Private Shadows of the Canopy

[Rynar Solde]

The humid air of the jungle hung heavy as Kingfisher light filtered through towering ferns and vines draped in emerald and jade. Rynar Solde crouched on a moss‑covered outcrop, his beskar's dull sheen catching the faint glint of sunlight as he watched Cupcake bound ahead through the undergrowth.

The nexu leapt and twisted between shafts of light, a pale grey flash with the reddish stripe of her mother's pelt along her spine — and with every soft blink of her feline head‑tilt, she seemed to grin. Rynar allowed himself a quiet smile beneath his helmet's narrow visor. Out here, away from transports, pre‑mission scans and blaster tracers… this wilderness felt almost sacred.

He rose slowly, the flexweave under‑suit whispering as he stretched; his longblaster secured at his side, the sidearm holstered, the data‑slate clipped to his belt. His mission had been logged, artifact catalogued, his extraction scheduled — but for now, he would let the jungle reclaim his mind.

And then he noticed — a new presence. From the thick green shadows ahead, movement. Cupcake froze, ears pricked, eyes narrowing, then darted back to Rynar with the soft pad of paws, tail flicking. Rynar's head tilted, gaze steadying as he turned toward the newcomer: someone entering the sanctity of his temporary solitude.

He nodded, the gesture simple but deliberate. "Welcome," his voice low, measured. "You've chosen your moment well. This world doesn't often greet strangers."


Cupcake padded to Rynar's side and gave a soft chirrum — the nexu's version of a greeting. Rynar glanced down at her, then back at the newcomer. "If you'll accept, I'll share the trail I found through the ridge. It's safe… for now." He gave a small half‑smile: "And if you don't mind a companion who believes she's more of a puppy than a predator." Cupcake answered the notion with a soft chuff, bounding off to inspect yet another fern.

Deanez

 

[Deanez]

Dean stepped lightly through the damp undergrowth, crimson eyes sweeping the shafts of filtered sunlight and the dense jungle canopy. Every movement was deliberate, every sound measured against the rustle of leaves and Cupcake's soft pads. She paused a few meters from Rynar, noting the low hum of the environment and the faint reflection on his helmet.

Her voice, low and clipped, carried without warmth: "Dean," she said, introducing herself. "I am assigned to accompany you on this ridge assessment and artifact observation. My purpose is oversight and hazard evaluation. I move only as necessary; interference is minimized."

She allowed a brief pause, scanning the trail ahead and the shadows threading between ferns. Her posture was composed and ready, her hands brushing lightly over her belt where tactical gear was secured. Cupcake paused mid-step, tail flicking, but Dean did not comment; she noted the nexu's behavior as peripheral data.

"Your equipment is noted," she added, voice neutral, her eyes assessing the polished surface of his helmet. "Visibility and communication appear adequate. Proceed on the trail. I will join and provide coverage for the route and any potential anomalies. Maintain pace; I match it."

She stepped closer, not too near, keeping a professional distance. "Hazard detection and documentation are my priorities. Artifact observation remains secondary but monitored. Deviations or unexpected elements will be reported immediately."

Her crimson gaze swept the ridge and the filtered light through the canopy once more. "Lead as you see fit. I follow with awareness and discretion."

Rynar Solde

 

[Rynar Solde]

Rynar watched her move through the undergrowth with a careful, measured gaze, noting how precise and deliberate her motions were. Cupcake, oblivious to the professional tension, leapt from a low vine and skidded to a halt in front of Dean, tail wagging like a flag in the wind, ears flicking as she examined this new presence.

Rynar reached up and unclipped his helmet, letting it hang on his belt. The visor glinted faintly in the dappled sunlight, and he offered a small flask, tilting it slightly toward her. "Water. Or… something stronger, depending on your preference," he said, his voice calm, carrying the faint rasp of someone who'd spent long hours in masks and armor.

Cupcake let out a soft chirrum and bounded around Dean's feet, sniffing and leaping with the careful clumsiness only a nexu cub could manage. Rynar chuckled quietly under his breath.


He fell into step beside her as they moved down the trail. "So… Dean, do you usually spend much time in jungles like this, or is this your first?" he asked, his tone low but carrying a subtle friendliness, the kind that invites conversation without demanding it. "And I have to ask… you don't mind having a hyperactive nexu tagging along, do you?" Cupcake darted ahead a few meters, then skidded to a stop, looking back expectantly.

