Disclaimer: I do not own Thundercats. They belong to Rankin-Bass and Warner Brothers. If I did own them, I wouldn't have canceled the reboot after just one season.

I have edited this into a one-shot.

Time: Thousands of Years Earlier...

Dr. Korogi couldn't help but feel she shouldn't be doing this. Even as she approached the laboratory's viewing room, there was something in the pit of her stomach telling her to stop, turn around, and hand in her resignation. Maybe even go report this to the High Council of Order while she was at it. However, her more scientific side told her that was foolish. She was far too invested in this to give up now, and she was genuinely curious to see where all her boss's hard work and experimentation would lead.

It's not like what we're doing is illegal, she rationalized to herself. Maybe not one hundred percent ethical, but certainly not illegal.

That was what she kept telling herself as she entered the viewing room. Making sure the door's atomic lock activated behind her, she then strode up to the holo-console and began to input the day's newest data.

"Dr. Korogi. You're late."

The woman flinched involuntarily, then quickly looked over her shoulder. The speaker sat in a chair on a raised part of the floor, covered in shadows. The room was kept dark save for the glow of the holo-console, so all she could see was his silhouette. It was a tall, muscled, yet lean figure wearing a long robe over his uniform. He had slicked back hair that almost gleamed and his eyes seemed to glow red in the dim light.

But this was a silhouette she was all too familiar with- her boss's.

"With all due respect sir, must you sit in the shadows like that every time you get in here before me?" she sighed, adjusting her glasses. "My nerves are shot as is."

"Why? What have you to be afraid of, Doctor?" he asked in a deep, slithery voice.

You, for starters, she thought, but she didn't have enough of a death wish to tell him that to his face.

"Nothing, sir," she replied. "Excuse my tone."

"You're excused. Before we begin, is there anything to report?"

"Nothing of too much importance. Our shipment of test subjects from the Observatory of Fauna did arrive, and The Lady called-"

"The Lady?" her boss interrupted, sounding agitated. "What did she want?"

Korogi swallowed thickly. "Um, it appeared she wished to simply speak with you. It has been 6 months."

Her boss rolled his eyes, scoffing as if the notion were utterly ridiculous.

"... Sir, I know it's none of my business, but perhaps you should-" Korogi began.

"You're right. It is none of your business, Dr. Korogi," he interrupted in a dangerous tone. "How about you stop nosing into mine and begin today's test before I run out of patience."

"Yes, sir! I'll begin right now."

Her boss laced his fingers together and leaned back in his chair. "Good. Bring out Subject SN-328."

Korogi frowned, nodded, and typed the command into the console. One wall of the viewing room was a glass window, revealing the inside of the glaringly white testing chamber. Inside the chamber, a portion of wall opened up and a robotic claw removed a small energy cage. The cage was deactivated, leaving only Subject SN-328 behind.

SN-328 was a small, somewhat adorable creature that vaguely resembled a house cat. It had large wide ears with tufts of white fur at the tips, and a white furry face that held a pair of yellow-green eyes. The rest of its body had red fur, with a long strip of fluffy yellow fur and yellow stripes along the back. The belly and the underneath of the tail were both hairless and sectioned, like a reptile's. It batted at its own face with its white paws.

"Snaaarf?" it mewled in confusion.

"Fire the plasma rifles," the boss commanded.

"Firing plasma rifles," Korogi confirmed, tapping a key on the holo-console.

In the testing chamber, two rifles descended from the ceiling and fixed their targets on SN-328. The creature looked up at the weapons curiously, as if wondering what they did. It found out immediately as the rifles fired.

SB-328 squealed when the blasts hit it, and it went tumbling into the adjacent wall. For a few moments it lay still, smoke rising from its fur. But then it got back on its feet and shook out itself out. It was completely unharmed.

"Activate poison gas."

"Activating poison gas."

The testing chamber filled with a green, sickly gas. SN-328 coughed a little bit, but was largely unbothered. It yawned and curled up on itself, preparing for a nap.

"Drop the ceiling."

"Dropping the ceiling."

The ceiling of the testing chamber crashed down with the help of a gravity-enhanced hydraulic press. When it rose, it showed SN-328 sprawled out on its belly. It got up and started yowling angrily at what had squished it. Yet again, it was unharmed.

And so it went on, test after test. The experimenters threw whatever harmful, painful thing they could at the subject and each time it came out completely unscathed. After nearly two hours, the worst the creature had was exhaustion. It currently lay on the testing chamber's floor, panting.

"That was the last one," Dr. Korogi said, stepping away from the console. She smiled at her boss. "The test was a complete success, sir. Subject SN-328 is physically impervious to all harm."

Her boss did not look as enthusiastic. "... Dr. Korogi, report to me what you and the other doctors have gathered from your private experiments with the SN line that I tasked you with."

"Of course, sir. We have discovered that the Snarfs-"

"The what?"

Korogi blushed. "Oh. T-That's what the we in the genetics lab call them colloquially, sir. We figured since you created a new species, they needed a name. 'Snarf' is one of the sounds they make."

"Snaaarf!" Subject SN-328 called out, batting the glass with its tail.

Her boss rolled his eyes. "Fine. Continue."

"Yes, sir. The Snarfs have proven to be immune to almost any disease, and have even evolved beyond the need for nourishment. They will eat though, if only for... well, the best explanation we could come up with is 'pleasure.' Speaking of which, the male Snarfs have begun mating with the females we created and are starting to produce offspring." She grinned almost giddily. "They have even shown signs of heightened intelligence. One of the subjects managed to solve a difficult puzzle just yesterday. You have truly created works of art, sir."

"Yes, works of art." He scowled. "And just like actual art, they're completely useless!"

Korogi was taken aback. "Sir!"

