prince, but he had not led a soft life. Warriorship had left a mark that had hardened each line. Here was a face that she desperately wanted to see well and smiling.

"Tygra." She whispered his name as if it alone held the power to cure him.

"Tygra." Her sympathy eased her into the deeper levels of healing. The tiger's life force flowed more evenly, but still carried the discord of his psychic wound.

*Tygra.* She sang his name and entered his reality. It consumed most of her strength to stay on the battlefield that roared endlessly about her. The phantom Mutants and Thunderans filled every space with destruction, yet remained ignorant of her presence. A plain tent sat incongruously in the midst of hell.

*There.* With the psychic thought, Talitha found herself inside the featureless canopy. Tygra stood before her in a blood-soaked robe that had once been white. He worked speedily as he tore the clothing on the prone warrior floating in the space before him. He pulled a blade from nowhere and expertly opened the Thunderan's abdomen. The tiger executed his surgery flawlessly. When he had completed his cuts, the knife changed into sutures, and he closed the incision that he had made.

He sighed softly, "Another." The warrior faded only to be replaced by a different Thunderan. The tiger repeated his actions without change. "Another."

*You must stop this, Tygra!*

He did not respond to her command as he completed his surgery on a third soldier. "Another."

Talitha reached for his shoulder, and watched her hand pass through his body.

So...you are only a memory. I must leave here...I must go deeper.

*Tygra!* Talitha floated out of the tent and flew above the battlefield. She entered a sphere of blue that changed to indigo-violet, then black. Suppressing her fear with prayer, she waited an eternity in the void.

A speck of light finally appeared before her. She increased the opening with her will. She crossed the portal into the brilliance. A beach of clear crystal stretched into forever.

*Tygra!* A weak pull. *This way then.* She stood quietly and watched the beach move beneath her feet. A shimmer of silver appeared in the distance: the ocean. A lone figure knelt at its edge.

*There.* The beach set her to rest beside the tiger form.

*Tygra!* The tiger reflected spectral color. His immobile, crystalline body remained quiet to her sending. The silver waves were but a breath away from his knees. Talitha realized that if he were not freed of his gem state, the water and the silence would take him.

*Tygra!* Nothing...to reach him, I must touch him. Talitha offered blue-violet hands.

*Tygra!* She rested them on his shoulders.

*Tygra!* Where she touched, orange fur appeared.

*Tygra!* The ocean was almost upon him.

*A mystic?* His serene response startled her.

A chance! *Tygra, I am a mystic, yes! I am here to help you!* Crystal shifted into more orange fur mingled with black stripes.

*A mystic...Servalla was a mystic.* His sending, which named her deceased mentor, created a state of turmoil from which Talitha barely recovered.

*Yes--yes, Tygra--Servalla was a mystic.*

*Are you Servalla?* The question radiated with longing.

She lied to preserve his life. *Yes! Please come back with me!*

*Servalla.* His response filled her with his love. The remaining crystal dissolved into fur and flesh. As she released him, he slowly rose. He retreated from the lip of silver water. *No.* He denied the blessing of the ocean and turned away. He met her gaze for the first time. *Servalla.*

Talitha embraced the tiger and lost herself in a torrent of healing that was beyond her control. She melted into color and vanished. The tiny remnant of her personality that existed called out to the Goddess. *Mrísena!*

The colors around her condensed into violet and spun a path that led back to reality. *Tygra?* Her fatigue was too great for her to continue. She submitted to the violet tide. I have done my best...dear Goddess, please, help him.

Her body shuddered. Talitha opened her eyes. The weight of her flesh formed a prison. Unable to call the strength necessary to raise her head, Talitha had no choice but to look down. A veil of peace covered the sleeping tiger cradled by her body.

By the Goddess, I have done it, she thought as she lost consciousness.

*****

Darkness....A warm hand caressed her face. But I feel.

The voice of the mountains spoke in muted tones. "She must rest, Cheetara. Come now, we can check the ship while we wait."

Talitha thought wearily, And still the Darkness....

*****

Darkness....A warm hand rested on her face. But I feel! I must awake!

Brilliant light! Talitha flung her arm across her face to protect her sight.

"Panthro! She has revived."

Sound! It was a female's voice. The pleasant alto hummed in her ear. "Try to sit up, Talitha." The invisible helper struggled to assist her.

Helpless and annoyed, the mystic shouted, "The light is too damn bright!" A cloth suddenly materialized over her head and shoulders. Beneath the gauzy fabric, Talitha coaxed her blue eyes to open. Looking between the loose weave, she spied the cheetah before her.

"Are you well?" Cheetara asked.

Dizzy and quite unsure of her health, Talitha replied, "Am I still among the living?" The spotted cat laughed. "Damn it, elder, I am being serious!"

