The Haven Chronicle [Ask for Invite]

Participating members:

A'lora Kituri
Liam Torun
Evant Taelyan
V'yr Vorsa


On the world known only to a select few as "Haven," the former inhabitants of New Tython have found solitude away from the ruthless leadership of self-proclaimed King, Cy Thuron. A hospitable world with a breathable atmosphere, "Haven" is situated in an unknown location. Having a biome similar to New Tython's, the planet is largely undeveloped and undiscovered. Following a set of hyperspace jumps collected by Liam Torun, Evant Taelyan had only just arrived planetside. The planet's name given by the refugees from New Tython, Haven stands as a staging point and a world of solitary.

Having only arrived, Evant Taelyan, greeted by the strange species native to New Tython who are known as Harakoans, made his way off the Lamda-class shuttle. With the impending return of the Knights of Odan-Urr, Evant has been tasked with training the Colonists and Harakoans to fill in the gaps of the Militia. A'lora Kituri has returned from a hunt, bringing fresh supplies into the settlement in the form of a hoversled full of food and pelts. Managing and overseeing the preparations, Liam Torun has remained vigilant.

Five weeks prior to the Jedi's reappearance at Haven, the Tythonians and Harakoans have grown increasingly uneasy. The poisonous nature of much of Haven's flora and fauna had taken a toll on their numbers, while reports of disturbances increase daily. Legends surrounding the mountain range known as "The Spine" have started amongst the Harakoans, frightening the Tythonian colonist population. As the nights grow darker and cooler while winter approaches, so too does the mystery surrounding Haven.

(For reference, http://wiki.darkjedibrotherhood.com/view/Haven)

Darkness brought with a welcome drop in temperature that made the thick humid jungle air easier to breath. All around the bustle of a simple settlement operating as if it existed thousands of years in the past. Jedi walking about freely as if transported back to the days of the Galactic Republic. Yet the calm in the Force clung to the area as thick as the air.

It was a new feeling for someone trained at the Imperial Naval Academy and then came to power with the Dark Side as his ally from the first moments the Force spoke to him. Meditating on the edge of Haven, Evant Taelyan was experiencing the Force in a new way. So much so that he barely recognized the approach of A'lora Kituri as she came up behind him, "Hey A'lora. Come to check up on me again."

"No, actually I am here to invite along with me as I escort a caravan to collect a load of minerals from a mining operation near the Spine," the Togruta politely responded with a slight tone of excitement.

"Oh really? The old man is actually going to let me out from under his watchful gaze?" Evant retorted with a bit of sarcasm on his voice.

"Not quite, he will certainly be able to monitor you the entire time," A'lora responded unnecessarily to the hypothetical question mostly out of annoyance for the former Sith's impatience.

"Right, that's reassuring," he sighed, knowing it was actually a good opportunity. He had been in a constant Jedi crash course since he arrived under the tutelage of Liam Torun. An actual walk through the local jungles would be good for his head. Deciding to appreciate the opportunity Evant stood up and smiled, "I'm game, where to?"

The Togruta raised an index finger to a seemingly random section of dense forest. Letting his gaze drift from the Togruta in that direction, he noticed the beginnings of frost permeating the branches of the trees. Evant looked back incredulously.

"You must be joking." He retorted, "You expect to drag a caravan through... that?" He said, with a hint of sarcasm.

Grinning so widely the former Dark Jedi could make out the shape of her pointed teeth, A'lora dispensed an oversized knife from her belt and handed it to him. "It's the only way out of here." She explained, "We're going to need to clear a path for the hoversleds. Luckily, there's a clearing a few meters through that will lead us to a path."

Examining the weapon, Evant groaned before following the lavender-skinned woman. Without pausing in stride, she whispered to a Harakoan, who returned minutes later with five other survivors and two hoversleds in tow. Giving a formal bow, he departed, leaving the caravan as quickly as he had arrived. One of the hoversleds was stocked with more than enough supplies to last a week. As if acting on instinct, Evant gave the convoy a quick glance, examining the readiness of their group. Two of the group were Harakoan, one male, the other female, while the other three were New Tython colonists. One of them, a dark-haired human pulled out a datapad and began taking inventory.

