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Chapter Text

     The Frightzone was usually only filled with the sounds of heavy machinery, gunfire, and soldiers yelling. This morning, however, was different; it was like a switch. Almost every Horde Soldier was talking about the missing prisoner, Shadow Weaver. The cell guard opened the cell early in the morning, only to find the first commander alone. The cell guard Juilo had mentioned how the strong force captain had seemed to crumble. It was probably because Hordak would find a replacement for Shadow Weaver, and Catra and her crew were right on top of that list.

    Catra sighed and stalked deeper into the Frightzone. Hordak would be looking for her soon; she could feel it in her bones. Of course, Catra could try to escape, but where could she go? She was Hordak’s second in command, his iron fist, and the face of the horde. Every village in the surrounding area knew her name. They would either try to kill her or, worse, turn her into the Rebellion.

     Catra kicked an empty ration wrapper, letting out a deep huff. Her tail flicked in irritation, and she forced her eyes to look straight. Luckily, this hall was quiet, especially since everyone was gossiping about her mess-up. “ STAY CALM WHAT THE HELL…” rang through the dark hall. Catra turned the corner, blinded by the harsh locker room lights. “Lonnie…” she nodded towards the shocked group. Lonnie gritted her teeth at Catra. The veins on her arms seemed to pop out. Catra stepped closer with a quick smirk.

    “So…” With a quick motion, Lonnie punched Catra, knocking her back into the nearby lockers. Both Kyle and Rogelio made no move to stop her. The taller lizard man seemed to hum proudly, and the skinny blonde boy had turned around, opting not to look. Catra let her head fall back and let out a deep cackle. Lonnie and her had many fights, but this seemed to top it all. “Do you realize how fucked we are?” Lonnie questioned. This caused Catra to laugh again. Her tail twitched wildly, and Lonnie had to restrain her from stepping on it.

    Rogelio hissed, his hands flexing as if he wanted a piece of her. Even Kyle, the usual pacifist, bared his teeth at her. “I'm fucked! You, on the other hand, are not…” Catra pulled out a tan folder. Lonnie carefully grabbed it, inspecting it before fully opening it. The two men surrounded her, leaning over Lonnie’s shoulder to take a peek. “Escape Plan,” they read the title, glancing over the thick packet. Kyle locked eyes with Catra. “Is this some type of sick joke?”

    Catra rubbed the back of her mane.“I wish it were.” She stood upright, gesturing for the trio to follow. Lonnie was the first to follow her tough, worn-out boots slamming against the metal flooring. Lonnie raised her eyebrow. “Why the hell are you helping us?.” Kyle stepped forward. His usual twitching had seemed to increase by tenfold. His whole body was twitching wildly, from his head down to his socks. “W-we shouldn’t trust her, she..” Rogelio nodded in agreement, resting his clawed hand on one of Kyle’s shoulders.

     The three stared Catra down. “What choice do you have?” she turned around wildly, starkly contrasting her teasing demeanor from before. Catra’s eyes locked with Lonnie's, her eyes unnaturally wide. “Would you rather be sent with me to Beast Island?” The air was thick as both Lonnie and Catra stared each other down. Between Lonnie’s rough breathing and Catra’s unnerved stare, the hall felt more than uneasy. Finally, Lonnie’s shoulders dropped, and she gestured for Catra to lead the way. 

    Catra went silent, listening to the steps behind her. 

     “Number seven, hop on.” Catra pointed towards a smaller Skiff from the Horde’s scouting units. The three hopped on to find multiple bags of supplies, including a change of clothes, rations, and plenty of weapons. Lonnie turned towards Catra and stared down at her from the Skiff. Her eyebrows were hunched together, trying to comprehend the whole situation. “You should get going. The next patrol will be here soon.” Catra watched Rogelio start the skiff and drive off with the two in tow. Slowly, Catra sat down on the cold concrete floor, letting out a deep sigh. 

     There was no telling how much time passed. “The patrol seems to be taking a longer time than usual..” Catra noted quietly to herself. She quickly chucked to herself before standing up and taking a moment to stretch before doing so. Catra’s tail flicked in lazy acknowledgment as she finally heard the sound of heavy boots crashing down on rusted metal. Soon, the hangar was filled with Horde Soilder’s weapons, which were raised at Catra. “On your knees, traitor!” Catra smirked, looking at the leader of the group. Slowly, she turned her head, watching the horizon from which her trio had disappeared. 

