Vices and Virtues

[Dark child]

Like claws, brambles wrapped themselves around the legs of the Sith. Through gauze, and into flesh they raked across her skin. Her ankles bled, along with her emotions. Anger seeped from her wounds just as much as the red liquid itself. She ached for relief. An end to this torment. Perhaps, even an end to herself. She held unto nothing. Her Empire was lost. Her salvation-lost. Her faith lost.

How can there be passion without strength? How can there be victory without strife?
Both of these statements contradicted within her... Memories surfaced, and then faded as she trekked through the jungle.

The great temple of Korriban, aflame and in ruins, though now she could not tell if this was indeed the truth, or a memory of ages past. Were they both not the same? Was history not the present? Where had they gone wrong? Where had they lost their way? How deeply she had admired Malon. How deeply she had placed faith in his every action and supported his every move, and now, all that trust was gone. Without direction and purpose. Consumed by the rot of her own body. Her fading mortality. Her pitiful existence. Through loss, power is gained. Yet she was not on the receiving end of that power.

How Keket loathed the Jedi...and in her lingering hatred she realized that she despised her fellow Sith just as much. Her own brothers and sisters had let her down at the very moment in which they stood triumphant. They needed only to seize the galaxy that lay before them, yet it had slipped right through their fingers.

In her anger, Keket's rage boiled over, manifesting itself as a roar as she cast out her hands into a concentrated burst of the force into the foliage in front of her. Bark cracked, twigs snapped, and off in the distance several avian creatures squawked and fled from their roosts.

The Sith lowered her shaking hands.

In front of her lay a partially cleared path, but only for several meters. Broken stems and branches oozed sap.
Keket closed her hands into fists, feeling her dry skin stretch beneath the gauze. She breathed in heavily, her muscles aching. What was this?! Thought the Inquisitor as she gazed upon the destruction. Her composure was giving way as starvation began to take hold. Her withering body would not be able to withstand much more stress.

Defeated, Keket slowly lowered one of her bandaged hands down towards her ankle. The Inquisitor ran her palm across the scratched and inflamed skin, the bandages on her palm soaking up some of the blood which leaked from the cuts. She paused momentarily, recalling a memory of her only child- Nyph, the margay she had raised. When Nyph had grown old enough to hunt, Keket remembered that the cat had made a game out of trying to catch the Sith's feet. Keket had laughed at the kitten at the time despite the discomfort which Nyph's claws and teeth had caused, and here, in this unknown jungle, that memory soothed her.

Keket cursed herself for having left Nyph in the care of her friend, Akasha. Their separation was horrid, and although she trusted the Dathomirian to return her beloved pet safely, Keket began to wonder if she would ever feel the cat's soft fur again...

Her fingers wrapped themselves around the bark of a tree, and she pressed onward. Her destination was not safety, it was not shelter or a way off this accursed landscapet, it was sustenance. Her stomach ached, and her throat was so dry it burned. For a day and a half she had remained next to her crashed Ziost fighter, but she could stand no more. Death awaited her in the jungle. She had heard the cries of creatures which resonated in the air, and the consistent hiss of insects, yet remaining with her ship would surely be the end of her. The Sith knew all too well that this was indeed the end, of not only her, but the Empire as well. No one was coming....she was alone.

As the sorceress looked down at the drying blood in her palm, tears began to well in her eyes. What had she done wrong? Was her destiny to watch everything she had held dear slip out of her fingers? All of her achievements were in vain. Her life, her struggle, none of it mattered. It had all been taken in a single instant by the pride and greed of her fellow Sith.

Once more Keket clenched her hand into a fist, droplets of blood trickling down unto the forest floor.
Where was her guidance? Korriban was lost, and her connection to those that lay beyond the veil of death was severely hindered. None could speak with her, and in their absence Keket felt a great void.

The Sith's yellow eyes were diverted away from her palm, something was moving nearby, Keket could hear it in the underbrush. Through the thicket of throrns, a creature emerged. A maw of teeth and four black eyes.

Keket found herself stumbling backwards as she reached for her sabers, both hands closing around metal hilts. Her bare feet tredded on wet leaves, and her back pressed up against the rigid bark of a trer as she stared down the beast. Her crimson red blades flared to life, heartbeat rising as she prepared to defend herself from the nexu. In her current state, Keket did not know just how long she could last. Her heart beat with furor, faster and faster until it felt as though it might spring out of her chest.