"I pour millions into top-of-the-line genetic engineering and DNA splicing and what do I have?" He waved his hand dramatically at SN-328. "Glorified house-pets that I ironically can't even destroy!"

Korogi backed up as far as she could against the wall. She really hoped he wasn't about to have one of his fits. Someone usually got mutilated during those.

Thankfully, he didn't. He calmed down and got up from his chair, adjusting his robes. "Still, I suppose they're not a complete waste. These 'Snarfs' are simply a stepping stone to a much greater goal."

He walked over to the exit, stopping briefly to look back at Korogi. "I must confer with my... associates. In the mean time, put Subject SN-328 back into its cage and prep Subject AL-001 for the lab."

Korogi gasped. "But sir, we can't! We've already tested the accords by performing splicing experiments! If we begin experimentation on actual live animals, the Lady-!"

Her boss thrust out his arm and shot a beam of dark pink energy from his palm. The energy grabbed Korogi around the waist and slammed her into the glass, holding her there. SN-328 cried out in surprise.

"Are you insinuating I cannot handle the Lady, should the need arise, Korogi?" he said in a soft, enraged voice. "You forget who you are dealing with. Never make that mistake again. Understand?"

Korogi nodded furiously.

"Good."

With that, he dropped Korogi to the ground. She went into the fetal position, hugging her bruised stomach.

Giving her one last disgusted look, he turned and opened the door. The sudden brightness illuminated his formerly hidden features. He had dark tan skin and an angular, handsome face. His irises were actually red, making him look like a vampire, and his black hair was oiled back from his face. His uniform consisted of a long, red hooded robe, black trousers tucked into red and black combat boots, and a shirt that looked as if it were made from bandages.

"Prep AL-001," he reiterated.

She choked a reply. "Y-Yes, Lord Mumm-ra."

Giving her one last reprimanding look, Mumm-ra exited the viewing room and shut the door behind him.

Korogi got up once she was sure he was gone. She sighed tiredly and opened the viewing room's entrance to the testing chamber. She walked in and SN-328 scampered up to her, rubbing against her legs.

She smiled wanly, leaning over and picking the creature up. "Hey, Osbert."

Korogi had said she was invested in this. So invested that she had taken to naming some of the Snarfs. (She didn't know what Mumm-ra would do to her for giving into her emotions in such a way, so she always did her best to keep this fact hidden.) This one, SN-328 or Osbert, was her favorite. He was the smartest, the strongest, and the most mischievous. Once when she had entered the lab looking forlorn, he had nuzzled at her face comfortingly when she had lifted him for an examination. Then he'd nipped her hair to tease her, which she didn't like as much, but laughed at all the same.

Osbert got comfortable in her arms, then glared at the spot the cage had been.

"Don't worry, I won't use the cage," she told him. "I'll walk you to back to the containment area myself."

"Myao!" Osbert cooed happily.

A section of wall opened up in the testing chamber again, only this one was big enough for Korogi and opened up into a hallway that lead into the containment area.

As the unlikely pair walked down the hall, Osbert looked up at the human woman. He'd known her most of his life, and he knew when she was troubled. He prodded his paw into her forearm.

She looked down at his concerned expression. "Don't give me that look. I like you, but you have to remember that you're still a lab subject. You can't get so attached that you start worrying about me. I don't need to be cheered up by one of Lord Mumm-ra's experiments."

His ears drooped. He wished she didn't say things like that.

Korogi then scratched him behind the ears. "Thanks for trying, though."

Osbert giggled as they entered the containment area. The pair was surrounded by cells with energy fields, keeping their charges from escaping. There were multiple levels connected by walkways, reaching so high you couldn't even see the ceiling.

Korogi stopped in front of one cell, which contained dozens of creatures near identical to Osbert- the other Snarfs. She deactivated the energy field briefly and gently tossed Osbert in, reactivating it afterwards. Osbert moved as close to the field as he dared, giving Korogi a sad look.

"See you later, SN-328," she said, calling him his designation as there were cameras in the holding area.

Osbert watched as she strode across the floor to the cell across from his kind's. Above it was a label that read AL-001.

Korogi stopped and gave the creature within it a remorseful expression. "Alright, big guy. It's your turn."

"ROOOOOOOAR!" AL-001 bellowed.

Korogi didn't flinch this time. She worked for Lord Mumm-ra, and that man was far scarier than a pissed-off African lion.

Osbert lay limply in his cage, staring blankly into the dark containment room.

It was times like these that Osbert missed the big cell that he and the rest of the Snarfs used to live in. At least he had the others to talk to and play with. But some years ago they had been moved from the lab to a strange black triangle place. There they were shoved into individual cages in the building's lower levels. He remembered hearing some guards saying they needed the big cells for "the animals." That didn't make sense to Osbert. Weren't the Snarfs technically animals? He supposed that didn't matter to the guards, whom he rarely saw. Their food and water dishes were filled by the metal arms that descended from the ceiling. The only time he saw the guards were when they came to take away one of the Snarfs... and those Snarfs never came back.

Osbert moaned sorrowfully. He hated those nasty guards. He missed his Korogi. She could be stern but she was so kind to him. How long had it been since he'd seen her? One night she'd been there, telling him that she was sorry and to take care of himself, and then he never saw her again.

That had been so many years ago that Osbert had lost track. Time passed quickly when you were stuck in a cage.

He growled. He knew that the Bandage Man had something to do with his Korogi's disappearance. He hated the Bandage Man, even more than the guards. He remembered that one day, years after he last saw his Korogi, that the bright lady and the scary lady and the gun men came. He thought that the Bandage Man was finally being punished. He hadn't been. The Bandage Man escaped to the black triangle place and took the Snarfs and some of the hairy creatures with claws with him. That had also been so long ago. Just how long had he been an "experiment" to the Bandage Man? How long had he lived in his cage?

