Gods of Thunder
By Tiger

                    XVI

New Mexico 1700 
Time had passed by so damned fast..She was due any day 
now. Laughing Fox was very happy as was she. The baby 
came one snow filled night, and was named Night Fox. 
Desert Flower was tired and happy. But the happiness 
was short lived. It was near the end of her time 
there. She was deeply unhappy. She still didnt know 
his true identity. Nor did she want to leave. He felt 
that and he ached as she did. Night Fox was about two 
months old now. The war cries rang out. She knew to 
protect herself and the baby. She fought the intruder 
hard, and killed one herself. She saw Laughing Fox go 
down, and went beserk. She attacked the warrior and 
dragged her husband back to the hogan. *Alex* She 
screamed with all the power she had. *Call the Gods Of 
Thunder!* Her voice faded. She fought to stay awake 
and alert. 
 
Modern Day Arizona - Tiger's Time to return 
Alex was visably shaken by Tiger's mental scream. The 
guys had just got done and actually were still in 
makeup, when he rushed in. "Alex..." "Tiger needs you 
guys as soon as possible. But be warned, you are going 
into a fire zone!" he managed to get out. They 
assembled not an hour later at the portal. 
 
1700 New Mexico 
Lightning and thunder rumbled around the Portal. They 
dropped down into wild fighting...The fighting stopped 
quickly. Cries of "Kachinas" flew through the village. 
They were fighting hand to hand. Eric jerked at Cougar 
Running's scream. Desert Flower was being overrun and 
she was trying to protect all three of them. Eric and 
Peter both ran in and finished them off. she had been 
beaten. The cry of her baby brought her out of a dull 
stupor. She struggled to bind Laughing Fox's wounds. 
Finally the bleeding was stopped. She jerked aware 
again at the keening. Snow Moon had lost her little 
one, and many others had died in this particular 
battle. Laughing Fox was being treated by Desert 
Flower and Cougar Running. Finally he was awake and 
talking. She and Laughing Fox exchanged a look when 
Cougar Running told her of Snow Moon. She took little 
Night Fox to Snow Moon immediately. Cat Hunting looked 
up in surprise, as she brought the little one inside. 
Desert Flower was not known to be insensitive to 
others. "Aunt Snow Moon, I have brought you my little 
one to raise as your own." Snow Moon looked at her in 
surprise and in shock... She knew that Desert Flower's 
time was up. She smiled sadly, gave Night Fox a kiss 
goodbye and handed him to his new mother. She went out 
and wandered to the cave that Cougar Running had shown 
her. And cried. Meanwhile Laughing Fox was speaking to 
everyone.. Finally Cat Hunting came looking for Desert 
Flower. Looks of alarm shot through every one when he 
did not find her there. "Brother" Cougar Running 
called to him. "She is at the Cave of Sorrows. My 
sister knows her time is now up." "I had better get to 
her." said Laughing Fox quietly. "Our time is limited. 
I leave you to choose one to bring her back. They 
chose Eric, then departed into the portal. Laughing 
Fox found his wife sitting in the Cave of Sorrows. 
Taking her by the hand, he held her close. They walked 
towards the Portal. Then she gasped as he truly was 
revealed. She went into shock as they stepped into the 
portal. "I'm sorry Beautiful.." he whispered. Her eyes 
didn't deceive her. Her heart screamed in agony. She 
let go and fell through the portal, landing on the 
hard ground. "We will be together again" was the last 
thing she heard.... 


                    XVII

New Mexico 1700 
Eric took off running at Cougar Running's cry of 
pain... Tiger had gone into shock as Eric had told him 
she would, and had let go. He picked her up, then 
keyed the Portal. 
 
Modern Day Arizona 
Out of the glowing Portal, he stepped carrying her. 
She hadn't stirred. He was clear and running carrying 
her away from the portal. Alex was waiting. "damn 
it... shock." he swore. The timeline had been changed 
only a little both times. The legend of the Kachinas 
had kept the Apache from bothering the Dineh. Tiger's 
baby had grown into a fine young man. But what about 
Tiger.. In answer she opened her eyes groaning a 
little. The shock seemed to have passed. She grinned 
slowly at everyone. "Home?" she asked quietly. "Yes, 
and you're staying!" Eric Singer informed her... "I 
dont plan on going back." She softly replied. His 
smile and a feeling of relief grew. "No more time 
travel. Period." she grinned slightly