"I count... One and a half weeks worth of rations, seven glow rods, two portable shelters and a various assortment of personal items and mining equiptment." He counted aloud, "Mining operation Aurek informs me our supplies will be restocked at the Spine for the return trip."

Pointing at Evant's oversized knife, A'lora tilted her head towards the undergrowth, "Best get to work."

Three of the five men dispensed similar weapons, and began cutting away the brush. One of them, a Rodian fell into a thorny bramble, and was sent back to the settlement after he began feeling the initial symptoms associated with Haven's poisonous flora.

"Be careful." A Twi'lek woman shouted from the rear of the caravan.

Raising his knife to the bramble again, Evant began clearing away the last of the obstacle.

Slow deliberate movements cut down the last of the thick brambles blocking a large clearing. Evant tossed the crude oversize blade into a nearby hoversled shaking his head, glad to be rid of it. It had been nearly a decade since he had wielded anything but his weightless blade left lifeless and clipped to his belt. Jedi would only ignite their lightsabers if necessary, and it seemed the task hadn't made the list.

"You've been here how long, and still you're carving paths through these jungles? How overgrown is this place?" Evant inquired looking over to A'lora.

"Not long at all actually. However in this case, New Menat simply has no need for the ore we plan to collect at the Spine. As such, nature is left alone."

"Simplicity. They scorn us and the rest of the galaxy, yet are anxious to draw on the knowledge of our doctors and engineers as it suits them, more like hypocrisy," Evant spat out with a deep sigh, looking over to two Harakoan within earshot each guiding one of the two hoversleds into the clearing.

"As Jedi we respect their wishes, as they respect ours, we have no contempt," A'lora responded in a tone that suggested Evant should have already realized it as fact.

Disregarding the statement, Evant stepped out into the small clearing blanketed in tiny pink flowers and began to look around. On all sides of the clearing the jungle towered above them. The sun above barely managing to crack the thick canopy and reach the jungle floor bathing the small convoy in its light. Looking around further however it was impossible to tell which way the Spire was without getting a better view. Nor was it apparent where the path was that might lead them there.

Looking back to A'lora the human shrugged his shoulders, "Where is this path?"

Another grin came in response as she pointed, "Right there of course."

Between two large trees was a gap in the ground cover that looked barely large enough for their hoversleds. Beyond it was only darkness as the path led deeper into the thick of the jungle. As the four remaining members of the convoy began to double check the hoversleds for the journey, and his Jedi companion sat in silent meditation seemingly taking in the sights and sounds of the deadly jungle, Evant grabbed his lightsaber hilt in hand and made for the gap.

The path before them, despite being clear of any visible foilage, was no less harder to trudge through. Evant looked down, his boots caked in mud as far as his ankles. For comparison's sake, he tilted his head up slightly, only to discover the absence of shoes on the younger Jedi. He coughed, a fictitious sound that made A'lora whirl around to face the rest of the caravan. After a moment's assessment, her lips curled into a grin, following his line of sight.

"Yes, I prefer to travel unburdened by such things." She answered, in response to the silent question.

"Seems to be a strange... practice." He answered, "So, why would you.."

He was cut off mid-sentence when A'lora darted ahead, as if being chased by a ravenous beast. He watched from the head of the convoy as she effortlessly scaled her way up a tree to observe the area. Summoning his lightsaber to hand, a brief sense of imminent danger called him to action. With a 'snap-hiss,' the sapphire blade ignited in his hands. He sprung into action, sidestepping to the left just in time to avoid the unsuspecting pounce of a reptilian creature. The creature hissed as it narrowly passed the former Dark Jedi. Instead, the screams coming from the mouth of a Harakoan alerted the Togruta from her lookout.

