Title: Grimm
Author: Cannibalistic Psychiatrist
Category: Star Wars
Beta-Reader: (The awesome) CitizenJess
Characters: Obi-Wan K., Qui-Gon J., Xanatos D. (Demetrio)
Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy, Adventure, Humor, Romance.
Status: Incomplete
Length: 2,541 words.
Warnings/Triggers: Abduction/Kidnapping, force transformation, force cannibalism, drugging, slavery.
Summary: They traverse in the in-between places and crossed the boundaries of spaces within spaces, human yet inhuman, otherworldly yet borne from nature. Obi-Wan stood within the limit of the boundaries that separated two realities, a dark creature as his only guide, and adventures most wondrous and strange awaited them both.
Comments/Notes: Faeries + Star Wars = Changelings and adventure. Series of one-shots where Obi-Wan evaded death with help from strange creatures. Un-beta read chapters would be posted online then gradually replaced by edited and better-polished ones to avoid long updates. :D

V1.0

Grimm

Bird of Prey

"Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as ravens claws."

'A Feast of Friends' by The Doors (Jim Morrison)

He was a youngling when he first saw a creature most curious and strange.

Obi-Wan was in the older parts of the temple, exploring away from his friends with interest for the ancient walls most of his crèche mates were forbidden to enter for the mean time until renovations were finished. The act of restoration and observing the work of droids restore the hall to its former glory was a source of curiosity for such young minds. As for Obi-Wan, his uncanny ability to sneak undetected served him a great purpose in giving in to the small indulgence, plans to include his friends were for later, when he finally ascertained a better time to intrude into the closed boundaries. Even at ten years old, Obi-Wan still managed to get past their watchers.

There were other reasons behind the curiosity of the younglings, of course. There were rumours that whoever entered the halls alone would hear various calls of animals, and a creature of some form would catch the attention of the intruder only to lead them back to the main hall with a strange sense of detachment and compulsion not to return to the dangerous zone. Therefore Obi-Wan took it upon himself to be that sole traveler to try and discern whether the stories of a creature dark and intelligent was to be found.

The stone was a faded grey, a large crack formed on the floor that separated the entrance of the hall to the main temple. The lights to the hall were dimmed, rays of illumination barely touched the aged floors, and dust moats floated in the recycled air.

The threshold the separated the temple and the hall was easily crossed, the tape that closed of the section was just on Obi-Wan's eyelevel so there was no hesitation in ducking down and beginning the journey.

The sight of the eldritch hall was shrouded in the contrasting light and shadows. Now that Obi-Wan stood where darkness touched, the hall became another world altogether, things that were unseen were now visible to his stormy eyes. Shredded carpeting overlaid with cracked tiles, peeling paint and once wondrous etched patterns were fading into obscure smoothness and weather, all these small details were now laid bare upon closer inspection. Hands calloused with training and forms laid over the ancient walls, wondering whether the stories etched in spaces would rise within his mind's eye. There was none, of course, but imagination was enough for the child to fill in the blanks.

The once pristine halls were the product of an explosion, the aftermath of a deserter's desire of vengeance against his master, yet a mightier adversary met each plot and scheme and had beat them all into submission. Perhaps the walls bespoke of the story of a master betrayed by his padawan, and upon their return, a bomb was planted in a scheme for self-preservation and self-gratification. This place was strange for a bomb for it needed prior explosions in different places to be truly effective in bringing the temple down to its foundations. Still, if the desired effect was to leech life and activity from this place – it had been very effective.

Nevertheless, it was not truly successful for there was a nest of animals that led stragglers away from this place, so it probably was not as lifeless as most seemed to assume – as Obi-Wan assumed.

Rawrk.

It seemed that the creature he had been searching for perched atop a beam was once part of the hall's framework. It was a large aviary animal, with feathers dark as ink and a beak curved and wicked, eyes crystalline blue and bespoke of an awareness that was uncannily human in its intensity. It tilted its head to the side then to the other, his gaze very intent in meeting Obi-Wan's eyes.

"This doesn't seem like a proper place for you and your friends." Obi-Wan stepped closer until he was almost beneath the black bird. He wasn't exactly sure what sort of bird it was, but he was quite sure that he saw a description of the creature in one of holobooks in the archives. The general description that it was intelligent, but nothing else seemed to come into Obi-Wan's mind in regards to the animal.