                     XVIII - Colliding Worlds

Modern Day Arizona 
Tiger became very disoriented when they came to 
Sedona, and reverted back to the Dineh language. Eric 
spoke with her in the same language. He understood 
that this was after shock... after nearly two years 
away, she was definately having trouble adjusting. On 
top of everything else, it was a wonder that she 
didn't go beserk. She developed a very bad headache. A 
Dineh healer came and tended to her. The pain eased 
and her troubled spirit healed. She knew the fight 
wasn't over yet. Eric watched her like a hawk. 
Privately, he was worried about her, as were the rest. 
However she proved beyond doubt that she was still 
sane. Just deeply hurting, both over the loss, however 
willing of her baby and Laughing Fox. The Dineh healer 
advised them that she would need time to re adjust to 
this time period, and advised to keep her secluded 
until her senses re balanced. She finally talked to 
the guys in English. Ace finally had her laughing a 
litle. Alex stayed by her side as well. Hearing her 
laugh made everyone relax. "Exactly how changed is 
she?" Paul asked... His answer came from Tiger.. "Very 
much... the period I came from was much more... 
peaceful than this one... Everything is different. My 
thinking has changed as well." As they all spoke in 
conference, Tiger finally fell asleep. Eric Singer 
stayed right by her side... "How do you heal a broken 
heart, plus re balance...." he thought. He knew Carr 
wasn't around in human form anymore...The prospect 
worried all of them.

                 XIX - Tigers Return

Modern Day Arizona 
Alex swore... Someone else besides Singer had gone in 
to stop Tiger. Tiger raced back to the Portal, this 
time she could not let anyone know. She keyed the 
portal. 
 
1700 New Mexico 
Desert Flower re emerged. Snow Moon was worried. 
Desert Flower knew exactly why. She found the 
interloper, bound in the Council house. She forced the 
intruder to return to the portal after drugging him 
into slumber. Keying it, as he woke up. He vanished 
with a written message to Alex to erase that part of 
his memory. 
 
Modern Day Arizona 
"She WHAT?!" Eric yelled angrily. Everyone was deeply 
upset, until they saw who was at the portal. Vinnie 
was coughing and shivering. Raven examined him 
thourougly, and swore. "He has the flu," she groaned. 
Alex did as Tiger had asked willingly... Vinnie sat up 
"What in the fuck am I doing here?" he spat angrily. 
Raven took him to the nearest hospital, and they 
confirmed the case of Influenza. She grew pale...Dear 
god... Tiger hadn't come back out... She was staying 
put, in the middle of a damned epidemic! 
 
1700 New Mexico 
Desert Flower slowly was becoming deathly ill.. It had 
been three weeks since she returned to the past.. she 
was welcomed back with open arms, and was allowed to 
see her son on occasion. He was quite happy with Snow 
Moon and Cat Hunting. Nothing Snow Moon or Cougar 
Running did helped. As she moaned in fever and 
delirium, she called out for Laughing Fox. Cougar 
Running immediately went for the Portal. Triggering it 
and arriving just as Raven and the rest had gotten 
there. She confirmed what Raven feared... Tiger was in 
deep trouble. Not only Spirit - wise but health wise. 
Raven and the others argued for about a minute. "How 
long can she hang on?" Eric asked determined to see 
her again. " Not much longer.. her grief is strong, 
and her willpower is much less than it was during her 
last stay here. The loss of Laughing Fox has deeply 
affected her." They all agreed to go back into time.. 
again. With that, the Portal flared and they were 
swept back.

                     XX - Dreamtime

DreamTime 
 
Desert Flower heard voices far behind her..The mist 
closed in around her. She was no longer in pain. She 
heard faint sounds of keening...why? she wasn't dead. 
She walked even further Stopping, she saw Eric coming 
towards her. She smiled and ran to him. He grinned at 
her, then his smile faded... "Beautiful, it isn't time 
for you to go yet.." She knew, and hung her head. She 
was damned tired of the pain and hurt. He read her 
thoughts, and just held her close. "If I love you 
enough to die for you, then I love you enough to live 
for you." she said softly. His eyes smiled at that. 
"Will that be enough.. one year of love..." She looked 
at him and smiled softly and nodded. "WE will always 
be together... remember that.." she smiled. He gently 
led her back through all that she was and had been 
made into. She saw everything about herself, both good 
and bad. They spoke for what seemed like days and 
loved also. Finally he walked her back and showed her 
the scene that was occuring now. She gasped with 
surprise. Everyone was there...why? Some of them 
looked so sad... "will you go back?" he asked gently. 
"Yes.. I'll go back...She replied... as the pain 
swallowed her, she heard him say "Remember... once 
loved, always loved. Forever".