Deanez

 

[Deanez]

Dean slowed slightly as Cupcake bounded around her feet, crimson eyes tracking every movement with a mixture of curiosity and measured caution. She knelt briefly, letting the nexu sniff her hands, her fingers hovering lightly over the small utility tools at her belt.

"You are… lively," she murmured, voice clipped but not unkind, letting her gaze follow Cupcake as the cub leapt again and skidded to a halt. "I will remain aware of your proximity. Do not interfere with my path unless necessary." A faint tilt of her head indicated acknowledgment of the creature's energy rather than annoyance.

She rose, brushing dirt from her sleeves, and cast a glance at Rynar. "First time in a jungle environment. Terrain, humidity, flora… all new variables. Observation is key. I am treating this as an opportunity to study the environment as much as to accompany you. Learning is not a weakness — it is preparation."

Her crimson eyes flicked over him, noting posture, stance, gait, and the subtle tension in his shoulders. "And you," she asked evenly, voice clipped but curious, "do you often navigate terrain like this? I am noting human adaptation — efficient, capable, but not entirely blind to alien biology. It is… unusual to encounter a human so neither xenophobic nor reckless."

Dean adjusted her pace to fall in step beside him, scanning the shadows and the dappled light through the canopy. Her expression remained calm, precise, and controlled, but there was a subtle trace of interest in how the human moved — how he interacted with both the environment and Cupcake. "I will follow your lead, within reason. But I will also record anomalies and adjust my movement accordingly."

Rynar Solde

 

[Rynar Solde]

Rynar glanced down at Cupcake, who had just attempted a dramatic leap over a root and ended up skidding sideways into a patch of ferns. He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Lively, yes. Definitely lively," he said, glancing at Dean with the faintest smirk. "She has a tendency to… overestimate her abilities." Cupcake let out a soft chirrum, as if in agreement.

He adjusted the pelt draped over his shoulder, the pale grey with reddish stripes catching the sunlight. "As for me… I've spent more time in jungles than most humans would probably enjoy. Navigation, observation, keeping your balance when everything wants to swallow you whole — it becomes second nature." He gave a shrug, voice casual. "Though the nexu certainly makes the experience… less predictable."

He paused, glancing at Dean, letting a hint of a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. "I found Cupcake… well, let's say she insisted on joining me. I didn't exactly have the heart to say no. Now she's a permanent hazard, but one I've grown fond of." He tilted his head toward the cub, who had decided that Dean's boots were the ideal springboard for a few more leaps.


"And if you ever think I'm reckless," he added, a playful note creeping into his voice, "remember: it takes a certain amount of charm — or luck — to survive jungles with a creature like this." He hooked a finger over the strap of his pelt. "The pelt's from her mother. Keeps her company when she sleeps. And yes… I know it makes me look like I wandered out of some old jungle legend." Cupcake chirruped, tail flicking, clearly pleased with the description.

Deanez

 

[Deanez]

Dean observed Cupcake's antics with careful, measured attention, crimson eyes following each leap and skid. She allowed herself the briefest twitch of a smile, the corner of her mouth tilting almost imperceptibly.

"She is… energetic," she said evenly, voice clipped but not unkind. "Agility is noted, coordination less so. I will adjust my movement to minimize interference while monitoring her trajectory." Her hands flexed briefly near the small tools at her belt, a subtle reminder of her constant readiness.

Her gaze flicked to Rynar, scanning his stance, the casual ease with which he moved through the uneven terrain, and the way he managed Cupcake without tension. "You appear practiced. Efficient balance, stable gait, situational awareness — human adaptation to this environment is competent." She paused, studying him a moment longer.

Dean adjusted her pace to fall in step beside him, letting Cupcake bound ahead. "Observation is priority. Learning the terrain, noting flora and fauna, assessing hazards — this is as much for my own understanding as the mission." Her crimson eyes flicked to the cub again. "And yes… I can tolerate the 'permanent hazard,' if she does not compromise efficiency."

Her eyes then lifted to Rynar, tilting her head slightly with mild curiosity. "You said it makes you look like you wandered out of some old jungle legend," she said, her tone clipped but carrying a note of genuine interest. "I grew up with Chiss tales — stories of explorers, warriors, and beings from distant worlds. I am not familiar with human legends. What do you mean by that?"

Her hands flexed briefly at her sides, the subtle rhythm of her awareness never fading, but there was a small, almost imperceptible softening in her posture. Cupcake paused, ears twitching as if sensing the shift in tone, and Dean allowed a faint smile, letting her curiosity guide the moment. "I want to understand," she added, voice steady but friendly, an invitation rather than a command.

