Private Predator in the Snow

[Jack Wright]

Mygeeto
Outer City​

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

Well that could've gone better.

Stepping away from the meeting point, Jack kicked aside a stone in the midst of his failure, just another after Geonosis, involving you-know-who. The neighbours right next door to Mygeeto, not yet conquering, which served as an advantage.

Only, the Muuns weren't interested in the GA establishing an outpost to maintain closer survaillance on Diarchy activities, stuck-up and neutral they claimed to be.

Bummer.

Welp, nothing better to do than get out of this cold and back to the comfort of his ship. The sooner the Knight returned to Alliance space, the sooner he can get warm and just report the recent failure to the-

Head perked up, snapping his gaze off, to the shadows of his right.

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn had a problem.


One that had landed him in yet another mess, all because he let his stomach do the thinking. Again.

After the chaos on Bastion with Diarch Reign , he had wandered off because of course he had. In his aimless meandering, he found himself tucked into a shipment of snacks. A fine choice at the time. A feast laid before him in a perfect, cozy hideaway. What could go wrong? Well, as it turned out, quite a bit. That shipment was inevitably loaded onto a ship, and that ship had taken him to a place that was very much not Bastion.

It was colder. Miserably so. The kind of cold that gnawed at the bones. The initial thrill of his food-filled hideaway had long since faded, giving way to a crueler yet familiar reality: hunger.

By the time he had exhausted his supply far too quickly, really, Kai'lyn was left prowling in the night, driven by that same gnawing hunger that had ruled him since childhood. Nearly a week had passed since he had eaten, and instinct, not reason, dictated his movements.

Survival was simple. It always had been. Ships meant people. People meant food. So he tracked the vessel he had seen earlier, his mind locked onto the only certainty he knew.

Kai'lyn had never been one to stay in one place long, not without something physically keeping him there. No cage, no chains, no leash, no collar, no tracker. He did as he pleased, as he always had, as he always would. Wandering off wasn't a habit so much as a deeply ingrained instinct. A thing carved into him from years of living on scraps, slipping through streets, and taking what he needed when no one was looking. A wild thing, untamed, following the most primal urges of necessity.

The cold bit deep, but hunger bit deeper.

Like a shadow in the snow, he crept closer to the ship, turquoise eyes catching the faintest glint of light as they reflected back at Jack Wright . There was little more than a dark shape in the night, small and slight but unmistakably wrong. Sharp horns jutted from his head, framing a silhouette that was all too predatory in its slow, careful approach.

Like a starving alley cat, watching, waiting, and ready to pounce.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

The Force flickered in warning.

But Jack only brushed at his weapon hilt, not yet grasping, nor activating. No, he only just regarded the shape in the shadow, one foot placed behind the other, maintaining a cautious stance.

Not yet making any move unless his new acquaintance had.

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn couldn't wait any longer. His body was running on fumes, every muscle trembling from exhaustion and cold, but hunger ruled over everything else. He had been spotted. There was no more time to stalk and wait for the perfect moment. Instinct screamed at him to take before the opportunity vanished.

His legs coiled, and in a burst of desperate energy, he lunged.

It wasn't graceful. His movements were too erratic, too driven by need rather than precision, but he still moved like a feral thing, all claws and quick reflexes. His eyes locked onto the bag slung over Jack Wright , the promise of food overriding any sense of caution.

The wind howled as Kai'lyn hit with the force of someone who had nothing to lose. His small frame crashed into Jack's side, fingers already scrabbling for straps and buckles, trying to rip the bag free before resistance could even register.

Cold bit at his skin, his limbs stiff and slow from exposure, but desperation made him ruthless. He yanked at the bag, twisting his body, trying to wrench it free through sheer force and stubbornness.

A low, animal-like growl rumbled in his throat. If he could just get the bag, or just one bite of something, he could last a little longer.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

However, he wasn't a Knight just for the looks or status, thrusting his hand midway upon being tackled.

The Force suspending the rabid creature upwards, now identified quickly as a person. A Togruta, the montrals gave away, but the sheer state of him, clawing into the air...

Rather, the pouch with notable marks at Jack's side. The Knight slowly rose, regarding the held humanoid questionably, the Force palpable within, darkness stenced off, polluting the cold wind.

And yet... Something else, that drew a deeper focus. The boy's mind was simplistic, instinctual...

Feral.

Craving a deep hunger not for death or chaos, but the eye on the pouch at his side. Jack frowned, and spoke with some authority, the Force echoing in his voice to piece through his pitiful shields, "Stop."

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn was, unfortunately, a little too crazed from hunger to be properly cowed by the authoritative bark. He'd faced down bigger, meaner creatures in pursuit of a meal; this wasn't all that different. He thrashed, twisting and jerking with wild, fruitless energy, but exhaustion caught up with him fast. His struggles slowed, then stilled, his sinuous muscles going slack as he lay panting, chest rising and falling in ragged, spent breaths.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

Well, it was a improvement.

