Ask In A Land Down Under

[Andros Sahin]

For a few moments, Andros just.. Laid there. It was the first time that the half-Orcolan had allowed himself a moment of test since getting shit on by a giant bird, and after everything and all the injuries that had occurred, the exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him. It was all too easy to drift to sleep for the next couple hours - to blissfully tone out the rest of the Galaxy, laying right there in the muck. There was no small part of Andros that wanted to do exactly that.

But he knew that he couldn’t.

Despite the exhaustion and pain that he felt, Andros wouldn’t allow himself to forget the others that were still lost in the forest - their faces swirling in his mind. Leon and Dash were his charge - his responsibility alongside Zathria, and he owed it to all three of them to carry on. Even Ezra - the kid hadn’t asked to be stranded in the Shadowlands, had worked with them and had been roped into all the nonsense that had occurred with their group. Andros owned it to all of them to force himself back to his feet.

Slowly but surely the half-Orcolan rose, groaning ever-so-slightly as he came to his full height. A quick glance of his surroundings as enough to tell that he’d been taken far down River, but otherwise roughly parallel to the path they’d been pursuing. The mountain was still visible, and an alternative path through the forest was found shortly thereafter.

Before stepping forward, Andros gripped the lower portion of his tank - tearing a long strip of the fabric. While it wasn’t perfect, the half-Orcolan tied the fabric tightly around the wound in his shoulder - content that it would have to do until it would be properly looked at.

Only then did Andros began trekking forward - once again following the path towards the mountain, saberhilt in hand. He was oblivious to the arguments taking place with the rest of the group, nor the fact that Ezra was similarly trekking towards the mountain somewhere semi-close by.

 

[Zathria]

Only in the back of her mind did Zathria hear that Ezra said he was going to relieve himself. If she had turned the full weight of her Justicar's intuition upon him, she'd have sensed it was a lie, but admittedly, her mind was far, far too scattered at the moment for that, so when Ezra began to walk off, Zathria didn't stop him.

Dash at least went and sat down, though he left the medkit in her hands and she closed her eyes for a moment, pushing back at the frustration and concern clawing at her own mind. Now's not the time.

She took a deep, steadying breath and made her way over to Leon to try to patch him up with the medkit in lieu of Dash helping. She kept herself busy for several minutes. Minutes that ticked by without the appearance of Andros. Minutes that left her fearful that he may not come back. And yet, she hadn't sensed his death. She didn't think he was lost to them, but... she just couldn't know.

How are you feeling? she asked Leon as she kept with her work to staunch any bleedings and provide what little kolto she had. She had to admit, she felt exhausted, but now wasn't the time for fatigue. She couldn't afford it and neither could they.

 

[Dash Pavan]

Sitting there on the hard ground was the first real moment of peace and quiet for Dash all day and he sank into his own thoughts. They flashed through his mind; the birds, the dead Katarn, the frightening attack. Then the camp, the witch and the wookiee. He was sure he had read a novel with a similar title, but no novel could be as crazy as this day.

He tumbled inside himself, as he was sometimes prone to doing, barely noticing the world around him. He completely missed the medpack Zathria had offered and barely heard Leon as he tried to ask for help. He was too busy knotting the blade of grass and peering into the mid distance, going over each situation and how he'd dealt with it.

The young Padawan only made himself angry, arguing it out in his head. He couldn't possibly be expected to just roll with what had happened today, it had all be stupid and unfair. That was not being defensive, it was just being honest.

This was another stupid situation - hanging around like sitting ducks while the Sayoomins worked out a way to cross the river and kill them. He got that they should stick together - it made sense - but they were all together, except one and there was no reason to think Andros was coming back, or even...

Dash couldn't finish the thought, despite his frustration. He liked the big green Jedi too much and already knew him too well to think about it. But even if he was alive, the sooner they had a way off this hell hole the better. Zathria said they would find it together, but she had said nothing about how long they would wait or how they would know when they had given it long enough.

The familiar posh drawl pricked his ears and Dash glanced around to see Silvereyes scuttling off up the hill (@Sreeya ). Silently, he got up to follow.

Zathria had her back to him administering to Leon and surely most of her concentration was on her work (@Phoenix ). Dash was not big, or loud, and made virtually no sound as he drifted toward the path Silvereyes had taken. Still, Leon himself might see and may choose to give him away (@Zay ).