Keket prepared for the inevitable attack...


@Kyo'kou​

 

[Kyo'kou]

A shaking hand passed through a patch of rich green leaves that were attached to an equally vibrant bush. Their fingers spread apart then enclosed, seeking out something quite particular, but so far in vain. The appendage was withdrawn momentarily- long enough for its owner to stare down and will it still for what had to be the tenth time in a five minute span.

Get a hold of yourself... She sighed heavily to herself. There's nothing you can do. There wasn't anything you could have. All you can do..is hope.. Her brow furrowed, wrinkling with frustration as the hand, despite her pleas, shook. Deep down, she knew the cause was her own inner turmoil and not what had transpired many light-years away. After thrusting her hand back into the bush, her head suddenly snapped back with a fierce, piercing pain. Images flashed before her mind's eye in rapid succession, one lasting but a fraction of a second before moving to the next. They were memories of a time she longed to forget. Times of pain, fear, torment.. And yet, some held good times and even better individuals. They had to have survived.. They taught on Korriban for a reason- they were the best of us.. Yet doubt still sunk deep into her soul. They...had to have..

At long last finding the fruit of her desires, and a nice bushel at that, the woman snapped them free and placed the sickly green spheres into a basket. That should be enough for now.. Straightening from her crouch and enjoying the cracking of her spine (which resulted from far too much time bent over), a moment or two was allowed for her to examine all of the goods she had collected. There were various roots and flowers, some vials of what looked to have viscous material coating the inside as well. All of them had been gathered immaculately.

"Well then, it looks like we can get back to the shi-" Startled, the woman twisted back and forth, her long black cloak billowing out in the motion before falling back silently into place. "Where did he get off to..?" Her stomach lurched to an all-too-familiar sensation. The raw fury, the bellowing hatred..the manifestation of the Dark side. She instinctively gazed up as a flock of birds soared past overhead, then gazed to the direction from which they had fled.. Overwhelmed with dread, knowing that she was no longer alone and her dearest friend missing, the woman took off into an immediate sprint.

Effortlessly, she leaped over roots and bounded clear over fallen trunks of no longer living trees, the Force pumping frantically through her veins, energizing every cell of her body. Her speed became a blur to the naked eye and then some, yet despite the natural obstacle course she faced, it failed to hinder her even slightly. If there were any aspects the woman prided herself on they were her speed and agility. As she raced towards the source of the disturbance, the vegetation unnaturally thinned. Before long, she had brought herself to a skidding stop, her eyes locked on the back of a very loved beast.

"Stop!" She cried out, raising her right hand towards the Nexu. Even before he looked over his shoulder, she was fast approaching, worried that the woman beyond would act before she was in position to defend him. "Come back here, please.." While inwardly she trembled, her voice was filled with authority and confidence. Reluctantly, he slowly backed away from his former prey, body still hunched down low and ready to strike if need be. When the two were side-by-side, the woman placed her hand onto his head to keep track of his placement.

Heart thumping heavily, she finally took the opportunity to look at the Sith across from her. And she was not in a good condition. "You're hurt.." She blurted out. Then, shaking her head in disbelief of her own obviousness, added, "I can heal you, if you'll allow it. I can also provide you with some nourishment- you look extremely dehydrated and starved.." It was not an easy decision to offer such thing- most Sith despised such kindness and would rather perish than admit weakness. Being one of their order, she knew that much and a lot more. Hopefully, pride wouldn't cloud this woman's judgment- she clearly wouldn't survive for many more days..or hours.

 

[Dark child]

The Sith's gaze did not stray from the beast. Her yellow eyes lingered on the creature's hunched form and powerful muscles, it's teeth glinting in the sunlight that filtered down through the trees.

Slowly, and almost deliberately, the beast stepped backward, it's claws digging into the soft earth and decaying leaves beneath, as if daring the Sith to try to make a move against it's master. The spines on it's back stood up like hundreds of pins, and from within it's throat a low clicking hiss emitted.

