A Star Among Planets (Star Wars Rebels Fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Crash and Burn

    Halftail swatted at a bright blue ball that he had managed to find thrown away for Swifttail and the others to practice stalking and attacking with. However, right now all they wanted to do was play with it, so that was fine.

    "Think fast, Birch," called Swifttail as he thrust the ball toward his mentor.

    Birch dove to thrust it back, but his hind leg gave out and he landed on his stomach, pain surging through his whole body. He muttered under his breath as the ball bounced against the back of the ship and disappeared down the hallway.

    Adler strode over to him and helped him rise to his paws. "Don't feel bad. This just might not be your game," she sympathized gently.

    Swifttail and Sorrel snickered and Birch narrowed his eyes. "Oh, yeah?" He looked at the ball and concentrated hard. The ball suddenly rose and levitated toward Swifttail. Birch dropped it and it bounced on Swifttail's nose, causing his eyes to water. He leaped back and shook his head madly.

    "Not fair," snapped Swifttail as he lashed his tail while Halftail sat up with surprise glittering in his eyes.

    "Kanan," called Halftail in a small hiss. Kanan excused himself from speaking with Hera before he strode over to Halftail and kneeled down beside him.

    "What do you need, Halftail," inquired Kanan before he finally sat since he sensed that Halftail would have a lot to say.

    Halftail pointed a paw toward Birch. "He just lifted the ball with his mind. I could sense the force with him when he did so," he whispered.

    Kanan's eyebrows raised. "So you're saying that he's force sensitive?"

    Halftail narrowed his eyes to slits. "Animals have a ten times more of a chance of being force sensitive than humans. However, they usually have a parent, grandparent, or some type of relative with connection to the force."

    Halftail held his breath again as Adler lifted it with her mind and thrust it toward Sorrel. She reared on her hind legs and battered it back toward Adler and Swifttail. Swifttail caught it in his teeth before Molis slammed into him and knocked it from him. "You're going to have to try harder than that," Molis scoffed as he kicked it forward with Sorrel and Adler darting after him.

    "Their family died," pointed out Kanan as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be respectful to ask and they may not know."

    Halftail lashed his tail as he saw Birch sit and lick his paw before he drew it over his ear. He knew that Birch could never be trained as a Jedi because of his injury. It would be way too rigorous for him and it could cause him to be even more injured. He may be able to learn some basic techniques since he was a healer. He was useful, but not as a Jedi.

    Now Adler she was spunky. She caught onto everything that anyone taught her and she was willing to teach Swifttail, Sorrel, or Birch anything that she learned from Halftail or Molis. She was older, but there had been cases of much older ones being trained as Jedi. Thought swirled in his head and, for once, he wished that his mind quiet.

    "Would you like to play, Halftail," inquired Adler as she came over, panting madly as her tongue lolled from her mouth and between her teeth.

    Halftail thought for a moment. He knew that it would probably be good for him to play with the kits. Perhaps he could press Birch and Adler to use the force when they didn't mean to. "Yeah, I'll play," he answered as he strode forward, getting used to the constant movement of the Ghost when it was in hyperspace or just flying.

    "Halftail's playing, everyone," announced Adler over her shoulder as Sorrel and Swifttail wrestled for the ball while Birch watched with amusement glowing his eyes.