     “Are you listening to me!?” The words cut through the thick silence. Catra couldn’t help but laugh at the soldier. She recognized him. Catra recognized all of them. She had grown up with them, trained with them, and even trained some soldiers. Now, however, they had weapons raised, ready to shoot her down. Catra smirked, slowly dropping down into a fighting stance. Lee, the leader of the group, seemed to hesitate. “Catra, come on, don’t make us do this…” Seeing their hesitation, Catra charged first with unnatural speed, knocking Lee back.

     This set off a flame in the room, and the large soldier swarmed Catra. Quickly, she was thrown to the cool ground with a hefty smack. Scarred Fist and steel-toed boots rained down on her without any mercy. Catra cried out as she felt the wet crack of something breaking. Slowly, the group started to pull back, leaving her mangled on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her. Catra opened her eyes, peering up at the tall figure above, Hordak. He slowly arched down to grab her by the scruff. “I won’t kill you. I have something much worse for you…” With a tiny motion from Hordak, she went limp in his hold. The world around her went dark, and she started to phase out of existence. 

Chapter Text

     The soldiers stood blocking the entrance to Hordak’s enclave. “The Dark Lord is not taking any visitors at the moment…” Scorpia smiled before turning back the way she came. It had been several days since her squad disappeared. It was usual for Catra to disappear for several days at the time. Either getting wrapped in her duties as Force Captain or having an obsessive relationship with Adora. Lonnie and her crew, on the other hand, weren’t like Catra. Scorpia and the crew would often hang out and at least try to hang out with each other. So it was weird that the only person she had seen for days was Entrapta. 

     Scorpia hung her head low, letting her stringer drag behind her. “I finally can’t believe that cat bitch is gone…” This caught her attention, and she perked up. The voice was coming from the Medical Ward. Quickly, Scorpia peered into the cracked metal door. Several of her fellow soldiers surrounded one bed. In the middle sat Lee, who seemed to be badly injured, with several bandages wrapped around his torso. He held a small tablet in his hand, replaying a video over and over again. “Look at the bitch cry!” Scorpia recognized that cry. 

     There was no doubt about it. The person screaming out in pain in that video was Catra. And here they were, celebrating and laughing at her pain like a big joke. Scorpia could feel her large claws clench together and her stringer raised in a striking motion. A hand was placed on her shoulder, and soon, her feet followed. “Scorpia, I have some important news about Catra.” Entrapta waved her tablet in Scorpia’s face. She could feel herself unclenching and slowly. Scorpia took one last look at the medic door before turning away. “Let’s not talk here.”

     Catra’s bed groaned under Scorpia’s weight. The room hadn’t changed since Scorpia had last seen it. Several of Catra’s clothes lay spread out on the floor. Along with documents, she would spend hours studying and tweaking. Scorpia clutched one of the loose papers in her claw while Entrapta began to ramble. She didn’t notice that the mad scientist stopped talking until Entrapta handed her a tablet. Quickly pressing play before stepping back to watch. Scorpia fell into shock, watching the scene play out. Watching it was much worse than actually listening to it. The way Catra’s body contorted and her body going limp in Hordak’s hold destroyed her. 

     “I can’t believe it…” Scorpia let her face fall into her claws. Entrapta slowly moved over, placing a hand on her back. For a moment, Scorpia let her tears fall. After a while, Entrapta sighed softly. “Catra is alive despite what it might look like.” Scorpia's head bounced up, causing Entrapta to jump back in surprise. Scorpio's demeanor changed at that moment; her face was bright, and her stringer was held high. It was clear from the look in Scorpia’s eyes that she wanted every last detail at this very second. 

     Entrapta picked up her tablet, which had been dropped on the floor in all the commotion. She swiped, pulling up another video feed from the Horde’s Port. The video was dark, grainy, and glitched, but Scorpia could just make three darkened figures. Slowly, another figure came into the frame, dragging a familiar shape. “Catra!” Scorpia breathed out a sigh of relief. The group entered the boat right as the camera footage cut out. “From these documents, they seem to be heading to a place called Beast Island.” Scorpia’s eyes widened as she read over the documents Entrapta handed her. 

