Family by Heart - REWRITE(a Star Wars Rebels story)

A Burning Inferno

The others didn't notice Athena wasn't in the Phantom when Hera took the ship into the sky. Having eight people on that ship at the moment made it difficult to immediately realize that the one girl was gone.

Ahsoka noticed the absence of the girl when they were about four minutes into the flight, a mere minute from the ship. The bag with no owner sat in front of her feet.

"Where's Athena?" she questioned with worried eyes.

"Crap! Did we leave her in the city?" Kanan questioned as he realized this too.

"We must've," Hera said. "We're coming in on the ship right now. Do you want me to turn around?"

The air around them got smokey and dark. Ash began to blow off from the volcano.

"The volcano is already giving off this much ash, so we don't have much time," Kanan put a hand on Hera's shoulders. "You take everyone else off the planet. I'll fly the Phantom back to get her."

Hera landed the small ship onto her freighter and locked it into place for the moment. She looked at Kanan.

"Do you think you'll be able to get her in time?"

"I'll go too," Ahsoka volunteered. "I'm her Master. I should've been more responsible in making sure she was by my side."

"Hera, we'll get her. You get these guys off the planet," Kanan assured. "We couldn't save any of the other people on this planet. Let's at least save these guys and Athena."

Hera reluctantly nodded before she stood from her pilot seat and looked to the rest of them. "Alright, get into the Ghost. This volcano is about to blow this planet to bits. I want us all off it by then."

The others looked at each other for a moment, unsure of it all.

"Now!" Hera barked. "I'm already letting Ahsoka and Kanan risk their lives to go get Athena. I don't want anyone else on my crew to be in danger."

The others followed Hera's order, sliding down the ladder into the common room. Hera looked to Kanan once more.

"Go get her back. Be safe."

"You know I will."

She pulled him in for a momentary hug - knowing time was tight. But, she didn't want to regret not giving him one at least.

Before Kanan knew it, the hug was over and Hera descended the ladder.

The Jedi wasted no time in releasing the Phantom from its mother ship and speeding back towards town. Ahsoka stood by his side, both of their eyes stern. They saw the ash getting heavier by the second. The volcano could be seen in the air glowing red at the top now.

***

Athena's feet beat against the ground as she began to ascend the treacherous mountain. The wind behind her pushed her faster than she would have ever hoped to run at any other time before this.

She felt the rocks give her an extra push of energy with every step. Every speck of dark soil and rock between her toes rejuvenated her body and sprung her further up the monstrous mountain. The fire in her soul fueled her spirit to keep going when her human muscles told her to stop. The water in the clouds she ran through cooled her skin and protected her from the thickening ash.

Even as she began to reach up into the higher elevations with lower oxygen levels, the air around her continued to support her every breath.

The screech of a convor echoed into her ears from the distance.

She knew what she had to do.

The ash was so thick now that she couldn't see. But, she didn't need to. She had the Force. She had the Ones.