ThunderCats Fanfiction Project (Ch 4 Episode 7)

After the first fragile steps toward recovery, the crew gathers for a simple meal. Exhaustion settles in, grief deepens, and Jaga guides them into their first night in exile. In these quiet hours, sorrow becomes intimate — and the first threads of a new family begin to form.

THE QUIET HOURS

Book 1 – Exile and Vigil – Chapter 4, Episode 7

A Meal in the Dim Light

Cheetara returned to the bridge with Snarf and the children, carrying food pouches, drink pouches, and cleaning supplies. Her hair was brushed and gleaming again, her skin clean, her bandaged feet steady. The children were freshly washed, their hair styled into the familiar shapes that made them look like themselves again. Even Snarf’s fur was fluffed and neat.

Jaga noticed all of it — the children’s restored brightness, Snarf’s careful grooming, and Cheetara’s quiet beauty — though he hid the recognition behind the calm mask of command. Only Snarf, ever perceptive, caught the flicker in his eyes.

“We brought everything you asked for,” Cheetara said softly, “including cleaning supplies.”

Jaga nodded. “Good. Before we eat, have the children clean their seats quickly. Spray everything down. We’ll eat on the two back rows — adults behind the children.”

He gestured to the first row of passenger seats — the row where fear had overwhelmed the children earlier. He left the second row empty, a buffer of dignity between the soiled seats and the rows where they would eat.

No wonder Snarf thought, with a quiet flick of his tail, that some Thunderans once called him Jaga the Wise.

Cheetara handed the children gloves, wipes, sprays, and opaque disposal bags. The children worked quickly, cheeks warm with embarrassment but grateful for the chance to make things right. Snarf helped them seal the bags and tuck them into a waste chute.

When they finished, Cheetara placed food and drink pouches on the rows where they would eat. The selection was surprisingly comforting:

• The Healthy Feline’s Turkey & Gravy Pouch
• ThunderStew Meatloaf & Mash
• Royal Feast Roasted Chicken & Veggies
• Kitty‑Licks Banana Pudding
• Moonbeam Chocolate Mousse
• Golden Claw Cheesecake Bites

And drinks:

• PurrSpring Water
• StarGrove Sparkling Water
• Kitty‑Licks Grape Juice
• SunTail Apple Nectar
• CitrusClaw Limeade
• Temple Breeze Lemon Water

“Panthro. Tygra. Join us,” Jaga called gently.

They emerged from Tygra’s systems station, where they had been replacing circuits and wiring, and took their seats — weary, soot‑streaked, and silent.

Everyone ate quietly. The food tasted good — familiar, comforting — but eating from pouches felt strange, a reminder of how far from home they were.

WilyKit and WilyKat sat close, sharing warmth. Lion‑O sat beside Snarf, glancing back now and then at Cheetara.

Cheetara watched from the row behind them.

A pang tightened her chest — not jealousy, but longing.

She wanted to sit with the children.

She wanted to feel connected.

She especially wanted to reach out to Lion‑O — the youngest, the smallest of the three, the one whose fear had pierced her heart — because she realized he was an only child who had lost his parents, just like her.

But she did not know how to ask.

She did not know if she belonged.

Jaga Calls for Rest

When the meal was done, Jaga rose slowly. The children immediately knelt on their seats, peering over the headrests to see him better.

“We have been awake for many hours,” he said, voice steady and warm. “Much has happened. We need to rest.”

He continued, “Everyone may use the main quarters. You will sleep in real beds tonight. Snarf — you may take the children to the royal bedroom.”

Snarf nodded, looking forward to settling down for the night.

“The adults will take turns keeping watch,” Jaga said. “But first — Tygra, Panthro. Give us your report.”

Tygra stood, steadying himself on the seat. “I still need to finish repairing the systems station. Then we’ll be able to work on bringing the systems back online. Long‑range comms are still offline.”

Panthro added, “Engines are dead. I’ll work on them after sleep.”

Tygra continued, “Panthro and I think there’s residual radiation from the explosion that’s masking us from enemy sensors. We likely have a couple of days before we’re visible again. The enemy may think we were destroyed… but they’ll be looking for us.”

Jaga nodded solemnly. “Thank you. We will address these repairs after we have rested.”

He turned to the group. “So tonight, I will take first watch. Then Tygra. Then Panthro. Then Cheetara. We’ll wake each other when our watch is done.”

Cheetara blinked — relieved to be included, and grateful.

“Everyone else,” Jaga said gently, “find quarters and sleep. Put away your trash before you go.”

Cheetara Retreats

Cheetara rose and began gathering the cleaners, preparing to finish wiping her station and the seats — but Jaga stopped her with a raised hand.

“You have done enough for today — cleaning can wait until tomorrow,” he said softly. Then he added, “You did well with the children. And they will be your team now — until all is restored. We must learn to work together.”

The words struck her like a warm blow. Her throat tightened.

He hesitated, then added, “We are family now.”

She nodded, unable to speak.

She turned to the children. “If you need anything… I’ll be in one of the rooms down the hall.”

Her usual confident voice was now soft and fragile. Still, she smiled warmly at the children when she spoke to them.

She slipped out of the bridge, her bandaged feet aching, her heart unsteady with raw emotion. She felt as though Jaga was treating her differently because earlier she had broken down in tears — as though she had shown weakness while Panthro and Tygra had remained strong.

In the front row, WilyKit whispered, “She’s sad.”

WilyKat nodded. “We should be nice to her.”

Lion‑O said nothing — but his eyes followed Cheetara until she disappeared into the hall. She had held his hands when giving him water, and she had smiled warmly at him — and that warmth stayed with him.

Snarf placed a gentle paw on his arm. “Come on, kids. Let’s find our room.”

Jaga’s Vigil

When the others were gone, Jaga remained alone on the bridge.

He walked to the periscope, pulled it down, and scanned the void.

No enemies.

No allies — only the faint silhouettes of distant Thunderan ships drifting without power, too far to reach, too dark to hail.

Only drifting silence.

He exhaled slowly, then began to clean the seats and the consoles — wiping away soot, neutralizing odors, restoring order with quiet, deliberate movements. He even cleaned Cheetara’s station, removing the last traces of her earlier grief.

The ark was wounded.

The crew was exhausted.

The night was long.

But the covenant endured.

Ceremonial Closing Seal

Thus ended the first night in exile.

In the dim glow of a wounded ark, warriors shared a humble meal, children found comfort, and weary hearts reached for one another.

And as silence settled over the drifting ship, the first fragile threads of a new family began to take hold in the dark.

Continue the Saga

Click to read the saga from the beginning → The Prologue

Click to read the previous episode → Episode 4.6

Click to read the next episode → Episode 4.8

Disclaimer

This work is a piece of fan fiction inspired by the ThunderCats franchise. All characters, settings, and original concepts from ThunderCats are the property of their respective rights holders. I do not own the rights to ThunderCats, nor do I claim any affiliation with its owners. This story is a transformative retelling created for creative expression and audience engagement, not as a commercial product.

AI Collaboration Statement

In creating this work, I collaborated with Microsoft Copilot as a creative tool within my writing process. Every element of this saga — its emotional architecture, mythic logic, themes, and direction — originates from my design. Copilot assisted by generating draft language in response to the direction and creative vision I provided. I then revised, reshaped, and rewrote those drafts extensively, ensuring the final text reflects my voice, my choices, and my vision. This is a guided, intentional collaboration that honors both the craft of writing and the legacy of the original ThunderCats universe.