A/n: Thanks for the kind words! ^_^ Feedback is yummy!
______________________
From Ashes to Calm ______________________
Part 2
Blinking rapidly, Obi-Wan's eyes scanned the forest. Mira had turned away, and was walking towards him, her hands folded before her. Flowing like a wave, again he felt the force surge within. An unconscious moan escaped his mouth as he closed his eyes. Light danced before his closed eyelids like blaster bolts, ricocheting off invisible walls and disappearing into the darkness. Electricity danced in his veins, coursing through his body.
When it passed after a time, Obi-Wan inhaled deeply. Fighting to open his eyes, he found himself still standing, but supported by Tiagra behind him. The world seemed fuzzy and surreal.
"Are you alright?" She whispered, her hands tightly gripping his upper arms through his robe. His head clearing, Obi-Wan stood upright and blinked several times.
"I believe so. It is just so. spontaneous. I have no warning," he sighed. He decided he was tired. Massaging the bridge of his nose, Obi-Wan turned to face Tiagra. "What is tonight's agenda?"
She shrugged. "A gathering. Well, there will be a gathering for the next few nights, so if you need to rest, feel free because you won't be missing something you won't see later."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply when he felt something tug his hand. Between them, Mira had latched on to his fingers in a death grip, her own hand being consumed by the Jedi's robe. With a look of apology, the master allowed himself to be pulled away from Tiagra.
The toddler pulled viscously on his extended limb, dragging Obi-Wan across camp, her dark hair flying behind her. Little tendrils of force weaved through the air, whispering and caressing his conscious. In a daze, he was hardly aware as Mira tugged him through the grass curtain of his hut. With the gentleness of a mother, she crawled up on the soft cot and pulled the master to her. Disoriented, Obi-Wan sat beside the child, his free hand clutching his head. A single candle, held safely away from the wooden walls, flickered softly, casting slight shadows over his face.
"It's always worse at night," she explained in a patient tone as she yanked at his hood, twisting to get a better handle on the soft fabric. "It feels funny at first, but you get used to it." Finally achieving a good grip, Mira pulled at the hood and pulled Obi-Wan backwards. Still fighting the affects the storm of force was having on his thoughts, he complied with little resistance and leaned backwards. Crawling around the larger body, she made sure his head was placed comfortably on the pillow, and then patted his head.
She hopped off the cot, and crawled up on the table to blow the candle out. Obi-Wan watched through half-closed eyes as the chubby little toddler exited his hut.
/I should contact Anakin./ was Obi-Wan's last thought before he drifted off, the force still whispering to his mind.
Mira walked calmly away from the hut, and was met by Bahr. The tall man wore the insignia of a pilot on his left shoulder. His young clean-shaven face smiled when he saw the girl skipping towards him.
"How's your friend?" He asked mildly, falling into step beside Mira.
She shrugged. "He's new to the festival. I think he'll be ok," she grinned, and followed her taller friend into the cool forest air, beyond the ring of huts and into the night.
***********************
Obi-Wan rolled over, clutching the provided pillow beneath his cheek. Rousing to semi-consciousness, he was aware of the slight draft in the hut, and pulled his robe closer. Realizing he was still /in/ his robe, the Jedi stiffly sat up, and automatically pulled off his boots, placing them beside the cot. On the floor, he registered a cloth blanket, and as he removed his robe, he replaced it with the soft comforter. He sank back down with a sigh, fluttering his eyelids. The light of three moons washed over his face from in-between the grass door, and as his eyes began to shut, a moving shadow blocked the light.
Furrowing his brow, he glanced towards the door. There was no one there. Dismissing the shadow, Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He was skimming the surface of sleep when he heard a soft giggling, almost like a breath.
Unmoving, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and stared outside through the grass. Again, he saw a shadow cast under the door. The giggling continued outside. It sounded like a child was playing. At this hour? Surely, it was well past midnight. Somewhat concerned, the Jedi mournfully lifted himself from his resting place and swung his legs over the cot. Barefoot, he stood, and parted the grass curtain.
In a pool of moonlight, a small child played in the dirt. Chubby hands sculpted and molded the damp earth, creating a warped construction of a castle. The air was cold to Obi-Wan. It was not safe for such youth to be out here alone this late. Stepping cautiously forward, the master inhaled sharply when his bare feet hit the chilled ground.
