SHTE 13
AN: Hey, first shame to jcat30 for not reading earlier though I admit my summery sucks and needs and update badly. I thought I'd let you know that in my original version Hordak got squished by the nebular and there was no confrontation at all. But I changed it so there could be. (I might write a short chapter for this later.) Second Who said anything about Catra?
I totally agree about Adora and Bow though. I did point this out earlier but have you noticed that part way though Bow stops hitting on Adora, I wonder what kind of conversation they had, "Stop looking at my chest all the time? It's not gonna happen?"
I changed it to Spragg as I feel he fits the part better. Apparently one of my character's not very nice so warning for swearing, brief nudity, blood, gore, but all should still fit under the T category.
"Adora! Adora!" Spritina called running into the rebel camp. The poor twigget was out of breath her silver hair mussed.
Adora put down her map and walked over to the girl, "What is it Spritina?"
"There's a woman, she's hurt real bad," The twigget said pointing frantically towards the woods.
Adora looked up, her eyes full of determination, "Where is she?" Adora demanded.
"Take me to her," Adora said when Spritina only responded with more pointing.
"No. No. You have to find She-Ra. She hurt real bad- lots of blood," Spritina began to shake.
Adora sighed Spritina was obviously not going to be any help as the girl was in shock over what she'd seen. She gripped the girl's arm tightly, "Can she be seen from the Sky?" She watched as Spritina tried to calm down, her shaking lessened and she nodded.
"I'll find She-Ra, you tell Madame Razz. Now you said she came from that way?" Adora asked pointing at the woods. The girl nodded. Adora thrust her thin arm away and headed into the trees, "SPIRIT!" She yelled trudging though more bush. She used her sword to push away any branches in the way, she missed one it slapped her in the face. She growled, someone was hurt and she was stuck trudging though the bush in the wrong direction because Spirit's family had shown up the day before yesterday.
She had enough, she raised her sword above her head and called, "For the honour of Grey Skull!" A moment later and she moved back though the woods with stealth. She-Ra seemed to have taken over her rage quickly dissipating, being replaced with strength and knowledge.
She ducked under the tree that had hurt Adora, three more feet and she would be back at the rebel camp. She was looking for signs of Swift Wind, but saw nothing. She grimaced, she would run all the way there if necessary.
"She-Ra!" A raspy voice called.
She-Ra followed the voice. Swift Wind was waiting for her, she didn't waste time and hopped on, "Up Swifty!" They took off into the sky heading towards the injured woman.
"How much longer till the end of the woods?" She-Ra asked.
"About thirty seconds," As he responded they shot over the last tree.
She-Ra sucked in the cold air of the higher altitude, Spritina had not exaggerated the woman was lying in a puddle of her own blood which was starting to turn black, her long beautiful hair was splattered, clothes torn. Spragg stood next to her with a stick. He had obviously poking her with it.
Swift Wind dropped to the ground a few inches from the woman.
"Oh She-Ra!" Spragg cried. "I keep poking her with this stick but she won't wake up!"
"You moved her. That's why there's so much blood," She-Ra stated.
"Well I-," Spragg said trying to ramble out an excuse for himself.
She-Ra knelt down to the woman she searched for a pulse. There was and it was strong if she didn't know better. Her old Horde instincts pushed her backwards just in the nick of time. The woman reacted just as fast she was on her knees a short blade extended from her right hand.
She-Ra stared at the woman in shock she should be unconscious, in to much pain to move. She knew only a few people that could abuse there bodies and resist such extreme pain, she had been one of them. She looked at the woman's right shoulder there was definitely something wrong with it, but the woman still rested all her weight on it.
She-Ra shifted from sitting on her bottom to the balls of her feet, she stretched her hand out and removed a red mask, "Catra," She pushed on the dull side of the knife and the woman fell like a rag doll. There was a loud snap as she fell on to her bad shoulder her momentum pushed her onto her back where she lay unmoving.
She-Ra shuffled towards her friend a look of calm on Catra's face. Her eyes were closed and after a sharp tug on her hair confirmed that her pain had finally caused her to pass out.
She was now free to examine and help her old friend. They had spent many times together in the Horde medical ward and was quite glad that she was unconscious as she was not an easy patient, often swearing at the doctors and requesting alcohol, and quickly learned to sneak in her own.
She moved to Catra's side pressing her hand against a sea of blood, it was cold. She grabbed the small knife to cut Catra's clothing. She rolled up the red shirt looking for signs of an incision luckily there weren't any. There was a long chain of stitches trailing higher up under her shirt. They'd have to be looked at after.
