Doing patrol one night, the last person Glimmer expected to see was a certain magicat hiding amongst the shadows of the castle.

~~~

Adora tries to help on a mission but it doesn't go according to plan. Catra realises how far she may have gone.

~~~

Five days.
Five days, Catra had been here.

In those five days, a fair amount had happened. The Rebellion was in clear disarray over the recent attack, orchestrated by Catra herself, still trying to rebuild everything. With Adora out of commission, Catra realised, the Rebellion struggled a lot. They appeared to rely on She-Ra a bit too much.

Much like how Catra once relied on her too.
She shook her head.

Sparkles seemed to be different as well, at least from what Catra remembered during her brief capture. She seemed... harder. A new angry streak, one Catra appreciated. She could respect the Princess on some level for her bloodlust and revenge trait. But no matter what Catra did to her, or indirectly to her, Adora could never seem to change. She always begged and pleaded with her, to join the rebellion.

To join her.
Catra began to pace.

Adora changed in her own ways as well. Subtle, little ways, but ways nonetheless. For example, her body. In the Horde, Adora had always been on the muscular side of things, now, she was still muscular, but she was leaner. And taller. She'd filled out. Her hair had grown longer in the year, now reaching her mid-forearm. She was also a little tanner, a little healthier. But her shoulders slumped as if the world rested upon them, her eyes looked too old for her face, constantly adorned by black eye bags of exhaustion.

Never mind the new dozens of scars littered about her body... most of which were caused by Catra...

She sighed, rolling her shoulders. Adora had left the room in a panic early that morning, barely shrugging on her red jacket before the door shut. Catra was dazed for several minutes before poking her head out to see the commotion.

"Horde soldiers have been spotted by the woods," The Queen stated, nervously glancing at a slightly sweaty Adora. "They need to be captured and brought forth," She finished, moving her gaze to Glimmer. "Your Majesty, don't do that," Adora ground out, leaning against her sword. To the otherwise untrained eye, it looked like a simple nonchalant stance. Not to Catra; no. Adora was in pain. A lot of it to be obviously relying on support. "Many Horde soldiers have some kind of tracking system on them. For Force Captains, it's their badges. For normal front liners, it's their helmets,"

Angella looked disturbed.

"We could remove their helmets and badges before bringing them in? Then force them to change before their audience," Glimmer suggested. "We could burn the clothes," Adora grunted, shaking her head. "Won't work. They'll take your hands off before you can try," Catra winced slightly, remembering a punishment they'd received once for removing their helmets.

Adora had a broken collarbone for several weeks, coupled with Catra's dislocated shoulder.

"How do you suppose we do it then, Adora?" Glimmer snapped. Bow placed a hand on her shoulder. Adora shifted, her face dropping several shades. "You'd have to knock them out first. Then remove the helmets," She shivered slightly. "Adora, are you sure you are healed enough to do this? You do not look well," Angella asked. Catra rolled her eyes. At least somebody was attentive enough to notice. Adora, being so goddamn heroic as per usual, simply sighed softly. "I'm okay, your Majesty," For emphasis, she lifted her sword. "Just a bit tired,"

And they took off.

Catra found herself idly looking through Adora's scarce things. She didn't take much. The Horde-issued jacket was always tightly on, never off unless she was asleep. Catra had noticed the sigma stitched over in the same colour red.

Adora's drawers were scarce; only four socks and five pairs of underwear in each. In the drawer underneath were her trousers; only two pairs. The drawer beneath was slightly fuller, obviously loaned clothes. A few tank tops of varying shades of pink and purple with the odd grey one thrown in (literally) and around half a dozen of shorts. Mostly pink, but a few grey as well.

Catra walked to the wardrobe; flicking through the obviously owned Adora stuff and obviously Brightmoon-owned stuff. Adora's hung in neat sections, already an established outfit, whereas the Brightmoon stuff popped in bright colours; dresses and skirts of the such.

She shuddered, closing the door.

At least Adora's sense of style hadn't changed in the last year...

~

It was late evening when Adora came back. Catra smelt the blood and dirt before the blonde appeared. She threw open the door, stumbling in, grabbing anything she could firmly. "Adora?" Catra asked softly. Adora either didn't hear or didn't care, for she kept moving to the mirror table. Catra watched, desperately fighting back the burning itch to help her. Adora grunted heavily as she sat, shutting her eyes tightly, breathing heavily. Abruptly, Catra realised Adora wasn't wearing her red jacket; the red on her was blood.

"Shit, Adora," She rushed over, mindful of her own injuries. "What can I do?" She asked quickly, hands flitting around her back, unsure of their next move. Adora said nothing, but the wheezing breaths were more than enough. Catra glanced around, eyes locking on a bottle labelled: "Wound Cleanser"

She rushed over, grabbed it, and poured it onto some tissue.

"I think this is gonna hurt... I dunno," She began to take Adora's shirt off, meticulously and carefully. It broke Catra's heart to hear the little sounds of pain leaving the blonde's mouth... knowing she caused this. The Catra a week ago would've been ecstatic.

(would she?)

She shook away the thought, tossing the blood-soaked shirt to the side. Catra began to dab the open scratch wounds as carefully as she could, wiping away and spare blood. Adora's muscles tensed as she tried to wriggle away. Catra persevered, cleaning all the blood, grime and sweat away.

Satisfied when Adora's back no longer looked like a new jacket colour, Catra reached for the bandages under the table. A hand grabbed her shoulder, halting her movements. "Blue box," Adora's voice, whilst whispering, was strained. She was in a lot more pain than she was showing. "What about it?" Catra grabbed the bandages anyway, leaving them on the table. "Pain..." She took a breath. "Killers..."

The Catra a week ago would've snorted.
"Don't be a pussy. You don't need painkillers. Suck it up,"
that's what they were told in the Horde.
Catra snapped her femur once. All she received was an ice pack and a leather belt to bite on.
Adora was stabbed in a training incident. She was given the leather belt to bite.

She rushed over, grabbing the bottle. "How many pills, Adora?" She asked, pouring some into her hand. Adora kept her hand out, grabbing at the air. "Uh uh. How many, Adora?" The blonde cried softly. "Please, Catra," She grabbed the table. It groaned. Catra handed her two. "Take those. If you're still hurting in an hour, I'll give you more,"

I don't want you overdosing.

Catra waited fifteen minutes, watching as the pills began to take effect. Adora began to slump forward, her breathing becoming easier. Catra unfurled the bandages and held them up. "Take off your bra," She said. Adora's face adopted a smug grin. "Not today," Catra snapped. Adora's chuckle slurred. She fumbled to undo it, failing to unclasp it properly. "For god's sake," Catra flicked her claw through the connector. The bra came undone immediately, falling into the blonde's lap.

"If I knew you could do that..." Adora mumbled.
Catra flushed but ignored her.

She began to wrap the bandages around, being mindful to not touch anything she shouldn't. Adora's head fell against her own at some point, the blonde dozing softly. Catra sighed irritably, tying off the bandages securely. Catra sat there for a moment. Partly to make sure the wounds didn't bleed through and partly due to emotional exhaustion.

She was supposed to hate Adora... and hate the rebellion... and hate She-Ra...

but she couldn't.

She could hate the rebellion.

But She-Ra? Who, in turn, was Adora?
No.
She could never hate Adora, try as she might.

It'd be the thing that killed her in the end.