A'lora hissed similarly behind her pointed teeth. Grabbing onto the web of foliage clinging to the tree, she lowered herself down, half climbing, half falling. The other surviving Harakoan dispensed one of the crude knives from his belt, and began swinging it wildly at the creature. In return, the creature swiped at him with its massive barbed tail, knocking him off his feet to land uncomfortably in the thick mud. Evant recovered from having narrowly dodged his opponent, charging at the beast and sidestepping as it snapped towards him. Unlike anything the Human had ever seen, the reptile was at least five meters in length, its maw made up up several dagger-like teeth as long as his forearm.

Bringing his lightsaber whirling arround in a flurry, he managed to cut several deep furrows into its elongated neck, causing the monster to seethe in pain before whipping around its tail. Unlike the Harakoan, he managed to catch several needlelike barbs in his chest before launching him against a nearby tree. The lavender-skinned woman leapt at the reptillian monster, trailing an arc or emerald light behind her. Her lightsaber plunged itself into the creature's ridged back, and it shrieked in pain. Lunging itself forward, the creature flung the Togruta toward Evant, though instead of making contact with the solid base of the tree, coming to rest submerged in the murky waters the creature had come from.

The scaled monster turned its attention towards the remaining two Tythonians and the single Harakoan. Opening its wide jaws in preparation for its next meal, the creature's head surged forwards...

... and stopped mere inches from the frightened Tythonians, its jaws still snapping towards its supposed meal. "RUN!" Evant ordered the survivors, struggling to hold the creature at bay with the Force. The three survivors took the advice, scambling up the limbs of a tree for safety. When the passage was cleared of noncombatants, the monster hissed before disappearing into the surrounding foliage.

"Are you all right?" He asked the three, who shaked their heads frantically. Scanning the area, he saw no sign of the Togruta.

"A'lora!" He screamed, but heard no reply. In the nearby foliage, he could hear a rustling noise. "A'lora!"

Splashing and commotion could be heard from the murky waters several meters beyond the path. He could sense the Jedi Consular, knowing she had been thrown in the direction of the waters he assumed that as likely the source. Yet it was all this commotion from the water that made him even more concerned at what was soon to emerge from the foliage further up the path.

Stumbling to recover from his impact with the tree, and glancing down where several thick barbs had landed squarely yet harmlessly into the armor on his chest, the human took a moment to recollect himself with an absolutely focused determination. He held his grip high on the hilt in a defensive stance and moved to the base of the tree that now held the rest of the convoy team hoping to protect them.

In the distance he could hear the familiar hiss of a lightsaber join the turbulent crashing in the waters as the large reptilian creature leapt into the air, its massive clawed hands digging into the tree above him as it went after the members of the convoy. Immediately the sorcerer called on the Force as tendrils of blue lightning crackled through the air wrapping themselves around the deadly reptile. It's muscles contracting in reaction to the attack causing its claws to tighten considerably crushing the branches of the tree it was gripped onto.

Snapping and cracking joined the crashing water as the reptile fell through the branches towards the Jedi. As it landed a quick attack plunged the sapphire blade deep into the creatures neck and with a deep swipe of the blade completely decapitating it. The headless body convulsed and writhed still active from the Force attack as Evant disengaged his lightsaber and looked up to see A'lora emerge from the foliage completely soaking wet. Along side her was a Neti who he immediately recognized as Vorsa who also seems to have emerged from the water.

"How nice to see you again A'lora. Don't bother responding when I call?" Evant asked in a friendly tone, a bit relieved to find himself clear of the combat for now.

"I was a bit preoccupied. I disturbed the slumber of a large creature on my landing in the water. It wasn't interested in letting me leave," A'lora responded, a tinge of disappointment on her voice at the news. Recognizing the confusion on Evant's face at the sight of Vorsa she continued to elaborate, "Vorsa happened to be in the area blending in and keeping watch of the paths, protecting other travelers. All the commotion I was making led her to me."

"It would be wise not to alert the entire jungle to your convoy's presence," Vorsa advised with some sarcasm and a smile.

"Right, I will let them all know to muffle their screams as the fauna decides to have them for lunch," Evant responded, half annoyed and half in jest.