It was no small thing for Dash to disobey the Knight, but he could not sit there and do nothing. Besides, the game had changed - Silvereyes had vanished into the distance, but was on his own and probably couldn't protect himself. Dash wasn't even sure he had everything he needed to signal for help, even with an ego you could see from space.

@SlagathorTheUnknown @Altaris

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra couldn’t believe his escape plan worked, but he was soon on his way towards the higher levels of the mountain. He wasn’t entirely sure why he felt the need to start trekking ahead. The plan to rest before heading out wasn’t a bad one. It was because he didn’t belong, and it bothered him more than he would ever admit to himself. Ezra felt both uncomfortable and liberated as he continued walking, wondering if he would ever see those other Jedi again.

His entire life, he had been surrounded by protection in some shape or form. This was a moment when he felt truly alone, and it was far more unsettling than he anticipated. Ezra kept walking until he almost tripped over something on the ground. A closer look suggested it was a weapon of some sort. When he picked it up, he realized it was a bowcaster! Not only that, but it was easily maneuverable and had autococking (which he wouldn’t realize now). Ezra slung it over his shoulder, continuing his little hike.

Ezra was starting to get winded when he heard some noise behind him. He whirled around and aimed the bowcaster as if he was some sort of expert. The surprise was clear on his face when he spotted Prettyboy.

“What’re you doing here?” He blurted out before he could stop himself. A glance past his shoulder suggested he came alone. Ezra scowled immediately, “Did you come here to drag me back to Principal Jedi?”


Roll: nat 20 for finding a bowcaster

@Alhon @Phoenix @Zay @SlagathorTheUnknown @Altaris

 

[Zathria]

Zathria finished patching Leon up and turned back to the rest of the group only to find that there was no rest of the camp. They had both just wandered off while she was helping one of the others, and the realization hit her like a truck.

She stood deathly still for a long moment. The full weight of their situation came down upon her. She felt a wave of frustration, anger, helplessness, betrayal, and pain. She felt anxiety and fear that they were all going to be killed on her watch. Were they determined to die?!

She crouched down and buried her face in her hands. She wanted to cry or grab something and hurl it across the jungle as hard as she could. She felt small and helpless, not at all like the Jedi Knight she was supposed to be. She had long understood why the Sith appealed to so many: it was the impression of controlling one's own destiny and of having the power to do whatever needed to be done.

And then she heard a still, small voice. A voice she recognized as belonging to her master, though he had been one gone now for years. All is as the Force wills, and I am one with the Force, he had always said. But the Force felt far away now like it had left her in this mess on her own, scrambling to keep everyone alive.

All is as the Force wills seemed to reiterate in her mind. No, she would never be a Sith because the truth was that the Sith tried to scramble for power that was nothing more than an illusion. No matter what they thought, they were small, nothingness compared to the Living Force. Their control was an illusion, and Zathria wouldn't trade the illusion of control for the inner peace of knowing that she was merely the vessel of the real power behind the universe.

And she let go. She let go of her attempts to control or direct the situation and let herself be guided by the current of the Force, and the faith that the Force was in control. She took a deep breath in and pushed herself back to her feet, focusing on the here and now. She still felt the nagging uncertainty below the surface, but she let it melt away. And I am one with the Force.

She turned to Leon and grabbed the remainder of their supplies. Come on, we need to keep moving, she said, her voice now exuding more calm than it did earlier. She moved over to help support him as they moved and started in the direction of the mountaintop. You doing okay?

 

[Dash Pavan]

Somehow, Dash made it into the trees and out of sight. He thanked his lucky stars and Leon for seemingly not giving him away, though he knew he would have to answer for his willfulness later.

He skipped up the hill, catching up with the tall figure of Silvereyes pretty quickly. The guy was not the fastest over open country, let alone up the steepening mountainside. Dash was just pleased to see his silhouette - at least he was not lost, or worse.

He was about to call out when Silvereyes swung around, some sort of weapon in his hands and trained in his direction. He actually found a bowcaster!? Where the frack?!

"Woah woah, chill out Silver" Dash held his hands out reassuringly, inwardly cursing himself for letting the nickname slip past his lips. He had no idea if SIlvereyes knew how to use the bowcaster, but he didn't want to antagonise him either way. "I sneaked off too - to help you".

