Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Horde of Horrors. Enjoy the 3700-word chapter. I do not own She-Ra, Mattel, and a few others do.
(Fright Zone)
Brennus and Catra rode towards the Crimson Wastes which had been reminding Brennus of Voruta. It was very dangerous and very unforgiving which was all that reminded him of his homeworld.
"This place has warriors as dangerous as Adora," Brennus said, giving a signal to let their henchmen wait.
"How can you tell?" Catra asked.
"Ever lived in a desert where everything wants you dead?" Catra heard.
"Nope," Catra said, swinging her feet towards the desert sand.
"It makes really strong soldiers when you have to survive every day with someone wanting you dead or you being able to die the second you don't do something," Brennus stated.
It was not a lie, she could tell he would not bluff about this sort of thing so it was certain that whatever had been done would be done best, and yet? He pitied her.
Perhaps it was too much for him to think… There was a lot of indecision on his mind.
Even then? Brennus looked at Catra as they dismounted their skiff. He did not know what to see and do for now.
"How many planets did you guys conquer?" Catra asked.
"The Horde?" Brennus asked.
"Vorutians." Catra said.
"The entire system. It was a very long and ruthless campaign my ancestors undertook… The entire region of space my people occupy bows to us. Any species within those regions bow to the Vorutian army…" Brennus said.
"You said they know about people who might know me?" Catra asked.
"Do you have a spacecraft?" Brennus asked.
"No…." Catra said.
"Then I cannot show you the Magicats… They look like you and they are as fierce as they are cunning. They are warriors and noble people…. I have known one besides you, they are dangerous." Brennus stated before he sighed.
Brennus had been quiet. He had no real ability to deal with it for now, he knew more and more with each passing moment that Catra grew silent as well and she could guess what the next moment would be like.
Perhaps it was something that he could not have dealt with. He was never used to such a thing, never used to the idea of being beyond this.
He clicked his fingers and then leaned on the stone next to him.
Perhaps all of him was forsaken. He was not good at words like his brother, he was too interested and too fascinated by war and the art of confidently inspecting his options.
He did not hate these rebels or enjoy slaughtering them. A Vorutian wanted war and craved violence but they did so in the small quaintest of ways. Even knowing what was going on was not enough to have to deal with.
He could not have allowed himself a moment to try to relax, knowing what was going on and what would be happening soon.
Brennus hummed, his cloak swinging behind him as he glanced over to Catra who was silent, guessing he had something on his mind to discuss.
"You, ok?" Brennus asked after a moment.
"Yeah… You?" Catra asked.
"No," Brennus asked.
"Why?" Catra asked.
"You were almost killed because I was too eager to fight Adora and the others… It is my fault the jailbreak happened." Brennus said.
"Adora is always a coward, she always hides behind her fancy sword… It isn't the first time she's tried to break in." Catra said.
"Is she why you want to win the war? To overcome her?" Brennus asked.
"Asked me that already," Catra said. "Why did you ask us to stop in the Crimson Wastes? There isn't anyone out here." Catra said.
"There are many people who can tell what is and what isn't in the desert," Brennus said. "If the Crimson Wastes are anything like Voruta? These people are survivors, they will help, they will survive." Brennus stated.
It was silent, something he could not have dealt with. He had a lot more on his mind than that, his movements gave away the way it could not have been.
Brennus was silent, knowing what was growing in his brain as Catra raked her claws through the sand. She looked at Brennus who snickered.
"You want me to carry you?" Brennus asked, amusement coating his tone.
Catra snorted as she paused to look to the side, she had no real desire to speak lest it make her sound more amused, she had been too silent to let herself think for but a few moments.
She had no real desire to submit but she could feel the pain in her feet, knowing her pain would persist either way.
(5 minutes later.)
Brennus carried Catra atop his shoulders as she sighed, rubbing at her feet.
"This is why we don't walk barefoot in hot sand." Brennus joked before retrieving a kick to the helmet. "I'm sure that will help your foot as well." Brennus snarked.
"Smartass…" Catra muttered.
"Zephrl." Brennus stated.
"Wha?" Catra asked.
