Wake Up

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael went first. He tensed his muscles, then he began to hop. It looked rather odd, this six foot man covered in a heavy fur coat jumping from rock to rock. Yet it was also oddly graceful.

While Kira struggled in her relationship with gravity, Soliael seemed to be its best friend. He moved quickly, smoothly, and gracefully. As he reached the center of the lake on a large boulder he looked back, ensuring that Kira hadn't fallen yet. When he noticed that she had not he grinned and yelled back to her. “You'll never get to swim if you keep this up.”

Then he quickly began to pounce again.

One rock to the next.

Then finally he reached the other side of the massive lake, his fur cloak coming down with a heavy thud on his shoulders. Oddly enough, his stomach roared with hunger just as he made the last step.

 

[Kira Talith]

Welp, had to start somewhere. A shot of trepidation would shoot through Kira's belly, only to be replaced with sheer grit and tenacity. Right, if he could do it, she could do it too!

Granted, well so maybe she didn't quite pass her tutoring stage of 'Jumping over the moon'. Slang for being able to retain her balance regardless wherever training she'd might have received since then.

"What do you know of swimming?!" came Kira's rather uppity message. Okay, she could do this.... maybe. She'd take a deep breath, shoulders rising only to fall. Okay.. just gotta stretch out the...

She began with a head start, rushing forward to push her weight off the edge of the lake. Airborn, she'd feel that free falling sensation only to have it fade as soon as she lande upon the first boulder. Her arms would wave round for balance, but within a couple of seconds she had it.

YES!

One rather smug Lorrdian Jedi Master would flash a grin.

"Easy peasy," she'd snark back. "Told you!"

Granted, as soon as she said that a massive growl would go echoing across the cavern. Guess what? That poop? Yeaaaaaaaah....

Ice monster came back to their feeding grounds, and now, all that was standing in between the dinner menu was one short blonde chick.

Great....

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael whipped his head around as soon as he heard the roaring. He shifted slightly eyes bulging and looking down the tunnels where they had just come from. So something really was down here, and by the sounds of it, something big. Soliael looked to Kira, orange eyes blazing, his hand pulled to the side and he thought for a few seconds.

What kind of monsters were in the cave?

“Have I ever told you about the time I tamed a Drexl?” Soliael inquired to Kira as he began to take a few steps to stand in front of her. His stance was protective, his eyes alight with something. Slowly he could begin to ear whatever it was that was coming for them. The pitter patter of legs, the screeching grate of bone moving against rock, the slightly trepidation of the air as it was filled with coming battle.

The creature moved fast.

Very fast.

He guessed that it would not be stopped by a little bit of water.

He was right.

The creature burst from the tunnel that Soliael and Kira had come from, its mouth agape, looking like an ugly flower. Its body was red and its two hands seemed to reach and grasp for them, two stinger like tails jutted from its body, snapping around like snakes. He could see no eyes on the creature, which immediately made sense.

“Kira.” Soliael said taking a step back and closer to her.

 

[Kira Talith]

"This is when we run!" came Kira's low hiss, taking a couple of steps back, "Ahh....ahh.. beans!" she'd curse, and then she'd try to leave across to the next boulder.

"Sol!" she'd wave him over "HURRY UP!" came her hiss. Clearly, the frozen wonderland that they were in had very little in terms of food to eat. So when this particular ice monster came across to rather neat little snacks to chomp on to, it was not about to let them get away.

A loud roar would echo, the large jaws faning wide, before it would suddenly start to cross the lack to try and snatch up its next meal.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

"Come on. Its probably more afraid of us than we are of it." Perhaps not the time to make a joke, but Soliael didn't want to run. Mostly because of his mothers voice in his head telling him that he needed to catch this monster, tame it, then bring it back to Onderon so she could play with him. Kira behind him however was screeching that it was time to go, time to run.

The creature seemed to understand the words, and jumped into the lake in an instant.

It splashed through the water at first, then came tot he surface with its mouth snapping.

