Seeing this title, you are filled with Determination!

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Don't stray from the path. Don't go into the woods. The shadows lurk around every tree...

Little Rawnie ran as fast as she tiny legs would take her. She was bundled in a thick coat of white fur, her long gray scarf trailed behind her, gathering large white flakes on the end. She saw something move to her right. Behind the tree. Something big. She had no weapons. She had no armor. She was just a little girl. Alone.

"Corry!" she called for her brother as she ran, "Cor!"

But nobody came.
She ran faster, her breath coming out in thick white clouds of fog. Another shadow in the treeline. She was lost. She stopped dead in her tracks. The wolf. The large white wolf. The one from so very long ago. She smiled. This was a friend, wasn't it? She stepped forward, but something happened. A heavy wind blew. Snow fell hard. The wolf was gone by the time the snow cleared and in it's place was the masked man.

Rawnie stepped backwards again. She wasn't a child anymore now. When she stepped back, she had the form of a grown woman, but the fear was still there. This wasn't a shadow in the forest, a ghost story. This was real. This was true fear. Her back hit a tree, and the man with the black robes and the mask closed in. She heard the familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber, saw a flash of red-



Rawnie awoke with a sob, sitting straight up, arms covering her face. It took her almost five full seconds to realize that she was awake, that it had all just been another dream. One more dream about the Sith that almost bled her dry on that tower. Why now? She'd gone a whole month without dreaming about him. Why all of a sudden was she having nightmares about him again? She pressed a hand to her heart, trying to calm it's wild beating.

Just a dream. Just a dream... Why does my shoulder hurt again?

She rubbed it and glanced to the sleeping form next to her, praying she hadn't woken him up. No matter. She needed to get up and just... do something. The sun would be rising in an hour. No point in going back to sleep. Besides, baby Gal would probably need a feeding soon. She could already hear him stirring in his little cradle at the end of the bed.

 

[Doctor Azure]

While Rawnie was having her strange subconscious acid trip/war flashback, Lor was dreaming about the first time they'd nearly both gotten killed on Muunilist. It involved a hell of a lot more fire and blood than there had actually been. His eyes snapped open as he felt a sharp pain where he had broken his ribs that time, and in the places where the shrapnel had stabbed him in the chest the second time. He sat up and slipped his arms around his wife, taking a bit of comfort in the fact that she was there.​

​

"I am never going back to Muunilist as long as I live."​

​

Galaar, meanwhile, was happily dreaming of snow. He wanted to go outside and roll in the snow. He wanted to eat the snow. In his dream, the snow tasted remarkably like his blanket.​

​

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The young warrior sighed and pulled her blanket off to get up- when an arm around her torso stopped her. She smiled warmly at her husband beside her, leaning over to give him a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Muunilist? Oh. You too?"

Rawnie sighed. They all had bad memories there. From both times. The memory of gunning down those civilians was one that Rawnie had done her very best to push out of her mind. It had been almost a year ago, but every once in a while, especially when she was at the shooting range, she would see one of their faces in the targets. It made her sick to her stomach. Sick to the point of actual nausea. She still wasn't over it. She'd followed orders but...

She carefully uncurled her husbands arms from around her, rising to her feet. The freezing cold stone floor made her shiver, or was it the memories that made her shiver? There was nothing honorable about either attack on that world. The first had been to slaughter people who had nothing to do with the conflict (someday she would find an answer, learn who had given that order) and the second time had been to be slaughtered. Had she just been bait? A sacrifice? Sent away to distract the enemy and die? No. No. Malcom was an old friend of hers. He would never use her as bait... on purpose. But then, why did he give that order? Knowing full well she would obey without question?

Was he being used as well? Who was the one at the top, giving these disastrous orders? Who was leading them all?

Don't stray from the path...

Rawnie went over to the side of the cradle, looking down at the sleeping infant, watched him try to gnaw holes in his blanket. Teething.

