Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 18 - Separatist Arrival

Author's Note: Warning: Mentions/implied child abuse! (Not in this chapter that I recall though. :P)

~ Amina Gila

Aniya Skywalker

My eyes open slowly, and I blink a few times before registering where I am. Right. We'd gone to the Lurman village, and Wag Too had taken care of Anakin last night before we went to sleep in the hut with Anakin. Except unfortunately, our padawans seem to have found a new meaning of the word 'pillow' in the night. Somehow, Ahsoka ended up rolling over half on top of me in a position I don't know how she could possibly find comfortable. And I can't feel my left hand at all, or most of my arm for that matter, probably thanks to Alema laying on top of it. I have no idea how they can find it comfortable, but they're both fast asleep.

The sun hasn't risen yet but judging from the amount of light filtering through the door of the hut, it's rapidly nearing dawn. "Okay, sleepy ones," I sigh, "It's wake-up time."

Alema groans, rolling over, finally relieving the pressure from my arm. Ahsoka stirs slightly before her eyes open, blinking in slight confusion for a moment. "Yes, that's me you're laying on," I inform her grumpily.

"Oh, sorry, Skygirl," Ahsoka laughs, rolling off me.

"Hey! Only Icicle can call me that, Snips," I grumble as we untangle ourselves. Anakin laughs, making me jump slightly. "Did we wake you up?" I ask sheepishly, sitting up.

"You certainly did with all your noise down there," Anakin replies.

I move over to his side, kneeling next to him as I appraise his condition. His head and body have been bandaged, and he's fully conscious now, thanks to having been treated by the healer last night. He still has a long way to go, but he's a million times better than yesterday between whatever stuff Wag Too gave him and his own semi-enhanced healing abilities.

"General?" Bly's voice diverts my attention to the doorway.

"Yes, commander?" Aayla asks. She's been so quiet this entire time, I almost forgot we weren't the only ones inside.

"We've got a Separatist ship incoming," he reports.

I stiffen. That explains why I woke up. I hadn't thought it was anything, but now that I'm actually paying attention, I sense a disturbance in the Force. We need to get out of here. If they find us here, I expect we're going to endanger the entire village. That's the way they are.

"This is neutral space," argues Wag Too, walking over to stand by Anakin.

"It won't be neutral for long. Not if the Separatists have their way," Anakin replies, trying to push himself up but falling back against the floor with a groan. I flinch at the pain that flares through our bond. He needs to stop doing this. "Help me up."

"Anakin," Alema and I sigh simultaneously with equal exasperation.

"Don't struggle," protests Wag Too. "I'm sorry, but you're still too injured to move." Don't we all know? Except Anakin, of course.

"What menace have you brought to our village now, Jedi?" demands an angry voice from the doorway. I turn around to see the Lurmen leader walking into the hut.

"Father, you can't blame them," Wag Too argues.

"He's right. The Separatists don't even know we're here," Ahsoka adds, standing up from where she was crouching next to me.

"And they can't know," Aayla adds. "We've got to hide."

"Your presence here endangers us. You must leave before your enemies find you," the leader informs us.