She examined any thing else that was soaked in blood or may have sustained an injury but couldn't find anything but the obvious. A twelve inch long gash on her left leg along with some internal damage around the knee that would never heal and her shoulder which seemed to rotate smoothly her fall had forced it back into place but had also knocked her out from the pain.
Using her powers she attempted to lessen the infection bringing it to a level where common medicine would finish the rest. She-Ra felt her strength slipping away but still she picked Catra up and placed her on Swift Wind's back.
Madame razz stood on tippytoe trying to see though the thick bush, looking for any sign of She-Ra or Adora. After Spritina had relayed the events she rushed to the last of the trees before the end of Whispering Woods.
She was armed with magic healing and a carrot. She was so consumed in her search for a blonde head that she was scared half to death when-
"Madame Razz!" She-Ra called. She was several feet over from where Madame Razz had expected her.
She quickly faced the girl. She-Ra was standing next to Swift Wind an injured woman lay across his back. From her angle Madame Razz could only see long blue hair that was caked in mud and a nasty looking gash on the leg closest to her.
Madame Razz hustled over, to survey any further damage.
She-Ra watched amused as Madame Razz's eyes bulged, "Is that Catra?"
Adora wiped sweat from her brow, "Never leave a Horde member behind," She repeated the old mantra shared only among the Horde troops, never the leaders.
She passed the cat mask to Madame Razz, "Can you guard that for me?" She waited until the witch nodded.
"I hope we can hide her identity for a few days with that mask gone. Give her a chance to heal," She-Ra said.
"Are you sure you know what your doing?" Madame Razz asked.
She-Ra gave a quick nod of her head before touching Swift Wind on the muzzle and walking towards the camp once again.
There were claims of shock and outrage as She-Ra and Swift Wind walked to the medical bay.
"That's a Horde solider!" Shouted a man.
"The Horde's gone!" An older man yelled.
"Oh she's bleeding" A woman cried.
"I wonder if that'll scar?" A young boy pondered.
"The battles she must have fought," A teenage boy said.
If she had listened she would have heard a girl who swore the woman smiled, and evil sinister smile.
She-Ra ignored them all and entered the sick bay, she held the door open for Swift Wind and then placed Catra down on the closest bed. She carefully moved her into a sleeping position mindful of her shoulder.
She left the shelter still ignoring the people around her. She and Swift Wind went to the stream for a bucket of water and then to the laundry for rags.
She-Ra dipped the wood bucket into the fast flowing stream, from the corner of her eye she saw Swifty's son. She waved Swift Wind on, she could handle the rest.
Intent on removing as much blood and dirt as she could she set the bucket down on Catra's bed noticing she had moved slightly. At least she was comfortable. She sat down on the edge of the bed and dipped the rag into the bucket when a dagger sliced easily though her left side just below the ribs.
Catra was awake and well. "You know if you hadn't healed me," She leaned forward pushing the blade deeper.
She-Ra gasped her muscles tightening. Her hands flew to the grip trying to pull the dagger back out before it could do more damage. She couldn't grip it, blood was spurting out, crimson, hot and sticky. The knife was sliding further into her body if she didn't stop it soon it would glide though to stick out her back. She made one last desperate struggle to remove the weapon but Catra's grip was strong and she managed to force the knife in up to the hilt.
There was a burst of pain as the knife poked though her back,stars danced before her eyes. Her strength was draining rapidly something was wrong with She-Ra, unless she did something fast she would collapse, transform back and be at Catra's mercy.
She grabbed her only weapon and tipped it onto Catra. The shock of the ice cold water allowed her a brief second to remove the knife. She twisted Catra's wrist at an odd angle until she heard a snap before the knife finally fell. It was soaked with blood. Her blood. She-Ra scooped up the eight inch dagger it up by the handle and stumbled out of the room.
A wave of dizziness caused her to stop in the doorway, hand clutching to her bleeding wound knife in her other hand she let it drop before stumbling forward. It was then the people noticed.
"She-Ra's hurt!" A young boy screamed.
It was probably his cry that saved her within seconds she was crowed by people. She was sure they were trying to help but the only thought she had was that they would catch her unconscious body. Her eyes closed.
Bow had been playing his harp when he had been violently pulled into a mass of people. At the centre was his precious She-Ra. Blood was coating her pristine white outfit front and back. The stain was spreading rapidly. He dropped to her side placing his hand on her wound. He couldn't stop crying she wasn't moving, her pulse was sluggish. She needed medical attention far beyond what they could provide. Maybe if they could find Light Hope. He picked her up and began walking unsure of his destination.