Sensing his exhaustion to be genuine, Jack cautiously, if gently, lowered the starved Togrutan onto the ground, steadying a healthy distance of around five feet away, not precisely prepared to trust the boy won't lunge for a quick bite, if he's close enough. However, wariness was also on the forefront next to another feeling: Compassion.

For Jack also sensed sorrow and pain, a story there beneath the rabidness of the boy's disoriented mind. And given who they're right next door to, it didn't need a hazarded guess. Clicking his tongue, Jack knew he needed to help the poor lad.

Regardless what he was, or may have been. Hurriedly reaching through his pouch, the Knight slowed his movements as to not startle the poor boy, retrieving out the daily meal intended.

A ration bar, that he unpeeled with care and drifted over closer to the released boy, the Force carrying the prized bar with slow, methodical caution. Easy does it...

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn panted lightly, staring at the man for a long moment before his gaze flicked to his bag, then returned to watch what he was doing. He sniffed at the air, his pupils dilating as he eagerly snatched the offered morsel from the air, devouring it in an instant without so much as a pause for breath.

He settled right there in the snow, tearing off chunks with sharp bites until there was nothing left of the offering.

"Thank you," he said belatedly—actually speaking, and more than that, speaking with a measure of manners. It was bizarre to think a creature like him could speak at all, let alone have any semblance of courtesy. He licked at his fingers and claws, determined to savor every last trace of flavor lingering on his skin.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

For some reason, the boy actually speaking took him off-guard. Nevertheless, he smiled back slightly, shoulders relaxing a little.

"I have more." The Jedi offered, unwilling to let the poor humanoid starve. Retrieving more ration bars - three, in fact - and unpeeled them, waving them over just to be on the safe side. "I also have a water canteen in the ship. And it's much warmer in there."

Feed and quench first, get him inside for a comfort, then questions.

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn's gaze shifted between Jack and the rations. His stomach ached, screaming for more, but the offer, the kindness of it, made something uneasy coil in his chest. People didn't just give things freely. Not to him. There was always a catch.

But he was too hungry to care.

He lunged forward, snatching up the extra rations in a blur of movement, tearing into them with the same ruthless efficiency as before. His hands moved fast, almost frantic, stuffing chunks into his mouth like they might vanish if he hesitated. He made quick work of the first, then the second, then slowed slightly on the third. Not because he was full, but because his body was remembering what it felt like to have food again.

"I also have a water canteen in the ship. And it's much warmer in there."

Kai'lyn froze mid-bite. The mention of warmth was tempting, too tempting, but the idea of stepping inside a ship made his skin prickle. A cage. A place where the door could shut behind him. He swallowed, shoulders tensing, eyes flicking up to Jack's face like he was trying to see past the offer.

No hostility, no mockery....Just patience.

Slowly, cautiously even, he licked the last bits of food from his fingers, eyes never leaving Jack. He didn't agree yet, but he wasn't running either. He took a single step forward, hovering at the edge of the invitation, as if testing the air for unseen traps.

"Water first," he muttered, voice rough and hoarse from disuse. It wasn't quite trust. But it was something.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

Smart enough to stay cautious and even make demands. That was promising.

Jack nodded, "Water first." Agreeing to the statement, the Knight slowly backed up, making his way up the ramp while maintaining an eye on the boy for as long as possible.

Having no desire to take his time with the poor kid in the merciless weather. After a few minutes, the Knight returned with canteen in hand, and an extra robe draped over the other. Stepping down the metal sheet, Jack boots planted back on solid ground, smiling tentatively at the waiting Togruta, maintaining his place from before.

This time, setting the canteen filled of half-water, first, and backed away. The kid can have his space, earning the trust a little more.

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn's eyes shifted to the canteen as it was set down. His nostrils flared slightly, catching the scent of water even through the cold. He didn't move right away, instincts screaming at him to stay wary, but thirst won over caution.

In a blur of motion, he snatched the canteen, fingers tightening around it like he expected it to be yanked away. He twisted the cap off and downed the water in fast, greedy gulps, barely pausing for breath. It was cold, but it filled the gnawing emptiness in his stomach just enough to ease the edge of desperation.

Before Jack could say anything, Kai'lyn extended the now-empty canteen back toward him. There was no hesitation, just the motion of someone who had done this before. Someone familiar with taking what they needed and returning what wasn't theirs.

His gaze shifted to the robe still draped over Jack's arm. He hated the cold, hated the way it made his limbs sluggish and his body feel too small. But no one gave things freely. Not to him.

His grip on the canteen tightened slightly before he finally spoke.

"What do you want from me?" His voice was quieter now, but still rough. Not demanding, not quite accusing. Just... tired.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

Gently, Jack retrieved the bottle back with the Force, next hovering the warm robe over the young Togruta, nowhere touching, like providing as a makeshift cover from the light falling snow. Jack explained with the most bemused smile, his brows perked lightly.

