Work Text:
The woods are dark and grey. Noises of other creatures wrestling in the woods were heard.
As the ship landed, the 5 clones walked out.
Hordak took the lead, Zael by his side along with Kadroh to his left.
“Alright everyone, we got a signal that there might be Horde tech in these woods, I understand these woods sometimes block our signals but we need to find it” Hordak spoke in a commanding tone.
“I heard from Adora these woods have dangerous monsters in it” Zael looked around warily.
“ I'm sure we can handle it.” Lucero popped his back.
“If anything does my data pad will sense it” Yara smirks as she waves her data pad.
“Then go up front, be our navigator” Zael shoved her forward causing her to yelp and stumble, her ears pinned back as she lets out an annoying growl
“you nearly broke the data pad half fang” Yara bared her light green fangs at him.
“Then hold it better” Zael playfully rolled his eyes.
“Alright you two focus!” Hordak snapped.
The two backed off as they looked around.
The group explored the wilderness as they followed Yara’s lead.
The deeper they went the more they drew close.
“Didn't we pass this rock?” Altara frowned
“Don't think so?” Zael checked.
“We did, are we sure we are going the right way?” Hordak turned to look at Yara.
Yara looked at her data pad “it should be…” she saw it started to lose connection “oh great…” she huffed and tried to get it to work.
Hordak rubbed his temple. Muttering under his breath.
Zael watches as Altara and Yara try getting the data pad to work, he flinches when he hears a noise behind them.
“Uhh.. guys…”
They didn't hear him at first as Lucero was looking around the forest for a sign of the metal.
Zael gulped, hearing clicking noises. He frowned.
“Guys…”
“What Zael?” Hordak sighs as he turns to Zael only to freeze when he hears it too “don't move…”
Everyone halted what they were doing.
Yellow eyes were glaring at them as it revealed itself to be a large beast.
Kadroh's eyes went wide in fear “H-Hordak…”
“I see it Kadroh” he carefully charged up his arm cannon.
“Don't make any sudden movements…” Hordak spoke cautiously.
“This isn't a monster from the movies Entrapta shows us!” Zael shouted.
“That's not what I— grrr” Hordak bit back a retort.
He looks at the beast “on my mark I will distract it, you guys head to the east side”
“Which side is east?” Kadroh looked around the woods in confusion “it all looks the same”
“This side,” Lucero gestured confidently.
“That's West!” Yara smacked her data pad. Pointing.
“I've been on the field for the majority of my existence. I know how to navigate” Lucero, narrows his good eye, clenching his fist.
“To quote Entrapta *data is never wrong*” Yara snapped back.
“Knock it off you two!” Hordak snapped.
The beast perked up and let out a mighty roar.
“RUN!”
Hordak starts firing blasts at the beast, its hide was thick.
The others darted in different directions.
“HORDAK!” Zael called out
Hordak backed up as the beast got ready to charge. He looks around, spotting a large tree branch with vines.
He aimed his cannon and fired.
Cutting the branch as it fell onto the beast.
The beast nearly rammed into him until the branch fell.
Hordak rolled out the way, grunting as he held his side. He backed up to regroup with the others
“What are we gonna do!” Zael turned to Hordak for advice.
“We need more fire power,” Lucero offered.
“It doesn't do shit for this thing” Hordak growled.
Yara perks up when her data pad beeps.
“I found the tech… it was in the tree where the beast Is…” she turned her data pad to show the half destroyed tree
“Some smugglers missed it but now… the beast is on top of it” she grumbled
Heads turned to look at the beast
“Great…” Lucero sighs
“Let's distract it and Kadroh grabs it,” Altara offered.
“Why me?!” Kadroh frowned, lowering his ears.
“I don't know,” Altara groans, “why is it we work perfectly before! We used to be the most feared army in the whole galaxy. NOW WE CAN'T HANDLE A DAMN BEAST!” he threw his hands up.
“Because that was prime controlling us and now we have our own heads we can't coordinate like we used to.” Zael rolled his eyes.
“Mostly” Lucero muttered quietly.
“Lucero” Hordak narrows his eyes in warning.
