Private Cats in the Cradle

[Jonyna Si]

​

Location: Ran Dom Kuun, City-Tree, Cathar​

---

For once, the last few days had been....quiet for Jonyna. After taking on a padawan, and finally coming to terms with her species' past with the Mandos, she returned home to rest. Hopefully, this time wouldn't devolve with any unwanted visitors. Ran Dom Kuun had always been a busy spaceport, one of the few across the planet that was able to handle large ships.

The Cathar herself walked around the tree with a much more confident stride than last time. The people here seemed to have propped her up as a legend, even if that was never her intention. It did at least help her wallet. Her ability to ask nicely for things skyrocketed with her status as the Tree's hero.

Whomever would find her here, would find her in a good mood.

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

A rumble coursed through Rayia's frame as the transport she was on broke Cathar's atmosphere. Slowly her eyes opened blearily adjusting to the dim illumination of the transport's light panels. Her tail darted out picking up on a displacement in the air nearby as the form of the captain started to approach towards her. The lanky Weequay would arrive to find Rayia alert and expecting him, if occasionally plagued by a sudden ear-twitch. With blinding Felacatian speed, one hand blurred as she swept up the syringe containing the heavy sedative she had used to pacify the beast within during the hyperspace jump. Rayia could feel muscles shifting under her skin. Bone seemed to snap and reform before disappearing once again as it reverted to normal. She had taken to sedating herself recently following her escape from the clutches of the Luckless Lot. The beast stirred at the unbidden memory and the fact that she had been cooped up on the ship too long. She remembered being hemmed in by the tight confines of the Devaronian's ship she'd chartered to take her past Narsh. The blood and gore of the pirates she had decimated mixing with that of the murdered Devaronian and filling her nose with an acrid, tangy scent. The burning gnat bites of the pirate's weapons slowly growing more painful as the beast had taken sustained fire from the two z-6 rotary blasters the survivors had dragged out. After 29 shots, the pirates had broken through her feline beast form's armored hide and metallic fur and sent her spiraling into unconsciousness. Rayia had simply been lucky that the medic protested her treatment, wrapped her up in Kolto-infused bandages, and helped her escape.

She was still shrugging off the injuries of that day and rose slowly to her feet, wincing slightly as she felt phantom pain caress her side. After a moment, she decided to voice the question in her mind. "Yes?" She inquired of the Weequay who had turned a curious eye on her. He shook his head, snapping out of his trance. "I thought you might want to take a look at the view of Ran Dom Kuun in the sunlight, Ma'am. Catch the first glimpses of home," he said. Rayia didn't bother correcting the man's assumption that she was Cathar. In all honesty, if people assumed she was, it would make it easier for her. She was sure her mother had her agents looking for her, hoping to drag her back for the ritual of succession she was supposed to undertake with her siblings. What Rayia wasn't expecting as she clambered up to one of the transports observation ports was to have her breath stolen away.

A single large tree stood overlooking the edge of a massive savannah that reminded Rayia of home. Its majestic branches climbed up towards the stars, and Rayia could see that the branches created a series of intersecting pathways and circular supports. Upon those, she could make out the tiny figures of humanoids milling about. 'There's an awful lot of them.' Rayia thought, already bracing herself for the barrage of sensations such a crowd would bring. She wasn't wrong. As the transport touched down and the doors opened with a pneumatic hiss, a wall of sounds, scents, and movements assailed Rayia's sharpened senses. People hawking wares to the traffic meandering through the spaceport. The evident smell of local spices permeating the breeze and wafting through the air. The thumping of feet as people strode through the circular platform at the top of this branch. Her ears immediately went flat and she cupped her hands around them protectively. "I hate spaceports." She muttered under her breath as she strode down the walkway. 'Just stay calm. It didn't look like the upper levels were so crowded.'

A tawny-white blur exploded from the transport's cargo hold at insane speed as Rayia began running at full speed towards a spot she might be able to escape the noise. Using her Felacatian hyper reflexes, as well as a new inkling sensation prickling her hackles, the blur that was Rayia weaved and ducked through the crowd just before she would have collided with any passerby. She ran right past a Cathar with a fiery-red mane in a blue quilted cloak and tight fitted white robes mumbling apologies as she passed. "Sorry... I just... Why are… there are so many..." She muttered, a tad incoherently. Her head was starting to throb. Breathing felt enough to tear her in two.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

"Hey hey hey, hold on." Jonyna stopped at the sight of the struggling....Cathar? She didn't smell like a cathar. But she looked it. The feline could practically pass for a Denik if she wanted to. "Let's get you inside. I know how loud it can be out here..."