He took a step towards his reluctant companion, eyeing the bowcaster warily "Are you going to put that down?" he asked, smiling uneasily. "Principal Jedi means well - she's probably right - but I just can't sit still in this place. We have to get help before it throws something else at us".

Dash was almost close enough to touch the weapon now and he was tempted to try and ease it out the other guy's grip. It also occurred to him that he could probably use the Force to knock SIlvereyes to the ground faster than he could fire. But he was worn out being at odds with this guy. They needed to work together.

"I have my comlink" he said, thumbing his jacket pocket "if we pair it with yours maybe we can boost the signal?"

He was quite close to Silvereyes now, the two of them standing there on the silent hillside. The moonlight reflected in those two silver pools and traced the perfect cheekbones. He had shown he could be a prick at times, but by the Force he was a pretty good looking one.

Dash let out a long sigh. "How about you just tell me your actual name?".

@Zay @Sreeya @SlagathorTheUnknown @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

The Padawan’s plea for help fell on deaf ears as Dash ignored him to play with the grass. Leon lowered the gauze with a sigh then muttered, “Cool… guess I’ll just go fuck myself.”

Defeat washed over him like an old friend. Maybe the paternal bond of the Jedi was just a rumor… hastily he set to wrapping a portion of his leg that was bleeding. He couldn’t even remember that happening. His pant leg had been torn away and his calf and shin were covered in bruises and nicks. A pair of boots are rutty as his stepped in front of him and he looked up to see Zathria.

Leon felt ashamed for sulking. He was being a baby. Their situation demanded resolve, and the Jedi knight had been picturesque its portrayal. To his surprise she asked how he was feeling.

“Oh, living the dream,” He said with a tired smile. He could feel the turmoil she felt, and he respected her for keeping up the brave front, so he returned the favor in kind and stowed his philosophical mumbojumbo for the hyperspace jump home.

Zathria quickly and efficiently helped him patch up. He winced as she applied a Kolto salve to a bandaged and pressed it to his face. That’s when Dash decided to slink off into the brush. Leon frowned, guess everyone had to piss.

The break, even though meager, was enough for Leon to feel capable of standing. Zathria froze as she realized Dash was gone. The crushing emotion seemed to pour out of her and Leon could emphasize with her pain and guilt. He wanted to reach out and reassure her, but he wasn’t sure he was the best source of encouragement. Nobody wanted to hear everything would be fine from a guy who looked like a mummy. Then just as quickly as it had come on the emotion passed. From his point of view she just seemed to accept that shab was karked.

Zathria said it was time to go and he helped cobble together what was left of their supplies. She moved to help him and he shook her off, “I can walk. Promise to tell you if I feel like I’m gonna pass out again,” another sheepish smile flitted across his expression.

The Knight didn’t seem to fully believe him, which to her defense made plenty of sense, but he reassured her that he was okay. Leon wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t tell her which way Dash fled. A small voice in the back of his mind murmured, “the force moves in mysterious ways.” It was the kind of gut feeling you couldn’t explain to someone unless they’d felt it too and from what he’d just felt in the force he had a feeling there was something larger at work. Who was he to control the all knowing?

As they set off along the trail he immediately wished she was still helping him. He was still tired, but he was alive and breathing. That would have to be enough for now. Leon fell into a mental mantra of “Left foot, right foot,” to keep his mind off the pain in his legs. The trail was treacherous, but not as bad as an old tree over a raging river.

Leon finally gave up not asking and said, “Hey Zathria, how long did it take you to, like trust it?” Then realizing she might not know what he meant continued, “The force, how long did it take you to trust the force?”

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Silver? The name didn’t make any sense, but a moment later it clicked that it was probably referring to his eyes. His ears turned a shade of pink and he lowered the bowcaster, spotting how terrified Prettyboy looked for a moment. Ezra wasn’t sure how he felt about having one of the Jedi joining him, but Dash had a good point that he had no way of getting a signal without help.

Ezra ran his hand through his hair as he sometimes did when he was nervous, a habit he picked up from his Pops without even realizing. It was just them now, no Knight to tell them what to do and no Salami warriors to attack them. His silvers met sapphires, studying Dash’s handsome features that shined through despite the exhaustion that had set in. Ezra had this weird compulsion to say something impressive or funny to make him laugh, but nothing came forth. He was suddenly incredibly thankful for having inherited Emryc’s infamous poker face.