     Beast Island was known in the Horde as a fate worse than death. The island was said to be covered in thick vegetation, with cave-dwelling ghouls and, of course, Beasts. Scorpia shivered at the thought of Catra being there injured, scared, and alone. With a deep breath, she stood up with newfound determination. “We have to save Catra!” Entrapta nodded in agreement. Scorpia clenched her claws, looking down at the scientists. “And get rid of Hordak…” This made Entrapta hesitate, looking up at the smiling Scorpia. She was quick to notice her head tilting and confused. “What’s wrong?”

     Entrapta sighed. “Catra is our friend; I know she means the world to you.” Scorpia nodded, bending down to meet Entrapta’s eye level. Entrapta looked away, deciding to focus on one of Catra’s loose shirts. “Hordak means the world to me, and I can’t just…” Entrapta turned to look back at Scorpia, but her face was unreadable. Entrapta reached out to rest a hand on Scorpia’s shoulder, only for it to be knocked away. “Catra saved you with her. You would be dead.” She rose from her squatted position, looking back down to Entrapta. “You think Hordak would have saved you?” Scorpia left, leaving Entrapta standing in complete shock. 

     Scorpia marched down metal halls with loud bangs. She could see several soldiers watching her in shock at her new behavior, but she didn’t care. Scorpia quickly turned a corner, which led her to a darkened abandoned hallway. At the end of it sat a door reading ‘Storage room 64.’ It was one of Catra’s old hiding places. The inside was littered with claw marks, papers, and old ration scraps. Scorpia leaned against it, letting out a deep sigh. She would save Catra. “I could use some help.” There was no one Scorpia could trust. Don’t get her wrong, Catra was her best friend, but she had made a lot of enemies over the years. 

     Scorpia’s eyes traced the walls before landing on a miniature doodle. Catra was always ashamed of her drawing and would destroy any Scorpia found. However, Scorpia found them cute and couldn’t help but smile at them. The doodle showed Catra “ And Adora…” An idea formed in Scorpia’s idea, an idea Catra would call downright stupid. Scorpia could ask Adora for help. It was no secret about the two's past and current interest in each other. “Adora can’t say no!” She couldn’t just leave the Horde; security had increased these last few days. Scorpia looked around the room. She’ll need a few days to plan her escape thoroughly; this would be the perfect place. “Catra, here I come…” 

Chapter Text

     Every part of her body seemed to be screaming in agony. Catra would be yelling out to the world if not for her already sore throat. Instead, She decided to look at her surroundings. She was in a small cell with no bed or toilet, only herself. Pushing herself up, Catra let out a slight whine, wincing at the pain. “You finally awake, kitty,” the voice was sickeningly familiar. 

     “Octavia, how's the eye?” Catra rolled her eyes before sticking out her tongue. Octavia reached into her cell, grabbing her by the collar. She pulled Catra against the cell bars with a loud bang. “Listen here, you stupid cat. If you weren’t already dead, I-” Octavia dropped Catra once she felt the spit connect with her eye. 

     Several people soon rushed down a flight of stairs Catra hadn't noticed before. Octavia forced herself up with a loud groan. Before she could even blink, weapons were pointed at all sides of her. “Don’t kill her; she has something much worse coming,” Octavia smirked, grabbing Catra by her arm and dragging her up the stairs. As Catra was dragged up the last step, salt water hit her nose. Some birds were circling over her with beady eyes that made her shiver. 

     Catra let out a loud hiss as Octavia hoisted her on the ship's edge.

      She looked down, and the waves crashed roughly against the hull. She hated the way water looked, smelled, and touched. Octavia turned Catra around, allowing her to get a good look at her mole. “Is the brave kitty cat scared?” Catra turned to look back at the stomach-turning drop. Then, back to Octavia with a smirk. Catra drew her head back, letting out a deep purr, which caused Octavia to gag. “Are you trying to beg your way out!” With one swift motion, Catra crashed her head against Octavia. 

     Catra fell. She felt how the wind cradled around her, and the voices of enraged crewmates faded.  The waves that seemed so rough before seemed to hold her softly. And when she felt the coral press against her back, Catra sighed in relief. Water filled her lungs as she breathed her last breath. She felt a warm feeling overtake her and slowly closed her eyes.