Osbert sighed in defeat. There was no use pondering it. His Korogi was gone, and with her she took all the light in his meager existence. Who knew when the guards would come for him? It could be any day now. The building had been very busy as of late. He would always just be an experiment, just like she said he would have to be.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

As soon as Osbert had thought that, the containment room lit up with blaring red lights. That infernal beeping resounded all around, upsetting every Snarf present. Their cries filled the air, almost drowned out by the alarm.

Osbert pressed his paws over his ears. He recognized this sound- the last he'd heard it, the bright lady and the scary lady had invaded. Was someone else invading?

The beeping continued for several minutes with no sign of what had activated it. The building started shaking violently, but Osbert had a feeling that wasn't it. After ten full minutes, he discovered the cause.

The door to the containment room flew off the wall, falling to the floor. It was followed by a strange human female with tattered clothes and bandages on her body. Her long black hair hung in her face. She was also bleeding a bit, which was weird since she had bandages.

Osbert's eyes widened. It was the Bright Lady! What was she doing in the black triangle place?

"Milady! We don't have time!" a voice called out from the hallway.

"Keep going! I'll be right there!" she called back. She looked around the room. "Now, why did they want me to come in here...?"

Osbert scratched at the bars of his cage. He was glad these ones weren't energized- he could get her attention better this way.

The Bright Lady finally took notice of the room's inhabitants. Her mouth set in a determined line, she snapped her fingers and the cages' bars all flew of their hinges.

Osbert gaped as the Bright Lady walked up to his cage.

"Hello there, little one," she said, smiling at him gently. "Would you and your friends like to come with me and my friends?"

Osbert lept into her arms, licking her face.

The Bright Lady laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

The white triangle place was so much better than the black triangle place.

It had been a number years since his Milady had freed him and the other Snarfs (he thought that was her name, at least- that was what her friends called her, so it had to be). Unlike the Bandage Man, his Milady didn't lock the Snarfs away in cages. They were allowed to go wherever they wanted, provided they didn't get in the way of her friends. Her friends were very nice, unlike the guards of the black triangle. Additionally, the white triangle was brightly lit and so open! Not dark and shut up like the black triangle.

Plus the view from the windows was so beautiful! All that blackness with the dots of light his Milady called stars, and those colorful spheres his Milady called planets. Osbert loved to stare at them. He could do it for hours.

But his favorite place in the whole structure was the big room where he could always find his Milady. It had these stone creatures that never moved called statues, a pool of blue liquid, holo-consoles like the ones his Korogi used to use, and this large gold box his Milady sometimes slept in. It had better views than anywhere else.

Osbert happily padded down the hall leading to the big room. As he came closer, he began to hear voices.

"... last much longer. We need to find a place to settle," one voice said. Osbert recognized it as belonging to Bihar, one of his Milady's bestest friends.

"No," his Milady's voice argued. "We were so close last time. If it weren't for Luna-"

"Milady, you are my first priority. I know he must be stopped, but you can't keep this up. You never fully healed from that day and your powers are strained as is. We only have enough fuel left for one last hyper-jump. We need to land," Bihar insisted. "Otherwise we'll lose you."

Osbert cocked his head. Why would they lose his Milady? She had a great sense of direction.

"Bihar..." his Milady trailed off.

"We'll discuss this more later," Bihar told her. "Get some rest."

Osbert approached the sliding doors just as Bihar was exiting them. He knelt down and ran a white furred hand across his back.

"Head in there, little one," he said quietly. "She needs you right now."

Osbert saluted Bihar and marched his four legs into the big room, the sliding doors shutting behind him. His Milady sat at the edge of the glowing blue pool, her back to him. Her shoulders were slumped, which instantly filled him with worry. She always sat up straight, looking elegant and beautiful. The way she sat now made it seem like she just didn't care about anything.

This wouldn't do! His Milady needed to be happy, and he was just the Snarf to help her!

Osbert ran up to her and jumped onto her shoulders, startling her.

"Huh?" she gasped. When she saw it was Osbert, she relaxed. "Oh, it's you, little one. I really should sound-proof this room. I'm guessing you heard all that?"

"Snaaarf!" Osbert replied.

She chuckled and pulled him into her lap. Osbert took this chance to lick her face soothingly. He'd seen some of the she-Snarfs do this for their babies, so he figured it would work for her as well.

"Sorry, little one. This isn't something you can just lick away," she told him sadly.

Osbert made a whining sound, which made his Milady hug him close to her chest. She was so warm- he loved her warmth.

She scratched him behind the ears. "Thanks for trying, though."

"Here we are," his Milady announced, spreading her arms out. "Your new home, Snarfs!"

Laid out before her and the Snarfs was a wide, green valley. It was filled with wild flowers that scented the air with sweetness, and large trees fat with fruits. A glittering blue river ran right in the middle of it all, with small beaches scattered along the banks. The air was filled with the sound of avian calls, adding to the overall peaceful atmosphere. It was also hidden- you couldn't get to this place without going through a specific rocky pass. Unless you knew exactly where that pass was, you would never find this valley.

The other Snarfs cried out enthusiastically and surged forward, eager to explore this home they had been given. Many of them went right for the fruit trees- Snarfs didn't need to eat, but they loved fruit.

Osbert didn't join his brethren. He stayed by his Milady's side, wondering what she meant. This place was great and all, but his home was on the white triangle.

His Milady glanced down and met his gaze. "Well? Aren't you going to join them?"

Osbert blinked, then hugged her leg. "Snaaaarf! Myao, myao!"

"I'm sorry, little one. I don't think you would like where me and my friends will be settling," she explained. "This place is better for you."

Osbert shook his head. No, his place was with her! Didn't she see that?

