Ask The Wild Hunt

[Sybella Demici]

Baskarn - Outer Rim ​

As darkness fell upon the jungle, Sybella emerged from her seclusion. Hiding her starship was simple enough, given the great, natural canopy that hung overhead. She had to admit, the planet and its terrain were certainly unique; the flora, in all its variety, gave off this strange, pale hue. As the night grew on, the iridescence would shift and change. The morphing of colours was quite entrancing and Sybella found herself quite immersed in the unusual display.

Truthfully, she felt rather out of place. This planet was wild; even the air was steeped in primal miasma. It was a stark contrast to the tranquillity of Serenno. Even now, she could sense how the Force itself permeated the heart of the jungle. It was no wonder beasts aplenty roamed its wilds, from the Yrashu inhabitants to the deceptively deadly mmhmm butterflies.

But such vitality invited trouble.

Reports of poachers had reached the Jedi. Normally, the Order would not concern itself with such piffling; illegal hunting was a crime, yes, but compared to other evils, it was not cardinal of sins. Except these were no ordinary animals being targetted - the poachers were interested in one thing and one thing only. Creatures with a natural affinity for the Force. For the right price, Convors, Loth-wolves and ysalamir were marked as desirable merchandise. The planet Baskarn had its own prize to offer, in the form of hrosma tigers. The large feline species were natural-born predators, with horns affixed atop the forehead; they were as ferocious as they were dangerous. Whilst the beasts had long life spans, they were still rare in numbers; this was due to the fact the animals were so vicious, they fought and killed each other in competition, for both territory and prey. These tigers were the poachers' next target and Sybella (determined as ever) ensure she did everything in her power to hinder their hunt.

She wasn’t alone either. A fellow knight, @Rahman Bahadir, would be joining her on the mission. Checking her chronometer, Sybella decided it was time to move. The rendezvous location was not far and, with any luck, Rahman would be there, ready and waiting.

@Xorism

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

The protection of life was one of Rahman's core tenets not only as Jedi, but of his own being. Each life was as valuable as the other as far as he was concerned, from the very small to the mightiest it was all the same. That is not to say that he wouldn't fight to defend himself or others, but to take a life was never the goal in mind. Troubling as sentient life was, their right to choose their own path forward, for good or for worse was something he had always strived for.

But for the rest of the creatures, the non-sentients, their fate was often less certain. Among nature, it was fulfilling the natural order of things for the circle of life and this was something that he had come to accept in time. Each animal served to fill a niche in the benefit of the whole and to respect this was to respect the force itself. But once you include sentients into the mix, with their bad choices...suddenly the whole system can be shaken to its very core.

Poaching was an unnecessary evil that served pride, greed, and vice and offered nothing but pain in return. Upon hearing of what may have been about to occur on Beskarn, the knight immediately departed for the world and set about preparing for their eventual arrival. Fortunately, he would not be alone and after a short while, he was greeted by the friendly sight of a fellow Jedi arriving.

"Sybella! It is good to see you, although it would be preferable if it was under better circumstances. I hope you are well and prepared for what lies ahead. I do not believe we will be alone for long, I have spotted some unusual activity about half a day from here, droids conducting search patterns for the poachers if I were to guess."

The poachers wouldn't be too difficult to deal with on their own, they were probably rich snobs with too much time on their hands and would readily flee. It would be a much more difficult task to deal with any security they may have brought along, droid or otherwise but that was the risk they would have to take in order to keep the animals safe.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Thinking aloud, Sybella considered their next course of action.

"Those droids are the poachers' eyes and ears. Taking them out would certainly give us the advantage." Truthfully, she was just eager for action. @Rahman Bahadir had the right attitude; the sooner they dealt with these poachers, the better. "We could set a trap of our own, using the droids as bait."

Once the droids stopped transmitting search data, the poachers would surely come looking. Drawing them out into the jungle would definitely level out the odds; the last thing they needed was to try and lay siege to an encampment. The element of surprise would be their greatest asset. The poachers can have a taste of their own medicine, and feel for themselves what it is like to be hunted.

With half a day's travel ahead of them, the pair had better get moving. Dawn was fast approaching. "Lead the way, my intrepid friend."

