Thundercats Fanfiction Project (Ch 3, Episode 2)

In this episode, Slithe receives visions, Rittler commands him to stage an intercept, and Rataro plans the destruction of the Eye.

Covenant of Corruption

Book 1 – Exile and Vigil – Chapter 3, Episode 2

The Vision in the Dark

While the royal convoy fled through fire and grief, far from their path another vision stirred aboard a Mutant warship—the lead vessel of the second wave of invasion, commanded by Slithe, whose flotilla rushed through the void to reinforce the invasion.

Slithe hunched in his command chair, breath shallow, claws tightening on the iron arms until the metal groaned. His pupils thinned to reptilian slits as a vision seized him—the Eye of Thundera, blazing with ancient power. It pulsed like a living heart, calling to him through shadow. Somehow, he understood the image was not his own. It came from spirits older than Thundera, whispering through the dark, urging him to deliver the relic to their chosen vassal—the Prince of Decay.

Before he could speak, Vultaire at communications stiffened, his feathers rustling in a sharp ripple of avian alarm.

“Commander… incoming transmission.”

“Put it on screen,” Slithe growled.

The visage of Rittler, Supreme Leader of Plun‑Darr, filled the bridge.

Rittler was ancient—his flesh wasted by disease, bone pressing through his face, part of his skull visible beneath rotting skin. Decayed tendons twitched beneath the exposed bone, giving his movements a slow, unnatural jerkiness. His eyes burned with cruelty, and his obsession with mystic artifacts was known throughout the empire.

The Prince of Decay, Slithe thought. A fitting title.

Rittler’s voice hissed through static:

“Slithe. Intelligence confirms the Eye of Thundera is not in the palace.

The Thunderan royal flagship carries it.

Rataro’s flotilla engages them now, but he is spread thin. They will break through.

You are farther from Thundera—position your flotilla ahead of their course.

Intercept them when they emerge weakened… and bring me the Eye. If you cannot capture it, do what must be done.”

Slithe struck his fist to his chest in salute, scales along his neck flaring outward in a display of reptilian submission.

“I am honored, my Supreme Leader.”

The transmission ended. Silence lingered like smoke.

His lieutenants gathered.

Kaynar’s lip curled, exposing sharp canine teeth in a feral grin. “The Eye of Thundera… another relic? Like the Sword of Plun‑Darr?”

Slithe nodded slowly.

“Yes. A relic of their power. No one knows how it works… or whether it will answer to one not of Thundera. But the Supreme Leader wants it. And I have seen it in a vision.”

Atticus—broad shouldered, scarred, and perpetually unimpressed—snorted, his whiskers twitching in rodent disdain.

“Too much strong drink has given you visions again?” He laughed at his own joke.

Vultaire adjusted his lenses, feathers rustling in a thoughtful ripple as he analyzed the claim with avian precision.

“Relics hold power. But visions… visions must be interpreted with caution.”

Slithe’s grin widened, teeth glinting as his forked tongue flicked briefly between them—a reptilian sign of rising ambition.

“Yes… but the Supreme Leader has just confirmed the vision. The Eye is within my reach… and the vision promises a great reward if we bring it to him.”

“What reward?” Vultaire asked.

“Power,” Slithe replied. “And immortality—gifts the Supreme Leader will grant only if we deliver something he desires more than Thundera itself.”

Atticus leaned forward. “And how much does the Supreme Leader want this Eye of Thundera?”

“Thundera will only give him Thundrillium and slaves,” Slithe said. “But the Eye will give him power that even sorcerers can only dream about.”

Vultaire nodded slowly. “Power that once overcame the mythic Sword of Plun‑Darr.”

Kaynar hissed with interest. “Tell us more about your vision, Slithe… and about your plan.”

To Slithe, Rittler was the Prince of Decay and his command confirmed the spirits’ whisper. He believed that if he delivered the Eye into Rittler’s hands, he would gain dominion and glory at the Supreme Leader’s side.

He did not yet understand that the whispers pointed elsewhere.

Rataro’s Fury

The void burned with fire as the Thunderan convoy pressed through Rataro’s scattered forces. Only a portion of his ships had turned after the royal convoy—others were still engaged in the palace assault, where Mutant troops poured into Thundera’s heart. His forces were spread, divided between attacking the planet’s capital, defending against Thunderan fighters, and pursuing the convoy.

As the rest of Thundera was turned to radioactive waste by Rittler’s fleets, the royal flagship and its convoy advanced through the first wave of invasion. Thunderan escorts darted between Mutant vessels, their weapons striking with precision, widening the convoy’s corridor of escape.

On the bridge of his warship, Rataro snarled at the latest report, his incisors flashing as his whiskers bristled in fury. His sais, the Rat’s Eyes, gleamed as he struck the console in rage, the blow accompanied by a guttural rodent hiss.

“Thunderans! You dare defy me? You dare slip past my forces?”

“Send reinforcements after the Thunderan convoy!” he barked.

A lieutenant stammered, “Captain—most of our vessels are still focused on the assault on the capital and the palace. Sending more ships after the convoy will weaken the assault.”

Rataro’s eyes blazed.

“Command the furthermost fighters to pursue the convoy, and the rest to press on the assault.”

But even as he issued the order, another officer delivered grim news—the Thunderan convoy broke through. Several of their fighters sacrificed themselves to clear the path for the royal flagship. Rataro’s jaw tightened; humiliation burned beneath his armor. He had been outmaneuvered, and he knew it.

His communications officer turned, pale.

“Captain… the Supreme Leader is calling.”

Rataro stiffened, his tail going rigid behind him—a rodent instinct triggered by fear of higher authority.

He struck his fist to his chest as the screen activated, overridden by Rittler’s higher authority.

Rittler’s decayed visage filled the bridge, eyes burning with feverish intensity as necrotic skin twitched around the exposed bone.

“Rataro. Intelligence confirms the Eye of Thundera is aboard that convoy.

It may already be protecting them.

Have your forces destroy the convoy and the Eye of Thundera at once.

Do not invest more resources. Focus on taking the capital and the palace.”

Rataro saluted again, acknowledging the order.

Rittler’s voice sharpened:

“The Eye must be mine—or no one else’s. Your forces are closest, so have them destroy it. If they fail, Slithe’s forces are ahead and will intercept.”

The transmission ended.

Rataro remained rigid, completing the salute so his loyalty could not be questioned.

He understood Rittler’s strategy. The Supreme Leader wanted the capital and the palace taken once and for all—a swift, decisive victory. The Eye was important, but not his primary target. Still, Rittler had prepared contingencies: capture it if possible… destroy it if necessary.

He turned to his officers, whiskers angled forward in predatory focus, voice cold and lethal.

“Have a nuclear‑armed fighter obliterate them.”

His warship held position, directing the rest of his forces to seize the capital and the royal palace. The hunt would continue—but not by him.

***

“Thus Slithe turned his flotilla toward the path of the fleeing heirs, guided by shadows he mistook for destiny. Rittler tightened his grip upon the ruin of Thundera, and the covenant of corruption deepened—binding the Mutants to powers older than their empire, and far more patient.”

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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 made use of Microsoft Copilot, a tool that helped inscribe my vision into narrative form. I remain the visionary and architect of this saga, shaping its mythic framework, themes, and direction. Copilot served as the writer, giving voice to my design. I then revised and refined its drafts, making further changes to ensure the saga reflects my vision in full. This stands as a creative collaboration in honor of the original ThunderCats universe.