Chapter 4: Apologies

"What the fuck is going on?"

"I see you got my message."

"Yes, and I ordered access to the Whispering Woods to be shut down as requested. Now, please, Adora, what's going on?"

Adora took a deep breath and explained everything she knew up to this point: the unplanned visit from Lord Bulruk, the forest's bad energy that'd been lingering for days, the silence and lack of animals, and the boar. Glimmer and Bow seemed to be taking it in stride, although they kept throwing looks at each other that she couldn't quite decipher.

"I'm really sorry about what happened with the boar and Finn. But you came to the rescue, Adora. Don't forget that."

"I never said I didn't…" It was a nasty response but her patience and nerves were wearing thin. Still, she needed to keep it together.

Bow stepped up to her and ran his hands up and down her arms. "I know that you're finding a way to make this situation your fault but don't. I bet Catra's already beat you over the head with this but you did everything right. So take a deep breath and maybe a relaxing bath. We got it from here."

She glanced between them but before she could answer, Glimmer said, "I can't even imagine what you've been through today. If something like that happened with any of our kids, I know I'd lose my shit. Honestly, I don't know how you're holding it together so well right now. So maybe the best thing right now is to be with Catra and the kids. Like Bow said, we can handle things from here."

"You sure?" She really, really didn't want to leave and hand over the responsibility of securing the woods to someone else. What if they had too few soldiers patrolling and some poor, deranged creature attacked a village? What if they forgot to close down every road into the Whispering Woods?

"We're sure," Bow said, "You need some recovery time after what happened so go be with your family. If something comes up, we'll let you know. Okay?" He offered her a classic, warm Bow smile.

"And to put your mind at ease, here's what I'm gonna do. I'll order a checkpoint at every road leading into the woods, increase patrols for towns close to the border, issue a curfew for children under eighteen, and give a brief statement on the news about staying away from the woods while we investigate. Sound good?" Glimmer said.

"That's everything I'd do," Adora admitted, "Alright, well, if you guys got it covered then I'll go home. I've gotta help everyone move back into our old room."

"Let the guards know if you need their assistance. And Adora?" Glimmer walked over and wrapped her up in a hug. "We'll figure this out. I mean, we've faced worse before and came out on top."

Bow moved so he was also hugging her and she was basically squished between them. "Glimmer's right," he said, "There's no match for the Best Friends Squad. We got this."

She put her arms around them both and said, "Thanks guys. I knew I could count on you."

Her trip back to the house was uneventful. She barely listened when Swift Wind told her about the various happenings at the Bright Moon Stable as they cantered along. She should've paid more attention but her mind kept wandering to Finn. What would she say to them? What should she say to them?

Even when she swung the front door open, she still had no idea what to say. The truth was probably a good start. But she needed to be gentle with it. Finn was a sensitive soul.

Spirits, why did she yell?

Catra sat on the living room floor with Reyna. It looked like they were sorting through Reyna's vast collection of model horses, probably trying to pick out the most important ones for travel.

"Mommy!" Reyna greeted. "Which ones should I take?"

"Well, you have to have a worthy adversary for the good guys so obviously Thunderstrike has to go. Definitely take Tornado and Silver since they're the heroes. But I don't know about Maple. He's always backstabbing people."

Reyna was gazing down at her collection, one hand gripping her chin, and nodding along to Adora's suggestions. This was serious business.

"That was quick," Catra said.

"As promised. I just told Bow and Glimmer about what happened and they have it under control. Now I can help pack up and we can leave as soon as possible. After I talk to Finn, of course. Which I should probably go do now."

They made eye contact and Catra searched her face before saying, "Do you want me there?"

"Yes, please."

Catra stood and brushed a hand through Reyna's hair. "We'll be just a minute, Reyns. Keep figuring out which horses to take. Melog is just right there if you need them." Melog was lying on their side and spread out the length of an entire couch. The tip of their tail twitched in acknowledgment.

"Okay," Reyna said, still stroking her chin and surveying her toys.

As she and Catra walked side-by-side up the stairs, Adora whispered, "If I start to say the wrong thing, wave your hand at me or cough or something."

"You're not gonna say the wrong thing. Just be honest and apologize."

"You make it sound so easy." She knocked on Finn's door and said, "Can we come in, Finny?"

A few moments of horrible silence passed before they heard a faint, "Ya, come in."

Adora opened the door and stepped inside. She expected Catra to follow but she just leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms. Alright, so this was gonna be a solo mission for the most part. Which was probably good. Or was it? What if she messed up or-

"Finn," she started. It was now or never to make things right. "I think we should talk about today. Specifically, what I said. Yelled."

Finn laid on their bed with their legs pulled up close to their body. They were getting close to reaching Catra's height and yet they looked so small right now. Even from a distance of a few feet, she could tell their eyes were bloodshot and they'd been crying. Which she caused.