A'lora checked on the female Harakoan who had been attacked earlier, noting she still had a pulse. As the others of the convoy made their way down from the branches of the trees Evant moved over to help, "She definitely has some internal bleeding. I know you can sense it too. We can take a brief moment to heal her up, then we should stabilize her on one of the hoversleds."

A'lora nodded with a sigh of relief, "I agree. I will work to contain the bleeding if you will reset the broken ribs. At least well enough until we can reach our camp at the Spine."

The two Jedi began to use their collective knowledge of the Force to mend the wounds of the Harakoan, as the rest of the convoy helped secure her to the hoversled safely. Vorsa stayed watch high above them among the trees deciding to join the group. It was obvious more Jedi couldn't hurt in the dangerous jungles outside Haven.

Vorsa observed their surroundings for several minutes as her fellows helped the injured alien. Having discovered their general route to the Spine she slid down from the branch and placed her hands on the ground. Inch thick wooden tendrils seemed to grow from her fingers and palms, digging into the earth underneath. Her whole body turned a dark brown color as the texture of her skin changed from smooth skin-like to a rough and mossy bark. As the tendrils from her fingers touched and wrapped around the closest tree roots, her minds eye opened and she perceived the world through the forest itself. The two Tythonians, observing her transformation, stepped away taken aback by the sight.

Once A'lora and Evant finished helping the Harakoan, they turned to see Vorsa in her trance. Evant's eyes widened.

"What the...?" he started to ask as A'lora placed her finger on her lip, as if to ask for silence. She had some idea of what was going on, but she to was a bit awestruck by the sight. After a time the tendrils withdrew and Vorsa's transformation reversed back to normal.

"There seem to be no more predators around us. The trees and plants don't seem to like being cut and chopped, however." Vorsa said with a somewhat cold voice. Clearly she did not approve of their actions so far. An awkward silence grew for a few moments when one of the Tythonians broke out.

"Well, how are we supposed to move through the forest unless we cut up a path?" he swallowed the final few words as Vorsa gave him a cold stare.

"Well, now that we have three Jedi in our group, maybe we can find a solution?" the woman next to him spoke, trying to ease the tension. Vorsa exhaled audibly and replied.

"I'm sorry. Of course, there is no other way for you to navigate the jungle. My nature sometimes get's the best of me." she calmed down and continued "Maybe someone should return the injured Harakoan to base camp?"

A'lora nodded a negative, taking a moment to look back at the injured Harakoan spread out across the hoversled before meeting Vorsa's gaze.

"New Menat doesn't have much in the way of resources, they only grabbed what they could in the emergency evacuation." Turning away from the tree-like figure, the Togruta took in her surroundings, with the female Harakoan resting on the rear hoversled, the uninjured three survivors began manouvering the supplies around the giant corpse in their path, "She will be safe in our care. I will search for some natural remedies when we next make camp."

A'lora felt a thud against her shoulder, turning around with a snarl that exposed her sharpened fangs, she gave a meracing glare at the other Jedi. Evant responded to the silent threat with an amused grim. "well, what are we waiting for?" He gave in his best impression of a mocking voice. Taking a moment to calm herself, A'lora followed Evant around the creature's lifeless body. When the two had caught up with the hoversled and V'yr Vorsa, the female Harakoan had regained some awareness of her surroundings. Muttering in Harakose, only the other Harakoan in the group could hear her.

"What's she saying?" Evant asked the male Harakoan. His nasal crest turned a lighter shade of blue before he answered, "She hasn't fully recovered yet. If she is a burden to the group, she requests that we leave her here."

"Nonsense." V'yr replied, "She is no burden. We have more than enough room on the hoversled for her to rest until she is recovered."

The journey continued for several kilometers in complete silence, save for the occasional unintelligible whispers the woman uttered. Each time, the other Harakoan would attempt to converse with her in Harakose to calm her. "Masters." The Harakoan began, "I believe she needs to rest for a moment. The hoversled is proving to be most uncomfortable."