She bit her lip, then exhaled slowly as she got down on her knees. She pulled Osbert into her lap, just like she always did. Up close, she looked even more tired and gaunt.

"Listen. I'm not entirely sure when exactly, but someday soon I'm going to have to... go away," she said. "And I have no idea when I'll be able to come back. That's why you should stay here. My friends are already determined to wait for me, but I don't want you to do the same."

Osbert shook his head. "Snarf, snarf!"

"I know you don't care if you have to wait, but I do." She scratched behind his ears. "You see, little one, you have a very important job to do. You Snarfs were given extremely long life spans. Someday, in the future, you will be needed to look after a very important person. If you sit around waiting for me, you will never meet him. I need you to meet him and care for him. Can you promise me that you'll do that?"

Osbert's eyes watered. He didn't want to leave his Milady... but he didn't want to disappoint her either. Using his the tuft of fur on his tail to wipe his eyes, he nodded, agreeing to her request.

His Milady's eyes filled with tears, but she was smiling. "Thank you, little one. Thank you so much. I hope we meet again some day."

Osbert nuzzled her face, wiping her tears. He hoped so as well- locking this hope into his heart even as his Milady vanished in a burst of white light.

Time: 20 Years Earlier

He was a Snarf on a mission- there was no way he was going to lose to a dork like Oswald.

Snarf Oswald had bet Osbert 50 thunder berries that he couldn't go beyond the Great Stone Pass and bring something back from the outside world. Snarfs hadn't gone past the Great Stone Pass since they had moved to the Valley of Snarfs all those years earlier. Being the cautious Snarf he was, Osbert hadn't agreed at first. Oswald, never one to be deterred easily, had then called Osbert a Cluck. Clucks were fat, ugly avians that were known to be cowardly. Oswald had even made bawk-bawk-bawk sounds like one.

Osbert convinced himself it would be a quick trip- go out, grab the first thing he saw, go back. He loved thunder berries, and Oswald never shared them. He also convinced himself this would teach the dork some humility. So here he was, squeezing his plump body through the narrow opening in the Great Stone Pass. He didn't know what he'd find on the other side, but he figured it couldn't be anything too different from the Valley.

He finally got himself through the pass and found that he'd been right. On the other side was a large forest, not unlike the one in the Valley. It wasn't so bad- it wasn't as pretty, but it certainly wasn't as scary as he thought it would be. Grinning, Osbert picked up a stick with leaves still attached and prepared to head home.

He stopped and gave the stick a second look. It looked like any old branch from the Valley. Snarf Oswald would never believe it came from the outside. He needed something better, but what?

"Load those supplies! We need to get back to the city by tomorrow!"

Osbert's ears perked up. It had been ages since he last heard this language, but he recognized it. He ran in the direction the voice had come from, then hid behind a tree. On some kind of path was wooden vehicle with two blue Steeds yoked to it. Boxes filled with items were stacked around it, and were being loaded by two...

Osbert hissed. It was the hairy, clawed creatures- cats! He hadn't seen any in forever, but he knew one when he saw one. What if that meant the Bandage Man was near?

He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. Not all cats were bad, and these two didn't look a thing like the guards he dimly remembered. They had long fluffy tails and lacked some of the muscle he remembered the guards having. They looked dopey, not dangerous... not to mention their wooden vehicle was filled with all sort of outside souvenirs.

Osbert giggled to himself- this was just the break he needed. He waited until the two cats stepped away again before he snuck up to the vehicle and climbed into it from the opening in the back. As he thought, it was filled with odd things that one couldn't just find in a forest. Oswald would have no choice but to believe he had gone to the outside!

He had just decided on a crystal container filled with a jelly substance when he heard a slamming sound and found himself in darkness.

"Alright, let's get this wagon rolling!" a muffled voice said from outside.

Osbert's heart skipped a beat when he realized what had happened. He was locked in the back of the wagon, and that wagon was about to leave. Squealing, he ran up to the doors and banged on them, hoping to signal the two cats outside. They didn't hear though, and soon enough Osbert was thrown backward by the wagon suddenly moving forward. He crashed into a stack of containers, knocking them over but not breaking them.

He sighed in defeat. He wasn't escaping anytime soon.

Osbert didn't know how long he was stuck in the back of the wagon. He only knew two things- one, he was moving farther and farther away from the Valley with every passing hour, with no way to get back. Two, the cats driving the wagon wouldn't be thrilled to learn he'd eaten all the jelly in their containers out of boredom. At some point he fell asleep and dreamed of his Milady. She had told him to stay in the Valley of Snarfs. Would she be mad that he left? Probably not- his Milady never got mad.

Time passed, though he didn't know how long. Osbert ended up awakening to the sound of movement, but not from the wagon. It had stopped.

He perked up. They had stopped! This meant that they would be opening the back! He got up from his bed of empty jelly containers and readied himself.

Slowly the doors opened, and the second he saw daylight, he hurled himself forward. The doors burst open and Osbert jumped from the cart to the ground, taking off running.

"What the- what is that thing!?" someone shouted.

"It was in the wagon?" another asked.

One more growled angrily. "Hey, it ate all our preserves! Catch it!"

Uh-oh, he'd been right about the cats being angry. Osbert sprinted in a random direction as they began the chase. From the looks of things, he was in some kind of white stone fortress. The walls were high and, at the moment, he was running through a space with plants. In the distance he could see the top of a blue cat statue. There were cats everywhere of varying sizes and colors, and many of them joined the Snarf chase.

Osbert turned a corner and ran into the white fortress- maybe he could lose them in there.

"It's gone inside the palace!"

"Someone get that thing before King Claudus finds out!"