There was a sharp creak and Bow turned around a figure limping out of the sick bay. He still held She-Ra in his arms her head laying on his wrist. His other hand lay just below her skirt.
Catra stumbled out her left leg caught the door frame, a grin on her face, "One down,"
Bow passed She-Ra off to one of the men in the crowd. He stood directly in front of Catra, "Is Adora next?" He asked voice boiling over with rage.
Catra continued to grin, "If you'll help me find my knife," The next sound uttered from her mouth was a choking squeak as Bow strangled her.
His large hands surrounded her neck easily. Catra continued to squeak and struggle as the air was forced out of her lungs.
Bow's hands tightened it was at this moment that hands started to claw him back, struggling to let the woman breathe. Catra sucked in a breath it seemed to be working.
Bow's hands however were still squeezing her windpipe. Finally someone kicked the back of his knee there was a crunch and he went down.
Catra dropped to the ground as well, gulping down fresh clean air. She had fallen fairly close to Bow and halfheartedly kicked him. She tried to move to attack but seeing that Bow made no attempt to move she gave up.
She raised her head back up, Bow had landed dangerously close to her legs, "If you look up my skirt you're dead,"
"I'd much rather look up She-Ra's," Bow replied.
A pair of black boots appeared between the two. "Get up!" A voice ordered. Bow scrambled up Catra was a bit slower being mindful of her injuries. Neither party was surprised to see Sea-Hawk. The rest of the field was empty.
"I sent everyone home," Sea-Hawk explained.
Bow turned in a circle looking for She-Ra no doubt she would still need medical attention. She lay on the ground several feet from them. He ran over and carefully picked her up. With out saying a word he walked back to the sick bay and laid She-Ra down on a clean bed amazed she hadn't transformed back. She-Ra shifted on the bed her wounds seemed to be clotting as there was little blood left behind.
There was a shriek of pain from outside. Bow left She-Ra to find what went wrong. Catra was bleeding from her upper right side, Hawk was gone and the dagger sat on the ground covered in fresh blood.
Catra limped towards the door, "Fucking ass hole," Bow moved to supported her on her left side and helped her to a bed next to She-Ra. She sat down and touched her fresh wound.
"Fucking ass hole ripped my stitches out. I worked all morning on those," Catra grumbled. She tugged at a loose string that was hanging though a rip in her shirt.
"Shirt off," Bow ordered.
Catra raised an eyebrow, "I thought Adora was your girl,"
Bow ignored her an searched around for a few items before sitting next to Catra. She still hadn't exposed the wound. Knowing she didn't intend to do so he began to roll up her shirt. The wound was much higher than he expected curving around the swell of her breast. Being on his own so long Bow had learned how to take care of himself and treat any injuries.
He carefully applied the medicine which set off a chain of cursing from Catra and began stitching she was surprisingly still.
"So what's with you and Adora?" She asked wincing as the needle struck her.
"What's it to you?" Bow responded. He finished the last stitch and tied it off.
"Can't let her give her flower away to just anyone," Catra replied fixing her shirt.
Bow choked, "Your not very subtle about anything are you?"
She shrugged, "Why bother?"
"I suppose," Bow said rummaging about the room.
"Aren't you going to check on her?" Catra said pointing to She-Ra.
"No. Some one already took care of her. While I was strangling you," Bow laughed. "Sorry about that,"
"I've had worse," Catra said touching a few scars.
Bow turned around to face Catra again he had found what he wanted and sat next to her on the bed. With two quick clicks Catra was locked to the bed frame, a metal bracket around her wrist an unimpressed smile on her face.
"Just so you don't try and kill her again," Bow said smiling at a very peeved Catra. "But also it'll probably look a little better if you can't get away. No one's going to be thrilled that you stabbed She-Ra,"
Bow resisted the urge to kiss She-Ra knowing it would give away her secret instead he checked to make sure she was stable and comfortable before heading out.
Catra flopped back onto her bed with nothing to do until She-Ra would wake up. She stared at the walls for a bit until her eyes became heavy. It would be a long thirty six hours before She-Ra would wake up.
Catra's stomach was growling loudly, she had been asleep for half the day or more. No food had been brought and she'd hadn't eaten a good meal since before the final battle. The metal clasp on her wrist had been removed and instead she found the shelter locked tight. It was an improvement she could move around, it really didn't go with what Bow had said about killing She-Ra though. She could easily do it with her bare hands if she wanted. "A Horde member is always capable of killing," She repeated the old mantra. She shook her head it would be a long time before she could think freely from the Horde.