Rynar Solde

 

[Rynar Solde]

Rynar crouched smoothly, brushing a hand along the mossy ground as he motioned for Cupcake. "Here, girl," he murmured. The nexu bounded over eagerly, tail high, ears flicking. He produced a small, fitted collar from a pouch at his belt and fastened it gently around her neck. A subtle sensor glimmered at its side — a tracker, mostly to keep her from wandering too far.

Before he could comment further, Cupcake chirruped and bolted, darting back into the jungle undergrowth like a streak of grey and red. Rynar shook his head, smiling wryly. "She'll come back. Always does."

He gestured to the pelt draped over his shoulder, beginning his story as they walked. "The stripes? They come from her mother. Where I grew up, there were tales of jungle spirits and lone wanderers marked by the colors of beasts they trust — humans who walked the wilds with respect, sometimes feared, sometimes… admired. That's the closest thing I've found to what we're living out here."

Halfway through his explanation, a blur shot out of the undergrowth — Cupcake, apparently deciding Dean was part of the story, collided with her and immediately began enthusiastically licking her face. Dean's crimson eyes widened as the cub's paws scrambled over her, but Cupcake chirruped happily, undeterred by the initial surprise.


Rynar chuckled, glancing at the unexpected chaos. "She likes you," he said calmly, gesturing to the still-lapping nexu. "I told her humans aren't all bad. You pass the test." He gave a small shrug, letting Dean adjust to the enthusiastic greeting, before adding, "And yes… the legend part still stands. Humans can survive, adapt, and occasionally earn the trust of local fauna — even if the fauna decides to test them first."

Deanez

 

[Deanez]

Dean hit the ground with a soft thud, crimson eyes widening as Cupcake's paws scrambled over her, and the nexu began enthusiastically licking her face. She let out a startled laugh, trying to push herself partially upright while keeping her hands lightly on the ground to steady herself. A few strands of her silver-black hair fell over her face, and she brushed them back with a swift motion, still careful not to disturb her uniform.

"I… I'm not human," she said, voice clipped but carrying an amused edge as she tilted her head to give Cupcake a careful glance. The nexu, undeterred, chirruped happily, tail flicking like a banner as it continued its enthusiastic greeting. Dean's lips twitched into a faint smile despite the chaos. "But I… appreciate the gesture. It's… friendly."

She slowly rose to a crouch, brushing a bit of dirt from her sleeves and trousers, her crimson eyes scanning Cupcake's eager movements. "She's… energetic," she remarked, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly in humor. "I'll keep an eye on her trajectory — seems she's already taken an interest in me." Despite the playful disruption, her posture remained alert, one hand brushing against a small tool at her belt as a subtle reminder of her constant readiness.

Dean glanced up at Rynar as he continued his story, noting the careful way he moved through the uneven undergrowth, the ease with which he balanced alongside the nexu, and the quiet rhythm of his voice as he described the jungle spirits and the legacy of the pelt. "I see what you mean about surviving here… even if the fauna is eager to test one's reflexes," she added, her tone clipped but carrying a hint of wry appreciation. She allowed herself a longer look at Cupcake, noting the nimble precision in each leap, the quick adjustments mid-air, and the way the cub seemed to assess her as much as she was assessing it.

"Your stories… I am not familiar with human legends," Dean said, her voice quieter now, carrying curiosity rather than analysis. "But I understand the meaning. The pelt, the trust, the lessons of the wild… I can see how that guides behavior and teaches respect." She adjusted her stance slightly, letting herself step closer to Cupcake, who paused just long enough to chirrup and lick her hand before darting ahead again.

Dean's crimson eyes flicked back to Rynar, tilting her head slightly, a subtle acknowledgment that she was listening, learning, and — in her own precise, measured way — beginning to appreciate this odd partnership of human, nexu, and Chiss observer moving through the same wilds. "She seems… to have decided I am not a threat. That is… acceptable," she said, letting a trace of dry humor color her tone. "Though I will still maintain awareness. Energetic companions can be… unpredictable."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she fell into step behind him, Crimson eyes sweeping the trail ahead with methodical care, noting every shadow, branch, and movement — but for the first time in a long moment, allowing herself the quiet acknowledgment that not every presence in the jungle was a danger and not everybody who wasn't Chiss were bad either.

Rynar Solde