Baby It's Cold Outside

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Snow, Serena always enjoyed the snow. The cold was a relief from the humidity of Dagobah she and Adas were excited the annual trip to MidVinter was upon them.

They would see [member="Mythos"] and be a family she tried to get Kida to come but she always said she had training. Serena believed she felt awkward around them, she liked being her Daddy's only girl and they had a bond that had been formed prior to Serena and Mythos committing their lives to one another.

Adas was now close to 13 years of age growing tall, lean and muscular with workouts on Dagobah, and the force was strong within him. Serena taught him basic skills. The heavy mantle of a prophecy looming over him she wondered if it was too much for him to bear. He had this sneaky smile like his father, and he loved completely those around him. Love a strong binding emotion.

She rested her hand on his shoulder, the furs that they had collected over years of visits lay upon him, keeping him warm. The ship landed easily same place, same time each year.

When they exited Adas' grin spread wider he could see his father waiting. "There he is, there you see him mother" Serena nodded, "Yes, I know your anxious go to him I'll be right behind you" She walked a little slower this year each year after the birth of Adas took a toll on her as if the more he needed life, the less she had.

She searched many of the archives to find an answer, but said nothing to anyone. She kept that same smile, and light in her eyes her love for Mythos and Adas shining brightly.

She trudged through the snow, watching the reunion between them. And when they had finished their greeting it was then that Serena ran towards her husband to rush into his arms and find his love waiting for her.

 

[Mythos]

Father... a title Mythos had only begun to fully comprehend... He had seen his son only once every year for the past decade of his life. Adas James Malgus... the chosen one of the force, the one who would fulfill the prophecy of the Sith'ari according to what Mythos believed was true. His wife [member="Serena Bouie"] had done a good job in teaching him how to use the force properly yet... the child was to be a sith. Mythos walked through the snow hiding his excitement to see his only son (as far as he knew). He loved his wife, he loved her with every ounce of his heart yet his flesh and passions sometimes outweighed his faithfulness to her.... somehow he knew she knew... she didn't care, she loved him just as much as he loved her and although many held his body only one held his heart. Out of the distance... in the edge of his eye... he saw his only son.

They said nothing, father and son embraced in the cold Midvinter snow.... it was damn cold, but Mythos was already accustomed to it during his time with Narfi and the brutal if not outright inhumane training he put himself through every single day. Serena had yet too see Mythos' new physique and strength. As he held his son in his arms, tears falling from his eyes and immediately freezing in his cheeks he held his wife in his arms as well... he had to be careful now... his arms were much stronger than they used to be.

In his mind he could only think of one thing to say, thank you [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]... but all that came out of his mouth was "I love you both..." and "Where's Kida? She could't come again?" He missed her...he missed her and it tore his soul out everytime they came without her. She was his daughter as much as Adas was his son and sometimes he just wanted to drop everything and go find her wherever in the mud she was...

​

 

[Lief]

High above the grizzled peaks she soared, white capped mountains almost entirely lost to the dense clouds which formed around her. Precipitation settled upon her body, threatening to send her spiraling to the earth below... Only the sure and steady beat of her wings kept her airborne.

Sharp eyes caught the cautious movements of a young mountain älk moving along a narrow ledge, each step sending sheet ice and gravel tumbling into the abyss. A terrifying, pained screech escaped the creature as it lost its balance. Even from where she soared the sight of its ankle snapping did not go unmissed.

So the world provided.

No noise announced her arrival as she dipped down through the clouds. Another screech from the älk bounced off the rockface as her talons tore through flesh. Her mouth came alight, dancing with the tang of blood as her beak ripped off a chunk. Further cries, as it all descended into chaos.

With a gasp, Kida opened her eyes. A flutter of wings drove her gaze to the left where she saw her beloved Ariel settling atop a boulder. Blood streaked his beak and talons, the latter of which dropped half a carcass before he tucked his wings back and turned his gaze over to her knowingly.

To her side Groom snored, before his head shot up. His glare met Ariel, before dropping to the carcass hungrily. Her own stomach, too, seemed to rumble despite the feast she'd had hunting with Ariel.

Eat the shrewd creature seemed to urge her. And she knew better than to ignore. She could not survive through Ariel, no matter how tangible each journey was. Her body had not moved, she had not gorged. Not yet.

Rising to her feet, feeling the ground shift unevenly beneath her, Kida felt Groom's maw against her hand and allowed herself a moment of support. Good pup. She fussed him as they neared the carcass, reaching out with her hand she drew a small bone knife from its place upon the ledge. Neither Ariel or Groom so much as flinched as the blade shot through the air and into her grasp.