Trusting @Rahman Bahadir, and his sense of direction, Sybella followed the best she could but the wilderness of the jungle was much like a puzzle; large fungi dominated most of the area, with some being more sentient than others. Simply brushing against them would cause them to tremor and shift, making the trouble of navigating over them all the more tricky. Luckily, Sybella only lost her footing once or twice; at least she could laugh, her tumbles being less than graceful.

All sounds fell silent however the moment they entered a particular grove. In the skies above them was an ominous sight; carrion birds were circling not far from view. Something was either dying or already dead. Fearing the worse, the lady Jedi scaled up one of the stable growths; through her pocket scope, Sybella could see clearly the unmistakable remains of a carcass. It was a large, quadruped but the species itself was difficult to determine. Flesh and bone had been torn into chunks; the entirety of its belly had been split, allowing all sorts of innards to spill out and scatter. Despite the gruesomeness of it, Sybella recognised it for what it was. It was a scene of natural predation. The animal had fallen prey to something, no doubt of the planet's many carnivores. Strangely enough, the kill seemed a few days old. Scavengers would have picked it clean by now. What was stopping them?

The answer soon revealed itself. Crawling over the carcass was a swarm of droids. "Viper class probes. Nasty business. I count six. No, seven of them." Tossing the scope to @Rahman Bahadir, Sybella took a moment to observe their movements. Indeed, they appeared to be scanning the kill, searching for traces in which to track.

It was a perfect time as any to strike...

@Xorism

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

The large Jedi nodded in agreement with Sybella's assessment. There was a funny irony to using poachers' own tools against them, making them the prey instead of the innocent animals they sought after. There was a large part of him that hoped they would be able to talk some sense into them but if not, perhaps a good old fashion noggin snoggin would do the trick.

Rahman relished the opportunity to be back out in nature and away from the troubles that usually accompanied him. It was a difficult adjustment still, leaving all of this behind to join the Jedi Order but the decision had been the right one, he felt. There was just something profoundly beautiful about nature and even though their mission was something of a bit time critical, he would try to enjoy the fruits of their walk whenever possible, pointing out interesting things to his companion.

Sybella proved to be an effective tracker too, so quickly did he begin to grow fond of this new friend. Spotting first the remains and then the droids, Rahman clasped the scope and looked over for himself. "We'll need to be quick before they can alert the poachers. This cover should be sufficient to get us near enough undetected!"

The excited Orculan moved swiftly and with determination, doing his best to avoid being spotted. Closing the distance he spied two droids in relatively close proximity that with a cheeky force grip, he was able to slam two together rendering them both inoperable. His eyes quickly shifted to the next group, readying his next attack as Sybella made her own moves.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Admiring Rahman's handy work, Sybella had to admit, the Orcolan was surprisingly fast! He made short work of those two clankers. Feeling a need to match such flare, the veiled knight moved next; from the top of the tree, she leapt, landing squarely upon the closest probe. The impact itself drove the machine hard into the sodden earth and its body was smashed into bits right beneath her feet.

Then, much like Rahman, Sybella reached out, ensnaring two of the other droids within the throes of the Force. As delicate as a dancer, she would pivot and twist, slinging her captive pair (at speed) into the remaining set. The crashing of metallic bodies was truly explosive, and soon all were rendered into piles of scrap.

Sybella, feeling full of whimsy, glanced back and offered Rahman a small, if not a little coy, bow. "I hope you pardon my enthusiasm..."

Taking a moment to survey the area, the lady knight hoped to plan their next move. Though peaceful methods were her preferred modus operandi, she had the sinking feeling the poachers were not ones to tolerate a simple admonishment. Heavy-handed tactics might be in order.

"Rahman, humour me if you will. I don't think our poachers will leave us waiting long. If I greet them here, could you circle around, out of sight, and trap them from the rear?" A classic pincher movement. Worked every time. The last thing they needed was a chase through the jungle; though fun, in theory, it would cause far more trouble than the crooks were worth.

Having to deal with not one, but two Jedi, would certainly give the poachers pause. If they knew what was good for them, they would surrender without fuss and sue for clemency. Wishful thinking, yes but at least Sybella could say she gave them a chance at clemency.

