Sunlight shone through a gap in the treetops illuminating a river that cut through the woods. The clear water burbled slightly and it made its way past the rocks along its banks. Streams of light lanced into the darkness of the woods, illuminating the trees around the river.

Catra laid on the bank of the river, shivering slightly from the cold water. Sticks and leaves were stuck in her hair and she was missing the metal headpiece she usually wore. Her clothes were tattered and torn, revealing shallow scratches on her arms and legs.

A groan escaped her lips, her hands clenching slightly as she returned to consciousness. Her mismatched eyes blinked open as she pushed herself up. She hurt everywhere. While she had survived, she wasn't unharmed.

"Hello there."

Her head snapped up, then she collapsed back into herself with a groan. Pain lanced through her body from her fall. But she caught a glance of the owner of the voice. It was the same man that had appeared earlier, back in the fright zone. He was standing off to the side near the tree line.

He was still transparent.

"I would take it a bit… slower this time. That was quite the fall," The man's voice was laced with concern. Catra could almost imagine a small frown on his face. Adora had always done that when Catra had done something stupid or got herself hurt. Or both.

"Really?" Catra's spoke before she was registering her words. "I thought I might just start doing some jumping jacks." The pain had subsided enough she could lift her head to glare at the man. "Maybe, leap off another wall just for fun."

A smirk sat on the man's face. As if that was his seasoned response to venom laced sarcasm. Much like when Adora would roll her eyes when Catra gave in to her more smartass ways. "While I suppose you could do that, I wouldn't recommend it." His blue eyes twinkled, "I think you've had quite enough excitement for today."

Catra scoffed as she struggled upright. Using a tree to prop herself up, she was able to stand up on unsteady feet. "So, you got a name? Or do I just call you old man?"

The old man folded his arms across his chest making them disappear in the oversized sleeves of his robes. "I suspect you will call me an old man regardless," Catra shrugged and smirked, "However, my name is Obi-wan Kenobi."

"You're right, I think I'll stick with old man," Catra said with a huff.

"I've been called far worse," His gentle smile was back.

"So, why are you here?" Catra's eyes narrowed as she pushed off of the tree, refusing to look at Obi-wan. "Besides my own slipping sanity."

"To offer guidance," At Catra's incredulous look he sighed. "Also to sate my curiosity about the one that has captured my former padawan's interest."

That caused Catra to pause her ambling towards the forest. She was pretty sure the old man had no connection to either Shadow Weaver or Hordak. Plus they had just said they would kill her. But there was someone who had shown interest in her.

"Vader?" Catra finally looked at Obi-wan, turning around to fully face him.

He nodded, "Though when I knew him he went by Anakin Skywalker." His face fell into a pensive frown. "He was a great Jedi during that time."

Catra stored the term Jedi for later. The past few days had already left many questions in her mind, "Why is he interested in me?"

"I am not entirely sure," His hand went to his beard, stroking it as he spoke. "That is part of the reason I wanted to talk to you." His eyes seemed to sharpen, looking not at Catra but through her. "If I had to guess, it would be a combination of your force potential and… your background."

Her eyes narrowed, "My background?"

"Your time with the horde."

Catra snarled, her fists clenched, "Well I'm not part of the horde anymore." She tried not to sound bitter when she said that. But it still snuck through. "They made that clear."

"No, you are not," Empathy flitted across his face. "And I do apologize for you not getting a choice in that matter." Catra spun and stalked into the woods, not wanting to be a part of this conversation anymore. The old man followed walking behind her with an easy grace. "If you had the choice, would you have left?"

Vader's outstretched hand appeared in Catra's mind. Her flames sang again at the thought of that moment. "I don't know," The answer was truthful. She didn't know much right now, and it was harder to think after everything had happened.

"Clear your mind young one."

"What is with you people getting in my head," She whirled on the old man. "Stay out!"

"You are projecting much of yourself into the force," His words were curt. Like a teacher explaining something for the hundredth time. "It is an unconscious thing but noticeable to a trained force user."

She turned back around, another snarl escaping her lips. She was really tired of having people know things about her. They walked in silence for a moment. Nothing but the sound of grass and leaves crunching under Catra's feet.

