Ask The Green Hell

[Aranmir]

While the boat moved down the river, Aranmir thought about how it was strange to be back to G’wenee. The last time that he was on the planet, the Padawan was still part of the circus and needed to prepare himself for the presentations. However, now he was visiting it as a tourist.

After all, he had promised to Ashen that he was going to show the Kage the Great Jungle of G’wenee and why people used to call it the Green Hell. Not only that, he had also decided that they were going to camp here, far away from any point of civilization. In the middle of what probably was one of the most dangerous places on this planet. Perhaps even of the entire Galaxy.

Of course, the place where they were going to camp wasn’t so far away as Aranmir was making the Knight think. It was close to a famous camping site for tourists, but far away enough to make Ashen experience a taste of the deep jungle. However, it was still isolated from the nearby city, only being reached by boat.

“How are you feeling?” Aranmir asked the Kage. He knew that Ashen didn’t handle high temperatures, so he chose the winter for them to camp. However, even during this period, the temperatures could reach 37°C. “Are you melting in a puddle already?” he said playfully, but being concerned for the other's health. It was good that he brought several bottles of water.

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

As Ashen leaned back in the boat, he couldn't help but admire the tranquil view of the river's shoreline slowly passing by. He felt happy to take a brief break from his duties as a Jedi, even if it wasn't something he did often. And what better way to relax than by taking a trip to the so-called 'Green Hell'? Ashen couldn't think of one, after all, it couldn't be as bad as the name suggested... surely. Right?

Either way, he was oddly excited for their little camping trip. Though, travelling as a tourist wasn't something he ever even considered before; Quarzite didn't really have many places a Kage Warrior could visit without being attacked on sight, and he was far too busy with his training as a Padawan after joining the Order. He never would have imagined that his joke would actually lead to a visit if it weren't for Aranmir.

His attention shifted to the Tiefling and he rolled his eyes at the Padawan's playful comment, followed by an amused smirk. "How nice of you to ask. Us newly formed puddles need more recognition." He lamented jokingly. In truth, he fared a lot better in the heat than he expected, minus a few drops of sweat here and there. The fact he actually dressed accordingly right off the bat certainly helped; no outrageously thick leather jacket on a sweltering jungle planet this time! He still felt stupid cause of that... but he's learnt his lesson; only a simple top and some shorts this time around.

"I'm feeling good though, thanks." He smiled at Aranmir, wondering how far the camping spot actually was. It felt to him like they were sailing as far away from civilisation as possible— not a very comforting thought.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir smirked, Ashen had some sense of humor after all. “I’ll be more attentive with you.” he said, faking a concerned face. Then he started to look around the Knight’s body, as if he was searching for something. “Now I think that we should have brought a bucket. We need to be careful to not leave some of you behind.” the Tiefling tilted his head, while poking the Kage playfully.

To be honest, Ashen wasn’t suffering from the high temperature as much as he was the other time. Probably because this time the Kage wasn’t wearing a jacket, having replaced it by a top and shorts that really allowed the Tiefling to see some more of his body shape. It was nice, but Aranmir shouldn’t be staring that much. It could end up being creepy.

The boat would take some more minutes to arrive at their destiny. It would stop in a small port, where other tourists had already arrived. There would be some shops where they could buy food and camping items before entering the jungle. It would be the last trace of civilization that they would see for a time.

Once the boat docked, Aranmir picked his large backpack and jumped out of the ship. “Do you need to buy anything? We are going to walk for a long time and it’s the last place where we can do it.”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

It had been a rather decent boat ride, Ashen only giggled and shook his head with a smile on his face at Aranmir's joke. Despite his seemingly friendly and warm exposition, he wasn't usually the most emotional person. However, he did have his moments and appreciated the banter with Aranmir.

