Private A Force of Nature

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain​

Dxun, the ‘Demon Moon’ of Onderon. A place dominated by its dense jungles, and equally as dense history across the millenia. Whether it was its place within the ancient tales of the Beast and Mandalorian Wars. Or the fact that it was once the resting place of a Dark Lord of the Sith.

All of which correlated and influenced the delicate balance of nature that spread far and wide across Dxun. Its expansive jungles filled with a variety of fauna and flora, the former of which mostly consisted of predatory animals.

Drexl. Gharzr. Maalraas. Zakkeg, to name a few.

The Demon Moon was teeming with an ecosystem that favoured ‘survival of the fittest’. It was a somewhat volatile balance to strike, but a balance all the same. And yet something had started to cause it to shift, sharply and without warning. Enough so that the Beastmasters of Iziz reached out to the Galactic Alliance for help.

It was a request to investigate, to discern what the potential problem was and whether it needed a more expansive hand to deal with it. Given the moon’s history with the Dark Side of the Force, the New Jedi Order opted to dispatch one of their own to investigate.

Katherine Holt ended up being that person. The Jedi Knight was just returning from another mission when she got the call. Given her path back home would take her relatively close to the Japrael System, it only made sense for her to divert to investigate Dxun.

Thus, the redheaded Valkyrie landed in one the larger starports of Iziz. A thriving city of Onderon, practically buzzing with activity in every direction. Katherine’s first order of business was to find the Beastmasters that had reached out to the Alliance. It was only a matter of finding out where they were.

At least that was the case, until something or rather someone caught Katherine’s attention...

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

The moon had called him. It had not done so in words, nor in visions, nor in any of the dramatics often ascribed to the Force. It had simply... called — like a single thread tugging lightly in the weave of things. Something on Dxun stirred. A rhythm out of time. A breath held too long.

So Torin followed.

He had expected wildness. Jungle silence. The breath of beasts and the hush of green. He had not expected the city.

The shuttle's doors hissed open with the sharp precision of modern systems, and heat came rushing in, thick with exhaust and the press of bodies. The platform beyond buzzed with noise: dockworkers shouting, astromechs humming, animals braying in pens meant for calmer things.

Torin stepped out — and towered.

The city of Iziz rose around him, a stone and metal bloom on a world trying to forget its wild counterpart. Spires jutted into the sky like broken teeth; market banners fluttered in foreign colours; speeders wailed overhead, their shadows like birds of prey.

He blinked. Slowly.

The Force had not lied — it had simply been misunderstood. The call had come from the moon. But the shuttle had landed here. Among crowds and iron, among faces that turned briefly toward him — some wary, some curious. Children gawked. A vendor froze with a piece of fruit half-bagged.

Torin paid them no mind.

He adjusted the strap across his shoulder, where his greatsaber rested. The ring on his hand was warm. For a moment, he stood still. Not meditating. Not calculating. Just standing — breathing in the place. The scent of spice and engine oil, of sweat and sandstone. Not what he’d expected.

His brow furrowed. Slightly. A man used to trees, not towers.

But this too was part of the thread.

And so, with slow, steady steps, Torin Emberlain began to walk — toward whatever mistake, or purpose, the Force had placed in his path.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain​

It was impossible to not see him.

Even amongst the variety of races and species that made up the crowds, he towered over them all. A full head of black hair, sun-touched skin and muscles for days.

Seriously, even from this distance Katherine was certain his arm alone was bigger than her head. And the Valkyrie was no slouch when it came to her own physique, the stranger however was something else entirely.

But the question is, what is he doing here? A traveller perhaps? Come to trade and move on?

Katherine wasn’t sure, but he had her curiosity all the same. She watched him move, walking through the crowds of people unbothered. People gawked and stared as he passed by, but it seemed as though the towering stranger paid them no mind. Before he could disappear though; difficult as it might be given his stature, the redhead began to follow him.

As she walked, the Valkyrie made sure to fold her wings tightly behind her back. Katherine was distracted, and knew all too well the likelihood of accidentally smacking a passerby.

Something’s called him here, he’s walking with purpose and yet there’s a level of uncertainty in his movements.

That, or he was just uncomfortable being in cities, surrounded by so many people.

Or both, probably both.

Katherine debated about approaching, to ask if he needed some help. But she hesitated, knowing the mission took priority over distractions. However, it seemed her body took the initiative before a decision could be made. Before Katherine knew it, she was moving through the crowds, gently parting throngs of people, until she was close enough to tap the man on his shoulder.