The cathar led the woman into a nearby house, waving to the owners who seemed to just let the redhead in, "You want some water?" Jonyna finally asked as she looked down to the struggling Felacatian.

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia came to a stop as she saw the red haired Cathar step into her path. She paused for a moment studying the woman as well as her immediate surroundings to the left and right, trying to find a way around her. Golden amber eyes betrayed her wariness as she shrank a few paces back blurring to a stop. Even though she had her attention firmly locked on the red-haired Cathar in front of her, she seemed to sway out of another Cathar's way who was ferrying a wooden beam over their shoulder to a construction site seemingly across the spaceport's main boulevard. It swung around through the air as they turned blindly round a corner and into the busy street, whirling over Rayia's head as she ducked. She had felt the motion through her tail, picking up on the disturbance of air as the Cathar had started moving. But she was surprised to find she had also felt that same telltale mental prickling sensation along her spine and ears. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Ever since she had escaped the Luckless Lot on Narsh, it felt like every nerve in her body had been attuned to a higher degree than normal. Rayia couldn't shut it out, and she was exhausted. So when the redhaired stranger's words finally registered, Rayia didn't even bother to fight them. "...Okay." She murmured in a soft voice. 'Any respite from so many people would be heavenly,' she thought.

She let the woman lead her to one of the nearby abodes. Rayia noted that the house seemed to be as much carved from the tree as constructed without it. She rather liked the concept. In the savannah ecosystem of their continent on Weik, the tribe had often used whatever natural outcroppings they could find to construct their dwellings. 'This is just like back home.' Rayia thought, marveling at the ability to connect with nature without fear of it being twisted. 'One could hardly consider Dagobah or Narsh to be so pure,' she thought, and shuddered at the memory. Fortunately the tree's thick bark and scents of wood and sweet sap muted the worst assailments against her senses. Her feline ears cautiously perked back up, and twitched slightly as she heard the Cathar ask her if she'd like some water. Rayia's rough tongue scraped against her dry lips. She knew that drinking water after a heavy sedative like the one she had taken to get here quietly was basic medical sense. But she'd been also feeling the effects of thirst slowly parching her throat for a while. "Yes, please." She said, in that same muted tone. She'd noted the way the others had deferred to this blue vested Cathar. 'She must hold a high rank among her people,' Rayia thought. The concept of tribal rank being an all too familiar nuance she dealt with every day. '...Or avoided dealing with every day,' her mother's voice in her head chided.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

She took a cup from the residents, before filling it with water from the sink. "So...what're you doing on Cathar?" Jonyna asked idly. "Given I didn't recognize you, I take it you're not originally from here..."

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia's ears perked as water started to hiss out of the sink and into the cup. The red-headed Cathar would feel her wary gaze boring into her as she filled the cup, watching carefully to see if she slipped anything into it. 'Call me paranoid,' Rayia thought to herself. Attempted drugging had been the least of her problems. Every day on that miserable cesspit, she'd slept with one eye open fearing she'd never see the sun. In fact, when Jonyna would walk back over with the cup, Rayia wouldn't drink from it immediately. 'She doesn't have any reason to poison me or sedate me. We were strangers up until a minute ago. I don't think she has any connection to the pirates i dealt with on Narsh or my mother,' Rayia reasoned, but then another voice cautioned. '...Still, just to be safe,' she thought. One clawed hand would reach out, gently scraping the cup's wooden bottom against the table as Rayia dragged it towards herself slowly. She would study it for a few moments. She'd swirl the cup around for a few moments, watching the water lap and trickle down the sides of the wooden mug. Then she'd push it back towards Jonyna, waiting expectantly. The implication was clear. She'd only drink from it if Jonyna did.