Soliael thought to himself that the thing couldn't possibly be a fast swimmer, but was then immediately proven wrong as it shot forward within the lake, creating waves as it pressed its tail around the water to propel it forward. Interesting. Very interesting, and likely deadly.

Finally, Soliael heeded Kira's warnings. With slow steps he backed away from the lake and turned to Kira who was already in a full blown sprint.

What else could they do?

 

[Kira Talith]

"ARE YOU NUTS?!' came Kira's yell, moving from boulder to boulder to boulder. APPARENTLY, when in a life or death situation, her balance came to her just --

Annnd there went her foot, sliding under her as she 'd land upon a clump of slimy mold. Moss. Whatever it was. Either way, her yelp would go echoing as the beast would come lunging forward, it's tail snapping forward to try and pierce through Sol's body, managing to hit the boulder he'd been standing on just a few seconds earlier with an avid screech!

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael moved like a bat out of hell.

He dashed forward, his fight or flight instinct finally kicking in. His pupils narrowed, his eyes grew larger, and the blood within his hard began to thump. His incisors grew the slightest bit, and even though he had not eaten in nearly a day his metabolism spiked. His body began to go into overdrive.

The tails clashed into the stone behind him, breaking apart the rocks and stones, fragmenting them and sending them flying.

Soliael saw Kira fall, slipping on one of the mossy rocks. He let out a slight growl, though whether it was anger, annoyance, or simply an animal instinct was difficult to tell. He pushed himself off one of the rocks, grasping at the force and pulling as much of it into him as he could. He reached out for Kira, using the force to pull her into his arms.

With a heavy thud she crashed against him, slowing his momentum for only a second before he launched himself from the same stone that she had fallen from.

 

[Kira Talith]

By now there was no denying that this Ice Monster had assessed their victim potential and found them more than suited for the task of a meal. Considering they'd both spent the past twenty-four hours in various states of complete and utter exhaustion, there was no denying that they were a tasty snack. Not to mention, which how cold things get down here, the chances of a meal of two would be few and far in between.

Kira would scramble just as Soliael took her in his arms, half of her body now saturated in water. Well this wasn't going to be good. But no time to ponder that.

Her hair would fly in all different directions as they were airbourne, Kira barely feeling the landing as he'd start to jump across the path of boulders. It was as if that predator she'd sensed earlier, something primal, had taken over. She could sense it in the way he moved. The way she could feel how he'd ripple into motion with such smoothly muscled grace that for a bizarre moment she found it... beautiful. For the duration of a strange moment, she nearly envied him.

At least until a massive screech came from behind.

"HSSSSSSSSSISIIISH!!!"

Big Red Crab thing apparently wasn't none too happy to have its dinner flee. Kira's head would peek over Sol's shoulder, blue eye wide as the creature would come tearing after him, splashing water as it's crab like legs would move it swiftly to them.

Beans, beans, beans!!

She'd slip a hand out, and then she'd yell, "Keep moving!" suddenly the Force would draw from the tiny blonde, rushing in a white hot wave of energy that would flow down her arm and go crackling out slender digits of her bare fingers. Good thing she lost a glove earlier. Bright aquamarine arcs of lighting would blast out from the woman, electric judgement aimed for the overhead stalagmites above the beast. There was no anger, no aggression from the Jedi as she did so, proving that her ability did not lay in that of the Dark.

The arcs of lightning would blast at the base of the long dagger like formations, sending them crashing down to try and pin the beast. Great chunks of debris would crash over it's hard thick shell, angering it further.

That's when things got VERY interesting.

It would shrug off the hits, spreading its legs wide before it would sink its head low. The leave like mandibles would part wide like a vicious carnivorous flower, and suddenly a massive sonic blast would go charging at their direction.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael moved fast, but not fast enough.

The sonic blast struck the rock beneath his feet, sundering it into a thousand pieces and plunging them both into the cold freezing Water. Soliael let out a roar as the cold water saturated him, both he and Kira were instantly soaked, dragged down into the depths by the heavy fur cloak and their combined weight. The lake consumed them, like a monster all its own it began to drown them both.