Cheetara's mirth subsided quickly. "Yes," she answered, "although you look terrible. Panthro is getting you some water. Think you can manage to drink it?"

"Yes," Talitha grumbled. As she looked beyond the cheetah, she felt the presence of Tygra before the flash of orange fur caught her sight. "Tygra!" Talitha flew to her feet. She swayed in unison with the cloth that floated off her body and drifted to the ground.

Cheetara broke her fall. "Easy, mystic," she scolded. "Tygra is recovering, thanks to you. He sleeps peacefully...despite his loud snores. You have cured his fever and his madness."

Shrugging off her assistance, Talitha moved to a nearby stone and sat. "My memory of the events is a tangle," she snarled.

"We didn't expect you to wake up clear-headed, mystic," Panthro said as he approached. He handed her a cup of water, and added, "You fell right over just seconds after you finished your healing...seems to be the way you mystics get the job done."

Talitha ignored the sarcastic remark. As the panther continued to speak, she beheld the stone grave in the distance. What had transpired between her and Tygra crystallized in her mind. Goddess help me! He came back because of you, Servalla, not me. What bond did you share; how do I tell him of your passing?

Panthro poked her shoulder. "Hey, are you all right? You haven't been listening."

"Sorry, I was thinking about my friend."

Panthro asked tentatively, "Do you claim silence for your grief, little one? Is this the reason that you hold her name in your heart?"

The mystic regarded the older Thunderan. She silently thanked him for providing the excuse that she needed to keep the name of her mentor concealed. Only after she had spoken to Tygra would she reveal the name of the older mystic. "Yes, elder," she affirmed, "that is the reason. Her name belongs to me until her purification in flame."

"So be it, Talitha," Panthro said solemnly. After a moment's pause, he added, "I had forgotten that tigers prefer to burn their dead. If you agree, we can exhume the body and transport it in the tank. You will discover that a proper funeral pyre can be erected on the plains stretching before Cats' Lair."

Although the thought of Servalla riding in the tank hold disturbed her, Talitha agreed with his suggestion. "We should not have too much trouble, elder. I prepared her well for burial."

"Fine," Panthro rumbled. "Now, Cheetara and I have gathered your ship's stores, but we have left what appeared to be personal belongings alone. We felt that it would be easier for you to sift through those things that belonged to you and your friend. Your ship will never fly again, but we can salvage the metal and spare parts at another time."

"You are more than considerate, elder. I will make haste, so that we can leave this forest quickly. It is important to shelter Tygra, and see that he rests."

"We all need rest," Cheetara agreed. "Panthro and I will take care of your friend," she continued, "while you finish up in the ship, Talitha."

Content to be relieved of the distressing task of recovering Servalla's body, the mystic signaled her consent.

"Then let's get moving," Panthro growled. "I want a hot meal and a warm bed before this day is out!"

*****

The Thundertank crept through the forest. The late afternoon sun marked the landscape with lengthening shadows. The young mystic remained unaware of the subtle changes of light and the passing of the day.

Talitha rested next to Tygra in the rear bay of the tank. A blanket and the warmth of his body surrounded her. It was a state that she had initially found unsettling, but finally comforting. She had slept soundly despite the "debate" between Panthro and Cheetara, which addressed the question of who was best suited to drive the tank; the noisy engines; and the rocky terrain. It had been a tame jolt that had ultimately awakened her.

Panthro had closed the tank hatch, but even in the dim light, she observed Tygra easily. Weariness shaded his dark amber eyes, but so did curiosity, and surprisingly, fear. Before she could speak, the tiger whispered, "Are you the one who brings the silence?"

"No," she answered gently, "I am not that one...I have brought you healing."

"By Jaga, a mystic," he replied with awe. "Then--then--mystic--is this a dream?"

The tank bounced over a chunk of earth. "No," she said dryly, "if it were a dream, our passage would be smoother." The tiger managed a weak laugh. His pleasing baritone lightened her heart.

Tygra extended his arm. He ran his finger down the light brown fur of her nose as if still unconvinced of her reality. The tips of his claws settled by her chin. Heat rushed to her face. Talitha quickly discarded the coverlet and sat upright. It took a moment before a calmer state of mind made her consider the hastiness and impoliteness of her action.

"Please, do not leave me," the tiger beseeched. He reached for her hand while pulling himself to a sitting position.

"I--I have no intention of doing so, elder, but I--"

"Elder! Do I look that awful?"

"Well...."

"I will give you the point, but I am only 30 seasons old," Tygra quipped. The tiger's recent bout with illness had made him appear far older than he claimed, Talitha thought. She replied diplomatically, "I called you elder as tradition dictates. Although I am close to my twenty-first birthday, I have not yet experienced fertility."