“Excuse me sir, you appear to be a little…” The redhead’s words fell silent as the stranger turned to face her. It was only then that it clicked just how tall he was, taller than her. For the first time since the rejuvenation ritual, Katherine had to look up at someone to meet their eyes.

“...lost?”

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Torin had not gone far. He had drifted through the crowds with the slow certainty of tide meeting shore — not navigating so much as feeling his way forward. The planet was alive beneath all this stone. He could feel it pulsing faintly through his soles, a rhythm too slow for the cityfolk to notice. But it was there. Waiting.

He had not expected company.

The tap on his shoulder came like a ripple through still water. He stopped, turned — and met eyes the colour of flame. The woman was tall. Broad-shouldered, winged — warrior-blooded, no doubt — and yet she still had to tilt her chin up to meet him. Her face bore confidence, and something else.

Torin regarded her. Quietly. His expression, as ever, shifted only by degrees — a slight furrow of brow, the faint lift of one corner of his mouth.

Lost.

Perhaps he was.

"I thought I was bound for Dxun," he said at last, his voice deep and smooth as worn riverstone. "But the shuttle landed here instead."

He paused. Not defensively. Simply stating a truth.

"The Force brought me to the moon," he added, softer now, as if the words weren’t truly meant for her, but the air itself. "But it seems it wants me here first."

He looked at her more directly then. Not piercing. Not judging. Just... seeing. She held herself with grace, strength, and something deeper. She was very clearly a Force user, and no doubt a Jedi. Her piercing eyes spoke of much experience. And at her back, brilliant wings unlike anything.

She was quite magnificent.

"You felt it too, didn’t you?" he asked. "Something beneath the trees. Stirring."

His gaze dipped to her folded wings for half a breath, not rudely, but with gentle acknowledgement. Like a druid who knows a falcon when he sees one.

"I am Torin," he said, and inclined his head, offering a quiet smile. "If you know this city better than I do, then I may owe you my thanks already."

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain​

The man; Torin was his name, stood out not just physically but through the Force too. Now that Katherine was more up close, she could feel it more prominently. She could sense it flowing through everyone around them, as it did with all living things in the galaxy. It ebbed and flowed, even through those that weren’t sensitive to it.

But around Torin?

It was like a river, calm and serene amongst a forest.

Katherine remembered reading up about the different kinds of Force Users out there in the galaxy. Druids was a more colloquial term, used by many different native groups; unfamiliar with the greater scope of the Force, to describe those sensitive to it.

Across the galaxy, Druids were renowned for their connection to nature. Preferring to connect to the Force, to learn and study it while immersed in its purest form. Untempered and unmanipulated, simply existing throughout nature.

Torin was such an individual, Katherine was certain.

Hearing about his arrival elicited a flash of recognition in the redhead’s eyes. “Ahh, yes if you arrived here via public shuttle, then that would make sense.” Katherine said, surprised at the deepness of his voice. “Due to the general dangers on Dxun, they don’t allow public transit to the moon. You have to get permission to travel there…” Her voice carried off as she studied Torin.

She knew he was doing the same, despite the only slight shift in his expression. Katherine looked up into those grey eyes, dull in colour, but they held a silent intensity within them.

“Indeed, there’s an undercurrent beneath the city, the source not present here but the jungles surrounding Iziz can feel it.” To Katherine it became increasingly clear they had been brought here by the same thing.

“My name is Katherine,” she replied, returning Torin’s nod with one her own. “I’m here on behalf of the Galactic Alliance. Some local Beastmasters here alerted us to a potential issue disrupting the jungles of Dxun. I’ve come here to investigate, and it seems the Force has drawn you here too.”

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Torin listened. Not just with his ears, though her voice was pleasant — bright but grounded, like sun through mist. He listened with his presence, as his master had once taught him. Be still enough, and the world will tell you what it needs.

She spoke of permits and policy, and he offered a faint tilt of his head — the closest he came to amusement.

"I suspected as much," he said softly. "I tend to walk where the Force asks, not where... bureaucracy permits."

His gaze lingered on her, not intrusively, but openly, as one might study the markings on an ancient tree, trying to read the life it had lived. She stood proud and curious. Wings folded with care. The kind of discipline born not just from training, but a deliberate choice to carry her strength gently.

His eyes turned toward the distant treeline visible over the low buildings of Iziz. There was a stillness there that should not have been. A hush not of peace, but of something waiting. Breathing in the wrong places. It sang something dissonant that echoed with the moon above them

"The imbalances here," he murmured, half to himself. "It is not just a matter of nature... something deeper lies tangled in it. And it grows."

He turned his gaze skyward — past the towers of Iziz, past the clouds, to the dense green moon just visible in the light-drenched sky.

