"you punched a horse!"

"Well the horse shouldn't have snuck up on me like that!"

Adora didn't know rather to laugh or go check on Swift Wind at that point because that whole scenario was just ridiculous—after all who in their right mind punches a fifteen hundred pound animal in the face?

Well, besides Catra.

"You really need to stop punching things on first instinct." Adora retorted right before she lost it and doubled over with laughter.

"Yeah well you should post beware of horse signs or something! What the hell are you even doing out here in middle of the woods anyway? I mean besides obviously using your ten ton animal to scare the living shit out of expecting victims!" Catra huffed, still rubbing her knuckles where if it wasn't already bruising because of Lonnie, it most certainly was now.

"Glimmer and I live here."

That answer caught Catra off guard.

"Wait, You told me that this Mara chick took you in and now you're saying you live with our Principal? Now I'm even more confused." Catra retorted before regretting even bringing up Mara because of the look that crossed Adora's face.

She had hit a nerve and she hadn't even been meaning to.

Mara better not have hurt her. Catra thought as she moved over to her former best friend—falling into old patterns as she put a hand on hers.

"Did she...Do something to you?" Catra questioned, earning a sigh as Adora wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against Catra's side subconsciously.

"She's not like Shadow Weaver, I know that's what you're thinking. It's just...She's sick and it seems to be getting worse ever since I moved in and I can't help but wonder if Shadow Weaver had been right all along...That my actions basically set things into motion...Good or bad." Adora answered, feeling Catra stiffen before an arm snaked it's way around her.

"Shadow Weaver was full of bullshit. You said it yourself Adora, Mara's sick and there is no way that you would go out of your way to make something like that worse." Catra said before sighing as realization came upon her.

"I always thought you got away Scott free whenever we'd get into trouble together...But she used me to get to you didn't she? I mean, I know you knew about her hitting me...Hell you were the only one she didn't hit and I always wondered why...Now I know and I want to kill her."

Catra said as she pulled away, brow furrowing as she glanced around before adding "Come on, since neither of us can sleep let's go for a walk...For old time's sake."

Adora seemed caught offguard by this but managed to smile slightly before adding "Fine but if I end up in trouble because of you I am going to kick your ass." she retorted earning a smirk.

"If you can catch me that is."

Adora hadn't expected to be practically tackled onto the ground as she tried to find Catra in the dark sea of trees, nor did she expect to hear the all too familiar laugh as Catra totally lost it while making fun of whatever facial expression that had painted itself across Adora's face in shock.

Especially since Catra hadn't honestly laughed like that since they had became reacquainted with each other. Not even the previous day at the carnival did she seem so carefree...But maybe Adora was just thinking too much into it.

Or maybe Catra just really trusted her.

"What's wrong Adora? Did you lose your edge? I remember when you use to even kick Lonnie's ass at wrestling." the brunette jeered, smirking only to end up knocked backward a second later.

"Oh shut up, you just startled me! Besides it's been a while since I've done anything like this outside of martial arts classes!" Adora retorted, earning another burst of laughter.

"Oh wow...you really did go soft on my didn't you?"

Adora rolled her eyes before standing.

"No, I grew up! I don't have time for rough housing and...Oh my god what's that!"

Adora began, smirking as Catra turned to look in the way that she was pointing—the exact opening she needed for what she was going to do next.

Catra found herself landing on her back with a oof, glaring up at the rather arrogant looking blonde that was towering over her.

"When are you going to stop falling for that? I mean I know you're afraid of the dark but there's no such thing as the ghosts that Shadow Weaver would threaten you with...There's only her and she's not here." Adora teased through her laughter as she held a hand out to help the other girl up.

"Oh I don't know...When are you going to stop collecting glittery things like some kind of pansy?" Catra retorted as she accepted the hand up before adding softly "besides even the dark is less freaky when I'm not by myself."

She hadn't meant to say that aloud but with the familiar safety net that was Adora, Catra slowly began to feel her walls breaking down and for the first time in a long time, she didn't really mind.

Much.

"Hey, why don't you stay the night with me? I swear it is not as bad as you describe it and my room is not pink...before you even start with that joke again." Adora said after a few minutes of an awkward silence, earning a surprised look from the other girl.

"You sure? I mean it wasn't even a three weeks ago that we were bickering like territorial cats." Catra responded, earning a shrug.

"Your call, I wasn't the one who was being stubborn! Cyra." Adora retorted, feeling Catra bristle slightly before being pulled into a headlock.

"Call me that again and I swear I'll tell your friends about the time you nearly burned down the kitchen making a microwave meal!" Catra said, barely dodging a blow to the side as Adora broke her hold.

"You do and I'll just tell the whole school about your rainbow leopard plushie and I think I still have that picture somewhere of you sleeping with it!" Adora retorted, earning a glare as Catra took a halfhearted swing at her.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

This form of roughhousing went on for a few more minutes until both of them collapsed onto the ground out of breath.

"You know what, staying at your place doesn't sound like a bad idea after that. At least I know you haven't turned to a complete marshmallow after you left." Catra commented, closing her eyes briefly as she let her mind go back to the past one final time that night, comparing the feeling of normality returning—although this time without the fear of being hurt around every action.