Traveling back to the castle was uneventful. Catra still felt a little strange how people would turn and watch them as they continued to walk but she was traveling with the king and queen. It was natural to expect little annoyances like this. Besides she would have to get used to strange treatment anyway considering her new position.

Catra supposed it was time to digest that information. She was a fucking princess. If it was not for the traumatic memories of being abducted that still burned in her skull she would not have believed such a ridiculous notion. But lo and behold it was true. She was a princess, and now she had to learn how to act like one. …. How in the fucking name of hell was she going to do that!?

Scorpia knew she was not the brightest stun baton in the armory. Despite what everyone in the Horde thought of her, and her sunny outlook she was not blind to how the people around her felt. All it took was a glance to see the dread and nervousness plaguing her bestie. Wanting nothing more than to ease the girl's fears, Scorpia without any warning scooped Catra up into one of her mighty hugs.

"Ack Scorpia what the heck!" Catra shrieked in shock at the sudden public display of affection. "Put me down! People are watching!"

"It's okay Wildcat." Scorpia smiled. She knew deep down Catra needed the hugs as much as she hated to admit to it. It was also obvious that the Magicat's heart was already taken, and the Scorpioni already had a good guess by who. "This isn't the Horde and I could tell you needed it, don't worry you will make an amazing princess."

Catra stopped fighting stunned by how easily Scorpia of all people was able to read her emotions. "How did you even-"

"I'm a good judge of emotions." Scorpia cut off the thought and let Catra down. " And you are already a good leader, just act like a Force Captain but with more smiles and less yelling! That should work right?"

Catra had to laugh. This girl, Scorpia who Catra had shunned and treated like both of more than a nuisance was exactly what she needed in this emotionally harrowing time.

"Hey Scorpia?" Catra looked over to the spiky woman. "You're a good friend."

The beaming in Scorpia's eyes was enough to let Catra know she had said the right thing.

"I do not know if I can agree." Entrapta added in unintentionally ruining the moment.

Catra winced at being called out so bluntly at not being princess material. It kinda hurt but Entrapta was the only one of the three who had any clue what it meant to be a princess so she was the expert here.

"What do you mean?!" Scorpia semi-yelled. "Catra is too good enough to be a princess!"

"Yeah she should be fine I do not know why you are yelling?" Entrapta started confusing the two.

"Um you just said you didn't think I would be good at it…." Catra said Thinking the geek princess needed a refresher.

"Hmm I don't recall saying that.." Entrapta replied thinking back on her conversation before realization hit her face. "Ooooooh you thought it meant her qualifications when I disagreed.. no she will make a fine princess. I was referring to the less shouting, from what I could gather from my social experience with the other princesses of etheira is that they get into shouting matches a lot."

This put the ex-horde women at ease. Entrapta wasn't doubting Catra's abilities to lead . On the contrary the purplenette thought she would fit right in that alone was surprising for Catra to even consider.

"She's not wrong." Cyra interjected reminding Catra that there was an audience to their little talk. "When I was in the allience things would ALWAYS devolve Into petty squabbles until someone knocked our heads together." The queen laughed as though she remembered the days of great fondness despite everything apparently going crazy whenever they met up.

As they entered the castle perimeter Catra notices the sway of a small yellow tail on one of the buttresses. She smiled remembering how she herself would find a nice secluded high up space to relax on when she was a kid… Actually as she thought about it she realized she would still do that. Catra looked up at her and waved only for the ball of yellow fluff to scurry away from the motion.

Catra's ears flattened at scaring the kid away. She shrugged and supposed it made sense, if she were that young and thinking she was stealthy she would have probably hid in embarrassment at being noticed as well.

"So what's up with Kaita?" Catra asked as she looked to Cyra and Leondus for advice. "She seemed really energetic at dinner but since then she has kinda been l.. I don't know...distant? Is that normal for her?"

"No she is normally very eager to play with anyone who visits the castle." Cyra replied. " Perhaps she's not used to people staying or more likely she is acclimating to having a big sister. Give her some time and I'm sure everything will turn out just fine."

Catra took Cyra's advice and waited. The wait was quite tedious and was not looking to show any results. Any time Catra would spot the little cub and either approach her or just acknowledge her in any way, Kaita would once again just run off.

After the 5th attempt to get Kaita to speak with her Catra had had enough. As Kaita went to run Catra chased after her. And the older magicat was forced to admit her kid sister was incredible. Kaita was sprinting on all fours and dodging between corridors and objects to throw off her pursuer. Had it been anyone but a determined Catra the elder princess would easily believe the girl to be nearly uncatchable.

The chase seemed to last almost an hour with neither hunter or prey giving any slack until a twist of fate (or a lazy maid) had left some of the floor still wet and slippery. This causes the two kittens to skid into each other and end up in a pile of somewhat interlocked limbs. After the initial shock at what had transpired had faded from either of the children's minds both princesses began to cackle at the stupidity of it all.

"You are not a bad runner kid." Catra laughed, still trying to break the ice. She then looked over at the little girl who was still looking at Catra as though she was going to attack her.