Soliaels eyes sapped open in the clear, his pupils growing even thinner, blood shooting through his veins, and his incisors growing even further. Pure primal rage took over, his hand reaching up, taking the cloak and tearing it away from his body.

The heavy fur, already saturated began to sink to the floor.

Seconds later the Garhoon hybrid gripped Kira, taking her in two hands. Primal rage adorned him, muscles rippled. For a brief few seconds, the hunter stared into Kiras eyes. Pupils tiny, eyes focused, muscles flexing to their extremes.

Then, using a boost of the force, and his own natural strength Soliael threw her. There was nothing gentle or fawning about it, there was no coddling. Soliael simply threw Kira, knowing she would land on the far bank of the lake, knowing she would land somewhere safe.

Soliael surfaced seconds later, facing the creature.

 

[Kira Talith]

Curious how when one is staring death in the face, time has a funny way of slowing down. Or maybe it was the sudden shock of freezing cold water as it would envelop her, her hair drifting with an ethereal motion as her body would start to sink. She'd start to struggle, panic blooming inside her. Bubbles would rise and swirl around her, while the dim glow of cobalt, lime green, and violet cold water algae would confuse her senses.

Where was up? Where was down?! Her lungs would start to burn, heart thundering in her chest, roaring in her ears. Yeah, there was a reason too. Not just because of big red, but because the Jedi Master did not know how to swim.

Ohgawdohgawd! Sheer panic would fill her, the jacket she wore soaking up the water like a sponge. She felt heavy, bubbles rising as she'd try to move.

Suddenly, thick corded arms would grab at her. Sol. Her hair would float in front of her, blurring her vision as she'd instinctively hold on tight. It was at that very moment, that precise moment, her face would draw up and the blond strands of her bangs would float away from her face.

Vertical pupils, expanding and contracting in alien orange eyes would stare back at her. She was so taken aback, she couldn't help herself, she gave a slight jerk. He was bristling with fury, and had he'd been breathing, she was sure his chest would be heaving in short, rapid pants, snarling incessantly.

Those eyes would burn into her own. Did she imagine it? It didn't matter, the next instant he took her into his arms, and with a burst of the Force THROWN out of the lake. She surfaced much as if she'd been launched, and burning lungs would gasp for air as she did so, momentum causing her to fly out and towards the other side of the lake.

It was only her survival instinct that prompted the Lorrdian to summon the Force, using all that she could to try and cushion her landing. She had the advantage here. A lifetime of falling meant... well, she was well versed on how to fall so she wouldn't get too serious of an injury. Granted, that didn't do much for the shot of pain that went ripping through her body as she crashed against the wall of the cave. The wind was knocked out of her, and she gave a short yelp. Stars flared behind her eyes, her body starting to slump down the wall, taking down large fungus like organisms that had cushioned the blow.

Pain would lance through her, but that did not stop her from trying to call out to Sol, seeing him turn to face big red all on his own.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael faced the creature, half submerged in water, half flicking its tails through the air. His eyes locked onto it, the massive jaws hanging above the water as it crawled atop a massive boulder. Its eyeless face turned towards Kira, the young woman making more noise than the waterlogged False God. Bright Orange eyes flare slightly, and arms began to flail.

Cold water splashed everywhere, but Soliael had long since ceased feeling his extremities.

Every muscle in his body tensed, every ligament, every tendon, every organ in his body worked over time as Soliael gave into the fear. The Primal emotions that rushed through him were enough to tear his body into pieces, but instead of dying, Soliael moved.

His arm shot out, fist closing in an immediate crushing motion. Chains of the force wrapped around the beasts throat, and almost immediately a loud cracking noise resounded within the chamber. Soliael tore its head down into the water below, ripping its head down into the large boulder it sat atop. Another loud cracking noise resounded throughout the hall, as the creature received its blow to the head Soliael tensed even more.

Its head turned towards him, roaring, another sonic blast launched through the air.

He tried to react, but the blast struck him square in the side as he attempted to swim away. Thermal suit and skin were torn away, bones were rattled, and organs were shook. Soliael flew back, striking one of the rocks. The crack of bone rang in the air, and he cried out, though he did not stop. His eyes snapped open, blood shot and angry. Slowly Soliael crawled to his feet, sitting half dipped in water atop one of the boulders.