Only once the creature had returned to it's owner did the nexu begin to settle into a more calm state. A pale hand extended outwards from a sleeve of black, coming to rest on the beast's enormous skull. All four of it's dark eyes blinked at once, as if in satisfaction, and it's mouth no longer remained open in a growl, but slowly closed. No matter the state of the massive maw, Keket found it difficult to imagine those rows of teeth without them embedded in her squirming body, cutting through flesh, organs, and cracking bone. The Sith's heart pounded in her chest, and her crimson blades remained ignited in shaking bandaged hands, casting a red glow on her face and lean body. Shadows from the leaves above dotted her form. Her face was sunken, two bright yellow eyes burning against faded and ashen skin. Runes made their way up both sides of her face, and many more were visible through holes in the bandages on her arms, lower torso and legs. Dark red liquid still seeped from a shallow gash on her right ankle, trickling down towards her feet, which were revealed to be bare as well, save for several wrapped layers of gauze. Black straps rested on her shoulders in stark contrast to the faded cloth bandages, a pack of some sort, though it's design was not yet visible.

The pair of yellow eyes now averted their gaze from the beast up to it's owner. There they remained for quite some time.

At first, no words found their way to Keket's mouth. She remained silent, letting everything that this newcomer had said sink in. The way this new Sith had called to her beast, how the nexu listened without question, and how readily she had offered her aid.

Keket considered the possibility that this was a trick. An attempt to get her to lower her guard. Yet the new Sith could easily have had her creature attack....

Keket's sympathism for Malon's regime was well known within the Inquision. Many who now support the traitorous moff, Alexei, would like nothing more than to free her head from her shoulders, and while she had her doubts on what had caused her Ziost fighter to malfunction, Keket had her suspicions...

Her thumbs lingered on the switches of her saber hilts for a moment, nails pressed against the cold metal. They then flicked downwards, deactivating the blades, which closed with a soft hisss, plunging her face into semi darkness as their red glow faded.

"I am a daughter of the desert. This climate is ill suited for me."
Keket's dark lips formed the words. She lowered her deactivated sabers to her sides, but did not sheath them just yet.

"You must...forgive me, I mean your pet no harm. Chances must not be taken, I feared for my safety."

Keket's voice was soft and even toned, pleasant, but lacking emotion. Her eyes drifted back and forth between the two beings. The chances of anyone being here, much less another Sith, were slim. Her suspicions mounted. She began to wonder if the woman before her was in fact one of the Imperial pilots who had trailed her. The woman's robes were dirty, but still not soiled enough to have been on the planet for very long. She stared at the emblem emblazoned on the new Sith's breast, a house sigil. Many high ranking families had sided with Alexei, yet there were too many to count, and the symbol which the newcomer wore, Keket did not recognize.

"We must all band together in these times of grief. Your assistance would mean very much to me."
Said Keket graciously, her delicate fingers slid her shoto hilt back into it's loop of gauze on her belt, yet her eyes did not leave Kyo'kou, and despite her desperate need for aid, her other hand faltered as she went to put away the other weapon, it lingered by her side for several seconds. The Sith was usually quite good at hiding her true feelings, but her uncertainty was quite apparent, even without the use of the force.

Sensing that she was only making this prolonged silence even more tense than it needed to be, Keket finally sheathed her other saber hilt as well. She was now venerable to this new Sith, and in her mind, Keket wondered if she would have the time to draw her blades again should the beast attack.

"My name is Keket."
Stated the sorceress simply.
Her name could not hide away her identity at this point, if the woman was indeed after her, Keket's appearance was unmistakable. Many knew of the plague ridden Inquisitor who visited the crypts below Korriban's temples, though surely she was not renowned. Many Sith lived their entire lives without seeing one another.

"Jedi fighters followed me, and I was shot down."
A lie. Though a very believable one.

"I never expected to see anyone here. I've trekked miles, this forest seems endless."


