Private If You Can't Face the Wolves

[Lira Kros]

As she stepped out of Blazebirth Hall, Lira held out her hand.

Her son put his little palm into hers, and the two set off. As always, Lira's eyes scanned the treeline up ahead. And the little boy did the same. He was learning to keep his eyes (and wits) sharp and vigilant, just like his mother. But just like his father, he carried a wooden axe—for he was not allowed a real one yet.

Lira glanced down at the boy, he was the miniature mirror image of Jor Kvall . It was both strange and wonderful to see her husband reflected to perfectly, blond hair and glacial eyes. Their son was tall for his age, and he had the high-spirit of youth that would mature into the Mandalorian love for battle. Lira could already see him leaving home, off to battle, a shield on his back and sword in hand. The thought alone made her swell with pride, but it also made her heart ache.

For now, he was still tender enough to walk hand in hand with his mother. And Lira would cherish these days, even if they spent them in the deep wilderness and not in the halls of Heorot.

“Stay close,” she said, momentarily letting go of her son's hand. Kneeling, Lira pushed some wet leaves away to reveal a small bounty of fungus. Unsheathing the little knife from her boot, she cut them free of the sodden ground and placed them into a linen-lined basket. As she continued to harvest mushrooms and berries and medicinal leaves, she kept a watchful eye on her child.

He brandished his weapon and swung wildly at imaginary foes. Lira couldn't help but smile, so young and already so brave. On their outings, she taught him well to stay safe-- to hide if she said hide, to run if she said to run. There were countless dangers lurking in the trees, and none were so terrible as the Sith that now plagued their homeworld. Thankfully, their darkness had not ventured into their new territory. As the saying went, if you can't face the wolves, don't enter the forest. With a pang of longing, she knew that her husband was out there—leading the charge to rid Krownest of their Sith enemies.

How she missed him when he was away.

But he fought for Krownest, for the Mandalorian way, for their son's future. And Lira knew in her heart, he'd come back—he always did.

“Come,” she said, nodding.

The pair drew a wide circle around the base with their steps, moving towards the darker trees that remained, for now, untouched.

 

[Jor Kvall]

"Our intelligence has observed a Sith supply train moving through the South Pass near Heorot. Your squad will form a strike team to eliminate them."

Jor Kvall pointed at a glowing blue holomap between himself and Captain Talsgar, and handed him the coordinates. The other Mandalorian examined the map with a critical eye and scratched his chin as silence hung between them.

"We should send a reconnaissance team first."

Another moment of silence hung in the air before Jor shook his head. "No," He looked up at the Captain. "It will ruin our element of surprise."

"Very well then, Alor. It will be done." Talsgar took the holomap and turned away.

Jor turned back in the direction of the woods towards Blazebirth Hall, and wiped the sweat and blood from his forehead. The combination of the two made for an especially warm, sticky substance that could only properly be removed by a shower. As he walked, he began to shake the thoughts of the death he had seen away from him. They could only continue this way for some time - soon, the Sith would take notice of their mounting losses and respond, and the entire planet of Krownest would be in a state of all-out war.

Until then, there was still the solace of his family at Blazebirth Hall, and the small respite of peace that could be offered there. At least Lira Kros was safe for the moment. If anyone was going to die, it would be him. Jor was calmed by that fact, but recognized it was selfish.

Sighing, he could see the wooden frames of Blazebirth Hall in sight between the trees now. Stepping up to the main gate, the guards flanking either side greeted him with a fist on their breasts, to which Jor responded. Dirty and bloody, Kvall lumbered through the opening doors and expected to find Lira at the center of the main hall where the fire was, preparing food as she normally did. Various Mandalorians milled about the main hall at present, but none of them were his wife.

"Lira?"

 

[Lira Kros]

Little did she know that her husband had just spoken her name inside Blazebirth Hall.

She canted her head to the side, watching her boy waving his wooden axe, making practice strikes against the great trunk of a tree. What he lacked in form, he made up for with plenty of enthusiasm. And when he returned, panting, to her side, the two of them moved deeper into the woods. All around them, the trees spoke in quiet rustles of leaves and the occasional crack of branches.

Lira bent to collect some more wild forage, when she felt her son's hand clutch the side of her skirt. Howls in the distance. Her eyes scanned the trees, but she showed the small boy a calm expression. Be alert, but do not panic—words she had instilled in him since their first walks in the woods outside the Hall. There was very little to fear when Jor Kvall was there. His absence often filled Lira with unease, though she wouldn't show it.

Setting the leaves in her basket, along with the mushrooms, and a small collection of sweet berries, she turned them back in the direction of the hall.

“It is time to return,” she said in a tone that allowed no room for questions.

With still some distance to cover, Lira's right hand hovered near the hilt of a short sword that adorned her belt. Becoming a mother had only added to Lira's fiercely protective nature. Though she was not a warrior like her husband, she was still Mandalorian, and the blood of battle flowed in her veins.

She'd gladly face the wolves if she had to.

Still, instead of being the piercing blade of the sword, Lira was the shield.

And as they neared the Hall, the woods grew darker around them. There was movement up ahead, a shadow in the trees. Was it friend or foe?