Duel Ataru Ready?

[Loske Treicolt]

Onderon
In the jungle

Fronds and other foliage were but streaks of green, and other cool coloured tones, only once or twice registering as polyhedral options. She was a whirlwind at this point, reacting and avoiding obstacles on instinct and programming. Augmented movements felt like natural extensions of her intentions, and the jungle was welcoming to her experimentation, making the empyrean all the more accessible to the Padawan.

A palm struck against the druxy, moss-laden trunk as she vaulted over the final obstacle in the jungle and slid through the dirt in the small forest clearing. Waiting, was the ever dutiful Frank.

“Time!” She exclaimed, sounding both out of breath and triumphant. Her golden blade deactivated as she righted herself from the skidding entrance. She was met with a definitive click from the astromech, stopping the clock, and a distant hoot of some indigenous fauna.

16:08:48.

That was a whole thirty-five seconds faster than her last time around the circuit. In her wake, there were a series of deconstructed training droids, formerly stretched chasms closed with fallen trees, and small stacks of rocks that had triggered another series of events overcome. She'd have to pack those up again in S.S. Bruno to avoid littering. But still, worth it!

Revelling in then success to a quicker time, she took pause to appreciate the sound of running water and the coolness of the breeze that rustled through the surrounding forrest.

Kaleleon

 

[Kaleleon]

"NARMA NO!"

A Whimper came from her. In her maw, between her teeth and held down to the ground was a writing and wiggling Pikobi. A flightless avian creature that was native to this planet, as well as Naboo I think? Eitherway, the creature was making some kind of noise that I couldn't explain. To be honest, I was not sure how my massive Tuk'ata had been able to catch a creature that was known for being stupid fast. However, it did. Likely by springing upon them.

Narma whimpered some more as I drew closer. Even growling at me as I lifted her paw off of the creature. Pushing her off of it to allow the Pikobi to flee into the Jungle. A shake of the head brought out a guilt from Narma. Her bone protruding head lowered down in shame. Resting a hand on her, I sighed and just spoke. Knowing that she couldn't understand me.

"Come on. I know I already got you some food at home, and I fed you before we left the ship. Can't you just wait a bit more?"

More whimpers as she wanted to leave my presence and run after the creature again. Her eyes reaching my own, I relented.

"Fine, but I will kill it for you. No playing with your food."

Looking up at me as I clambered onto her back, I just patted the side of her neck twice. Lifting up, she started in a walk first, then almost exploded into a dead sprint after the trail this creature left behind. We were closing the distance on this creature fast. Namely due to it thinking there was sanctuary in the trees. However, the creature then almost came to a stop before turning hard to the right. Leaving what was in it's wake.

A lone individual standing in the Jungle.

Narma was not some small animal that could turn on a dime. So when I yanked back on her tails to signify that I wanted her to stop, she dug into the ground hard. Letting her feet rip and tear up the ground beneath her as we finally came to a stop in front of this woman.

"I uh... didn't know people were out here."

Loske Treicolt

 

[Loske Treicolt]

The lithe form of a not quite bird, not quite lizard raced between herself and Frank, a sense of urgency to its quick pace. Quizzically, Loske looked after it, before glancing back at her astromech with a shrug. Such critters were natural on Onderon, and she'd raced past a few of them in the course she'd just run.

There was only a slight prick at the back of her neck to warn her something else was coming. There was barely a thundering sound, other than the crack and snap of nearby fallen branches, and then suddenly a giant creature! Loske whirled, a little late, and staggered backward with a yelp of surprise, her hands snapping to cover her mouth as her eyes bulged with shock. In her terror at the incredibly tall creature, she tripped over Frank and didn't catch herself, colliding with the ground so she was on her back and looking up at the terrifying all-teeth beast. She would have frantically crab-crawled backward if she hadn't noticed the swell of The Force that seemed to surround the creature, and then someone seemed to be riding it?