“We need this tech, the princesses said to collect the tech so nobody can use it for harm” Yara frowns as she holds her data pad close.
“I know” Hordak tried to think of a plan.
“But how can we get through the beast if our cannons don't work?” Lucero crossed his arms
“I know” Hordak paces.
“I don't wanna bait the beast, I'm not as fast” Kadroh frowned.
Hordak sighed and rubs his face trying to think of something.
“Let me think…” he tapped his arms as tried to think of a way around this.
Their weapons don't work.
They can't restrain the beast, what can they do?
His eyes suddenly widened, he smirks and turns to Zael “how fast can you run? Faster than Catra correct?”
Zael lowered his ears and took a step back “yes… but I don't wanna be bait!” He narrowed his lavender eyes.
“You bait the beast away, I'll let you keep the fox you've been feeding behind my back” Hordak offered with a knowing smirk.
“I DIDN'T—” Zael started before huffing, turning his head “Fine… I'll do it.!” He grumbled
“Good” he turned to Yara next.
“Yara you will help Zael by making a sound on your data pad to disorient the beast”
Yara nodded and searched up a few saved sounds.
“Kadroh and Lucero, you will aid as back up, Altara I need you to help me grab the tech. Once we get it we run as fast as we can back to the ship, deal?” Hordak looks around.
Everyone nodded and got ready.
Hordak charged up his cannon to make sure it was ready.
He looks to the beast who was tangled in the vines and branches, it growled and thrashed.
He turned to Zael and nodded, making a hand signal.
Zael grumbled “you better make a little house for the fox after this” he narrows his eyes at Hordak before rushing out to distract the creature.
It roared and broke free from the vines it was tangled in and rushed forward.
Zael's eyes widened as he skidded under it. Using his talons to strike it under its belly.
Green blood spilled as it tried to reach him.
It's barbed tail slashed at him, he yelped in fear. “YARA!”
“ON IT!” She blasted the screeching sound causing the other clones to wince.
The beast roared as he dug his face to the ground to ease itself. It lifted its head to charge at Yara.
Her eyes widened in fear “oh no”
Lucero slid to grab her before the beast could get her.
Jumping up onto a tree.
Zael scrambled to grab the metal “GOT IT!”
Hordak started to blast the beast, forcing it back long enough for them to rush into the ship.
He looked back and blasted a few more branches to tangle the beast once more before rushing to the ship.
Lucero extended his hand, grabbing Hordak to help him up
The ship's cargo door shut as they practically collapsed to their seats.
“Inform… Queen Glimmer, the metal was retrieved..” Hordak panted in exhaustion.
Yara gives a slow nod and messages Queen Glimmer.
As they caught their breaths Zael spoke up “what do foxes eat?” He asks “I need a name for it too”
Hordak groaned and rested his head on the ship's wall “we will deal with it later…”
The clones relaxed as the ship lifted off and to the Bright Moon Castle.
— — — —
As they step out they see the queen and Adora walk over.
“How was the mission?” Queen Glimmer smiled, her arms crossed.
Hordak grumbled “I hope it shaved off a few months off my community service” he crossed his arms
Glimmer smirks while shrugging “ a few months sure, still got a ways to go Hordak”
He lets out a annoyed growl and turned his head
“far enough” he showed the metal “it was a ship computer chip, if in the wrong hands it wouldn't be dangerous”
Adora frowned as she looked at it “thank you guys, it does mean a lot to us, your help is greatly appreciated” she smiled.
Each clone nodded, Yara, Kadroh and Zael smiling big while Lucero, Altara and Hordak stayed collected
“Of course princess”
As they turned to leave Zael couldn't stop talking about what to name his new fox pet, showing everyone pictures he took of it.
Yara gasped as she snatched the small pad from Zael.
“Hey!”
Altara rolled his eyes as they walked back to the ship.
The two women watched the clones head off, Adora smiled “they grew a lot in a year.”
Glimmer nodded “I agree, even me. Grumpy ex warlord is showing progress”
They both chuckled at that.
Seems the clones are on a steady journey.