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

To say Rahman was impressed by the technical skill shown by Sybella would be an understatement. A large smile beamed proudly as he started to catch up to her. "That was amazing! The poachers don't stand a chance now, I'm sure of it! Tell me, who sbd where did you train? If you don't mind me asking."

The hulking Orcolan scoured the landscape around them to ensure that they were now actually alone outside any errant nature nearby. As Sybella explained her plan, a glint of concern appeared on his face. He had no doubts that she could handle herself but that wouldn't dampen his own protective instincts.

Trusting in his new found friend, he nodded in agreement with her plan. "Okay, looking at the layout of this place, I'll have the best cover coming from the East, so I'll come out when you give the signal."

He still clung to hope that they'd be able to settle this with negotiating but poachers seldom did.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Offering a gracious smile, Sybella fondly reminisced on her more formative years. "I spent much of my training on Yavin IV." She had joined the Order in early adolescence and, like many, had been dutiful during her time as a Padawan. "After becoming a knight, I decided I could do more out here, in the galaxy. I wanted to help those truly in need; the ones often most overlooked."

As much as Sybella would have liked to explore the conversation further, she knew the mission took priority. Perhaps in the aftermath, they could revisit the topic; she'd like to know her comrade's story, and how he also came to be an ally of the Light. For now, they took up their respective positions. All they had to do was wait. Luckily, it wasn't for long.

From the jungle's undergrowth came a pair of hulking trandoshans. Hunters, judging from their gear.

Well, that's not good...

The bipedal reptilians weren't exactly well known for their amicable natures; if anything, the species was rather cold-blooded. Both literally and figuratively. Though Sybella often advocated for optimism, hopes for a peaceful resolution were admittedly falling rather short. The closer they stalked, the more cautious she became. Were there more of them, hiding out of sight? Admittedly, it was hard to say, even with the Force; the planet was simply too vivacious.

Schooling her features, Sybella adopted the civil approach. "Hello there..." Glancing down, she then examined one of the damaged droids that lay at her feet. "Looks like your droids have seen better days."

One of the lizardmen, presumably the younger of the pair, gave an irritable hiss. "Jedi! I know your sssssstink."

Sybella, feigning affront, baulked, "Very perceptive. I must say, I am impressed but do tell. What exactly does a Jedi smell like?"

"Credits." The older of the trandoshans sneered, "Lotssss and lotssss of credits."

With that the two hunters drew their weapons, forcing Sybella to do the same. They fired upon her maliciously, though the knight stood firm, deflecting their bolts with (for now) only one of her sabers.

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

The poachers arrived shortly after Sybella said they would and according to plan, he would pop out and surprise them. Between the two knights, it would be a difficult endeavor for them to win, but he had to remind himself that these kinds of hunters rarely fought fairly.

From a safe distance, the Orculan watched and waited patiently, listening closely as the verbal sparring commenced. As perceptive as the reptiles appeared to be, they did not seem to anticipate his stealthy movements slipping in behind them. Lightsaber drawn at the ready, Rahman didn't feel comfortable cutting them down without giving them a chance to surrender either.

Though that didn't stop him from knocking some sense into them, literally. Once close in proximity, the metallic hilt of his saber came crashing down into the back of the older trandoshan which in turn rendered him unconscious. With a flick of the switch, the blade ignited and swung around ready to guard against whatever the youngling attempted to do, but between the two of them, it wouldn't be much of a fight.

"Drop it okay?, nobody else will know." If there was a fear of being dishonored by the boy, there wouldn't be anyone around to witness him giving up to the Jedi. Of course, it was just as likely that he tried to fight his way out of it, but if he did, Sybella would probably quickly put a stop to that nonsense.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Shoot first, talk later - some people were just too predictable. Sybella should have known better than to waste her breath; hunters like these needed a heavier hand when it came to seeing reason. Luckily, @Rahman Bahadir was quick to react. Deflecting the heavy blaster fire, Sybella kept much of the Trandoshans' attention focused on her; they didn't have time to change tactics when Rahman came steamrolling in. The older and bigger of the two was soon subdued - not an easy feat, given the elder's large, imposing height. These species of reptilians could go toe to toe with a Wookie but Rahman also seemed to be giving them a good run for their money.

