CHAPTER XXV: DRIFTING AWAY
The Horde's new leader…
Catra had always wanted it, she couldn't lie… but then, as she started to chance, Catra realized what it would have meant to become the Horde's leader… what it would have costed her… what it would have made her do. She thought the only way she could have become the leader was to be as ruthless as Hordak… she would have needed to become a monster. But now? Now, as those people chanted her name, she knew… she could be both their leader, and the person she was trying to become.
"Where will we go now?" Ivy asked, speaking for practically every other person around.
"We march on Bright Moon."
"W-what?" A few soldiers murmured.
"W-we can't defeat the Rebellion in this state!"
"The princesses are too strong!"
"They've got She-Ra, we've got only a few tanks!"
"Hey! Shut up! If we have Catra, we're gonna defeat them all!" Ivy turned around and shouted towards the crowd.
However, the small girl quickly turned around as she felt Catra's hand on her shoulder.
"We're not going there to fight them."
"W-what?" Ivy asked in confusion.
That was when a tall, burly soldier emerged from the crowd and stood right in front of Catra.
"Are you suggesting what I'm thinking… kitten?"
Catra heard a few people gasp, and to be honest, if this guy was about to begin a fight, she wasn't really sure she would have been able to take him, not in her current state. Despite that, the feline didn't move an inch, her bored, unimpressed expression never leaving her face.
"Siding with the Rebellion against Prime? Yeah, that's exactly what I'm suggesting right now."
A dreadful silence fell upon the large group surrounding Catra.
"You're… you're a fool!" The large soldier yelled at her face.
The feline didn't back down, in fact, she took a step forwards, an enraged expression taking the place of her previous, bored one. Catra took satisfaction in noticing the hint of fear on the man's face as she stepped closer.
"Tell me then, what would you do?" The cat girl asked the soldier in a mocking tone of voice.
"W-we… we can take this Prime! If we fight him together, we'll-"
Catra didn't let him finish.
"We'll die… that's what will happen."
"You can't know that!" The soldier shouted but decided shut his mouth as Catra grabbed the collar of his uniform.
"Oh yeah?! Then let me tell you what I know. Have you seen Prime's army? Do you know what it's composed of? It's made of his clones, exact copies of Hordak. Now imagine yourself fighting against him. Do you think you could win?"
"I… I…"
"No, you wouldn't. Now imagine these people fighting against a thousand of those clones, a thousand of Hordaks… and those are the numbers a single one of those black ships can carry. When Prime imprisoned me on his station, I could see dozens of those descending towards Etheria. Now answer me, big guy, do you think we can take them?" Catra asked her final question slowly.
…
…
…
"No…" The soldier answered, his voice barely more audible than a whisper.
"Very well then. And to all of you, I don't expect you to be happy about this, but the Rebellion wants Etheria to survive, they want their people to survive… we want the same, so either we collaborate… or we all die. Make your choice." Catra declared, letting go of the tall soldier and starting to make her way towards the Whispering Woods.
After a few moments, she heard engines starting, and the sound of quick steps following her. Lonnie, Kyle, Rogelio and even Ivy quickly reached her side. Lonnie was giving her a small, smug smile, as if she was actually happy that even though Catra had changed, that fire inside her never died, and it never would have.
A few soldiers began to mutter about the fact that they would have all gone lost inside the Whispering Woods, that the strange forest would have never let them go. However, soon enough, the whispers died down. To the few ones who had actually seen the Whispering Woods before, the forest looked completely different now. The woods seemed different, almost as if a clear path had been opened in front of them.
None of the Horde's people got lost during their journey towards Bright Moon.
Not with Catra leading them.
͠
"What do you mean 'I can't do anything else for her'?!" Glimmer screamed in rage.
"Glimmer… please… I-I've done everything I could and-" Castaspella replied weakly.
"Dad." The young queen turned towards her father. "You must know some kind of magic to heal her, please!"
But the old king simply shook his head, lowering his gaze in both shame and sadness.
"N-no… no, no, no! P-please, anyone! T-tell me that… tell me that…" Glimmer's eyes frantically searched for someone who could help.
Everyone's gazes were set on the floor… and so was Shadow Weaver's.
"Can't… can't you do something?" Glimmer asked, her voice smaller than it had ever been.
The red witch simply shook her head.
Glimmer felt tears starting to stream down her cheeks. Adora… her best friend… was about to die. She couldn't accept it. There had to be someone or something that could have helped her! She had already lost her mother… she couldn't lose anyone else.
The young queen let out a ragged breath before she quietly opened the door to Adora's bedroom. She quickly reached the bed and knelt down beside it. Her tears grew only heavier as her gaze set upon Adora's face. It was so pale…
Glimmer gently took the blonde's hand into hers before giving it a light squeeze. Adora slightly shifted her head towards her.