“Why can’t Jabba be my real name, Eggs?” He scoffed as he began to walk, keeping a slower pace for the shorter Jedi to stay right by him, “Seems more believable than Dash,” Ezra said with a faint smirk as he kept walking through the path, “Then again, if you wear rugs for clothing, not surprising you’re given pets' names,” It was far easier to make snappy little quips at Dash than to let his walls down.

He kept the bowcaster ready, but for now the route was surprisingly clear. As they moved up the spiraling trail that took them up the mountain, the air grew clearer. The moon was bright and the stars stretched out for miles. Ezra had to stop and stare, never having seen anything like this in all the time he spent in cities and luxury districts. He looked borderline comical, eyes slightly wide as he stared vacantly at the sky. And just like that, the first layer of a wall began to crumble.

“Ezra,” He said quietly after a long moment before he turned to look at Dash again, “My name is Ezra.”


Roll: 18/20 for path safety

@Alhon @Altaris @Phoenix @Zay

 

[Zathria]

Zathria gave him a questioning look as he said that he was fully capable of moving on his own. She'd already been burned by trusting one Padawan, and she didn't want him collapsing because he was overconfident.

You better, she reiterated but ultimately let him make his own way. The way wasn't very quick, but at least it was steady. She had no idea what was going on up ahead with the others, but at this point they just needed to make it to the top of the mountain.

She was so busy thinking about getting them out that she'd almost forgotten to actually be paying attention to Leon on a deeper level. She looked back at him as he asked her a question and her head tilted to the side for a moment in confusion before he clarified.

Oh, hm, she paused a moment, eyes looking up and away as she thought back to her life and training.

You know, for me I had learned to use the Force for a lot of things: moving things, jumping, fighting, all that jazz that everyone thinks of, she said. But I'd always taken pride in my Echani heritage and the skills that came with it, she said.

Well, my master and I had gotten into a conflict with pirates out on Batuu. We'd split up and I got surrounded. Shot at from all different directions, and even for all my skill, I was sure I was going to be killed, she said, thinking about about it. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

As I was taking cover behind a pillar, I finally just... let go. I let my mind blend with the Force, and let it do whatever it chose, no matter the outcome. You could call it a leap of faith, but it was as much desperation as faith, she said admitted honestly.

At least at the time, she added. Her relationship with the Force had changed a lot since then.

It won't happen until you... let go, she said and snorted. Easier said than done, seometimes, she said, knowing he had seen her just about have a break down not thirty minutes ago.

@Zay

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash didn't really expect Silvereyes to shoot him, but it was still a relief when he lowered the bowcaster.

He didn't apologise for pointing it at him in the first place of course, in fact he didn't say anything at first. He just looked back at Dash for a long moment, his face virtually impossible to read. The young Padawan couldn't read minds either, but he had a hunch there was a lot going off in there all the same. Silvereyes was as anxious and unsure about all this as he was, he had to be..

Maybe that was why he didn't dismiss Dash out of hand. It was certainly what the Rhinnalian had expected - he had been ready to lay down the law to the pretentious non-Jedi. But now they were walking up the slope together without protest. Finally a win.

"Jabba, pfft!" Dash couldn't believe he was still going with that one "Let's just say I don't think Jabba's your vibe, and no mom and dad could be that cruel". He gave him a sideways look "Even to you".

Dash just smiled through the barbs about his own name and his damn jacket, literally biting his tongue. Silvereyes churned out quips easier than breathing and it was starting to seem a little like a defence mechanism. Ask this guy anything personal and you got half a dozen bolts back at you to frighten you off. He might not even be looking for a reaction, but Dash was not going to give him one anyway. If he wanted to be Jabba, then fine.

He was still focused on ignoring the jibes when his companion suddenly stopped beside him. Dash's hand went to his hilt. But Silvereyes didn't seem to have seen danger, he was just looking up at the starry sky. Had he seen a ship?

Then Dash saw the almost childlike look of wonder on his face and realised he was just taking it all in. He found himself doing the same, following his gaze across the moon, the stars and the silver-lit mountain landscape. They both breathed in the beauty in a shared moment of silence.

When Ezra finally did introduce himself, in that quiet, earnest voice, Dash just knew it was the truth.

"Hi Ezra" he said, his voice barely a whisper. He turned to look at that face again "Nice to finally meet you".