As they made their way down the waterway, Ashen glanced over at the Padawan and noticed him looking in his direction. For what it's worth, Ashen wasn't very perceptive and he couldn't help but wonder if there was a bug crawling on him or something. Whatever the Tiefling's reason for looking was, Ashe's oblivious mind was none the wiser. After a moment he simply shrugged it off assuming that Aranmir's silence meant it was a non-issue and he turned his attention back to the scenery as they sailed.

Before he got off the boat as they docked, he took a moment to check his stuff, ensuring that he didn't leave anything behind. At the same time, he saw Aranmir jump onto the pier, drawing Ashen's attention for a moment— a glance that quickly turned into a prolonged gaze. There was something about the guy that intrigued Ashe; perhaps his playful persona, his distinct accent that Ashen considered kind of cute, or maybe his overall appearance. Regardless of what it was, it gave Ashen a brief pause before snapping out of it and flinging his backpack over his shoulder, making an effort to quickly catch up to the Padawan.

As he considered Aranmir's question, he couldn't help but let his sarcastic urge take over. "I should buy a bucket shouldn't I?" he smirked, feeling satisfied by his witty response. Without another word, he marched towards the camping supplies store. Although he seriously thought about getting a bucket just for the fun of it, he ultimately decided against it. Instead, he made a simple purchase of insect repellent. He was aware that Aranmir probably had some with him, but he didn't want to inconvenience him and opted to get his own.

"That's sorted. Do you need anything?" He inquired, a gentle smile resting on his lips as he looked at Aranmir inquisitively.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”Maybe. We don’t want to leave a piece of you behind, do we?” Aranmir smiled, still maintaining the joke. He was still impressed that Ashen had a sense of humor. When he had met the Kage for the first time at Starlight, the Tiefling thought that the Knight would be the type of Jedi that barely laughed. It had been a good surprise.

Besides, Aranmir was also able to discover that Ashen had a cute giggle.

When Ashen went to buy some camping supplies and the bucket - Aranmir would die laughing if he really did it - the Tiefling decided to buy some maps of the region. Since they were going to stay in the middle of a jungle, their datapads would not be much useful. The connection with the Holonet was terrible in this part of the planet, much due to the deep vegetation.

While he was paying for the maps, Aranmir overheard a group of tourists saying that a show from the Holonet was filming deep in the jungle. The Padawan ignored it. After all, it was common for documentaries about the infamous Green Hell to be constantly made. Once he gave the credits to the attendant, the Tiefling left the store.

He met Ashen outside, feeling a bit disappointed that the Kage didn’t have bought the bucket. “No, thanks. I already have everything inside there.” Aranmir said, while pointing to his backpack. “I bought some maps, though. It’ll help us find the trails for the camping site.” this part of the jungle was a natural reserve, which had a main trail and several lateral ones. They were going to camp in a place located in one of the lateral trails.

Opening the map so the two could see it, Aranmir pointed to the main trail. It was a large path that went inside the jungle, with large trees surrounding it. Several tourists were walking on it. “We need to follow it. The fourth lateral trail at the right side is the one that goes to the camping site that I booked for us.” he said, before turning to look at Ashen. “Since we have everything, let’s go!” after saying that, the Padawan started to walk. They needed to arrive there during the day, since they still had to set up the camp.

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

The route seemed simple enough on the map, and at this point, Ashen was still confused about why the jungle was referred to as the 'Green Hell'. Aranmir seemed unperturbed, and from the outside, it didn't seem particularly daunting. Perhaps it was just an exaggeration, he thought as he gazed upon the entrance to the trail where some of the tourists gathered to also make their way into the jungle. "I didn't realise this place was popular," he remarked while catching up to Aranmir. He was surprised to see other tourists in such a remote place, especially considering they had to take a boat to get there.

