Private Jungle Training

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

Both Cailen and Silas had spent time training with Valery before, and as productive as that was, Valery always felt that Padawans could learn a lot from each other. The relationship between a Master and Padawan was very different after all — more professional. For them to bond, learn from each other, and especially push each other to greater heights could be very beneficial to their progression as Jedi. So for this reason, Valery had requested both Padawans to meet her at the Landing Pad on New Cov's Temple, which directly bordered the incredibly dangerous jungles.

"Alright, glad you could both meet me here," Valery began when the two showed up. It was still early morning, so she expected them to be a little tired still. Not many got up as early as she did for morning meditation and training. "Cailen, this is Silas. I'm not sure if you met each other before, but I'd like to take you both on a trip into an area of the jungles that I used to train in when I was a Padawan myself."

Ah, the memories it brought back already made her smile. But it wasn't something to underestimate either — her training had been a long time ago, and the jungles may have changed quite a bit. And even if they haven't, dangerous predators were always lurking behind the trees and within the bushes that could kill as well.

"The focus will be some lightsaber training, but I might include a few other lessons as well. It depends on where you both stand now, how well you adjust, and whether or not we can make a lot of progress. I do expect you to take it very seriously because one mistake out there can put us all at risk." She let that sink in for a moment while she looked between the two with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Any questions before we get going?"

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

Silas had been spending the week at the New Cov temple as a way to get some much needed independent training. Ever since his confrontation with the sith on Tython, he had been hammering down his dueling to iron over any mistakes he did. In truth, he didn't really put a foot wrong, he was just unlucky enough to land funny and break his ribs on a pillar. Other than that, he held his ground pretty well against a more superior opponent. However, in Silas fashion, his stubbornness was preventing him from seeing that.

During one of his sessions, Master Valery had requested for him to meet her and another padawan on the landing pad. Bringing his lightsaber, he soon found himself on the pad and standing before Valery and a boy he had not met before. Looking to Valery first, she introduced him to Cailen, a kid who seemed to be younger, but not by much. Silas offered him a cool smile and bowed his head slightly out of respect.

"Good to meet you Cailen. I hope you're ready for some tough Noble training" he smiled at him, his blue eyes looking up to the master curiously "It's my first time seeing him master, but I'm sure it won't be the last. " Silas remarked, seemingly standing up a bit straight when she reminded them of the dangers of the jungle. Shooting a glance at the boy next to him, he slowly nodded.

"If you need any help out there Cailen, do not be afraid to ask. We are here to help you develop as a person, not to judge you from your wrong doings" he said in a slightly stern voice. The kid was young, so he wanted to make sure he was confident of the support around him. If Valery trained there, it must of had some kind of safety, but who knew what conditions the master trained under in her youth.

Finally, his mouth finally formed a smile to the boy again and patted him a few times on the side of his shoulder blade "Try to have some fun along the way, after all we're still just kids" with that, he carried his smile to master valery who asked them for any questions. Out of curioisty he slowly raised his hand and waited until Valery adressed him to speak.

"What exactly do we expected to see out there? I've heard some pretty nasty tales of some of the creatures out there..."

 

[Cailen Corso]

JUNGLE TRAINING
Cailen’s Training #1

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Yoda and the Younglings

Cailen’s first week at the New Cov Temple had consisted primarily of attending lessons, studying in the library, and meditating when he could. The events on Tython had left residual damage to the young Jedi’s connection to the Force, a weakness he’d struggled to overcome in his training thus far. He’d begun to feel defeated by this obstacle, until Master Noble asked for him to meet her at the Temple landing pad for a special training assignment. And better yet, he’d have a partner to train with as well - another Padawan at that!

The Padawan suited up in simple robes and pulled on a pair of boots before leaving his dorm. Shortly after, he was approaching the landing pad where Master Noble awaited him. He offered a respectful bow to his Master, trying to stifle his growing excitement. This could finally be his chance for a breakthrough!

Soon, the other boy joined them. He bowed his head to Cailen, a gesture the Padawan returned. He smiled as the older boy introduced himself.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Cailen said with a warm smile, though his face shifted to a more serious expression as Master Noble explained their task.

“… I'd like to take you both on a trip into an area of the jungles that I used to train in when I was a Padawan myself."

Cailen shifted uncomfortably at first, but held his anxiousness in check. It had been made explicitly clear by not only Master Noble, but several other Jedi Masters as well, that the jungles were strictly off-limits to Padawan Learners. All manner of dangerous flora and fauna called the jungles of New Cov home, such that the Temple grounds were the only true safe haven among the sea of greenery.