"Glimmer…" She murmured.
Her voice sounded so small… so frail… but despite everything, Adora was still smiling.
"Adora… I… I don't know how to help…" Glimmer tried to hold back her sobs but couldn't prevent them from escaping her lips in the end.
"Please… don't cry." The blonde pleaded.
"And what am I supposed to do?! You're… you're…"
"I know… I knew it the moment I saved her…" Adora chuckled quietly.
"W-why… why did you have to do it?" Glimmer asked as she rubbed her thumb on the girl's hand.
"Because… I couldn't leave her a second time…"
Glimmer pressed her forehead against Adora's hand, letting herself cry as the blonde lightly passed her fingers through the young queen's pink hair. Quietly, the room filled with familiar faces. Bow, Perfuma, Frosta, Mermista, Sea Hawk, Scorpia, King Micah, Huntara, Swift Wind, Netossa and Spinnerella… and… and even Shadow Weaver. They all came around the small bed.
"Bow…" Adora smiled at the sight of the young archer.
"Adora… I… tell me what I can do, I'll do anything… please… just…" Bow rubbed his forehead as he tried to speak coherently.
"Promise me just one thing…"
"Yeah, anything!" The archer replied immediately.
"Watch over Glimmer… be there for her… just like you've always done." Adora asked.
Bow could only nod in response, his hand above his mouth as if to hold back a sob. The blonde slowly moved her head and looked over the princesses. Frosta was clinging to Perfuma's vest, while Mermista's hand was closed around Sea Hawk's in an iron grip. Netossa and Spinnerella were locked in a tight embrace.
"Promise me… you'll all fight… until Etheria will be safe…"
"I promise… I swear I'll fight until the end." Mermista replied, her tone dead serious.
"When we'll win, I'll forever sing of your bravery, Adora." Sea Hawk quietly muttered.
"Don't leave us… please…" Frosta murmured into Perfuma's dress.
"We'll fight… we'll do it together and for Prime it'll be the end." Netossa hissed between her teeth.
"He will pay for this." Huntara growled, tightening her fists.
"A-Adora… how can we do it without you?" Perfuma asked between sobs.
"I know… you'll do great… because I know that what you're doing… is the right thing…" Adora spoke, sounding more and more breathless.
"Don't strain yourself…" King Micah lightly put his hand on the blonde's shoulder.
"Micah… be there for Glimmer… she has already… lost you once… don't ever let her go again…"
"I'll be there for her… always…" The old king gave the pale girl a weak smile.
Adora nodded, before shifting her gaze towards Scorpia. The scorpion princess seemed surprised, Adora had talked to almost everyone in the room, but she didn't expect her to speak to her too.
"Scorpia?"
"Y-yes?" Scopria came closer.
"You've always been there for Catra. When I left her… when I hurt her… you were there. Please… keep being there for her… she deserves to be loved."
"Oh… oh geez… I… I promise I'll never leave her alone!" Scorpia promised, her voice audibly cracking, tears starting to pool in her eyes.
"Swifty…" Adora raised her hand towards the steed, beckoning him.
Swift Wind came closer, pressing his snout into her hand.
"I would have loved… to see your 'horses' revolution'… take place…" The blonde quietly cackled.
"Oh… Adora…" Swift Wind closed his eyes.
Adora rubbed his snout a couple times before noticing Shadow Weaver coming closer. Swift Wind moved aside, and the red witch found herself staring down at her dying daughter. What she felt in that exact moment… it was something she had never felt before… it was a strange mixture of anger, sadness and… remorse. The witch found herself tightening her fists.
"Why… why did you throw away your life? What for?" Shadow Weaver murmured.
"For her." Adora answered, a hardened expression taking the place of her previous smile.
"It wasn't worth it… Catra wasn't worth it…" The witch hissed through gritted teeth.
"I don't expect you to understand. You've never truly loved anyone… not her… not me."
"I… I… you…" Shadow Weaver stuttered.
The red witch became silent, then, after a few moments she turned around and quickly left the room.
"G-Glimmer?"
"Adora?" The young queen immediately sat down beside the blonde.
"Please… can you do me o-one last f-favor?"
"Anything!" Glimmer reached for Adora's hand and held it tight between her own.
"All of you… stay… stay until I… I don't want to be alone…" Adora's voice trembled.
"Of course we'll stay!" The young queen quickly replied.
"We won't leave you." Bow came closer.
"Don't be afraid Adora, we're here." Perfuma whispered, as everyone came around the small bed.
They're here…
They're here… with me…
My family's here…
Can I go now?