The Tides Of War

Colors of my heart

Silver and Catra both had showers after that wrestle they had. Getting dehydrated protein slaw out of their fur. Silver was drying her hair with a towel and lost in her thoughts.

'I'm so stupid. I basically kissed her twice! Does she even know that? I mean I told her that I love her just.... Does she remember? I haven't got a response yet--'

She got a hug from behind. Muscular arms she knew were Adora's.

"I see you guys are getting along~" She smiled into the feline hair. Silver chuckled softly, "yeah... "
"You sleeping here tonight? " Adora kissed her ear.
"No, I should go with Catra. It being her first night free from Prime and all that. I want to be there if she needs anything... " Adora chuckled and gave her a squeeze.
"Go get her tiger. "

~~

Silver arrived at Catra's with a blanket in hand. She opened the doors and saw Catra laying on her cot facing to her left. Her ear twitched.
"Hey, I brought a blanket.. " No answer, she walked closer and Catra pulled her tail closer to herself, allowing her to sit. She sat and put a hand to Catra's shoulder.
"You okay? " Catra turned over and scoffed, "yeah, I'm fine. Just tired from earlier. Wanna lay down? " Silver nodded accepting the offer. The magicat scooching around to make space. They laid facing each other. Catra sighing as they basked in the silence.

"Can I ask you something? " Silver nodded.
"How does.. Your magic work? Your eyes we're golden back there and-- I don't know... I know you aren't She-Ra. " Catra asked. Silver raised a brow.

"You don't know? " Catra shook her head. Silver frowned.
"I thought you knew.... " She looked down. "I'm... Connected to Etheria. My rune stone was a part of the planet's core or something, so if anything happens to Etheria. I suffer as well. I think what happened back there... The little rune stone piece I have in that necklace, I somehow channeled the magic from the planet. "
"Wait so in the portal that's why you--"
"Yeah... It hurt... " Catra shuffled backwards and pushed herself up.
"B-but wouldn't that be more of a curse? "

"I used to think that, since everyone refused to stop hurting the planet. " Catra's ears fell and she looked away. Silver sighed and gently tugged her to lay back down. "But, over time as I learnt how to use my powers. I realized it was the most beautiful thing I could have. To understand what makes Etheria truly unique. "
"What's that? "
"Our connections with each other. Love. Forgiveness. Everything. " Catra looked at Silver as she smiled. Then she frowned, "I used to think you were annoying, and a savage magicat.. But.... You're okay. " Catra smiled. Silver's eyes widened.
"What changed your mind? " Silver shifted closer.
"You wouldn't stop being an idiot and risked your life to help an enemy. You didn't give a shit about what anyone said. I... I admire that. " Catra blushed. Silver gave a soft smile.

"Can I... Tell you a story? "
"About what? " Catra fixed herself, a bit excited.
"Etheria. I learnt it from someone. I can't believe it took me so long to realize what it meant? "
"Who is it, if you don't mind... "
"My mom.... " Silver sighed.
"In the portal... Before you start.... In the portal.... I saw something. I thought it was a nightmare. Because the Horde's flags was never like that in it's history. But was it a memory or was it real? " Catra flattened her ears and Silver looked to her eyes. She truly wanted to know.
"It was a nightmare. I... Don't know what it looked like. The destruction. But I do know they perished. Everyone confirmed that at Princess Prom and stuff, I'm truly the last princess no one thought was alive." Catra whimpered.
"I'm sorry. "
"It's not your fault, Catra. " Silver curled their tails together, yet Catra nuzzled into her, surprising her.
"I still feel responsible. Can you... Tell me the story now? " Silver nodded and pulled her away to talk to her.

"You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so,
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me.
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't knowwwwww. "

"Are you seriously singing right now? " Catra groaned.
The room faded to the Whispering Woods; them wearing their old outfits.

"You think you own whatever land you land on, Etheria's just a dead thing you can claim." Silver stuck a flag onto the hill. Overlooking a Horde raid.
"But I know every rock and tree and creature, Has a life, has a spirit, has a name." A few deers ran past and Silver pulled her along.

"You think the only people who are people, Are the people who look and think like you. " Catra saw a giant Leopard and stood in front of Silver; growling.
"But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, " kits meowed, "
You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew. " Silver showed her the kits behind them. The leopard nuzzled their kittens.

"Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moons,
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned.
"Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain,
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? " Silver held Catra's hands, pulling them to jump off BrightMoon's waterfall.

Silver ran on all fours, Catra running just the same beside her.
"Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest, " animals ran around them,
"Come taste the sun sweet berries of the Earth.
Come roll in all the riches all around you, " they rolled down a hill, "And for once, " they stopped, "never wonder what they're worth. " she rolled them away.

"The rainstorm and the river are my brothers, The heron and the otter are my friends, " Catra; swimming, got a fish in her suit and Silver chuckled pulling her to shore.
"And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends. " They swung each other in a circle, Catra starting to get the idea, she smiled.

"How high does the sycamore grow?" Silver clawed up into a tree,
"If you cut it down, then you'll never know. " She helped Catra up, the feline's eyes widening at the scenery.

"And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper skinned, " Silver held their hands up against each other's.
"We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind. " She pressed their foreheads together.

"You can own Etheria and still
All you'll own is Etheria until
You can paint with all the colors of the wiiiind... "

The room faded back to the ship and they huffed, their faces close to one another. Both Catra and Silver looking at each other's lips.
"So... You love me huh? " Silver's eyes widened.
"Y-you remembered--" She pulled away but Catra held her back.
"Stay.. Let me finish.. " Silver complied.

"I was waiting to hear you say it again, so I could confirm it wasn't a Prime mind-trick. But..... You've basically kissed me twice. You're brave as fuck. " Catra chuckled, looking into Silver's eyes. Silver blushed.
"So.. Am I right? You love me? " She held Silver's face.
"Y-yes.... Since we met... " Catra's pupils expanded. She kissed the feline before her, earning a surprised squeak. Silver giving a relaxed hum as she closed her eyes and melted into it.

She rolled them on to the pillows as they separated.
"You love me... " She breathed and hugged the brunette. Catra hugged her back and kissed her temple.
"You know I'm not good with this mushy stuff... "
"Being vulnerable, Catra. Just say that... " Silver purred and Catra nodded. "Yeah that. "
"You'll get used to it."

They turned into a purring heap of fur as they cuddled. Silver yawning,
"What about Adora? " Catra started to pull away but Silver kept her there.
"She knows, she's okay with it. "
"The others? "
"They.... Don't know yet. " Silver yawned again and snuggled into Catra's body.
"That's gonna be funny. Their reactions. "
"Definitely... " Silver's voice faded as she fell asleep. Catra pressed her ear against Silver's chest and listened to her heart beat. She swallowed.
"It's real... " she sighed and snuggled closer. "It's real. "A small tear soaked into her fur.