Catra did not like that look one bit. For whatever reason her sister was terrified of her and she could not understand why. And what was worse, all she could see while looking at the little kitten was the child version of herself looking up in fear. Which made Catra look to be Shadow Weaver in her own eyes and that was not something she wanted to be seen as by anybody.

"Hey uh Kaita right?" Catra asked and watched the scared kitten nod and swish her tail. "Look whatever I did to make you so afraid of me wasn't intentional so.. yeah l...you can stop being spooked."

Kaita looked at her stunned and confused. ""What you did?" You mean you don't hate me?"

Catra understandably blinked at the question that seemed to have come out of nowhere. "What the- why would I hate you? We just met kid."

Kaita looked down and trembled In a way Catra knew from experience was her trying to hold back tears and sobs. "B-because it's my fault… I'm the reason you were kidnaped…"

Catra's world stopped. What the hell did she mean? This kid, her baby sister, she was somehow the reason she was forced to grow up in the abyssal dredge that was the Horde? Catra took one look at her and banished such thoughts from her mind. Kaita was only 12 years old, she would not have even been born by the time. No there had to be something else going on for the kitten to think she was responsible for this.

Catra looked at her and spoke In a soft yet serious tone. "How exactly did you figure that my disappearance was because of you?

"B-because momma was pregnant with me…". Kaita explained her voice already hoarse trying to hold back her whimpering. " I-if not for me mom would have been there with you, the horde wouldn't have been able to capture you! There is no way mom would have lost to them!"

Kaita's nose then picked up a familiar sour scent. She looked to her sister's hands and gulped. Catra had clenched her hands so hard with her claws extended that blood was dripping from her palms. Kaita could feel Catra shaking in rage. She closed her eyes, and prepared herself for the worst.

"Kaita.." Catra spoke nearly monotone with a hint of seething anger. The taller Magicat stepped forward getting really close to Kaita. " I never! EVER!.."

Here it comes… Kaita thought to herself prepared to be pummeled.

"...Want to hear you say that AGAIN!" Kaita felt a tight warmness envelop her. She opened her eyes to see Catra had wrapped her up in a big tight hug.

"The only people who are to blame for what happened are the Horde, damn it Kaiia how could you ever think that it was your fault!" Catra let the tears roll down her face as she comforted her baby sis.

That damnable witch.. Catra thought. Her fucking poison spread even to those she had never met.. Catra continued to hold the crying child and did something Adora would always do for her whenever she was really sad and began to softly scratch Kaita behind the right ear. The effect was almost instantaneous nas Catra felt the little princess purr and nuzzle into pets still sniveling.

"Please Kaita listen to me when I tell you this.. you are a gift okay?" Catra began while tightening the hug. "I got captured and it sucked. But without you mom and dad would have had no one."

Kaita looked up at Catra with misty eyes. She never thought to think of herself that way, that she was what kept her parents from falling apart, it felt strange to think about but it made a lot of sense the way her sister said it.

"Promise me you will talk to me if you ever feel like this again okay?" Catra asked.

"I promise.." Kaita nodded and curled up deeper into her sister's arms. Soon the magikitten had fallen asleep to her older siblings' purrs.

Catra was enraged by how much pain the Horde had caused her family but KAITA?! The poor girl lived her life convinced that she was somehow the reason her big sister was stolen and that sickened Catra to her core.

Catra was under no illusion that she was a good person. She felt she had a lot to make up for, but even so even if she was not good she was going to do everything in her power to make certain Kaita would never feel so weak ever again. She had already felt that once growing up and she was going to make sure the kitten was never subjugated to such feelings if she could save her from them.

Catra then lifted the sleeping kit into her arms and walked with her back to Kaita's room where she deposited the young Magicat onto the bed and proceeded to rub Kaita's belly until Catra was convinced the child was having pleasant dreams

As Catra went to pull her hand away Kaita in her sleep latched on and refused to let go. Catra could only stop And smile at the adorable display of affection. Normally she would have never allowed such a cuteness attack to affect her. However with Kaita she just couldn't resist and began to pet her sister's belly once again earning a smile and purr from the sleeping Magicat. Catra smiled down at her sister and began to softly sing.

"Through heat of Summer, through chill of Winter, through Autumn's wind Spring's rain as well. I'll always love you my little Sunshine you are a gift. A sweet angel. You are my Sunshine my little Sunshine you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my Sunshine away."

As the song closed Catra could feel the soft purrs and breathing of her little sister her face plastered with a gentle smile. Catra kept up the belly rubs deciding her arm was forfeit until the magikitten awoke once more. Giving up on moving Catra decided she would stand vigil to make sure the young girl's rest was not interrupted.

Unbeknownst to the princess she was not alone. Outside the door were Cyra and Scorpia silently awwing at the adorable display. Both keen to let the sisters bond in peace.

"Sleep well my sister." Catra smiled using her free hand to brush the bangs out of Kaita's face. "Sleep well."