"If they will not carry us," he said with quiet certainty. "Then we’ll find our own path."

He paused, before turning to face her again, the edge of his mouth forming into a smirk.

"If you’re willing, Katherine, let’s find a way to Dxun."

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain​

Katherine’s lips curled into an amused smirk. Something told her that line of thinking had likely gotten Torin in a bit of hot water now and then. Because if there was one thing she learned, bureaucracy rarely liked folks stepping around their boundaries.

She followed his gaze as he looked beyond the city buildings, and out towards the distant treeline. Katherine could feel the stillness of nature, as if it was waiting; anticipating something to happen. The source of the disturbance might not be present, but whatever it was doing could be felt even across an expanse of space.

“Whatever it is, even the nature here on Onderon is feeling some measure of it. Waiting, like a bated breath being held from release.”

Katherine raised an eyebrow at Torin’s ‘declaration’ of sorts. The Valkyrie chuckled, shaking her head slightly. “Let’s cool the brakes on that, we should speak with the Beastmasters first, see what they know, so we’re not walking into this entirely blind.”

Right now they didn’t even know if the Beastmasters had anything of substance to tell them.

“Besides, we’ll likely be able to procure the authorization to travel there from them.” Katherine smiled, before inclining her head towards further into the city. “I’ll lead the way, not my first time here so I have a fairly good idea where they’d be located.”

And it didn’t take very long for the pair to find something.

They could hear the chaos first, people screaming and panicking. Civilians ran past as they both pushed onwards. Stepping into a large open area, where a group of armoured individuals; likely the city guard, had formed a perimeter to keep anyone from getting too close.

Within that space were the Beastmasters in question, and a collection of occupied cages. All large and lavish to keep the creatures within comfort, as much one could anyway. However, every single one of them were either on edge, or cowering as far into their cage as possible. Their focus was on a caged Maalraas, one who was repeatedly slamming itself against the metal door. As both Katherine and Torin got closer, it became clear something wasn’t right.

To say the Maalraas was acting feral would be understating it. It was going absolutely berserk. Snarling and growling as it either scratched or headbutted the cage it was in. Drool dripping from its fanged jaw, its red colouring a distinctly paler shade. The Beastmasters were keeping their distance, but it was becoming increasingly apparent the cage door wasn’t going to last much longer.

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Torin offered Katherine the faintest, self-aware smile as she gently corrected him.

"Ah— You're right, of course," he rumbled, low and warm. "Patience is a skill I'm still tending to."

He followed her lead, treading quietly through the city's veins, though his eyes remained drawn to the distant line where stone surrendered to green.

But the quiet didn't last.

Screams cracked the air like branches underfoot. Torin’s head lifted, body turning before his mind caught up. Instinct led. They moved as one, Katherine slicing through the panic like a spear of flame, and Torin behind her — vast, calm, unstoppable.

The courtyard opened up before them.

Cages. Guards. Fear.

Torin’s gaze swept the scene — not just what the eyes saw, but what the Force breathed. Creatures trembling, their minds awash with confusion and dread. And at the centre of it all, the Maalraas — a blur of fury and pale corruption, its soul caught in something that snarled as loud as its voice.

The beast hurled itself at the bars again, and again. The metal screamed. Torin stepped forward once. Then again. A hand rose behind him, a guard shouting something, but something held them back.

The Maalraas slammed the cage again — and the door bent.

Another breath.

And the cage broke.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as guards raised blasters and Beastmasters reached for tranquilisers, shouting orders — but Torin raised his hand, not to them, but toward the creature.

"Wait."

His voice was soft, but it carried.

The Maalraas had landed in a crouch, muscles bunched, saliva strung between its teeth. It turned toward him with a snarl. Torin didn’t draw his saber. He didn’t flinch. He dropped to one knee. It was not an act of submission — but rather invitation.

The Force moved through him like a river running clear. He reached out, not with dominance, but with listening. With stillness.

The Maalraas snarled again.

Then paused.

Their eyes met.

Something trembled in the beast — something that had nothing to do with muscles or rage. Torin felt it. A cold thorn buried deep. Not madness. Not bloodlust.

Pain.

"You need not be afraid," he said quietly, his voice barely above the wind.

Slowly, he extended a hand.

The creature’s body quivered. Its hackles twitched. And then, very slowly, it stepped forward.

Sniffed.

And laid down.

Not in defeat — but release.

Torin exhaled, deeply. The guards stared. One Beastmaster lowered his weapon in disbelief. Another stepped forward in awe.

But Torin didn’t speak yet.

