Castles Made Of Sand

[Lief]

Three days after the brilliant red bird had fallen from the sky and treated the little kitten to a treat or two the carrion came. Dark wings, and darker words, they had taken the little wildling, showing more interest in her when she revealed her shapeshifting capabilities, and removed her from the world which had been her sanctuary. Far from the greenery she was used to, back into the belly of the metal beast which consumed her.

No bed to speak of, just a blank canvas within which the small feral child prowled, Kida took to mourning her loss with a series of low howls, growls and mewling. But the monsters who had sprung a trap on her either had very bad hearing or chose not to listen; for days they journeyed, and during that time the child received no respite in terms of nourishment, save for the occasional splattering of water which was distributed remotely.

Having no contact was not a bad thing for a child of the wild, but the lack of meat and other substantial food sources began to gnaw at her. There wasn't even the harsh bark of trees to quench her grumbling stomach. She rolled around on the ground to try and ease her discomfort, but that tired her quickly and soon she had taken to curling in the furthest corner of the room and laying her head down to rest.

When the door finally opened Kida was too weak to shift into her Daux-form, much less make a run for it. Her brief attempt at putting up a fight, in the form of a quick nip at the fingers of the first man who reached for her, landed her a hard hand for her efforts. With a whimper she was brought from the belly of the beast and into piercing sunlight. All around there were noises foreign to the wildling, the chitter chatter of the uprights.

She could see others who were bound or carried as they were shoved through the passages and walkways which made up an undercity of some kind. Sand cut through the sensitive skin between her toes as they dropped her to the ground unceremoniously beside their metal beast; she was not the only one it seemed, for they brought out two others - slightly older and standing upright unlike the child who remained on all fours, feral as the day she was found.

 

[Mythos]

A slab of scum and villainy, Animus had pressing business with the spice dealers in the area so he made his way to this Force Forsaken Undercity as he made his way through the various patrons of this Hellhole anyone would be lucky to even make it out alive, Slave or otherwise.
Animus was not a caring man, he was out for his own power. Lust and death would follow him as much as Passion and Love.

"We gots new ones Boys!" He heard the large lumbering Hunter yell as he brought in his new batch, grizzly looking things, one of them looked like a child, which Animus eyed curiously, a Child? among hunters? he eyed the hunter looking at the child as if to ask for some explanation, The hunter, a Human built like a Mandalorian Commando but smelling like a dying Bantha said regarding him "Shapechanger that one" Animus parted his eyes from the man who undoubtedly knew he was a Sith.

He closed in on the child pulling out a piece of Cooked Gutkurr meat he packed for Lunch and placed it in his hand, close to the child. His eyes dripping curiosity and a drop of sadness. The thing looked starving, and the compassion Animus has was activated. Rarely did it show, but when it did it showed full force.

The Hunter started to dissuade him but one Glance from Animus stopped him in his tracks. The Golden eyes of the Sith bearing into the man like Daggers of Hate, and a promise of Death. He eyes changed when he looked at the Child, to the eyes of compassion, and the eyes of catering. Animals could not understand words, but they could understand feelings better than alot of humans.

[member="Kida Ravos"]

 

[Lief]

Kida was lost and frightened, in this sand-and-concrete world where no nature could be found save the most vile. Yet she was also extremely hungry, her little stomach rumbled and if it wasn't for the stun cuffs she might have fled outright in order to try and find some sort of critter or bird, if this place even had any of either.

So it was that when a stranger stooped down before her with meat in his grasp the child tentatively crawled closer, sniffing the air. In the back of her mind she was well aware that she would be reprimanded should she act out of turn, as she had been when she bit the Captain of the vessel, yet she was far too hungry to care.

When she realised that no one was stopping her she finally closed the gap and swiftly snatched the meat from his hand using her teeth, her hands remaining firmly rooted on the ground as if they were in fact extra legs. Well, to Kida they were. Just as quickly she pulled back from him, to the spot she had been dropped onto, and hungrily ate the scrap of meat.

It tasted great, but it had her stomach rumbling up a storm. "T-Taa-oo" the feral child murmured, ever so slightly; Furry and Jax had taught her better than to be rude, even in dangerous situations such as these! Of course, that was the extent of her real knowledge on speaking. She hadn't ever really learned much else.

[member="Animus Malgus"]

 

[Mythos]

Animus' black heart was melted when the child apparently thanked him for the food however the Hunter's men quickly came before Animus in a concerned gesture which took the mood he was currently in and soiled it, he would not let the child see what he was about to do or say, he was aware that younglings were very sensitive to feelings and dispositions.
"Hey Yellow eyes, you window shopping or what?" The Man that seemed to commandeer the hunter pack barked at him, feeling empowered by his Pazzi of thugs around him. He felt a lot less empowered when Animus rose and eyed them all.

