Where Do We Go From Here?

Kitatanya

Chapter 35

A/N: Thank you for your support. We'll talk more at the end.

Read on, loves.

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Catra woke to Melog's gentle nuzzling and thunderous purring. Adora was below her and her mate's steady heartbeat was in her ear. The scent and feel and sound of her was all she wanted right now.

'Morning has come and gone, my precious ones.' Melog's quiet murmuring was full of love and she knew they were nuzzling Adora now too.'Wake and know the world once more. We have visitors coming.'

At that, she finally pulled her mind free of slumber. "Who's coming?" Adora asked sleepily as she lifted her head from her chest to blink over at them too.

Melog smiled their gentle version of a smile. 'Our young queen and her arrow have already been up and busy and have something they wish to discuss with you before your day fully begins.' Their tone was full of the joy and wonder they'd held when revealing the news of the tiny, new life now growing in Glimmer's womb, a token and a legacy of the love between their friends.

She was purring deeply at the thought and looked down at her mate. Adora's sleepy eyes were flashing with love and wonder and joy to reflect her own. And also there in those sparkling blue eyes was a gentle longing there just like her own, for the day someday far in the future when they would have a tiny little life all their own to love and cherish. She was leaning down to kiss her mate as Adora was leaning up to kiss her too and that slow, sleepy kiss was everything and beyond.

Melog's purring surged louder as they retreated from the bed, letting she and Adora just indulge in this perfect moment for as long as they could. There was a lot they had to do today, besides the tasks they hadn't completed last night. There was work to be done and friends to meet with and things to discuss. The turning of the tide Glimmer had spoken of was just the beginning.

For the first time since they'd woken from their darkness, Catra felt a true sense of the ending of this war through the smoke that had been all she'd been able to see before. It had happened so very quickly that it left a part of her reeling. Just a few days ago, she and her mate had been despairing at the lack of what they could do.

In just these few little days, so very much had happened. So very much. And there had been barely any time to really stop and process it all.

She knew that between she and Adora, all of these new emotions and these new promises they felt were because of the soul-bond. Time meant nothing when they were lost in the bond. Days, weeks, of conversation happened in moments and in minutes. For all that they'd truly had so very short a time to be together, this blinding bond between them that she was reaching for even now, let them have that time in a way she was only just realizing now. As Adora's mind tumbled together with hers in that shared space of nearly one mind, she felt her process and see it like she did and the wonder that filled them then was nothing short of profound. Just because they might not be able to give in to every urge and just because they might have to be apart sometimes in the future like they had before, being able to have this bond, this connection so rich and deep in one another that only accented the way they felt...

A sudden thought occurred then, at how very lucky they were to have it, because others in their lives, even Glimmer and Bow for all the desperate and surging love between them, would never be able to have this experience like they were now. For all that they'd lamented at not having time in one another, no one around them had that time either. But this bond, this wondrous and awing cord that connected them through the everything that they were, let them have all of this where others did not and it was something to be cherished and amazed by like they already had been since the moment it had blazed to life between them.

The fact that their friends and the people around them seemed to be growing almost as quickly as they themselves without this wondrous connection? I rocked them and wondered them all at the same time. Yes, they had had those long days to grow while they'd been lost, but the conversations and love and all of these shared memories and thoughts between them, spanned mental years inside themselves. All it seemed to take was one word or experience or feeling, to send them rocketing forward within their hearts and minds.

And almost more awing to each of them, was the fact that even with all of this, even with their thoughts flowing so fluidly in one another that sometimes they could scarcely tell which of their minds they came from, they were still different people. They both had fears and doubts and likes and interests that differed from each other, even as they shared them while they were tumbling together in their bond. The both of them still had deeps that they had not even discovered within themselves, much less discovered in each other. They were still so young in the scope of the actual time they'd walked separately through the experiences of their lives. And again, this time they'd actually had in one another was so truly brief.

There was still more growing the both of them had to do. They had only barely reached twenty years of life and neither of them was even sure of the actual date of their birth. It was a thought they'd never had before, because to them, it hadn't truly mattered. But now, they saw it, and they wondered at it. How much more did they really have left to discover in themselves and in each other?