“I do expect you to take it very seriously because one mistake out there can put us all at risk."

Silas must’ve noticed Cailen’s discomfort, because he was quick to reassure the young Jedi.

"If you need any help out there Cailen, do not be afraid to ask.”

Cailen nodded gratefully, some of his confidence restored. Master Noble continued her explanation of the lesson and what they should expect before asking if the boys had any questions. Silas asked about the dangers they’d face in the jungles, but Cailen posited a more personal question:

“Master, what will happen if I… if I still can’t connect to the Force?”

Cailen flicked his eyes to Silas, worried the older boy might say something about his inability to feel the Force properly. It wasn’t something he’d shared with many others outside of Valery, and he was cautious about over-sharing his troubles.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

"If you need any help out there Cailen, do not be afraid to ask. We are here to help you develop as a person, not to judge you from your wrong doings"

Valery nodded, "While true, we're not here just to develop him, Silas. These jungles are a bit... different from what most are used to. Even experienced Jedi Knights can find themselves making mistakes because the experience they have doesn't account for what you may find out there," she said with a soft smile as she watched the interaction between the two Padawans.

Silas seemed fairly confident about the trip, or at least his mind was at ease and ready to be challenged by whatever she had planned. Cailen was more nervous though, which wasn't entirely unexpected given his lack of experience, and with everything that happened recently. But Silas was quick to offer him support, and she was always going to be there to help too.

"Master, what will happen if I… if I still can't connect to the Force?"

"Nothing will happen that you need to worry about. These jungles are dangerous, as both of you know, and I do want to push you both and expose you to what the Galaxy is really like. But I'm not going throw you in the deep end here — I'll be close each step of the way to help and make sure you can train safely," she said, hoping it would comfort her Padawan a little.

"If you struggle connecting with the Force during the training, then we just take it slow and focus on that part specifically." Finally, her attention shifted back to Silas when he asked about the jungle, and as tempting as it could be to downplay bad situations, she was going to give them the facts pretty straight.

"You can find anything out there. From groups of deadly Nightshrikes in caves to Drengir within the Jungle. That's why you shouldn't wander off alone, and stay close enough to me. I'm going to bring you both to a somewhat less dangerous area, but you can't ever ignore your senses and training out here."

She paused again and looked between the two Padawans, "Ready to get going, or is there anything else?"

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

Valery's padawan seemed like a good kid from first introductions and was even a little nervous. Even so, all that was normal for padawans his age. Silas looked at him again with a straight face when he asked her his question, one that made him sad for the boy in a few ways. It must have been confusing and hard to comprehend when you couldn't find the force as you used to when you were only a kid. That alone only made Silas help the boy even more and get him to his true potential.

Instead of answering himself, he let Master Valery calm him down. Silas took a step closer to Cailen and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, almost as if to say he was going to stick with him every step of the way "You're right Master, the jungles are not to be overestimated by any means. We must have each other's backs, no matter what." he said in agreement, at least they were going to have a safe space to train away from the most dangerous of creature lurking about.

Some of the creatures were things he had learned about in his studies, like the nightshrikes which were vicious flying creatures who could rip you apart within moments. Silas wasn't concerned about himself, but for Cailen who probably was going to experience some damming scenes for the first time. As Valery said, they had to keep their senes in tune at all times.

"I'm ready to roll Master Valery" he said with a brief smile before gently nudging Cailen on his arm "You'll be fine out there. Come on, let's get moving shall we?"

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Yoda and the Younglings

Cailen listened intently as Master Noble explained the true dangers of the jungle. Dangers that even Jedi Knights have had difficulty overcoming. The Padawan swallowed hard, keeping his nerves in check as he studied her words carefully.

"Nothing will happen that you need to worry about… I'm not going throw you in the deep end here — I'll be close each step of the way to help and make sure you can train safely.”

He felt some relief at the thought that they’d be supervised in the jungle. There were still risks, sure, but at least they weren’t being totally thrown to the wolves - or Nightshrikes and Drengir, to be precise. Silas put a hand around Cailen, comforting him even more.

"We must have each other's backs, no matter what."

Cailen nodded in agreement, though he couldn’t help but imagine the vicious creatures and dangerous plant life that awaited them beyond the safety of the New Cov Temple. Nevertheless, he remained focused on his Master’s instructions. When she finished, Cailen gave her a confidant grin.