Rayia blinked at the question. It was a fair question she posed, if a little loaded. How exactly should she explain this? 'Hi, I'm a Felacatian princess of Weik on the run because I don't want to participate in a tribal ritual of succession that involves me fighting my siblings for leadership of our nomad tribe. I got captured over Narsh by some pirates when they killed the captain transporting me. I ripped a good majority apart before the survivors managed to drag out some heavy artillery and dump near three full magazines into me before I went down. I then escaped with the help of their medic who had problems with the crew, managed to fight my way off Narsh and get here.' The voice in her head mocked, trying the truth on for size. "Escaped Narsh. I got caught by some pirates, and needed somewhere to go. Managed to escape to here," she said, knowing it was not technically a lie. "Head's been throbbing the past few days. I wanted to go somewhere with a bit less people, and I figured it would be nice to see Cathar for myself. Was headed for the upper branches before I ran into you," she elaborated after a moment.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

Jonyna raised an eyebrow as the water was pushed back to her. But, she understand the body language enough to pick up what the lost soul was putting down. She picked up the water, taking a quiet sip as the other cat spoke, before pushing it back across the table. She looked idly to the residents of the house, who seem to just allow the two to talk, going about their day.

"Are you in any trouble? I can help with that. Pirates are a big problem, and a jedi like me can always help."

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia met the questioning eyebrow with one of her own. Even when it seemed like the stranger understood her intention, Rayia's eyes never left that cup of water. As soon as the red-headed Cathar had drank from it however, Rayia nearly snatched it from her hands. Thirstily lapping at the water, she sighed in satisfaction as she felt the cool draught coat her parched lips. Now that her head wasn't threatening to split in two, she was starting to feel like she could relax. Her tail slowly started to unfurl from its sheath, wrapping around the chair like a massive, fuzzy caterpillar.

She pursed her lips once again stymied by how she should respond. "In trouble? Possibly. I mean they were truly vicious snakes," She spat with contempt. Her fur bristled with her evident anger. Rayia stiffened, feeling the beast within respond and starting to wake. One hand smoothed over the fur in a repetitive motion, seeking to calm herself. Rayia didn't speak for a few moments, evidently mustering the words. "I found evidence that they had enjoyed executing children. They kept small shirts among their loot with clear signs of fire-shots," Rayia said, giving Jonyna a worn smile. "Now that I have a moment to think without feeling like I'm drowning, I want to go deal with them. They should not be allowed to carry on. It's a disgrace to Illuna's Great Hunt."

Rayia's eyes shot wide as she saw the paladin's blade hanging from Jonyna's waist. It was strangely familiar, it's shape reminding her of one she had playfully fought so long ago. Her old friend had a blade like that. She pointed a clawed finger at it. "Are you a paladin?!"

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

Jonyna's eyes went from calm and kind, to focused and filled with determination at the mention of executing children. Justice was to be had. "...if that's what you call Jedi, then yes. Do you know where the pirates are now?"

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia could see the Cathar's gaze grow steely at the mention of some of the pirate's evil deeds. Rayia was sure that wasn't the end of the list. Judging by what she had seen in their hold, she knew that they had to be deeply invested in the drug smuggling rings on Narsh. She could still remember the harsh, cloyingly sweet scent of spice burning her nose. Which meant that they had likely poisoned other's lives indirectly. She beamed at Jonyna, happy to have found a kindred spirit so passionate for justice. Justice was a core tenet of the tribe's philosophy and idolized in the embodiment of Illuna, goddess of the hunt. And if this red-haired Cathar was anything like the paladins she knew, they too hated the atrocity she had just described.

Rayia nodded confidently, then seemed to waver. "Well, not exactly. But last I saw them, they were somewhere around Narsh. Me and their medic stole their captain's personal shuttle and used it to escape. He had some problems with them too. But I'd guess they haven't strayed too far. From what I could see, they were pretty entwined in the spice trade on Narsh." Then she shrugged. "If they aren't there, I suppose we could ask around. I know the name of the group after all. The Luckless Lot. Problem is... they'd recognize me too. We didn't exactly start or part on good terms," she said.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

"Then we're going to Narsh." Jonyna said with a dead certainty, as if the decision was already set in the stone of history before she had said it. "Come on, they'll certainly be luckless when I find them."