Though he was silent, the child must have sensed him, and turned around. Two huge brown eyes peered up at the Jedi in the moonlight, pale skin seeming to shimmer. A wide smile broke his face, and the child giggled again. The sound echoed against the trees.
"It's late, don't you think little one?" Obi-Wan asked gently, crouching beside the youth. The child only grinned, and stuck one pudgy finger into his castle. The breeze intensified, and Obi-Wan shivered, cold. Concerned for the boy, he touched the child's bare arm. and found the flesh frozen.
"All right, let's get you inside, now," the master hissed, scooping up the boy and making haste to his hut. Once inside, he plopped the child down on his still-warm cot and wrapped the blanket around him. Turning only for a moment, he struck one of the provided matches and lit the small candle. Soft light bathed the walls. When he turned around, Obi-Wan saw that the boy was escaping his encasement of blankets and trying to get to the floor.
"Hey!" Obi-Wan said, blocking the waddling child's path to the door. "What are you doing?"
"Wanna play!" The boy chirped, trying to evade the Jedi. He was unsuccessful, and was swooped into the larger man's arms and again placed on the cot. And again, Obi-Wan was filled with concern and the chilled skin of the boy.
"Not in the cold, you aren't. What's your name?"
"Dem," responded the boy with a pout, clearly not pleased that he couldn't go back outside.
"Hello, Dem. I'm Obi-Wan," The Jedi introduced himself. "Let's get you home, alright? Who do you live with?"
Dem frowned. "I dun live here anymore, silly," he said as if it were a stupid question. Obi-Wan stifled a groan. Not games. Not this late. And to complicate matters further, a strong wave of force crashed into his consciousness, impeding on his thoughts. Jamming his eyes shut, Obi-Wan knelt beside the cot, struggling to get control of his thoughts and actions. It was getting worse, he realized. This was stronger than before. He could almost imagine his midicholrians singing in his veins, the power they held coursing through his body and mind. Even behind closed eyelids, his vision was streaked with light and color.
He thought he heard a voice, a voice in his head.
"Obi-Wan."
And the world went dark around him, mind as well.
******************
"Master Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan's head shot up at the sound of the voice. His bearded face was red with lines, and he found himself on the floor of the hut, his head had been resting on the edge of the cot. Muttering to himself, he turned to see Tiagra and Faldin looking down at him from the entrance to his hut.
Looking back at the cot, Obi-Wan searched for Dem, but the cot was empty. Confused and disoriented, he struggled to his feet. Faldin reached out a hand and steadied the Jedi.
"It happened again?" the taller man asked softly. Obi-Wan nodded numbly, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't understand what's going on at all. Where's the boy? He shouldn't have been outside so late and in the cold," Obi-Wan muttered, sitting dejectedly on the cot's edge. Faldin frowned.
"What boy? No one was out last night, as far as I know," he asked.
"Um. small one, a toddler, Brown eyes. mop of dark hair." Obi-Wan struggled to remember the past night. "Said his name was. Dem?"
Faldin's eyes narrowed and grew cold. "I don't know what game you're playing, Jedi," He said through clenched teeth, "But it's not humorous. Not at all."
Spinning abruptly, the chief left the hut in anger. Shocked and confused by the outburst, Obi-Wan looked to Tiagra for help. She stared at him in disbelief, then swallowed, looking away.
"Are. are you telling the truth?" She asked with a weak voice.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Jedi don't lie," he said softly, listening to a rumble of thunder in the distance. He felt the impression on the cot when Tiagra sat beside him.
"Dem was Faldin's son, heir to leadership. It was. four years ago, a boating accident." her voice grew tight. Obi-Wan turned to face her, and found tears brimming in her eyes. "I was so fond of Dem, we all were. It hurt both myself and Faldin so. so." She turned away, bringing a hand to her face. Before he could move to comfort her, she turned again, defiance in her eyes.
"Why? How can you know? How can you see him? He's dead, Jedi, dead!" Stifling a cry, she stood and faced the wall. Obi-Wan stood, and followed, touching her turned shoulder. Without warning, the woman buried her face beneath his chin and cried. Using the force, Obi-Wan sent peace and calm to her mind, soothing away the tears. After a time, she drew away shyly, and nodded once, then exited the hut in haste.