"A name would be nice, and an explanation why you're out here freezing to death, kid." The tone gentle and coaxing, eager for some answers thsat would further establish a form of trust. Attaching the canteen to the belt.

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

He snatched up the cloak and pulled it tightly around himself, the fabric coarse but warm against his frozen skin. As he did, a shimmering wave of bioluminescent light pulsed faintly across his horns and skin, a flickering glow that faded just as quickly as it appeared. Togruta didn't usually do that.

"I'm lost," he said simply.

It wasn't an admission of weakness, just a fact. He didn't even know what planet this was, only that it was too cold and too unfamiliar. Regret settled in his chest, heavy and unwelcome. Wandering off had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now he wasn't so sure.

For a moment, he wondered if Diarch Reign had even noticed he was gone. Maybe. But then again, maybe the man had bigger concerns than keeping track of one stray pawn.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

Jack could believe it.

Lowering himself down to one knee, fabric pressed with a soft crunch in the snowy ground, snowflakes toyed with the fringes of his hair. The Jedi offered a small smile, motioning to himself while letting go of the robe as it draped over the poor kid, voice nice and gentle.

"Well, you don't have to be. My name's Jack, I'm a Jedi Knight," He paused, waiting for any kind of recognition in the title before continuing, "It's my job to help those in need, and I sense you're in trouble, friend."

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn's grip on the cloak tightened slightly. The warmth was welcome, but the words made him hesitate.

He watched Jack kneel, the snow clinging to the fabric of his clothes, melting at the edges. The Jedi's voice was calm, steady, too kind for someone like him. That made it harder to know what to do with.

Jedi Knight.

The title meant something, but whether it was good or bad depended on who you asked. Kai'lyn had never had much reason to care about Jedi before, though he knew enough to recognize the weight it carried. Help, protection, some grand idea of justice.

His fingers traced the fabric of the robe absently, mind shifting between instincts and logic. He could run, but he had nowhere to go. He could lie, but he wasn't sure it would do him any good.

"I don't need help," he muttered, though the words lacked conviction.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

His smile widened an inch. "Your lips move, but your heart speaks the truth, young one." Tapping into his own sternum, Jack replied with some mirth regarding the flagrant lie. "If you didn't need help, you wouldn't assaulting people in the streets, all for the smallest morsel of food."

Clearly he did need help. Jack was more than willing to provide, and so made the offer so they could get out of this snow, ASAP. For the young kid's sake.

"I won't hurt you, but I can't in good conscience leave you in these conditions. What do you say?"

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn's jaw tightened. His gaze dropped, shoulders still hunched under the borrowed cloak. He hated how easily the man saw through him, how simple he made it sound. As if survival was as easy as asking for help.

Jack spoke with certainty, like he knew what was best. Like it was a given that someone like Kai'lyn should accept a stranger's kindness just because it was offered. That wasn't how things worked.

Still, the warmth of the cloak settled into his bones. His stomach twisted painfully, reminding him of what little strength he had left. He could refuse, try to slip away the moment Jack's back was turned. But then what? More cold, more hunger, and eventually something worse.

His grip on the robe tightened before he exhaled, long and slow, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction.

"...You really won't ask for anything?" His voice was quieter this time, less defiant, more searching. People always wanted something.

He didn't say yes. Not yet. But he hadn't said no either.

 

[Jack Wright]

(Tag: Kai'lyn )

His signature glimmered a bit more, that was enough to have the Jedi's grin widen.

"Only for your name, and to accept a helping hand." He whispered reassuringly, a right hand extended towards the young kid, hazel eyes open, to the point gently lowering his shields, should he require a mental proof. If he was trained enough.

To sense nothing but sincerity. Jack earnestly wanted to help him, but the boy had to take the first step. Lowering his tone to boost that confidence, dormant within.

"Trust your heart."

 

[Kai'lyn]

TAGS: Jack Wright

​

Kai'lyn stayed silent for a moment, his fingers curling into the thick fabric of the robe as if grounding himself. His body ached, his limbs sluggish now that he wasn't running on pure desperation. The meal sat heavy in his stomach, a dull warmth spreading outward, making it harder to hold onto the sharp edge of defiance.

His signature shimmered faintly once more, bioluminescence tracing briefly along his montrals and the ridges of his lekku before fading. He exhaled, breath curling into the frozen air.

"Kai'lyn," he muttered, finally offering his name. His voice had lost some of its usual roughness, worn thin by exhaustion.


He looked at Jack's outstretched hand, then at his face, searching for the catch. The moment when the kindness would twist into something else. But there was nothing...just sincerity, open and steady. The Jedi wasn't forcing him, wasn't pushing, just waiting.

The cold gnawed at his bones, dragging his exhaustion deeper. He was too tired to fight, too drained to keep pretending he didn't need this. With a slow, reluctant movement, he reached out and took Jack's hand.