His hand remained on the creature's brow, eyes closed, listening. Beneath the surface of its mind, he could feel the echo of what had touched it. Something wrong. Something still out there.

And waiting.

He opened his eyes and met Katherine’s gaze.

"It’s not just the beast that’s been wounded," he said, voice low. "As expected... something has poisoned the wild."

His gaze drifted up towards Dxun that hung low in the sky. Verdant, striking, with the air of something darker about it.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain​

Even after Torin’s single-word command, everyone was tense. Blasters were raised, ready to fire at a moment's notice. The Beastmasters were particularly conflicted, wanting to try and subdue the Maalraas.

Katherine tensed up as the creature broke free of its cage. Its hungry gaze immediately sweeping across everyone present. She didn’t even notice Torin had moved closer, until the Maalraas turned to face him. The Valkyrie followed suit, cautiously following behind, ready to leap into action should it be needed.

But it seemed Torin didn’t need any. Katherine could feel the Force as it flowed through him, like a gentle breeze brushing through a canopy of trees. Strong, calm and resolute. She watched as the giant of a man made a connection with the wounded Maalraas, steadily calming it.

All the way to a point that he was able to get it to settle and lower itself to the ground. It was then that Katherine strode around, taking a spot opposite to where Torin was crouched.

“Poor thing…” She muttered quietly, placing a gentle hand on its body. Almost immediately she could feel the creature’s heartbeat, erratic and laboured. Katherine looked over at Torin. “My concern is how much it's already spread, if it's gotten too far…this may be much worse than originally thought.”

Katherine’s eyes swept across the Maalraas’ pale form. While the colouration would’ve indicated some illness, the creature still maintained a healthy amount of muscle. An idea struck the redhead in that moment, and her gaze snapped towards Torin.

“Hold ‘em still for a moment, this is going to sting.” Katherine closed her eyes and focused, calling upon the Force. She reached out to it with a calm, but measured hand. Like drawing water from a river. The faint markings that decorate her entire body began to glow a faint golden colour.

Placing a glowing hand atop the Maalraas, Katherine pushed a little and something seemed to pulse into the creature. It reacted immediately, trying to thrash out in anger and pain. Tail suddenly whipping about, cracking at the air at a startling sharp speed.

Katherine pulled her hand back, the glowing markings fading away. She knew what that reaction meant, and knew just looking over at Torin, he knew too.

The Dark Side of the Force was involved.

“Knight Holt?” A voice called, approaching from one of the Valkyrie’s blindspots. She stood and turned in the same motion, revealing the person to be one of the city guards. Although this Onderonian’s armour bore a particular insignia that would indicate a higher rank.

“Captain Graham.” She replied, acknowledging him with a nod. “As I’m sure you can probably guess, I’m here on behalf of the Alliance.”

“Yes, that much is indeed apparent.” He mused quietly, eyes shifting between the Valkyrie, the Maalraas, then finally Torin. “And your friend here?”

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Even as the beast settled beneath his hand, Torin remained still, the weight of his palm grounding the creature in the present — not through dominance, but presence. His grey eyes softened slightly when Katherine stepped forward, her movements graceful and sure, her voice kind.

She wasn’t just brave. She was gentle.

It mattered.

When her hand met the Maalraas’ body, he watched — not with caution, but quiet recognition. Her touch, like his, sought to comfort rather than command. And the beast, though trembling with the shadow still rooted in it, accepted her.

Torin braced gently, hand sliding up between the Maalraas’ ears, fingers curled just enough to keep its head steady. When the light began to glow along Katherine’s arms, his gaze didn’t flicker. The Force moved through her like sunlight through leaves.

But then the pain struck, and the beast reared. He held firm — not with strength alone, but presence. Breathing slow. Holding its gaze.

"It’s alright," he murmured, though he knew it was not. Not yet.

Then the pulsing faded, and with it the light. But what it revealed remained. Darkness. Rooted deep. The kind that left stains even after the source was gone. He exhaled through his nose.

That’s when the voice called.

Torin didn’t move — didn’t rise. He simply turned his head toward the newcomer, keeping his hand on the beast to maintain the fragile thread of peace. His expression was calm, but in his eyes, there was a trace of vigilance. Not against the man — but for the Maalraas still lying raw with pain.

The captain looked him over, armour clinking faintly, trying to read the mountain knelt before him. Katherine answered with her easy authority. The captain’s gaze landed fully on Torin.

"And your friend here?"

Torin inclined his head with slow, deliberate respect — not submission, but acknowledgment. He hesitated when introducing his title, still so new on his tongue and in his heart, carrying a weight far heavier than he could ever say.