Unsure of where else to go, she sat at the end of the bed, close to their desk. She stared at a poster of Scenethia Brown, Finn's favorite actress, and said, "Listen, I was wrong to yell at you earlier and I'm really sorry. I was upset about the boar and the forest and I let my anxiety about the whole thing get to me. Not that that's an excuse because it isn't. But that's why I yelled."

The bed shifted around but she didn't dare turn around lest she lose her nerve. "I made a mistake. Which I've never done before, obviously, so this is all new to me." A chuckle from behind her was all the encouragement she needed to continue. "I'm sorry that I probably only added to your stress instead of making you feel better. I'm your Mom and I should never make you feel worse. And I'm sorry if I scared you." She chanced a look at Catra, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. Okay, so she hadn't utterly botched this whole thing. "Truth is, I was really scared and I took that out on you."

"You were scared?" Finn asked. The bed jostled around until Finn was seated right next to her. Their blond tail sat in their lap and they ran their hands over it. It was bushier than Catra's sleek tail and even poofier than usual. From stress or nervous brushing she didn't know.

"Oh, yes, I was scared," Adora said while turning to look at them, "Are you kidding me? I'm still rattled."

"But you're never scared."

"I'm glad it comes off that way but, believe me, I'm scared a lot. I was scared...No, I was terrified today. More so than I've ever been in my whole life. I saw the boar coming towards you and-," she paused as she tried to swallow down the lump forming in her throat. "I was terrified that I was gonna lose you."

"You've never been more scared? What about Horde Prime?"

"Trust me, I would rather fight Horde Prime every day for the rest of my life if it meant that you were safe."

"Hmmm."

"It's the truth," Adora said while putting an arm around their shoulders. They didn't shrink away so that seemed like a good sign. "There is nothing more important to me than you and Reyna and Mom."

"Not even She-Ra?"

"Not even She-Ra," she said, "Actually, not even close. You're my family. She-Ra is an important part of me but not my everything like you guys are."

"Really?"

"Really, really," Adora confirmed. Finn scooted a little closer and leaned their head against her shoulder. There were few, if any, feelings that could match both her soaring heart and warming chest. Finn was getting to an age where they weren't particularly interested in snuggling with Mom so she had to savour this. "So getting back to my apology, you don't have to forgive me. But I hope you'll consider it. I promise to be better."

"I forgive you. And I'm sorry, too. I should've listened when you said not to go into the woods. I was just...It was so stupid. I was thinking that we could help you by figuring out what that elk was trying to say. I took one of your maps and-Shit!" They lurched away from her shoulder and sat up straight. Adora almost said something about the shit word but she caught Catra's eye and knew that now wasn't the time.

"I lost your map. That really nice one, too. I took it so we could find the stream again but I dropped it once the boar started coming at us. Damn, I can't believe I did that."

"I don't care about the map, Finny. I care about you. Maps can be replaced but you can't," she said while ruffling their mop of blond hair, "Here's an idea, we'll just redraw the map together. Once the woods are safe again, I'll take you out and show you how. Do you like the sound of that?"

"That does sound nice, actually," Finn said, "You're really not mad?"

"About the map? Nah. I am a little upset that you ignored me though. I know it's easy to brush me off. What mumbo-jumbo is Mom spouting off today? But believe it or not, I do happen to know a thing or two. So when I tell you not to do something, it's not because I'm trying to be annoying or ruin a fun time. You know? I'm trying to protect and guide you."

"I know," they said with a sigh. They settled their head back against her shoulder. "Like I said, I'm sorry. I'll be better about listening in the future."

"Thank you." She looked up at Catra, who had a small smile on her face. She blinked slowly at Adora which was no doubt an approving sign. Okay, okay. Did she really pull this off? It seemed so. And all it took was some communication? Her therapist was gonna be so pleased.

"Do you wanna talk about the boar?" Adora asked after a moment.

"Ya, what was wrong with it? I've never seen something like that. I mean, it was out of its mind."

"I honestly don't know. I've never seen anything like it either so I'm afraid I don't have any answers. Yet. After we get moved to the castle, I'll go investigate and see what I can find out."

"And you'll tell me what you figure out?" They said.

"You want me to?"

"Ya. There was something really messed up with it and I'm curious to know what. I'm sure Sarah will want to know too. She's the one that saw it first and tried to get me to turn around. But did I listen?" Finn's tail twitched around on their lap and they wrung their hands together.

"Hey, no more beating up on yourself. We all make mistakes. And now you know better and will be better. That's all we can do," Adora said, "But I bet Sarah would appreciate a call later. And maybe an apology."

"Uuuugh," Finn groaned, "Why is this so hard?"

"It's not easy being wrong or hurting the people around us. That being said, it's still your responsibility to make things right. I'm sure she'll appreciate a genuine apology."