"Ah! You and me both." She stammered, still wide-eyed. There was no hostility in the interaction, and she slowly unfolded her legs to stand back up again, dusting the dirt from her backside. She was surprised she hadn't seen either the massive beast, nor detected the fellow while she'd been charging through the forrest on her training circuit.

She dusted her hands together, grime falling from her palms while she tried to compose herself since the beast seemed constrained under the jurisdiction of the dude aboard. "I guess that explains the Pikobi.

What...is...that. Does..do they have a name?

And is it going to eat me. Am I gonna have to do something about this."

Kaleleon

 

[Kaleleon]

The lady who I happened to run into was quite frightened by Narma. Reeling backwards over top of their droid buddy. The Tuk'ata was breathing heavily with exertion, and turned her head towards me in confusion. Why did we stop? A little animal like this girl wouldn't have been a problem to just ran past so she could continue to have dinner. However, she was not privy to my thoughts. I really didn't feel like running over someone today with the size and frame of what was quite literally a war beast.

I started to slid down Narma's side as the woman was standing back up. Mentioning how we explained why the creature was running. Running a hand through my hair and resting at the back of my head, I felt extremely guilty for knocking her over. Even though at worse we just gave her a heart attack.

"Yeah... sorry about that."

However, she continued. Asking for the beasts name. I went a little wide eyed as she said so. Even asking if it was going to eat her. I chuckled a little and shook my head. Letting the hand on the back of my head fall to my side.

"No! She only eats other creatures. I mean... well... She has attempted to eat some Gormak people once, but that was a whole misunde- Nevermind. Narma won't eat people."

Speaking of Narma, she was looking back and forth between the two of us. Unsure what to really do. Just standing there with the various tails that were connected towards the base of her shoulders, and her upper back were open and flicking back and forth. She even lowered herself as though she wanted to pounce.

Seeing this, I reacted. Pointing a finger to her as though she were breaking some kind of rule.

"AHH! No!"

Like a scorned child, she lowered her head with a small mewl with all of the tails converging into one where it folded down upon her back and wrapped up between her hind legs. Turning her head away from me.

"Uh. Kale is the name. Kale Seleare. Not very often I can let Narma out to have some fun and since these jungles are supposed to be more secluded, I wanted to let her loose a bit. Sorry that she scared yah."

Loske Treicolt

 

[Loske Treicolt]

She was conscious to keep her hands to herself, lest she lose a limb to Narma. Apparently that was the creatures name - Loske assumed as much when Kaleleon explained that the massive, homely creature would not be eating her today. She didn't feel as flooded with relief as she expected to -- and apparently Frank didn't either, as he wheeled closer to her through the dirt, unifying them in their stand. Thankfully Frank was not a creature, and he'd have terrible mouth feel for the..Narma.

"Kind of nice to meet you, Kale." She answered, honestly. Any other circumstance she assumed it may have been nicer, but her heart rate was just starting to mellow out to a regular tempo.

"I'm Loske, this is Frank.

We were also seeking some solitude in the jungle, I've been running a training circuit out here for myself for the past.."

Three and a half hours. Frank answered for her. Since Loske was spending time talking, a blue light emitted from the triangular window of Frank's dome, running a scan on the life from beside the fellow. He ran his analysis against the archives built into his immediately accessible network, able to index the critter by the end of his mistress' next statement.

"...So we were here first." She offered a smirk to evidence the statement was meant with humour, accompanying a tilt of her head and took a brave step forward to the multi-tailed creature, still keeping her arms folded over her chest. Part of her wanted to pet it, the other part of her still wanted to run away. "Did she get enough exercise in before this abrupt stop? There's plenty of jungle to share...I came from... over there..and..you know, I'm kind of surprised you didn't see some of the lightsaber dents in the trees and crumpled training droids." The creature seemed to still be wallowing in a remorseful state, its limbs hanging on command. Itching to keep running. The dialogue between the humans seemed lost on it, and Loske empathized partly -- she would also hate waiting around after a massive exertion.