Okay, this isn't exactly a nightmare…a waking nightmare? Shadow Weaver is a nightmare of a person, does that count

Adora was exhausted.

The last dregs of battle-supplied adrenaline was the only thing keeping her eyes open, but that didn't mean she could process anything she was seeing. Three days. It had been three straight days of running from one battle to the next as the Horde tested them—tested her. It had to be intentional, the way they launched attack after attack at villages just out of reach of the rebellion's forces, forcing her to take Swift Wind and defend the villages singlehandedly until reinforcements could arrive. Well, almost singlehandedly. Bow and Glimmer were there for most of it, although the extended use of her powers meant frequent returns to Bright Moon for Glimmer to recharge. Catra had joined her yesterday, returning early and disappointed after leading another unsuccessful search for the rumored underground city of Halfmoon. Combat seemed to be exactly what she needed, as Adora watched her tear apart a Horde tank with a little more ferocity than usual.

Today's battle, however, had been different.

Worse.

Somehow, the Horde had managed to weaponize the Black Garnet's power in yet another way—handheld weapons that shot restraining beams of energy that could affect entire groups of soldiers. The instant she saw the red, malevolently crackling energy of the weapon, Adora knew what had inspired it. It was exactly like Shadow Weaver's magic. The Horde moved without mercy, one soldier using their new technology to restrain rebellion fighters while others cut them down. It was brutal.

At one point she had seen Catra captured by one of the beams, frozen in place by the red energy. The past mingled with the present in her mind, and the roar she heard from her own mouth as she cut down the Horde soldier holding the weapon was almost feral.

The battle ended, eventually, The alarms of another attack had yet to be raised. Perhaps they had finally, finally reached the end of the Horde's test, but Adora wasn't sure she'd be able to move even if they hadn't.

She sat against a tree at the edge of the battlefield now. A memory flashed before her eyes of tan skin, mismatched eyes, and Sit down before you fall down you big idiot—

Catra had gone to help retrieve survivors from the battlefield after that, and she dimly remembered a faint swell of pride at the action.

But that had been… a while ago. Five minutes? Forty? Time was funny, it didn't seem to be moving right for her anymore. Several strands her battle-loosened hair hung in front of her face, but she couldn't muster the energy to care. It didn't make much of a difference; her vision was weirdly blurry anyway.

A voice called her name, and her eyes struggled to focus on the tall figure advancing toward her. Her tired mind struggled to recognize its source. A woman. Important. She gave orders. Sha—no. Angella—Queen Angella, Glimmer's mother. Of course.

She blinked and time jumped, for now the queen was standing directly in front of her. Her expression was—Adora squinted—proud? Worried? Perhaps both. It was hard to tell when she was so… wavy.

A hand on her shoulder brought her attention to the fact that the queen was speaking. "..dora," the voice filtered through. "You should rest." the hand left her shoulder, taking the stray strands of hair that hung in front of her face and gently tucking them behind her ear. "You did well today, Adora."

The motion—the words—

You did well today, Adora.

No. Nononono, no—

She felt her breathing quicken; rapid and panicked. The voice spoke from far away. "Adora? Are you all right?"

Unknowing, inexorable, the hand cupped her face. Red energy crackled across her body—or perhaps it didn't, perhaps it wasn't real, but the pain was real, the barely controlled terror—

NO.

Please…

Adora couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't breathe.

Couldn't breathe…

"Someone, help!"

Catra's ear swiveled involuntarily toward the sound, her gaze following suit. The voice came from just outside the village, where she had left Adora.

Where she had left Adora.

Shit.

She closed the short distance in record time, arriving half a second before a shimmery pink poof announced Glimmer's arrival.

"Adora?" Catra grabbed the girl's shoulders, trying unsuccessfully to draw her attention. Her eyes stared ahead at nothing, her chest working visibly, desperately to draw in a breath but failing every time.

"What happened?" Catra demanded.

"I—I don't know," the queen stammered.

"Nevermind. Doesn't matter." Catra dropped to her knees in front of Adora, hands still on her shoulders. "Adora, you need to breathe, okay?" She grabbed the other girl's hand, placing it just above her sternum. "Breathe with me. In… and out. Slow. Just breathe."

After a few moments of tense silence, a ragged breath burst from Adora's lungs—followed by another, and another. Slowly, following Catra, her breathing acquired a less desperate rhythm. Her gaze found Catra and recognition replaced the blank stare.

"Catra." She sounded small, younger, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I'm s—I'm so sorry, I couldn't stop her—"

Oh.

So that's what she was remembering.

Catra turned and spoke in a low voice over her shoulder. "You need to leave."

"What? Why?"

"Because she thinks you're—" Catra broke off suddenly, unwilling to say the name in such close proximity.

"Oh," Glimmer said in sudden, sickening realization. "She thinks you're Shadow Weaver," she said quietly.

Angella's eyes widened in horror. "Why?"

"It's been a long day," Catra said tiredly, remembering the bursts of oh-so-familiar red energy covering the battlefield. "Don't take it personally. But you need to go."

Glimmer gave another worried glance toward Adora, then took her mother's arm. "Come on, mom." In a poof of bright pink glitter, they were gone.

Catra turned her attention back to Adora, who was starting to lean dangerously to one side.

"Whoa there," Catra said, barely catching her in time. "Watch it."

"Catra," she said as if seeing her for the first time. "I'm sorry… I… are you okay?"

Catra blew out a breath and sat next to her, letting their shoulders collide. At least Adora wouldn't fall over.

"Of course I am, dummy."

"Good. That's… good…"

Her head dropped to Catra's shoulder for a moment before slumping forward, the motion causing an unwanted fear to grip Catra's chest. She shook Adora's shoulder slightly. Her head raised a bit, brow pinched together, mumbling something unintelligible but probably impolite. Catra gave a sigh of mixed amusement, annoyance, and relief.

"Hey, Horse."

An indignant, horsey snort. "My name is Swift Wind."

"Yeah, whatever. Can we get a ride?"

Adora woke with a start, shooting up to a sitting position and glancing around wildly. Her room. Bright Moon. A warm pressure that trapped her feet under their blankets, but had ceased its calming rumbling when she woke… A yellow eye cracked open, glowing in the dark. Its owner gave an exasperated sigh.

"Can't you wake up like a normal person?"

"Sorry," Adora said distractedly, still chasing away the fragments of her dream. A thin blue glow joined its fellow, staring at Adora appraisingly. "What time is it?"

"After midnight."

Wow. It had been early afternoon when the battle finished. Silence filled the room as Adora tried to gather the scattered pieces of her memory.

"Shadow Weaver… she wasn't there, was she?"

"Nope. That would have been Queen Angella."

Adora flushed in embarrassment. "Crap." She flopped back down on the bed. "She must be so insulted."

"I wouldn't worry," Catra said smoothly. "She seems like the annoyingly forgiving type. After all," she stretched lazily, "I'm here."

The response was an unconvinced grunt, followed by a shiver that Catra felt through the bed and Adora curling into a ball on her side.

"She's gone, you know," Catra said quietly. "We're safe here."

No response. Then, quiet, unconvinced: "I know."

Rustling, movement that barely dipped the hard mattress, and suddenly Adora's feet were cold but her back was warm.

Adora let her eyes slip closed, focusing on the warmth that radiated near her. Familiar. Safe. A few minutes later the soft rumbling started again, and she suddenly found it very difficult to remain awake.

For the rest of the night, they both slept a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

catra will end up purring in everything I write because it's adorable, fite me

Let me know if you like it! or if it's full of errors, because I wrote this pretty quickly (for me, anyway :p)