Osbert didn't know what who King Claudus was, but he had a feeling he didn't want to meet him. He turned another series of corners and even backtracked several times, running underneath the cats' legs. They were such slow, clumsy creatures. They tripped over themselves and knocked things over- it was enough to make him laugh. They were creating such a ruckus, all in an effort to capture little ol' him. Now he knew for sure these weren't the Bandage Man's cats. They were far too stupid.

He was so caught up in his own cleverness that he didn't notice that he had reached a dead end until he ran into it. He bounced off the wall and rolled directly into the legs of his pursuers.

"There you are!" one female cat yelled.

Osbert jumped and pressed his back against the wall. He had been cornered.

"Hold still!" a male cat ordered.

Screw that! If he was going down, he wasn't going down without a fight. He picked up a metal utensil that one of the cat's had dropped and held it out threateningly. The mob of cats closed in...

"What in the name of the Great Sky Cat is going on here?!" a new voice called out. Osbert couldn't see the owner for she (it was definitely female) was behind all the other cats.

The mob stopped advancing and looked over their shoulders, gasping in unison. "M-M-Milady! Your majesty!"

Osbert dropped his 'weapon.' Had they said... Milady?

Osbert pushed his way through the cats' legs. Beyond this barrier he could see the bottom of a blue garment. There was no denying it- this was his Milady! She had returned! He squealed with joy, tears streaming down his cheeks as he made it past the stupid cats and darted up to his Milady's legs, rubbing against the silky garment just like he used to.

"Oh, hello. Now what are you?" his Milady said with confusion.

"I've never seen anything like it," a rumbling male voice observed.

Osbert looked up... and his heart immediately fell into his stomach. This person was not his Milady- it was another cat!

She looked different than the other cats though. She had a long auburn mane and honey colored fur, with a lithe but frail body. Her wide blue eyes were oddly morose and she looked sad, not unlike his Milady often looked. She also wore shiny rocks on her head, but Osbert chalked that up to a cultural thing. Next to her was possibly the most terrifying cat he'd ever seen- he was huge! He had a bright red mane that jutted out in every direction, golden fur, dark blue eyes, and a puckered scar that ran across the bridge of his nose. He dwarfed the not-Milady almost entirely!

Shaking like a leaf, Osbert jumped into the not-Milady's arms, burying his face into her stomach. She looked nicer than the others- maybe she would protect him from the mob and the giant cat.

"Aw, look, Claudus. You scared it with your big grumpy face," the not-Milady chided, rubbing Osbert's back gently.

The big cat- Claudus- looked a little put out from the comment but didn't reply. He turned to the mob. "Is this creature the reason why you're all so worked up?"

"Your majesty, we can explain!" the lead cat from the wagon pleaded. "This little monster was in our wagon, though I don't know how it got in there! It ate all our preserves-"

"So you formed a lynch mob?!" the not-Milady interrupted angrily. "It was only hungry and you probably took it far away from its home. It must be terrified!"

Osbert turned around in not-Milady's arms and blew a raspberry at the mob. This caused them to growl, but he just grinned at them. He had a feeling he was safe as long as he was with the not-Milady.

The not-Milady's eyes widened at Osbert's childish action. Those eyes then crinkled. She smiled and broke out into peals of light laughter.

"You're a mischievous one, aren't you?" she asked between giggles.

"Snaaarf!" Osbert replied. That he was.

Claudus stared at the not-Milady in utter shock. "Leona... you're laughing. I haven't heard you do that in months..."

The not-Milady- Leona, Osbert supposed- laughed some more. "Really? I guess all I needed was this adorable creature." She hugged Osbert to her chest and nodded confidently. "That's it. I've decided."

"Decided what, my queen?" Claudus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Leona turned and began walking out of the hall. "I've wanted a pet since I was a kitten. I believe now is as good a time as any to make that desire a reality."

Osbert gaped. She wanted to him to be a pet? "Snaaaarf?!"

Leona held Osbert out in front of her, giving him a once-over. She appeared immensely happier than she had before.

"Snarf, huh?" she echoed. "Okay then, that'll be your name. Nice to meet you, Snarf."

It didn't take long for Osbert (or Snarf, as he was known as now) to prove to his Leona that he was more than mere 'pet.'

About a week after his arrival at the palace, he had been sitting with the queen in her library when she had expressed the desire for a certain book. Snarf had immediately sprinted from the table he had been lying on and fetched said book. If that hadn't surprised her enough, afterwards he prepared a cup of tea just as he had seen her handmaidens do. His Leona had immediately snatched him up and rushed to her mate to show off his intelligence. It was that day that he'd gotten what he heard soldiers call a promotion. He went from a simple pet to one of the queen's personal attendants. He had been very pleased with himself.

Being an attendant, as far as he could tell, meant he was to follow his Leona everywhere and be there for her when she needed him. This wasn't too different from what he did with all his previous masters, so he took to the job like a fish to water. He loved his Leona, and his Leona loved him. She always talked to him, played with him, and scratched him in his favorite places. He and Claudus even warmed up to each other after a few months, though their relationship was more professional. Snarf was totally okay with that.

There was a short time where he considered leaving the palace to try and find his way back to Valley of Snarfs, but he dismissed it. His Leona had saved him just as his Milady had and cared for him just as his Korogi had. He owed her so much that he swore that if he made her happy, he would definitely stay.

For if there was one thing Snarf had learned, it was that his Leona needed to be happy, because more often than not she was very, very sad.

Like tonight, for instance. Snarf was sitting underneath a small table in his Leona and King Claudus' bedchamber. The lioness was draped across her bed on her stomach, burying her face into her arms. Claudus sat by her side, rubbing the space between her shoulder blades.

"Leona, you must not become so disheartened. These things take time," he was telling her.

"How much time, Claudus?!" she sobbed without looking at him. "Another season has passed and we still don't have a cub! I see all the other ladies with swollen bellies while mine stays flat as a board!"

