A Star Among Planets (Star Wars Rebels Fanfiction)

Chapter 64: Message Of Hope

    "Halftail. Halftail."

    Halftail lifted his head and blinked his eyes as he saw that he was no longer on the Ghost. He was in the middle of a beautiful and starry forest. Moonlight shimmed from every part of the small forest, from the dense undergrowth to the thick bushes. He purred as the scent of flowers warmed him while his tail rested against the stump of a nearby tree. He rose to his paws and stretched out.

    "Halftail."

    He turned his head sharply, gasping when he saw a large blackish creature gliding over the starry forest. Everything the creature passed burned and turned to ash, crumpling into a devastating heap.

    Halftail's blood turned to ice in his veins.

    "Halftail!"

    Halftail spun to face the other direction and saw Keen standing with eyes wild in alarm. "Halftail, come on!"

    Halftail darted forward, his paws barely connecting with the ground as he stumbled in Keen's direction. He bounded up to Keen's side, giving him a fierce shove. "More!" Keen stumbled sideways, the two trying to outrace the fire and destruction behind them.

    It wasn't long, though, before Keen began to slow. His movements grew tired and sluggish. Halftail turned his head to look over his shoulder. "Come on," he yowled as he felt the ground shaking underneath his paws. "You have to run!"

    "I can't," cried Keen as his eyes seemed to roll up in his head. "I can't." He then stumbled once before the creature engulfed him in blackness and fire. Halftail wailed as he saw Keen turn to ash.

    "No. No. No. No!" Halftail attempt to pick up his pace, but no matter how far he ran the creature could always move faster. Hafltail grunted as his hind paw suddenly became entangled under a patch of roots. He tried to pull it free to no avail. The creature passed over him, making everything go black.

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    Halftail awoke with a jolt, letting out a screech of terror, his claws extended and teeth bared. His fur was fluffed up so that he looked twice his size as his eyes darted around to try and look for trouble. It was dark around him, pressing on him from all direction. His jaws parted, managing to pick out Kanan sleeping at the top of the bed with his lightsaber sitting right beside him in case of danger.

    Halftail sighed as he slumped into a sitting position, his claws retracting from where they had dug into the covers. He ended up tearing through them with his blunt claws. He feared it hadn't been the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last either. "What am I going to do with myself," he asked aloud.

    Kanan grunted in his sleep as his feet collided with Halftail's rump. Halftail growled in surprise. Kanan sat up abruptly, rubbing at his eyes. "Halftail, are you alright?"

    Halftail bit his lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood flood his mouth. "I'm sorry if I woke you. It was just a nightmare," he grumbled into his chest fur. He was ashamed to admit that he was still woken up screaming like a kit because of some fish-brained nightmare.

    Kanan sat up straighter and stretched out a hand before he flicked the light switch with a twitch of his wrist. The light burned Halftail's eyes at first, but they adjusted quickly. "It hasn't been the first time this week, has it?"

    Halftail plastered his ears against his head. "Is it that obvious?" He hadn't thought that he was that unfocused, but he didn't know for sure.

    Kanan's shoulders slumped. "A little. You just always seem tired. Or it just means that I know you too well. If you like I might be able to send some calming waves through the force."