"It means good friend," Brennus stated before he looked at her. "I can teach you some words from my people's language if you want later," Brennus stated before he sighed to himself, knowing what was going on.
He had no real desire to let it all end for now as he clicked his fingers and then thought of it himself.
Brennus was silent, knowing what was happening. She did nothing to impress him, she continued to act like this, knowing what would occur if not easily dealt with. She had a lot more to deal with either way.
She was a warrior like him and it made him proud to have been her warrior. She would help him in his way and that was part of what she made him trust her for at the end of this day when it came.
She had no desire to try and deal with it for now as she paused to try and deal with it for now as she paused to be dealt with it.
He had been too interested in the next move, knowing what was growing on his brain… He would be able to relax once more as he paused to try and deal with it for now.
Catra tapped a clawed foot on her side, yawning as she did so. She was too bored, interested in it, for now, knowing what would come as of now… She would not allow it to end for now.
Brennus was silent, only guessing what was growing on his mind. Brennus could only find amusement in it at the time, he had zero idea of what was going on, very little idea for now what was going on for the time.
He was silent, knowing what was going on, now more than what was happening.
Brennus could only take some amusement in it yet, he had zero grasp of what was growing in his brain, zero ideas about what was going on, zero clue what was growing in his brain, and after that? He might grow more and more attached.
To be fair? He knew Catra to a degree, she was not like this, and she was not like a lot of things he needed to deal with at the end of the day.
To be fair? He would not allow it to happen, not when there was so much to deal with for now and for good reason.
He sighed, knowing something was growing in his brain. He had no idea what was coming, no measure of the sheer scale on which he had managed.
Brennus sighed, setting his boots firmly in the sand and letting the wind billow past him, knowing what was to come and that would be enough for him, enough either way… He wanted it all to end, he had been too thrown to the side.
He had been too exhausted, too interested in it all for now, knowing what would become of it. He had been through so many blasted battles that it would drive him insane, knowing what was to occur, knowing what would come.
Brennus was scared, too unsure of himself, too easily. Catra sighed atop his head.
"You know either way, we are going to be dealing with enemies," Brennus stated before he sighed to himself. "There will always be enemies. Something we cannot ignore and something we do not let go anywhere else either was." Brennus said.
"Translation?" Catra asked, tapping her fingers on the sand next to her.
She had no idea what was going on, not once did he rely on it, knowing what awaited them either way.
He was silent as if he could tell what was coming and would become of it at the end of the day, of all certain things.
He was too interested in it to say anything and she knew it was going on now, he had other goals with it for now… There was something chaotic for now, knowing what was happening next, there was something Brennus could not understand.
The prince carried the Magicat down the hill, knowing what was awaiting them in town. He hummed to himself before he looked at her.
"You are one of the few Magicats I've seen that favor the claws on their feet rather than their hands," Brennus stated. "Though you are faster than those I've seen before," Brennus stated to be dealing with it.
"There are more of those guys?" Catra asked.
"An entire kingdom, yes. They fought the Vorutians centuries ago… They are skilled, honorable… And deadly." Brennus stated with amusement.
It was clear it was not a snark nor a jab aimed at them for now as it came down to it, there was something buried under it.
Brennus hummed, clicking his fingers as he sighed, and then looked upwards and into the sky. The sun shone down on them with rays that cut through it all now.
"You, ok?" Brennus asked as he finally set her down in the shade.
There was something else to consider as the Horde officer and Prince both crossed their arms, sun baking their arms and legs…. Brennus's armor provided him with some protection though the ebony shine upon it soaked up most of its rays.
"You good?" Brennus asked once again, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah, just tired," Catra stated. "Most people don't like talking to me," Catra said.
"I like fighting by your side." Catra heard. "You are smart and you can hold your own in combat. Maybe you can be sneaky and fight with underhanded tactics… But I concede the point." Brennus stated.
Catra went to say something, he would be too interested in the next move he made and she paused to think. She clicked her fingers on her arms, knowing what would become of it at the time being.