     Several birds circled the battered and bruised body that had washed in the shower only a few minutes ago. They were watching and waiting, making sure it was theirs to take. Finally, one brave bird dove down to take a piece of the carcass. Catra loudly cried, feeling a sharp pinch on her already bruised side. “For fuck’s sake!” she screamed into the blue sky. Catra had survived. 

     Every inch of her body cried out in pain. Catra’s bone screamed, and her soaking fur seemed to pull her down. Still, Catra propped herself up with a sharp wince. The beach she ended up on had crystal white sand and clear waters. She turned her head to see a defense forest full of life. Catra squinted, seeing a few hanging fruit at the forest line. Catra’s stomach overpowered her wounds, and shakily forced herself up.

     Slowly, Catra dragged herself towards the bundle of fruit. She eyed it suspiciously. The unnamed fruit was an obnoxious bright pink that hurt when she looked at it too long. “On one hand, this seems poisonous…” Catra let out a harsh breath before reaching for a smaller fruit. Only to quickly jump back right before a large paw swiped out. Catra landed on her back with a yelp “Fuck!”.

     The giant creature stalked inside the inner boundary of the jungle. If not for the lights peeking from the treetops, It would have been invisible. Luckily for her, it didn’t want to go past the jungle boundary. Almost as if there was an imaginary wall had been put up.  Instead, it eyed Catra hungrily, flexing its sharp claws. Catra smirked, realizing this, and swiftly raised a middle finger at the creature. “Scared of a little sand!” She laughed deeply, flicking a fistful of sand at it. 

     Only for said creature to shake the sand off without a care. Catra eyed the beast curiously. “Why are you staying over there?” she whispered, observing the creature. It was cat-like with a long, sleek frame, steel claws, and almost perfect camouflage. It could easily take Catra down in this state, and she had a feeling it knew that. The only question was, ‘Why wasn’t it?’

     Catra quickly swiped the fruit in her arms. “I’ll be taking this!” the creature growled in response. She turned towards her right, and the clear sands looked to go on forever. Catra moved her body to turn towards the left shoreside. Just for the creature to let out a pained hiss, retreating to the undergrowth. Catra raised an eyebrow, eyeing the spot the creature disappeared to, then lowered her sight towards her hip where her Force Captain Badge rested. 

     Light from the sun hit directly on the faulty piece of metal. Which in turn reflected the light outwards. “So you afraid of light…” Catra looked up at the sky the sun was starting to sink. Her focus was back to the left shoreside. On the far side, she could make out a large cliff. Of course, Catra couldn’t even think of climbing it, but maybe she could find some shelter. With a huff, she started her well down the shoreside.

     By the time Catra reached the cliff, it was nightfall. The air had chilled, leaving her freezing. The cool surface of the cliff didn’t make it any better. She had been following the rockside for a while now with no luck. “At least that freaky cat thing is gone…” Catra leaned on the cliff slide, letting herself rest for once. From the time Shadow Weaver escaped, Catra didn’t think. 

     Slowly, she slid down the cliff wall to sit down. The position she had worked so hard to keep was gone. The Frightzone, her home since she was a kid, was gone. Then there was Shadow Weaver. The vile, sick, and cruel woman who raised Catra had betrayed her. Just like Adora had months ago, Catra could no longer feel the cooled air around her. Instead, her body felt sickenly hot, as if it could erupt at any moment. And erupt she did. 

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     Catra turned her claws on herself and dug into the open of her wounds. The pain felt like ecstasy at that moment, and she wanted more. Without missing a beat, she threw her body against the solid rock, ignoring the loud crack her body let out. The whole situation seemed hilarious to her. Everyone was able to escape to have their happy ending. Except for her, of course, moments like that weren’t made for her.

     Catra forced her head into the sand, now littered with rocks. She stayed there, letting the stones pierce through the thin fur on her forehead. Catra’s breathing slowed, and once again, she could feel the cool air flowing over her, almost like a blanket—the blood from her fore. “I swear on my life they’ll pay… she will pay,” Catra forced herself up.

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     Beside her was now a ladder that wasn’t there before. It was old, ridgy, and unstable, which is why Catra didn’t hesitate to climb. Catra felt freer than she had been in such a long time. The ladder sang as the wind pushed it around. This only edged Catra on, and she let out a deep cackle. Her muscles burned as she forced herself up on the ledge. Catra’s body collapsed on the small ledge the ladder hung from. From here, she could see the entire beach, which seemed infested with those giant creatures.

