Ask Kashyyyk Protectors

[Willa Kanz]

For the first time, she and Crix were a team working together. Part of her was looking forward to showing off her newly-learned skills, but another part of her grimly acknowledged there was still much to learn. The deep darkness of the tall, ancient trees and the sight of Wookies--real Wookies!-- was like something out of a holodrama. Still, she knew they weren't here for tourism. Everything felt subdued here, as though the storm pushed everything flat down, and yet she couldn't help but feel a trickle of something lurking in the back of her senses.

The wooden elevator was going to be bringing them down soon; she knew it was mostly an exercise for the padawans, but she was still grateful the knight Talak was around, just in case. Crix had kinda told her who the guy was, but she still couldn't help sneaking glances at the man every now and then, curious as to why he was willing to go instead of her bratty cousin Hans.

Still, as the expedition crew prepped for the long trip down, she couldn't help also sneaking a peek at the dim levels beneath.

It was a long way down to reach the shadowlands; she'd heard the stories. Her hand ghosted over the handle of her lightsaber again, and she gave a small smile.

Part of her was actually pretty excited for this.

@Nefieslab @Phoenix

 

[Crix Aran]

Wookies and Kashyyyk were very new to Crix - he had never in his life seen trees so massive nor sentients as massive as the Wookies were. He was glad he was working with Willa though, he was looking forward to how well they synced up when they were on a mission. Before either of them had had any training with the Force they had worked well in sync, in tandem, but now? With the Force as a booster to that? Crix was willing to bet they could steamroll through half the problems presented to them without any major issues.

What was slightly awkward about the whole team dynamic however was Talak.

Or rather, the fact that Crix still hadn't done anything to see about addressing their recently rather strained relationship. He was trying to do the Jedi thing and move on... wasn't his fault that in this current situation that same, mature, response looked a lot like ignoring the fact that Talak was there entirely. Which was the immature option but he couldn't help how it looked.

He was too busy taking the high road.

Though they were a bit far down now for anything to be considered high. As he leaned over the edge of the lift he grimaced a little bit as he spotted things moving in the shadows all around them. Typical of him when he was nervous, he started mouthing off.

"So we all agree that whoever named this place was unimaginative, right?"

@Killa Ree @Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

This wasn't Talak's first time coming down to the shadowlands and being on one of these elevators again evoked many memories he would have liked to forget. He'd brought Ana down here during her training and the fact that he was once again accompanying students down here didn't bring out the best feelings.

Combine those unpleasant thoughts with the fact that virtually everyone in Talak's life that he cared about - and yes, he'd discovered that did include Crix despite their rocky start - was mad at him it didn't put him in the best mood. Add that to the fact that he knew this place was incredibly dangerous even for a fully trained Knight, and he was a bit on edge.

So then, why had he come out here? Because it was time for him to actually be a Jedi. That meant learning to control his emotions, learning to teach, and helping people... among other things. He also was probably one of the more qualified members of the Order when it came to the Shadowlands, what with having been here before.

A part of him also hoped that through this he and Crix might be able to reconcile again, though he also understood that distraction was hardly what they needed down here.

The "elevator" down was rickety and swayed endlessly. Talak was silently thankful that there wasn't any wind down here because he wasn't sure it could even survive a strong gust.

He could sense the unrest in the padawans, and heard Crix speak up first.

He nodded silently and made his way over to the edge, placing one hand on the small rope-guard around the perimeter and peering over the edge.

True, but aptly named. Have either of you read up on the Shadowlands at all? he asked. He didn't know if either of them had ever been to Kashyyyk before, but he hoped they'd at least familiarized themselves with what they might face down here. If not... well, that was why he was here as well. @Killa Ree @Nefieslab

 

[Willa Kanz]

So Crix and Knight Rand seemed to be weird with one another, which made it weird for her. She glanced between the two of them and their recon party. Everybody was nervous as kark, it was starting to wear on her as well. She glanced about, then stepped next to Crix to peer down, lightly resting a hand on his shoulder for just a moment.

And then Talak spoke and she turned away, her hand slipping away as well.

"It's at the bottom levels, it's dark, and got a hella ton of big bads," she counted off on three fingers, staring up at the Knight with a cocked head. "Most don't make it out alive, and we should try to make this as quick and simple as possible."

Yeah, she was nervous. And yeah, things were creepy here. But she was here to prove she was capable, not quake in her boots. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and braced as the elevator lowering them swayed again, trying to ignore the little dip of fear in her stomach at the lurch.