@Zay @Sreeya @SlagathorTheUnknown @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

“Let go…” Leon murmured echoing the Knight’s insight. He crossed his arms over his chest and cupped his chin as he considered the lesson. Fearless had challenged him to be like water. To be like water in all things, maybe this wasn’t too far from that.

Well, here goes nothing… he thought as he plunged himself into the force. Kashyyyk was rich in the preternatural power and that fertility flooded The Padawan’s consciousness in a way he’d never experienced before. A web of golden translucent light expanded before him flickering into an overwhelming existence before him. His steps stuttered and then stopped as the vast flow of information threatened to incapacitate him. His head began to throb, but not from the poison, that pin was forgotten this was, deadly, and old.

There was a primal dominance about the pressure. It’s desire to eat, to thrive, to dominate was so powerful it nearly brought Leon to his knees. A sheen of slick fear induced sweat coated his body and he struggled to stammer, “Z-Zathria… something’s wrong.”

Suddenly, the root he was standing on lurched, and he slipped tumbling to the ground. A glint of the faintly gleaming moonlight sent a fresh pang of cold fear through his body as the glimmering malice filled golden eyes of an Anakkona lowered into his view.

 

[Zathria]

Okay, well, that wasn't really what Zathria had expected. The branch they were standing on lurched and moved, revealing itself to be not a branch at all, but a massive predatory worm-snake.

Zathria's first instinct was to pull out her lightsaber, hand brushing against the hilt before she froze, almost against her will. It was the Force that had frozen her, trying to tell her something if she would just... listen.

She could hear the fear in Leon's voice - and reasonably so - but that fear bled into the Force. That fear said that despite his intent he was still holding on.

You need to let go, Leon. You are one with the Force. The Force is one with this creature. You are this creature, she said. It wasn't an untrue statement, and from her studies in the archives, it was actually precisely how Master Kenobi had described his connection to the Force.

Be calm and it will be calm, she said. Trust in the Force and surrender control, she said, her voice sounding soothing and calm. Despite the danger of their situation, the Force calmed her. If they had to fight this creature, they would, and Zathria watched closely so that nothing would happen to Leon as he hopefully followed her instructions. She was prepared to intervene if hiss came to bite.

@Zay

 

[Ezra Thorne]

It was like a scene out of a Holomovie - the skies were brilliant, the moon was giant and looming right above them. He forgot he was on a terrible planet trying to eat him or that they had just been chased by Soonami warriors. He forgot his muscles hurt and he was starving, and maybe he actually did have to take a leak by now. No, he was just taking in the moment, and it certainly helped that the company wasn’t terrible. He noticed he was blatantly staring at Dash and he cleared his throat, running his hand through his hair.

“Uh.. what’re you looking at?” Ezra asked gruffly in an accusing tone, quickly looking away. His ears were rapidly turning red and he quickly began to shuffle along the path before Dash could notice. His face was hot and it infuriated him. Stupid Jedi. He was probably doing some mindtricks to get Ezra all flustered like this.

His sharp ears picked up some noise down back the way they came and he abruptly froze in place. If Dash was walking right behind him, he would collide with Ezra again. Ezra turned to look in the direction, knowing Dash likely hadn’t heard it. He had a decision to make - he could completely ignore what he heard or he could say something. Ezra chewed on the inside of his lip as he looked back at Dash. In the end, he sighed.

“I think the others are in trouble,” He said calmly, his gaze flicking past Dash towards where they had left Grumpy Lady and Leon. Just because he heard trouble didn’t mean he felt a sudden compulsion to be a hero. He was no trained Jedi, he was simply a civilian. He first waited to see what Dash would do, expecting him to flail his arms about and run valiantly back to save the day. Ezra, on the other hand, would casually walk back following him.

@Alhon

 

[Andros Sahin]

[

Minutes passed, and Andros continued to soldier through the forest - weaving between the thick brush and towering trees. He knew that the rest of his group couldn’t have gone far - and that their destination would have remained the same despite being separated. Fortunately, the half-Orcolan found that his own hike was free from any critters or distractions - and it allowed for Andros to quickly rendezvous with the rest of the group.

Just up ahead, Andros could feel the familiar voices of Leon and Zathria, and could feel their presence in the Force. It brought forth a pang of relief to know they were still alive and well.

