Private Divergence

[Cassian Abrantes]

Mysa Snowstrider
Naboo
Dee'ja Peak​

Caleb stood beside Cassian, explaining to him a few things that had proceeded since he had been gone, in particular what they were able to uncover, and what still remained a mystery.

Cassian readied himself with the blaster pistol and fired once at the target. It was a quick shot, something that was a necessity for intelligence agents, and he missed the targeted silhouette completely. His brow furrowed as he adjusted his stance and fired again, missing completely, just to the right of the target's arm. He adjusted his stance once more, standing sideways as he raised the blaster pistol. There was noticeable shaking in his hand.

The Eldest sibling looked back toward Caleb, who didn't say much. He simply stared at Cassian and then at his target. He looked forward again and fired once. Annoyance quickly took hold as he began walking closer to the target, each quick step accompanied by another shot from his blaster pistol. He took a deep breath before lowering his weapon and looking at the target. There were several hits, but none were center mass. Not a single one.... It was something he used to be able to do on his worst day. That was before all of this, though.

Caleb approached, offering a small smile, a word of encouragement, and what little advice he could give.

"We don't have to do this all right now, Cassian. Perhaps at a later time?" The look on Caleb's face had softened, knowing what he had been through, without actually knowing. Caleb cherished the Abrantes children as if they were his own. It was hard, to see him going through something like this. "It will take time...."

The eldest Abrantes nodded, lowering the blaster pistol completely.

"Let's do that, thank you Caleb." He spoke, as he looked back towards the target, hitting the reset button. He needed to go for a walk, he moved away from the field range, moving down the stairs, and several Abrantes Guards closed the way to follow. "Stop." Cassian spoke, easily, but coldly as well. "Don't, I don't need to be followed and watched from afar like some sort of freak." They exchanged looks, before looking back to him.

"Sir, your Father and Mother-..."

"Go, now." He spoke quickly interrupting them, in the same tone as before.

"Yes sir."

Cassian waited till they were gone until he would dissappear into the town. Gods he wanted a drink, he looked back towards the range, as a bow and arrow were present. Perhaps he could go hunt...

That was an idea.

 

[Mysa Snowstrider]

She had spent the past two hours traipsing across the Highlands in search of Rennik's beloved tusk cat Gonk, who had gotten out right as she passed the Lepi's front door. The creature had been spooked by the presence of Felix, ironic given that Gonk was the larger of the pair... though admittedly, Felix had more bulk to him. Still, Ren had blamed Mysa for the whole ordeal and he had been very ardent when he insisted she be the one to bring the poor sweet puddy cat home.​

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Nevermind that Mysa was here on official business. Nevermind that she she was preparing to seek out Ala Quin and the Jedi Order, nope... what she absolutely had to do right now was search for a missing pet.​

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"This is your fault, you know?" she grumbled as an aside to her Frír, voice laced with naught but affection even so, "Did you have to growl?" At least Felix was taking the lead as they pushed through the trees that smattered the incline, not that Gonk's progress was hard to follow. There was broken branches and disturbed underbrush that led them on their merry little way. ​

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Were it not such tight quarters, she might have ridden her beloved boy. It didn't seem wise, though, she'd no doubt whack her head, even with the Force to guide her. Felix was her companion, yes, but he was still largely a wild animal and his attention could change in a heartbeat.​

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Thankfully they had yet to stumble upon anything or anyone untoward, but as a distant flock of birds suddenly took to the skies and cried out she was left wondering how much of that was their new feline friend and how much was the result of Naboo's natural beasties.​

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For how beautiful the world was, it was filled with potential threats.​

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Cassian Abrantes ​

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Mysa Snowstrider ​

Cassian moved through the brush before standing up straight, bow slung on his shoulder. He had hoped by doing these basic tasks, something as simple as tracking, it would help steady his mind, calm his spirit. For the past that plagued him was still with him, and perhaps always would be. Cassian moved through the edge of the trees before he moved into a small opening, seeing a flock of birds take off in the distance.

"Hmm..." he voiced, looking down at the ground for a moment, finding the tracks he was looking for.

The closer he got, something jumping out in the distance didn't frighten him. It was a Tusk Cat.

They were native to Naboo, but truthfully, he hadn't seen one in so long, even before his captivity. He lowered himself down to one knee as the creature approached him. Cassian, in his present state, gave a passive and completely nonaggressive posture. The Tusk Cat hesitated at first, circled him a bit before pushing inward again. The Exile raised his hand, palm outward toward the creature, as it got closer, and once it did, he slowly rotated his wrist so that his palm was facing up. And so the Cat leaned in slightly, essentially allowing Cassian to pet it. He took a deep breath, showing a small smile.

A first...

"Are you lost, my new friend?" Cassian then smiled as he lowered his hand, and the Tusk Cat stared at him for a moment before it began to walk away, looking at the scenery around it. Taking in the calmness of the forest's edge.

