No Second Chances (Star Wars Rebels)

Chapter 8

Ezra's POV

I held Kanan's hand as he led me through the rain. My sight still hadn't returned, but at least I wasn't deaf. Occasional crashes of thunder made me jump.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"There's a treetop village somewhere not too far that we would be safe in," Kanan explained.

"There are people who live on this moon?" I asked.

"Not exactly," Kanan replied. "Do you remember how we heard rumors about fuzzy ninja bears?"

"No way," I said. "You found an army of fuzzy ninja bears?"

"It's more like they found me," he explained.

"You got yourself captured, didn't you?" I teased. Kanan didn't reply.

"You did!" I realized with a laugh.

"Shh," Kanan told me.

"Kanan, that's nothing to be ashamed of. I do it all the time," I said.

"Quiet, Ezra!" Kanan whispered. He pulled me to the side.

"What is it?" I whispered back, fear starting to take hold.

"I don't know," he told me. "I think someone's out there."

I blinked, glancing around. Everything wasn't total darkness anymore. I could see faint shadows. Different shades of gray and black.

"I think my vision is starting to come back," I whispered to Kanan. His hand squeezed mine.

"Good, because looks like we're going to have to run," he told me.

"What?" I asked.

Kanan's hand tightened around my own as he lunged forward through the darkness. I ran with him, trying my best to keep my footing in the sticky mud. All around us I could see shadows. Kanan himself was just a shadow. A cold thought struck me. How did I know that was really Kanan? What if it was just an Imperial in disguise? What if this was all some crazy plan to get me abducted?

Suddenly Kanan's hand vanished and I was left alone in the darkness. A blinding flash of lightning left me temporarily stunned. All noise vanished in the following explosion of thunder. When everything was silent apart from the pattering of the rain, there was no sign of what had happened to Kanan.

"Kanan?" I called as loud as I dared. There was no response from the shadows around me. I was alone again.

Kanan's POV

I felt the ropes wrap around me moments before I was yanked into the trees. I was dropped onto a platform where I had a great view of the ground far below.

"Wakaaaaa!" a chipmunk voice cheered. I twisted around so I could see the source. It was a group of those fuzzy ninja bears again!

"Him too!" I told them, working one of my arms free and pointing down at Ezra. "Get him too!"

"Minunk?" one of the creatures asked, glancing over the edge of the platform. Two of the others set about untying me.

"Yes!" I hissed. "Minunk! Up here! Please!"

"Waka inu minunk!" one of the creatures announced.

"Waka inu minunk! Waka inu minunk!" the rest chanted as they gathered more ropes. They formed lassos and threw them down, quickly catching Ezra. He shouted in surprise as they yanked him up to our platform. As soon as he had safely landed I clamped my hand over his mouth.

"Shh!" I whispered. "The bucketheads might still be nearby!"

"Kanan?" Ezra asked, pulling my hand away from his face.

"You got it, kid," I told him. "I'm here with my backup army."

"What army?"

"Minunk," one of the fuzzy ninja bears said happily, petting Ezra's head. He gave me an odd look.

"They don't mean any harm," I told him.

"Waka minunk waka minunk," the little creatures cheered. Several of the others began petting Ezra's arms or legs, while a few offered odd little stooping bows in my direction.

"What are they saying?" Ezra asked. I stood up.

"No idea," I told him, glancing around. It was still raining, but now it was barely a sprinkle. The thunder and lightning was gone.

"I think they're calling you Waka," Ezra decided. "And I'm called Minunk."

"They can call us whatever they want as long as they bring us back to the village," I said, helping Ezra stand.

"I wish I could actually see them," Ezra muttered.

"You're not missing much," I answered. The ninja bears led us across several platforms in the trees. Before long we reached the treetop village where dozens of the little creatures began to cheer. Even Ezra was smiling.

"I think I'm starting to see color!" he told me.

"Only thing I want to see is a bed," I joked. We entered a small hut which had a couple of beds made of pelts. We each took one of the beds and I fell asleep almost as soon as my eyes closed.