Trials of Mandalore

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis shrugged, agreeing.
The cake was surprisingly easy to make, as Verz had said. When they were done eating, Sandis, licking her sticky fingers, asked, "When are you going to teach me how to fight like a Mandalorian?"

 

[Verz Horak]

After the short time making the flat, dense cake, Verz cut it into pieces, giving a bit more to Sandis than himself. She deserved it. He cleaned his hands.

"Depends. How's the ankle?"

 

[Sandis Veeran]

"Ankle's fine, I hardly feel anything," she said. It wasn't the whole truth; it flared every now and then, and she still walked with a slight limp, but other than that, it felt normal.

 

[Verz Horak]

"If you think you are ready, I will start teaching you to fight. We will start at dawn tomorrow. Full armor."

He got up and walked around.

"Want to take a walk ?"

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis shrugged. "Sure. Where to?"

 

[Verz Horak]

"Through the woods. An old friend of mine should still be living there."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis stood up and followed Verz out the door to his house. They walked through the woods for some time, the sun passing through the sun. Sandis guessed it was about eleven o'clock about the time they passed a clump of trees and she saw what Sandis guessed was Verz's old friend.

 

[Verz Horak]

There, in the clump of trees, was a meter long, tan grey creature with leathery skin, a long tail, and six legs. A strill. Natives of Mandalore, they were loyal companions and intelligent hunters. Verz held out an arm to stop Sandis from approaching it. He called out in a calm, low voice to the ugly animal, and a growl could be heard in response. The creature spun around, ready to attack, when suddenly, it made a whine like a small pup. The whiplike tail wagged slightly, and the strill bounded over to Verz, with enough strength in it's small frame to tackle the Mando to the forest floor. Verz laughed and patted the creature on its head.

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis' eyes widened. "What in the name of...What is That?!"

 

[Verz Horak]

Verz got up, holding the strill in his arms, a look of joy in his eye. He caught his breath then spoke.

"This, 'thing' is a strill. Its name is Mirdala."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis caught the look in his eyes. She reached a hand out tentatively and petted the strill.

 

[Verz Horak]

The strill growled at first, but when it caught the scent of Verz's vheh'yaim on her. The strill stopped growling, and yawned, revealing sharp teeth. It let Sandis pet it, and Verz placed the strill back on the ground.

"I met Mirdala when it was fresh out of nest life. It and I played together when I was a boy. It's been a long time, but strills have good memory. As do I. I never forgot about Mirdala."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis grinned as Mirdala rolled over and let Sandis rub it's belly. "I never had pets. I grew up on the streets of Coruscant, by myself."

 

[Verz Horak]

​"You did, did you? Then we are not so different Sandis."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

"How so?"

 

[Verz Horak]

Verz sighed, abesnt mindedly scratching Mirdala, and sat on a stump nearby.

"I grew up like any Mando'ad, learninglearning pur ways and history. When I was 8 standard years old, my buir brought me with him to fight in a war. He died, and I managed to recover his armor, weapons and ship. I found myself at a bar on a nearby world, where I worked as a busboy for seven, eight years, saving money for fuel. I managed to get enough to get home to Mandalore, and joined the standing army."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

Sandis nodded gravely. "I'm sorry," she said.

 

[Verz Horak]

"No need to be sorry Sandis.Hardship is a fact of life. It just makes us stronger. My ancestors must be proud of me. Surviving that horrible place, and now bringing a new Mandalorian into the galaxy."

 

[Sandis Veeran]

"Heh, I guess. I don't even know much about my parents, much less my ancestors."

 

[Verz Horak]

Verz smiled.

"I'm sure whoever they are, they are proud of you as well. You fight well and you are a smart person. Mando'a is a simple language, compared to most, yet you nearly mastered it in weeks."