She knew the most recent Mand'alor had disappeared, vanished without a trace. Just like her brother had. Just like her father had. The Alor council spoke about it to some extent in the last meeting. Another useless meeting. They all were. All the clans just sat around and argued with each other about who was best. And Rawnie just sat there in relative silence, refusing to add more fuel to the blazing macho stupidity.
'My clan could beat up your clan'. 'Nuh uh! My clan's the biggest and baddest!' 'No way! my clan can beat up everybody because we make weapons and print credits!'

The blonde smirked as she reached down to pick up the sleeping child. This woke him, but he was quickly calmed when she brought him to her breast.

None of them really got it. Being a good leader had nothing to do with how rich you were, how fancy your armor was, how good your weapons were. It all had to do with your ability to care. You had to love your Aliit more than anything else. There was a reason that Aliit translated to both clan and family in basic. You weren't a leader so people could serve you. You were a leader so you could serve them.

Buir... she looked out the window at the sparkling stars as she fed her baby, I wish you had taught me what you taught Corrin. Then I would be far more prepared than I am now.

Corrin. He had been taught to lead from birth. The oldest child. But Rawnie had always had her doubts. Was that simply jealousy? That her big brother got so much of the attention? That he would be the one to lead by default? Well, maybe a little. But part of her was honestly concerned. He made silly choices, he was emotional, he was weak. And he had disappeared. He'd vanished without a trace and he'd left her to pick up the pieces.
And she was no longer jealous. She was worried. She was anxious. She was sad. She felt pity for him. And she felt angry.

Don't go into the woods...

"Lor? I'm going to go for a morning walk."

[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[James Justice]

Nothing like a night stroll to stretch the legs out after a failed job, eh?

James sighed and thought about the failed business negotiations. It had been a fiasco. The other freighter had out swindled him for a huge sum of cash to move that freight. It wasn't fair. Worst part is, he knew the Rodien was lying. There was no way he could have moved that much that fast for that price. James did a quick calculation, "50 tons, at that speed across 5 parsecs does puts it at 1.5," James chuckled, "What would a lad with the 1.5 haul for only 50 bits? He be lying."

James chuckled, tossing his pair of dice in the air. He'd have the last laugh when the freight turned up missing, that was for sure. At least he got a few drinks out of it, that was what he could console himself in. It wasn't much, but it would do for now. Kark, I really needed that job. James bit his lip and thought for a moment, that'd put him in the red a few thousand now. It wasn't as much as most in his profession owed, but still, that last charity case had really done a number on his pocketbook.

Shaking his head, James thought about the prospect of loosing the Drunken Angel. It was not appetizing in the least. He wouldn't let his father's memory go down like that. Not so fast. Looking across the empty streets, James stopped and sighed. He tossed his dice in the air again. His father had been against gambling, and he had never seen much in it, but would it be gambling if there was almost a guaranteed win?

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

When the child was finished with his milk, Rawnie gently set him down again, noting how, for once, he did not fuss when she did this. Normally, the child was clingy right after a meal. She did not hesitate to give this much more thought. The baby seemed to have some... bizarre senses. Seemed to just know what was on his parents minds.

Maybe Ryker does talk to him, she mused, pulling on her armor and furs, Nothing in this Galaxy would surprise me anymore.

She pulled her heavy boots on, snatched up her rifle and called back into the house just before she left.

"Re'turcye mhi, Lor'ika. I will be back shortly. Going to check the traps."

Yes. That was a good excuse for a nice long walk in the forest. Maybe the traps had caught something. Might make a good dinner. Not that she really had her mind on that right now.

"Don't stray from the path, huh?" she echoed the warning from her dream as she stepped very purposefully off the man-made path and into the thick, wild, snow covered wilderness.

[member="James Justice"] [member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor nodded sleepily as he set about putting his clothes on and picking up grabby little baby Galaar. He let his blonde son steal his eyeglasses as they sat down together on the big chair in the living room. The little hands stretched out and picked up the miniature holoprojector, making lights and noises come spinning out of it as he pressed all the buttons.​

​

"Well, Pup, I guess it's you and me then."​

​

Galaar burbled back in agreement and gummed on his father's glasses.​

​

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"] [member="James Justice"]​

 

[James Justice]

The spacer left the town and began to reach the woods, it was a thick thing and he was almost lost. He had lived his life in a spaceship, going from planet to planet and rarely leaving their cities at that. Well, he would find a way, he was sure. He would find the Drunken Angel, wherever he parked it.