The Creature was upon him in a blink, pouncing him and landing upon the same massive boulder Soliael sat upon. Its two tails flicked back, and then came down.

One of the spines pierced Soliaels leg, stabbing through his thigh and creating a thick hole where it punched through. He let out a howl of pain, his shell of crucitorn being torn asunder. He reacted almost instantly, his hand shooting forward and gripping the end of the detail. Gritting his teeth, Soliael tore back, ripping the spine from the end of the tail. Blood spurted from the creatures tail, spilling over the boulder and hissing slightly.

The creature reacted, opening its gaping maw to send another blast towards Soliael at point blank range.

The False Gods eyes popped open, his hand waving in front of him.

A thin layer of the force saved his life, it flickered to life before him, stopping the sonic blast and crushing it between him. The force of the impact still struck him, his thermal being torn away along with flecks and flakes of his skin.

Soliael howled in pain, feeling his own body fail. The Lord of Exocron reached up, pulling the spine out from his leg and using the last of his strength to impale the creature through its own mouth just as it went for the killing blow. The monster howled and screeched, thrashing and whipping about wildly, refusing to accept its death until finally, it fell from the boulder and into the lake.

A deep ragged breath escaped Soliael, then he fell back into the shallow pool of water atop the boulder.

 

[Kira Talith]

When Soliael attacked, he did so with an explosive suddenness that would startle Kira. She could only watch helplessly as he'd twist and roll, watching for an opportunity to do something. Anything.

The creature was very much larger than Soliael, but he wasn't to be denied. There was a primal ferocity there. As she watched them battle, it sped up into something akin to a freeze framing that blurred beyond Kira's vision to follow. She could no longer seperate their forms, Soliael seeming to be preternaturally agile. Then the sonic blasts hit. Everything sped up so fast as she'd struggle to her knees, trying to will air into her lungs.

She felt so helpless. Then it was over.

Trepidation would hammer through Kira's small body only to dull as she'd go scrambling over towards the bloody mangled body laying there.

"S-sol!" came the hoarse grimace, holding onto her side as she moved onto all fours. "S-SOL!" her voice would rip out of her throat in a wave of panic, air rushing back painfully in her lungs. Fingers would grasp for traction, a nail ripping as it caught but she didn't care. Her sole focus was on the man laying in the shallow pool of water, blood tinting the surrounding liquid into a bright crimson stain.

Icy water would splash as she'd move over to him. It wouldn't dawn on her that the sense of calm he'd used on her as a Zeltron was going on right now. It was the crystals. A calming quality that would help her get just a bit more focus. It was for this reason that Kira reacted with clarity, grabbing a hold of Soliael from under his arms to drag him to safety. She had to get him out of the water. Fast.

Don't focus on the blood. Don't focus on the blood. Don't focus on the -- Kira couldn't help it. The extent of the damage was brutal as she'd drag him out of the water. One leg was broken. There were places on his body where the thermal and his skin had been partly peeled away, and stars the blood.

.. all the blood.

"Sol... Sol... hey, talk to me here." came her plea, managing to get him out of the water and into a flat area. Frustration rose only to null as the saturated jacket made it more difficult to move. Frigid fingers would move to zip it off, arms sliding with a less than frantic motion than she'd expect. It would fall with a loud sucking motion beside her, where she'd fall to her knees scrambling to check on him.

Cold fingers would tremble as she'd check on his pulse, finding a faint beat there. He was still breathing, but barely. There was so much blood on his face she could barely make out his eyes. There were places torn so deep she could see bone! His chest was a mass of bloody ripped criss cross and open slashes.

By the Force he was so motionless! "Sol.. for Force sakes talk to me!" she didn't dwell on the elongated incisors. She didn't dwell on such random facts. He'd told her before that he was a mutt. A blend of several species. That made him heal faster.

Well damnit she needed him to heal faster NOW.

Her hands would cup his cheeks, blood smearing her hands, her pants. Force, it was everywhere. The Force would bloom within her, trying to peg down the extent of his injuries. Her breath would catch.