Finn laid back against their bed, their arms falling to their sides, and let out a long-winded huff. All these drama classes were clearly paying off. "You're right, you're right. I'll call her later." They turned their gaze from the ceiling to Adora. "And you don't hate me?"

"Hate you?" Adora said, unable to keep the shock out of her voice. "Finn, I could never, ever hate you. You could never do anything that would make me love you any less. Am I disappointed with some of your decisions? Yes. But hate you? Never."

Finn blinked a few times but didn't say anything for several long seconds. "Thanks for saving us. I don't know how you found us in time but...thanks."

Adora stood and said, "Mom senses, that's how. Now please keep packing what you need for a few days stay at the castle. We should be leaving here soon."

"Ya, I'll get on that."

Adora walked over to Catra and put on her best 'Did I do it?' look. Catra gave her a dazzling smile and turned to leave with her. Over her shoulder, she said, "If you need anything, give us a shout. We'll just be downstairs."

"Will do."

As soon as they were a bit farther from Finn's room, Adora whispered, "So was that good? I didn't mess it up, right?"

"No, that was impressive. You were kind yet honest. Apologetic yet firm. It was pretty much perfect," Catra whispered back. She bumped her shoulder against Adora's as they walked down the stairs. "I still can't believe you didn't think you were a good mom."

"Ya, well, I learned from the best."

Catra planted a kiss on her cheek as soon as they were back down in the living room. "Flatterer."

"I try," Adora said.

It took about six hours more than expected to move back into Bright Moon Castle. When she said to only bring what they needed for a few days, everyone promptly ignored her. Catra brought every single scrapbook and picture they owned. Reyna couldn't decide on which horses to take, so she took every single one. Finn was a self-proclaimed minimalist and yet somehow managed to bring three packed suitcases. Adora herself had a duffel bag full of clothes and a briefcase stuffed with important papers but that was it. And of course, Percival, Marshmallow, and Swift Wind came with their own collection of feed and supplements. Melog turned out to be the easy keeper with a few bags of food and their bed.

For once, Adora was thankful for the absurdly large rooms in the castle. Her and Catra's old room fit all five of them comfortably. Pristine, fluffy beds were dragged out of storage for the kids and she used cinder blocks to build temporary walls for their bedrooms. When all was said and done, it didn't quite feel like the cottage but it was cozier than originally expected.

After a quick detour and talk with Glimmer and Bow, she returned back to their room exhausted. Not only had the day been emotionally tiring but also physically demanding. She said good night to the kids, patted Melog, kissed Catra, and promptly fell asleep into a dreamless slumber.

"A wolf?" Adora asked, "You're sure they said it was a wolf?" It was early the next day and reports of strange animal sightings were already rolling in from nearby villages.

"That's what they said, Commander."

She walked towards one of the floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the Whispering Woods and scanned the treeline for any movement. There was none. Not that she exactly expected to see tons of animals roving around the edge of the forest but it wouldn't be that unusual to see two or three since it was both migration and rutting season for many.

"It could be Okeer," Glimmer said.

"That's what I'm thinking. Giant, black wolf accompanied by two smaller white ones? I can't think who else it'd be if not Okeer." Adora turned back around to the Guard Captain and said, "Thanks for the report, Captain. You're dismissed but keep us updated on any new developments."

"I will, ma'am," he said with a salute. "Princess Catra, Your Majesties," he said before bowing and turning to leave the conference room.

"I haven't seen Okeer in what? Five years now?" Glimmer said, "It can't be a coincidence that he's shown up."

"Agreed," Adora said, "Both him and Lord Bulruk making an appearance is weird. But that combined with everything else that's been going on? It means something. But what?"

The question lingered in the conference room. No one said anything for a moment. If they were anything like her, it was because they were trying to guess the forest's next move. Knowing Catra, she was definitely thinking along the same lines. Lord Bulruk, the boar, and now Okeer. What was going on in the Whispering Woods? What was agitating it and the animals that lived there?

Comparisons between the Whispering Woods of today with what they were during the war verged on useless. There were considerably fewer animals back then, both in quantity and diversity. The forest also stabilized after the Horde dissolved and didn't shift around. Or at least as much. That all being true, it was still hard not to see similarities. The woods were unsettled, maybe even borderline angry, during the war. And it had the same feeling now-desolate and somehow bursting with watching eyes.

"This is kind of changing the subject," Bow began, "But how was the move? Adora said it kinda sucked yesterday but doesn't it feel nice to be back? Like we're getting the squad back together?"

"The squad may be getting back together but the castle's rules still stand," Glimmer said, "I know you two may have conveniently forgotten but no fucking in maintence closets, no homoerotic wrestling at meals, and no ganging up to scare me."

Adora turned around from the window, ready to defend both herself and Catra. "Oh, so only the rules that Catra and I caused are the ones that matter? I'll be honest, I feel a little attacked."