As they delved deeper into the dense forest, Ashen was captivated by the majestic trees that lined the trail. The scenery that unfolded before him was truly breathtaking. The vegetation, the fauna, the overall atmosphere, everything seemed unfamiliar yet enchanting to him. "So why is this place called the Green Hell?" He pondered, still gazing at the trees around him. "Doesn't seem very hellish if you ask me." A half-smile formed on his face, he had a feeling he would soon find out why, but that didn't stop him from acting doubtful about it.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”It really is.” Aranmir said, while watching the great number of tourists that were in the shops and walking toward the trail. “Everyone wants to experience a bit of the danger that this place has to offer.” while he never had camped on this place before, the Tiefling couldn’t consider himself from G’wenee if he never had read anything about the infamous Green Hell.

While they walked through the main trail, Aranmir basked in the feeling of being surrounded by nature. Everyone in the Jedi Order used to say that all life was connected through the Force, but most of the time that concept was abstract. It was only in places like this one that he could feel it. This was why he loved to be in places full of greenery.

If he opened to the Force, there would always be something new to feel. Nothing was boring.

His contemplation of the living Force was interrupted by Ashen’s question. A devious smile appeared at the Tiefling’s lips, before he turned to look at the Kage. “Don’t be fooled by this peaceful forest, there are several terrible things living in this place.” he said, using his better spooky voice.

“We have insects that enter in the ears of people to lay eggs there, this is why we are going to use hammocks. There are dog-sized spiders that hunt in groups at night. We also have a horned-feline that hunts in pairs and never rests while killing their prey. Besides them, we have a long list of poisonous animals and giant carnivorous plants.” he omitted the fact that these things only lived deep in the jungle, and most of them were really afraid of sentient beings.

“And I still didn’t mention the local tales.” he leaned closer to Ashen, looking deadly serious at the Kage cute golden eyes. “An one-eyed giant that eats people and has a deafening scream that can be heard for kilometers.” as if to help his story, a cloud passed over the sun, leaving the jungle covered in shadow. “Fighting a snake that is large like a train and has thousands of eyes, with which it can look at the past, present and future.” after saying that, a sudden wind blew and the clouds started to move, making the sunrays once again bathe the jungle.

“There are several other monsters living not only on the Green Hell, but in several other parts of the planet.” while having been born in G’wenee, Aranmir never learned much about the planet's mythology. He only told Ashen about these two because their legend was mentioned in one of the maps that he bought.

“After hearing it, I’ll understand if you want to hold my hand while we walk there. With so many dangerous creatures running around, we need to stay together.” he smiled, before offering his hand at the Kage. It was a simple joking/flirt, Aranmir didn’t believe that the other would accept it.

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

Giant spiders, a horned feline, poisonous animals an actual giant... Maybe this place wasn't so innocent after all, Ashen thought. Was it too late to turn back? Probably, though he wouldn't have asked that out loud even if it weren't too late. As Aranmir described the inhabitants of the jungle with a 'spooky' tone, Ashen questioned if he was being teased once again, which seemed highly probable.

The spiders didn't sound too bad though, he's seen many of those back home on Quarzite, but the other things? The place sounded more like a botched-up genetic experiment. "Kriff's sake, what did I get myself into...?" he muttered quietly to himself. But apparently that wasn't all, as Aranmir went on to describe a snake that was as big as a train, adding to the already exaggerated tales. Interestingly, even nature itself seemed to support his stories, as a passing cloud cast a shadow over the jungle below.

Ashen didn't really know how to feel. The Tiefling obviously exaggerated certain aspects, but it made Ashen anxious enough to be on guard. What he couldn't have predicted however was when Aranmir offered to hold his hand. The move completely caught the Kage off guard, his gaze alternating between looking at Aranmir's face and hand, unsure of how to respond. "You're doing this on purpose aren't you?" He accused the Tiefling, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. Even he could see that.

In his mind, Ashen was tempted to take Aranmir's hand, finding it quite amusing to playfully tease him in return. Nevertheless, he felt overwhelmingly flustered just by the thought, preventing him from actually reaching out. Though he deeply hoped it was not apparent on the outside.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir smirked with Ashen’s question. “Perhaps, you are never going to discover the truth.” the Tiefling winked at the Kage, before turning to look at the trail. They still needed to walk for a time, then prepare their camping site. Staying there chatting would only make them arrive when it was already night.