Snarf's ears drooped. He had figured out some time ago that a 'cub' meant a baby cat. Personally he didn't see what the big deal was- his brethren could have offspring, but since they lived so long they really didn't see the need to. They were fun to have around was all. However, it was obviously different for cats. His Leona wanted to have a baby so badly. This wasn't the first time he'd found her this miserable. It broke his heart because he didn't know how to make it better.

Claudus' face fell. "Leona..."

His Leona held up a paw. "Claudus, I love you, but I just need to be alone for right now. I'm sorry."

Claudus pursed his lips, but nodded and stood up. "Alright then. I need to speak with Jaga anyway. I'll be back later. Good night, my queen."

The king bent over and kissed his queen on the temple before walking away from the bed. He stopped for a moment when he saw Snarf. Snarf gazed up at him, ready to receive an order.

"Tend to her, Snarf," Claudus whispered, then left the bedchamber.

Filled with determination, Snarf made his way to the bed and lept up onto the covers. He crawled in front of his Leona's head and pulled at her hair with his teeth. When she looked up he blew a raspberry at her. That had made her laugh the first time they met, so he didn't see why it wouldn't now.

She didn't laugh. She never lost that melancholy expression. She wiped her eyes and said, "Sorry, Snarf. That's not going to work this time."

Snarf flopped down onto his stomach, frowning. "Myao."

His Leona reached over and scratched him behind the ears. "Thanks for trying, though."

His Leona then readjusted herself on the bed and pulled the covers over her body, clearly exhausted from all her crying. It wasn't too long before she fell asleep.

Snarf rolled onto his back and stared up at the canopy of the large bed. Thanks for trying, though. How many times had he been told that in his long, long life? He kept trying and trying, but he never seemed to cheer up those he called his. They were always so sad and nothing he did made it that sadness go away. Was he doomed to always try, but never succeed?

Snarf rolled back over and crawled into the crook of his Leona's body, snuggling into her warmth. She was warm too, just like his Milady had been.

He would just have to keep trying. Surely there was something that could make his Leona happy.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" his Leona called out in a sing-song voice.

A cheerful gurgle came from under the pink blanket on the bed. The queen whipped the blanket off, revealing the small orange furball that had captivated the queen's attention as of late. He giggled, bashful about how he had been discovered.

His Leona smiled and picked the furball up, laughing. "You are my handsome little prince."

The furball cooed, touching the queen's face as she nuzzled him. They were such a perfect sight in the sunlit bedroom. She looked so happy, and he just kept making her smile brighter.

Snarf didn't like him. He didn't even know where he came from! One day he had woken up to find the palace full of hubbub, so he'd gone off to locate his Leona and her mate. When he'd found her, the orange furball had been with her. The royal couple doted on thing as if it were made of gold and completely ignored him. Leona hadn't so much as looked at him in days.

The queen had now sat the furball up against some pillows, playing a game where she pretended to hide behind her paws.

"Uh-oh, where did Mommy go?" she pretended to ask. She waited a couple seconds before revealing herself with flourish. "Peek-a-boo!"

The orange furball shrieked with delight, which prompted his Leona to scoop him up and blow a raspberry into his round belly.

Snarf scowled from his place under the table. Where did this thing get off, stealing his Leona away from him? He was here first! What was so great about a noisy ball of orange fluff anyway?

His Leona cradled the furball in her arms and looked around the room. She caught sight of Snarf.

"Oh, Snarf! Come over here, I have someone I want you to meet!" she said joyfully.

Snarf had no desire to 'meet' the furball, but his Leona had demanded it. Sighing heavily, he slowly walked up to the bed and joined the queen on top of it. When he did, his Leona sat the furball in her lap.

"Snarf, I'd like you to meet Prince Tygra!" She smiled widely. "My new baby!"

Snarf's eyes bugged out of his head. This... this... furball was her baby?! When did that happen?! Snarf knew there was a certain process to these kinds of things, so he knew that one did not have a baby one day and then did have one the next. Plus, Furball didn't look a thing like her or Claudus! They had red manes and gold fur, while this little creature was all orange and black and white! He was no lion!

Furball stared at Snarf as if he were the most fascinating being in the world (well, at least the cub had taste). Giggling, he reached over and yanked on one of his long red ears.

"SNAAAAAAAAARF!" Snarf cried out in pain.

"Tygra!" his Leona gasped. She pulled the cub away from the attendant. "Snarf is one of my dear friends! Treat him nicely! Now, apologize!"

Furball's lip trembled. It was unlikely he actually knew what his mother was asking of him, but he did pat Snarf's head apologetically.

"That's better," his Leona praised. She began to rock the baby as she turned to Snarf. "Snarf, I know I haven't been paying attention to you as of late, but I have a crucial task for you. Now that we have Tygra, I want you to look out for him just as you do for me. He is going to be king someday and could use an old Snarf like you caring for him. Can you do that?"

Snarf stopped rubbing his ear. Furball was going to be king? That meant he would be very important... wait, was this who his Milady had been talking about? The very important person that he would meet and care for? Furball?

... Whiskers.

Taking a deep breath, he sat up on this hind legs and gave his Leona a sharp nod. "Myao!"

His Leona laughed. "Good, I'm glad. Thank you, Snarf."

Snarf watched as she began to tickle Furball again. He still didn't like him, but at least he made the queen happy. He was actually a little jealous the new prince had succeeded where he had failed. He'd get over it though- he had a job to do now. He needed to watch over this very important person, just as his Milady said he would...

"Mew!" Furball cooed, reaching over and yanking on Snarf's tail.

"SNAAAAARF!"

"Tygra!"

... provided said very important person didn't kill him first. Oh well, he'd have to grin and bear it. His Leona was counting on him, and he would protect her and her new cub, no matter what.

