"Tell me that's not what I think it is," Anakin groaned. His blue eyes settled on the pile of supplies before them. It had been dropped in a few hours ago by air and the crates lay in a heap, tangled in the rope net that had contained them.
They'd trekked through the alpine forests of Cholganna for nearly an hour to find the missing crates, and it appeared that something had found them first: with its small legs knotted in the net, a young snow-white feline hissed at them ferociously.
"It appears to be a nexu cub," Obi-Wan said pensively.
"It's… kinda cute," Ahsoka said, cocking her head as she looked at it. "I've never seen a nexu in person before."
"This one looks quite young," Obi-Wan observed.
"Oh, no you don't," said Anakin, stepping before them and crossing his arms. "Those things grow up to be monsters." He pointed behind him at the struggling cub. "Remember on Geonosis? One of those things attacked Senator Amidala. Hey! Don't you be getting all doe-eyed at it, Obi-Wan."
"Anakin, this is an innocent creature that needs our help."
"Innocent? Please. Look at it! If it wasn't tied up, it'd be attacking us right now!"
Ahsoka frowned, putting her hands on her hips as she stared at it. "Where's its mother? Aren't they supposed to be fiercely protective of their young? That's what I've heard, at least."
"You're right, Ahsoka," said Obi-Wan. "Perhaps something happened to its mother."
"Oh my-" Anakin wiped a hand over his mouth. "You're not actually gonna suggest-"
"No," Obi-Wan cut him off. "But if we take it back to town perhaps we might be able to deliver it to a wildlife rehabilitation center."
"It's not that young, master, it's got spines. If it pricks us-"
"Enough arguing, you two!" Ahsoka interrupted. "Cut it free and let's go. If its mother comes back, we're toast."
"I highly doubt its mother would simply abandon it."
"I'd abandon it!" Anakin cried.
"Anakin, please. To ignore the suffering of innocents is not the Jedi way."
"It's not innocent!"
"You're blaming an entire species for one individual, as if it could've made its own choice in the first place-"
"Um, guys?" Ahsoka's sharp eyes scanned the forest around them. "We should really…"
"Look, nexu are mindless killing machines, and the galaxy certainly won't miss-"
"I do believe you are not making a fair judgment of this species, Anakin."
"Oh? What are you suggesting, Master?"
"I'm suggesting that you're biased!"
"I'm not biased!"
"Quit bickering and turn around!" Ahsoka yelled. Obi-Wan and Anakin broke their determined locked stare and found themselves face to face with the nexu mother, spitting at them with every hair raised menacingly.
"Oh, dear," said Obi-Wan.
"I told you we should've cut it free and run!" Ahsoka cried.