While they walked, the Padawan once again opened himself to the Force. He wanted to feel some more of the nature around him and how everything there was connected. However, this time he felt a bit of coldness in the distance, not the same warming feeling from early. It was strange, but the Tiefling decided to not search the source of this sudden cold.

His attention came back to the trail when he heard a commotion in the distance. A crowd of tourists had gathered and were taking pictures of something. Aranmir smiled, before turning to Ashen. “Come, let’s see what is happening!” the Tiefling grabbed the Knight’s hand and dragged him toward the group of people.

When they arrived there, Aranmir saw that the crowd was gathered around a full filming crew. Only now the Padawan remembered that there was one around here. A cameraman was filming a Rodian, who was dressed like some type of old fashioned explorer. “Soon we are going to leave the trail and enter deep in the jungle. Hopefully we are going to discover the truth about the terrible Mapinguary.”

The Padawan snapped his fingers after hearing this name. He immediately searched his backpack, retrieving one of the maps that he brought. The Tiefling soon found out what he wanted. “This is the one-eyed giant that I told you about.” he whispered at Ashen. “It’s one of these sensationalist shows. It’s only folklore.”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

"Oh I think I will." Ashen retorted, squinting his eyes dramatically at the Padawan as if he was analysing him, and continued to follow him along the trail. Aranmir seemed to be in his own world as they walked. Whatever he was thinking about, Ashen didn't wish to disturb him. Instead, he contemplated what the Tiefling told him earlier about the creatures living here in the jungle and wondered how long it would be until they came across some of them. The mere thought made him grimace, prompting him to unzip his bag slightly and retrieve his lightsaber. Gazing at the hilt, he lightly ran his thumb over the engraved plate on the emitter before fastening it to his right hip, just in case they were to encounter any of those creatures.

His head jerked slightly in surprise when he heard the commotion in the distance. Up until now, he had only been exposed to the melodies of birds, the buzzing of insects, and other natural sounds, so this unexpected noise took him by surprise. Just as he was about to dismiss it, Aranmir seized his hand and forcefully pulled him in the direction of the clamour. "Whoa, okay," he let out a surprised yelp, not expecting such a sudden turn of events.

Ashen looked at the crowd and a full filming crew with a judgmental gaze, unable to understand what the commotion was all about. They were simply filming for something in the wild, probably a documentary. Big deal, he thought. He was ready to motion for Aranmir to let's keep going just as the Tiefling spoke up. Ashen paused for a moment, a sudden surge of cold washed over him through the force. He couldn't tell what it was but it didn't feel friendly. "Did you feel that just now?" he asked Aranmir in a confused voice.

Even after scanning his immediate vicinity, the thick vegetation completely blocked his line of sight. Unless it was in close proximity, they wouldn't be able to see whatever it was. Ashen attempted to utilize his connection to the force, but unfortunately, there was nothing. Not unexpected, however; force sense was never his strong suit. "I can't sense anything anymore. Can you?" he wondered if Aranmir would have more success at it.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”Yeah, I felt it.” Aranmir said, his excitement being replaced by concern. He could feel the cold presence from early, but this time it seemed to be a bit closer. He wasn’t sure of what it could be. The presence seemed to be aggressive, but the Padawan didn’t feel it getting closer.

In a matter of fact, the presence disappeared some seconds later, leaving the Padawan confused. He shrugged, whatever it was, already left. Now he could return to his vacation mood. Such as laughing at how ridiculous the Rodian looked in those clothes. He even took a picture of the exaggerated scene that the guy was doing. He would post this one later when they returned to civilization.

“Nah, it’s gone.” he said to Ashen, without looking at the Knight. The Padawan was more interested in taking more pictures of the Rodian, who had now tripped on a rock. It was obvious that the guy wasn’t prepared to film a show in a place like this one. The Tieflling needed to learn what was the name of the show, he would watch only to have some laughs.