It was a thrill sparking through the everything that they were. In all that they'd shared and faced and still had to face, this life they lead was insane and terrifying and wondering all at once. It was spark to join their promise, though it had already blazed there before these thoughts and they knew it now for what it was. Never were they more complete than when they were together, in mind, in body, or in soul.

And with that thought, they tugged apart along the bond, wanting that distance that was as special as this closeness they cherished. This time, they did not stop in that place of close conversation, but tugged further. Like yesterday among the clones, they decided all at once to try something new, because they wanted to know everything between them and to explore while they had the chance. The place they felt now, would be a true conversation between their minds. They'd get to enjoy reading each other without this bond they shared and would still get to share their secret words in this way they cherished too when they wanted.

When they let go and Catra settled into the fuzzy warmth of her own mind, she immediately rekindled their kiss without even opening her eyes. Adora was surging up into it with everything she was and again, it was perfect like it always, always was. I love you. She let all those feelings that were muted by this new distance fill those all-important words, and felt Adora's body rock beneath her as she deepened their kiss.

I love you, Catra. And she was drowning in the power of those words almost more than she'd been drowning before and she was clinging to her mate even more fiercely than she had been all at once.

Then, from beyond themselves, Melog let out a tiny, apologetic chuff a moment before a soft knocking sounded at the door. Glimmer and Bow were here and they had to stop, but all she could feel was happy right now and saw all of that happiness blazing in Adora's eyes as they broke that kiss. She was laughing as she rolled off of her, twisting her body so that the momentum of it surged her to her feet. Her belly rumbled again, but she wanted to see her friends more than she wanted food right now. Behind her, Adora was laughing right along with her and she heard the rustling of the covers and the growling of her stomach too as she stalked to the door to let them in.

She opened it, still smiling and saw their expressions brighten at seeing her so happy. The delight she felt at seeing them only shot a measure higher. "Come in." She murmured, trying to stifle a purr as she stepped back to let them do so.

She didn't quite manage it and saw a slightly giddy flash go through Bow's eyes as Adora sighed a laugh behind her. She hissed playfully at him as she shut the door and as Melog immediately shifted to draw a rune over the door, she decided she wanted more laughter from her mate before anything else. She flashed Glimmer and Bow a cheeky wink and spun, leaping for Adora. Her mate was just then rising and only had time to let out a squeak of surprise before she tackled her back onto the bed. Without giving her time to recover, she flipped over her, hooked her arms underneath Adora's. Adora recovered enough to let out a peal of surprised laughter and clumsily helped her as she pulled her stunned and blushing mate up to the head of the bed with a quick motion. Then, she sat, pulling her mate back against her body between her legs, Just wanting to hold her in a new way now like they to wanted to explore these new places along their bond.

Grinning her mischief and her happiness at their now laughing friends, she gestured for them to sit at the foot of it before winding both arms around Adora's body. Laughing, happy and loving and looking as relaxed as she felt, they came to do so, kicking off their shoes before crawling up onto the bed. Her smile shot wider as Bow mirrored her position, drawing a happy and blushing Glimmer to lean back into his chest. As she did so, his hands cupped over her belly and Glimmer's hands were covering his in an instant with a wondering sigh.

She did not try to check her resurgent purring at the sight of their now tender expressions and Adora's fingers were tightening in the fur and flesh of her arms around her. "We're so happy for you guys." Her mate murmured.

They beamed at them and now Bow was blushing lightly too. "I can't say we planned this, but we're happy too." He laughed.

Glimmer squeezed his hands, letting out a laugh the moment Adora did. Then, she looked to Melog who was purring where they were curled up near the bed, watching them all with eyes that sparkled with happiness and love and wonder too. "Thank you, Melog." She murmured fervently. "If you hadn't told us the truth about why I was sick, I'm not sure what we would have done."

Melog lifted their head and gave her their version of a gentle smile, before looking to them. 'Tell her it was an honor to be the one to deliver the joyous news of their little light.'