"Jedi... Master Torin Emberlain," he said, his voice a low resonance of stone and stream. There was a moment’s pause, like the air itself adjusted to the weight of the name. Then he added, more gently, "I came where the Force called me. It seems the call was not unwarranted."

The captain paused. His expression shifted — not startled, but reevaluating.

"I see," he said at last, offering a curt nod. "Then we’re fortunate. This situation is worsening by the hour."

He eyed the Maalraas, then the strange calm still hanging around the kneeling Jedi. Torin's gaze had returned to the beast, as he gently hummed an ancient melody of peace. Graham turned back to the Valkyrie.

"Is this connected to Dxun?"

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain
​

Torin Emberlain, interesting name.

Katherine also noted his hesitancy to announce his title, but she didn’t question it. They had far more important matters to focus on right now.

“I’m afraid so Captain, at the least it’s becoming increasingly connected.” Katherine replied, glancing over to look down at Torin continuing to calm the creature. “Would I be correct in assuming a Beastmaster brought the Maalraas from Dxun?”

Graham nodded, before he turned and waved over one of the Beastmasters in question, those that had been standing off to the side watching. “Tell the Jedi what you reported to me.”

“Of course. We were taking some Initiates to Dxun in order to start their training. We weren’t anywhere close to any known Maalraas territory, opting to focus on some Cannoks for the day’s lesson.” The Beastmaster paused for a moment, shuddering as he recounted events. “One suddenly lurched out from the trees, immediately attacking the Cannoks. It was…brutal, even for a veteran like myself. Eventually it turned its focus on us, and we were barely able to wrangle it into a cage.”

“To which you thought to bring it to Iziz?” Katherine inquired, raising a questioning eyebrow. “You’re lucky we arrived when we did then. Or Torin at least, and his a towering, calming presence.” She said, a hint of a teasing tone in her voice.

It wasn’t that Katherine didn’t believe they could’ve handled it. But something told her that if Torin hadn’t been able to calm it, some blasters and tranqs were not going to be sufficient.

“Was anyone hurt during the capture?”

“Just one of the initiates got scratched, he’s already at the hospital here to get it checked.”

Katherine frowned slightly, something about that tidbit of information sounded…familiar. But the Valkyrie couldn’t quite place where.

“For now, the best course of action might be to keep the Maalraas sedated, until we can further investigate.” Katherine turned to look over at Torin, who was still sitting by the Maalraas, quietly humming something as he continued to keep it calm. It was an admittedly odd sight to see a giant like him being so gentle.

It brought a small smile to the Valkyrie’s face.

“Thoughts, Torin?”

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

“You’re lucky we arrived when we did then. Or Torin at least, and his a towering, calming presence.”

Torin’s gaze lifted at Katherine’s words, and though his head only shifted a little, the smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth was unmistakable — a quiet, amused thing softened by humility.

"A towering, calming presence," he echoed, his voice low and wry. "I’ll try not to let it go to my head."

Still kneeling, he continued to hum — not a song with lyrics, but a deep, chest-born sound, gentle and resonant. The Maalraas let out a long, heavy exhale and lowered its head fully now, its pale frame trembling, but no longer fighting. A pair of Beastmasters approached cautiously, syringes of sedative ready. Torin gave them a small nod.

"It’s safe now," he said. "But be slow. She's still afraid."

As they moved in, he placed his hand gently on the creature’s brow one last time, then stood in a fluid motion that seemed to rise with the wind itself. He towered, yes — but never loomed. Even upright, his presence was something that settled rather than disturbed.

He turned to Katherine, their eyes meeting briefly — a quiet exchange, a shared understanding without need for words. Then he looked to Captain Graham.

"If we’re to understand what corrupted this creature," Torin said, adjusting the ring on his finger. "We’ll need to get to the moon. Is it possible to secure us clearance?"

The captain arched a brow, then gave a small grunt of acknowledgment.

"Normally a mountain of forms, but under these circumstances... I can expedite it."

He turned his wrist terminal over and tapped a few quick sequences into its holoscreen. "There. You and Knight Holt will be logged in the planetary registry. Shouldn’t be any issues getting to and from Dxun."

But before Torin could thank him, the captain continued, voice low and a touch grim.

"Still… mind yourselves out there. The moon doesn’t just house Maalraas. There's all manner of predators up there. And if something’s stirring the wild things off their paths... it means the jungle itself is unsettled."

Torin nodded solemnly. His expression didn’t shift much — just the faint tension in his brow, the stilling of his breath. He looked once more at the slumbering Maalraas.

"It’s not just the beasts that are being pulled off course," he murmured.

Then, after a long pause, he turned to Katherine with that same stead y presence.