Some of the team began muttering to each other in Shyriiwook, and though she couldn't understand, she could sympathize with the nervous glances and anxiety. They were getting close; a hand ghosted over the hilt of her lightsaber, and she suppressed a shiver. It was starting to get a bit chilly too, as the filtered green light began to dim ever darker.

Soon, they would reach the bottom. Grab, go, done. Simple as that. Right?

@Nefieslab @Phoenix

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix had read up and found some horror stories about the shadowlands but little in the way of what he would call actual research. Most of the accounts were from 'explorers' who hadn't ever actually produced research papers worth a damn. Half of them contradicted each other but some things remained constant.

Dark Side, lack of natural light that wasn't from strange mushrooms, Madclaws and some really big karking spiders that liked to go around attacking people who entered their territory. Sucked for most people that they seemed to view everything below a certain point of the trees to be 'their territory'.

He appreciated that Willa was here and the touch to his shoulder showed she was not blind to the tension that existed between he and Talak.

"Only thing I could confirm for sure was the spiders." he admitted, pointing to one of his eyes, "Stories around the Temple say that was how Master Tionson lost his eye - got into a wrestling match with a giant spider down here."

Which sounded dumb as all hell honestly but oh well.

The lift reached the bottom and no one moved for a second until Crix decided he wasn't one for waiting around. Once the lift touched the bottom he lifted up the bar covering the exit and stepped out onto the soil of Kashyyyk. It felt... well the whole place felt as though it was literally dripping with hundreds of years worth of blood.

"Lovely first impression of the place, not gonna lie."

@Killa Ree @Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak cast a glance over to the Wookiee that would act as their guide through the shadowlands, and silently was thankful to have someone who was comfortable down here. Even among Wookiees, traveling into the shadowlands regularly wasn't exactly common.

Talak actually hadn't heard the story of how Max had lost his eye and the fact that it had been down here only emphasized the danger.

Talak's eyes swept around the jungle, drinking in the planet's energy. Places like this were unbelievably alive, and everything down here was interested in killing them. It kept the situation nice and tense, and he could sense it in the padawans as well.

He nodded to what they each said. They were both correct in their own ways. We'll be okay. Just stay alert while we're down here and we won't be caught off guard, he said.

Their guide set off in front of them, and Talak took the rear of the group, watching and waiting as they began to push through the undergrowth. What struck Talak as strange was that despite all the life down here, the ground actually seemed relatively clear and easy to walk through. For that, he was thankful.

Enough to make you all appreciate being at the temple? he asked in jest. He didn't particularly care for temples, but it might have actually been better than this place. He guessed they would have rather been here given it was more exciting. @Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

Crix had always had the promise of being a top-grade student at Coru. But at the mention of spiders, she had to suppress a shiver. She was never brave enough to directly ask her Master how he lost his eye, but if he lost it here, she would have to be on her guard. When they touched down, she took a slow breath in, and for a moment, the hair on the back of her neck prickled.

Despite the wideness of the clearing, something watched. Though then again, this was Kashyyyk. Everything watched and probably found you very tasty.

Hearing Knight Rand's comment, she had to let out a quiet, wry chuckle, unclipping her lightsaber from her belt. "You could say that," she replied, eyes scanning the darkness. Though light still pierced through from above, the murkiness of the ground level meant that seeing beyond twenty feet wasn't the easiest thing to do. Squinting, she watched as their guide continued moving forward, ahead of Crix and keeping closer to the front.

It wouldn't be long before the open space dwindled to a tighter squeeze between the massive trees; far above, she could hear the calls of other creatures, but something else caught her attention. A thin, ghostly shape out of the corner of her eye, but anytime she glanced over in that direction it would vanish. Her hand temporarily tightened on the grip, but the jungle remained silent.

For now.

@Nefieslab @Phoenix

 

[Crix Aran]

Learning gossip around the Temple helped him to bring up random pieces of trivia it seemed but none of that was really important down here. Down here what was important was staying alive when there were numerous things that wanted them to die horrible deaths. Worst part was? Nothing down here was evil; it was just creatures doing what they did to survive and that was all, nothing more and nothing less.

Already he could feel them, feel eyes on them as they made their way through the undergrowth. Crix was the closest to the guide so he was going to be the first to know if something big bad and nasty was blocking their path. He let out a quiet breath as he placed a hand against his lightsaber.

Honestly? He didn't think he needed it just yet but it was getting hard to tell what was his paranoia about being watched and what was actually the Force trying to tell him something. It felt like a little bit of both at this stage.

"... you mean the Temple surrounded by a spooky jungle of it's own?" he shot back with a little laugh, "I think it's a Jedi thing..."