Hearing that descriptor for that little life inside Glimmer, sent a tender pang right to her heart. Adora let out a low adoring sound that was almost a coo. "Melog!" She squeaked, reaching out a hand towards them.

Melog let out a chuff of laughter and immediately joined them on the bed to press against them as Adora wrapped both arms around their neck. Catra couldn't help laughing and hugging her mate tighter against her for a giddy moment as she leaned forward enough to nuzzle Melog's cheek. Melog was purring thunderously as they brushed kiss over her mate's cheek, before turning to brush one over hers. As they settled beside them, laying their head over Adora's lap, she and her mate both stroked them softly, and she knew Adora was just wanting to give them attention and be close like she wanted right now too.

Then she looked up at Glimmer and Bow to see them watching them with affection and a gentle confusion in equal measure and flashed them a grin. "They said to tell you it was an honor to be the one to deliver the news of your little light." She repeated, saying the tender words in an echo of Melog's tone.

Glimmer flashed Melog such a tender look then it was almost pained and Bow's hands squeezed a little tighter on her belly. "Our little light." He murmured wonderingly, eyes sparkling. "I think I really like that nickname." He leaned forward then and gentled a kiss over her cheek.

At his words and the action, Glimmer's eyes were suddenly sparkling with happy tears and she closed them against them, leaning back a little heavier against him. "Me too." The words were a breathless waver of sound.

Adora was pushing back against her, reaching up to wind their fingers of their free hands together. Catra was purring even louder and didn't try to check the sound as she squeezed her mate's fingers in hers. This moment was special and she never wanted it to end. She wanted this memory to never, ever fade. Being able to share moments like this with the people that she loved, her friends, her mate, and Melog… It was wonder, always wonder, and she loved it.

But then, Glimmer let out a happy sigh and blinked open her eyes. "Okay." As she said the word, her eyes flashed with humor and love. "We didn't just come to hang out and cuddle, no matter how nice it is." She chuckled at the words and Glimmer grinned, before getting serious. "First things first, we've decided to keep the baby a secret from the others and the people for now. We're going to tell Bow's dads and I want to go to Mystacor so I can tell mine and I really want Aunt Castaspella to be the one who checks my health. But besides them, Frosta is the only one other than you three that we're telling." Catra had been pleased to hear of their wish to tell their parents and the mention of Castaspella. But upon the mention of Frosta being the only one of their friends that would know, she blinked, surprised and felt Adora stiffen ever so slightly with it too. Glimmer smiled again, but it wasn't quite a happy one and Bow wrapped his arms fully around her. "When I started getting sick… we didn't know what was wrong. I've never been sick before, not really. The glitching didn't count." Catra had to fight not to tense further at the vague reference to her dark past. Adora sensed it squeezed her fingers, offering reassurance, but thankfully, Glimmer didn't seem to notice as she continued.

"It scared us. A lot. It doesn't really happen often, but teleporting makes it worse a lot of the time. That's what happened last night, why I paused between trips. Didn't wait long enough obviously…" She muttered, then she shook her head. "I had a spell after taking Entrapta and Hordak back to Dryl and Frosta saw me sick. She was really worried, but Bow and I kind've brushed it off… I feel bad about it now, but at the time, I was just kind've hoping I'd just get better and everything would be fine, but…" She trailed off and her expression grew more than a little grim as she continued. "That's what made me start thinking differently about the war, about the people, and wanting to take every opportunity I could to make sure things were as secure as I could make them. If my sick didn't go away, I wanted my home to be safe. It's what made me think about the mission you guys are taking now, to take the charms all over Etheria. I just… if anything happened to me, if I didn't get better, you were the ones I knew I wanted to take over after me. All I wanted was the best thing for Etheria. But then… when you guys told me about… her." She shuddered as she said the word and now, neither she or Adora could hide their sudden tension. But again, Glimmer was shaking her head to clear her thoughts and she continued.