The second of the pair gave the Orcolan a primal hiss, but his hesitation was evident. Instead of attacking, the hunter chose instead to stall; snapping his jaws and failing with claws, he made a mocking attempt at intimidation. Sybella was ready to dispatch him herself when she noticed something off the side. It was the glint of a sniper scope.

"Rahman, behind you!" She darted to her companion's side and, with her saber, batted back a single shot.

It was clear to her now. Stationed on the far side of the clearing was another hunter, concealed in the brush. They had done well to hide, but firing that round had inevitably revealed their position. Drawing on the Force, Sybella seized the sniper, a weequey female, and pulled her forth; she then launched her into the remaining Trandoshan, causing the pair to crumble on impact. Their groans of pain earnt them little sympathy. The ruffians should have surrendered when they had the chance.

"Enough! Do you have any idea how much noise you're making? You're scaring off all the game. Who are you people, anyway?" From the jungle came a strutting Dug and he seemed surprisingly annoyed.

The older Trandoshan (still squirming) snapped rather irritably at him; it seemed the alien was his employer. "Told ya to wait back at base, ssssssir."

"We are knights of the Jedi Order and you are poaching."

Waving off the comment, the Dug instead came to stand in front of Sybella. Judging from his attire, he was some kind of aristocrat; the finery of his clothes, and singular monocle, certainly made him seem out of place. It also explained his rather haughty nature.

"No, no. We're hunting, my good lady."

Thoroughly unimpressed, Sybella offered Dug very little concession. "Same difference, I'm afraid. You and your hired goons are to vacate this planet, immediately."

Standing as tall as he could on his hand-like feet, the inverted alien quickly tried to dismiss such orders. "Not until I've bagged myself one of them hrosma tigers. A big one too. The cubs alone aren't a worthy trophy-"

"Cubs?" Bristling, the knight levelled on the grandee "You mean to tell me that you've stolen a tiger's cubs?"

He didn't seem all that bothered. "Well, how else was I going to draw it out? The damn things are so elusive. It's been days since the last sighting and honestly, I'm losing my patience."

Exasperated, Sybella looked towards Rahman. She was about to ask for his input on all this, but the words stopped short. Within the confines of the jungle, a large pair of eyes were watching them. A thunderous growl soon followed. The creature, long in body and fierce in face, stepped forth from the wild's depths. It was a monstrously large feline-like beast with a striped body, scraggly mane and four horn-like fangs that curled out of its mouth. Long, sharp claws flashed as it stepped towards them, all whilst swishing its disproportionately lengthy, ruffled tail.

It looked at each of them with incredible scrutiny, before finally settling its weighty gaze on the Dug.

"I think she remembers you..."

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

Rahman was quite thankful for Sybella's quick thinking in deflecting the blaster shot away from him. Even quicker did she dispatch the trio by rolling the sniper into the brawlers like a ten-pin bowling strike. With a grin from ear to ear, the Orcolan went to high-five his companion before they were rudely interrupted by the most pompous-looking Dug he had ever seen.

It seemed like Sybella was handling herself quite well in their little verbal spar and so he chose to remain silent, watching and waiting in case something went awry. And something did indeed go awry, as the most dreadful growl erupted across the jungle and directly toward them.

Rahman stood up slightly in admiration of this beautiful and majestic creature, it was a pity then that their meeting was under such terrible circumstances. He couldn't even begin to imagine the hurt and suffering that the Dug had subjected her to, stealing away her cub and leaving her to wander around for days in a dwindling hope of rescuing it.

Despite the inkling of cosmic karma it would be to allow the Dug to be punished for his crimes by the one of whom he had committed it, the knight still felt an obligation to protect him. Something he was sure, the feeling would not be mutual if the shoe was on the other foot.

Quickly darting in front of the group with both arms outstretched, Rahman attempted to reach out with the force to try and start to comfort the grieving mother, and let her know that they were there to help. Unfortunately, it would take some time to work and certainly not before his movement pushed her into launching her assault.

Suddenly the Orcolan found himself being smushed by the large creature, its claws and fangs furiously scratching at his face and body with the occasional strike getting through. For the moment he might try to hold her off, but without help, he wouldn't last long.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

"Rahman!"