He was dying.

She could feel it. Feel how his life was fading. "No..." came her hoarse whisper, freezing water dripping from her hair, down her quickly blue tinged face.

"Come on Sol... N-need you to f-focus on me, please. J-just hang on. I-i got you." She would move, sliding down to sit and shift him so he would rest on top of her, mirroring the position he'd held her in when she'd passed out hours ago. Up she'd bring him, until his back was against her chest, her cheek pressed against his.

"I got you..." her cold lips would murmur by his ear, her cold clammy skin of her cheek against his. She wasn't good at healing. Never was. But she had to try. Just like that, the Force would burst forth from her entire being, completely utterly focusing on trying to stabilize Soliael. Unknown to her, the proximity of those six crystals only served to focus her will and concentration, calming her to pinpoint the key areas she'd need to accelerate healing. Damage to internal organs was priority, everything else... I... I could focus on later.

Lips would press against his bloody cheek, his blood smearing like a crimson petal over her own as she'd say in hoarse whisper.

"I got you."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Soliael drifted within a deep blackness.

There was nothing.

Not the white of creation, not the eternal forests of dawn, not the endless light that was the beginning of the universe. There was simply darkness. A vast Nothingness that contained only Soliael Devin Talith Shamalain, the False God of Moross, Prince of Byss, Heir to an Emperor, Son to the Beastia, ruler of man and machine. He was the only thing that was to be found in the void. Nothing else was around him, nothing else was with him, nothing else could reach him.

It was here that he floated for an eternity.

It was here that he was trapped for ages beyond ages.

Within the darkness, Soliael floated.

Thousands of years passed, perhaps even millions. Nothing changed. The Darkness existed, and so did Soliael. Insanity came to him, then left him, then came to him again in all its tortures. It seemed to him that time was warped and bent, that what little he knew of reality was broken and damaged, that the events of his millennium spanning lifetime within the darkness were nothing but a lie.

This thought occurred to him, and something shattered his mind.

“I got you.”

The sound shattered the void. It rocked it. It broke it into a thousand tiny pieces.

The first words that Soliael had heard in a millenia. The first words that Soliael had learned in a thousand lifetimes. He clung to them, clawed at them, desperately reach for them as if he were a child reaching for his lost mother. The Void quickened, it moved at a hastened pace. It tried to consume him, but the words called to him.

“I got you.”

A deep heavy breath pulled into his lungs. Soliaels entire body stung, a thousand prickling needles stabbing into him over and over again. His hands shot up, bloody and dripping, they reached towards Kira's face, smearing red across her cheeks and into her hair. The False God gripped her locks in a gentle embrace, holding her head tightly in place against his cheek. “Stop!”

The word was a whispered cry out of desperation.

 

[Kira Talith]

The grip of bloodied fingers would hold Kira’s clammy cheek against Sol’s own, the rasp of the day old scruff across his jaw scraping against already aggravated skin from the cold. Fingers shake, the metallic tang of Soliael’s lifesblood saturating the ground a growing heady cocktail of approaching death.

She could barely hear the desperate hush of his command. Telling her to stop. But she wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

“N-not yet.” she’d stammer out, her body trembling as she’d continue to funnel healing energy into him. He was at the edge of a precipice, where a single step would send him falling into the abyss of death. She couldn’t allow that. Not when she could still have say in the matter. Her jaw would lack in determination, ice blue eyes lowering into half slits.

“I got you,” Her heart would thunder in her chest, beating a quickening pace that would match Sol’s own. It was in this she’d concentrate on, the tempo, a guiding thrum to continue to mend his internal injuries.

But she knew she couldn’t last any longer beyond this. Any more would be her own funeral, and she wouldn’t be much use to him dead then. Stars, she had to do something! But what?!

... so what else can you do?​

Oh so many things.​

The calm of the crystals would bring clarity, drawing her focus to the rise and fall of each others breaths, the beat of their hearts.