Rawrk.

The bird jumped down the ledge and flapped its wings frantically, landing atop the youngling's right shoulder, its curved talons held on gently enough not to pierce through the thin material. It was staring back at the redhead with a sense of unabashed curiosity yet there was underlying worry within its gaze. It wasn't as heavy as it looked and Obi-Wan was grateful for not having to accommodate a 2-feet tall bird with his shoulder.

A strange sort of entrancement came over him and the urge to teach its charcoal beak to assure his self further of the reality of the presence of the animal. With his left hand, Obi-Wan reached up to touch the wicked curve.

"Ow!" Red welled beneath the skin, pinpricks of pain burst from the pinched fingers. The avian rocked but it did not scamper away in flight, it nuzzled on the back of the youngling's neck in apology.

Temporarily appeased, Obi-Wan scowled at the creature with slight hurt. The bird rocked again and spread its wings, jumping down on the floor and looking up at the padawan with an intense stare. Its talons scratched at the desecrated floor in invitation. The redhead did not understand what it desired, so he continued to stare back at the bird with unabashed interest.

Obi-Wan had no idea how much time passed but there seemed to be a growing understanding for every imagined ticking of the clock. There was no compulsion yet there was a growing comprehension of the animal's intent.

"You want me to follow you?" he asked. The animal rocked and spread its wings again, taking into the air but not moving away from the youngling. A grin spread across Obi-Wan's face and he stepped closer to the bird. "Will you show me your friends?"

The avian blinked and Obi-Wan thought that its equivalent felt like a silent answer from a hesitant friend. Deciding that this could be another journey for another day, Obi-Wan followed the bird.

Strange, they took different turns from the ones Obi-Wan made and the halls he passed through earlier looked a tad bit different than Obi-Wan remembered. Many of the aged walls looked a little less abandoned and forgotten while some looked death had taken residence and kept a blanket of dreary desperation sinking deep within the walls.

Time was a strange concept within the empty halls that had breathing, footsteps, the flapping of wings, and the rocking of an avian echoing within the walls. Obi-Wan wasn't sure whether he arrived within the threshold in the blink of an eye or eternity passed by in their journey. Nevertheless, he was a little disappointed that the bird showed him out instead of sating his curiosity for adventure.

The bird didn't step through the shadows, opting to stand on the floor and stare intently at Obi-Wan, waiting for him to leave. Obi-Wan stared back in defiance, stubborn in his desire to continue exploration. The raven rocked impatiently and flew overhead, Obi-Wan followed its form and turned back to see where it had gone. It didn't leave, but it tried pecking at Obi-Wan's head which prompted the boy to duck and cover his face, running out of the hall and back to the temple with a surprised yelp.

"Hey!" There was a sharp burst of pain when he felt several locks of his hair tear off and tears sprung to his eyes unbidden. He glared at the bird from out of the shadows and huffed with childish indignation, but the avian was already flying out of sight and out of mind. Discouraged, Obi-Wan sighed, deciding that he should return with friends the next time.

Deep within the shadows, a pair of crystalline blue eyes followed the child as he disappeared.

Stewjon was one of the strangest core planets he had ever seen. It was an amalgamation of ancient buildings with Lore etched within its stones and alien technology bought by fellow planets within the Inner Rim. Perhaps without the assuring surfaces of smooth duracrete and durasteel, Xanatos would have believed he was in another world altogether.

They were strange people, Stewjonians, with modern science within their grasp yet tales of old wives and stories to scare children were still real within their hearts. The hospital, for example, all featured iron scissors atop cribs of children – to protect them from little men that took fancy, they said. There were homes built near running water, silver and golden decorations for protections, and offers of fruit and milk and honey outside homes as offerings in appease for the Fair Folk.

Speaking of hospitals, his master was coordinating the transfer of custody of several children to the temple for training them into the ways of the Jedi and the Force. Master Jinn had noticed his lack of interest and let him off to explore. As for Master Jinn, he was speaking with parents of the children for their custody exchange. Strange, all of them had red hair, but that must have been some sort of idiosyncrasies on part of the people and their homeworld. For now, Xanatos had taken into exploring the surrounding forest.

He was exploring in the lighter part of the forest, unsure if his comlink's signal could get past the dense trees if he would delve deeper. Ten minutes in, according to his datapad, and there has yet to be something interesting to be of note. There were only light woodland creatures, berry bushes, thickets of brambles, clusters of flowers, and mushroom patches within the vicinity.