Sybella didn't think, she just reacted on impulse. Summoning a great swell of energy, she launched at the beast and cast it aside across the jungle clearing. The tiger, using its claws, dug itself deep into the dirt as it was forced away from its would-be quarry. It rose quickly, undeterred, and once again raised its hackles at the group.

Unwilling to let the animal leave her sight, Sybella called to her fellow knight who was just out of view. She knew Orcolans were tough but that attack looked brutal. Hopefully, she had reached him in time, before any real damage had been done. "Rahman? Are you alright? Talk to me!"

Despite the direness of their current situation, the Dug still thought he could give out orders. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Shoot it!"

The hired hunters, however, seemed hesitant. They had, after all, just seen that tiger get the jump on a Jedi. What hope did they really have? The weequey female was willing to try her luck though. Taking a knee, she aligned her scope with the target but before she could even fire a shot, she was (once again) pulled upwards into the air and held aloof by some unseen force.

The dug rounded on Sybella, promptly laying blame on her, "What are you doing? You should be attacking that beast, not my hunters!"

It wasn't her, however. The one using the Force was "...the tiger."

Truth be told, the Jedi was rather shocked. The brief mentioned something about the animal having an affinity with the force, but to have the cognisance to actually utilise it? Incredible. Also, unfortunate, seeing as the tiger was using its power to bring the sniper within range of its salivating jaws. She didn't even get a chance to scream; with a vicious shake of the head, her body went limp after a sickening crack. Just like that, it dropped her, as if discarding a broken toy.

The trandoshans took the hint. They turned the proverbial tail and ran for cover, choosing the jungle over certain death. Naturally, like any predator, the tiger gave chase, dashing in after them. The shrieks that followed were short-lived, as were the sounds of tearing flesh. An arm (ripped clean off) was thrown out into the clearing. A warning, perhaps?

No. It was a threat.

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

Despite taking quite the battering, the tough nut of an Orcolan was down but not out. It was good fortune that Sybella had intervened when she did, as she managed to stop the worst of it from reaching his face. With a bit of a groan, the young Jedi smiled back toward her, trying to make light of a bad situation. "Your kitty doesn't like hugs apparently."

Rahman rolled over onto his stomach and attempted to pull himself up. The pain was intense and his movement slowed but managed. There wasn't any a worse feeling than sensing the pain and suffering of another without having the immediate means to do something about it. It felt like a core part of his being was failing, his one goal and calling was to protect and yet all he could do for now was stumble and yell.

And so that's what he did.

The tall Orcolan yelled and whistled, hoping to catch the tigress' attention in the hopes that at least someone might survive her revenge. Perhaps in some way, they deserved what had come for them, and maybe it was just karma catching up with them but that wasn't Rahman. He solely believed that everyone was redeemable, no matter what they had done or their place in the galaxy.

Instead, his belief was that every action incurred a debt to the galaxy, good or bad and one only had to do the opposite to pay this back. With enough time and effort, even the worst of the worst could find balance in such ways, if only they wished it.

With the tigress now prowling towards the aggressive Orcolan, Sybella would have a moment to surprise the wonderous creature and try to stop the violence from escalating.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Sybella was desperate to check on her companion and tend to his wounds, but as long as that beast breathed, they were all in mortal danger. The Dug, now panicking, attempted to flee as well, but the Jedi quickly put a stop to that.

"I suggest you avoid any sudden movements, sir. That tiger will run you down, no matter how fast you think you can flee." Soon enough, the animal came back into view, as if a mere mention was enough to conjure into being.

Once again, it glanced about, all whilst licking its rather menacing jaws clean of blood. Grudgingly, the lady knight pushed the Dug behind her; a feeble attempt to hide him, yes, but it kept him out of the tiger's immediate sight. @Rahman Bahadir, brave fool that he was, was already attempting to court its wrath yet again. Rightfully, Sybella felt nothing but concern for her fellow knight, but deep down she knew the Orcolan was only trying to buy them valuable time. They needed a plan.