"I had a really bad spell after I got back. Almost as bad as last night. Hearing about that and being sick… I'd already had Frosta with me when a lot of my diplomatic meetings since the start of the war. She'd been running the Kingdom of Snows for years now and I'll admit, having her with me made things a lot easier sometimes. She's really smart, for all that she hides it and you both know how strong she is. And knowing you guys couldn't stay here, because you had to go face that horrible thing…" Again, she shivered, trailing off.

Bow was squeezing her tighter again, and now he spoke, his face an expressionless mask. "Obviously, I didn't like any of this, the way Glimmer was thinking, but I couldn't deny her want to keep our home safe." He was speaking flatly as he said the words, no hint of emotion in his tone. But there in his eyes was a desperation and she knew he'd had to distance himself to be able to speak. "And asking you to take over as She-Ra, just in case, was what we both wanted. But after hearing that, Frosta was the logical next choice to take over Etheria if something had happened or the sickness started getting worse. She'd already been with us a lot, but after that, Glimmer and I told her the truth about how sick she was getting and she started training to really take over. Brightmoon would no longer be the capital of Etheria and Frosta would rule from the Kingdom of Snows."

Glimmer squeezed his arms, holding him in the only way she could at the moment. "It wasn't a choice I wanted to make, but it was something I felt like I needed to do." The words were firm, even where they were a little desperate too. "You guys were right when you said Etheria needed a Queen now more than ever and I had to make sure I was setting contingencies. Frosta would make a good Queen. She would have held Etheria together, like she held together the Kingdom of Snows after her parents passed when she was so young. We'd already decided to tell you the truth last night when things had calmed down, but then… well, what happened, happened, and now we know I'm not actually sick." And there was wonder again in her tone as she looked down at her belly and Bow was curling into her, his expressionless mask crumbling into an almost painfully tender expression as he lay his head on her shoulder and squeezed his eyes shut. Glimmer leaned into him, leaning her head against his and closed her eyes too and she could see them both fighting tears.

Catra was all but reeling, seeing and hearing how terrified they'd been and knowing now a part of why Glimmer had been so very shaken when she and Adora had told her about Catalyst. She felt even more guilty now, for letting her anger get the better of her and drawing Adora into telling her in such a harsh and open way now. The pain that she and Adora had thought she and Bow were in, was nothing compared to what they'd actually been going through. Hearing it all and seeing the things Glimmer had done, all of the decisions she'd made on top of all of this… she was even more amazed by her than she and Adora had been before. The strength and the vehemence of Glimmer's imperial attitude, the way she saw and seized opportunities like they kept seeing her do… it all made sense now in a way it hadn't before, even as it had already made them so proud for her to see it.

Glimmer and Bow had thought she was dying. Neither of them had said it, but their attitudes from last night, how much they'd seen Glimmer missing Bow after she'd met Ramel, the agony on Bow's face when she'd walked towards those Enlightened clones all alone… So many of their recent actions and subtle looks, she saw in a new way now and it rocked her all the way to her core. She felt a pulse from the bond and reached for it in an instant. Adora didn't tug, so she just clung to the bond too, and their thoughts tumbled together in a storm of awe and relief and comprehension. Her mate was seeing it all too and she felt the terror in her mind for what might have been. But it was over now. Glimmer wasn't really sick and the truth was another wonder above it all.

Gratitude for Melog filled them then, for knowing the truth of Glimmer's illness somehow, as they felt them pressing closer, purring that healing, loving timbre to hold them safe and steady. They reached in a simultaneous motion to resume their interrupted petting, letting themselves fill with all of it so that Melog could feel the full strength of it. 'I knew because of magic.' Melog's voice was a near silent whisper that only one of their sets of ears could make out. 'Magic tells truths that cannot be seen or heard or felt with your normal senses alone. You know this in She-Ra. I forget that you cannot see these things outside of what her shining spirit lets you, for I am a great fool. Perhaps there is more to tell you, when next we are alone and have time to speak.'

As they whispered the somehow heavy words, Glimmer spoke softly again before they could truly register them. They would remember them though and ponder them later. "Thank you again, Melog." Bow echoed her in another murmur.