“I’m almost offended that you all left me,” Andros called out from behind some trees, amusement lacing his words that weren’t the least bit serious. He didn’t blame them for carrying on, and it was precisely what he expected them to do. Unfortunately, the half-Orcolan was oblivious to the creature that the pair had stumbled upon.

“Where are the ot–” As he rounded the corner, Andros felt his foot press down onto something moving. A quick glance down revealed the rattle-tip of the Anakkoa’s tail, crushed and slithering beneath the heel of his boot. The half-Orcolan barely had time to lift his foot before a screech ripped through the forest - loud enough to reach Ezra and Leon, and likely making everyone else’s ears ring.

“Oh come on!” He hissed, lurching backward as the Anakkoa snapped back at him, its body curling up and moving into striking position. So much for the whole snake-charmer idea.

@Phoenix @Sreeya @Zay @Alhon

 

[Dash Pavan]

It felt a little different as they headed up the path, two people who actually knew each others names and weren't working quite so hard to insult one another. Dash thought he saw Ezra play with his hair again and look generally discombobulated for a second or two. Given how composed he was all the frickin time, it was actually kind of cute.

He wanted to push his luck and fire some more awkward questions at Ezra, but then he remembered where he was and what he was doing. Fear and guilt swamped him again, no longer held back by the brief moment of cheer. Running off from the others had to be worth it, they had to reach the summit and signal for help. Dash didn't think they could be far from the top, the ground was turning really uneven and he increasingly had to concentrate where he was putting his feet.

He was focusing on stepping over a large boulder when he walked flat into the back of Ezra's designer jacket. The guy had stopped dead again, but this time he was looking back down the path, head cocked to one side, listening.

"In trouble?" Dash repeated, images of angry Saladbins flashing through his mind. Then a shrill cry pierced the night and the young Padawan's eyes went wide. "That sounds like something new, and not good new".

Dash turned, instinctively moving to head back and help. But then he paused, conflicted. He had been very little help in the fight with the tribesmen, the camp rescue, or the river crossing. Ezra had been even less. Zathria was back there, with Leon and the big wookiee. Would they be any help even if they got there in time?

"I...I think we should carry on" he said, sounding more confident as he went along "we don't know what it is or whether we can even get down there in time to help. Besides, if we don't get a way out of here we're all going to end up dead anyway". He looked Ezra in the face, trying to harden his jaw against any argument "We came up here to send a signal, let's just get to the top and do it".

@Sreeya @Zay @SlagathorTheUnknown @Phoenix @Altaris

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

The nostrils of the massive serpent blasted Leon’s hair back out of his eyes. It’s forked tongue tasted the air centimeters from his face. The force swirled in a miasmic aurora around the great beast’s massive head. He thought of the Kinrith. If they hadn’t threatened it’s nest there might not have been a fight… Leon swallowed his fear and reached out with his consciousness. The Padawan took a deep breath, never breaking eye contact with the predator, and began to exude calm… then the snake’s massive jaw snapped open letting lose a hissing scream that nightmares are made of.

The Anakkoa’s putrid-smelling breath would have turned Leon’s stomach had he not been screaming and running for his life. As the reptile whipped around, it’s body crashed into the Padawan flinging him through the air. Leon inadvertently yelped, “Yeeeeeeeeeet!” As he felt the weightless embrace of the collision. Thankfully, the landing was soft. He bounced off a patch of plush moss, and used the remaining momentum of the hit to roll over his shoulder and back up onto his feet. That would probably be the last time he tried to befriend a massive serpent. Well, maybe.

Leon frowned. He patted his body and then looked around for the incoming gaping maw set to consume him. That’s when he realized the snake had turned its attention to something else, ANDY!

Hope conflagrated within Leon like sparks catching tinder aflame, but that didn’t mean he had time to rejoice. He could already feel the pull of the force guiding him. Baudelaire dove under the thrashing tail as the serpent lunged for Andros. He made his way toward Zathria, hoping to mount an offense along with the Jedi Knight.

@Alhon @Altaris @Phoenix @SlagathorTheUnknown @Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra saw Dash beginning to head back down the path, but he hesitated. He heard Dash’s decision to head towards the summit instead. The relief was almost visible on Ezra's face, and he turned to walk in that direction. However, that was when he heard ‘YEEEEEEET’ coming from Leon in the distance. Ezra stopped in his tracks, gritting his teeth.