"A thousand pardons!" Tygra exclaimed. A look of shock crossed his face as he realized that although the mystic wore a blue robe, the blanket provided his only cover. He quickly drew the fabric so that only his head and neck remained visible. He stammered, "I--I meant no--no disrespect, but--but I believed you to be older."

His truthful reply stung. Talitha ran her hand through her disheveled mane. She was angered by his remark and unsure why.

"I can see that I have hurt your feelings, youngling. Please forgive me. I am not thinking clearly, and it is all too obvious that I have forgotten my manners."

Despite his poor choice of words, his sincerity healed the hurt. "No offense taken, elder," she answered smoothly.

"Please...Tygra."

"Then, Tygra, let me get you some water. You need to replenish the fluids that you have lost. After you have drunk, I'll examine you. You have endured the seven hells. Perhaps you can tell me more precisely what happened on the day that you were injured."

His stony silence burned. Does he not trust my abilities or my judgement, she thought with frustration. To the tiger, she said formally, "Elder, I am a trained mystic. I--"

"P-please--please...Tygra," he sputtered.

"Tygra! Elder! By all the gods, what does it matter! I saved your life. I know what I am doing, and I --"

"Hey! What in the seven hells is going on back there?" Panthro shouted over the intercom. Talitha walked over to the auxiliary computer. She tapped into the communicator and replied, "Nothing, Panthro. Our patient is just being uncooperative."

The tank came to a bone-jarring halt. The rear hatch opened. Panthro and Cheetara peered over the panel that divided the tank into two sections. Cheetara leaned on the metal and purred, "Welcome back, Tygra."

"Yes, Jaga be praised, it is good to see you awake," Panthro added, "but what trouble are you making for the young female, who has saved your scrawny tiger hide?"

"Trouble? Panthro, I have been trying to make some sense of all of this. The last thing that I remember, I was lying on my bed nursing a troublesome fever from that small arrow wound; next, I awake and discover a beautiful, sleeping tigress, not of my acquaintance, beside me! Truly, I meant no disrespect, but I am more than a little confused."

"And how long have you been awake and contemplating the universe?" Talitha spat. The tiger's ungratefulness still chafed in spite of the compliment.

"Well...I must admit...you were quite a surprise to wake up to. I did watch you for some time," he admitted sheepishly.

Panthro and Cheetara laughed at his expense. Tygra grumbled, "Tell me, you two, what was I supposed to do? I did not wish to disturb her rest, although I ached with curiosity. My weakness kept me quiet and mystified until she finally awoke." Astonishment flickered in Tygra's eyes. "By great Jaga, mystic, I don't even know your name!"

Talitha found his intensity compelling, but she matched his question with controlled calm. "My name, elder, is Talitha."

"Tal-i-tha," Tygra repeated slowly. "H-m-m-m."

Another insult! "Is something wrong with my name, elder!"

"No--no. Peace, youngling. I was merely thinking about its equivalent in the common tongue of this region: White."

"White? How awful!"

"Perhaps...but strong....White...I like the purity of the sound."

Cheetara interrupted their word contest. "It is best that we continue before Panthro here falls asleep at the wheel."

"Now, swift one, don't start that again!"

Cheetara disappeared and pulled the panther out of view. The tank hatch closed with a dull thud. Cheetara's voice drifted over the intercom. "Talitha, don't take anything that foolish tiger says to heart. And you, Tygra--relax! Let Talitha do what she has been trained to do. You'll recover much faster."

The tank suddenly sprang to life. Unprepared for the movement, Talitha fell across the sitting tiger. With one, sure, quick motion, he caught her and gently set her down beside him. "Thank you, elder," she said shyly.

"Mystic, I ask your forgiveness. I have been terribly rude," he mumbled as he slowly released her.

Talitha noticed the slight tremble in his hands, and chided herself for being too sensitive. Her patient's needs were more important than her own feelings.

"Elder--"

"Please...Tygra." He fiddled with the blanket that had dropped to his hips. Tygra paused and said softly, "You must, one day, tell me everything, white one. I have a right to know."

Unsettled by his request, Talitha wondered whether Tygra had recalled their melding despite what he had said earlier. Unconvinced that he remembered anything of the difficult healing, Talitha decided that the matter was one that she would wait to address. "In time, Tygra, when you are stronger, I promise that I will share my knowledge." She poked the white fur of his chest and said, "But for now, you must rest."

"But--"

"No arguments, elder. I'll forego the exam, but you will drink some water. After that, you will sleep...whether you wish to or not."

Tygra sighed in defeat. He drank the water that she offered, then buried himself under the blanket. Talitha could barely see his face. The reclining tiger said from his cocoon, "White...please stay close."

Talitha moved the fabric and cupped his chin. "I promise, Tygra. Now, rest." The wispy blue light of her power illuminated his face.