Melog chuffed a soft laugh, but did not lift their head. They read that chuff loud and clear and it made them smile. "The honor is mine." They translated immediately, looking up to shoot those smiles at their friends. Melog's tail lashed happily and they nuzzled closer to the one, but they knew the act was for the both of them, for understanding.

Bow and Glimmer were smiling happily too and, with a thought, they let go the bond to separate once more as Bow spoke again. "Okay. We have to go pretty soon, but there are a few other things we'd like to talk to you about before we do." He was all business again as he said the words and Catra was amused. All of them were big balls of mush right now in these intimate moments, letting their emotions get the best of them when there was work to be done.

"Right." Glimmer spoke the word and she was all business again too and she felt her mate perk a bit from the daze Catra knew her mind was in. "First things first, we're headed to pick up Bow's fathers on the way to Mystacor and we'd like to ask you guys for a favor while we're gone if that's alright?" She and Adora both nodded immediately and they both smiled at the simultaneously at the instant response. "You're going to like this favor, I promise." Glimmer laughed.

"Hordak and Entrapta don't have one of the communication charms on them, which was our bad for forgetting." Bow's tone was apologetic. "We didn't have many then and we'd already handed out the ones that were made, so…" Already, she knew what they were going to ask and she could not help the happy trill at the thought and Adora made a happy sound under her breath in almost the same instant.

Glimmer was immediately smiling brighter. "Well that answers that, but I'm asking anyway." She laughed. "We're were wondering if you guys would go along with the mages we're sending to Dryl to take them the new information and the vehicles and give them this." She pulled a glittering purple charm from her pocket. "You've seen enough to explain how they work, right?"

She canted her head to the side as Adora answered. "Kinda." She said tentatively, catching the charm as Glimmer tossed it to her. "But Entrapta probably won't need any explanations."

Catra took it from her to put in her own pocket, because she knew her mate didn't want to force Melog to move. As she did so, she had a sudden thought and snorted a laugh. "You'll be lucky if she doesn't try to dissect the thing." As she said the words, she and Adora dissolved into laughter and Melog's rumbling purr was full of it too.

Bow's eyebrows shot so high on his forehead, she thought they'd fly from his face and Glimmer's eyes looked as if they'd bug from her head. "Yeah, maybe give it to Hordak instead." Bow said quickly.

The words and their expressions had them laughing harder and a moment later, Bow and Glimmer were laughing too, just as hard as they were. For a long moment, that was all there was, but then, she felt Adora stiffen with a sudden gasp that cut her laughter short. "I almost completely forgot, but one of the new clones knows a lot about those vehicles. We were going to tell you about it last night when you got back." Catra was shaking her head in self-chastisement, even as pride filled her for her mate's quick thinking.

"That's amazing!" Glimmer cried. "Do you think he'd agree to go with you to Dryl?"

Adora glanced back at her and they shared an excited look, before her mate turned back to look at them. "He will if we ask Ramel to go with us." Her tone was full of warmth and excitement. "We wanted him to meet Hordak anyway. I'm sure if we asked the others, they'd stay with Dak for a time. Or we can ask our friends to look after them." She squeezed their linked fingers together as she said the words

Catra was immediately more excited at the thought of getting to spend a little time with Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle like they'd wanted to last night. She squeezed Adora tighter with the arm still about her waist, her excitement and love for her mate sending her spinning into that giddy place inside her head, and she was unable to hide what she knew was a silly grin. Adora almost always saw with her heart and she loved it. Glimmer and Bow let out a peal of soft laughter at the sight.

"I love it when a plan comes together." Bow chuckled.

