No Second Chances (Star Wars Rebels)

Chapter 3

Ezra's POV

Kanan led the way through the trees as stormtroopers fired at us from behind. I stumbled over a tree branch but managed not to fall.

"Are you leading us anywhere in specific?" I called to Kanan.

"I assumed you would be happy going anywhere where we wouldn't die," Kanan called back. "Take my blaster."

He threw it backwards to me and I caught it. I pointed it over my shoulder and fired, but I couldn't stop or look back to see if I had actually hit anything.

"How were you planning on us escaping?" I asked.

"I was thinking along the lines of climbing a tree," Kanan said.

"Climbing a tree? Are you crazy?" I demanded, nearly losing my balance at the thought.

"You've climbed buildings and ships before," he pointed out. "Same concept, only trees will be easier."

"I can't climb a tree!"

"This one looks good!" Kanan skidded to a halt and pointed at a tall tree. I glanced back. The stormtroopers were a good distance away, but they would be in firing range soon.

"Start climbing the tree," Kanan said. "I'll be right behind you."

"What are you planning?" I asked suspiciously.

"I need to slow down those stormtroopers. Now get up that tree!"

Kanan shoved me towards the tree and then turned around and slowly walked towards the stormtroopers. I climbed a short distance away and paused to watch. Kanan closed his eyes and extended a hand. Slowly, rocks and logs began hovering in the air and gathering together.

"You're not climbing," Kanan pointed out loudly, eyes still closed in concentration. I scrambled farther up the tree. He had it handled.

I heard blaster shots below me, along with several thuds and shouts from the stormtroopers. I resisted the urge to look down. I may have a head for heights, but even I got dizzy this high up.

"Stop the kid!" a stormtrooper shouted. I heard a blaster fire. The bolt hit the base of the branch I was on and shattered it. I hung in the air for a moment before gravity kicked in and I fell downwards. Branches and twigs snapped as I hit them, but I couldn't catch any. I realized with a cold certainty that I was about to hit the ground and die.

I hit the ground near the base of the tree, but the dirt tumbled away beneath me and I kept falling. Now I was falling in darkness, with only a single spot of light high above me. That spot of light was growing smaller and smaller. I blacked out.

---

I groaned and opened my eyes. Everything was dark, and it took my eyes a minute to adjust. I glanced around.

Somehow, I was in a dark cave, surrounded by hundreds of giant yellow mushrooms. I was sitting on a pile of crushed mushrooms. Broken stems were above me as well. Far above that was a hole which allowed light to reach me. I couldn't see anything outside of the hole.

Somehow I must have broken through a thin crust of dirt and into the cave. It was lucky that I had landed on these mushrooms, or else I probably would have been dead.

I glanced around again, looking for any signs of life. There didn't appear to be any living creatures nearby, hostile or otherwise.

I subconsciously reached for my lightsaber, then felt a jolt of fear as I realized it was gone. I scrambled around on the ground before finding it underneath a bit of crushed mushroom.

The force crystal was dimly glowing blue. It wasn't enough to be called bright, but it was still something. I pulled the crystal out and held it in my hand as I picked my way through the mushroom forest.

I had to find a way back to the surface and back to Kanan.