Chapter I: Freedom Cry

[Ru Tetsuya]

Dathomir.

It was a beautiful and cruel mistress. Much like the women who ruled it, it was not something to be tamed, or even often times understood. It was something to be respected, feared, and loved also like the women who ruled over it. And when Dathomir spoke, you listened. Not two weeks ago his mistress had been killed by the very Rancor she had raised from a pup, thrown into a rage by a devilish Nightsister deep in the hills. It was apparent that she was not a part of a coven and was quickly put down by a powerful Jai loyal to the Red Hills Clan. He wished he could have been the one to do the deed and wipe her perversion of Allya from this beautiful planet.

All this was going through his head as he rode his Verne through the plains just outside of his clan's territory. Due to his mistress' untimely death and his affinity for the magics, he had been given a choice. Find his way to becoming a Jai, or enter the servitude of another woman. He chose the first option. Galloping towards the forest he felt the distress of his verne. <Hold Kad'ika> he muttered, pulling on the leather reigns. The beast huffed, and slowed to a trot. Shaking its head in agitation she knew what was coming. They were to enter the forest...Not good for verne as young rancors stalked these parts as well as other predators. And so Nova slapped the beast's rear, sending it galloping home. Gripping the sharpened stone blade weapon for comfort he said a quick prayer before entering the dark forest.

If he was to go into the stars he first needed to get to the one place that had them. The starport the Mandalorians had placed on the outskirts of Nightsister territory, as if daring the witches to attack. He liked their strength, but he did not know if they were actually strong enough to repel their Dark Magics or if they were simply idiotic. Regardless, he had his goal and that was a start. Pulling the strap tight on his bag he dashed into the forest to begin his journey.

 

[Ru Tetsuya]

The touch of the kiin'dray was a very useful spell...For forest dwellers. The spell had almost no use outside of climbing sheer cliffs and mountains. As such, Nova's own knowledge of the spell was limited to say the least and so using both speed of the toocha and the touch...Well, not only was it tiring, but dangerous. He already had had his fair share of falls in the hour he had been traveling through these wilds and despite his physical condition and use of the speed of the toocha back home he felt more than winded. Sweat dripped down his brow even now as he held on to a thick branch with is right hand. He had slipped while traveling through the trees, landing him in this position.

<This isn't ideal...> he mutterd to himself in his native tongue. Looking down he knew he had quite the drop if he let go. Reaching up, using the Force to secure himself to the branch, he hefted himself up and sat, leaning against the trunk of the tree, breathing heavily. It would soon be nightfall and he had not shelter nor fire, though fire was easy enough to create if he could get his hands on some wood...

 

[Ru Tetsuya]

Nova woke with a shiver, the buzzing of insects filling his ears. Looking around he realized he had fallen asleep in the tree with no fire and no food. His stomach gurgled as if confirming this fact and young Nova looked sleepily into the woodland.

Lowering his hood, still damp from the morning dew, he sighed heavily and used the trunk of the tree to stand upright. He focused for a moment, speaking the incantation that would give him the strength he needed to continue, if only for a while.

Feeling rejuvenated he leaped from the tree, using the Force to pull a low hanging vine to his hand and swung to the next vine, the touch of the kiind'ray keeping him above the ground. Scanning the ground carefully he found his prey. A stray verne, young by the looks of it. He licked his lips only to have his hopes shattered with a low rumble as a Rancor stepped into view, snatching the youngling off the forest floor.