“Hey, we should continue walking. There is still some ground to cover until we arrive at the camping site.” Aranmir said to Ashen, before leading the Knight out of the crowd. Only now he noticed that the other had grabbed his lightsaber. It made him remind of the cold presence that they felt early, and the Padawan remained silent until they found the side trail that they should take.

After giving one last look at the map, Aranmir turned to the Knight. “This is the one.” he said, while pointing to the path that was in front of them. It was narrower than the main one, with the forest around it being denser. “The camping site will be at the end of it.”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

It was quite heartwarming to witness Aranmir's enjoyment of the Rodian's unfolding spectacle. Ashen couldn't help but let out a gentle laughter when the Rodian stumbled and fell. Despite it being ironic that two Jedi found amusement in another person's misfortune, what truly mattered was that they were both having a good time. It didn't take long for Ashen to forget about the unsettling feeling he had just experienced. Agreeing with the Tiefling's suggestion to continue moving forward, Ashen acknowledged the practicality of the decision, considering they still had to set up camp upon arrival.

The route towards the campsite appeared manageable. While narrower than the main trail, it was not completely covered in vegetation. Thankfully, Ashen wanted to avoid that nightmare scenario. Nevertheless, the dense foliage surrounding the path created a sense of claustrophobia. If one of the crazy creatures mentioned by Aranmir were to pounce on them now, there would be limited space to escape or defend themselves.

"How much further?" Ashen inquired rhetorically. Although he understood that Aranmir was as unfamiliar with the location as he was, he still felt compelled to ask. He was growing weary and his feet ached from the extensive walking they had undertaken.

As the two approached the location that Ashen assumed was Aranmir's reserved campsite, the sun gradually started to descend. They arrived slightly later than desired, but if they worked fast, they could still establish their camp before nightfall. "Is this the place?" Ashen inquired, stepping into a clearing amidst the wooded area. The surroundings hinted of a well-used campsite, with neatly arranged logs serving as benches and an abandoned campfire, now long extinguished, presumably left by previous campers.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”Only a little bit more.” Aranmir said, leading Ashen through the narrow trail. The Padawan could feel the Kage’s discomfort, with the Knight constantly looking at the jungle that surrounded them. The Tiefling started to feel bad for the other Jedi. If he was feeling so uncomfortable here, it was his fault and of the stories that he told.

When he did it, Aranmir didn’t think that he was going to leave Ashen so nervous. The Tiefling only wanted to tease the other, because the Knight really made a cute face when he was flustered. To be honest, he thought that the other Jedi was totally hot.

With Ashen feeling afraid of the jungle, their vacation could end up being ruined. There were so many beautiful things to be seen and done in the forest that the other Jedi would probably refuse because of what the Padawan said that it made him regret deeply even opening his mouth early.

In an attempt to comfort the Kage, Aranmir did something that he never tried before. He wrapped his tail gently at Ashen’s wrist and used this touch to project feelings of calm and peace, reassuring the Knight that he was there with him. The Tiefling would continue doing that until they reached the camping site.

“Yep! This is it.” the Tiefling said, before letting go of the Kage’s wrist. He thought that he missed the touch. Ignoring it, Aranmir pointed at a structure that looked like some type of large open tent, with a plastic ceiling being held by four columns of wood. “We can put our hammocks below it and cover the sides with a plastic tarp that I brought.” he pointed at said item, which was wrapped at the top of his backpack.

Then he turned to the campfire. “And cook here. I brought some food that we can make here.” he smiled at him, while gesturing at his large backpack. Before he walked toward the open tent, Arnmir turned to Ashen with a sad look on his face. “I’m sorry if my stories left you uneasy, it wasn’t my intention. Half of the things that I told you don’t even live on this side of the forest.” the insect that laid eggs inside people’s ears and the horned feline were a local problem though. “I want you to have fun and forget about all that.”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

Ashen glanced at his wrist while Aramir placed his tail around it, before averting his eyes. The gesture provided comfort, though it also made him slightly ruffled and chose not to say anything about it. As they arrived at the campsite, Ashen simply responded to Aramir's apology by cracking a devious smirk. He tilted his head slightly, meeting the Tiefling's gaze, and grinned, "Then let's have fun."