"I’m ready, Master!"

He looked to Silas, a determined look in his eyes.

"Let’s do this!"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

Seeing the interaction between Cailen and Silas, Valery could only smile — they were both her Padawans, and for them to get along was something she valued greatly. They could help each other train and grow, they could be there for each other when things got tough, and they would encourage each other during their highs. It also made it a lot easier for her to use her already limited amount of time to train them both at the same time, which was especially useful when it came to gaining field experience.

For now, they were both ready and that meant she finally began guiding them away from the safety of the Temple, and into the dangerous jungles. At first, it wouldn't feel very different, as most dangerous creatures were kept away from the Temple, and the Jedi had made sure no incredibly lethal plant life was still close either. But the deeper they went, the more they could feel life around them flourish, and along with it a danger that would keep any Force-sensitive on edge. It wasn't close, it wasn't imminent, but it was everywhere.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Valery asked as she drew in a deep breath of fresh air and looked around. She knew that those unfamiliar with the planet wouldn't be so comfortable, but Valery practically grew up here. These jungles contained a lot of good memories, and a lot of terrible ones as well. But none of that really took away from the fact that it looked stunning.

The three Jedi then finally stepped into a clearing, where Valery stopped and pointed at a hill not too far away, "That's where we'll be going. A long time ago, my Master brought me there for training, and today I'll be taking you two," she said, a smile tugging on her lips as memories of her former Master flashed into her mind. That smile then turned into a grin before she looked at both of them.

"Race to the top - let's see how well you two can move through a jungle." she paused and waited for them to prepare.

"Ready? Set.... go!"

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

"That's more like it," he said back to the fellow padawan with a grin, a hand gently pushing him ahead so they can begin their travel into the unknown. Silas could already tell Cailen was a good kid, the only thing he lacked was confidence. Nonetheless, there was always a way to bring that back with some friendly encouragement and tough love. If he couldn't do it, Valery was sure to find it again. To Silas, she was a master that could achieve anything no matter how impossible it could be.

The three of them took their time to exit the temple before moving out into the brisk outdoors of the jungle. Its environment reminded him slightly of Azbrian but with more plant life. His home planet was still yet to be beaten in terms of its beauty, and he doubted that would be topped any time soon "It's fantastic Master, I can see why you hold it so close to your heart" he responded back with a smile, his left hand now and then feeling the greenery he walked himself through.

Eventually, the group came into a clearing and the two padawans halted to listen to Valery. The place they were going seemed to be a place the master thought of fondly, which in his eyes made it even more exciting "I'm intrigued to see what's up there, but you best believe I'll be seeing it first!" he said competitively to the both of them when Valery threw down a race. With a wide grin, he looked to Cailen and lightly nudged him on the shoulder "Stick close, maybe we can work together to get there before master Valery!" he said whispered with a playful nod.

Getting in position, he waited till the master said go and suddenly kicked out his legs. At the same time, he looked back at the boy and hoped he would be close behind.

"<<I have a plan, but we've got to keep close to her. You've got this Cailen!>>"

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Yoda and the Younglings

The first thing Cailen noticed as the group departed the Temple was the noise - He thought the jungle would be quieter than the enclave behind them, and to an extent, it was. The sounds that filled the air were still ever-present, but it was the buzzing of insects, the calls of animals in the distance, and the rustling of the wind in the trees that filled the air now.

He took in the greenery, admiring the wilderness as they walked together.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Cailen nodded, the sights around him truly sinking in. It was so mesmerizing that the Padawan had to remain himself to stay focused on his Master and fellow student ahead. He hastened his pace, closing the gap that formed between them in his wonderment.

“I can’t imagine training in a place as beautiful as this,” the boy said to Valery as they walked.

Soon, the trio entered a clearing in the jungle. Ahead of them lay a hill that, as Master Noble indicated, was their destination.

A long time ago, my Master brought me there for training, and today I'll be taking you two.”

Cailen exchanged an eager grin with Silas as Valery gave the Padawans their first task: A foot race to the top of the hill where Valery trained years ago as a Padawan Learner herself. The thought of seeing his Master’s stomping grounds gave Cailen a sense of awe and excitement, and the challenge to make it there first only encouraged the boy more.

“… you best believe I'll be seeing it first!"

“In your dreams!” Cailen retorted playfully, a confident smile spread across his face.