"Very well." A'lora responded, turning to the other two survivors, "I suggest we set up camp here. In an hour, we would be moving in complete darkness. We should use this time to prepare, set up the portable shelters and gather what you can for building a fire. I will venture out, and see if I can find anything to dull her pain."

When the Togruta's lavender figure was out of earshot, Evant leaned over to the Twi'lek, "Make sure all of our firewood is already dead. We wouldn't want to anger the walking tree."

Vorsa's roots dug deep into the earth as she began her transformation. Her whole body twisted and turned, creaking as it did, much like a log being tossed around. After a time the transformation stopped and the terrified Harakoans and Tythonians seemed to move further away from her. She didn't mind, accustomed to the reaction her transformation prompted in others. Seeing a human-sized, relatively normal-looking comrade suddenly turn into a hulkinh tree, is nothing to wave off. And as she stood, her form could be little discerned from the surrounding forest. A perfectly blended sentry. She could stay there for ages without anyone knowing of her presence and all that time she required neither sleep nor any form of simple nourishment other humanoids required.

"You require nourishment, Evant. Take them and make camp. I will stand sentry." the tree spoke with a much deeper and unfamiliar voice. Evant only nodded and went about his business in the camp.

Some time later, A'lora returned with several different plants in hand. As she walked by Vorsa she spoke "You will stand guard?" she asked, not looking anywhere in particular.

"I will." she spoke again, in the same deep voice as before "Go. Sleep."

Soon enough the camp was at rest, sleeping tightly to wash away exhaustion. As she stretched her feelings outward, she could sense the forest. The many deadly animals and plants, as well as those of lesser threat. it was beautiful. It was serene. It was deadly. They would not go through this journey unscathed.

**

The first rays of the morning sun kissed the tops of Vorsa's branches. Instinctively she stretched her massive bulk to gather the precious energy this sun gifted her with. Months of claustrophobic ships and sleeping in metal beds without constant supply of mud, dirt and water began to affect her. These last few nights saw her rejuvenated and refreshed, as a starved man would be after a good meal.

The creaking and cracking of her bark and the whipping sound of her branches woke A'lora from her hammock. As the Togruta jumped, almost instantly fully awake, her hunter instincts on alert.

"What is it? What did you see?" she asked, quietly but sternly. The creaking subsided as Vorsa returned to her usual, feminine form.

"Nothing, A'lora. I was merely stretching and enjoying the morning." she smiled at the alarmed Togruta. "Calm yourself and go lay down for a time. It is not yet time to move.

The hulking branches of the Neti twisted and shrunk inward, as her bulk returned to its original form; from a nearby tree, unseen even by the arboreal scout, lingered a pair of bright, brown eyes. Liam's creased face smirked as he saw the camp come alive, alerted by their sentry's movements. A brightly-marked reptavian landed on a branch nearby, extending its wings and making a hissing squeak; Torun suspected it may have been threatening, had the creature not been all of six inches long. Extending a hand, he smiled, letting the Force flow through him to convey feelings of peace and alliance to the smaller animal.

It inched closer, a pair of forked tongues flitting out to capture olfactory and electrical data about the human; then, with a tiny hop, it crawled up Liam's arm and onto his shoulder. "There you go," he said, chuckling softly.

Perched on the thick limb of an ancient tree, one leg propped on the branch of another and the ground forty feet away, the old hermit had never felt so at home. He'd stopped in his pursuit of the convoy, watching from afar, studying the forest in the way only a dweller of such climes truly could. Some looked at him, and wondered if he missed the solitude and danger of Felucia's jungles; in truth, part of the man had never left, and a part of Felucia had replaced it within him. The hard bulk of the tree was a balm to his old back, offering support, while the flowing breeze kept him comfortable in his flowing robes. As the convoy began to move, he stood, walking out along the branch as its greenish length narrowed with each step. He stood at its tip balanced, almost like an acrobat, and let Haven's sun wash across his elderly frame.

For a moment, he took a deep breath, completely at peace; then, without so much as a glimmer of fear, he dropped forward toward the ground.