It did not take her very long to cut what remained of the young älk into different servings, tossing a healthy amount to her beloved Groom. She even handed some to Ariel, though the Andöryn had feasted like a King this day already.

Reaching out she stroked one delicate finger down the pale feathers which adorned his body. A soundless thanks for the hunt he had undertaken. The hunt he had permitted her to join him in.

A rumble in the distance drew the attention of all three. She knew that sound, though she couldn't quite place her finger on it. Terrifying, hollow... The metal beast.

With an animalistic growl the young girl gathered what remained of their feast slid it and the bone knife into a pouch around her ankle.

And then, with but a jump to denote the action, she leaped into the air and landed with four soft patters. The girl was gone, and just a beast remained in her stead. The pouch on her ankle was all that remained, the band tight yet comfortable. There were some tricks even a child learned after decades of struggle.

Without a sound the trio set off down the mountain, toward the distinct noise which was beginning to diminish. But they had their scent, they had their destination. And soon they would arrive.

[member='Mythos'] [member='Serena Bouie']

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Serena welcomed the warmth of her husbands embrace it was in those few moments memories of a lifetime together came to life and reminded her of all that they shared and all that they hoped to accomplish.

She put her cheek to his welcoming his words as they caressed her ears enticing her with words that only made her wish to be with him more often, "We love you and miss you every day my love" She hugged him tight her arms slowly snaked up his, she could feel the toned muscles. She smiled and looked up, "there is a definite difference this year in how you, feel" He was stronger, he was physically strong. She did not wish to leave the warmth of his arms but she wanted to look at him again her own tears slowly sliding down her cheeks glistening for a brief moment before they fell frozen to the ground.

A lifetime would never be long enough for them.

"Kida said she was staying for training, she so wants you to be proud of her" Serena knew he longed for his daughter he longed for his family to be together, this would all come in time, all come at great cost.

There were things to discuss this trip as well, training was just one of them. Adas's strength was growing and the Jedi tricks she knew were slowly becoming a boring task for the imaginative young man.

[member="Kida"] [member="Mythos"]

 

[Mythos]

Mythos smiled, hes cheeks frozen solid from the trail of tears that flowed down upon his face. He shrugged, trying his best to be humble yet that task had always failed him. "You bet lass" He said in the Valkyr accent that was currently rubbing off on him wile he raised his fist and flexed his arms revealling the toned muscles and strong arm that sported it. "Be damned if the body doesn't show strength in this land, even the food is heavier and denser... the people here are stronger and more physically powerful than the average human even capable of lifting heavy boulders" Mythos said, his hands never leaving small Adas who looked at him with mysterious eyes.

"This world had a lore that is unprecedented, i have found various hieroglyphics yet without you or your team i cannot delve deeper into its cryptology. I need you to stay with ma' boy so you can see what i mean... " He looked at Adas and his face turned serious, looking at the boy he made the statement that they both needed to hear. "Only for a while..." It wasn't safe, Adas could not stay with him for too long... The galaxy hunted Mythos and enemies were everywhere... Mythos could take care of himself yet he was in constant danger all of the time, the unsafest place in the galaxy was at Mythos' side.

"Father..." Adas said, his voice breaking through the ice and raging winds of Midvinter like a sharp spear, melodic almost in his wording. "I have something to show you Father..." Mythos' eyebrow raised and he smiled while nodding. "Show me then lad..."

Adas half smiled in such a way that made Mythos concerned... he raised his hand, he had been training with his mother yet he had also been training on his own whenever he could in the subject of telekinesis. Mythos had been a natural at that ability using it as the only main ability for large battles for a very long time and it was also his strongest ability. The young boy focused on the boulder behind his father, easily over two hundred and fifty pounds in weight and slowly began to levitate the thing from the snowy floor.

Mythos gave his back to the boy and observed the thing break from the studded ice and crack the floor beneath it as it made it's way to the sky. It wasn't long before the boulder was well over his head and approaching Mythos at a steady pace. Clicking his tongue Mythos observed the boulder position itself over his head and rotate slowly about three feet above his skull. Adas chuckled as he let the boulder go, he said four words before laughing loudly.

"Success or death Father...."

Immediately Mythos was faced with almost three hundred pounds of rock coming down directly on top of his head... yet instead of dodging, Mythos lifted his arms up and clawed at the rock using only his upper body strength to keep him alive and holding the boulder over his head. His boots dug into the snow heavily, the ice beneath him snapping and crackling with the added weight. Yet Mythos looked at his sons eyes and his son looked into his... the little bugger had no qualms of killing him... this was his way of playing. One knee at a time Mythos began to rise up and the boulder between his shoulder got more adjusted to his arms until he lifted the thing over his head and turned, driving the rock down with a mighty smash beside him. He chuckled while breathing hard, his son just tested his strength, it was his way of saying hello... He was Sith in heart.