Cailen readied himself, determined to start strong and maintain a steady pace to the top of the hill. If there’s one thing he was good at, it was running. But Silas whispered something that caught his attention just before Valery signaled for the race to start. Something about working together, but the race was on before he could fully process the plan. He pushed his feet off the ground, his boots thudding hard on the mossy forest floor as he ran behind Silas.

The roots and occasional branch posed little challenge for the boy. It wasn’t much different than balancing on sheets of metal and piles of scrap, a skill Cailen had down to a science back home. If you couldn’t outrun bullies on Anaxes, you’d be as good as dead.

The viridescent blur of foliage around him was mesmerizing, but his determination to beat Silas and Master Noble to the hilltop outweighed the thrill of dashing through the jungle. Cailen pushed himself forward, allowing the Force to guide his footwork as he moved through the underbrush.

“I’m doing it!” the boy thought to himself.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

And they were off, determined to beat her and each other to the top.

But as an experienced Jedi, Valery was much faster, and she also grew up in these jungles, so knew them better than almost anybody. So an actual race wouldn't have been fair, and even if they knew that deep down, she figured the excitement of the little challenge would push them to give it everything they had. But what they didn't know was that she had planned a little test for the two of them — this wasn't about beating anybody to the top, and soon they'd hopefully figure that out.

Deeper and deeper into the jungle, Silas and Cailen would find themselves alone, seemingly without a sign of Valery being anywhere. She was masking her presence in the Force to keep them from sensing her, so all they had was each other and whatever they did feel around them. Soon enough, something would likely draw the attention of Silas, who was ahead by just a little bit.

An animal of some kind was approaching from the right, and it was heading straight for Cailen. There was tension in the Force because of it, as many of the creatures on this world were extremely lethal. But Cailen was no pushover, so the chances that he'd be completely fine were very substantial.

Cailen would pick up on it soon enough as well, and actually have sight on it — a Mantessan Panthac was on the move.

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Corellia Chase

The longer Cailen ran through the vines and roots, the more at home he felt. And for the first time in days, weeks even, he could feel the Force. It was guiding his feet as he went. It’s presence wasn’t as strong as it was when he was young, free-running through the scrapyards, but it was there. Finally, it was there. But something felt… off. As he went deeper into the jungle, in tow behind Silas, he noticed his connection to Valery was fading. Weakening. Then, it was gone. He slowed his pace, glancing around for her, but he couldn’t find his Master. A panic began to come over him, confusion and the all-too-familiar pain of a missing Force attachment overwhelming the boy.

“No, no, no… not again,” he thought to himself.

The distance between Silas and Cailen began to grow as the younger boy slowed from a sprint to a steady jog.

“Silas!” he called ahead. “Silas! Where’s Master Noble?”

Cailen tried to focus on Valery’s presence in the Force, but instead he found a growing intensity. Someone, or something, powerful was nearby. It was coming from the right. The boy kept his eyes on the dense jungle beside him, but all he could see was the underbrush rustling as some sort of creature ran alongside him, concealed in the green shadows of the forest.

Suddenly, the beast burst out from the foliage. It was a vicious feline animal Cailen had never seen before. He yelped, startled by the visage of the Panthac. The beast kept pace with the now-sprinting Padawan for a moment before lunging at him, claws out and ready. Cailen pushed himself hard, thrusting his body forward in a Force dash to dodge the Panthac’s attack.

“Silas! Run!” Cailen shouted, warning his friend.

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

Silas rushed through the jungle with a spring in his stead, weaving his way through the various brushes that came before him. For a first timer he was doing decent, but as time went on he started to get himself caught more in the ever increasing density of plants. One sharp twig got caught on his arm and when he tugged away it caused a rip to form on his shoulder. That wasn't the biggest bother for Silas though. When he looked back, Cailen was starting to grow distant from him.

The padawan slowly stopped and decided to wait for his companion. If they lost so be it, he was more concerned for his safety than anything "I don't know, I can't sense her anymore!" he shouted back, concerned as to how fast the Master had gotten ahead of them. It seemed like they were both alone for now, so the younger padawan was seemingly put under his protection.

After a few moments, Silas sensed something strange coming from where Cailen was running. His eyes widened when he felt the ever growing danger come at them, a feeling that seemingly felt like the danger was going to come at them at any moment "Cailen! come to me qu-" before he could finish a strange creature jumped out from beside him and lunged at the boy with his claws. Thankfully, Cailen knew better, and force dashed from the animal attacks. He called Silas to run, a thing that would only make things worse for the two of them.