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia didn't try to argue against the certainty in the red-headed Cathar's voice. Going after the pirates after she had found out what they did had honestly been her plan from the start. She would've set out on the proposed quest just as soon as her injuries had healed and her head stopped pounding. Her pride as a warrior didn't let her ignore the deeds. 'And more than that, it would've been what Sola would have wanted,' she thought to herself as she slowly stood from the table. She saw a lot of her old paladin friend in this red-headed stranger. "If we are to hunt together, we should know each other's names. My name is Rayia," Rayia said, matching herself to Jonyna's pace as she headed for the door.

As soon as the red-headed Cathar would open the door though, Rayia once more felt the surging prickle of sensation crawl up her neck. She slumped sideways, slapping her shoulder into the doorframe. Her tail, which had slowly begun to peek back up in optimistic hope, immediately shrank back and disappeared into its sheath until only the faintest tuft was visible. A tidal wave of sensations plagued Rayia unlike she had ever experienced. For it wasn't the motions of each individual member through the air in the throng of bodies piling up around the platform's level or the smells of their scents intermingling that bothered Rayia. While unpleasant to her extremely honed senses, she had moved to Vossport after running away. And while the largest port city on Weik couldn't hold a candle to this tree-top city, she could at least cope with the idea of this many people around. It was highly unpleasant, but manageable. No, what truly disturbed Rayia was that she could feel the emotions of those around her. She'd trained for years to sense her prey's intentions. To interpret their movements based off the sensations of their displacement of the air around them. But that wasn’t an insight into their mindscape. It never allowed her to tell without seeing them, that two stalls two blocks across from them, the vendor was getting frustrated at a window-shopper that never intended to buy anything and was only here for the nostalgia. 'No huntress should ever feel the emotions of her prey. Intents, yes. Emotions, no. It is like asking part of yourself to die with them.' She thought uneasily. She felt like she was intruding somehow. At the very least, that would've been true of her old life. She was so new to this whole experience that she hadn't yet made up her mind about it. 'I can't be the only one to feel it though. Sola always had such sharp senses. I am betting this paladin does as well,' she thought and finally voiced the question, "Do you feel that? If not, I must be going insane. Every nerve I have is screaming at me."

 

[Jonyna Si]

"Do you feel that? If not, I must be going insane. Every nerve I have is screaming at me."

​

"You get used to it." Jonyna said, offering her a shoulder to hold onto. "I grew up here, so it's all familiar." She offered a kind smile, "Just focus on me. We'll get to my ship and it should be better there."

The trek was short, thankfully, but Jonyna was quick to offer her some solace. "You need to learn to focus on one thing at a time. Learn to concentrate. I usually focused on my mom..."

Rayia Si

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia shook her head. "How could anyone get used to this?" She wondered aloud. Her ears, which had flattered backwards at the onslaught of sensations, perked as she saw her companion offer her a shoulder to hold onto. Rayia wanted to clutch onto it immediately, but panic-stricken as she was that was probably a bad idea. She didn't want to snap the paladin in two after all. She could feel the soft thrumming creep up her spine as muscle-mass slowly coiled into existence along her back, unfurling across her shoulders like encroaching, self-weaving strands just beneath her skin. The beast was snuffling around, lurking just beneath the surface. Rayia's breath hitched. 'It's waiting for any excuse,' Rayia knew. 'And if I can't control it, in this crowded market..." Rayia shuddered with the thought, and exhaled shakily.

Rayia bit back some harsh snorts as the red-haired Cathar mentioned she used to focus on her mother. She turned it instead into a shaky cough and latched onto the taller woman's shoulder. 'Thinking about Mom is probably a bad idea,' Rayia thought as a faint tingle coursed through the scars on her shoulder. '...She's definitely furious with me for running away. But if it helps, I guess I can do what she says and focus entirely on her,' Rayia thought, and turned her full attention onto Jonyna. Sharp feline pupils grew even thinner until they had narrowed down to slits. Rayia's tail, at least the tuft that was currently visible, bristled as Rayia seemed to go very still like a condensed spring. Rayia went taut and honed in on each heartbeat, each tiny movement the redhaired Cathar made with a predatory stillness. One that might make even the hackles on the Cathar's neck raise.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

Jonyna didn't seem to pay it any mind, as she led them to the ship, an old Imp scout ship that seemed to be painted up in cathar markings, a sign of disrespect to the Empire, and a sign of dominance of the Cathar people.