She sighed to herself, closed her eyes, and smirked, knowing what would become at the end of it. She seemed to be dealing with another move at the time as she clicked her fingers and then snapped her fingers and glanced to the side.
Catra paused, glancing to the side, knowing what would become of the Horde without her. Hordak did not know how to run the Horde, he did not know about the politics of the rest of the galaxy when it came down to it.
He hummed, knowing what would be done when the rest of the soldiers here showed up. It would be a very long and irritating plan for them, life would throw a curve ball at them at the end of the day and it was clear that such a thing.
He could not be able to think, knowing what was happening, for now, had it would end sooner or later… All of it was growing more and more painful with each little second of the day as of now.
Catra paused to look over at Brennus. She could tell he was proud of who he was as a warrior, a part of her could tell he enjoyed fighting as a challenge.
That? And whomever he had met from her people… If he was not lying? That he respected someone skilled enough to fight and claw their way from the gutter.
It was part of what drove him. She felt him finally pause, glancing at her through the crimson lenses of his helmet.
"You are going to need something to hide yourself," Brennus said as she raised an eyebrow.
Rather than explain, he picked up a handful of sand and held it in his palm, she listened as it crackled and burnt. It sizzled and popped like food being roasted to a crisp.
He then finally let it be swept away by the wind as he looked at her.
"Unless you want to burn your feet off? I would find something to cover them." Brennus said.
"And you are not baking in this heat? You sound like you are set on fire." Catra stated.
"Vorutians live in towns surrounded by the desert… I live in this, Catra." Brennus stated. "I am surprised that you think I am that hurt by the heat…. But your concern is touching, thank you." Brennus said.
"I am only concerned because you are my bodyguard out here… The other doofuses do not fight good enough to back me up." Catra said.
Brennus hummed and shrugged before he turned and looked around before spotting something in the distance. He marched forward, making sure she did not fall until he sat her upon a stone.
"Give me a minute, I found something I need to get you," Catra stated.
"Hey, don't you….!" Catra yelled before she tried to set foot in the sand.
She recoiled as heat shot across her feet, causing her to yelp. Brennus turned to her and looked at her once more.
"Wait… Give me 3 minutes then come after me if I do not show up…. Deal?" Brennus asked before she nodded.
Brennus slid down the dune for a moment as she watched, she blinked as he approached a shape that was approaching fast. Brennus seemed to clench his fists before he whipped his head to the stone.
A sliver of light passed next to her and stabbed into the stone as she watched Brennus knock them to the ground and stab through them, his sword coming through their back before he tossed them to the ground.
He tore something from their body…. A few things then paused and climbed up.
"What was…?" Catra asked.
"Bandit… They were trailing us the entire time." Brennus stated.
"And you didn't tell me?" Catra asked.
"You heard her… I figured you were going to kill them." Brennus said. "Let me see your hands… Unless you want me to wrap your hands and feet?" Brennus asked, revealing what he had taken.
A cloak, a dusty one… But she did not care for its status so much as the fact it blocked the sun. He had also taken wraps from their body which covered their skin.
Brennus hummed and looked at her skin, bending down to look at her as an equal.
"Why didn't you ever join the rebels if you so… Honor and stuff?" Catra asked before Brennus hummed.
"They lack any skill or idea of how to fight," Brennus said. "When you were busy? I looked up what the horde knew of them… The power? It does not at all give them anything… They take power from stones. They do not earn it, they do not hone it, they just take it like greedy thieves." Brennus stated before he snorted.
The Vorutian prince tied the wraps around her, making sure they did not cut off the flow of blood to her limbs when she needed it.
"So what? The only thing Mr. Super Prince cares about is skill and honor?" Catra asked as she adjusted the wraps on her feet.
"I respect warriors. I respect people who can handle their skill and admit when they cannot." Brennus stated as he handed her the shroud. "You do not fight fair but you are skilled, you have brains and you trained yourself to fight… That I can respect if you were a Vorutian. You would be one of the better ones… You would not want for anything." Brennus stated.
"Doesn't sound like your brother thinks that way," Catra stated.
"Spy is many things… But he is not a warrior… And I respect that, he was raised as one of us regardless of being an Arachna." Brennus stated in a tone that suggested he cared a lot more.