"What Adora said," Catra started, "And you know what? We weren't gonna fuck in any closet. We're way too old for that shit. But I think we've gotta make an exception and set our sights on every single maintenance closet in the whole castle."

"You're just a ball of pure spite," Glimmer said.

"What can I say? It keeps me young."

This earned laughs from everyone before Bow said, "Okay, since we've laid down those particular rules, can we please talk about what happened yesterday? How are you two feeling? How's Finn? Spare no detail. We're here for you."

Adora rubbed at her face as her headache flared from the question. Ever since the boar, and maybe even as early as the creek trip with the kids, her head pulsed with manageable pain. Probably it was connected to the woods but seeing Finn so close to... That didn't help things either.

A hand rubbed up and down her back, and she opened her eyes to find Catra's face scrunched in concern. "You okay?"

"Honestly? Not really. I can't get the image of that boar out of mind. How it was coming towards Finn. Makes me feel ill. And I've had a headache ever since," Adora said. Wait, did she tell Glimmer and Bow about the boar attacking itself? Maybe not. "Oh, I don't think I mentioned this during yesterday's chaos, but it was hurting itself. I don't have any other way to describe it. It was digging into its own face, striking at its own eye. It was awful to see. I put it out of its misery, of course. But I still don't understand why it was doing that. I've been thinking it over and come up empty. All I can say is that it was distressed. To put it mildly."

Bow and Glimmer came closer until the four stood in a tight circle. Bow took one of her hands in both of his and said, "I'm so sorry you had to experience that. It sounds incredibly disturbing. Do you wanna talk to someone about it?"

"No, just you guys. I'm not gonna have nightmares about it or anything. I've just never seen that kind of...violence? I guess that's the word I would use. I mean, it was going to kill itself. And it would've done the same to Finn and Sarah. I've never seen something like that before. To inflict that kind of damage on yourself? And an animal trying to kill something just to kill it? It's hard to wrap my mind around that. And I don't feel like I'm the sensitive type."

"You're not," Glimmer said, "But anyone would've lost their shit. Especially if their own child was involved."

"Glimmer's right. I would be more concerned if you weren't upset. But remember, you saved them," Bow said, "And speaking of Finn, how are they? Recovering alright?"

"They wanted to go to school today so we let them. Catra even said they could stay home with one of us but they insisted on going. Which is kinda worrying. What kid doesn't want a day off school?"

"Actually, I think I can explain why," Catra said, "I don't know this for sure but I think Finn wanted to see Sarah." When Glimmer and Bow gave her a questioning look, Catra explained, "Finn has a crush on her."

"Is that June's kid?" Glimmer said.

"That's her," Catra said, "I'm hoping that being around her, and their other classmates, will help them feel better. But we'll keep an eye on them and I already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Ware's office in case they want to talk to a professional."

"I think that's a really good idea," Bow said.

"And they want to know what we find out from our investigation so maybe some answers will help too," Adora said.

"Speaking of getting answers, I'll send a team to investigate and bring back the boar's body," Glimmer said, "Hopefully, we'll be able to figure out what was wrong with it."

"Good idea," Adora said. She looked around at all of them and felt her chest swell with love. "You guys are just the best."

"We're here for you," Bow said while squeezing her hand. "We're a team. Whatever happens to one of us, happens to all of us."

"Don't worry, Adora," Glimmer added, "We'll do what it takes to unfuck the forest."

"Now let's talk about how we're gonna coordinate schedules," Bow said, "Breakfasts together, obviously. Oh and we all have to have lunch together. And we absolutely cannot skip family dinners. Maybe a mandatory tea time?"

"Bow, we see you everyday," Catra pointed out.

"Ya, and it still isn't enough. I know the circumstances aren't great but we gotta make the most out of you guys being here. I'm talking me babysitting Finn and Reyna. Movie nights. Shanty nights. All the nights. It'll be awesome."

Starting in their late twenties, Bow and Glimmer had around ten prolific years where they produced five children. The youngest, Reed, was still a teen. Despite this, it seemed like they were experiencing early onset empty nester syndrome and were craving company even more than usual. Which she didn't mind one bit. At times, she missed when the four of them traveled the galaxy restoring magic to various planets. It would be nice to relive the closeness of those days.

"That sounds nice," Adora said, "How about dinner tonight?"

"Not lunch?" Bow said.

"Not today, sadly. I need to go to Warcester and try and track Okeer from there. I think he'll have a better idea about what's going on."

"Alone? Adora, I don't think that's a good idea," Catra said. She was always so cool, calm, and collected. Out of the group, she was the consistent voice of reason. But she worried a lot more than she let on and it was sweet to see genuine concern breaking through her usual coolheaded composure.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't be alone. I'm bringing the best tracker I know."

…

"I think I need a haircut," Adora said while running her hands over her braid. "I like it long but the ends are getting a bit scraggly. Would you mind cutting it soon? Just a few inches off."