"I don't take it you can fly a ship?"

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia kept up her intense focus on the Cathar woman all the way until they had reached the woman's ship. Rayia's ears shot up with interest as she saw it was an Imperial windship. There was the briefest hesitation as Rayia slowed her steps and lagged behind the others. Rayia could feel a roiling sensation in her gut that was much sharper than her usual nausea upon seeing a windship, much less going on one. The sleek design reminded her of being trapped in a failing shuttle and watching the ships arrive to drag her from her ship. Rayia could only remember flashes of her time in their clutches, but she remembered being deprived of oxygen until she passed out, the acrid bite of blood in her mouth and the shrieking of metal, then a beleaguered waking up with fire racing through her veins only to be facing two paladin healers who took her away from there.

Then her ears slumped in relaxation as she saw the green markings plastered all over the ship. 'With how sterile that ship was, this clearly has been commandeered,' Rayia thought to herself snapping out of her funk to answer the woman's question. She couldn't help a cursory examinatory glance over herself in response to the question though. As if to say, what about me says that I can? "No, I prefer to avoid windships if I can. They make me...sick. Very sick," she said.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

"Mine has a pool." Jonyna smiled, offering the chance to climb up the latter to the second level. "And a fridge with steak."

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Having grown up on a world where technology was reserved for the necessities of sustaining the planet's population and the defense of its major settlements, Rayia didn't know what a pool was. 'Obviously it could be a pool of water, but why wouldn't she just say that? Perhaps it's an abbreviation for a cistern that they use on other worlds. Having a fresh source of water on hand a windship seems like it would be a good idea,' Rayia thought. She had a very limited understanding of windships in the first place, but it seemed like common enough sense. It was the same reason the tribe carried water filtration systems around the savannahs on Weik. Even if they could find fresh watering holes, who could say if it was safe to drink.

Fridge though was a word that Rayia did recognize. And steaks more so. Rayia began to visibly salivate at the mere mention of fresh meat. She swallowed around the spittle gathering in her mouth. "I see. Smart of you to keep your ship well stocked," she commented and took the proffered invitation to climb up the ladder to the second level. One hand instinctively reached into the pouch attached to her waist as she waited for the Cathar to open the hatch to enter the ship. She checked to see if she had any sedative left, and groaned inwardly as she felt only one vial remaining. 'How do I keep going through this so quickly?' Rayia asked herself ironically, knowing full well the answer. '...And more importantly, do I use it? Or do I ask her to make a stop so I can rest? She seems keen to hunt them down, as I am.'

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

"Always do." She smiled as she led them upstairs. The stairs seemed to lead them to a large lounge, couches and a holo-vision screen set up, as well as some sort of communal table with different game pieces on it. At the back, a small bar was set up, Jonyna smiling as she looked over, pouring herself some water. "You want anything? I'm not usually one to share my steaks, but I could cook something up while my pilot gets us going."

 

[Rayia Si]

Jonyna Si

---

Rayia stared momentarily perplexed by the interior of the lounge as she dutifully Jonyna into the ship. She hadn't ever seen the holo-vision screen nor the game pieces currently featured on the communal table. Technology had been entirely devoted to vital necessities on Weik, and so the flickering images were captivating. At least until her host offered to cook one of the steaks for her. "That would be appreciated," Rayia said, smiling back. Her ears perked as she heard Jonyna mention that she had a pilot who could get them underway immediately. "Your pilot? You have someone who could fly us to Narsh?" She hoped the question would mask her true worry as she deliberated whether or not to use the sedative.

'Perhaps she's even more impatient than I expected. I don't think I'll have any choice,' Rayia thought to herself, fingering the metallic vial as she watched the Cathar carefully. 'At least the steak will blunt the taste,' she thought, sliding the vial into her palm and then into her vambrace. She'd take it once she had a moment alone. She could feel the beast seething within as thoughts of being trapped within this metal box flashed through her head. It was already lurking beneath the surface in the face of Rayia's throbbing headache. She'd take the distraction the conversation offered even if it was only a temporary abatement.