Or at least that was the plan. The Kage walked over to one of the makeshift benches and placed his backpack on it before unzipping it to remove his hammock. Truthfully though, he had no clue of how to set it up. For a moment, he stood before the tent, his hands on his hips and contemplated the best way to do it.

Usually, he would simply look it up on the holonet or something. That always did the trick but he knew that would not be possible in the middle of the Jungle, away from any semblance of civilisation.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir answered Ashen’s smile with one of his own. He couldn’t avoid thinking that the expression suited the other man’s face. “Then, let’s go!” he said excitedly, before rushing to the tent. They still needed to get their camp done and the sun was already getting close to the horizon.

The Padawan went on to place his backpack in the bench next to where Ashen had left his bag and retrieved his hammock from inside it. Then, Aranmir turned to look at the tent. Being honest, he had never camped this way before. However, while he lived with the circus, the Tiefling had learned how to use a hammock.

Without much effort, Aranmir placed the two extremities of the hammock in hooks that were fixed in opposing columns of the tent. This way his bed was already prepared and he only needed to pick a cushion. Turning back to Ashen, the Padawan saw that the Kage still didn’t prepare his own.

The look of confusion on Ashen’s face was adorable.

“Having some problems?” Aranmir asked, while getting close to the Kage. “Do you see these two sides?” the Tiefling pointed to the opposite extremities of the hammock, each with a type of handle made of tranced ropes. “You need to put them on these hookers.” he showed them to the Knight, each one in an opposite column.

He would stay around if Ashen wanted help, but if the Kage could do it by himself, Aranmir would go back to his backpack to pick the food and utensils that they would need to prepare dinner.

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

"Right, I see," Ashen responded with a smile to Aranmir. "Thanks," he expressed gratitude before proceeding to fasten the ends of the hammock to two separate columns. Although it ended up a bit crooked, Ashen didn't dwell on it and moved on to join Aranmir near their backpacks. Observing momentarily, he saw the Tiefling retrieve food and utensils from his backpack before Ashen himself went on to collect a few dried leaves and twigs, which was relatively easy due to the winter season. After gathering a handful, he returned to the campfire to add them along with several larger logs for fuel.

Now he simply needed a way to start a fire... the young Kage stood around for a moment contemplating what to do before he decided to use his lightsaber as a source of ignition. By activating the orange blade and holding it near the dry leaves and sticks, he was able to successfully set them on fire. Modern problems called for modern solutions, he thought with a satisfied grin on his face. After accomplishing his goal, he deactivated the lightsaber and placed it back on his belt.

With the campfire done, Ashen turned to Aranmir. "How's it going?" he asked as he watched what the Tiefling was up to. "Do you need any help?"

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

”If you need anymore help, you only need to ask!” Aranmir smiled at Ashen, before walking back to pick the food that they were going to eat as dinner. The Padawan would occasionally look at what the Kage was doing, only to make sure that he was doing everything right.

When he saw that the hammock was a bit crooked, the Tiefling thought that they needed to correct that later or Ashen would have a terrible night.

He felt Ashen’s presence next to him, but Aranmir maintained his attention at the food. The Tiefling was placing some saveloy in sticks, before he opened a package of a pre-made local meal called farofa and deposited it in a small bowl. By this point, the Knight had already walked away.

While the Kage tried to light the campfire, Aranmir was finishing with the marshmallows. It wouldn’t be camping if there weren't any marshmallows. He turned to see how the Knight was going, right on time to notice that Ashen was using the lightsaber to make fire. It made the Padawan burst with laughter.

