The Survivor

Nine

No More Secrets

"I've been running with the wolves, to get to you." 

"You never told me how cold this planet was," I complained as we marched through snow.

Thankfully, Lylianna had given me a fur coat when she'd seen my poor choice of clothes for the weather. It was comfy, but I could still feel the cold chill creep through to my skin.

Shadow had rejected the fur coat offered to him, claiming he wouldn't need it. But I could see him rubbing his gloved hands together for warmth, and he'd put his helmet on to avoid the cold gusts of air.

"It's colder than I remember!" He shot back.

"You say that every time!" Chief Tialo said, digging his staff into the uncertain, snow-covered ground as he took another step, his own extravagant fur coat being blown this way and that in the chilling wind.

My satchel flapped against my hip under the fur coat. I tried to keep it tucked tight under the coat, bunching it up under my arm for extra security, but every time I moved my arm it got loose.

We continued marching through the stiff snow, Shadow and I almost tripping every other step. The villagers didn't know where the beast lived, so we were just walking around the mountain area, hoping to find the beast and hoping it wouldn't kill us.

"I could use some warm milk right now," Shadow complained, his boots crunching through the snow as he lifted them high for each step. The snow was getting thicker the further we hiked.

"I'm dairy sensitive," I told him, tripping and falling into a rock hidden in the snow.

"That is... that's very unfortunate," he said, whether about me being dairy sensitive or falling on a rock or both, I couldn't tell.

I pushed myself up from the rock but tripped over it again and fell into the snow fully, the white blanket covering me. Everything was cold and thick, trapping me. Panic started to swell at the familiar feeling.

It's okay, my mind thought. The Batch will help me. No, they won't. Get up, Jora. No, focus. Track the beast through the Force-

Something ripped me out of the snow, a tight grip on my arms. I whirled around, stumbling slightly, to see Shadow holding me, trying to get the snow out of my hair and face. His Mandalorian armor was cold, his gloves damp from the snow, but it felt comforting.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded, slowly moving his hands away from my face and moving to take another step. But just as I did, a low growl echoed through the tavern in front of us. The three of us exchanged glances, silently going over a plan.

Apparently, my face didn't scream don't go in the cave! loud enough, because that's exactly what Shadow did. Then Chief Tialo followed after him. I sighed, shaking my head as I followed both of them unwisely into the cave.

It was darker in the cave, making me uneasy, which made it seem colder. A shiver ran through me at another cold gust of wind, and instinctively I huddled closer to Shadow. He didn't seem to mind, putting and arm around my to try and warm me up before taking it away to draw a blaster as another low growl echoed around the tavern.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, the low growl echoed around, then something jumped out of the shadows and tackled Shadow. I yelped and scrambled back, tumbling in the cold, wet snow, hard snow.

It felt numbing, but I quickly forced myself up just as the beast swung its tail at the chief, sending him flying back and tumbling through the thick snow. The beast was still on Shadow, who's helmet had been knocked off now. Three claw marks were stained red on his cheek, and slash marks were across his chest, tearing at any fabric exposed from the armor.

"Stop!" I shouted, and the beast turned its attention to me.

Slowly, the beast made it way over to me, watching me like a cat about to pounce on a bird. Its tail flipped back and forth eagerly, a growl escaping its fanged mouth. It took a stance, ready to pounce.

I took a deep breath and held my hand out, reaching in deep through the Force, trying to feel peace. Calm. Serenity. Friendly. I tried to think of what my master had taught me, not to just feel with the Force, but to imagine with my mind the connection.

When I opened my eyes, the beast was sitting in front of me, looking harmless and peaceful. I stroked its soft, thick fur, feeling the hard skin underneath it. Its eyes seemed more at peace, friendly, not a threat.

I smiled lightly before carefully running over to Shadow, who was trying not to groan in pain as he attempted-and failed-to stand. Blood was coating his armor and the fabric of his shirt underneath.

Gingerly, I propped his head up in my lap, picking up his fallen helmet in the snow as the chief came. He looked down at Shadow, grimacing slightly.

"We need to get him back to the village," he said.

"We can take Fluffers," I said, nodding to the beast.

Chief Tialo's eyes widened. "But-but he's a-a beast-he ate our sheep-"

"It was just his instincts," I told him. "Fluffers won't do it anymore. Please, Chief Tialo. It's the fastest way to get Shadow back, he's going to bleed out."

Why I cared so much about Shadow, I didn't know. I'd known him a week, if that. But I couldn't imagine him dying. He grunted in pain as we lifted him onto Fluffers' back, the chief being very hesitant to climb on last.

Fluffers ran back to the village, getting back in ten minutes when it'd taken us over half an hour to get all the way up. The villagers freaked out when they saw Fluffers, but Chief Tialo quickly started calming them down, and Lylianna hurriedly helped me carry Shadow into a tent.

Three nurses surrounded him immediately, removing his armor and tending to his cuts, trying to stop the bleeding. Lylianna pulled me aside so I wasn't frozen in place watching. Too many times I had watched people I loved and cared for die.

I sat with Lylianna in a different, holding a mug of sweetened, warm caf. I'd changed into dry clothes, my other ones having gotten wet from the snow. It wasn't as cold back at the village, so I didn't wear the fur coat anymore.

Lylianna tried to make conversation with me, being nothing but kind and motherly. But I couldn't keep my mind off Shadow. All the blood, his ragged breathing, face contorted in pain... I tried not to let the worry and flashbacks flood me again, like they often did.

Finally, about and hour later, Lylianna said I was able to see Shadow. He was unconscious when I entered the tent, but that didn't stop me from sitting down next to him on the mat and wait patiently. Ever now and then I sipped from my warm mug, but most of the time I waited I was too nervous to drink.

Second turned to minutes, minutes to hours. It was an hour away from midnight when Shadow's eyes slowly cracked open, and he immediately grunted in pain. He'd lost a lot of blood, and Fluffer's claw marks were deep, sure to leave scars.

"Irena?" Shadow asked hesitantly, tilting his head to look at me. His eyes focused on me after a few moments of struggle, probably due to the pain. "You're a Jedi?"

1240 Words 

Written: September 30th, 2024 

Published: October 26th, 2024 

A/N: Every now and then I might switch the 3rd person instead of 1st because I'm writing a couple other books that are in 3rd person and it's actually easier for me to write, which is the opposite of how it's usually been. Depends on what my brain picks. 

Have a great day / night and stay safe, 

- Trix