My father was a powerful Force User, a Sith Lord who became Emperor. His father was a Jedi Master of old. My Mother as well is an incredibly powerful force user, so was my Grandmother and so it my great grandmother. I come from two dynasties of incredibly strong force users.​

In her minds eye she recalled the ease in which he’d learned how to create light. How he had shown off his quick ability to learn and in turn, used it to an advanced means.

You could say I was predispositioned to use the force. To me, the force comes as naturally as moving an arm.​

An idea came to the Lorrdian Jedi Master then. She could teach him. Show him how to heal himself through the power of the Lightside of the Force. This could work, he himself said that the Force comes to him as naturally as moving an arm. He could do this. She had absolute faith he could.

However, she didn’t have the precious time to waste to teach him the intricacies of how one would do so. If only I could just… show him. Guide him to --

Wait, I can. Oh it was a heck of a risk, but she could do it. She could show him, as one. Jedi Knight A’dele Adonnai often spoke of a technique where a number of Force users joined their minds together through the Force, drawing strength from each other. A refinement of battle meditation, it could allow the Jedi to act as one with one sole objective -- but came with heavy risks.

Risks she was willing to take in order to save Soliael’s life.

“N-need you to work with me here, Sol.” the hoarse whisper would fall by the shell of his ear, Kira drawing up as much vast reserves of energy she could from her core. The Jedi Master would slightly rub her cheek against the False God, that tangible rasp attempting to draw his focus, the tug of her hair within his grip offering a foundation.

“Relax, f-focus on my voice,” her breath would be hot against his skin, her hands coming up to brush against his temples. Blood would smear, and the scent of it would engulf them both.

“Stay with me.”

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

The Blood.

The sweet sickly scent of blood filled his nostrils. It clouded him, each breath making thought more difficult, each breath making hearing her harder. Ragged deep breaths escaped his punctured lungs, he shook and shuddered, his hands gripping Kira harder. His eyes watered over as he opened them, tears forming the instant he opened his eyes, neck turning upwards so that he could look directly at Kira.

“Stop.”

He begged her.

He whimpered.

He pleaded.

He didn't want this. He knew it. He didn't want to cause her death. He didn't want her to harm herself for him. He didn't want Kira to die.

The Blood.

Drips of it focused in Soliaels vision. It was everywhere. It was on her face, in her hair, on his hands his arms, everywhere. His muscles tensed, the pupils within his eyes grew smaller, and his incisors grew again. He struggled, his eyes snapping shut, a low rumbling growl exiting his throat.

“Please.”

It was a pathetic whimper, a pleading cry.

He didn't want Kira to die. He began to fight her, move against her. He rejected the healing, pushing the sense of her away. If she healed him, she would die, if she expended too much energy, she would die. She had to be pushed away, she had to be pressed away from him so that she could survive. His mind began to race, primal urges filling him. His hands tightened again.

"Please."

 

[Kira Talith]

Soliael would start to draw from her embrace, but Kira would not let him. Her knees would draw up, cradling him between them, pinning him down as she’d tighten her grip insomuch as her tiny body could .

“Stay,” came her strangled whisper, feeling the tightening grip of his large hands on her hair. It was almost painful, tears smarting her eyes as her trembling body would hold him against her. The hands clasped against his face would tighten their hold, and the tips of loose blood stained blonde hair would brush a sanguine stain against his cheeks and lips.

Bright blue eyes would look down at him, seeing the lengthening of his incisors as he’d plead with her to stop. It was heartbreaking, to see him like this. But she couldn’t, wouldn’t allow him to die.

There was a way to save him.

“Sol.” her fingers would start to dig indents into the shadow of his jaw, her head hovering over his own, the slender column of her neck a flash of pale blue white. The thrum of her heart beat would make her blood pound through her body, the heat and rush of energy of the Force as she’d summon it casting her in a soft glow, the Lightside of the Force resonating deep within her.

“I-I need you… to relax. Please.” drops of her tears would fall from spiky tipped lashes, crashing against the high arches of his cheekbones, blending with the blood to carve a pink path along his jaw line.

Warmth would rush against his face, that sweet pulsing energy she would manipulate mentally shoving against Sol’s insistent desire to deny her entrance.