"Shall we?"

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Onderon, Iziz City
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain
​

"I’ll try not to let it go to my head."

“Indeed, we can’t be having your head get any bigger than the rest of you.” She replied, the slightest cheeky smirk on her face. Amber eyes lingering from head to toe. Even while kneeling, Torin cut an impressive figure.

Katherine watched as the two Beastmasters cautiously approached, their wariness plain to see. But Torin’s control; no his bond with the wounded Maalraas never fluctuated, not even slightly. She had read about those kinds of Force Users, capable of strong empathic connections with all manner of creatures and animals.

This was her first time seeing one in action. Far more impressive to witness, than simply reading about.

Once the Beastmasters were successful in sedating the Maalraas, it didn’t take much time before the poor thing was slumbering before them. Katherine caught Torin’s gaze, that calm intensity that spoke volumes without speaking a single word.

They were both of alike minds, and neither were going to wait a moment longer to pursue the investigation.

While Torin took charge in securing their passage to Dxun, Katherine was racking her brain. Something about this whole situation was ringing those familiar bells in the Valkyrie’s head. But she was failing to place where, and why.

She was brought out of her musings by Torin moving, turning to look upon the slumbering Maalraas once more.

“No it is not, something else is hidden within the depths of Dxun’s jungles.” Katherine looked to the towering Jedi, giving him a firm nod, conviction steady in her eyes. “We shall.”

A bit later…

Given that all transportation to Dxun was closed, it was barely a difficult task to secure one of the very same shuttles. Katherine had requested the pilot to take them to the nearest clearing to where the Beastmasters had taken their students. It only made sense to start where the Maalraas had appeared.

“A word of warning to you both. There’s a tropical storm reported to be hitting this area within a matter of hours. I’ll keep the ship in the air for as long as possible, but once that starts…communication is going to be spotty at best.”

“Understood, we’ll be careful.”

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

The shuttle hummed softly as it cut through the clouds, a few flickers of lightning visible in the distance, heralding the approaching storm. Inside, things were calm — for now. Torin sat across from Katherine, arms resting on his legs. He gave a small stretch and leaned back just enough to exhale through his nose.

"I’ll never quite get used to this," he said with a soft chuckle, glancing at the shuttle wall like it might take offense. "Space travel, I mean. Too many... blinking lights, and not enough trees."

He looked back at her, that familiar calm in his eyes touched by something lighter this time. "Give me a good mountain and a clear sky, and I’m happy. This…" He gestured vaguely around them. "Feels a bit like cheating gravity with too much confidence."

His smile tilted a little, wry.

"Though I will say, if I had to be stuck in a flying tin can with someone, I could do worse than a sharp-tongued Valkyrie."

There was a beat — playful, not pointed.

Then he glanced out the viewport again, the jungle swelling up beneath them. His tone softened.

"Storm’s coming in fast. Feels like the whole forest knows it." He paused, thoughtful. "Let’s hope it waits long enough for us to find what we need… before the thunder starts."

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Dxun
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain
​

Listening to Torin, it hadn’t really occurred to Katherine how one would react to technology after growing up without any. At least, she was assuming he hadn’t. The towering man before her very much fit the typical image of a Druid. Someone who lived amongst and survived surrounded by nature. Albeit, perhaps not with as many muscles.

There was plenty enough on display as they sat opposite to one another. Katherine found it hard to look away at times, finding herself tracing the various scars that disappeared beneath his tunic. Or the tattooed markings that the Valkyrie wondered what they symbolised.

“I have a feeling you won’t like Coruscant much then, it’s a city planet - a ‘Ecumenopolis’ to use the more fancy term. Whole surface is a single city, with I think only one spot where they’ve preserved nature.” Maybe that was why Katherine never really liked the planet when she first arrived there. Far too much durasteel and concrete. “You might enjoy the gardens in the Jedi Temple though, a perfect place to commune with the Force. But if you ever want to visit one of the other temples, I think you’d enjoy New Cov.”

Torin’s comment shortly after had the redhead’s cheek burn red a little. “Well Torin, one thing about the wider galaxy you should know. Flattery can get you far.” She said, a playful small grin on her face.

She understood what he meant though, about feeling like technology was like ‘cheating gravity’. Katherine had felt something similar whenever she was able to fly around freely. Unburdened or resisted by anything other than her own ability. She’d probably be no match for a starship, but nothing could replicate the feeling of the wind against her as she flew.

Katherine joined him in looking out the viewport again. Even from up here, she could feel a sense of uncertainty within the jungles below. Something had truly stirred up the natural order enough, that its very essence was unsettled.

