Private Burning Feathers

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

This time, Jonyna wasn't so much worried about keeping up with the boy. They could see their destination, and Jonyna wanted Aris to get a work out. AS they approached the massive tree, it came into focus just how big it was. Clouds seemed to part around the trunk, as the skyscraper sized tree sat, nothing of it's size anywhere near it, a lone peak amongst the otherwise flat savannah.

As they approached the trunk, Aris could see the ground turn into small hills formed by the roots taking hold into it. Jonyna's eyes seemed focused on the lower branches, looking for something. The tree was alive with activity, and yet it seemed Jonyna was listening for something specific.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris slowed once they made it to the base of the tree. He glanced up to it, smiling faintly. It was massive. He'd rarely seen plant life that large. Or had he? Was this taller than Kashyyyk's? He hummed as he glanced to Jonyna. Then tilted his head as he glanced up to the tree himself to search for.. Whatever it was she was searching for.

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

Jonyna paused, her feline eyes fixating on something high above them. "Follow me." She said simply, beginning to climb up the massive tree, freehanding up with her claws. Aris could see something flicker up above, like a campfire off in the distance, only this was high above them. And yet, no flame seemed to spread. It was like a candle up in treeline, flicking endlessly.

Jonyna paused, looking to Aris below. "You...don't have a problem climbing, do you?"

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris was quick to hop up after Jonyna, though, tilted his head at her question. "I don't get hurt from falling, and I've no problem with jumping and balance. Why would I have problems climbing?" His attention shifted up though, now focused on hat seemed to be a flame of some kind. Head tilted, he'd leap up to the next, and the next. Not so much climbing as just jumping, at far higher a height than should be capable.

"What's this?"

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

Jonyna watched as her padawan leapt from branch to branch. She really was struggling to keep up with his growth. His species was so new to her, and yet she couldn't seem to find any research on it to help the boy. Boy, he was nearly 2 feet taller than her at this point.

As they got higher and higher, the flame flickered more and more, as the two heard...

Tweets. The sound of a chick.

Aris could see it, a nest of sort.

Finally, they got to the height of it and...

it was empty, save for a single chick, calling out for it's mother.

"Oh that's..." Jonyna paused, looking into the nest. Her ears twitched, looking around to see if any larger bird was coming. It was silent, as the little ball of feather and flame called out again and again.

Then it hopped over to Aris. It called and called, looking to Aris with big eyes, full of wonder and sadness.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris stared blankly at the bird. Animals weren't his thing. Without feeling the Force, without really understanding emotion, animals just weren't something he knew how to interact with. It jumped to him, but he took a step back. He couldn't say he was alright with even interacting with it. Mothers birds abandoned their chicks if they smelled of other animals, of people.

"We should move on. Before the mother comes back."

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

Jonyna frowned, and let out a breath of frustration. She needed to be sure. Meeting a Je'ka Lairi at all was considered a gift. A sign of fate's plans for you. But...

She needed to be sure. She reached out, going into a momentary state of meditation as she felt the wind itself for a mile outward in every direction. It wasn't something she could do without a moment of quiet, but...

She needed to be sure.

...nothing.

A mother wouldn't leave the nest alone like this. Not for long, and not going far. She knew enough to know how new parents hunted. One would go out, looking for food, the other would keep close to protect the chicks, always working in shifts. It's how the Denik had survived the long winter...

"...I don't think it's mother is coming back." She said solemnly. "I don't sense another Je'ka anywhere close. A mother wouldn't leave their child alone like this if they weren't closeby..."

The chick once more hopped over to Aris, nearly to the edge of it's nest. It looked lonely. The bird let out a chirp, looking up to the boy with a curious look.

"...it's said that meeting one of these birds means you're meant for great things." Jonyna whispered. "You only see one once in a lifetime."

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris's expression softened as he looked back to the bird. Their parents were gone, then? He still kept his distance, but, he didn't pull away from the chick as it hopped over towards him again. Rather, he let a hand out for the bird to approach on it's own. Great destiny? Aris didn't much care about that. ".. Then I guess we'll have to take it home? I don't want to leave it here."

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

"...I don't want to either. Think you can handle it? I think the little guy has a fondness for you."

Maybe this could be part of their training. Je'ka were fragile this young...

The chick hopped up, looking up to Aris with curious eyes, before finally...

"Home!" It spoke, mimicking Aris's voice exactly.

 

[Aris Noble]

"Maybe? I'm not good with animals, if I'm-" He didn't finish his sentence, instead blinking as the creature copied him. He'd heard of animals capable of such, especially birds. But not to this level. ".. Do you think it understands or..?"

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

"It'll be a test as much as finding it was." Jonyna nodded, before she let out a chuckle. "I think it understand you're talking to it, but not what you're saying. It might just like the word."

"Home! Home!" It repeated, keeping Aris's voice. "Home! Home!"

"...It definitely just likes the word." Jonyna snickered. "Now, first test. We need to get it back to the ship, okay? Be careful with it."

 

[Aris Noble]

"Careful." Aris nodded once as he held the bird now in his hands. It didn't burn him, it couldn't. He glanced to Jonyna before giving her a nod. "I'm ready. I'll have to figure out what this little guy eats some time too, huh?"

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble

"That'll be part of the job, yep." Jonyna nodded as she slowly started climbing down. What had started as a simple training day, had turned into something more. Aris had found a sign of greatness, or at least in her culture, a sign of a bright future. For now, they would return home...