The group fiddled with their equipment nervously as Animus grinned at them before he said. "Shopping would mean i intend to pay, which i do not. I will be taking the child and you can go back to your everyday occurrences with all of your limbs still attached to your body"
The sound of clanking barrels and weapons getting prepared surrounded the place. It could never be easy could it?

"You thinkin you gonna get our catch without pay? You must be one of them crazies by the Huttses!" The big man piped with a simulated laugher, emboldened a bit by the clanking of weapons.

Animus could have whipped out his Saber, Slashed them all and ended this in a few seconds, but he did not want to scare the child... luckily Animus had something especially useful for this type of situation. Illusions.
Hand gestures and ancient words left him as he said "You still have a chance before my men end your lives where you stand. I don't want to make a blood bath gentlemen but i will if i have to" The Men saw behind him, an Illusion of Black Robed figures with glowing yellow eyes that although transparent and a bit like clouds because of his Acolyte level, were still Numerous and to stupid Hunters like this, were VERY real.

The Man looked at his sides and seeing the popping eyeballs of his men as they saw the Hooded Platoon behind Animus that crept forwards and literally seemed to appear out of thin air the man was shaking, his pants were soiled as well, they all jittered about nervously standing before Animus.

Animus' eyes glowed in Yellow light, rage and fury well contained as the Child enjoyed her supper. "This is the part where you run" He said in a calm voice that immediately threw them men for a run. Smart folk in a way, Animus thought. Before he turned his attention to the child.

Animus got closer and closer, slowly and carefully not to scare the child. "Child, come here" He pulled from his pack his Trusty Water Canteen, a companion of many battles and his most precious item next to his blaster and Saber. Water was Life, he knew as he dripped a bit on the floor so the child could see it was just water.
"Water". His eyes met the eyes of the child with compassion and caring. and his voice was that of a soothing tone [member="Kida Ravos"]

 

[Lief]

While Kida could make no sense of the noises the uprights made, she could pick up on an upcoming conflict through the tension in the air and growled. Still too exhausted to shift, she instead mimicked the body language of a Daux, her body and head low to the ground, her tushy up and wriggling as though ready to pounce. If she had been in her feline form it might have seemed normal, but for a child it was strange to say the least.

However, something happened which made the bad men second guess their actions. Turning on their heels they fled the scene, fighting over one another to be the first one out of the scene and back onto the ship; even the other captives were left standing in the dust, although they were just as quickly snagged by some other slavers. None dared to approach the child due to her proximity to the man who had just sent a horde of deadly men running.

Glancing back at the individual who had given her supper, the child wrinkled up her nose, sniffed the air again to make sure the danger was gone, and ceased her prowling state. Instead she crawled a little closer, elated by the sight of the water. She was parched to say the least, they had given her enough to ensure she didn't die but they didn't care about the likes of dehydration. And locked in the belly of a metal beast, there had been no natural source to seek out.

So it was that she stopped a foot from his feet and simply waited, she knew what come here meant, from some long lost life she barely remembered, though it wouldn't have mattered either way. He had gotten rid of the scary man, she did not fear him - although if she had any rational thought process she might have. But Jedi and Sith meant nothing to a child of nature.

[member="Animus Malgus"]

 

[Mythos]

Animus took the child into his arms and carried her snuggled in his cloak, she did not weigh what she should have but Animus carried her as a newborn wrapped up into his arms. He Placed the Water canteen in the childs hands for her to drink as he walked with her towards his ship humming an Old Nabooian lullaby and calming his Nature and his heartbeat as he walked with the Child in his arms.

"There there child, We are going home" He eyes anyone who got close with more than just a visual threat with his eyes, a fool could tell he was a sith because of his eyes, thankfully, no moves were made.

The sand of the place made Animus uncomfortable to say the least, it's not that he did not like sand it's that this place had no great beaches to couple it. Animus made his way to his Fighter rented from the Sith Armory. The fighter was a comfy fit, reclinable chairs and it had extra food and water which Animus once hopped in he would try and fasten the seatbelt on the child and procure some more meat and food rations from the ship's storage. [member="Kida Ravos"]

 

[Lief]

A slight growl escaped the lips of the child as she was scooped up into the arms of the stranger, a natural response given not only her feral side but also her experienced. The only person who had lifted her up like that had been Jaxton, at least with any good intent, the rest had sought to do her harm. Still, Kida had once been a normal babe, though not for too long, which meant that the way she was swaddled into his cloak made her feel naturally safe and secure. She put up no fight, her little eyes closing as she leant against him and allowed him to carry her away from this awful world with sand that hurt her toes.