"Is that you got brat? After a year in the pits of a swamp I made for you, lobbing rocks is the best you can do?.. Come on! Show me what you really can do! Do not tell me that from my loins came a weakling rabble rat!" Mythos boomed, ripping off his cloak and staring down his son while beating his chest with an open palm, revealing the weapons in his belt and pack.

Adas was a child of very ill temper, he took insults very personally and was a very emotionally sensitive man. He did not fully understand or comprehend why he was left in Dagobah, a world he increasingly hated by the day while his father was somewhere else. He wanted to be with his father and sometimes felt abandoned and forgotten by him.... He did not take this challenge in a lighthearted manner. With an extent of his hand and a pull to the force, a pull that came out of sadness, anger, confusion and frustration he brought his father's songsteel lightsaber, Myth, into his hands and beckoned the black core blade. Mythos did not hesitate to pull the Rudis of the Dark lord into his hands and squared away.

"I'm going to Kill you one day..."

"You and what Army brat!?"

Father and son then dashed to the center of their positions... Mythos versus Adas and Mythos was going to teach his son a lesson or two he thought, Adas thought he was going to prove himself worthy of joining his father... something Mythos knew he already was, that wasn't the reason Mythos did not have his son around him... but that was Adas understood. The darkside of the force was strong inside his son...
[member="Serena Bouie"] @Kida​

 

[Lief]

She had hovered on the edge of a ridge as the ship met the ground and two strangers stepped out. Not strangers. One held a familiar scent, and as she gave a secondary sniff memories came to mind, of the swampy world she had once ran through, of the man, the woman, the babe. That was the babe then, all grown up while she had remained unchanged... As always.

Settling her body down she simply watched as moments later a fur-clad man stepped into view. She knew him. She would never not remember him. Though it had been a very long time since she had seen him. A decade, at least. Her heart skipped, a pang of longing, of desire, to the sight of her Papa.

Her excitement must have been obvious for Ariel swooped down to meet her and Groom lifted his head. Or maybe the pup' smelled his Master too.

No words needed to be said as they set off down the incline in search of those she had been without for so long. But their descent was slow, cautious, who knew if he'd even remember her. Her feline form had changed slightly since her time on Midvinter, to adapt to the cold. More fur, a leaner build from all the running and climbing she had done. But the same eyes. Always the same eyes.

By the time that they hit the clearing, and were stood on the sidelines, something had been missed. There was an anger in the air, a darkness seeping into her home that she did not want present. A very quiet growl left her, but it was drowned out by the snap-hiss of a lasersword. Lightsaber. That's what Furry had called it, years and years ago. A glowstick.

Dangerous.

Horribly dangerous.

Without thinking she leaped, not even seeing the axe that Mythos had taken up, and allowed herself to land down between the pair with a very loud and ferocious growl. Groom was very close at hand, also setting himself between Father and Son. He would not see his Master harmed.

She didn't pounce though. Neither did. They didn't want to harm the boy... Not unless they had to.

Kida turned her head slightly once Groom had Adas in his sights, to glance upon her Papa. The growls lessened into a whimper as her white-green eyes turned up to his in recognition. Adoration. She had missed him. Did he even remember her at all?

[member='Mythos'] [member='Serena Bouie']

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

This world had a lore that is unprecedented, i have found various hieroglyphics yet without you or your team i cannot delve deeper into its cryptology. I need you to stay with ma' boy so you can see what i mean.

Serena nodded she understood it had been quite some times since they had looked upon runes and ruins together it would be a welcome change from the swamps and ruins of Dagobah.

It was as she began to speak to tell [member="Mythos"] that she and Adas would like that, their son found his voice and called upon his father. It was now that the tendencies as his mother to protect him, coupled with her knowledge that he must learn that she slowly stepped away from them as each taunted the other. She had heard her father and brothers do such things long long ago it was almost a rite of passage, Adas was long past his time for this rite.

This needed to happen for them to come to the understanding that they needed for no matter how much she assured him that he was wanted by his father, Adas could not shake the feeling that he was not. That there was some dark reason they would not tell him that made it impossible.

As the two grappled a creature landed among them.

Serena did not know if the creature was a danger to them or not for one does not just growl and stand if one is dangerous, it would attack.....so far.....

"Mythos...."

Serena began probing the force....