 

[Mysa Snowstrider]

The tusk cat was not a wild beastie like most were, he was clearly domesticated. Ren even had a pretty little collar made for him, complete with a bell and a nameplate. GONK it said, though there was no information about the owner. Something the Lepi probably ought to remedy going forward.​

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As Mysa made her approach, she noticed that pawprints were not the only tracks left in the loamy earth; human tracks existed too.​

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"It seems our runaway has encountered another" Mysa declared to Felix, though instinct bade her to gently reach for her shortsword. Her bow was still unstrung, this wasn't meant to be a literal hunt after all, set within its carrier on her back, and her lightsaber was tucked away beneath her cloak.​

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The shortsword, though? That was always close at hand, upon her belt. She drew it just in case Gonk had happened across a less than savoury figure, then pressed onward.​

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She saw him then, through the underbrush and the trees, the man with a hand outstretched. He did not seem dangerous, in fact he seemed affectionate with the tusk-cat which warmed her heart. A friend of the animals was so often someone she felt comfortable around.​

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"There you are, Gonk" she said, in an attempt at making her presence known without alarming the man. He did have a bow, after all - something her eyes were drawn to - he was not entirely unarmed or harmless.​

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Cassian Abrantes ​

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Mysa Snowstrider ​

Cassian noted the presence of someone from across the way, she had the looks of a warrior princess of sorts. That was his inital first though. Cassian pushed himself up easily enough, as he approached from his end, the cat still pleasantly calm even as he moved closer. Clearly he must've made a good impression. Or that's what it appeared like to him.

"There you are, Gonk"

"Gonk, is it?" Cassian voiced easily, showing an easy smile. "That's a good name, unique and good." Cassian his approach once more, before coming to a stop before the woman. He looked down the cat, as he nuzzled against his leg before moving past to sit next Mysa.

"Greetings my friend. I am Cassian Abrantes, its good to meet you. I don't think I've seen you around here before?" He inquired curiously. "Are you visiting?"

 

[Mysa Snowstrider]

Felix was all jealous tail swishes when he saw Gonk was the subject of much attention, his chuffing becoming more of a dissatisfied grumble-growl that had Mysa raising a brow. "Knock it off" she whispered to her Frir, "You are being rude."​

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Then she looked up and smiled at the man.​

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"That is what the Lepi who sent me after him called him" she admitted, "It is a good name though is it not?" Mysa reached a hand out toward the tusk-cat, and allowed him to smell her scent. The kitty did not seem too keen, given her proximity to Felix, so she reached her free hand into a pouch on her belt and drew free some jerky.​

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"Here, Gonkie Gonkie" she urged, "It is the good stuff, I promise..."​

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She rose back to her fell height once Gonk had the big chunk and lay down at their feet to eat it.​

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"Cassian," she retorted, "I am Mysa, it is nice to meet you." She dipped her head into a gentle bow, though the surname meant nothing to her. Mysa had no clue who she was talking to. "I am new to Naboo, yes; I am not here to play cat-whisperer, though, despite how it may seem." She flashed a gentle smile, then scritched both kitties on their heads.​

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"I apologize if this ball of fluff has led us to interrupting you; I like your bow." She turned slightly to show off the quiver on her hip. "I rarely see one used in the wider Galaxy, I thought it was just a Midvinter thing. Are you hunting?"​

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Cassian Abrantes ​

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Mysa Snowstrider ​

What it was about her, and the interactions with the tusk cat, and the animal at her said. It caused a small smile to show. Perhaps it a small sense of his old self showing, as he watched others, he would get familiarized with that feeling again. He was no longer trapped into a cage. He had to find a way to let go of what happened to him, the frightening thing was, he didn't know how.

"It's a very good name." Cassian said as he knelt down once more. "And what about you my friend?" Cassian voiced in a gentle tone towards Felix, while early he had smirked lightly at Mysa's comments. The Exile held his hand out, towards the creature, and it was enough for him to get a small nuzzle on his hand, and a lick.

"Mysa, that's lovely name." He spoke in simple easiness and truth. He had travalled all around Naboo, and many parts of the High Republic. He hadn't heard it before, it was good.

"I apologize if this ball of fluff has led us to interrupting you; I like your bow." She turned slightly to show off the quiver on her hip. "I rarely see one used in the wider Galaxy, I thought it was just a Midvinter thing. Are you hunting?"

Cassian looked back up to Mysa, giving her another smile. "Thank you." He said, holding out his bow, nothing crazy fancy, but it showed Naboo craftmanship, and the grip was layered with leather, the House Abrantes isignia embedded around it. "I've been hunting since I was young. It's always helped clear my mind, keep the worries away. And no need to apologize, I honestly welcome the interruption. And formally, welcome to Naboo."

Cassian took a deep breath before standing up once more. "You are from Midvinter, I've heard a great deal about it, I've always wanted to travel there. But duty, in one way or another keeps getting in my way."

 

[Mysa Snowstrider]

Her smile grew and warmed as he knelt to address her oversized companion. The sabertooth was quick to nuzzle and chuff, happy to have attention from someone other than Mysa. So many were wary of seeing a sabertooth nearby after all, and he was a big boy.​

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"That is Felix" she explained, reaching out to pet her beloved boy, "He is a Frir." Her own name being complimented brought about a slight blush. "Yours is not too bad either" she retorted with a smirk.​

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Overhead, Odiir had finally finished circling and the snow-white bird came down to roost on a branch close by, watching with ever-eagle eyes.​

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She reached for the offered bow, holding it - feeling its general weight, as well as the weight of its draw, before humming appreciatively. "This is very well made" she said, carefully easing off the draw to keep any tension from the string. Then she handed it back to him. "I would show you mine, but comparatively it is primitive." Her smile turned sheepish. "I made it myself."​

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When he spoke of worries, Mysa looked to him with gentle concern. "Is something bothering you, Cassian Abrantes?" she asked, "I too like to hunt to clear my mind." As for Midvinter, she smiled more brightly and returned a hand to Felix's head to fuss him.​

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"Not from originally, but it is my home more than any other place in this Galaxy" she confirmed. "It is very beautiful, and there is plenty to hunt; you should make time, you will not regret it."​

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Cassian Abrantes ​