𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 - 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭

11: "Say your goodbyes"

CW: Fever, mention of sickness, mention of sweat and cold chills

On the other side of the crimson waste, two Horde soldiers stand amongst the sand. Catra and Scorpia. 

"Catra! Hey Catra!" Scorpia yells, trying to gain Catra's attention. She finally catches up with the Cat-girl, "Boy you are just as fast on sand as everywhere else," the white haired girl breaths heavily, trying to regain some breath back into her lungs, "Now, what are we looking at?"

"I'm looking at the crimson waste," Catra bites back bitterly, "The place Hordak sent me to die. I have no idea what your doing, as the last thing I told you was to leave me alone."

Scorpia holds a hand to her heart, "I know. It was so noble of you. You pushed me away in order to save me and--" she pulls Catra in for a hug, "It just brought us closer together."

"Im not--" the brunette groans before turning away, "You know what? It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore," she pushes Scorpia's claw off her and continues walking in the direction she was going before. 

"You know what I see here?" Catra asks, "All my hard work ignored because of one mistake. My dreams turning to dust in front of my eyes," suddenly she sees something from behind the scorpion girl, "But, mainly I'm looking at that." She points to a big skeleton that has pieces of cloth draped over it. 

The duo walk towards the strange structure, but there are no signs of life other than a faint whisper in the wind. 

"Huh. Must be abandoned. According to force captain orientation the Crimson Waste is completely deserted," Scorpia reasons, not really interested in the idea that there could be life living in a giant desert like this one. 

"Yeah it better be. I'm not in the mood to deal with--" Catra pulls aside a tarp, revealing the inside of a thriving tavern, "--people." At the sight, the brunette grips on to the tarp with a death grip, anger dripping off her like a waterfall. 

Scorpia cringes, "Or that information could be completely wrong. Maybe I should've skipped orientation," she chuckles and nudges the girl next to her, "you know what I mean?" 

Catra puts her hands over her eyes and lets out a frustrated groan before storming into the tavern. All eyes are on them as they pass, but Catra pays no mind to it.

"Of course Hordak is wrong," The brunette reasons to herself, "He's a shut in who lives in his lab and doesn't know how to do anything. Why am I surprised at this?" She looks to her right before throwing someone off their stool, "Move it, I'm tired." 

Scorpia scoots up next to her, "Hey, Catra, I'm not questioning your leadership here, but maybe we shouldn't pick on the heavily armed crowd?"

"Oh yeah? And what are they gonna do? Send me to die in the crimson Waste?" she fake gasps, "Would you look at that, I'm already here." 

Suddenly a group of people talking catches the duo's attention, "Good riddance to that She-ra girl." 

Catra smirks, "Are you kidding me?"

"If I ever see that weirdly dressed girl or her sparkly friends, or that angry blonde one again I swear I'll--" the strangers were cut off by Catra clearing her throat. 

"Which way did they go?"

The goat lady looks her up and down with a scowl, "Who are you?"

"You said there was a sparkly duo, a girl with weird clothes and a blonde, which way did they go?" Catra inquires the two.

"Buzz off kitty kitty." 

Catra scoffs, "What, are you too dumb to understand a simple question? Just point genius and I'll figure it out." the goat girl squeezes the drink in her hand tightly, irritated by the stranger who dared to cross her.