He eyed the trees as the path became narrower and their guide instructed them to pick up the pace. Apparently being slow made them a bigger target for some things down here. The fact that that was apparently a large list troubled him to now end.

"Apparently something might be hunting us already... but the guide says that's normal? Yay us?"

@Phoenix @Killa Ree

 

[Talak Rand]

Something was hunting them? Great. Not surprising. It was that general sensation of something creeping up the back of his neck. Yes, he felt like they were being hunted, but would something actually attack them was the real question. Probably.

Talak's hand brushed against the saber hilt at the back of his hip, always a reassurance when danger was around the corner. She could sense the tension in the others as well, and even thought he caught a glimpse of something from the corner of his eyes as well. And even picking out intent was more complex down here than in a crowd. These creatures didn't hunt with "malice" or "dark forethought" they just hunted because that was their nature.

Just keep alert, and... he didn't get to finish his sentence before things started to become problematic. It was a spider, luckily solo for now. The big, web spitting kind that leapt out, targeting the front of the group. It pounced upon the wookiee pack leader, mandibles snapping at his head while the almost spear-like legs flailed out to try to pierce through anyone who came close to try to help their guide. @Killa Ree @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix wasn't going to say this whole trip was doing wonders to sell him on the idea that Kashyyyk was a magical place to live and that was before the giant spider appeared. Once the giant spider appeared...?

"Holy shrak on a bike!"

He confirmed he would never be buying property at this end of the Galaxy at least. Despite being tense, Crix had not been prepared for a spider with the same body weight as him to move so lightning quick and so actually fumbled a little bit with his lightsaber. Drawing it from his belt, he ignited the blade with it's usual snap and hiss combo before swearing loudly as a mixture of venom and webbing was spat in his direction.

It hit the tree beside him, exploding with venom that hissed and fizzled on contact with his clothes and skin. Wiping it off with his robes left angry red marks across his skin where it had splashed up against him but nothing too bad in terms of pain or lasting damage. Still, Crix was distracted enough that the Spider's legs pierced their guide in the legs and the brave Wookie warrior wavered under the hungry attack of the spider.

@Phoenix @Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

At the blurred shape lunging forward, she suddenly backpedaled, grunting as her back foot slid slightly with the slightly slick ground beneath them. She didn't see any webs; did these things even have webs? But acid sprayed out, and she heard Crix swear as a hissing sound sizzled from behind. The roar from the Wookie made her grit her jaw, and bring her blade to life.

With a Push from her hand, she jammed the lancing legs away from the guide and Crix, then harder still, forcing the thing to backpedal with a screech. But the bleeding Wookie was also a concern; a medic darted forward, dragging them away. She had to focus on keeping the spider away from the rest of the group; sweat started to bead on her forehead as she violently shoved it away.

In the distance, she could hear muffled thumping and scraping as it twisted around and tried to regain footing; she took a deep breath, and squaring her shoulders. When it would come back to assault a second time, she had to trust Crix. He always had her back before; they had to be close to the supplies. Hopefully, their medic would get the guide patched up enough, she didn't know how to do the healing thing other Jedi could do.

@Phoenix @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix wasn't one to waste an opportunity and Willa Pushing the spider backward presented an opportunity. Rushing forward, he nimbling jumped over the retreating wookie and roared as he brought his saber down hard from above. The spider flinched, using the heavy natural armor of it's upper body to resist the lightsaber's cutting power. It left a mark but not enough to actually kill the creature.

Landing, Crix rolled to the right to avoid a jab from one of the legs. Whipping around as he rose to his knee, he slashed out with the lightsaber, cutting off the offending leg halfway to the top. The spider screeched in pain and spat another blob of venom and webbing but this time Crix was prepared.

Throwing his hand out, he threw a Push at the spider just as it released its noxious payload at him. The result was the venom and webbing being sent right back at the spider. It screamed in pain as it's own acid was used against it, hitting right in the eyes and mouth actually. The webbing sprung out, gumming up it's mouth tightly and it's acid effected it's eyesight, rending it blind.

Crix let out a slow breath.

"It's blind... careful, it may be even more prone to lashing out now."

@Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

She inhaled sharply as Crix continued forging ahead, and even through the Force she could feel the creature's keening of pain as he slashed off its' leg, and then effectively blinded it. But there was something else she could sense skittering; in the distance, it seemed their newfound friend would have others here as well if they didn't move quickly.

"We need to keep moving," she spoke up in a voice just barely loud enough to be heard, "and get those supplies. How does our guide look?" The other Wookie had staunched the bleeding, but at her words the medic shook their head. They wouldn't be up for going in the long trek of jungle Shadowlands alone. She sucked in a breath through her teeth, and gripped her lightsaber once more. She wasn't going to give up now; they needed those supplies.