"If we make it out of this damn forest, then sure," Catra said from somewhere behind her. She turned around to find Catra trudging through the undergrowth and waving one arm around like she was trying to keep bugs off her.

Adora paused and took a swig of water from her canteen. So far it'd been relatively easy to track wolf prints through the woods. The occasional piece of fur was also promising. And if they got harder to track, both she and Catra had their Horde training to fall back on.

"And you know who else needs a haircut? Reyna. I know she loves her mane, and so do I, but she can barely see with all that fringe. So I need your help to convince her."

"Ya, ya, it'll be a joint effort. I can cut it too if she wants." Catra closed the last few feet between them and stopped to drink out of her canteen as well. She flicked her eyes up and down Adora and said, "Sorry I'm being so grumpy right now. I guess I'm more affected by the boar situation than I thought."

Adora smiled and slung an arm around her neck. She pulled Catra tighter against her side and said, "It wouldn't be a true adventure if you weren't complaining the whole time."

"Glad to be of assistance."

With her free hand, she brushed some hair off Catra's face and looked her over. Despite their light banter throughout the forest, she was slightly frowning and her eyes seemed dim. "What are you thinking about right now? The boar?"

"Kind of. Mostly I'm thinking about Finn. I had a nasty nightmare last night and it's been hard to shake."

"Why didn't you wake me up? We could've talked about it."

Catra put a hand on Adora's stomach and smoothed some wrinkled fabric peeking out from under her armour. "I wanted to but you had a really shitty day and needed your sleep. And besides, now we can talk about it."

"Tell me everything."

"I would but I think I should spare you the details. It was basically me watching the boar ripping Finn to shreds and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move. All I could do was watch."

"Spirits," Adora said. She pulled Catra into a hug, which she hoped was comforting despite their various layers of clothing and armour. "No wonder you're in a bad mood. I would've had to punch something for like two hours if I had a nightmare like that."

"Ya, it wasn't great. I'll be the first to say it. And I guess I didn't realize how upset I was about it until I had the nightmare. Does that ever happen to you? You think you're fine and then you have a dream about something and you realize you're not okay."

"Happens to me a lot, actually. And it used to happen even more when we were younger. I figure it's caused by being distant from your own feelings," Adora said, "And I guess I don't have any advice for it besides trying to remind yourself that it was just a dream. But I know that's easier said than done. Some dreams just stick with you."

"Ya, they do."

"And if you think you're distant from your own feelings, why is that? That's what I try to ask myself. Why is there a disconnect and how do I fix it? That helps me keep in touch with myself. So, do you think that's likely? That you're distant from your feelings, I mean."

"I think so. I was trying to hold it together for everyone so I just shoved everything down. Then you started to tell me what happened in detail and I guess my brain just couldn't let it go," Catra said.

"I get it. I really do. But like you told me yesterday, everything is alright. Finn is okay, Reyna is okay, I'm okay. It was just a dream. It wasn't real so there's no reason to dwell on it. All we can do is push forward and keep protecting our kids."

"I know you're right," Catra said with a sigh.

"But?"

"Why is being a mom so fucking stressful? I mean seriously. Sometimes I can't stop myself from imagining all these fucked up scenarios happening to them. I worry constantly. And it's usually stupid and impossible stuff that I worry about, like a doorknob exploding in someone's face."

"Oh, now you're speaking my language. Exploding door knobs? I've already run through five scenarios. The refrigerator somehow tips over? I'm already planning an exit strategy. A dragon appears? Here's how I'm gonna subdue it. Trust me, I understand completely. And it is hard. So hard. I guess that's why we have a whole Mother's Day."

"I guess so," Catra said.

"Do you wanna know what makes me feel better about this kind of stuff?"

"What?"

"You. And me. Us," Adora said while tightening her hold around Catra's back, "We are capable people, Catra. You have to remember that. If we can save the universe from Horde Prime, defeat Jorah, bring the peoples of various different planets together, and pull treaties out of our asses, we can take care of our kids. Would you rather have anyone else looking out for them? I am an actual ancient warrior and you're brilliant at, well, everything. We're like the dream team of parenting. We can handle exploding door knobs and falling refrigerators."

"You almost burned down the house for some eggs."

"Almost is the keyword here. I saw the flames in time and extinguished it. And that's what I mean," Adora said, "We are competent enough to be great parents. We are great parents. Take some heart in that."

"Where was this pep talk when you were thinking you were a bad mom?"

"Just needed a little encouragement from you," Adora said before planting a kiss on the top of Catra's head. "And I'm sorry you had such a nasty dream. But we'll never let anything like that happen to Finn or Reyna."

"You promise?" Catra asked, looking up at her.

"I promise. I'll die before I let them get hurt." She tugged a little at Catra's ponytail, hoping to relieve some of the tension building around them. It was never easy to talk about issues facing the kids and it was even harder when it came to discussing physical harm. It was basically worst case scenarios, nightmare material that no other topic could come close to touching.