Wind rushed up at him, whipping long hair and bear about as they did. Weathered hands found vine and branch, grabbing them and swinging upward, flowing up to flip above the canopy of trees before coming down upon their length. He rolled across branches, coming up in a run as he sprinted over one tree, before springing and swinging between them all. Reptilian tree-dwellers sprinted out of his way, or were leapt over; avian beasts swooped in for a closer look, and to these he smiled, before continuing on his strange route. He was the alien here, the mammalian primate in a forest of reptilian beasts and amphibious hunters, but through the Light Side he projected calm to all those he encountered. He was not a foe, or a threat; this was their domain, their web, and he was merely another new strand in its grand workings.

Nearing the convoy, he slowed his free-running sprint to a paced crawl, perching in a tree just above the travelers and watching. Every movement, every sound and scent, was natural and fitting; the wall that was up between him and all sapient peoples was, for the time, a thing of the past. Here, he was alive, in a sea of life.

"I just don't see what the problem is," Evant said, hacking through shrub and vine with a heavy blade. The thrum of a lightsaber, alongside its light, would have attracted too many onlookers. "They're just trees."

"Feel them in the Force, then," V'yr replied. "Life flows within them, as does the Force itself."

"Remember the lessons we've been giving you, these past few weeks. The Force flows through everything; every tree, leaf, and shrub is part of that network, and it pains a Jedi to see that life die. This is doubly so for Vorsa; her connection to this place feels strikes against plants with the same shock yours may take from an animal, or a person, being wounded. In essence, to her, every life lost is still a death."

"But there is no death," An old voice, gravelly from age but still deep and strong, echoed across the clearing. The sound made the three spring to life, their blades snapping on with instinct; as the old man dropped to the ground, he smiled at them, and their weapons hissed back into their hilts. "There is only the Force."

For a moment, their reactions differed; V'yr held an awkward look that Liam knew to be a form of embarrassment, while A'lora still felt the rush of adrenaline. Evant's thoughts were almost plain, cursing himself for a lack of discipline and alertness. "Yes, Quaestor," A'lora said after a moment, bowing lightly. The old man's experience had a way of flooring them from time to time, though by no means did he wield it as such. "It is a lesson we have trouble remembering."

Liam's eyes softened, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "To grieve for death is to be alive, A'lora; a Jedi is not beyond such things. She merely accepts them." Looking on the trail ahead, he noted the faint mist forming on the air, and the thick weave of the trees ahead. "I trust everything is well?"

"The Spine is just ahead, unfortunately that means the edge of the jungle so the flora is getting thick on the jungle floor. Carving a wider path so we can get through appears to be seen as shortsighted," Evant answered above a tinge of annoyance as he carefully sheathed the clumsy large blade in his hand and took a few steps up the path still encroached upon by both sides with overgrown brambles. He surveyed the area ahead for a moment reflecting on the task at hand. He was frustrated, the only reason they were even out in the middle of the jungle hacking away at plants was to retrieve stone to reinforce structures in the Jedi Staging area.

"We all take part in this task for a reason greater than ourselves, and the jungles around us. These resources will help build our strength to help protect the weak and defenseless elsewhere in the galaxy from those who would cause them harm," Torun announced in response. It was clear that the strain of combat had worn on them all. Their minds were dwelling in the past and present, not mindful of the future.

All around them the jungle began to quiet. The four Jedi heightened their senses on the path ahead. Evant with his grip high on his lightsaber ready for action. Something in the Force alerted them to the impending danger. "This jungle has different plans," Evant responded. The immediate sense of danger quickly replaced by something tangible.

From the shadows behind them a beautiful large cat pounced upon them. Evant only caught a quick glimpse of the brilliant deep black fur of the nearly 5 meter long creature as it grabbed one of the twi'lek members of the convoy who lingered near one of the hoversleds at the rear. It all happened so quickly the resulting scream didn't come until the feline had already made its way out of sight. Quickly following Liam disappeared into the shadows followed by Vorsa.

A brilliant sapphire light illuminated the head of the path as Evant began to hack away at the brambles on the path ahead, yelling back to the remaining members of the convoy as he went, "Line up those hoversleds and get moving. We need to get clear of this jungle as quickly as possible. A'lora you cover the rear."

