Chapter Text
Adora didn’t really know how to describe the event. The cliches of ‘it happened so fast’ and ‘it went in slow motion’ were battling inside her head as they mixed with momentary grief, though she was not currently aware of the ‘momentary’ part.
Micah had gone to Mystacor for some magical scrolls that he and Glimmer were researching, and that left the Queen to stay in Brightmoon and call an Alliance meeting to check up on everyone and overall make sure everyone was keeping out of trouble, something that there had been hints of the past couple of months. It only took 2 years after the war had ended for trouble to stir up again, and everyone was still getting their bearings, really.
The princesses had just arrived and taken their seats when out of the peripheral of her eye, Catra saw a suspicious-looking guard standing too close to her for her comfort. She didn’t mention anything though, seeing as how there were still several people wary of her in the castle, and if a guard felt safer believing that they could stop whatever she wanted to do, she let them.
It wasn’t until another disheveled guard burst into the room where the conversation was just starting that Catra realized how much of a mistake her silence was. The guard next to her quickly stepped up to the man who had just entered and knocked him out with the blunt side of the spear, alerting the other princesses to the danger now in the room. As they stood up, however, they weren’t quick enough to stop the impostor quickly spinning the spear and stabbing it right through Catra, whose eyes were now wide with surprise and mouth agape with blood spilling out. She had been the closest to him, and likely the target with how sure the fake guard was with the killing.
All the princesses in the room stood in momentary shock at the gruesome display before rage took over and soon the lonely murderer saw the entirety of the rebellion charging at him, She-ra leading the group and looking as murderous as ever.
He didn't stand a chance and was doomed within the second.
It was only after the murder was taken care of that the princesses and allies turned around to see a red-maned and gloomy-looking melog curled around Catra's collapsed and limp body.
Adora shrunk from her She-ra form and brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle a heavy sob. Everyone in the room was crying, even Mermista had tears in her eyes, but it was clear that Adora was suffering the most.
Her girlfriend, who she'd promised to protect and never abandon now that the war was over, was now lying with unseeing eyes on the floor because of a meager nuisance, someone who was a nobody that had simply managed to get lucky enough to sneak past the guards.
She could hardly believe her eyes, and she was about to start backtracking into denial when a sudden inhale was heard throughout the room. Most importantly, Catra’s chest heaved when it happened. So quickly that Adora almost missed it, Catra’s previously unfocused eyes blinked and her head turned to face the entire group.
Once again in shock, Adora turned to look at the rest of the princesses to make sure she wasn't going crazy, but the faces on the rest of them didn't make things any clearer for her. She looked back towards Catra to see an almost maniacal smile on Catra’s face while muttering a quiet “Fuck yeah,” as she started to sit up.
With the movement, the entire group was taken out of their stupor and they simultaneously made a move to help or comfort or question the catgirl who apparently was not dead.
Scorpia’s voice was the loudest of the clamor in the room, shouting an almost amused, “Again Catra? Really,” she still had tears in her eyes but a watery chuckle managed to escape.
Catra let out a weak snicker and Melog’s mane turned a light pinkish-orange out of delightment for seeing his friend alive again, “Sorry, I genuinely thought that was it,” she grimaced, recalling just how dreadful it had felt to remember that her nine lives had run out and she was about to die permanently, though it seems she was spared.
“Oh my stars, I completely forgot about that,” Adora finally spoke up, tears basically gone and an amazed smile on her face. The memory of her girlfriend’s first death popped up in her mind.
“Forgot about what? What the fuck is going on?” Glimmer was completely disoriented, seeing as how she knew nothing about why Catra was suddenly alive after seeing one of her best friends get speared.
“Yeah, this bitch literally just came back to life, resurrected, revived, resurged-”
“We get it, Mermista,” Catra interrupted, though she didn’t really want to. It was fun seeing the usually calm and cool water princess be absolutely bewildered.