Not his though. There was no sound from him as he moved behind her. It tickled at the question in the back of her mind, "Why are you all glowy, and transparent?"

"Oh… That's quite simple," She could practically hear the smirk in his voice. "I'm dead." He said like he was simply stating the sky was blue. Or the leaves in the trees were green.

It halted Catra in her tracks once again. Her mind spun at the statement, "You're… dead?"

"By every physical measure, yes," Obi-wan nodded, the same soft smile on his face.

Catra wanted to slap him.

She also wanted to scream and run away deeper into the woods, or back to the horde. How could someone be dead and still be able to talk like he was alive? Were the stories about the Whispering Woods true? Were they really haunted?

It was only the comforting whisper of her flames that kept her feet still. Though her heart was still beating wildly, "How did you-"

"That is not my story to tell," his smile was sad now. "Suffice to say I became one with the force protecting something important. I would consider that a good death."

There was something he wasn't telling her. Her flames told her that much. But at this moment Catra couldn't bring herself to push at the answer more. She just wanted to get away. To go back to her life before.

She wanted Adora, but she wasn't here.

She started walking again, the old man following once more. She tried to just ignore him and he seemed content to just walk in silence. Until he wasn't.

"Do you know where you are going?"

That was Catra's breaking point. She screamed into the woods, her emotions flaring wildly. She clawed the nearest tree, her movement sharp enough to flare pain through her body once more. She ignored it though as her flames roared, fueled by her anger at everything.

Loose sticks and leaves were swirling around her as she continued her assault on the tree. It wasn't fair. Everything was gone. Adora, her place in the horde. Any hope she had for her future was torn to shreds in only a couple of days.

It wasn't fair.

"Life rarely is," The old man spoke, standing untouched in the middle of her maelstrom.

"What do you know," She whirled back on him. Her pained rage focused on him. And his stupid face. He never flinched. Perks of being dead she guessed. "I've lost everything. My life is over."

"I am sorry, young one."

"Don't," Her lips contorted into a sneer. Her fangs were bared, ears laid flat on her head. "I don't need your sympathy. I don't want it!"

She could still see it on his face though. In the downturn of his mouth, the way his eyes seemed to look through her. She hated all of it.

"It is not good to hold on to such feelings."

"Stay out of my head!" Catra roared at Obi-wan. "I'm tired of people in my head. Why can't you leave me alone."

"Because you aren't alone."

Catra scoffed, "Really? sure seems like it. My best friend left. The Horde wants me dead. And here I am, in the middle of the woods talking to a dead guy." She ran her hand through her hair, a wild look in her eyes. "I don't know how much more I can take."

A white horse, with a horn on its head and multicolored wings, galloped past the pair. Catra watched with wide eyes as it disappeared back into the woods. There was a moment of silence as she processed what she just saw.

Then she started giggling. Not the giggling she had shared with Adora, filled with warmth and humor. This was flat and forced. It fell out of her mouth as she collapsed to the ground, curling herself into a ball.

She didn't want to be here anymore. She wanted to be back in her bunk, Adora beside her. Where it was comfortable, safe. She wanted things to go back to how they were. Back to a form she recognized.

The crunching of leaves under booted feet caused Catra's ears to twitch. She didn't move though. The mechanical breathing that filled the space around her told her who it was.

Her flames flashed as a presence washed over her. It wasn't comforting exactly, but it spoke of shared pain. Of understanding, not some imagined thing that people use when they say they understand. But understanding because of experience.

Her eyes peeled open, finding shiny black boots filling her vision. She let her sight be drawn upwards, to the black mask that now looked down at her.

"What are you doing here?" She said, her voice slightly muffled by her arms.

"There was an altercation at a nearby horde installation." Vader's mechanical timbre washed over her. It was at least familiar to her. "I was observing when I felt your… outburst."

Catra uncurled herself, though she remained on the ground. Her eyes roamed the area, finding that it was just her and Vader. The old man had disappeared, "Where did-"

"My former master knows better than to show himself around me." A cold feeling tinged Vader's presence. "We have yet to resolve our differences."