Screams in the distance of the twi'lek were filled with terror, yet a reminder that he was still alive. All around the small convoy in the canopy above, the wildlife of the jungle burst to life in warnings to one another of the impending danger below. The convoy moved much more quickly now as the the lightsaber carved a path in a beautiful flurry. It all happened in a few short adrenaline filled minutes but the darkness and protest of the jungles was replaced by a blinding light and a massive jagged mountain range.

Quickly they moved the hoversleds out of the jungles and the remaining survivors quickly moved to secure them. Yet as the survivors oriented the hoversleds a large flying bird, waiting for creatures to wander from the jungle unprepared, came swooping down at them. Its talons drawn making for the smaller human colonist near the edge of the small group. Sensing the impending attack, A'lora quickly made a leap at the large creature grabbing onto it sparing the colonist who took the spare moment to duck under the hoversled as the others did the same.

With no time to worry about A'lora now being carried away by the massive winged creature, Evant began to survey the area looking for a secure location. Further up he could see the mining operation, though he could not sense any activity. "That's our best bet, we have a wide road now so line up the hoversleds on either side and stay low and close," Evant had a certain calm and determination on his voice that helped ease the fear of the remaining colonists as they followed his orders despite the chaos. His only fear was for the safety of those he still led.

The hum of his lightsaber and hurried feet of the colonists he protected hung in his ears, as the screeches and screams of the jungles behind grew more distant. Ahead was a dark cave absent of life where a mining operation should be. The former Dark Jedi got the impression that things weren't about to get any easier.

Grappling for her life, far above the treeline, A'lora Kituri was clutched in the avian creature's massive talons. As the bird's talon dug into her flesh, a line of blood circled around the Togruta's arm, occassionally splashing into her face along with the wind as the creature picked up speed in an attempt to deliver the writhing prey to its nest. Hanging on with only the strength of one arm, slowly being drained of blood, the Jedi's arm began to feel numb. Calling upon the Force to heal her damaged wrist, she had managed to reduce the bleeding to a faint trickle, though the creature still held on. With her free hand, she attempted to grab hold of the creature's other bony claw, a futile gesture that only resulted in a sudden drop in altitude - placing her directly in the path of oncoming branches. Dodging to the left, she contorted her body away from the nearest branch, missing it completely. However, as the avian bird continued upwards, towards the green-leafed treetops, it had dragged its cargo directly into the thick canopy. Each thin branch she made contact with felt like a coiled Yuzhaan Vong amphistaff against her lavender skin. Anging away from the oncoming barrage of oncoming twigs, her exposed back took the worst of the pain, scoring a number of bleeding marks along her spine and the backs of her arms and legs.

Frantically now, she called upon the Force once more. The familiar, natural shape of her lightsaber flew into her dangling hand, igniting the moment it came to rest in her palm with a snap-hiss. The emerald glow of the weapon's blade blended in well with the canopy, and with a flick of the wrist, its white core seared into the winged creature's talon. Flapping its gigantic wings in bewilderment, the creature loosened its grip before the lightsaber was able to completely sever its limb. Screaming as she fell, the familiar discomfort of a million twigs brutally whipped across her skin. Before she had time to fall hard onto the forest floor, however, she landed atop the feathered back of another creature. The force of such a landing was enough to knock the natural wood hilt from her hand, falling behind the creature to rest at the base of a tree. Veering to the left, and then to the right, the winged behemoth dropped into a freefalling spiral to shake off the unwanted passenger. A'lora grabbed on as tightly as she could to the leading edge of the bird's rightmost wing to counter the maneuver. When the creature rapidly changed the direction of its spiral, she launched herself forward, ahead of the avian's trajectory and grabbed hold of the opposite wing with one hand. One by one, her fingers, covered with a film of crimson, slipped away until once again, she began falling for what seemed to be a very long time. Given only a faceful of oversized, brown feathers as a parting gift, she reached out below her with both hands, as if to reach out and touch the ground. Creating a cylinder of Force energy to slow her descent, the technique only served to grant her a minute or two of helpless freefalling.