[member="Kida"]

 

[Mythos]

The snow kicked up with a mighty boom as Father and son met in the field of battle, Mythos could tell his son had an an affinity for Juyo just like him yet he failed to understand the basics and fundamentals that made the form work. Adas dipped low to slice at the legs but Mythos was already way ahead of him not only blocking but unleashing a counter attack with the flat of the rudis that smacked his son hard in the cheek. Adas was enraged by this, lashing out with the force unleashing a brutal force push that blasted Mythos several feet away. The fallen king landed on his feet like a feline warrior, smiled and taunted his son once again with open arms. "Is that all you got!?"

Now it was Adas' turn to smile. "Not even close old mam" He pulled again this time harder and in the other direction. Mythos had misjudged, Adas was not employing Juyo but Niman as his fighting style. It caught Mythos absolutely off guard as he was sent sprawling directly into the tip of his black saber. Reganing his wits in mid air, Mythos angled his body elbow first to collide with the head of his son, an impact that would have crushed the young mans' skull. Adas was smart, not brash or bold or plunging himself into battle with a single aim to destroy... he was sly, cautious and patient. [member="Darth Ophidia"] would have found it interesting that this was the spawn of Mythos. Adas sidestepped, opting away from the impalement for a more safe and guaranteed hit, ducking his head and extending his arm horizontally to catch his father square in the midsection and then back away for distance. An easy hit, not mortal but weakening.... Adas felt the blood on his cheek freezing as it came down. Mythos held his midsection while wincing in pain to assess the damage. Cauterizing, not mortal or fatal, but damn hell did it hurt.

A roar broke the silence...

Mythos' eyes turned to see the snow and a massive cat came their way to step in between them. Mythos instinctive thought it was coming to hunt yet... the beast seemed to protect him and the other beast was unmistakable. Such a monster did not exist in Midvinter naturally, his Tuk'ata, the pup he had grown since birth and taken from Korriban. "Groom?" Mythos questioned. What the blazes was he doing here?

That must mean...

He looked down at the eyes of the feline, eyes that had won his soul when he was but an acolyte. Eyes that melted the heart of a sith like a lightsaber on Ice. The eyes of his beloved daughter, the single pride and joy in his galaxy. "Kida!?" He feel to his knees, almost believing this was a mirage, a trick of his imagination giving him the one thing he had missed the most all of these years. His only daughter and his first love. He passed his hand through her fur, thicker and colder than what he was used to. Tears fell from his eyes that turned to crystal before they hit the ground. "Where in the nine blazes have you been?" he said through whimpers and tears. "Don't you know how worried sick i was? how much i missed you?"

On the other side, Adas smiled at the red blazing eyes of Groom. The hound had cuddled him as a child, played fetch and hunted yet it took a while for the beast to recognize him. Adas' lightsaber turned off. "You've gotten fat Mutt" Adas said, as he walked over to pet the Tuk'ata, Groom being extremely smart and connected to the force himself blew a puff of steam at Adas' face in response to the insult, then he hugged his leg in affection.

[member="Kida"] [member="Serena Bouie"]

 

[Lief]

Her name registered in her ears, and a second later she leaped up at her Papa with her front paws pressed against his chest, her normally stoic tail moving wildly like a pup. A learned trait, from Groom no less! And when he fell to his knees her maw nuzzled up against his cheek alongside a myriad of licks.

She hadn't realized just how much she could miss someone up until this point. The only other being who she had felt this way toward was little Furry... And he was not so little anymore! Neither was Adas...

Mythos was singing the song of the uprights, and she could not understand any of it. She didn't need to, she could sense the raw emotion, see the way his body held itself, and knew that he had missed her too. But something was odd... He smelled... He smelled like Midvinter. Like her home. Did that mean he had been here all along? That they simply hadn't run into one another?

A low whimper left her at that thought. So much strife for what reason?

She brushed her cheek up against his one last time before stepping back, head lowered in brief submission. Would he be angry with her for interrupting? For appearing out of nowhere?

[member='Mythos'] [member='Serena Bouie']

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Serena watched and felt a warm heart at how the family had gathered to give [member="Mythos"] what he wanted them all together. She was certain no one was mad she smiled at [member="Kida"] hoping she felt welcome by her.

She looked at her son Adas proud of what he had done, how he had challenged and was faring until his sister bounded in. No this was the best that could ever happen for them all right now.

The wind swept in bringing with it the bone chilling breeze, she looked to Mythos, "Perhaps now would be a good time to head inside, and tell us more about what you've been doing, and what we can do for you now" Yes this was perfect.

This world this world that seem so barren and cold had done the near impossible it had brought them together. Wisps of snow tumbled about rolling like tumbleweeds across the the white landscape. Serena had gained something she had always dreamed of, family and sense of belonging. Life even among the most desolate offered hope.