Time: 17 Years Earlier

The palace was as silent as a cemetery, and Snarf had no idea why.

It was quite a sudden change, considering how lively the place had been in recent months. His Leona's belly had finally grown round with an unborn cub after all these years. She had cried tears of joy when she had found out and celebration had run throughout the entire court. Snarf had been thrilled as well. He knew how much his Leona had wanted this. She was so kind- she deserved to have her dearest wish granted.

This, of course, meant Furball wouldn't get to be king after all. Snarf had noticed his Leona had switched from calling him her "handsome little prince" to her "handsome little darling." Furball had noticed as well, and the normally happy child acted somber in response. Snarf did his best to play with him and make him forget his troubles, but it wasn't taking. He hoped the little tiger would perk up when the new king was born.

Speaking of the new king, Snarf had to wonder if this was the important person his Milady had wanted him to look after. Furball still got on his nerves, but he wasn't so bad now that he was older. He supposed he could look after two very important people. Anyway, earlier that day handmaidens had scrambled about, calling for the midwife and exclaiming that the queen was in labor. Snarf took this to mean that his Leona was having her baby. What great news!

He decided he would get his Leona a congratulatory gift. He snuck out of the palace and out of Thundera, going to a large flower field knew existed. There, he spent hours selecting the biggest, prettiest blossoms for the queen. By the time he got what he needed and returned to the palace, Third Earth's three moons hung high in the sky. He expected the palace to be filled with light and laughter, what with a new prince being born. It wasn't. It was dark and there was no sound.

It was very late, Snarf realized. Maybe everyone had already gone to sleep. He scampered down the halls, intending to check up on his people.

He first came to Furball's room. When he peered in, the kitten was curled up in a tight ball in his blankets, his back to the door. Snarf took him to be asleep and moved on.

He came to his Leona and Claudus' room. The door was wide open, but the room itself was empty. The bed was stripped of all its coverings too. If cat childbirth was anything like snarf childbirth, it was a messy business. The handmaidens had probably taken the sheets and blankets to be cleaned. Snarf placed the flowers he'd picked on a table and moved on.

That left only one place where his Leona would be- the nursery. It had been Furball's when he was an infant, but the king and queen had it redone in preparation for the new baby. It didn't take him long to find the nursery door. With an excited smile, he pushed it open.

The room was dark, lit only by the moonlight flooding in from the balcony. His Leona wasn't present, but Claudus was. He sat in a rocking chair (it looked comically small in comparison to the large lion), holding a small bundle of some kind. Snarf padded up to him, intending to give him his congratulations, but he came to a halt when he saw the king's face.

It was like stone- no emotion gracing his features, and his eyes were dull. Snarf knew what a happy father looked like, and this was not a happy father.

Claudus seemed to realize he wasn't alone anymore and looked down at Snarf.

"Oh. Hello, Snarf," he whispered.

Snarf's heart constricted. The king's face may have been emotionless, but his voice... it sounded like someone who had just lost their entire world was pretending not to care about it. And failing.

Snarf cocked his head to one side and stared at Claudus quizzically. What happened? Where was his Leona?

"There were... complications with the birth," Claudus slowly explained. "I'm afraid... Leona did not survive. She's gone, Snarf."

Snarf's heart may have constricted before, but now it shattered. His Leona was gone? How could she be gone? She had been there just this morning!

Tears welled up in his green eyes. Why... why did this always happen?! Why did his people always leave him? Korogi, Milady, and now Leona! There one day and gone the next! Why, why, why?!

Snarf was so lost in his grief that he didn't register Claudus picking him up by the scruff and setting him down on the arm of the rocking chair.

"Before she passed, she was able to give us our cub," he said, showing the bundle to him. "Meet Prince Lion-o."

Snarf blinked away his tears, looked... and time just seemed to stop.

He was small- tiny even. He must have been early, which explained the birth complications. He had inherited Claudus' bright red mane, but the coloring of his fur was all his Leona's. His eyes were shut tight- Snarf had heard that kittens' eyes didn't open right away- and his mouth was slightly open, the moonlight glinting off his milk teeth. His itty-bitty paws were curled up by his face, pushed there by the tight wrapping of his blanket.

He was really here. His Leona's baby... the future king... Lion-o.

"Snyaar..." Snarf said quietly.

Lion-o's face scrunched up and he began fussing. Before he could cry, Snarf crawled onto Claudus' arm and licked the infant's nose twice. The prince settled down, yawning and snuggling into his blankets.

Claudus smiled- it was weak, but a smile nonetheless. "Thank you, Snarf. For everything."

Snarf didn't even hear him. He was too focused on the little cub. He knew in that moment that he'd finally found him- the very important person his Milady had wanted him to meet and care for. The person he'd waited hundreds of years for.

Lion-o.

His Lion-o.

This one would be different. Snarf swore then and there that he wouldn't allow this one to be like the others. There would be no more sad faces.

His Lion-o would be happy, no matter what.

Time: Present Day

Naturally, some things are easier said then done. Not that it ever was all that easy.

His Lion-o had been very troublesome as a baby. Snarf still remembered what had happened the day he'd been made the prince's nursemaid (to this very day he broke out in nervous shakes whenever he so much as saw a butterfly). It only got worse from there. His Lion-o had a natural curiosity for the world that never really went away. Some times it made him happy, and other times... not so much.

It certainly put him at odds with Claudus and Furball. Snarf couldn't count how many times he'd had to comfort his Lion-o after a scolding from the king or after he'd lost to the older tiger in a duel. (Snarf had told the young lion that if he stopped skipping out on practice this wouldn't be such a problem, but did he ever listen to him? No!) Lion-o was too much like his mother- he lacked ferocity and ambition. It was not necessarily a bad thing, but not good in the sense that it was stunting his growth as future king.

