<Lady Thundera> Hello and welcome!  I'm Lady Thundera and I'm joining you from the Forests of Mists where this marathon is about to start.  With me today is the newly reincarnated Black Eagle.

<Black Eagle> Thundera Tiger is going to pay for this.

<Lady T> Let's go over the lineup.  From the mutants we have the Demolisher, and he's actually here.  We don't have to worry about a bomb going off.

<Eagle> That bomb went off in my stomach.

<Lady T> As far as competition goes, the Demolisher isn't fast, but he's clever.  And the competitors will have to not only pace themselves throughout the day but fend off attacks from other competitors.  Grune represents the same threat.  He's not fast, but he's lethal.

<Eagle> The last event was lethal, too.

<Lady T> Cheetara is the fastest on the field and if she watches her speed, she could stay ahead and skip all the attacks.  Snow Meow has great endurance and might choose the same tactic.  Chilla is somewhere between these two options.  She can be quick, but she also likes to fight.  Willa is the same.  Do you want to describe the course, Black Eagle?

<Eagle> I was just looking for an elephant.  I had no idea I was about to be blown into thousands of pieces.

<Lady T> Okay...um...I guess I'll describe the course.  We begin in the Forest of Mists.  They have to find their way through the tunnels and from there, they can choose any number of different paths to take.  Ultimately, they must reach Skytbom and the three volcanoes.  And it looks like they're about to start.

<Eagle> What did I do to deserve this?  Where did I go wrong?  Did I torture Tygra?  Did I offend Thundera Tiger?  What?

<Lady T> And they're off.  Sort of.  Cheetara is sprinting ahead and Snow Meow isn't far behind followed by Chilla, but everyone else is...I don't know what's going on.  Something is happening, but we're not close enough to see what.  Black Eagle, could you fly over there and--

<Eagle> I was flying when it happened.  I was flying over the moat and then this thing goes off in my stomach.

<Lady T> I'm sensing some post-traumatic stress here.  Uh, from what I can tell...oh boy.  Okay, I guess that would explain it.

<Eagle> I've never heard an explanation for what happened.  No one wants to talk about it.

<Lady T> Thundera Tiger, RD, and Thundercub are down there and they're causing quite the stir.  Grune and Demolisher seem more interested in watching the brawl than racing.  RD is holding Willa hostage.  This could get interesting.  Oh, here come the Thunderkittens.  Complete with...Black Eagle, I think I'm going to have to leave you for a second.  There are bows and arrows down there and--whoa!

<Eagle> That arrow almost hit me in the stomach.  That's where the bomb was, you know.

<Lady T> Can I get some help up here?!

<Fianna> Hey Lady Thundera?  I've got your booth all set up on the other side of the cave, but you've already missed Cheetara.  She's through.  Are you and Black Eagle going to show up in the near future?  Oh, and here comes Snow Meow.  Well, no.  He was just frozen by Chilla.  Nevermind, he broke free.  Oh wow, look at those teeth!  I think we can count Chilla out of the race.  So when are you coming over?

<Lady T> I can't!  The Thunderkittens have the place covered and Black Eagle is...she's reliving the bomb.

<Eagle> They're coming our way.  So was everyone else.  They were all looking for me, but I didn't know why.  I didn't listen until it was too late.

<Fianna> Hello?

<RD Rivero> Mwahahahaha!  I claim this booth in the name of dead Tygras everywhere!

<Thundera Tiger> You idiot, Tygra isn't even here!  Now come back here and let me finish ripping our your intestines!

<Thundercub> Thunderkittens...now!

<Lady T> YIKES!

<Fianna> Um, while they're having fun back at the start of the race, I think I'll pick it up from here.  Cheetara is now miles ahead of everyone and the only other participants to come through the tunnel are Snow Meow and Chilla.  Presently, they're trying to rip each other to shreds down below my booth.

<Lady Bast> Here's an update from halfway through.  Cheetara just passed my position.  I'm guessing no one else is going to show up?

<Cheezey> I'm taking over for everyone at the start of the race.  At least I have the good sense to take a body guard around with me.  Thanks Amok.

<Amok> Amok guard Cheezey.  Amok guard Cheezey.

<Cheez> Anyway, Thundera Tiger has RD on the run, but Grune is chasing her around, too.  Willa was released and I think she's actually going to continue the race.  The Demolisher has picked a nasty fight with the Thunderkittens.  Thundercub and Lady Thundera are starting to fight.  I think Lady Thundera blames Thundercub for that arrow she's got in her leg.

<Fianna> Willa just raced out of the cave.  She's skipping the fight between Chilla and Snow Meow.  Probably a smart move.

<Cheez> Now here's an interesting development.  Panthro has just showed up and so have the ASOE.  Looks like Panthro is trying to control the kittens and the ASOE are trying to convince Grune to continue the race.  Grune isn't listening, though.  He's having far too much fun...whoa!  I didn't know you could do that to a ghost.

<Fianna> Whoa what?

<Cheez> The Demolisher dodged some Thunderkittens arrows and they impaled Grune instead.  Grune is not a happy camper.  RD is trying to help him up, but he's having to jump around Thundera Tiger.  And now Black Eagle's getting into it!  Look at her go.  Wow.  Crazy eagle, she's going to kill something or someone.

<Bast> I've got a report from the finish line.  Apparently, Cheetara's done.  And I can see Willa.  So are these the only two to actually race?

<Fianna> Looks that way.  Chilla's unconscious and Snow Meow is too weak to free himself from all the ice that's covering him.

<Cheez> I think Panthro's got things under control here.  Black Eagle is still dive bombing everyone, but at least there's fewer arrows flying by.  No, scratch that.  Lady Thundera just shoved Thundercub into Thundera Tiger who jumped in surprise and took a bite out of the Demolisher who set off a small explosive that caused a rock slide that buried the ASOE.  It's all started up again.

<Fianna> This could get old really fast.

<Cheez> Wow, that's a lot of vibrations for one rock slide.  Sounds like...oh no.  They wouldn't.

<Bast> Do we want to know what's going on?

<Cheez> No, but I'll tell you anyway.  There's a whole herd of elephants headed this way.

<Fianna> I thought we got rid of those stupid things!

<Cheez> Well, there's more of a race now, but no one's going through the Forest of Mists.

<Bast> I talked with Hachiman and QuickPick who are officiating.  They've given Cheetara the gold, they'll give Willa the silver when she finishes, and no one gets the bronze.  So we might as well call this a game.  Who's covering the next event?

<Fianna> I'm checking, hang on...Thundera Tiger and I were supposed to do it.  But Tiger is...I don't see her anywhere, but I assume she's down there somewhere with the elephants.  Any volunteers?

<Bast> I'll do it.  I'm almost at the volcanoes anyway.

<Fianna> Great.  I'll see you over there in a bit.  Coming, Cheezey?

<Cheez> No, I think I'm going to watch the pachyderm stampede.  It has certain asthetic qualtities.

<Bast> Like what?!

<Cheez> I don't know, it just seemed like a good thing to say.  Have fun.