A/N: This is my first Fanfic story ever. Please read and review, be honest, your comments can only help me become better.

Of Dreams and Regrets

The scene slowly came into view before her. Her vision was blurry at first, but the images and details slowly becoming sharper. Tygra, Cheetara, and Lion-O were fighting Kaynar, Slithe, and Addicus. Tygra had gotten himself tied up by his own whip and Kaynar was pointing his spear at the back of his head.

Kaynar yelled, "Surrender or we'll kill him!"

Lion-O's face showed shock when Slithe smirked and stated, "I believe it's your turn to surrender now, yesssss."

Lion-O became furious and shouted back while raising the Sword of Omens against Slithe, "Never! There's still two of us!"

The sound of something hitting the ground rang in Lion-O's ears. He paused and turned around to see that Cheetara had dropped her staff in an act of surrender.

Lion-O questioned her in shock, "Cheetara! What are you doing? I thought we had to stick together!"

"I have to stick with him." She replied, as her head began to lower in shame.

The look of shock on Lion-O's face soon became one of pain, and confusion as he felt a burning, ripping sensation from his chest. He looked down to see the end of sword protruding from the area where his heart should be. "Why, Cheetara?! Why…"

Slithe had taken Lion-O's momentary distraction as a perfect opportunity to strike him down. He shoved his sword straight into Lion-O's back, driving it through him with one blow. Slithe then smiled wickedly to the others and ordered, "Kill them in whatever manner amuses you."

Slithe then pulled his sword free from Lion-O's body as it fell to the floor in a lifeless mass, his eyes still staring at Cheetara in confusion and fear as they began to glaze over.

"NNNOOOOOO!..." Cheetara screamed as she sat bolt upright from her bedroll. Her heartbeat was racing. Her breath was coming in short ragged gasps, and sweat covered her face and body. Her trembling hands quickly tried to untangle herself from the covers that she was wrapped in as she looked around trying to take in her surroundings.

"Cheetara! Sweetheart it's ok. It was only a night-terror…it's just another bad dream." Tygra slowly placed his hand on his mate's back and began rhythmically moving it up and down, trying to impart comfort to her.

The unexpected touch made Cheetara jump before her mind registered that it was Tygra lying next to her, that it was him touching her. As she continued to quickly look around, she saw the other thundercats lying in their own bedrolls around the diminishing campfire. She realized that it was early morning and they were safely in their newest campsite, but she kept on scanning the darkened area until her eyes finally fell on the cause of her distress, Lion-O.

The young Lord of the Thundercats was sitting up in his own bedroll next to the fire. His azure blue eyes were locked on hers, and there was a look of concern and worry etched across his features. Once Cheetara realized that he was, in fact alive and safe, she let out a breath of relief and slowly nodded to him that it was going to be ok. "I'll be alright… this night-terror was just a bad one."

Cheetara then attempted to settle herself back down onto her bedroll, and with shacking hands tired to straighten out her coverings so as not to get wrapped up in them again.

"Honey, are you really going to be alright?" Tygra questioned, taking in the cheetah's frazzled appearance. " These night-terrors seem to be getting worse. Is there anything that I can do?"

"Yes, I will be alright. I just need a few minutes. And no, I don't think anyone can really help me. This is just something I need to figure out and work through."

"Do you want to tell me about it? I might be able to help figure something out?"

"No, I just want to go back to sleep and hopefully get some real rest before we have to get up for the day."

"Alright, Alright, but I'm worried about you. You don't have to go through this alone, you know. Maybe talking things out with someone will help. Just think about it okay?"

"Okay, I'll think about it. Goodnight Tygra."

"Goodnight hon."

She felt the tiger's body relax as he cuddled up next to her. His breathing started slowing and became more regular and she knew that he had fallen back to sleep. She needed rest herself, but try as she might, Cheetara could not calm herself down enough to allow sleep to come. Her body still trembled slightly because the vivid memory of her night-terror was still too fresh in her mind. She took in some deep cleansing breaths to try to soothe her body and center her mind. That seemed to help only a little. She has been having these night-terrors for weeks now, and they are not only getting more frequent, but they are also becoming more severe. She didn't want to admit it, but these dreams were now starting to affect her physically a well as emotionally. She needed to find out what the root cause for these dreams were, and do something to correct it. Her only problem was she had no idea what that was.

After hearing that she was going to be fine, the other thundercats began to roll up once again into their coverings and began to fall back asleep. Lion-O continued to look at her for a few more moments before he also nodded and turned over and nestled down to sleep. The concern for the cheetah still lingered on in his thoughts. These night-terrors were happening more and more often, and they seemed to be getting worse. In addition to that, whatever they are about has been worrying her during the day-time as well. That combined with the lack of sleep she has been getting, and it is no wonder that Cheetara has been performing at far less than her usual level. Perhaps he should go talk to her. Maybe he could do something to help. At this thought, his heart began to ache. It has been some time since she had chosen his brother, since then they had a very strained relationship. He thought he had put those hurt feelings behind him; Maybe he hadn't. He considered this for a time and then finally decided that he wanted her to be happy. In fact, he wanted both her and Tygra to be happy, it just hurt to see them together.

Lion-O remembered well the pain he felt those first few weeks that Tygra and Cheetara were together. It seemed as though his heart crumble from the hurt he felt. Then Pumyra came into the picture, and that pain seemed to disappear for a while. Even his brother's snide remarks didn't bother him that much. After her betrayal, all those wounds were ripped back open even deeper than they were before. Since then he has hardly talked at all with his cleric. 'His cleric' he mused to himself. He wondered if that was true anymore. Their relationship had become difficult recently. He wasn't sure what they were anymore. They used to be friends. They used to talk all the time, she used to give him encouragement and advice, and she used to lift him up when he was low. Then came that fateful day she had told him that she only done those things because Jaga had asked her to. That revelation had hurt him the worst. That was when things really went south. Now they almost never speak to each other. Wileykit has even taken up the cleric's role of offering him encouragement and advice.

He needed to fix that, he finally realized. The more he thought about it, the more resolved he became. Even with everything that had happened between them, he still considers Cheetara a friend; and right now that friend needed his help. It pained him to see her hurting, not only that, but as Lord of the Thundercats, the safety and well-being of his people was his responsibility. If things get any worse, Cheetara may put herself or someone else in danger during a battle. He can't have that. He knows that he needs to try to help her, even if it hurts him to do so, and even if it makes Tygra angry with him, he still needs to try. With that, he closes his eyes and tells himself that he will think more on it after a few hours of sleep.