Rounding on the Dug, she found he was simply standing there, shaking in his less-than-practical boots. Fear had gripped him so tight, he could hardly speak. It took a swift smack from Sybella to snap him out of it. "Tell me! Where are the tiger's cubs?!"

Sputtering around the words, the Dug finally pointed behind him, back towards the jungle path. "I-In the cage, on the transport." His digit, still trembling, "Back t-there."

Rather than battling with the beast, perhaps they could reason with it and make amends. "Go free those cubs."

"What? Are you mad?! Why would I-"

"Do it! Now!" At that moment. Sybella's snarl could have rivalled that of the tiger's. It seemed enough to scare the Dug into compliance; he slinked away, towards a concealed vehicle, whilst she brought up the rear.

Reaching out with the Force, the lady knight attempted to again calm the creature; if it had an affinity with the Force, then perhaps it could be made more susceptible to some of their suggestions. At first, Sybella thought it was working; the beast halted in its attack on Rahman and instead looked at her. Emboldened by this, she approached even closer, hands open in a show of peace. "We mean you no harm. We will make things right, I promise you that. Be calm. Be at peace..."

Foolishly, Sybella thought she might actually have gotten through to tigress. That is until it tried to swipe at her, gashing her arm in the process. Ducking and dodging out of the way, the knight then decided on a more heavy-handed approach. Jumping back and out of the way, Sybella called on the Force around her. She imagined saturating the area with invisible energy until every plant and root was fully enthralled; they surged in an animated manner, wrapping and coiling about the creature until it was brought to heel. It wouldn't last long, however. The tiger's lithe figure was surprisingly strong; even now, it struggled and strained. It wouldn't be long before it broke free once more.

"Rahman! Make sure that fool of a Dug doesn't leave with those cubs." Already, she was panting with exertion, "Free the cubs, bring them here, if you can. Hurry! I can't...hold her...much...longer!"

Spoiler

Dice roll
Animal friendship - 6/20
Plant surge - 14/20

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

It was quite a difficult decision that faced Rahman, he could hardly imagine leaving Sybella alone to deal with the tigress and yet that was exactly what she asked of him. Initially, the Orcolan even shook his head, refusing to leave his fellow Jedi in such a precarious position, but it seemed that she was well prepared to stall for time.

That and it was highly risky leaving the fate of the cubs in the hands of this particular Dug, who had proven himself to be quite the coward. There was a decent chance he hadn't even stopped to free the cubs and would continue all the way out of the jungle if given the chance. No, this was something that he would have to do himself, and quickly, to be back before Sybella found herself in trouble.

With a reassuring nod, Rahman slipped backward to break the line of sight with the tigress and ensure that she wouldn't launch into an attack on anyone out of instinct. Even if she was a little bit tied down at present, there was a real risk that she could injure herself in such an attempt. Now disappearing into the brushes, he broke into a sprint towards where the Dug was last seen heading, in the hopes that he could reach the cubs in time.

And it was lucky that he did.

With a crash and an all-too-familiar scream, Rahman rounded the corner to find that one of the cubs had managed to bite their captor and was refusing to let him go. Racing over with a bit of quick thinking, the Orcolan slipped his hand into the cage and took hold of the cub behind the head as his mother might. In an instant, the cub released his bite and went stationary, seemingly in a trance, which also gave time for the Dug to jump back from the cage in horror.

"Unlock the cages!" He growled. The poor Dug didn't know who to be more afraid of, the vicious little cubs or the hulking Jedi that was perhaps his ticket out of here, but at the same time was also just as capable of turning him into mush. Reluctantly, he complied but not before the Jedi picked up the second in a similar fashion.

It was then Rahman scurried back hoping to reach Sybella before anything dangerous had happened, intending to release the cubs once the tigress could see them and give the family some space. Then, and only then, would he try to bond with the queen of the jungle.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

"You know...I'm sure under....different circumstances...we could have been friends." Sybella had hoped that talking to the tigress would help to soothe its otherwise surly disposition. The various growls and snarls she received in response however did not make her feel totally optimistic. "Okay, okay... you don't feel like talking. I completely understand that sort of feeling..."