As he said the words, Glimmer was pulling away from him to sit along the edge of the bed. "We're going to get going then." Melog rose and flowed from the bed, ready to destroy their rune, while Glimmer kicked on her shoes. Bow moved to sit beside her to do the same and as they stood, he immediately drew her against his side. Glimmer sent him a loving smile and slipped an arm around his waist and they turned as one to face them. "Everything here is mostly being handled, so you don't have to worry about anything." She knew from Adora this tone Glimmer was using now was her 'mom' voice. Hearing it upon knowing she was actually going to be a mother now, had her smiling fondly, even as she payed sharp attention as she continued. "Frosta will be in charge of things while we're gone, so if you need anything contact her. And she'll contact Melog or us if anything happens. Scorpia and Perfuma are helping Dak's people again and his new brothers are already on duty in the building the Mayor let us use for our injured. They're fitting right in." Her tone was wondering as she said it and it made Catra smile with a rush of affection. "Ramel and his brothers were still in their building when we came back. It's the only one with a red roof bordering the town square, so you can't miss it. If they're not, you can always contact him on the charm. Mermista had the troops set up in the small part at the south-western corner of the city before she came here last night. The mayor offered them lodging, but most of them just set up their tents, so your friends will probably be there too. If not, someone there will know where they are. And I wasn't able to contact Spinnerella and Netossa, but I've left a message with one of their mages and they should be here with the rest of their forces by the time we all get back tonight."

Bow squeezed her shoulder affectionately. "Or, you know, if you guys decide to stay the night in Dryl, that's okay too." He said softly. Catra was suddenly excited about that prospect and she saw Adora's cheek dimple with a huge smile.

Glimmer beamed at Bow before glancing back to speak. "Yes. Just let Frosta know what you decide so that she doesn't worry and can let us know. Okay?"

"Will do." Adora replied immediately as Catra nodded.

Almost without warning, Glimmer and Bow stepped forward and Adora was sitting up so that they could both reach for them. Glimmer and Bow squeezed them and she and her mate squeezed them back tightly too. "We love you guys." Glimmer murmured.

"We love you too." Adora murmured back.

When they pulled away, Catra's heart felt strangely heavy and she felt that heavy feeling from Adora as she leaned back against her. Glimmer and Bow's expressions were a little bittersweet too. They cast one last fond glace at Melog, who smiled with a deep, happy purr, before arcing up onto their hind legs to swipe a paw over the rune. As soon as the magic dissipated, they were gone in a sparkling burst of Glimmer's magic.

Before they could do or say anything else, Melog was suddenly looking at them with a firm expression that had them both stiffening nervously in an instant. 'Before you do anything else this day, you shall eat.' They growled, tone brooking no arguments and that familiar parental twinkle sparkling in their eyes.

A rush of relief filled her as she realized Melog wasn't mad at them again and she felt Adora relax against her with a relieved sigh. They shared a glance and Catra saw an amused and childlike sparkling in Adora's eyes that made her grin again, because she felt the same. A moment later, the both of them were giggling and Catra nuzzled into her mate's laughing cheek as she squeezed her tight, just wanting to be closer to her in that happy little moment.

Melog let out a chuff somewhere between a laugh and a growl. 'Sillies.' They snorted. The chiding tone of that loving word had the both of them laughing even harder.

But now again, Catra could feel her own hunger and Adora's stomach was rumbling right alongside hers as they moved towards the edge of the bed. Melog was right. They'd grown too used to being hungry and they needed to remember more often to keep up their strength. Maybe if they remembered to care for themselves more, they wouldn't become so very drained during emergencies like they always seemed to do.

It was an interesting thought that had her chiding herself all over again and at once, she wanted her mate to share it with her. We're idiots. She mumbled though the bond, letting it flow with the words.

Adora barely had time to send her a grimacing smile of agreement and self-chastisement, before Melog let out a heavy sigh. 'Yes.' That one word held a universe of relief. 'You have all of the spiritual nourishment you need in each other and those of us around you and in the shining spirit who lives through you and shares with us her power. But your bodies need this nourishment too, for they are where all of this energy comes from. I am just as at fault as you are, for you know I do not often need to eat. The bulk of my nourishment comes from magic and I forget you must often eat too. But I have made myself a promise to remind you when you forget, and this promise I will keep.' Again, the words were a rumbling growl.

It made her smile again and Adora was smiling too. Then, she watched as Adora looked around the room and her smile faded. Then she sighed and looked over at her with another grimace. "We forget a lot of things, because we don't even have our gear." As she said the words, she was reaching up to untie her hair.