Trying to piece all the given information together, Obi-Wan questioned what he'd seen and heard the night before. Could it have been a dream? No, there was still no way he could have correctly guessed the name of the child. Sighing, he decided he would return to the ship to contact Anakin.
"Master!" his padawan's voice rang through the comlink. Abroad the ship, Obi-Wan sank into the pilot's seat and proceeded to explain the situation to his charge.
"That's. odd, master. I've never heard of anything like that before," Anakin said hesitantly.
Obi-Wan snorted. "And neither have I, my very young padawan. Please alert the council of my current situation. This. problem with the force may prove dangerous, if it continues to grow in power. I will disembark tomorrow morning, regardless."
"Very well master. I look forward to having you back. Good luck!" Anakin said as he signed off. Obi-Wan wondered if the boy had increased his caffeine intake during his absence. It sounded like it.
Moving backwards in the ship, he took the opportunity to take a sonic shower, and sighed in relief when he was cleansed of dirt particles when he emerged. After he powered everything down, he moved down the ramp back to the planet. Again, he heard giggling. He groaned. Force, not again. Please.
Glancing up, Obi-Wan could barely see the three moons. They were almost in a line now, but their dimmed light was barely visible by the approaching storm clouds. The giggling returned, louder this time. As the wind picked up, Obi-Wan was able to catch a glimpse of movement beyond the trees.
"Obi!" A young voice cried from the woods. Obi-Wan moved towards the sound, his hand trailing to his lightsaber on his belt.
"Mira?" He asked, recognizing her voice. A giggle- and Obi-Wan relaxed somewhat. A game, was she playing hide-and-seek? No, he could see here beyond the wall of foliage, standing beside a taller man. The man reached down and scooped the girl up into his arms, and Mira eagerly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Obi!" She said again, and pointed at the Jedi. The man glanced at him and gave a slight smile.
"Hello," Obi-Wan said warily. This man looked nothing like the native people of Amak, his hair was blond and closely shaved. A dark leather jacket covered his torso followed by tan leggings and boots. "Are you from around here?"
"Not really," The man replied.
"Obi, Obi!" Mira whined, begging his attention. "This is Bahr!"
Obi-Wan blinked. Bahr? The invisible friend? His thoughts were cut short when an extremely loud crash of thunder shook the ground. Mira cried out and clung to Bahr. The man looked worried.
"Here," He said, moving towards the Jedi. "Take her. It's not safe for her to be out here alone."
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked, confused. Bahr smiled as he handed the quivering child to the master.
"My ship. it's over there, beyond that pass. It was a good three years ago that I crashed here."
The realization of his words dawned on Obi-Wan.
"You're. dead?" He shook his head, almost violently. "That can't be! You just lifted Mira, you're talking to me, I can see you!" Reaching out an unoccupied hand, Obi-Wan touched the leather of Bahr's jacket. "I can feel you!"
"You could feel Dem, couldn't you?" Bahr raised an eyebrow. Obi-Wan just shook his head again.
"It's ok, Obi!" Mira tried to sound reassuring, despite the oncoming storm that howled in the distance. "It happens every year. Don't be afraid!"
As the storm approached, the force flowed through Obi-Wan, touching, kissing his skin, whispering to his mind. For a moment it seemed that Bahr was a pale blue, his skin radiating light. Then, as the force grew stronger, Bahr's body grew solid again. Obi-Wan blinked rapidly, trying to focus his thoughts.
Bahr looked up, through the trees. Fading sunlight was shining over his skin just like any other man.
"You'd better get back to camp. Storm's coming," He smiled. "See you later, Mira."
"Bye Bahr!" She called from Obi-Wan's arms. The man turned away, and disappeared into the trees. Obi-Wan stared after him, still not believing this.
"Let's go, Obi. I don't like thunder," Mira asked, huddling against his torso. The wind grew stronger and fingered through his hair, and a few drops of rain caught his cheeks. Clearing his mind and planning on releasing all this into the force, Obi-Wan began to return to the camp. By the time he reached the circle of huts, his hair was damp and Mira whimpered from his chest, her hands clutching his tunics.
"Mira!" Tiagra cried, running across the circle. The bonfire was out, now just smoking in the rain. Kou and Faldin were helping to move the food into huts, to save it for later.