“You don’t need to do that. I brought a lighter!” he said, but the fire was already set. “Nah, I finished everything.” Aranmir said, while pointing at the food on the table. He walked toward it, before picking two of the saveloy. “We hold one close to the fire and wait for it to cook, then we cover it with that.” he pointed at the bowl full of farofa. “For the desert we have marshmallows!”

The campfire was surrounded by circular stones that could be used as benches. Aranmir immediately sat in one of them and waited for Ashen to do the same. Once the Knight did it, the Tiefling would start a conversation. “So, how was your life before joining the Jedi Order?”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

Ashen looked over at Aranmir as the Tiefling burst out with laughter. Unable to contain his own amusement, Ashen couldn't help but break into a wide grin at his own antics. "Stop laughing! You can't tell me that wasn't just pure genius." He chuckled and playfully nudged Aranmir as he approached him.

After regaining his composure, he nodded at Aranmir having finished what he was doing and took one of the saveloys from him. He listened as the Tiefling explained the cooking process for the saveloys, and smiled at the mention of marshmallows.

He sat down next to Aranmir and listened to the question posed by the Tiefling. Ashen pondered for a moment, his facial expression turning into a frown, before speaking up, "Complicated...". He hesitated, contemplating whether or not to open that can of worms right now. Letting out a heavy sigh, he continued, "Difficult, often miserable." He paused once more, his past wounds having left a lasting scar in his heart. "Most of my childhood was spent fighting to survive, or training if I was lucky." He halted, unsure if he should proceed, not wanting to ruin the mood entirely. It was rare for him to share details about his past with just anyone. Hell, it took him ages before he opened up to his master.

He looked up at Aranmir, his face still showing a hint of sadness.

@LouJoVi

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir stayed in silence watching Ashen’s reaction to his question. He felt the sadness of the other Jedi, and immediately regretted having asked about the Kage’s past. The few things that he heard were enough for him to understand that the Knight had much suffering during his early years.

When Ashen finished, the Padawan moved his right hand and placed it over the Kage’s. Then he tried to comfort the other through the Force. “I was living on the streets for as long as I can remember.” Aranmir gave him a small smile, before turning to look at the fire. These were sad times, but they made him what he is.

“One day, I went after food and money near a circus. I was caught trying to enter without paying, but rather spanking me, the people there gave me shelter. I lived with them, being part of the show. I even traveled to other planets with them. They are my family.” his smile grew, but he remained watching the flames. “Then the Jedi discovered me and here I’m!” he said, turning to look at the other Jedi.

“Many sad things happened in my life, but I always remember what a clown from the circus used to say: Smile and take the sadness from your face, because the time doesn't stop and the good of life is to be happy.” Aranmir said, smiling and looking at Ashen’s golden eyes. “This is why I’m always happy and smiling, releasing all sadness in the Force. Our lives are already short, so I don’t want to spend my precious time thinking about bad things.”

@Scrumppe

 

[Ashen Kade]

Ashan felt Aranmir's comforting presence in the force. His expression slightly lifted as he gazed towards the flickering flames of the campfire. Although Aranmir's words and touch provided some solace, they could not alleviate the difficulty of overcoming the past. Even after the passing of many years, Ashen grappled with his emotions and memories.

As the Kage and Aranmir sat together, Ashen gently rested his head on the Tiefling's shoulder, expressing his contentment in getting to know more about the Tiefling and his life before the Jedi. Despite the sadness that has been present, Ashen deeply admired Aranmir's optimistic perspective on life, and he cherished the moment they were sharing.

"Thank you," he said softly, absorbing the tranquil and relaxing atmosphere of the jungle that surrounded them. He thought about the joyous moments they had shared that day with a gentle smile on his face, from their playful banter on the boat to Aranmir's antics to scare Ashen, and even the Rodian's comical attire. Reflecting on these moments, he felt a slight uplift in his spirits as he rested his head on the Tiefling's shoulder.

@LouJoVi