Catra clenched her claws as she felt to see if at all could she walk and then set her feet on the sand, feeling it heat the claws but not scorch them.
"Better?" Brennus asked in a tone that suggested he was interested in it for now.
Catra seemed to think so as she stomped a foot on the ground, her shroud billowing in the wind as he hummed, drawing his cloak in as well.
"Yeah," Catra said before she hummed. "Let us go… We need to find whatever Hordak wants before Adora does." Catra stated.
Brennus simply hummed, guessing that Catra could and would be able to relax at least for a bit… There were a lot of things that needed to be dealt with once more.
To be entirely fair? He was aware of a lot of things and he knew that Catra was going to be doing something like this for now. He was entirely thrown off by her antics… But he had an idea of what was going on.
He was too entirely ready to scream and break something knowing how well it worked out for him then and there… This was not hard to figure out. It vexed him… But it would break, it would fall as all such things would eventually by their hand… All that was needed was a strong push in the right direction.
That? And an objective to secure what they held. Brennus could work for that at the very least when push would come to shove.
Brennus sighed as both continued to trek into the desert. The shining sun which cast more light on him than ever did nothing to the Vorutian. His armor shielded him despite soaking in the light and Vorutians were built for the desert, they thrived in such ways others hated.
Perhaps it was why they were still alone, however. Nobody would risk coming into the deserts of a home of warriors, ones who enjoyed it so much…. It was clear without a shadow of a doubt that this planet was different so much that it hurt.
Even if it did not hurt? He was confused and flabbergasted as to how this planet was so different.
Then he turned his attention back to Catra. She had been here for a while, it seemed she did not know other planets existed outside of this one. However? That did not bother him when it came down to it.
"Why go all the effort to help me? You barely know me?" Brennus heard.
"So? Does that mean I should entirely write you off? I am a soldier, a prince. I have been in battle for a long time, Catra…. I respect soldiers and warriors who can hold themselves in battle." Brennus stated before he sighed and slid down the hill with Catra following.
"What, so because I can fight?" Catra asked.
"No, because I am a soldier because you are a soldier." Catra heard. "If you wanted? You could be more… But part of me guesses that you do not have the desire to try it, you do not want the power." Brennus stated.
"Don't know me, Brennus," Catra stated.
"I know people like you and I have met people who look like you…. Just because I like fighting does not mean I want to fight everyone, does it?" Brennus asked with a raised eyebrow and then looked to the side.
Catra hummed, setting her feet in the sand, and kicking some to the side. The prince raised an eyebrow and then crossed her arms, thinking of what was going on as she paused to try and figure it out once more.
There was something else between them as both fell silent, both knew what was going on and she did not even know when it came down to it for now.
The two slid down the dune, the only sign that both were there was the simple footprints in the sand…. It seemed to be interesting and crazy to them and yet? it was clear something that needed to be addressed in the future was going to give way.
Even if both were unable to find what they had to? Both knew the luck they had was going to be something to deal with for now.
Brennus was silent and very unable to figure out what was going on as he paused to try and deal with their next idea while he came crashing down the line in a giant line to the end.
All of it was much harder to deal with now. Why? Simple, because she had him and he was her friend.
Brennus for all his traits seemed to want to be her friend and act as one. He had never been willing to stop that, not now and not ever.
She and he made a good team now in her opinion, that? Or they were better friends than enemies.
She sighed…. She did not have FRIENDS…. Adora had tried her hardest to take it all away from her.
She and he slowly started to walk away, too much had gone on now and for good.
Catra looked over at Brennus who paused, cresting atop the dune as both he and she thought of their next move.
"The sooner we find what we are looking for? The sooner we can end up going back." Brennus stated before Catra watched as he sighed, too exhausted to do much.
To be fair? Catra was not stupid, she knew well they had work to do…. There would ALWAYS be work to do which became harder and harder to deal with now and for good reason.
Author Note
Phew. Another chapter will be 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words and will show more of both Catra and Brennus on their mission when it comes down to it. Until then? Lighting Wolf out!