"I don't want that to happen, either."

"It probably won't. I'm just saying that I take my responsibilities as a parent very seriously. And that you're not alone in this. These feelings - or in raising and protecting our kids."

"I know," Catra said while laying her head against Adora's chest, "We make a good team."

"We make a great team."

It was probably time for them to get going. They still needed to find the wolves and get back in time to pick the kids up from school but neither made an attempt to move away. "I forgot to thank you earlier for holding it together yesterday. I, ummm, I pretty much just lost it, didn't I?" Adora said.

"Understandably so. And now I'm freaking the fuck out. So see? We balance each other out."

"Like the sun and moons."

"Nope," Catra said while pulling out of Adora's arms, "Absolutely not."

"Too much?"

"Way, way too much. As soon as we start using the same cutesy, bullshit metaphors that Arrow Bow and Sparkles use, we've reached the point of no return."

"Got it. No cutesy metaphors," Adora said while searching around the ground to try and pick up the wolves' trail. They picked it up easily enough and began tracking again.

"You'd be a moon, though," Adora said, "If you were wondering."

"What?"

"If we were to use the same cutesy, bullshit metaphors, which I'm definitely not saying that we should, you'd be a moon."

"I know I'm going to regret this but why?" Catra asked.

"Your stripes look like Avis's rings. Light brown and everything. And your freckles remind me of its cratering pattern."

"I'd be a moon in this metaphor because I have stripes and freckles?"

"Ya, and I'd be the sun because of my blonde hair. Obviously."

Catra let out a long sigh and said, "You know what? This is on me for expecting a deep discussion of our merits and traits."

"Oh, we can still do that. I'll go first. So..."

They talked and walked for a couple more hours, still steadily tracking the wolves. King Okeer and his companions weren't trying to cover their tracks by any means. Which meant they wanted to be found. What that meant was more unclear. Hopefully he had some insight into what was going on with the Whispering Woods.

Adora took a swig from her canteen and remembered a question she'd meant to ask all morning. "Are we really going to have sex in a closet?"

"Do you want to?"

"Being honest, no. I'd throw my back out and what if someone walked in on us? That'd be so unprofessional it makes my skin itch. And then what if rumours circulated around? That would totally derail our careers. And-"

"We're on the same page then. It sounds horrible. And from what I remember, it did kinda suck. I just wanted to piss Glimmer off, which I did, so mission accomplished. No closet sex necessary."

"Thank the Spirits," Adora said. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed between them before she said, "You will never believe what Brick told me the other day. So he-"

A raspy yowl behind her caused her to whirl around just in time to watch Catra somersault down a small embankment close to the trail. As soon as she came to a stop, she climbed back onto her feet. "Fuck."

"Are you okay?" Adora asked, scurrying over.

"Ya, I'm okay. Maybe not the ego but everything else is intact. More or less."

Now that she was sure Catra was alright, she couldn't help but laugh. "You actually somersaulted down that hill. Like literally somersaulted."

"Oh ya, ass over tit," Catra said. She walked up the embankment, her movements stiff and jerky. She halted in front of Adora and let out her own laugh. "I was seconds away from bragging about how sure-footed I am."

Adora started picking out the various bits of leaves and branches out of her hair. "The universe is here to keep you humble." She brushed off the dirt still clinging to Catra's shirt and wiped away a smudge of mud on her forehead.

"Apparently so."

Adora carefully took her tail and ran her hand over it until the poof mostly dissipated. Then she loosely held one of Catra's forearms and summoned her healing magic. When she felt the humm from her magic pause, she let go, satisfied that her wife was mended. "Good as new," Adora said while clapping her on the back. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can heal egos."

"We've finally found the one thing you're not good at."

"Now who's the flatterer?"

"I have no choice. I can't have you going around and telling everyone what happened," Catra said, "I have a reputation to uphold."

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Not a word?"

"A word of what?" Adora said with a wink. "Now come on. I have a feeling we still have ways to go."

Another hour passed before they paused for lunch under a shady tree. After taking off her backpack, Adora handed Catra a tuna sandwich, her favorite. They sat in silence as they ate, though it was far from uncomfortable. They could be in the same room, say nothing for hours, and she'd still enjoy it.

But this morning was filled with anything but silence. They'd pretty much chatted constantly about anything and everything-the kids, their jobs, their friends, general observations, annoyances. It was nice. It wasn't supposed to be a date. Not by a long shot. And yet it had all the hallmarks of one.

"What are you smiling about?" Catra asked, lightly knocking her shoulder against Adora's.

"Well," Adora said, powerless to stop a grin from eclipsing her face, "I was thinking that this feels like a date."

"This feels like a date? Damn, I gotta take you on some better dates."