His Lion-o was also like his mother in that he seemed to understand what Snarf was saying. It made the other cats think he was weirder than ever, but they didn't mind. It just meant they had a connection no one else understood.

He stuck by his Lion-o. He tended to him, played with him, listened every time he went on a spiel about mythical technology. Furball outgrew Snarf (and good riddance), but his Lion-o never did. For the longest time it was just the two of them against the world, and that was just fine with Snarf.

Then that day came.

Personally, Snarf felt it had started to go downhill the minute they had stepped into the slums. (He'd told his Lion-o a million times he didn't feel safe there, but did he listen? Did he ever listen to Snarf? No!) Then they'd met the cleric, then his Lion-o had bombed his rite of passage, then that old Snaggletooth came back, then the lizards attacked, and then the Bandage Man had returned.

Snarf had mixed feelings about that. Half of him had wanted to have a heart attack, while the other just thought it was cosmically unfair. If that decrepit old mummy could come back, why couldn't his Milady?

There wasn't time to dwell on it though, because the Bandage Man killed Claudus and Thundera fell (he hoped the old lion found his way to his Leona). His Lion-o, Furball, and the cleric managed to escape, and thus begun the journey of the Thundercats. Along the way they picked up the Wily Twins and the General, adding to their little group (he preferred the Twins- they were tricky little punks, but it was nice to have kittens to care for again).

They had a mission to complete, but Snarf found himself failing in his. No matter what little happiness his Lion-o gained, he inevitably lost it. First the cleric had made him happy and Snarf had been sure they would mate, but she had gone to Furball instead. His Lion-o had been upset for a long time after that. Snarf had wanted to help, but he found he couldn't. This wasn't something an old nursemaid could fix- the Lord of the Thundercats didn't need that.

Then his king had died. Snarf didn't know what he would have done if the Spirit Stone hadn't brought him back. He had lost three masters already- losing a fourth would have been the last straw. On the bright side, at least his Lion-o had gotten better after that. He didn't act so sad around the cleric and Furball anymore, so Snarf decided that the king was finally moving on with his life.

But then came Pumyra.

Ugh, just thinking about her made Snarf's fur stand on end. To think, he'd actually liked her at first, though he disapproved of the way she and his Lion-o flirted. Hadn't he learned before with the cleric? There was no room for romance on this mission! (Not that that would dissuade Furball and the cleric.) Of course, he was ignored. Never mind what Snarf had to say!

Teenagers.

The Thundercats had gone to the floating city of mean birds, and Pumyra had revealed her true colors. She worked for the Bandage Man and was apparently his beloved. (That provided mental images that Snarf wished he could erase.) She'd given the mummy the Tech Stone and left with him, leaving the Thundercats to crash along with the falling city. Thank goodness the General had managed to land it safely. Snarf was impervious to pretty much everything, but he had his limits!

Which brought him to now. Night had fallen, and Snarf sat outside the make-shift tent he knew his Lion-o was pretending to sleep in.

It was now or never.

Snarf creeped inside the tent, finding his Lion-o lying on his back, staring at the cloth ceiling. His face was blank, but eyes shone with heart-brokenness. The old nursemaid jumped onto his chest.

His Lion-o lifted his head. "Snarf? What are you doing in here? I thought you were spending the night with Kit and Kat."

Snarf moved closer to the lion's face until they were nose to nose. He held his gaze for a full ten seconds before he started licking the king's face soothingly. He did the same thing to him back when he was a kitten.

His Lion-o chuckled and pushed him away. "Snarf, I'm fine. You don't have to try to cheer me up."

That was a lie and they both knew it. Snarf's ears dipped in disappointment.

His Lion-o sighed and moved onto his side, pulling Snarf close like a stuffed toy. Snarf burrowed his face into the hollow of the king's neck.

He scratched Snarf behind the ears. "... Thanks for trying, though."

Maybe that was all Snarf could ever do. Maybe the best he could do was simply try and see that those that were his were happy. Maybe he'd never succeed. But Snarf had decided long ago that he didn't mind. As long he never stopped trying, he'd have hope that one day he would reach his final goal.

This was the thought that filled Snarf's mind as the pair fell asleep, just as they had done hundreds of times before. He wouldn't have it any other way.

One day, that sad, sad look will never again grace my Lion-o's face. This Snarf promises.

Notes

Dr. Korogi couldn't help but feel she shouldn't be doing this.

This OC was named after Snarf's voice actress, Satomi Korogi.

She smiled wanly, leaning over and picking the creature up. "Hey, Osbert."

Osbert was Snarf's real name in the 80s cartoon. He hated it.

He hated the Bandage Man, even more than the guards. He remembered that one day, years after he last saw his Korogi, that the bright lady and the scary lady and the gun men came.

Back when this was to be the first episode of a continuation, "Bright Lady"/Milady was intended to be Mumm-rana, while "Scary Lady" was Mandora.

"Bihar..." his Milady trailed off.

Bihar is a white tiger I intended to be Bengali's ancestor back when this the first episode of my season 2.

Snarf Oswald had bet Osbert 50 thunder berries that he couldn't go beyond the Great Stone Pass and bring something back from the outside world.

There was a joke in the original series that Snarf Oswald owed Snarf 50 thunder dollars. Since dollars aren't the currency in the reboot and I don't think these Snarfs use money, I changed it.

On some kind of path was wooden vehicle with two blue Steeds yoked to it.

'Steeds' refer to whatever those blue creatures Claudus, Tygra, and Lion-o were riding in the pilot. If they have an actual name, someone tell me.

Snarf still remembered what had happened the day he'd been made the prince's nursemaid (to this very day he broke out in nervous shakes whenever he so much as saw a butterfly).

This refers to the short, "Butterfly Blues." It's funny, give it a watch!