She was walking down the beaten path that made its way through the Whispering Woods. The birds were chirping and the wind blew, causing the leaves to shift, and if one listened closely, you could hear whispering in the trees. She then stopped when she heard a scream.
Who in there right mind would come in here, she knew that there have been more frequent activity, but it was almost getting ridiculous, what's the point in having all the scary stories about these woods, if people kept walking into them and getting into trouble, with a sigh she made her way to the sound of the scream, only to hear another and a loud growl.
An animal encounter.
She made it to a small clearing and there she stood facing the backs of three young adults avoiding being swiped by the large creatures with large fangs and claws. She shook her head before backing up and removing her wooden staff from her back, she then ran forward and used it to volt into the air near the large creature, it wasn't the first time she's dealt with one of these, but she does rather wish she didn't have to, even if she knows how to easily and quickly get them to leave.
While in the air, she maneuvered her staff and aimed right at the beast's face, causing it to let out a roar of pain as it stumbled backward from the hit, she landed with ease and began to hit her staff against it while it was distracted with pain, digging it into some spots which caused it to let out more sounds of pain before retreating.
She let out a sigh as she watched the beast run, just another day in the woods.
She then turned to look at the three, only to freeze as she recognized their red and white training clothes, they were from the Hoard. Quickly she stood in defense, pointing at the three, "Why are you here?"
The three took a step back, but she took a good look at them past their attire. There was one that looked like a large green lizard, a woman with dark skin and hair, and a shorter man than the other two and hade messy blond hair.
Green lizard, dark skin and hair, and messy blond hair.
She felt her heart began to race as her eyes widen, her posture slacken and her grip on her weapon loosened, a word slipped past her lips, a word she hadn't said in years, "Kids?"
The three glanced at each other before the girl said, which much authority, "We aren't kids."
She let out a laugh as she wiped at her eyes as she felt tears starting to well, "Of course not, not anymore."
The young woman glared at her, "What are you talking about?"
She smiles at the three, "It's been so long, and you've already grown up on me."
The young woman marched up to her, "What are you some sort of stalker?!"
She shook her head as she stood up straight being around the same height of the young woman, "No, but I can see how you can assume, you grew up in the Hoard after all."
"How do you know that?" The young man asked, standing close to the lizard man.
"Well first of all your clothes are a dead give away, and second..." she took a breath and smiled, "You were under my care before you had to start training."
The three blinked, "What?" The woman then shook her head, "You're lying! If that were true then how come we never saw you in the fright zone?"
"I'm not lying Lonnie." The woman stepped back, recognizing her name, "And you never saw me because I was deemed a traitor and ran..."
She then looked at the two males, "Kyle and Rogelio, I'm glad to see that you are all alright."
Lonnie frowned at the woman, "What did you do to be labeled as a traitor?"
She looked back into Lonnie's eyes, all that old childhood wonder and her innocence gone thanks to years of being a child soldier, "Because I tried to escape with you three, but Shadow Weaver caught on to my intentions and I ran...one of my biggest regrets."
"If so why didn't you try again?"
"I did... and in the process, I lost this." She pointed down at her leg, or what used to be her leg, there in its places was a long, splintered, thick stick, a peg leg.
Lonnie blinked at the prosthetic and then looked up at her, but didn't ay a word.
Her eyes then drifted over to the others and noticed that they had packed supplies, but were not dressed for a mission, "So you left the Hoard?"
Kyle finally spoke up, "Yeah...things have gotten bad, and after Catra pretty much went into second in command to Hordak, it got even worse."
"Catra...so she fully embraced it?"
Lonnie rolled her eyes, "Only because she couldn't get over the fact that Adora left to join the rebellion and is also now She-Ra."
"Adora left for the rebellion, huh, with how much she seemed to be favored by Shadow Weaver as a toddler, I'm surprised, but I'm glad. Had a feeling she'd do what was right..." She whispered the last part so the three didn't hear her.
Kyle piped in, "Yeah, so we're on our own now. We're done fighting in this war."
"Have a place to stay? If not you can stay with me?"
"Why should we trust you? We don't even know you're name."
The older woman blinked at the younger before sighing and said, "It's Tasha."
Lonnie still glared at her before Kyle walked up with Rogelio and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and look, "I think we can trust her."
"What why?"
"I just have a feeling that she isn't lying, this isn't the Hoard Lonnie."
"Exactly, which is why we can't just outright trust her!"
Rogelio then grunted, she turned to look and he made a few other sounds and gestures, Lonnie made a face and looked at Tasha, "Fine, we'll take up your offer, but one wrong move-"
"I understand." She then looked up into the sky, "Let's get going, it's getting dark."
She then turned and motioned for the three to follow, which they did. After some walking, they came up to a small hut that was covered in large tree branches, for camouflage of course.
She moved the curtain to the entrance aside and motioned for the others to come on in, Kyle and Rogelio walked in first, with the latter having to duck to fit through, and Lonnie followed after, keeping an eye on Tasha.
The older woman then walked in, she asked the others to sit while she made them some food. After she saw them settle, they sat rigidly but that couldn't be helped and walked into another portion of the hut where she made the food, passing a mirror.
She hated looking into them.
Her body was covered in so many scars littering her entire body, from both animal attacks and sharp vegetations, and even some accidents, Her hair was longer and undone then it use to be but messier and she had a single solid grey streak of hair, while other strands were scattered, her clothes were a mess as they were always torn and had patches on them, she was barefoot and had a prosthetic after she attempted breaking into the fright zone, but there was a bit of her old self she did recognize whenever she did catch a glimpse, her freckles that dotted her face.
She went to work on making the food with what supplies she had, looks like she'd have to go on a food run in the morning. Once completed she handed each a plate, and they all looked both confused and mesmerized by it, "I may not be a great cook, but I'm sure this will taste better then what they had at the Fright Zone."
The three dug in, Tasha couldn't help but smile as she walked away over to her makeshift bed, which was like a bird's nest, and grabbed some extra blankets and made them makeshift beds, hopefully they'd be more comfortable than the beds back there.
Soon enough it was completely dark outside and the three turned in for the night, Lonnie being the more hesitant out of the three, while Tasha stayed up a bit longer, looking up at the starless sky.
A few days later Tasha sat outside the hut and just felt a light breeze on her skin, only to hear the curtain shift and footsteps to follow. She heard whoever it was sitting next to her, so opening her eyes she saw that it was Lonnie with a guilty-looking expression on her face.
"I'm sorry."
She turned toward the younger, "What for?"
"Not believing you...we saw those old drawings...I remember bits and pieces of them and I'm kinda remembering you..."
"It's fine, you kids were five at the time."
"Still, I shouldn't have been so harsh to judge you as I did."
"Well, don't say you shouldn't have been skeptical, after all, I was a total stranger to you."
"I guess..."
The curtain then opened again and Kyle and Rogelio stepped out and also took a seat next to Tasha, but they didn't say anything really, just enjoying the peace. An old memory then nudged at the back of her, as she began to sing,
"Hush now my child, dry those little tears.
Pain is temporary, but I am always here.
You'll never be alone, so don't you cry or fret.
She felt Lonnie lay her head on her shoulder and saw Kyle lean on Rogelio who leaned against the hut
I will help you grow, to be the best that you will be.
Because I am always here..."
Quite filled the air again, as they all looked into the sky, Lonnie then whispered, "Thanks again, for everything...big sis."
Hoped you enjoyed