     Catra smirked, turning away to face a dark cave entrance. She walked into the cave, holding her head high. The cave was surprisingly well-lit once fully inside. Several odd glowing mushrooms are around, illuminating the area. Leaning against the cave wall was a long spear. It was weak and rusted, and several large leaves lay in the center of the room. Catra crouched down, running her finger on one of the leaves. 

     Dust painted her claw tips. The cave was abandoned. Catra let out a deep sigh, sinking into the makeshift bed. Her body was exhausted. Catra's eyes closed, and she let the weight of it all fall on top of her. From afar, eyes watched her with deep worry. 

Chapter Text

Brightmoon was brighter than Scorpia last remembered. Despite the castle being primarily colored with soft purples and white, it still shined brightly. Scorpia let out a sigh of relief. She had spent several weeks traveling through the dense woods and dealing with multiple threats. Scorpia smiled excitedly. She was so close to her goal that she could smell it. Or maybe that was just her...Carefully, Scorpia stepped out of the dense woods. Only to be met with a sharp point behind her back. “Claws up Horde Scum!” Scorpia obediently raised her claws upward. During Scorpia's travels through the woods, she learned it was better not to fight back.

Two cool handcuffs wrapped around her wrist with a soft click. Her capture harshly poked their weapon deeper into Scorpia’s back. “Move.” They walked towards the castle gates in mostly silence. Several other guards waited for her, their weapons raised. Scorpia lowered her head as she finally entered. The hallways were eerily quiet. Before she knew it, Scorpia had been shoved into a room. That worked out better than she had expected. After that last plan, Catra and her pulled Scorpia assumed she would be shot on sight.

The door clicked behind her, and again, she was left alone. “You will stay in your cell till further notice.” A harsh but muffled voice could be heard through the door. Scorpia cocked her head, looking around at her cell, if you could even call it that. Just like the princess of Brightmoon, the room itself was sparkly. The bed was so soft she sunk into it; the pillows against her claws were easily rippable, and it was clear she could mash all eight of the surrounding windows. Scorpia looked down at her stringer, waving it around softly. She could hear Catra's voice criticizing the rebellion on their lack of detail. "I guess they were just excited." She sat down on the large bed to large to be for a prisoner.

Scorpia let herself sink further into the bed. It was clear this wasn’t an actual bed. If anything, this seemed like a spare room to keep any guest in. Unfortunately, Scorpia wasn’t a guest. She was a prisoner. “Happy thoughts.” Catra needed her, and she wasn’t going to let her down. Scorpia would get Adora and, hopefully, the rest of the rebellion to track her down. Scorpia let out a deep sigh, calming herself. This plan was going to work, but it had to work.

Scorpia’s head perked up when she heard familiar voices. She quickly sat up, putting on her best smile. “For Catra,” She whispered. Glimmer was the first to appear. Teleporting right in front of Scorpia, causing her to let out a surprised yelp. “Where’s Catra!” Glimmer grabbed her shirt collar, pulling Scorpia down to eye level. Before Scorpia could answer, both Bow and She-Ra burst into the room. For some reason, they all had weirdly different customers. Glimmer was dressed up like a cliche villain from one of the novels Scorpia used to read. Bow (hopefully, that was his actual name) was dressed as a teacher from one of Horde's senior strategy lessons. Finally, the great and mighty She-Ra was dressed as a regular guard. If it weren't for the serious situation, Scorpia would have laughed.

She-Ra pointed her sword at Scorpia, striking her familiar pose. “Tell us now or else…” Glimmer all but barked out. Scorpia sighed, looking up around at the three. They all seemed to be on guard, ready to strike any moment. This was all for Catra, her best friend, she reminded herself. “Catra took Shadowweaver’s place on Beast Island.” She felt a strong tug on her shirt before being lifted up to eye level with She-Ra. Scorpia's eyes squinted as her signature golden glow shone brighter than Glimmer's. The grip around her was sharp, and she struggled to breathe.