A breeze above the two Sith caused the treetops to gently rustle, and so too did their dark silhouettes on the three beings below. Keket finally did divert her eyes from Kyo'kou, but only for a brief moment. Every sound here set her on edge, especially with nightfall approaching...
​

 

[Kyo'kou]

As a means to relieve her hidden stress, the woman began kneading the Nexu's plush fur. Almost instantly, released endorphins allowed a wave of pleasure and calm wash over her, yet her stance remained as cautious as ever. She kept her brown eyes locked into the other's own predatory yellow- this was the best means of judging the other's motives for her. Premeditated moves were always revealed in one's focus, even if they themselves were unaware of the minuscule change. Through the Force itself, she could also sense a great deal of frustration, anger, pain and even confusion pulsing off from the Sith's aura. Adding those traits to her injured state, she knew that like a cornered animal, the dark lord was extremely dangerous. As if those sabers didn't tell me that much.. The woman mused with a mental eye roll.

When the twin blades that guarded the Sith were dismissed, she relaxed, though only slightly. She witnessed a series of runes dance across the other's flesh with a life of their own- being a user of runes and glyphs herself, her awareness to their possible power was great. Could she have been trained as a sorceress as well? Most Sith followed the path of the Warrior, choosing brute strength and immense defense in place of intellect and wiles. The thought of having possibly encountered another like herself was both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

"I am a daughter of the desert. This climate is ill suited for me."

To this, she arched a brow, though the gesture went unseen beneath her erected hood.

You must...forgive me, I mean your pet no harm. Chances must not be taken, I feared for my safety."

The woman almost smiled. Almost. "I understand." Nodding to confirm her statement, she began to also let her hand drift down the back of her friend's head. His deep rumbling purrs made her inwardly chuckle.

"We must all band together in these times of grief. Your assistance would mean very much to me."

Grief. That's right. I really should be grieving.. Guilt racked at her chest but for a moment. But not for the reasons that she might be. It was best to play things safe- all Sith were meant to be utterly devoted to the Empire, its Emperor, and what the Dark Side of the Force represented completely. If this Sith discovered her true nature..."I agree." She halfheartedly proclaimed. It was evident that the woman was still uncertain of her choice, but rather than feel anxious herself, she patiently waited for her to grow more comfortable and sure. While doing so, she also started to recollect her teachings in the healing arts- the methods using the Dark Side of the Force were very rare and dangerous, but with practice, she had become quire proficient. Reading multiple tomes and texts between her practices didn't hurt any either.

"My name is Keket."

"Kyo'kou." The woman stepped from one foot to the other, mentally preparing herself.

"Jedi fighters followed me, and I was shot down."

The Jedi? Here? "Strange.." Kyo'kou hadn't sensed any sudden surges of the Light, but then again, she had been rather preoccupied gathering her reagents. "But then again, what isn't these days? The galaxy is in utter chaos." She sighed, pleased that her rather unorthodox profession and clientele kept her out of most of it.

"I never expected to see anyone here. I've trekked miles, this forest seems endless."

"This area isn't very habitable- there are a lot of poisonous plants and fruit that can easily be mistaken as edible. Not to mention all of the predators. Most come at night, but there are a variety of serpentine species that seek out meals at all hours. Their venom is quite potent." Kyo'kou nodded to herself, recalling the vials she had left behind at her temporary camping site. "I came here to gather some herbal ingredients as well as collect samples to make anti-venoms." She paused, uncertain why she was divulging such information. "Anyways.." Taking a deep, soothing breath, Kyo'kou raised her hands up and planted them flatly together (much to the dismay of her pet). "I'm going to use a technique on you that will stimulate your body to begin the natural healing process, then amp it up tenfold. This will require a great deal of concentration, so I would appreciate as little of movement as possible."

As the Sith focused, calling upon her teachings and the Force itself from deep within, trickling ribbons of black mist began floating around her hands. As she parted them, the mist appeared to solidify, creating a constant moving web of the essence between them. As more power was conjured, Kyo'kou's eyes started to morph, their irises shifting from their stable brown to a more alarming yellow. She allowed Keket a moment to either brace herself to decline the treatment, and should the former take place, she would push her arms forward in unison towards her. In response, the webbing would break apart into countless thin strands, which would attempt to attach themselves to the various sites of the Sith's injuries. From there they would penetrate painlessly through her skin and spread throughout her flesh. Fueled by Kyo'kou's will, the Force, and in secret her own soul's power, the essence would being to tirelessly work at sealing any vessels, repairing any tears of muscle, ligaments and tendons alike, and even bind any fractured or broken bones.