"When you think about it, it's romantic. We're all alone. No kids. No looming responsibilities. We've been chatting for hours now. You have to admit, it sounds like a date."

"No looming responsibilities?" Catra said, "Really? What about the gigantic wolves we're tracking for work?"

"Okay, so one looming responsibility. But that's pretty low for us."

"It can't be a date if I've face planted during the course of it."

"Now you're just being stubborn," Adora said, "If you don't think this is a date, I'll have no choice but to put you in a headlock."

"Adora," Catra said while shifting around until she was facing her, "We are adults. We're mothers. Damn it, we're old. We cannot wrestle around in the forest."

"Oh, come on. Have a little fun. Did the Fun Guard call and say you can't have a good time after you turn eighteen?"

"As a matter of fact, they did. Captain Killjoy himself reached out. No wrestling and no play fighting. Sorry, but I don't make the rules," Catra said with a shrug.

"All that's allowed is a business-like handshake?"

"Now you're getting it."

"So you're telling me I have to turn to bribery?" She reached out and put a hand on Catra's knee. There were many ways to win this war.

Catra looked down at her hand and then back up to her face. "Depends on what you're offering."

"If you pin me, I'll let you kiss me," Adora said, "Right on the lips."

"Right on the lips, huh? And during work hours? Who knew you were so bad?"

"That's my final offer. Take it or leave it."

Catra tapped one finger against her lips and she narrowed her eyes. "Hmmm, I guess I'll take it." Before Adora could react, Catra tackled her, sending Adora sprawling backwards.

It was so on.

Her hands dug into Adora's biceps as she tried to pin her down but Adora was faster. She wrapped her arms around Catra and flipped them so she was on top. "So what do I get if I win?" The tips of their noses grazed each other and freed blonde strands from her braid fell loosely around them, hiding the outside world like a golden curtain.

"Oh, Adora." Catra tucked some hair behind Adora's ear and she smiled sweetly up at her. "You're not gonna win." Quick as lightning, she put one arm behind Adora's neck and one arm around her waist and thrusted her hips upwards. Adora rolled over the top of Catra's head while Catra twisted around her, pinning her to the ground.

Catra held her there for a second before loosening her grip. She sat backwards on Adora's hips, absolutely beaming despite most of her hair escaping its ponytail and blowing around her face. "I win." Adora couldn't look away. How did she get so lucky?

"Yes, you did. Now come and get your prize."

Catra fell forward and bracketed her arms on either side of Adora's head. She hovered just inches above Adora's face and rapidly closed the gap between them. Adora closed her eyes, expecting a kiss and instead receiving a hand across her mouth. She reopened her eyes, preparing to fire off several complaints, but her words died off as soon as she looked at Catra's expression.

Her ears pricked forward and moved around like she was trying to triangulate a sound. Her brows furrowed slightly and her mouth pursed. Adora tried to follow where her eyes scanned but she couldn't see anything unusual. So she turned to look back at Catra's face before noticing she was holding her breath.

Catra scrambled so quickly off her that she didn't fully process what was happening until she was getting pulled up and dragged behind a tree. Without saying a word, Catra pointed to a section of forest just across from them. Not knowing what to expect, Adora summoned the Sword of Protection and directed all her attention to some shaking shrubs. If it was another deranged boar, she wasn't ready.

A black wolf, towering far above Adora's height, came out of the bushes flanked by two smaller, white wolves. Each wolf had a set of curved tusks on their shoulders and their coats were a curious mix of shaggy and short. It was shedding season after all. Only the black wolf, King Okeer, had electric blue eyes which matched the shade of many other species of animals, including the deer and elk. The others had brown eyes but possessed the same intelligent gaze.

Adora stepped out from the tree and let her sword disappear from her grip. "King Okeer, Rika, Samson. You have no idea how happy I am to see old friends. How are you?"

All three sat down and regarded the pair with kind expressions. "She-Ra, Princess Catra," Okeer greeted. His voice was so deep that she could feel it reverberate in her chest. "It's good to see you both, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Much is wrong with the forest, I fear, and we have much to discuss. Lord Bulruk wants to see you too. I shall take you to him and explain what I know as we travel."

"Lead the way."

"I'll carry you, She-Ra. Rika will take the Princess," he commanded while shifting into a lying position. This was going to be a lot easier in her She-Ra form so she shifted and climbed onto his back. Catra gave her a nod once she was situated.

"We're ready to go," Adora said. The three wolves took off in a steady lope and Adora gripped his tusks to stay balanced.

"You've felt the forest's distress, no?"

"I have," Adora confirmed, "It's been on edge for days. But it became much clearer that something was wrong when a boar attacked our child." She explained what happened in as much detail as possible. "Have you ever seen a boar injure itself like that? Have you ever heard of an animal killing for fun?"

"I am sorry that happened to your pup. It's not easy to see your own in harm's way. Are they okay? It's hard for one so young to understand these things."

