Pre-TL: Finders Keepers

[GABA]

The wind howled around her, its relentless gusts threatened to topple any standing object including herself if she was not careful in her footing. On an already uneven and rocky terrain, she knew one missed step could possibly end this endeavor real quick. She paused to readjust the scarf that was beginning to unravel from around her neck, the cold nipped at her exposed skin, stinging even when she managed to cover her neck and face. Thalia sighed and looked around, taking in her surroundings to make sure it was still as she remembered from the map. Carefully she turned to look back behind her to her ship that sat in the center of the valley below and questioned how some place could be so cold and desolate and still have the sun shine brightly over head.

She reached into her pocket and removed her holo-projector, fiddling with the side to find enough pressure to activate the device and the map that was loaded onto it. Studying the outlay for a moment, she could only hope there was something worth finding here; usually she was able to find some more reliable information, but the only lead she had was it was thought to be the place of a graveyard, a former fort held by ancient warriors who were killed in battle. However, she was creative enough, Thalia was certain she could come up with an even more intriguing story if she were able to find something worth selling. And so she continued, the path becoming narrow as she squeezed between walls of rock, some even requiring her feet to leave the ground as she pushed herself up and through wider gaps of the path. Getting down was probably the least graceful of her ability, choosing to jump down with landings more awkward than some.

Though there was something about this place that Thalia couldn't necessarily put her finger on, but that gut feeling told her to be cautious. She would constantly reassure herself it was why she had a blaster, for protection, besides, she did not believe in curses so nothing from some hocus pocus beliefs could cause her harm. Again, she climbed through another narrow path, but when she landed on the other side, she pulled her blaster, just in case some creature was out there looking for dinner.

@Phoenix

 

[Phoenix]

This wasn't one of the most beautiful places in the galaxy. Naked stone stretched on as far as the eye could see. No plants or tress could grow in the combination of cold and hard ground, and that meant there was nothing to protect from the whipping winds that tore across the landscape. It was the worst of all worlds, but it was still an improvement over the open desert as far as Talak was concerned.

His normal robes didn't cut it out here, and he'd bundled up in additional clothes to ward off the cold. Why had anyone chosen to come out and live on this horrid little world? What kind of cult had chosen to relegate itself here? Was it to avoid the reach of the Empire and its purges? Had they come here before that? The rumors had abounded, but it was only through some "concerted pressure" on an information trader combined with his own senses in the Force that he'd managed to find this place. At the edge of the galaxy.

He took cover in a cleft of rock against the wind, crouching low and pulling out his own holoprojector to check his way. He was on course, but still had another kilometer to go. In this wind that was going to suck, but he didn't have any other options.

That was when everything stiffened. It wasn't the cold that made his muscles tense, but a feeling of... someone. He had thought this place completely abandoned, and if there was someone here then maybe the warrior cult wasn't all dead. And if they weren't all dead, the young darksider might be in for trouble.

Kriff, he hissed, though the sound was lost to the sound of the wind. He reached back for his saber hilts and patted them out of habit, assured that they were ready if and when the time came to use them. For now, he knew he needed to keep his senses even more alert. The wind wasn't the only danger out here. @GABAdactyl

 

[GABA]

She was beginning to think this was a fool's run and nothing too significant would be found. Her face felt like it was ready to fall off from the cold and she wasn't sure how much time she had left until nightfall. Pausing on her path, she looked up at the sky and sighed before dropping her chin to recollect herself and holstered her blaster. Her thoughts argued with themselves on her decision to continue onward or to turn back before she decided to compromise with herself and seek a little further and would turn back if nothing showed up. However, as she opened her eyes, the path under her feet was disturbed, clear markings of something that was dragged through and possibly recently. She narrowed her eyes and then looked around finding it odd.

Once more she took out her blaster and continued now with more caution, the wind whistling through the canyon made it near impossible to hear anything, but Thalia was vigilant. She stepped carefully, but it wouldn't be enough to stop a pack of massiffs from gathering on the girl. It was an odd feeling, one that told her where to step, when to duck, an instinct that certainly has helped her navigate in the past and occasionally would prompt her during danger. One tried to leap onto her back from overhead, but her instinct protected her, the creature overshooting its prey. Thalia jumped back up, blaster aimed at the creature as she fired several bolts, but it had friends, ones who were just as hungry as they joined the other.

"Kriffkriffkriff..." she kept repeating, her blaster aimed, pointing at two of the creatures while she quickly scooped up a stone to arm herself against the third one. This was entirely what she hated about scavenging, those who find her to scavenge for themselves.

@Phoenix

 

[Phoenix]

Talak had begun to move almost immediately with the revelation of another person. He needed to know what they were doing here. Why had they come and would they interfere with his own efforts? He found the odds of any form of compatibility to be slim, but until he had answers, that decision couldn't be made.