 

[Dark child]

The creature's contentment was apparent by Kyo'kou's side, as was it's wariness.

Though the nexu gently pressed it's muzzle against the Sith's hand as she stroked it's fur, it's for black eyes never left Keket's bandaged form as it's master spoke. An almost inaudible low rumbling noise emitted from the back of it's throat, but the sound was one of pleasure rather than the growl it had made when Kyo had called the beast back to her side. Keket saw intelligence in those four black pools, but also a sense of familiarity. The monstrosity would gladly give it's life to defend the woman that cared for it, and Keket admired such loyalty. Far too many Sith commanded those who followed them through fear.

The brush around the them rustled softly, simply leaves shifting with the wind. These sounds were unnerving to Keket. So foreign were they compared to the dry riverbeds and dunes of her homeworld. On Korriban, silence always prevailed, for there was no life to pollute the planet's serenity. Jedi viewed such places as unholy, forever marred by the taint of war, but to Keket nothing could ever be more pure.

In the jungle, the Sith felt out of her element and exposed, stifled by the humidity in the air and surrounded by life forms which she did not know. To say that she was without fear would be a lie, all Sith fear that which they do not understand. Caution is what keeps a Sith alive, the nature of the dark side is to distrust and it came as no surprise when the woman in black questioned her story about the Jedi fighters. The sorceress wished to explain how events had led her to this planet, to deepen the lie she had already told and lace it with new truths to ease the mind of the new arrival and her nexu, but she decided that it was best to let Kyo'kou finish. Rushing into explanations might only make the black cloaked woman more suspicious.

As Kyo'kou explained the flora and fauna of the planet, Keket recalled a moment from just hours hours ago. Within her mouth, the bitter aftertaste of the fruit still lingered. Her parched throat had begged her to take a bite of the plump purple orb dangling from a branch overhead swollen with juices, and as if in agreement, her stomach had clenched and growled.

She had grasped the succulent looking sphere in her sickly hands, and the moment it's red juices passed her lips all sense of composure gave way. In her hunger she had consumed several bite after bite of the fruit's red inner flesh before she felt her stomach begin to churn. Within a minute, she was on her knees emptying her stomach of the toxic fruit along with what little bile remained. When she finally did recover, the Sith spent ages passing through grove after grove of the same trees, their branches heavy, all laden with purple orbs.

So it was that Keket listened with curiosity and intrigue when Kyo'kou spoke. The Sith knew a great deal more about the planet then Keket, who realized that friend or foe, Kyo'kou was her best chance of survival.

The nexu beast sniffed at the air, something had caught it's attention, though Keket could not tell if that was a good or bad omen. For now however, the mass of fur and teeth remained by it's master's side, seemingly unconcerned.

Even as Kyo'kou raised her hands towards the partially emaciated Sith, Keket found it difficult to willingly leave herself open to the newcomer. Kyo'kou promised to heal her wounds, but what good was a promise between two Sith? Malon had promised the Sith an Empire that would rival that which Keket had seen in her dreams, but had allowed dissent to tear it apart. Her father had promised her power and strength, yet she grew weaker with every passing year. The ancients whispered of knowledge, but brought her only pain.

Keket's yellow eyes remained fixed on Kyo'kou's expressionless hood, her lips parted, tempted to speak in apprehensive protest. None amidst her own kind had tried to heal her before, and many others avoided her for fear that they themselves would fall prey to the vicious disease that had slowly began to consume Keket's body. Rumors had spread throughout the Inquisition about where she had acquired the blight. Hushed voices spoke in the halls on Korriban that Cain should have banished her on sight...

The black tendrils flowed outward from Kyo'kou's fingertips, almost blending in with the shadows of the trees as they past through them, each branching outwards like independent rivers of mist. They wound towards Keket, branching off into small tributaries. The first of which reached Keket's ankle, and immediately she felt a wave of relief surge upwards. More followed, individual streams of the mist branched off into small brooks as they found their way into cuts and bruises across Keket's body. The sensation was both hot and cold, passing through her veins and arteries, sending chills down her spine each time the mist entered a wound.

Such blissful relief made the sorceress yearn for more. Keket's eyes closed, and in that moment she began to unintentionally draw from the stream of life which Kyo'kou had so graciously given her. Keket's blight remained, and though her natural wounds had all been healed, she desperately craved more relief. An end to the festering, itching scabs that plagued her skin. If only she could stay in this stream forever...let it wash away the years of torment...