"They're okay, thanks for asking. Maybe a little shaken up."

"Understandable, given the situation," Okeer said. "And as for the boar, what you described isn't surprising. There is a deep anguish running through Etheria and it is leaching into the woods. The harmony and the songs are disrupted, driving some mad."

"What's causing it? Is a runestone out of alignment or something like that?"

"You have kept the planet balanced for many years, She-Ra. And for that we are grateful. So that is of no issue. The problem is not from within Etheria. It is coming from somewhere outside of it."

"Outside of Etheria?" Adora said "So an alien is causing all this? Or alien tech?"

"Alien? I do not know that word. But like you, it is not from here. Lord Bulruk can show you more. He is up ahead."

They trotted into a clearing filled with deer and elk, all raising their heads to watch their admittedly strange group maneuver through their ranks. Standing above the rest, on the far side of the clearing, stood Lord Bulruk. All four eyes watched her, unblinking. A beam of sunlight was hitting him, bathing the area in a warm glow. His pure white pelt and antlers stood in stark contrast to the surrounding elk with their blue accents. Despite the difference, he still looked completely in his element.

Once they got close enough, both she and Catra dismounted. "Lord Bulruk," she greeted while bowing. From the corner of her eye, she saw Catra do a long, low, practiced bow that captured both the confidence and elegance of a career diplomat.

"My Lord," Okeer said, "I have brought She-Ra to you as requested. I have told her what I know."

Lord Bulruk turned his gaze from Adora, to Okeer, and back. He moved forward carefully, his long legs curling with every step. He stopped in front of Adora before extending his neck towards her. She put one hand out and pressed her palm into his velvety muzzle.

The sight of the elk and Catra melted away, giving way to a new world. It was another forest. One that she didn't recognize. The sky was dark, caused by rolling gray clouds that lit up every few seconds with lightning. Judging by the sun it was midday but it felt like evening. Wind blew through the trees, making her shiver. And everything was muted. Sure, the same tones of Etheria were present-the earthy reds and pinks, the light blues, and the deep greens. But they were considerably less vibrant, as if she watched the landscape through a screen rather than standing in the middle of it.

"We can't stay here!" She turned around to find a small group of humans, satyrs, scorpioni, and some kind of avian folk huddled around a circular piece of tech that looked suspiciously like a portal. A thirtyish red-headed human man with a matching red beard jabbed his finger in the face of a much older, graying man. The older man wore a crown layered with detailed golden leaves. Strange considering he wore a torn cloak and his sandals were falling apart.

"Then what do you suggest? We have nowhere else to go," the old man said, "It will be hard for them to find us here. And besides, you haven't gotten the portal to work even once. For all we know, we could be walking to our deaths by using it."

"It's better than being hunted down like fucking animals. And I know it'll work. All my calculations say it will," the red-head said, "We just need to make sure it's calibrated to Etheria's planetary marker."

"Oh, your calculations say it'll work? How comforting. All right everyone, let's step through this portal that'll dump us in some shithole because Red's calculations say it's alright."

"Your Majesty," an older woman said while stepping up to them, "Your fears are reasonable. I have my own trepidations as well. But Red's right. We've run out of options."

The group froze and then faded away. The scene reformed and Adora stood in a ridiculously large room made of red brick. The ceiling arched and soared high above her. Thick, neat bundles of wiring ran along the ceiling and walls. Pieces of tech dotted the entire room, some as large as Swift Wind. At the far end, by an unlit fireplace, stood a blue-haired human woman and blonde satyr. They too stood nearby something that looked like a portal.

"The Queen's gonna be so pleased. Maybe she'll promote us," the woman said, "And we won't have to be stuck in the basement digging around old scraps."

"Oh, she's gonna lose her mind when she sees this," said the satyr, "All she's talked about for weeks now is Etheria. And who can blame her? Fuck the King. He deserves everything that's coming."

"Ya, ya, who cares? We just need to get this portal online and we'll be good as gold."

Adora blinked and she was back on Etheria, standing in the same spot and her hand still placed on Lord Bulruk's nose. His pale eyes watched her and seemed to analyze her very soul. She stroked his head, hoping to convey her thanks. She trusted what she saw in the vision. He'd never lie to her, for better or worse.

"What did you see, She-Ra?" Okeer asked from behind her.

She dropped her hand and turned to face both the wolves and Catra. "There are at least two groups attempting to open a portal to Etheria. One is pretty torn-up and desperate to escape. From what, I'm just not sure. The other seems more official? I don't know how to put it exactly but they referenced a queen and they seemed to have more resources."

"Are they from the same place?" Catra said.

"Couldn't say. It was two separate visions. One in a forest and one in, if I had to guess, a castle."

"Did they seem dangerous? If they do manage to open these portals, what are we dealing with?"

"Now that's the question," Adora said, "And one I just can't answer. At least not right now."