He started covering the distance over the rocks more quickly and with determination. His body was flooded with adrenaline and the cold he felt no longer had anything to do with the wind or the temperature. Everything nonessential had been shut out of his mind as he beelined toward the other presence.

The Force pulsed with its own emotions. Fear and anxiety. Thrill and excitement. There was a predatory imprint from nature. These were feelings of battle that he knew all too well.

Maybe this would take care of itself without his intervention if the planet purged this other trespasser. He crested a slight hill and was planning to watch the fight, not interfering until something crept up the back of his neck. The feeling of dread that could only be a warning. From high above, a winged creature of massive size swept down at the darksider with a screech and clawed at him on the small hill.

Talak had no choice but to abandon his position, using the cover of the hill to avoid the strike and forcing him toward the woman and the massiff pack. Instead, it seemed the creature swept across the open ground and snatched one of the dog-like creatures up in its massive talons with a yelp. If they all didn't get out of the open soon, they'd all be dead meat: fed to the flying monster.

 

[GABA]

With a small yell, she threw the rock at the one massiff on her left corner, the hound leaping out of the way avoiding any harm from the thrown stone. The other creatures though did not stay still and while she had been distracted with throwing the stone, the one on the right lunged at the girl, pushing her to the left who also took a lunge, but the center massiff, something different happened entirely. A shadow came from over head as Thalia muffled her yell from the successful lunge, leaving a gash opened in her arm. However, it would be the yelp from the center massiff as it was picked up by the predatory bird and she felt a moment of panic, even more so as she turned to look to see where she could go and saw a figure running toward her.

The other two massiffs begun to run away as the other let out a howl that was silenced quickly as the bird dropped it over rocks. It turned to make another dive at the girl and soon her guest as the massiffs were no longer looking to stick around. She raised her blaster to point at the figure, trying to think and act quickly to see who was the bigger of the threats. Thalia had no clue if there were others who still inhabited this world, she was under the impression they were all dead or moved on to more desirable worlds. The bird came diving in, a line that would target Thalia and then Talak.

The girl dove out of the path of the bird as it screamed on its incoming attack; her arm throbbed from landing on the wound, but she gritted through the pain as she pushed herself back to her feet, her blaster aimed for the bird before she fired several shots, hoping she didn't strike the mystery figure. Though, if he were there on the basis of ill-will, she secretly wished for them to hit.

@Phoenix

 

[Phoenix]

He ran down the hill with at full speed, and although he knew that he should be careful in case the woman fired at him, the more pressing concern of the angry flying monster was gnawing at his mind. He snatched his lightsaber from his belt and continued his charge down the hill only for his foot to catch on a jutting stone and send him tripping to the ground in front of him.

With the adrenaline pumping through his veins, the impact went unnoticed as the bird screeched once again and swung around for another pass. With a buzzing hiss the crimson blade leapt out and swung up diagonally in front of his body, its length covering the maximum amount of his torso in case the woman - who now had a pistol pointed at him - actually opted to fire.

He was preparing for a fight against her when the bird came swinging around once again. With a screech, it lunged at both of them, and Talak swung his saber upward as he darted to the side. The plasma blade just barely nicked a talon, eliciting another cry, before it continued flying away.

The follow up shots weren't aimed at Talak, but it appeared the bird had decided this prey wasn't worth the effort. The Dark Jedi's attention swung back toward the woman, eyes narrowed.

Who are you?! What do you want!? he had to shout over the howling of the wind. @GABAdactyl

 

[GABA]

Her blaster was still raised and aimed at the figure, his red saber had drew her attention and she felt an overwhelming sense of fear and uncertainty, finding this situation turning into the worst idea ever. Though he had thwarted off the giant bird and no longer were the hounds looking to eat her for supper, Thalia was not ignorant of the myths and legends that existed behind such weapons. The wind made his voice barely audible as he shouted, demanding to know who she was and her business. Her own eyes narrowed, her arm throbbed from the wound she acquired from the hounds, but she kept her weapon aimed. A gust of wind whipped up dirt and sand, causing Thalia to flinch as her exposed skin was pricked with the small pebbles. However, it would be enough to distract her, her thoughts shifted as she begun to focus on survival.

She had no clue who this guy was or what he was capable of, "Thalia!" she shouted back to him, "I want to get out of this wind." she told him, hoping he would find the response acceptable. Now her weapon was completely lowered, but it was still ready if she were needing to defend herself. The girl took a few backward steps, making sure he wouldn't try to cross her as she gestured for him to follow. She did not feel she could fully turn her back to him and had an awkward dance of side steps and backward steps while leading the way to a large boulder that seemed to jet from the ground itself, but it was high and wide enough to block the wind.

Thalia leaned against it and started to dig through her bag looking for bacta patches to place on her arm.

@Phoenix