“If that Leon dude survives, he’s never gonna let me live down the time I ran like a wuss,” He declared as he rushed back towards the others. He had a penchant for running into Jedi and could already picture Leon tap dancing on his ego with a shitty little grin, “Besides, I wanna try out this sick ‘caster!”

It took Ezra and his long legs only a few minutes to reach the others. Being up on an incline meant he had a vantage point. Even then, his eyes popped open at the sight of the massive snake. He leveled the bowcaster and fired, aiming for the snake that was targeting… was that the green Jedi? So he did live!

To Ezra’s surprise, the bolt shot through the air and exploded into the snake’s side. The beast hissed and writhed, slamming down to the ground in agony.

“Did you see that?!” Ezra called out, glancing over at Dash. His brief joy was shortlived as the snake was now more furious than ever, missing several scales and sporting a severe gash where the bolt found purchase. The snake turned its sights on him and Dash.

"Shit."

Roll: 12+1 for vantage point

@Alhon @Zay @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

Zathria was tense and ready to leap at a moment's notice, but she had... hope that he would manage it. And then everything kind of fell apart. Andros suddenly appearing wasn't even on her radar - probably a black mark against her - and when he appeared, her face lit up in joy.

Then everything kind of went downhill. The creature snapped out at Andros and everything was a blur. She leapt forward to slash at the creature, landing a slash that didn't seem to get all that deep. Though it did cleave the scales, it didn't do much more than piss it off even more.

The crack of a bowcaster fired out over the air, slamming into the creature and managing to dislodge several scales. Zathria, though, had not minded her footing... a rookie mistake, and as it launched toward Dash and Ezra, she lost her footing, thrown backwards as well and slamming into a tree before becoming entangled in a series of vines, thrashing somewhat wildly in an attempt to get free and back into the fight.

 

[Dash Pavan]

He seemed to persuade Ezra, which was a relief. At least they were on the same page. They both turned to hurry up the hill, but then another sound split the night air, this time a cry from one of their own. Was that Leon?

Ezra seemed to think it was. He went bounding down the hill towards trouble, shouting a poor excuse over his shoulder. Dash stood furious and uncertain. Being on the same page didn't last long then.

He couldn't go on alone. He'd only just convinced himself it was the right plan and now everyone else was once again rushing into danger. The Rhinnalian cursed and hurried after Ezra.

Catching up was hard over the short distance and the sounds up ahead put Dash off sprinting full tilt. He finally glimpsed Ezra up ahead, just in time to see the guy cock the bowcaster and shoot - at a humungous screeching snake. The young Jedi would have screamed in vindication if he'd had the time.

The bolt hit the snake as Dash drew level with Ezra, burning into it's flesh but just pissing it off. "I can see that you made it real mad!" Dash yelled, trying to pull Ezra away, but the snake screeched violently, rounding on the two of them and lunging.

There was no time to draw anything. It was all Dash could do to throw out a hand, hoping to hurl the Force at the creature. To save him. To save Ezra.

A burst of blue light shot from his palm, striking the snake in the eye and making it recoil, roaring in pain. Dash saw that a long shard of ice was now embedded in its eye socket, glinting in the moonlight. Did he do that?

Something made him tear his gaze away, taking precious seconds to try and usher Ezra into cover. It might be half blind, but it would still be the death of them. Were the others here? He hadn't seen, but he prayed they were.

Rolled 19/20 for success of Force attack

@Zay @Sreeya @Altaris @Phoenix

 

[Ezra Thorne]

“Excuse me, everything makes it mad!” Ezra quipped back as he narrowly avoided the snake as Dash yanked him back. What happened next completely took him by surprise. One moment he was toppling over thanks to Dash pulling him, the next the padawan unleashed something from his hand. Ezra looked to see a giant icicle protruding from the snake’s eye.

“Did you do that?” He asked Dash incredulously, so impressed he forgot to run. He finally stumbled behind Dash to avoid being in the direct trajectory of the snake.

Fortunately, the snake reeled back from the ice attack, hissing loudly as it thrashed and writhed in agony. It fell with a thud on the ground, severely weakened from the multiple attacks. It landed on its side, exposing its fleshy throat. Ezra could have tried to be impressive and take the last blow, but he instead gritted his teeth and looked over the edge of the elevated path he was on.

“STAB IT, LEON! FINISH IT!”

@Zay @Phoenix @Alhon @Altaris