Deciding to be a little bolder, Xanatos followed a path that went in deeper but he made note not to stray too far so that he could return should his teacher call for him. His general direction had been southwest so he had taken note that going northeast later would lead him back to the clearing. Around five minutes in walking down the path, he came across a fork within the road. The brunette paused, taking note of the difference between the two roads.

To his left was a dark road, with thick trees and towering branches and oppressive foliage; to his right the road had gentle sunlight filtering through the plants, with the sound of a stream passing by. The road to his right had a curving path, so it would have led him back where he came. Deciding that he was already deep within the forest enough, Xanatos simply took the alternate route, believing that it circled back to the entrance.

His eyes widened in surprise when he came upon an enormous table, a red tablecloth covered it with food atop the crimson cover, and chairs of various materials surrounded with large spaces apart. Opposite the direction Xanatos was facing was a golden chair encrusted with jewels of various colors arranged in perfect symmetry. The chair golden chair was made with young twigs and leaves and wood held together with vines with saplings The chair next to it was made out of beautiful crystals similar to ice and gave off a cool air. Across the chair full of young plants and saplings was made out of redwood and leaves that ranged within crimson, golden, and brown in color—with the smell of warm sweetness and orange gourds floating from it. The chair next to it was a chair with various flowers in full bloom, with wells of water in its armrests and backrest stored in translucent plant embryo. Across the golden chair was a chair made out of antlers with various furs and hides of game animals strewn on top.

Fruits and vegetables, hearty meals and mead, sweet juices and cocktails, fine wine and sweetbreads, honey and milk, thick soups and spiced meat, freshly caught fishes and roasted fowl—all of these were set on top of the table along with decorations of feathers, flowers, and ivory tusks. Plates, bowls, silverware and goblets made of gold, glasses made of crystals and napkins folded elegantly were set in front of each chair. The sight was mouth-watering and wondrous, a great source of curiosity to any passer by. There were strange scents that overpowered the food, and it reminded Xanatos of burnt sugar and fresh grass, pumpkins and maple syrup, chocolates and honeysuckle, watermelons and seawater, mint and pine, and fresh blood spilled on raw earth with a strange mix of well-oiled leather.

How did this table setting came to be? Where were the participants of this feast? Why place all these in the middle of the forest of all places?

It did not take thinking twice to note that everything were the finest quality and expensive. Still, that did not abate the padawan's curiosity. The object that caught the teen's attention above all the food presented were the apples placed on top of each plate—specifically, apples that looked more like golden decorations instead of food.

'There's no one here,' Xanatos thought to himself, reason enough not to be hesitant.

Stepping near the throne of antlers, he took the golden apple sitting on top, surprised that the golden sheen was an illusion and the fruit was organic. He glanced around his surroundings, fingers trailing over the skin of the apple. He could see his reflection on the golden skin, and the fruit looked entrancing. He wondered what the taste would be like, considering the exterior must be artificial in creation. With a hunger to sate his curiosity, Xanatos' teeth sunk on the soft surface, sweet juice seeped through its golden flesh and tested cool on his tongue and gums. The flesh was soft and tore easily, it was refreshing to his mind, body, and soul in ways the Force could never be. An urge to consume the apple completely overtook Xanatos and he ate the fruit with savory vigor. Even the core and pits were not spared and the teen was surprised that it was edible as a whole.

With the fruit gone and the juices licked free from fingers and lips, Xanatos turned back in search of the exit.

The brunette stumbled back in surprise. The path was gone—clusters of thorny brambles covered the way and his path to back track. That was fine though; there must be another path showed the way out. Blue eyes widened in surprise to see more thickets to be covering the exit.

Xanatos took a step backward and glanced around in search of any space to pass through and leave—there were none at all. Bewildered, the padawan took out his comlink but almost dropped it when he turned it on only to have static screaming through the speakers. He took out his datapad next but static covered the screen.

Feeling the beginnings of terror, Xanatos glanced for any way out and almost gasped in relief to see a path open up. Deciding not to question the possibility, blinded by a strange all-consuming terror to flee, the padawan ran towards the path.

He could hear horns blaring in the distance.

Post-Chapter Notes: And yes, Obi-Wan's hair does have significance.