"A'lora!" V'yr yelled from below, running to intercept the falling woman. "We're coming!"

"I'll slow her approach as best as I can. V'yr, be ready!" Liam called, stopping behind the tree-woman and closing his eyes, began to add to the decelerating of the falling female Jedi.

Vorsa stopped just below the distant form of A'lora, planting her feet into the ground as they burrowed into the soil beneath her feet. Many tendrils spread out along the ground, taking root in a meter-wide radius around her. Limbs stretched and cracked, turning her almost skin-like flesh into that of gnarled tree-branches. What had once been a pair of hands widened just as the fingers on each one transformed, weaving into one another to form a loose net to catch the Jedi. A few seconds later, A'lora Kituri's now-decelerated fall terminated as she fell towards the rough, net-like structure below her. "V'yr?" She asked weakly, before the interwoven tendrils lowered her bloodstained, violet body onto the soft grass beside the shapeshifter.

As V'yr Vorsa's tranformation had begun changing her back into her humanoid form, Liam Torun instinctively darted towards his Aedile's weakened form. Crouching beside her with a fistful of herbs, he removed a pouch from his belt and began pouring its contents onto the dried herbs. A pained groan escaped the younger woman's lips as he applied the healing paste to the deepest of the wounds. When V'yr Vorsa had returned to her humanoid form, she too knelt beside her comrade.

An ultrasonic signal sent through the hollowed protrusions that made up the Jedi's montrals detected a disturbance in movement behind the tree-woman and the hermit, "Behind... Watch..." Was all the wonded Jedi could utter in warning of the rearrival of the feline creature.

Half on instinct half on trust, Vorsa spread her mind in all directions. Her mental eye saw the wild feline, no more than a dozen meters behind her, hiding in the bush and ready to pounce. Vorsa focused her thoughts on the animal, sensing the tendrils of the Force that weaved through it. Telepathic fingers touched and pulled at the tendrils in the beast's mind, and like a finely tuned harp they rang out in response. It began with the beasts confusion; ears raised, eyes darting around, a feeling of danger upon it's senses. In a jolt of sudden fear it rose out of the bush, revealing its location. Slowly it backed away, unsure of what was going on, growling at the unknown feeling.

Eyes closed in meditation, Vorsa didn't let up. She pulled and pushed, touched and sprang the tendrils, making the animal move to the rhythm. As she did so, after a time, the feline slowly calmed down, lowered its tail and ears and cautiously approached Vorsa - nonthreatening, nonviolent - as a pet would approach it's master. As the Neti rose from her kneeling position to face the animal, it approached and cuddled it massive snout in Vorsa's palm. It seemed to purr happily as Vorsa scratched it's chin.

"That's a good girl." the Neti said silently while a massive barbed tongue licked her rough skin.

"Now, run along. There's other pray to hunt." She ordered with a pat on the beasts back. Liam smiled at her as she turned to face him. The mental dance between Neti and beast had given him enough time to apply the remedy onto A'lora's wounds.

"She isn't doing well. She lost some blood and she'll need better help than I can give her here. I managed to stop the bleeding and have begun healing the wounds, but still..." Liam answered the unasked question.

"Can we move her?" Vorsa asked, unsure of what to do in this situation.

"If we had a hoversled, yes, but I wouldn't risk it like this. Her wounds could open again." He replied.

"I...can...walk." A'lora barely managed as she slowly moved her body.

"You can hardly talk, much less stand. Stay down and keep quiet." Liam said in a harsh, almost fatherly manner. Vorsa found it soothing that the elderly man was here. He gave them a sense of security more than anyone else.

"Well, since I am no healer, I will go and find the hoversled." she said as she gave Liam her cloak "So you can cover her, if need be." with a nod she turned on her heel and walked of into the deep forest, in search of Evant and the rest of the convoy.

(Note: I'll leave the details about the mine, and the situation there, to Evant. You can write me arriving there.)