Sighing, the spacer lit up a cigarette and began singing a loud, tuneless drinking song he had heard of as a youngling. Many, many years ago. Bars and cantinas were a second home to him,

"Let me taste the sea, oh let me be with thee! Its five and half till spaceside, but as long as your by my side, Oh I care not where we may go, as long as you won't let me go. Show me the worlds and the stars, where planets are--" His rousing chorus was interrupted as he fell into a hunting trap. His cigarette, not even a quarter smoked fell out of his lips and was ousted in the snow, ruined by the frozen liquid.

James punched a nearby snow bank, sending a spray of the ice liquid across the way as he roared, "Fething hell!"

The aggravated, slightly intoxicated spacer did his best to remove the trap, but to no avail. After several minutes he gave up and sat back on a nearby tree aggravated, "This is the last time I be parking in the woods."

[member="Doctor Azure"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Space Prius]

Form: Natural Shi'ido
Gades had just landed on the planet, he needed a place to meditate on recent matters, life was more chaotic than ever, and sometimes he wished he had never left his home planet, he was walking through the forest, trying to be one with nature, this was going well until he came across a man in a hunting trap. Kark, every time i try to calm down something else happens
"Do you need some help?" He said to the man.
Gades did not know how the man would react to his natural form, but that would be no matter.
[member=james justice] [member=rawnie tal'verda] [member=doctor azure]

 

[James Justice]

James looked up and saw the shape-shifter standing over him. He was genuinely ammused--he had been from one side of this galaxy to the other and seen many strange things. But rarely did he ever see a Shi'ido--at least in their normal forms.

He fell back on his haunches, spraying the air with an inebriated laugh, "Well I will be, by the gods," he began as he tried to catch his breath, "It has been a long, long time my friend since I have seen ye types. And that be saying a lot." He took a swig from his flask and waved the hand around, "Why, what ye be doing here?"

The lost business deal was gone from his mind. The fact that his business had lost a large, profitable deal was gone. The fact that he was in a trap in the woods didn't matter anymore. The very truth that he was utterly lost in this woods and had no possible way of knowing how to get back to town--or worse his ship, didn't matter anymore. He was throughly intoxicated and completely awestruck--a dangerous combination for this man.

[member="Gades Vassic"]
[member="Doctor Azure"]
[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[Space Prius]

"I was trying to meditate on nature, but now i'm helping you. Now hold still......" Gades said as he ignited one half of his light saber, and cut the man out of the trap.
"By the way the name is Gades, yours?" He asked the man.
[member=james justice] [member=rawnie tal'verda] [member=doctor azure]

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

The blonde stopped dead in her tracks when she came across the first trap. Her breath caught in her throat. She froze from head to toe like ice. Growling and nipping at the trap it was caught in, was a white wolf.

Don't go into the forest.

Rawnie stepped forward, stepped forward again. She took a deep breath as she pulled her knife from her belt. She knelt down in front of the growling creature. Met it's eye. Raised the knife-

And cut through the rope holding it down. The creature went still as death as she sawed through the rope, brows knitted together in concentration. She could feel the amber eyes of the wolf studying her, wondering where she might bleed the most if it bit her. Wondering if she might taste good. Wondering if he should bother trying to eat her.

Rawnie glanced up, meeting the creatures eyes for a moment, then a smile tugged at her lips. The creature growled again and leaped up as the final length of rope was cut. They stared at each other for a long time, two hunters, wondering who would be prey. Rawnie had her rifle, if she could get to it in time, but the wolf had teeth and claws. The wolf had nature on it's side.

A howl in the distance drew their attention at once. She saw the white wolfs ears fall back against it's head. It stopped growling immediately, turned around, and ran through the thick snowy trees.

Rawnie rose to her feet slowly, only then realizing just how fast her heart was beating.

[member="Gades Vassic"] [member="James Justice"] [member="Doctor Azure"]