She occupied her time by pacing, searching for small items she could pile and sort, counting how many breaths or movements She-Ra made in an estimated amount of time. Twelve was her last count. The worst was thinking of all her fellow Hordesmen who hadn't been spared like she had, although she had been thoroughly reprimanded. Other times she wondered why she was sent back to this Horde free planet.
She slipped her hand up her new white shirt that had been left for her. It was more of a man's style and size than she cared for but it was clean. She ran her hand along her new stitches they were much better than the ones she had done. His kindness reminded her of the Horde soldier she'd screwed the last week of Hordak's reign.
As long as Adora wasn't using him she had found herself quite the catch. Where was Adora anyways?
She looked about the room trying to find new ways to amuse herself. Nothing but a large wooden beam above her head. She laid back down on the bed trying to ignore the pains in her stomach, food would come soon enough. Her eyes closed.
It was either early evening or late morning when she woke up again. She tried to scoot off the bed but was lashed to it once again. As a result of she landed on the floor with a thud, there was a light chuckle from the next bed.
She-Ra leaned over the edge of her bed and peered over at Catra who lay on the floor in an uncomfortable position.
Catra growled at the blonde mocking her she tried to stretch forwards right hand trying to grasp something to get closer to She-Ra, "I should have killed you when I had the chance," Catra purred sweetly.
"Oh come on Kitty what fun would that be?"
Catra blanched at the mention of her old nickname the one that only Adora called her. She tried to shift into a sitting position ending up in an odd slump on the floor. "Who told you that?" Catra said trying to remain calm.
"Think about it," She-Ra replied coolly.
Catra took a moment to connect the dots, she'd been gathering for a long time, "This explains why I never see both pains in my ass at the same time. Or are you just screwing with me?" Catra asked.
"You think Hordak looks like a giant frog. The first week we were roommates you brought a man back to the room and asked me to join. We got drunk at a questionable tavern made out with some men and the next day we couldn't remember a thing," She-Ra took a depth breath.
"You bitch!" Catra examined. A second later she said, "Do you know how many times I tried to kill you? By the end that was my bloody fucking job. 'Kill She-Ra and capture that traitorous bitch Adora',"
She-Ra smirked, "Glad to know I was so important to the Horde," She-Ra quickly made a mocking gesture of the Horde salute. Left hand raised, quickly moved into an obscene gesture then a formal salute.
Catra laughed then snorted, "At ease soldier,"
She-Ra joined her in laughing.
Catra glanced up at the bed, "Can you get me outta this thing?"
She-Ra hopped over and skillfully removed the grey ring from the bed and attached it to Catra's other wrist, "Sorry kitty," She said remorsefully. She offered her hand and then helped her friend up and they took a seat on a bed.
"So why haven't you transformed back yet?" Catra asked.
She-Ra shrugged, "People need to see She-Ra's OK. But also I can't,"
"What, have to wait for a full moon or something?" Catra asked somewhat curious.
She-Ra shrugged, "I don't know. I'll have to talk to Light Hope tomorrow,"
"But for now your going to shag Bow?" Catra smirked.
She-Ra pushed Catra down onto the bed. There was no smile on her face.
"See how it is from the other side?" Catra continued.
She-Ra stood up trying to appear threatening. She glanced down to peer into Catra's eyes, there was humour there. She was couldn't help but burst out laughing she fell down on the bed next to Catra, the two looked at each other and cracked up laughing.
She-Ra paused to catch her breath, "Friends?" She asked.
"Until mighty pieces of Hordak rain from the sky," Catra replied naming the thing that every Horde soldier wished for.
She-Ra shifted her head, "Did he ever try and make you sleep with him?"
"Once, and look where that got me."
"He's an ass," She-Ra said.
Catra sat up her face full of fear, "He's dead right?"
"Horde Prime squished him but I stabbed him just to be sure. What happened anyways? Why are you here?" She-Ra asked.
Catra shrugged, "Couldn't tell you,"
AN: Not a great chapter ending I know, but it just wouldn't end!
I'm so sorry if there are errors in this, I haven't had internet for the last week or so to check anything. I'm so sorry to Zoey Knight who I said this would happen like two to three chapter ago. Please allow some extra time for the next update as I'm writing a one shot for Sky Dancers than up loading another chapter for Love lost love found.
PS. jcat30You were totally right by the way.