Catra could only watch for a moment as she began running her fingers through it. Then, she wanted to feel all that soft hair herself. "Let me." The word were a purr as she moved to sit behind her again.

Adora paused and then let her hand fall limply into her lap and Catra felt her body sag a little as she began running her claws and fingers through her golden locks. She didn't indulge long, even though she knew they could have both sat like this all day, but she made sure she got every tiny snarl and tangle from her mate's hair. Feeling more than a little fuzzy as she finished, she just wanted to hold Adora close one more time before they had to part.

She traced her hands around her mate's shoulders and buried her face in all that freshly combed hair she loved to indulge in, nuzzling through it to place a soft kiss against Adora's neck. One of Adora's hands came up, holding her arms tightly around her as she leaned back and Catra felt her fingers began running through her own hair and massaging her scalp. Her purring surged louder at the gentle pleasure of the sensation. It was only a moment later that Adora let her hands fall and Catra let her go so that she could stand up.

Her mate didn't look back at her as she stepped toward the mirror over the chest of drawers across the room. But Catra had felt the flush of her body and knew even before seeing the darkness of her eyes in her reflection, why she didn't. It was the same reason she waited right where she was until her mate had finished tying up her hair. Then, those darkened eyes met hers in that reflection a moment later and she saw her own thought in that reflected hungry gaze; soon.

Steadier now, she stood and Adora turned to reach for her hand as she joined her. With matching smiles of love and understanding, they stepped to the door and Catra opened it, letting Melog and her mate precede her, before closing it behind them. Melog was already walking away with purpose and she and Adora followed them without hesitation. They would eat and then go do what needed to be done, but still that eternal hunger for her mate was smoldering low in her core and she could feel it in Adora even without touching the bond. After the day's tasks were done, Catra was planning to be more than a little selfish and the subtle and satisfied smile on Adora face mirrored that thought perfectly.

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And there we go. Thank you for reading. And now, I speak. I apologize now if my tone is a little more harsh than usual as I do, but I have been shaken, loves, by things outside this realm of words.

As has happened before, the muses guide me to reveal to you that parts of this chapter- just like parts of ones before and ones to come- were already written some time ago. And the reason I've been compelled to share this, is again to reassure you that there is a plan in place. Every single step of this journey is laid out, all that is left is for me to lay the stones I need to make the path to the destination between those steps.

Just like in our lives, some things happen in a flash and some things take time, so too are the events in the lives of the characters in this story. Not everything can be explained all at once and some things, we might never fully understand. But, just like them, if we just keep pushing forward, we will learn all the truths we can and will gain the wisdom to accept and appreciate the mystery of the things we don't.

For some reason, a lot of people seem to feel the need to criticize this journey I am sharing and that is perfectly okay. I take criticism with a grain of salt and use it as a tool to better myself. I am only human and I make plenty of mistakes, which I apologize for often. One thing I refuse to apologize for though, is the direction and the contents of this journey. These characters and this world are not mine, but this particular after story and the words I share here are.

All I want is to finish this journey and I will see it done. Delays, mistakes, and life be damned, I refuse to stop. You might all see this as just a fanfiction, and it is, but this is my work and it is the only work I have right now and I take pride in it. It might not be the story you want, but it is the story I am sharing. I've tried my best to be gentle and kind, but I felt the need to be blatant now.

I don't say this in an attempt to be mean or to be harsh, because you are valid and you are important and your opinions are all your own, I just want you all to understand. These words are important to me and I have no intention of changing anything until after this journey is complete, if I even change it at all. I have spoken to some of you already personally about this in different degrees, so don't think these words are directed at you. I'm saying this in general, because I just don't have the mental capacity or the energy -or the constant internet connection- to reply to every review and message, no matter how much I'd like to. And, on that note, I'll also from now on be posting less author's notes, until moments like these when the muses guide me to speak.

Regardless to all, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope those of you that are along for the ride, continue to enjoy our journey as we keep pressing forward. Again, we have a long way to go and I can't wait to share more with those of you who simply wish to read what I wish to share.

Until next time, loves. Please, stay safe and read on. Ja.