Scorpia and Adora looked at each other with knowing eyes. They had actually bonded over freaking out about Catra dying right in front of them and then waking up like nothing happened. It was their thing.
“Er, so, actually-”
“Catra has- had nine lives so she can basically just die and wake up… it’s normal.”
Scorpia and Adora had both gradually made their way over to Catra’s side of the room, who was still lying under Melog on the floor and were left to watch the realization flood the Rebellion’s faces.
Out of everyone, it was Glimmer who spoke first, face morphed into one of minimal anger and annoyance, “Is that why you’re so damn hard to kill?! Unbelievable! It is so unfair that I pummeled your ass and you still didn’t stay down only because you came back to life!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Now I wouldn’t say pummeled- ”
“I DROPPED A WAREHOUSE ON YOUR ASS.”
“IT DOESN’T MEAN YOU KILLED ME THAT TIME.”
Catra was now sitting up vehemently, though her glare was less terrifying with a giant cat on her.
Glimmer narrowed her eyes, “I killed you that time… I just know it! SAY IT.”
“...” Catra was tempted to refuse, but she turned to Adora and saw her with her arms crossed and a lifted eyebrow, waiting. Damn she was whipped, “ugh, fine. Yes… I died there.”
“Oh I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you very well. Can you repeat that?”
Bow stepped to Glimmer’s side, “Glim, are you sure-”
“YES BOW, I WANNA KNOW.”
Bow pursed his lips and silently nodded, backing away and retreating to the safety of the other princesses who were curiously awaiting an answer as well.
After a few moments, Catra broke, “YES! Fine! You killed me when you dropped the beam on me, it was a bit slower considering I had just been electrocuted, but I wasn’t lying when I said you tasted like glitter!”
“HA, I knew it! I won that battle-”
Catra was still grumbling about how it wasn’t fair that Glimmer her sparkle powers while the girl in mention continued to celebrate her belated victory, but the rest of the Rebellion looked at the pair in mild fear as they casually had an entire conversation about Catra dying and Glimmer was cheering because she killed her friend, although they hadn’t been friends in the moment so she assumed it was okay. (It was not okay, but whatever)
It wasn’t until Catra looked up again from her muttering that she registered the dried tear stains on the princess’s faces, “Wow, were you guys really that worried?”
Perfuma nearly had an aneurysm, “Of course we were! We thought our friend had died. I bet Frosta’s traumatized-”
“I’m not.”
“I think we’re ALL traumatized! We just saw our friend die!”
Bow nodded his assent, eyes wide with tears still in the corners, “We were so worried! You even made Entrapta go all angry!”
Entrapta called from the back of the group, “I am currently testing some new tech on this person,” proving Bow’s point.
“Yeah like, only I’m allowed to attack you like that... and Glimmer… and Frosta. We can’t do that if you’re dead,” Mermista was trying to keep it non-sappy but everybody knew she got on surprisingly well with Catra and her ‘cool vibes’.
Spinnerella and Netossa were nodding along with the rest of the group, “Yeah! I would’ve lost my sparring partner,” Netossa reminded Catra of their own little bonding with competitiveness.
Spinnerella decided to just state the plain truth, “We care about you dearly, Catra.”
Tears sprung into Catra’s eyes as she realized everyone in the room cared about her, she belonged and she wasn’t just there because they let her. She was there because they wanted her to be, “Gee guys, I.. care about you guys too, or whatever,” she turned her head down and let a small smile appear.
Scorpia lifted Catra up from the floor to Melog’s protests, and pulled her into a hug which was quickly followed by Adora, and then everyone else until Catra was thoroughly smooshed. For once, Catra didn’t complain.
“Alright now we’re going to let the healers look you over to make sure you’re fine and then you’ll take a shower to wash off all that blood,” Adora still wanted to make sure Catra was 100% okay.
Catra was miffed but she reluctantly agreed and was coddled the whole day by not-so-subtle princesses checking up on her.