Arani Jakal was not ready to be stranded on an unfamiliar planet, causing her whole life to change. But in the chaos, a friend or two popped up - seemingly from nowhere - wishing to help. Ari gladly accepted and quickly became part of a small town...
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AFTER A RESTLESS NIGHTS SLEEP, Arani was done with Vanth. She was made to share a tent with the imbecile because he still could not trust the Tuskens. All night, he moved about and found his way over to Ari's side, promptly wrapping his arms around her and crushing her airway like she was some stuffed toy.
Early in the morning, when the suns barely shone, she crawled out of Vanth's grasp and out into the fresh morning breeze. It was cool, not hot and dry like it was midday when she normally came outside.
It seemed no one else was awake, except the cook and one or two others. The other being Mando. He was in the same spot he sat at last night, hunched over, staring into the flames of a small fire, seemingly haven't moved.
She quietly settled down next to him, neither saying a word.
In Mando's hand was a white scarf, her scarf. He twisted an end about his finger, thinking. When he felt her eyes on him, he glanced down bashfully at the cloth.
"Uh, sorry. The kid had it. Found its way into our tent." Without a glance, he held it up for her to take.
"Really?" Ari asked, smiling.
"What?"
"Why are you apologising? The kid loves it, if it makes him happy or helps him feel safe, then I don't mind."
The suns had come up, warming the bare skin on the young woman's back. She had taken her jacket and long sleeve shirt off sometime in the night and was now left in a thin camisole. No one would have guessed, but underneath all those loose layers was a fit woman, who had the muscle to show as proof of her fighting skills. She wasn't good with a blaster, but Mando knew she could punch her way out.
Still watching the suns, Arani spoke. "Why are you staring at me like a Nexu?"
"If you must know, I'm trying to figure you out."
"Funny, 'cause I'm trying to figure you out, too."
"Really? What did you find out?"
"Well, first off, you shut people out. This mainly stems from your lack of trust. But because the fact that you are a good diplomat means that you're a man of the people, you, as far as morales go, know where you stand. Because of this, you tend to help the outcasts, the ones others deemed unworthy of their time. The reason why is that you are looking for something to be a part of -"
"I am part of something, I'm part of my creed and guild."
"No, you're not. If you were, you wouldn't be here, protecting the kid - protecting us. You're better than some cult and you know that. You've made being a Mandalorian your whole personality because it's a shield. The fear of not knowing what your savour or killer looks like is powerful, and you use that to the highest advantage. But at what point will it start to destroy you?" Ari stood, facing Mando. "I think you have a big self-revelation coming, I hope you listen to it."