"You win, mystic--" He surrendered to her gift, and let it carry him into sleep.

Talitha withdrew her healing when he began to snore contentedly. She rested her hands on her knees. A nap seemed like an excellent idea. She slipped under the cover and snuggled next to Tygra. The rhythm of his breathing soon lulled her to sleep.

*****

The mystic sat on the steps of Cats' Lair, and watched the activity in the courtyard below. The tall sandy lion scratched his red mane as he tried to follow Panthro's lecture on the intricacies of the Thundertank engine. Lion-o's gaze darted frequently to the two spirited kittens who raced across the enclosure in pursuit of a brightly colored ball. Although Cheetara was swift, she could not match the agility of Kitra and her twin brother, Katren. The colorful youngsters easily kept the ball from the cheetah and taunted her without mercy.

Talitha wondered when a wild throw would send all three careening into the red lump of fur who sat on the last step. Not a cat, but a snarf, the short, plump fellow rested on his haunches while he carefully folded laundry. The twitching of his whiskered face and overlarge pointed ears indicated that he had lost patience with the rambunctious group of felines. The old snarf finally crossed his arms over his scaled belly and tapped his tail in annoyance.

Tired of watching the antics of her new companions, Talitha looked to the plains and the forest beyond. There was still so much that she did not know about the seven individuals with whom she shared the Lair. Since her arrival at the Thunderan fortress three days past, she had spent most of her time sequestered in her new quarters. The privacy, which the others had respected, helped her to restore the strength that she had lost after the crash and during the healing of Tygra.

The rising of a cool breeze turned her thoughts to the dead. The loss that she felt for friends and family now mingled with the keen loss of Servalla. Talitha knew that such wounds of the heart would not heal quickly.

Her sorrow had reached its nadir when Lord Lion-o had informed her of the deaths of King Claudus, and surprisingly, Lord Jaga. The old sorcerer had died during the voyage to Third Earth; however, she was amazed to learn that Jaga maintained a mystical connection with Lion-o that even death could not sever. The guidance of Jaga still miraculously influenced their lives on this new world.

King Claudus, it seemed, had never left Thundera, and had died when the planet exploded, as had others who had never reached the ark ships in time.

Talitha suppressed a yawn. Perhaps she was not quite restored to full health. Maybe, she thought, I should go straight back to bed.

An answer wafted down from above. "You should follow your own advice, mystic," Tygra said thoughtfully as he descended the steps. "You are, after all, not immune to illness."

"How did you know?" Talitha gasped.

"Know? Know what?" he asked. The perplexed expression still on his face, Tygra perched on the step above hers.

"What I was--oh, never mind." The tiger seemed unaware of his special talent for deciphering her thoughts before she expressed them.

"Have I said something wrong?" he replied cautiously. "I would hate to think that I have hurt your feelings, Talitha."

He uses my true name! The mystic moved toward the reticent tiger. She tried to place her hands on his shoulders, but he immediately pushed them aside. He appeared surprised by her action. "By the Goddess, Tygra! I don't have the touch of death!" she hissed. Talitha grabbed his hands, and being careful not to step or trip over the folds of his robe, attempted to pull the big cat to his feet. "Until now, you have called me by my true name, but once," she huffed as he calmly watched her struggle to move his weight. "Thus, I was certain that such an error on your part suggested that you were falling ill again!" A final vigorous tug was equally unsuccessful. "Gods, you're heavy," she sighed. Talitha released his hands. Sitting down on the step, she stared dejectedly at her dusty sandaled feet, which were partially hidden under the hem of her robe. How had he known her thoughts!

Tygra lightly touched her shoulder. She studied his handsome face. Quiet amusement had replaced misgivings. "Shall we meet with the others?" he asked politely. The corners of his mouth fought against a smile.

Talitha reached for his left hand as he rose, and marveled that she already accommodated his preference instinctively. He gave her hand a delicate squeeze. This time he had accepted the gift of her touch.

As they descended the steps, Talitha marked his strong, confident movements. Tygra was much improved from the weak heap of orange fur that she had first encountered. A healthy dose of snarf cooking and rest had accomplished that small miracle.

"And don't forget mystic loving care," he said suddenly. Startled by his words, Talitha signaled a halt. His amber eyes danced with mischief. Tygra gently tapped her brow. "I have noticed that whenever you assess a patient, you get a little furrow right here. It is something that I have learned from observing you, as you have observed me...nothing mystical about that, is there."

Talitha became uncomfortably aware of his masculinity. She gazed at the forest. "No, elder, I suppose not," she murmured. Unconvinced by his explanation, she said with resignation, "Let's proceed."

As they approached the other Thunderans, she considered the uncertainty of her future. What will I learn from you, Tygra, she wondered apprehensively, and by all the gods, how will it change me?