“Explain.” She-Ra’s words were cold and, judging by her friends, looked unnatural. Scorpia quickly explained the events that had occurred over the last few weeks. Scorpia did not want to anger the Golden Warrior.“But I know she’s alive, so we just need to find her!” She-Ra nodded in agreement, finally setting Scorpia down on her own two feet. However, Glimmer gritted her teeth at the mention of saving Catra. Instead, she reached out her hands until she gripped Bow and Adora's. Then, instantly, they disappeared in a cloud of purple glitter. Scorpia's heart dropped at this sight.

Glimmer was, in Catra's words, 'The Bitchy One.' This could only mean that she was the leader in control of everything. If she disagreed with saving Catra, her whole mission would be compromised. Scorpia sat on the edge of the bed and let out a deep sigh. There was no use in panicking over things you couldn't control. Now, all she could do was wait. And wait Scorpia for hours. By the time Scorpia heard a knock on her cell door, it was nighttime. It opened softly, and Adora stepped inside.

Adora looked different from her She-Ra form—no longer an all-powerful warrior, now just a regular-looking girl. The girl, Catra, seemed not to be able to let go. Adora handed her a white box. "It's food. We keep it in these things called take-out boxes." Scorpia smiled at Adora before patting down a spot next to her. She sat down right beside Scorpia, hanging her head low. “You said she was alive?” her voice sounded rough. It was similar to when Catra would spend all day yelling orders at new recruits. Scorpia nodded, playing the same security footage Entrapta had shown her. "She's alive..." Adora's voice cracked.

Scorpia nodded, not knowing what else to say. Adora let out a soft chuckle. “She was never one to go down easily.” Adora looked at the ceiling, staring. Her eyes, however, seemed far off into the distance. Scorpia stared at her, trying to decipher what was happening in her head. After a while, Scorpia turned away the privilege to understand fully that She-Ra was meant only for Catra. Adora pulled a key out of her pocket and unhooked her cuffs. “If we are going to save Catra, you must eat.” Adora propped herself up surprisingly fast and exited the room.

Scorpia waited moments longer until heavy boots could be heard down the hallway. Once she was sure no one else was around, Scorpia jumped up. “Catra, here I come!” Scorpia danced around the room happily, her stringer swishing behind her. Adora and she were going to save Catra. She wouldn't let anything or anyone come in her way to save her. Scorpia rested against the window closest to her bed. “Just hold on, Wild Cat.”

Scorpia looked out at the landscape below her. It was a beautiful garden, she could tell. There were several different plants and flowers in the garden that Scorpia didn’t know the name of. Catra and she could learn together when they both got back. Scorpia smiled at the thought of it all. However, eyes soon drifted to a blinding presence. Glimmer had entered the garden and looked to be marching angrily. Doubt started to cloud her mind. Adora had confirmed she was on board to save Catra, but would the princess let her? If Glimmer disagreed, then her Mother, the Queen of Brightmoon, would be on her side too. This would make things a whole lot more difficult.

Scorpia winced as Glimmer knocked a few pots down. Did the idea of saving Catra set her off that badly? She knew Glimmer and Catra were enemies, but the level of rage that Scorpa could feel coming from the princess felt inhuman. Scorpia watched the scene play out more. On one hand, she felt guilty about invading her privacy; on the other, she couldn’t look away. Scorpia watched as Glimmer tore up more of the garden in a fit of rage. It was almost identical to how Catra would tear up her office after a stressful meeting. They were more similar than she had realized. Scorpia let out a sigh and began to turn back towards her bed.

That was until she saw a familiar figure that made her blood boil. “Shadowweaver” Scorpia pressed herself against the window for a closer look. The old witch crouched down beside Glimmer, embracing her in a hug. Scorpia let out a surprised gasp when the princess returned it. Scorpia knew little about Glimmer, but her hatred for Horde Soilders was clear. Still, she watched the princess hug one of the biggest Horde Commanders ever. They hugged as if they were the two closest people on the planet. "Are you kidding me?"

Then, be obediently led into a nearby tent. Scorpia's eyebrows knitted at the hypocrisy. Her blood boiled. Shadowweaver was able to get away from all her responsibilities. While people like Catra and her had to suffer, did Shadowweaver not do worse than them? Scorpia plopped down on the ground, taking a deep breath. Now was not the time to be worried about those two. Once she recused, Catra Scorpia was sure she’d have a plan. However, she couldn’t help but wonder, “What puts you above us?”