"That makes too much sense."

"Why are you on the ground?"

"It's comfy," She turned back to Vader, shrugging her shoulders. "No better place to have a mental breakdown." The presence that had wrapped around her retreated back into Vader. Though briefly, Catra got a flash of something. Quick quips traded in the heat of battle, a comfortable smirk, a desire to protect.

The flashes were gone as soon as they came. With them went the presence that had surrounded her. Strangely, Catra missed it. While it wasn't an Adora hug, it was still something that hadn't tried to kill her or hurt her.

Why was she so messed up?

Catra struggled to her feet. Her outburst having brought her back to square one in regards to the pain she had been in. Vader stood there watching her passively.

"You are hurt," Vader's voice almost seemed concerned.

"Yeah well," She stretched hearing pops and cracks from her joints. "Jumping off a wall isn't exactly healthy,"

"No, it isn't," His hands latched onto his belt, his arms jutting out sideways pulling the cloak with them. "I assume there was a reason for you to do so."

Catra opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She didn't know where to start with what had happened in the horde. The whole thing happened so fast. "I was… panicked," the words fell out but they opened the way for more. "Hordak wanted me dead because I attacked Shadow Weaver. I wasn't going to stick around. Ended up on a wall. I think you can guess the rest."

"I believe I can," He raised his hand to point at her. "That was incredibly reckless. You should take more stock in your well being."

Catra shrugged. She was used to doing reckless things. Usually, Adora would talk her down from the crazier plans but, she wasn't here. It was just Catra now. Who else cared."Got me out of the Fright Zone, and I lived so it worked."

"Just because a plan works does not make it viable," A soft hoot caused both Vader and Catra to turn towards a tree. The same bird from earlier sat on a branch. It seemed to glare at
Vader. "I will have no lip from you."

The bird hooted indignantly.

"I have tolerated your presence so far," He now pointed at the bird. "Pray I don't decide differently."

Catra held in her snort of amusement. "You do realize, you're talking to a bird?"

Vader did seem to realize. He straightened his posture slightly, turning away from the bird, as he tucked his hand back beneath his cloak. The bird hooted again, before flying down and settling in Catra's hair. It was still glaring at Vader.

"That is no mere bird," Vader said as Catra started her attempts to dislodge said bird. "It is annoyingly persistent."

"I can tell," She said, pulling her hand back, having been pecked for her audacity. "What is it anyway."

"It is a convor," Vader supplied. "I believe this one is called Morai."

The cat-girl tried once more to dislodge the convor, earning herself another pecked finger. "Fine stay up there," She crossed her arms scowling at nothing. Morai seemed incredibly smug on her newly won perch.

"As I said… persistent," Vader pointedly ignored the convor's antics. "Now, have you made a decision about my offer?"

"I…" Catra paused. She wanted to just say yes. She had no reason not to now. Nothing left of her old life. But something still sat in the back of her head. Waiting and wanting to be answered. "Why me, really why me. Why bother. Is it just because I have this force thing you were talking about?"

Vader took a moment to respond. HIs mechanical breathing filled the space between them. "It is because… In the moment when you thought your life was leaving you. The thoughts that crossed your mind reminded me of…" Vader stopped once more, teetering on the edge saying something more. However, he pushed on skipping over that thought, "Then you pushed back. Unwilling to accept your fate." He clenched his hand holding it out in front of him. "I wished to stoke those flames into something… more."

"More?"

"A force user, when trained, is capable of great feats. Turning the tide of a battle, rallying a victory out of defeat, changing the outcome to a war." Vader took a step towards her, leaning down slightly to meet her eyes. Catra's attention was entirely on him as he spoke, "They change the world around them by simply being there." His words were intoxicating. The idea of being something more.

Of having power.

Maybe then she could keep people she cared about around her. Maybe then she could finally be safe. Maybe she could be something other than a failure.

"I accept," Her voice was steady, even though her body shook with anticipation. The flames in Catra's chest sang in triumph. Morai hooted her approval.

Vader nodded, straightening up so he once more towered over the smaller girl. "Very well then… My apprentice."