Force Destiny

Fortune

Rey awoke with a dread she could not place and a longing she did not want to. The blanket she swore she had kicked off in the night was wrapped snuggly around her. She had no idea how to determine the time; the light of the sun did not penetrate to the lower levels of the temple, and she did not have a chronometer. She found that she had either been oversleeping lately, or not sleeping at all, because of the perpetual darkness.

She didn't know what to do with herself except lie there, but the longer she did, the more her thoughts began to mirror the darkness around her. It was lonely, but the others all had their places in the Resistance; she didn't fit in anywhere. The longer she stayed in that room, the more she found herself anticipating the next connection. He had been... comforting the last time she saw him. At the very least, he would understand how the loneliness was eating her alive. Forcing herself to sit up, she decided to take a walk outside before she contemplated more treasonous thoughts about her enemy.

The light blinded her when she stepped through the archway of the temple. After her upbringing on a desert planet, she never thought her eyes would have difficulty adjusting to the sun, especially because this star did not shine nearly as bright as the one on Jakku. The darkness of the temple was taking more of a toll on her than she had thought. When her eyes did adjust, she noticed a disturbance near the edge of the forest. It was a creature in distress, she realized, its cries echoing up the temple steps. She skipped down the steps to its rescue without a moment's thought.

A small, grey-brown winged creature had been caught in the snare of a carnivorous plant. The meter-long stalk was orange with large, shimmering purple petals. It was captivating, and, had she not witnessed its lethality, she would never have guessed such danger was hidden in its beauty. "It's okay, little one," she cooed, "I'll help you." She grasped the flower carefully and dislodged the creature from its clutches. The creature fluttered frantically in her hands, covered in a warm slime. She used her tunic to gently wipe it clean.

It was an ugly beast, to put it mildly. Its forearms had been evolutionarily converted to wings with thin, soft membranes that attached at its backbone. Dorsal spikes were also connected by a similar membrane. In addition to the spikes, the creature had claws that tore through flesh like blades. It had long fangs that protruded from its snarling jaws. It snapped at her gentle caresses as she attempted to console it.

The dark, crazed eyes were glazed over in fear of her touch. She did nothing to harm it, but it lashed out at her all the same. It gasped for breath, struggling wildly, trembling in her arms. Its sharp fangs and claws tore into her palm, but she ignored its destruction in favor of saving it. Eventually, her stubbornness won out, as she knew it would, and it settled into the comfort of her gentle hands, nestling against her. It still did not trust her; its wide eyes – endless pools of fear and pain – followed her every move. She couldn't help but think of different pained eyes.

"I'll name you... Ben," she cooed, imagining her bond mate's face when she showed him the creature, complete with a designation in homage to his given name rather than his chosen moniker.

"What creature are you trying to save now?" a voice asked behind her. She turned to him and smiled. Her only concern was whether he had overheard her.

"This hideous little thing," she opened her hands enough for him to study it.

"Well, that looks similar to a Borgle bat – maybe a young one, because they get huge," Finn replied as he fidgeted with his jacket. She could sense the blanket of anxiety that enveloped him. It was something unfamiliar when it came to her happy-go-lucky friend. "They're dangerous, Rey. The bigger ones will drain you of your blood in a heartbeat."

"Oh, you don't look so dangerous," she whispered to the creature, as blood trickled down her arms from the wounds on her palms. "You'll be okay; I'll take care of you."