Who knew trying to form bonds with animals would be so difficult? The archives in the library made it seem like a rather straightforward affair. Then again, there was a significant difference between Loth cats and Hrosma tigers. The strength of the beast was quite immense; even now, with vines and roots wrapped about its body, the creature still struggled. Wrestling it into submission, even with the Force, was no easy feat. To maintain constant control over the plants, Sybella had to stay focused. But even her resolve had limits.

"Any time now, Rahman..." she quietly muttered, all too aware of the sweat now forming upon her brow.

Any moment now, her hold would snap. The tiger would break free and wreak havoc upon them. Much like @Rahman Bahadir, Sybella didn't want to hurt the beast. In her opinion, the feisty feline hadn't done anything wrong. Poachers were trying to kill and, in the process of hunting her, had stolen her cubs. Wrathful retribution was an entirely justifiable reaction. Had the knight not also reacted similarly when Jedi younglings were at risk?

'Wait...'

The tiger. It has stopped struggling. Rather than riot against its vegetative bonds, it was as stiff as a statue; large, golden eyes looked beyond Sybella completely and were instead focused on the space behind her. Only one thing was important enough to garner its attention. The cubs. Glancing over her shoulder, the knight let out a celebratory holler. Rahman had done it! He'd got the cubs. Hopefully, the mother would let the Jedi return them to her without (quite literally) biting their heads off.

Still, as a precaution, Sybella kept a firm hold on the tiger. She if Rahman had something specific in mind for this rather unusual family reunion. "What's the plan, big man?"

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

Rahman was a stout Jedi, fearless in the face of danger and always willing to throw himself ahead of others if he thought he could protect them. This line of logic extended to all life, critters, and creatures that wandered the galaxy as far as he was concerned. Being able to protect this mother and her cubs was perhaps one of the most powerful moments in his life that he had felt, as the Orcolan set the little cuties down on the ground and took several steps back.

Looking at Sybella, he'd simply suggest she did the same and let the poor mother loose.

They'd watch as the cubs bumbled around on the ground for a few moments, running into each other and attempting the very best imitations of their parent's roars. Assuming his fellow Jedi released her, the mother would jump and clear the distance between them, landing right near her babies with a low roar of her own. Circling the children and watching for any signs of aggression from any of the onlookers, but finding none, she finally looked down at the cubs.

Rahman couldn't believe his luck as he watched the mother boop her nose into the first cub, the playful children now completely oblivious to whatever was going on around them were overjoyed to be back with their mother and cared for little else.

It still seemed a bit premature to try and bond with the distraught mother, but before he could even suggest to Sybella that they leave, the tigress grabbed both of her cubs by the scruff of their necks and disappeared through the bushes.

"Hmm..perhaps that's for the best, that poor thing must have been quite worried. Are you doing alright yourself? I wish I didn't have to leave you there, but it seems to have worked out."

When suddenly the mother returned, alone and composed and Rahman didn't know what to say or do at first. But it didn't matter in the end, for she had only come back for one thing. Dipping her head and with a soft growl, the Jedi would sense that she was appreciative of their help and with that, she returned to the jungle and to her cubs.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Watching the scene unfold, Sybella couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Recent events had not been kind to the knight; against the odds, she had faced trial after trial, one adversity after another and in all honestly, she was starting to the weight of her many burdens. There were some successes, yes, but there had also been one too many failures as well. People she hadn't been able to save. Evil she hadn't managed to stop. This mission, however trivial it may seem to some...It made her happy. She felt as if she had indeed managed to accomplish something for the greater good.

@Rahman Bahadir had certainly helped. Even now, wounded as he was, he showed such selflessness - worrying over Sybella when it was he who literally wrestled with the tigress. "Me? I should be the one asking you!"

Whilst not entirely skilled in the art of curing injuries, Sybella at least knew how to dress a wound. Bloating at the various cuts and scrapes, the knight marvelled at her companion's Orcalan durability. Talk about having thick skin!

The tigress' brief appearance was certainly unexpected. Nevertheless, the knight welcomed the fleeting moment, returning the animal's gesture with a nod of her own. What an experience - she couldn't wait to add this to her holo-records. An animal with the ability to use the Force. Incredible. Sybella would have never thought such a thing was possible, had she not witnessed and experienced such an anomaly herself. No wonder the scum of galaxy had tried to make a prize out of that gorgeous.