"I can't do this on my own."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

Relax?

How could he relax?

The Blood. The blood was within him, it was in his nose, in his mouth, in his eyes. He could feel it crawl beneath his skin, he could feel it get into his muscles, his mind. His muscles were so tense, his mind was flexed. He wanted to eat, to consume, he wanted to kill.

But his rational mind fought him, it gripped at him, pulling him back from the abyss. Kira's voice was like an anchor, tying him down to the ground and keeping him in place. Soliael wanted to scream, he wanted to yell, he wanted to pull Kira down to him and howl at her to stop. She couldn't do this! She couldn't heal him against his will.

She couldn't sacrifice herself to save him.

It wasn't fair!

It wasn't right.

She couldn't do it. He couldn't allow her to do it. Soliael focused, opening his eyes so that they met hers. His pupils were pin needles, his eyes almost completely consumed by focused Red and Orange. His incisors had grown large, and tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. The animal side of him saw the blood, his neck tensing slightly as he fought against the urge to leap up and chew through Kira's throat, though it was doubtful he would be capable of that.

Instead, he lay there, every muscle in his body flexing.

“You can't.”

It was a hoarse whisper, a cry.

 

[Kira Talith]

His heartbeat was starting to turn erratic, and Kira had to fight the panic when he still would struggle mentally and physically against her attempts to bridge a meld. By the Force, his lips were so pale and chapped, his cheeks hollow. Blood tracked from the open wounds along his face.

Her lips would part with ragged breaths. For Force sakes! She needed to distract him. Get him to allow her control. Shock him into just --

Well, never say that Kira wasn’t ready to go the extra mile. Then again, right now it was the only way to get him to shut up. Maybe that is why he did it to begin with to her? It didn’t matter. What did is that she did the only thing that came to mind to draw his attention.

Her face would draw closer to his, and the firm pressure of her fingers and hands would almost painfully hold him in place. Her hair would be a bloody veil to shield their faces from view.

“Shuush.” came the only forewarning, her breath brushing over his mouth before her cold lips would press awkwardly against his.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

He strained. His entire body bucked from the shock of contact. It wasn't relaxing, not at first. The blood rushing through his veins, the adrenaline and endorphins that pumped through him at the sight of blood. Her neck so close, her heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears. He wanted to bite her, he wanted to tear her apart and consume her whole.

The sweet temptation.

As their lips met, Soliael opened his mouth, his incisors very nearly scraping her lips for the blood that was upon them.

But he didn't

Instead, her forceful kiss put him down.

It was as though she pushed him into a state of relaxation, forced him to be calm. The Void within his mind grew distant, the rage died, his pupils grew. Her lips pressed against his own and he relaxed. Tension draining from him in an instant. The calm of her, the feeling coming from the crystals and Kiras own mind would weigh him down.

Finally, he relaxed.

 

[Kira Talith]

It wasn't the kiss that would finally allow Kira to do what she needed to do. No, what manner of awkward peck would even do that? No, instead the kiss served to draw his attention but for a moment. A small window of opportunity to get his mind to stop fighting her attempts on a meld through the Force.

The calm of the crystals were the true heroes of the day, and much like when Soliael had used his racial ability to calm Kira in her own panic, these crystals would resonate and enhance that peace of mind and calm through the Lightside of the Force. The kiss only lasted but for a few seconds, and she'd pull back just as her lids fell shut.

The tension would wash from his body, his breathing would slowly start to regulate, his heartbeat wane in its erratic beat.

"That's it... just like that," she'd whisper in encouragement, needing him to come into a state of inner peace and serenity - as much as the situation could call for - so that he could find his center.

"Focus on me, Sol." Let me in. Her brow would furrow in intense concentration as a white glow would brighten over her hands. A pulse of energy would sweep from her body onto his own, her mind searching for him, that part of him that would invite him into her own.

One intangible hand would extend out into his mind, and while she was no telepathic, the Force meld if successful would bind them as one. In it, he would realize her intent all along. To guide him in the use of the Force to help her heal him, himself.

I can't do this alone.