Keket's body resisted violently. Beneath her wrappings, the tendrils no longer entered her skin, now recoiling and twisting away, as if repelled. The soothing relief was no more, instead, she felt heat building up across her skin which soon began to feel as if she was standing in front of a furnace.

Suddenly realizing her foolish mistake, Keket's eyes opened in surprise, and she cast out her gauze wrapped hand, willing the tendrils to return to Kyo'kou, praying that she had not done any lasting damage to the woman who had aided her.

Now desperately trying to come up with an apology, Keket began to a step back, her foot cracking several stems and dried leaves as she did so.

"I-I had not meant to take so much."

"It just felt so good and I-"
Keket struggled to find the words. Kyo'kou had tried to help her and already Keket was betraying that trust.

​

 

[Kyo'kou]

This..isn't good.

Deep concentration was required in order to maintain the established connection between herself and the other Sith. Feeling as though her very soul was on the verge of being ripped out from her body did not help her focus one bit. I can't..I won't.. This will not happen.. Her body grew colder, weaker with every draw her patient drew on her power. Her mind became fuzzy, vision distorted, a high-pitched ringing sounded in her ears. She's so strong.. The only things she had ever mended before were mere beasts- creatures that had no consciousness notion of the Force and therefore could not utilize it willingly. Tending to another human being was a completely new experience. One that would perhaps be her undoing.

"Stop holding back! You're better than this!" A voice boomed in her mind. It was the Dark Side speaking to her as it typically did when she was either in danger or reluctant to act. Sweat had already started to dot her brow when it startled her, nearly ending her control right there and then. "Use me! I want you to thrive, to succeed, to truly live!" Her legs shook and teeth chattered as she clenched her jaws tightly shut. Knowing there was no other choice, the Sith caved in and opened herself to the Force within. Immediately that burning furnace at the pit of her gut exploded into action, energizing her cells, refueling her energy, steadying her stance.

Kyo'kou's eyes burned red.

Just as she was about to act, Keket decided to do the same. Taken aback, when her tendrils were forced away,she immediately curled them inwards towards herself and awaited their return with arms outstretched. She embraced the energy, welcoming it back home with a relieved smile. Before long her silhouette burned with black embers, the Force converting from a substance of healing to raw, unyielding power. Below, the dirt blackened as the essence flickered across it, the air itself burned and blurred. Kyo'kou's eyes met with Keket's own again, though this time they were filled with far less kindness than before. "She nearly consumed you." Hissed the darkness.

But she didn't. She stopped herself. It was fortunate that the other Sith began to apologize in earnest. Had the other done anything less the darkness no doubt would have won out. "Its...fine. Really." Her certainty was less than convincing. With the Dark Side now looming around her there was no telling what might happen next. Nothing good ever happened when she let it loose. Deciding to change the subject while she cooled off, Kyo'kou inquired, "I sensed something amiss while we were connected. A disease I don't quite recognize." Her head mildly tilted too the side. "What was that? It was chilling to encounter...Something ..primitive." She squinted in deep thought. "I'd like to figure out a remedy for it."

 

[Dark child]

The air pulsed with energy. Keket could feel the turmoil and rage boiling inside the cloaked Sith.

The nexu's fur rose up on it's back like a multitude of spears, it's massive lips parted, pulling back in a vicious snarl and a rumble from deep within it's throat, far more menacing than the simple warning it had given the bandaged Sith before.

Beneath the feet of the beast's master, the ground buckled and warped as the tendrils gave way to something far darker. Waves of heat struck Keket's face as all humidity within the surrounding area vaporized and burned away. Leaves above Kyo'kou wilted as did the vegetation below.

Keket's hand cautiously shifted towards her hip and the saber that lay hoked within the gauze there as she continued to back away from the heat and turbulent emotions. Both fear and intrigue gripped her and she did not dare look away from Kyo'kou's form. Her pleas, it seemed, had fallen on deaf ears. Keket tried to concentrate, to call the force to her aid, but her own emotions were too scattered. She held no anger for the cloaked woman or her beast, yet her nerves were on edge. Keket's breaths quicked as she mentally prepared herself for the cloaked Sith's impending wrath. Though healed of her cuts and bruises, she was still weakened by starvation. The nexu's claws dug into the earth as it prepared to lunge, it's for black eyes holding no sympathy. It would take only a single uttered word from it's master and the beast would pounce upon Keket.