"Wait..." Sybella paused, suddenly remembering one bit of unfinished, "The Dug. Where is he? He needs to face the proeper authorities."

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

The big Orcolan was certainly made of tough stuff, but even he had his limits. A prolonged fight against the tigress wouldn't have been pretty, so he was quite glad that they had gotten the ending they did. It was a fine adventure the pair had undergone but there was still one thing left to do before they left.

"Oh, I have a feeling he'll be a little tied up right about now." the Orcolan's face barely hid a grin. In all the commotion with the cubs, the Dug had been so terribly scared of retribution that he had the magnificent idea of slipping himself into one of the spare cages. Only realized once it had locked, that he did not have the correct key in his possession and thus rendered himself rather caught up.

After Rahman showed Sybella that he would be quite alright for now, he decided to show her back to where they would find the Dug. True to his word the Dug had stuck around, although that was mostly due to locking himself away rather than for altruistic means. Before they'd have much time to discuss the matter further, however, a soft rustling could be heard from what appeared to be a covered cage.

Removing the blanket would reveal a curious creature that the Orcolan had never seen before and he wondered if his companion had either. "Sybella." he said calmly and with a low voice. "He looks frightened, see if you can calm him down."

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Ever the composed one, Sybella couldn't help but chuckle at the Dug's predicament. It served him right, considering his rather numerous transgressions. The planetary authorities would be more than happy with his detainment. Perhaps even Sector Rangers would be called upon to take him into official custody.

Lost in her thoughts, the Jedi missed the soft and subtle sounds one from of the other cages. @Rahman Bahadir luckily seemed more viligant. Pulling back a blanket revealed a rather strange creature; feline in appearance, the animal had three sets of limbs alternating in a range of forearms and hind legs. The body, whilst slender, seemed rather lean, stretching out rather long into a pronounced tail. Sybella didn't recognise the creature but from the looks of its trembling form, it seemed harmless enough.

"Poor thing...must be terrified." Slowly, very slowly, the Jedi would approach the cage. She avoided any sudden movements, so not to alarm the animal. "Easy there, little fellow. Nice and easy..."

Raising a single hand, she unlatched the lock of the cage. At the same time, the Knight reached out with the Force. It wasn't anything too potent, not like before. When connecting with another living being, the idea wasn't to dominant the its free will. Rather, it was to offer influence and provide a rapport. The create was certainly more open to the bond than the tigress from earlier. Tremors stopped once it got a sniff of Sybella's hand; after a rather tentive lick, it moved forward, bumping its head right into her open palm. Taking it as a rather positive sign, the Jedi have its long ears a gentle scratch. It didn't purr, as one might suspect but instead it seemed to hum, almost in a melodious way.

With a withering glance, Sybella looked back at the dug once more, regarding him with renewed reproach. "Have you no shame? Some mighty hunter you are, picking on the weak and harmless..."

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

Rahman watched with a beaming smile as Sybella worked carefully with the force to calm the cute little creature. Her efforts were rewarded as the fluffy little guy started to relax, loosening their shoulders and lowering the arch in their back.

"You'll know the bond has taken hold if it responds well to your commands or thoughts. It is much simpler to ask a creature to do something already in their nature, hence why the tigress could not be subdued when her only priority was to protect her kin." One thing the Orcolan enjoyed more than anything was passing on knowledge and lore to those who respected it as he did. Nature was an unpredictable fascination and they only played a small part in it. For all the power that the force offered, nature was more ancient, more primordial and not to be trifled with.

"I don't know how that got there, I swear!! Please let me go I'll never come back here ever again." the desperate pleas of the Dug went unanswered by Rahman. A small grunt was the only displeasure that he would show, before returning his focus back to Sybella and her newfound friend. "They are wild creatures though, with their own lives and habits. We should aim not to interrupt this unless it is their desire to accompany us home."

If the creature chose to adopt Sybella and come with the Jedi, he felt that was best left up to the creature itself rather than coercing it. But the same principles that she had used to mend the mind of the fluffy, could be used against almost anything else she would later find from pets to beasts and everything in between.

@HoneyMagpie