His words also seemed soothing though she made no sense of them; the tone was enough of an indicator, of course. Once aboard the vessel she curled up in the seat he settled her onto, making buckling her in impossible. Not that it mattered, the child had impeccable balance and had he tried to tie her down, even with the best of intentions, she would have only panicked. Kida did not like travelling in the metal beasts, but given that her eyes were closed she barely noticed the transition. It wasn't until she smelt food again that she perked up, and her surroundings mattered not.

The hungry girl leapt after him as he went to gather food, ravenous.

[member="Animus Malgus"]

 

[Mythos]

Animus was beginning to think he was insane, (to his credit he kinda was) he did not exactly know what had come over him, mercy and caring were not Sith trademarks to say the least, but the child snuggled into his cloak tore at his heart and at his humanity (what was left of it) and brought it back from the darkness.

Animus quickly dispensed with the cuffs and shackles the child had on her, a fast swipe of his lightsaber as it turned off and on made quick work of them. He took off his cloak and snuggled her in it next to his seat and brought a tray of steamy food; meat and fruits, military rations too. He smiled at the child, and gave her a light pet through her hair. "We are going home" Animus said while smiling as he thought "And no one will ever hurt you again"

Quickly Animus began disengaging landing gear and boosting suspension. He intended to fly very carefully, no fast turns, no speed and distress just calm flying, until we get to the Foresight. From there Animus thought he would think of what to do with the child and perhaps give her, her own room. He kept the child close to him, a hand always close to her if she was scared so she could latch on to his hand and his eyes glanced her way every few seconds to make sure she was ok.

Animus just thought of what Ultimatum would say when he saw her at the Foresight. The thought brought a smile to his face and a chuckle.
Animus however was confused,he never met a child who behaved this way before, she ate like an Animal and the Hunters said she was a shapeshifter. Animus raised his eyebrow considering what exactly that meant, well, he would find out soon enough.

[member="Kida Ravos"]

 

[Lief]

The removal of the shackles had been a welcome respite, like the shedding of clothes whenever she changed into her Daux-form it felt liberating. Of course in the wilds she knew of neither chain nor cloth, but the slavers had shoved a coarse tunic over her all the same. It itched her skin and left her uncomfortable, but the moment the cloak was wrapped around her she felt better and thus she didn't wriggle as she otherwise might have done. While the sight of the lightsaber should have scared her, it simply reminded her of Jaxton. Of course, the reminder of the one battle she had experienced wasn't nice, Furry had been hurt and Kida couldn't help him in any way. Good thing Jax was around.

But that had been some time ago.

When he brought the food she stared at the cooked meat with uncertainty, sniffing at it. Used to a diet of raw produce the child hadn't been exposed to real human food since she had gotten lost, and even before then, before her brief stint with the Sanctum, her diet had been that of an animal. But she was hungry, so she did not care. While he petted her hair the small child ate the food, including the fruit and military staples, before curling up into the seat again.

The rumble of the ship had her whimpering, the metal beasts always had that effect on her, yet her wrists and ankles were too sore to support her should she choose to bolt off to some dark corner of the room the way she usually did. Thus she stayed put, eyes closed tightly - forcing her to miss quite a wonderful view as stars flickered by the transparisteel window.

[member="Animus Malgus"]

 

[Mythos]

Animus engaged autopilot as the Starfighter made it's way to hyperspace and was on it's way to the Starship. In the mean time Animus noting the child's fear and whispering picked her up and settled her on his lap comforting her. He was protector now and while Animus was beside her, it would take an Army to get past him and get to her.

He held her close in a tight embrace through his cloak and hushed her trying to calm her down, Animus was getting the impression she didn't like ships... he would have to do something about that when he got to the Shipyard, still.. he thought maybe the long ranges of the massive shipyard would do her some good before he thought of a better idea.


Nearing out of Hyperspace and into the shipyard. "You are taking a shower, and getting yourself into some comfy clothes when we get home" He said in a lone soothing tone to the child, never raising his voice or letting his worries drip through him, this was as much a training as any other one he had up till now.


Animus this day had learned compassion, a door that would open up Love, that he would surely use soon after. [member="Kida Ravos"]

 

[Lief]

After she was done eating the girl was pulled into the comfort of the mans lap where she proceeded to curl up; her eyes, now wide, were fixated on the sight of the stars which pierced the black abyss.

Mewling softly to herself, Kida nestled down into the cloak and swiftly fell asleep. The journey, which was likely made longer due to his insistence on travelling sensibly, was slept away by the child, who had no cause to wake until the man began to speak.

Confused by the language of the uprights, Kida rubbed at her eyes - perhaps the most child like thing she had done since [member="Animus Malgus"] had found her - and peered up at him. All she knew that his tone was soft and somewhat caring, which was enough to tell Kida that she was likely safe now.

Without warning the child leapt from his lap down to the floor and began to pad around the cold deck, shaking off the cloak as if it were rain in her fur. Sniffing the air she stretched her sensitive joints and her back, it felt good to be moving around again.