"We need to go on," she firmed her stance, nodding to the medic. "Take them back to base, the rest of us will collect and be with you shortly." The spider-thing was still there, reeling blindly, and she scowled in focus.

"Crix. Go with them. I'll take up the rear and follow."

She had to put the thing out of its' misery; with a light step, she lunged forward, and as one leg slashed up, she caught it with her saber, gritting her teeth as muffled screeches pulled through, and dark green blood began to flow steadily. A member of their party would push forward, and continue to lead the group to the trail of the medical supplies.

When the thing lunged again, attempting to shove her down to pin her, she grunted in an edge of surprised panic, stabbing down as its' carapace began to smash downwards.

She felt a shudder as its' body skewered itself, long sharp legs raking against the ground... and then it shuddered still. Bile rose in her throat, and she withdrew her blade, scrabbling out and breathing heavily. She would have to catch up, even with one threat gone that didn't mean they were safe yet. She just wanted out of here; with another Push the body was sent into the foliage, and she paced to keep up, mouth set in a grim line.

If she didn't clean the smell of burnt spider-thing out of her lungs soon, she was gonna puke.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Well shrak, they were going to be splitting up – that sounded like an awful idea but they needed to press on. The mission came first in this case, not because it was imperative that they follow orders perfectly or anything but because the people needed the supplies that they were sent to retrieve so turning back now would mean others would suffer.

It was worth the effort to ensure that people weren’t going to suffer because of their inaction.

“Make sure you’re right behind us.” He demanded of Willa bluntly, “No wandering the Shadowlands alone.”

He didn’t think she actually would wander the Shadowlands alone but he had to say something and it was their kind of relationship to rib each other like that. Pushing on ahead with the rest of the Wookiee party, Crix could already tell that there were more creatures following them. Spiders weren’t so much a pack type of animal as they were a swarming type of creature, especially ones that had evolved to fight Wookiees and other, large, sentients and other creatures.

Spotting one of them in the canopy, descending rapidly by the web it was spinning, Crix scowled before throwing his lightsaber. Guiding it with the Force, he cut through the webline the spider was using to descend safely and without it, the creature plummeted to the ground in an uncontrolled manner. Crix didn’t so much as twitch when it landed, back first, on a rock at speed, splitting itself open with its landing, instead focusing on recalling his lightsaber to his hand.

“How much further?”

One of the Wookiees yelled back at him and Crix quickly translated it; not very much further at all. Seemed like they were almost to the supplies. As they approached however, the Force began to grow colder and Crix could feel the change in the air even before he heard the derange roar. From out ahead of them, standing between them and the supplies, a massive Wookiee stood.

It’s fur was wild, untamed, and there was a manic look in his eyes. A Madclaw and, to make matters worse, he was not just any kind of Madclaw. The lightsaber in it’s hand ignited with a bright red blade and suddenly Crix was glad he’d gotten his own lightsaber finished before this mission. Standing between his group and the Madclaw, his own lightsaber held in both hands, he reached out to touch against Willa’s mind with the Force.

“There’s a Madclaw Sith here… come around from the side and we can flank it together. I’ll keep its attention focused on me.”

All he had to do was keep its attention… sounded easy enough to him. How hard could it be?

@Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

She couldn't ignore the flutter of warmth in the pit of her stomach at his concern; it took considerable effort for her to control the smile, but there was still risk. There was still a chance for failure and pain.

It seemed she was on the credits, as his mind touched hers. Like always, his presence around her was like a beam of sunlight, a warmth that always made her pause; when the words filtered through, there was merely an assent. They were together, connected. Through the Force, she would strike with him; as he would speak about luring its' attention, she fought the urge to protest.

Trust. She had to trust.

Sucking in a breath between her teeth, she gestured to the rest of the team to fan out; she would begin to sneak around to the left within the undergrowth.

"Keep safe and don't get within swiping range. I'll attack from the left side."

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix had a very important problem to face as he stared down at the heavily panting Madclaw Sith standing between him and his objective.

Left? Which left? My left, your left or his left?

And he didn't have time to actually hear her answer to that question because he had to move. The Madclaw came barreling towards him with a heavy slash across at his chest. Crix reacted instinctively, taking a small jump backward to make some space and bringing his lightsaber up in an almost horizontal guard. It was designed to stop the strike, yes, but mainly to try and gauge how much strength the enemy was putting behind their blows.