“I’m hoping so too. Can’t say I’ve done a high amount of tracking, but even I know once that rain is falling it’s going to make things more difficult.”

Eventually the shuttle shifted into a descent, stopping with a soft thud as the landing gears finally settled. As the ramp began to slowly lower, Katherine looked over at Torin.

“Shall we?” She asked, mimicking his words from earlier.

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

He’d noticed her eyes linger — just briefly — on the old scars across his arms, the ones that traced stories he never bothered telling. The way her gaze flicked, then tried not to. It brought a faint, private amusement to the corners of his mouth. Not that he could blame her. He’d been doing the same, catching glances when she turned her head, noting the sharp grace in her posture, the way confidence carried in her shoulders. The silence between them wasn’t awkward. Just quietly aware.

When she spoke, Torin chuckled softly, the sound low and warm.

"I went to Coruscant once," he said, his expression twisting into a faint grimace. "Never again. All that metal and noise… it’s like the planet forgot it ever had roots." He tilted his head slightly.

"I’ve spent time on New Cov though. Not at the Temple, mind you, off in the wilds. The jungle there’s… different. Denser. Quieter, but not peaceful." His eyes flicked toward the viewport again, as if remembering something just beyond it.

"Last visit ended with a surprise run-in with a clutch of reptavians. Vicious little things."

That was all he said about it. Whatever scars or lessons he'd carried from the experience, he clearly wasn’t one to boast. He noted the slight flush of red against her cheeks, and to her teasing remark about flattery, he offered a sidelong glance and a small, knowing smile.

"Duly noted."

The shuttle began to hum louder as it descended, branches and mist whipping past the windows. The thud of landing gear punctuated their brief silence, and the ramp slowly hissed open, revealing a wall of green.

Torin rose, adjusting the wrap on his arm and stepping forward to the threshold. The moment the humidity touched his face, he drew in a long breath — not deep, but steady. Earthy. Alive. The air was thick — not just with moisture, but tension. The kind that prickled at the back of the neck and whispered something wasn’t quite right.

He stepped down the ramp onto the moss-covered clearing. The ground was soft beneath his boots. Rain hadn’t yet begun, but the promise of it hung heavy in the air. Turning slightly, he looked back at Katherine, eyes shaded beneath the tree canopy.

"We should move as quickly as we can before the storm hits. Let's see what this place is hiding."

They began their trek, the undergrowth parting in slow, damp rustles beneath their steps. The trail ahead was vague at best, no obvious markers, no paths, only impressions in the brush where something larger had pushed through. Torin’s gaze swept the terrain as they moved, reading the signs in broken ferns, upturned earth, and the subtle bends in foliage. He didn’t speak yet, didn’t want to name the unease just yet, but it walked with them. Quiet. Watching.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Dxun
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain
​

As they began to move through the jungle, it quickly became apparent to Katherine her wings were going to be useless. Everything around them was too densely packed for any chance of flight, even a brief glide. Thus the Valkyrie kept her wings tightly tucked behind her back. She did not want to accidentally get branches stuck in them…again.

Katherine couldn’t quite shake the tension she felt in her body, coiling like a snake ready to defend itself. Not just out of caution of potentially being attacked, but also towards the lack of sounds around them. The sound of their boots crunching against the ground dominated, followed by a mixture of birds and smaller creatures.

But it was so very…lacking. Not fitting for something as vast and dense as the Dxun jungles.

It felt wrong.

“Wait a moment.”

Katherine’s voice pierced the near silence. She crouched down and gently placed a hand through the undergrowth and onto the dirt beneath. Much like before, her markings glowed gold before pulse was released. The trees around them swayed in reaction, as if a gust of wind had just passed by.

“Death is close by,” She began, looking up from her crouched position to scan the area. “That way.” Determination in her eyes, Katherine stood up and took the lead onwards, through the jungle.

Right until they reached a moderately-sized clearing. There, a whole herd of Cannok could be seen laying dead in the centre. Above them; as well as on the ground, were a pack of Drexl feasting upon them.

Katherine quietly crouched behind a nearby tree, keeping her focus on the clearing. “This must be where the Beastmasters had taken their students.” A perfect starting point to track where the Maalraas had come from.

They just needed to deal with the Drexl first.

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Torin remained silent as they moved, careful not to let his larger frame disturb more than necessary. He could feel it too, the dissonance in the air, the way the forest’s breath had faltered. It was too quiet. Not peaceful, not balanced. Just… wrong.

When Katherine crouched to touch the earth, he paused beside her, watching the gold of her markings pulse out like ripples in still water. His brow furrowed at the tremor that ran through the foliage in response.