With a calm sigh Silas ran straight at the animal behind Cailen, his lightsaber still tucked away in its pocket "Move away, now!" he shouted just before he extended both hands out and force pushed the predator back first into the forest trees. Some smaller and less developed snapped and crashed down from the impact of its body, while others held strong to deflect its body. Silas turned his body to the panicking boy and put two hands on his shoulders "Deeps breaths alright? we need to get through this together. Trust me, we can do this" he said sternly before turning back to where the beast landed. Effortlessly, he takes out his saber and ignites it. He didn't know if it was still alive, but they couldn't take any chances if there was more prowling around.

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

With some good use of the Force, Cailen dodged the predator's attack and with Silas turning around to help him, the two Padawans were now together against the beast. A force push followed from Silas that created distance between them and the beast, but they could likely feel its anger as well. Whether they knew it or not, the highly territorial Panthac wasn't one to give up easily, even in the face of dangerous opposition. But they also never fought alone.

All around them, more of these creatures appeared and began circling the two Jedi — the pack had arrived, and the young boys were going to be their next prey. The one who had initiated the attack was the biggest one, and judging by the way it slowly moved closer, it made it obvious he was the alpha of them all.

But only seconds from when it was going to make its move, the beast suddenly froze and so did the others. Their growling stopped and after looking at the two Jedi a moment longer, they all turned around and disappeared into the bushes.

The threat they likely felt in the Force was gone.

"Well done, you two," Valery's voice suddenly said as she dropped down from a tree and stopped suppressing herself in the Force. Her familiar warmth connected with them again, and she offered a nod of approval. "This race was a test for you both, to see what you value the most. You chose each other, and while that might seem obvious to you, many younger students will take any opportunity they can get to win. But sometimes there are things more important than winning."

She paused and looked at them both, "I'm sorry if it freaked you out, but I was here the whole time. I would never let anything bad happen to either of you."

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

Silas took calm breaths when more of the bushes began to break apart, revealing more of the same beast that had just tried to attack Cailen Corso . The rest of the pack must have been waiting close by for their chance because with swift intent they began to surround both of them, giving their downed leader support "Cailen, watch my back and I'll watch yours. This will not be the day we fall" Silas said defiantly, turning around to press his back into Cailens.

The bigger beast Silas pushed away had regrouped with the rest of his pack and began to walk towards them. He could feel the creature's anger and that alone told him they were going to attack at any moment. Silas lifted his lightsaber in front of him and readied himself for a rough battle ahead. Although, that never seemed to come.

Just when the leader was a few feet away he suddenly stopped and looked in a particular direction, almost as if he was having second thoughts about even going for the kill. Slowly, the bigger Panthac backed away and so did his pack, moving away from the boys until they were totally out of sight "Why did they leave?" he said openly in surprise just before Master Valery made her appearance, something that almost made Silas jump "Master Valery... I never doubt you'd leave us for a second" he said with a brief smile and relieved sigh.

"Leave Cailen? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had left him to be eaten" he said, playfully ruffling his fellow padawan's hair "Besides, I sense he'd do the same for me in the same circumstances" Silas added, even though he saw the boy panic quite badly in the face of such violence. That was something he'd need to discuss with him later.

"I know you wouldn't master, under your watch you wouldn't even let a fly touch us." he said with a warm smile up to her, a slight nod coming from him in thanks "Either way, I found it thrilling. It's understandable why you put us in these scenarios because we need to know how to act in stressful environments like this" Silas stated, his gaze resting on the panicked boy for a brief second.

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Jungle Exploration

Up ahead, Cailen saw Silas Westgard turn and stand at the ready. He needed to get to the older boy, and fast, before the Panthac was upon him. The distance was closing quickly, and when Cailen made it to Silas, his dashed out of the way, allowing his partner's Force blast to throw the creature against a large tree. The boys could breathe, but only for a moment. The jungle began to rustle around them, just as it had before when the Panthac ambushed Cailen. Out of the darkness emerged several more of the beasts, though smaller in size. The one Silas had throw into the tree trunk must've been the alpha of the pack.

"This isn't good," Cailen said cautiously as he eyed the beasts that were now slowly circling them. The Padawan withdrew his lightsaber, igniting its brilliant cyan blade.

"Cailen, watch my back and I'll watch yours. This will not be the day we fall."