The sorceress wondered if such a death would be painless. How much would she feel as the beast tore through tendons and bone?

Yet the answer never came. For at that moment the turbulent waves of emotion died down, and all remained quiet in the forest. Before the Sith spoke, Keket could only hear her own heartbeat, it's steady pounding and her heightened breaths. When Kyo'kou did utter the words, Keket was in disbelief of how calm her voice was. No Sith could just let go of such rage. No Sith that Keket had ever met at least.

At first, Keket could not believe what the cloaked woman offered her. After the recently transpired events however, Keket simply replied in a humbled and apologetic fashion.
"It is my burden to bear. Remove it and you yourself might experience the same fate. I had not meant to...take from you. I have never taken from anybody."

This, unlike most things which the sorceress spoke of, was the complete truth. Keket had never tried to seize power of any form from her brethren. Her ambitions and goals lay within her self preservation but also in the preservation of the Sith as a whole. Strength could never be found in division.

Knowing that this by itself would not be quite so convincing, Keket quickly added.
"Let me prove myself to you. You know far more about this planet, but you cannot deny that we will be safer traveling together. Without you I will die. So believe me when I say I will never harm you again."

Keket's stomach felt uneasy, the remnants of the purple fruit along with the suspense of Kyo'kou's answer made her feel nauseous. The Sith had indeed offered to help her, but Keket herself would not allow someone who took advantage of her to live. Perhaps she had been around the Sith too long, but forgiveness was never this simple, and the sorceress half expected Kyo'kou to stab her in the back for what had transpired.

​

 

[Kyo'kou]

"It is my burden to bear. Remove it and you yourself might experience the same fate. I had not meant to...take from you. I have never taken from anybody."

Her breaths were becoming more steady, though her nerves still fired at a rapid rate, making her fingers twitch rhythmically. The Darkness still yearned for release and fought against its suppression like a wild animal trapped within a cage. And yet, she retained an even stare. "I've seen it done before. And have done it myself several times." Her voice trailed off as she recollected such scenarios. The former had been but once when she was younger and less experienced as a Force wielder. Her Master, ever wishing to obtain and devour more power to benefit himself, had drawn it from her forcefully. This act had proven to be his downfall, for their connection revealed the method to his trick, which she had easily turned against him. As for the latter, balance always had to be retained in the galaxy and on a more smaller, personal scale. She never took more than her donor could handle, however, allowing them to eventually recover and return to their lives.

"Let me prove myself to you. You know far more about this planet, but you cannot deny that we will be safer traveling together. Without you I will die. So believe me when I say I will never harm you again."

Kyo'kou's hand found purchase on her dear friend's forehead again. His agitation and aggression was soothed with a few rhythmic strokes, which she continued robotically, her focus still on the other Sith. While time and time again she had been in such a position, wherein another's life depended on her own actions, the circumstances were far less..complicated. The darkness within swooned at the situation, whispering of the possibilities and opportunities the other offered. Blatantly, they were ignored. Using others for her own gain wasn't her way. It was the Sith's. And she never wanted to be one to begin with. "I don't doubt you at all." She stated coolly. And I'm not afraid of you either.. The woman mused. "We should head back to my camp. You can get some nourishment there and rest. My ship isn't far from there, so once you're in order I can get you somewhere more hospitable."

With a heavy sigh her hand stilled and she looked down at the Nexu, whom she smiled sweetly at. His devotion to her was unparalleled,. Though she did have other pets that shared his sentiments back home, none could truly compare. A small gesture had the beast cautiously approaching Keket, his head low and steps light, muscles visibly flexing and extending beneath his short fur. "You may lean on him if you need to." Kyo'kou looked the other up and down for a moment. "I sense an almost..kindred connection. As if you understand the bond that we have..personally." He rounded the Sith to approach her from behind and at her right side, where he came to a halt. Their eyes met. He understood and obediently awaited for Keket's choice.