Decent idea against a human-like swordsman and a karking terrible idea against a Wookiee so angry that he had completely lost the ability to properly speak even his own native language. Almost losing his lightsaber to a single swipe of the enemy's blade was a wake up call immediately, causing Crix to react, once again, on instinct.

This time he thrust his left hand forward, punching the Madclaw brutally in the gut with a Push. Rather than intending to send the sentient flying backward, it was shaped to be a battering ram rather than a peaceful hand pushing insistently. The Madclaw grunted, bending at the waist as the breath was forced out of him in a single movement. Grimacing, Crix backed up again, angling his blade this time so that when the next strike came, he was able to bend and flow with the momentum, deflecting the strike rather than trying to stiffly block it.

Hans was never going to let him live that block down if he ever found out about it.

@Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

Did it even matter which side it was? Before she could answer, she heard the roar, and one of the guides stiffened. She shook her head, and crouched, preparing for her own strike to the Madclaw. Feeling the power of the Force build in her legs, sharpening her senses, she took a deep breath and launched herself forward, the vegetation a streaming blur as she lunged forward, the lightsaber held in a mid-guard offensive.

The creature doubled at Crix's assault and as she suddenly appeared to Crix's left, it lacked the air to snarl, instead baring fangs and a broad, furred face of red eyes and matted drool. As her blade slashed, intending to hit from right to left in a diagonal slash, it staggered back a step, claws slashing heavily at the air with a snarl. The first assault missing, she scowled, and adjusted her grip.

Let's dance, creep.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

His left it was then.

Crix had been moving to his left but aborted the movement and made it seem like a feint to the madclaw just seconds before Willa came rushing at the creature from that angle. Pushing off with the tips of his toes, he pushed himself to his right instead. With Willa coming at the Madclaw from the other side, they had a chance to put the Sith in a pincer move.

Of course the Madclaw was almost instinctively aware of that because he threw himself back, trying to keep both Crix and Willa in front of him rather than on two different sides. Crix grinned a little bit at the Wookiee Sith before focusing for a second on the Force. Leaping up into the air, he came down at the Wookiee with a powerful downward strike with his lightsaber aimed at his head.

The only reason he even attempted it, of course, was because Willa could go high where he went low, cutting the Wookiee’s choices down significantly as to how he was going to respond to a suddenly airborne Padawan.

@Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

She trusted Crix to know where to strike, where to redirect. She grew up with him, worked with him, and even came out here with him when he asked her to. So when he moved, so did she, a mirroring attack sequence that synchronized against the Sith before them.

In a way, she felt the connection strongly with the fellow Padawan, as though a thin line connected between them. So as he moved with the backpedaling Wookie above, she side-stepped to keep pace with their assailant, adjusting her grip to strike the creature from the hip up, smelling singing fur and burnt flesh as the Madclaw bellowed, attempting another aggressive lunge, this time at her, and perhaps hoping to tear down one assailant while avoiding the other's overhead strike. But it seemed like the Sith wouldn't quite move fast enough away from Crix's own assault.

Trust. She had to trust in Crix.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Working with someone else during a fight was kind of new to him. Even when they did do missions together, he and Hans often had their own things going on. Hans was kind of beyond Crix in terms of skill and power so it made sense that Crix didn't get involved in his fights - any fight that Hans was in that Crix got muddled up in? It would just mean that Crix was a liability, something Hans had to watch over.

With Willa it was different.

They were on a fairly even playing field in terms of skill and he had, arguably, a stronger bond with his life-long friend than he would ever have with Hans. Hans was great and all but Willa had been with him for years. Like now, for instance, when Willa managed to get a glancing blow to urge their enemy into committing himself to an attack... right before Crix lept at the same enemy with a powerful strike.

The madclaw attempted to reverse his momentum, to pull his blade out of the lunge he had started and into a high block. It wasn't a question of speed so much as it was about positioning and the madclaw was out of position. Crix's blade came down, slicing through the madclaw's sword arm with one clean, gravity aided, downward slash.

As the madclaw bellowed, his tainted lightsaber falling to the ground with his hand, Crix moved upon landing. With a flick of his own sword arm, he cut clean through the madclaw at the waist, sending the towering Sith crashing to the ground in two, separate, pieces. Breathing a little heavily, Crix looked down at the weakly growling Wookiee with pity.

"... we should go."

There was nothing they could do, the Wookiee was going to die here. Crix might not have actively killed the madclaw himself but it was unlikely it would survive longer than a few moments before the local wildlife saw him as a snack. Still, when he tried to regret his actions... he couldn't. Their enemy had come at them with the intent to kill, Crix couldn't bring himself to feel bad because it hadn't worked out well for him.

@Killa Ree