The younger Padawan pressed his back against Silas', both hands gripping his saber. He regretted that he'd have to kill such powerful creatures; In any other situation, Cailen would've preferred to pacify them somehow. But he was no fool. Today, it would be the Panthacs, or it would be he and his friend. But just as the pack was ready to strike, Cailen sensed a shift in the Force. Even in his diminished state, the boy was able to feel the change in the creatures' disposition.

"Did something scare them?" Cailen asked Silas as he lowered his blade.

"Well done, you two."

"Master!" the younger boy exclaimed, too overwhelmed to hide his emotions. He was truly afraid that something had happened to her when her presence faded. It was a feeling that Cailen still had deep issues with, given the events of the past few weeks. Not being able to sense her reminded him all too well of the day he realized he couldn't sense Master Undara.

"I know you'd never leave us behind, Master. And I'd never leave Silas either. Even though I was technically behind him the whole time," the boy added with a playful laugh.

"I guess that means I had your back!"

Competition was expected, necessary even. But Cailen would never trade Silas' life for glory. Not even for a moment.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: New Cov
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Lightsabers (2)
Tag: Cailen Corso Silas Westgard

Looking between the two Padawans, and hearing them talk, Valery's feelings were only confirmed further. Of course, there was the competition you'd expect between two students, but she felt certain now that they were far more cooperative than they were competitive — a good sign at the start of this little training adventure.

"I'm glad to hear this from you both, and I want it to be something you remember throughout the rest of this trip. You'll be going up against each other a lot, but there's no winning in training — it's about learning. Push each other, help each other grow, but don't focus on who is landing more hits or whose technique is better in a particular scenario."

She looked between them a moment longer to make sure they understood, and then finally turned back to the hill to lead them up the final bit. Eventually, they reached a plateau of sorts, with large rocks only near the edges of the top. It was the ideal place to train, and the view over the surrounding jungles was quite amazing.

"Alright, I want to start with some basic lightsaber dueling, and I'll explain a few things as you go. So when you're ready, draw your lightsabers, assume your stances and begin a simple spar."

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: New Cov
Objective: Train with a new paddy and Master Valery
Appearance: Training attire
Tags: Valery Noble / Cailen Corso

Silas looked to his fellow padawan and nodded once with a smile "I'm happy you did, I doubt I could have handled them by myself" Silas said, hoping it would boost his confidence after sticking with him in the face of danger. Even though his emotions were all over the place, Cailen has overcome them and stayed by his side. He was a brave kid, Cailen just didn't know it yet.

"I think we've already come to an understanding of each other," he said with a cheeky nudge of his arm "He has my back and I have this, but every step of the way I'll be pushing him to be better in himself. Nor will I let him slack, the more he does that the more he loses to me" Silas teased, knowing it wasn't about the competition at all. He was going to help the boy in his training as much as he could, even if it meant a bit of tough love to push him beyond his limits.

Letting Cailen go first, he followed Master Valery and Cailen up the hill to finally reach the finish line. Nobody won in that race, there wasn't meant to be a victor to begin with. The thing they all received was a lesson to be always true and trust one another, all of which they passed.

"Are you ready Cailen? please, do not hold back" he said to him with reassurance as he smoothly took the saber out of his holster and ignited it. Slowly, he fell into a Sorusu stance and glared at Cailen before him. He didn't want to attack, instead, he awaited patiently for the boy to attack him first. Silas had yet to see him fight before, so with anticipation, he awaited to read his companion's skill.

"For the best, I won't be holding back either"

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Landing Pad, New Cov
Objective: Spar With Silas
Tags: Valery Noble ; Silas Westgard
Soundtrack: Jungle Exploration

Cailen nodded eagerly, excited to test his mettle against his newfound friend. He withdrew his own lightsaber, igniting its cyan blade with an acrobatic twirl as he adopted the Ataru stance. The boy was, by nature, a more defensive combatant; Cailen’s perseverance and patience made him a strong practitioner of Djem So. Nevertheless, he held his position with confidence as he slowly sidestepped in a wide circle around the training area. His eyes scanned Silas’ form, looking for any sign of an opening.

The older boy’s stance was strong, but Cailen eventually saw his chance and took it, lunging forward with a powerful two-handed downward strike. Their sabers slashed in a brilliant spark of blue as the blades hummed excitedly against each other.

Cailen cracked a grin, thoroughly impressed with his opening strike.

“Let’s do this!”