"Death," he echoed under his breath, following her lead as they pressed on.

The scent hit him first — coppery and thick. Then the flies. Then the silence shattered by the wet sounds of tearing flesh. The clearing opened like a wound ahead, and Torin immediately dropped low behind the trunk of a moss-slick tree.

His eyes narrowed. The Cannok herd lay in a loose scatter, collapsed mid-flee — no signs of wounds from natural predators. Whatever had killed them had done so with startling precision. The Drexl now circling above and crouched low over the feast were agitated, territorial.

"This wasn’t a hunt," he murmured, voice low. "It was a massacre, for the sake of it."

He glanced toward Katherine, catching the tension in her jaw. Then back at the beasts.

"If we want to track the Maalraas, we’ll need to move them off," he said softly. "But I’d rather not provoke a whole pack if we can help it."

Torin reached down, pressing a hand against the soil. He closed his eyes and began to draw on the Force, gently, like a breeze curling through high branches — preparing to see if the beasts could be coaxed away without bloodshed.

Then, quieter still, he added with a flicker of wryness, "Unless you’d prefer a more direct introduction."

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Dxun
Outfit: Link
Equipment: Lightsaber, Beskar Spear
Tags: Torin Emberlain
​

Something about this whole situation just didn’t sit well for Katherine. There was that feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that there was something wrong with what she was seeing.

Now, she was certainly no expert on these kinds of things. But the Valkyrie always did her due diligence, and if given the time she researched what she could on the mission. For Dxun, that included looking up the various fauna that occupied the moon.

Cannoks were the curious type, very durable; like most of the creatures had to be to survive on Dxun. They survived by travelling in large packs, preferring superior numbers to overwhelm potential predators. But they weren’t above scattering if the situation called for it, and the one’s before them had barely done so, despite seemingly being attacked by something, or someone.

“Agreed, this looks like nothing more than a senseless slaughter.”

Could it have been the Maalraas? The Beastmasters had said she had attacked the Cannoks first, before turning to them. But there are far more Cannoks here than the Beastmasters mentioned.

“In this instance Torin, I will defer to your expertise.” She replied, a teasing tone in her voice.

Katherine was of the same mind. Confident as she might be in handling the Drexl, if they accidentally drew in a whole pack of the creatures, they’d be wasting precious time before the storm arrived.

She remained in her crouched position, watching as Torin got to work and used his Force mastery to coerce the Drexl to leave. There seemed to be some resistance initially, but eventually he was successful in getting them to fly away. And with the coast clear, Katherine cautiously approached the fallen herd of Cannoks.

The redhead wrinkled her nose at the smell, but appeared unperturbed beyond that. Drawing her beskar spear, Katherine began to gently move the bodies to examine them.

“Hmm, the Drexl have already done a number on them. But a few still show signs of a Maalraas attack.” The Valkyrie paused however, as she noticed something odd about one of the Cannoks. Using her spear, Katherine pried the creature’s large maw open, causing pieces of something to spill out onto the ground.

They were from another Cannok.

It had eaten one of its own.

 

[Torin Emberlain]

Equipment: Greatsaber, Soul-Ring, Pendant
Tag: Katherine Holt

Torin rose slowly, the heavy, uncomfortable stillness clinging to the whole scene like wet cloth. The Drexl had finally taken flight, circling once before vanishing into the misted canopy with shrieks that echoed too long. His brow remained furrowed, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he watched them go.

It wasn’t just the Cannoks or the Drexl.

It was everything.

The whole forest was holding its breath. Clenching its teeth.

He followed behind Katherine as she approached the bodies, keeping a respectful distance as she began her examination. But the scent of blood and bile clawed at his senses, and when she split the jaw of the Cannok and those half-digested remains spilled out—

His stomach turned.

"That’s not instinct," he said quietly, stepping closer. "That's... madness."

He crouched beside her, eyes narrowing at the remnants on the soil.

"Cannoks don’t cannibalise. Not unless… something scrambles them. Fear alone wouldn’t do it. But if the Maalraas was touched by the Dark Side, if its presence carried influence—"

He trailed off, fingers brushing the back of his wrist where the skin prickled with unease.

"Contagion" he murmured. "Not in the body. In the mind."

Torin looked up, grey eyes steady on Katherine’s.

"This might go deeper than we thought."

He rose to his full height again and turned toward the tree line, his senses stretching outward like a ripple across still water. The wrongness was faint, but present. Not a beacon. A thread.

One they could follow.

"Come," he said, voice low, grey eyes rising to meet Katherine's amber gaze. "Let’s see where the Maalraas came from. Maybe it left more than blood in its wake."