Tiagra swept the child into her arms, and motioned Obi-Wan to the edge of the camp's circle. Thunder roared loudly overhead, it's power causing the land itself to shudder. Water trickled into Obi-Wan's hair, the locks sticking to his brow in an unpleasant fashion. He yanked his hood over his head to prevent more rain from drenching his face, though he feared it would be a futile effort.
"Big storm!" She yelled to him. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. Apparently the day had been trying on him, his temper proved shorter than usual. Then again, one usually doesn't have conversations with dead people. He briefly wondered how master Qui-Gon would deal with this. The thought was shoved away when a super heated bolt of lighting ripped through the sky, not far from the camp. Mira cried out and buried her face in Tiagra's slender shoulder. The woman motioned her goodbye, and the two separated into their own huts.
Despite the semi-open grass curtain that marked the entrance to his hut, the rain did not enter the wooden construction. Not bothering to light the candle, Obi-Wan stripped the damp hood from his head and shrugged out of his cloak, the material stained a darker color from the dampness. Hanging the robe on a crooked piece of wood that lined the hut, he yawned and removed his boots. Feet bare, he padded to his cot as sat cross-legged on the soft cushion, and closed his eyes. He cleared his mind and struggled to find his center. but the loud crashes of thunder proved enduring in their attempt's to jar him from meditation and stability.
Groaning, Obi-Wan leaned sideways and sank into the cot. Sleep beckoned, it's darkness a sweet seduction and a welcomed bliss from the confusing world he visited. He wasn't aware when a tall form lowered itself to the cot, it's weight indenting the mattress and drawing Obi-Wan's limp hand to the rough material of a dry robe.
TBC
______________________
From Ashes to Calm ______________________
Part 2
Blinking rapidly, Obi-Wan's eyes scanned the forest. Mira had turned away, and was walking towards him, her hands folded before her. Flowing like a wave, again he felt the force surge within. An unconscious moan escaped his mouth as he closed his eyes. Light danced before his closed eyelids like blaster bolts, ricocheting off invisible walls and disappearing into the darkness. Electricity danced in his veins, coursing through his body.
When it passed after a time, Obi-Wan inhaled deeply. Fighting to open his eyes, he found himself still standing, but supported by Tiagra behind him. The world seemed fuzzy and surreal.
"Are you alright?" She whispered, her hands tightly gripping his upper arms through his robe. His head clearing, Obi-Wan stood upright and blinked several times.
"I believe so. It is just so. spontaneous. I have no warning," he sighed. He decided he was tired. Massaging the bridge of his nose, Obi-Wan turned to face Tiagra. "What is tonight's agenda?"
She shrugged. "A gathering. Well, there will be a gathering for the next few nights, so if you need to rest, feel free because you won't be missing something you won't see later."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply when he felt something tug his hand. Between them, Mira had latched on to his fingers in a death grip, her own hand being consumed by the Jedi's robe. With a look of apology, the master allowed himself to be pulled away from Tiagra.
The toddler pulled viscously on his extended limb, dragging Obi-Wan across camp, her dark hair flying behind her. Little tendrils of force weaved through the air, whispering and caressing his conscious. In a daze, he was hardly aware as Mira tugged him through the grass curtain of his hut. With the gentleness of a mother, she crawled up on the soft cot and pulled the master to her. Disoriented, Obi-Wan sat beside the child, his free hand clutching his head. A single candle, held safely away from the wooden walls, flickered softly, casting slight shadows over his face.
"It's always worse at night," she explained in a patient tone as she yanked at his hood, twisting to get a better handle on the soft fabric. "It feels funny at first, but you get used to it." Finally achieving a good grip, Mira pulled at the hood and pulled Obi-Wan backwards. Still fighting the affects the storm of force was having on his thoughts, he complied with little resistance and leaned backwards. Crawling around the larger body, she made sure his head was placed comfortably on the pillow, and then patted his head.
She hopped off the cot, and crawled up on the table to blow the candle out. Obi-Wan watched through half-closed eyes as the chubby little toddler exited his hut.
/I should contact Anakin./ was Obi-Wan's last thought before he drifted off, the force still whispering to his mind.
Mira walked calmly away from the hut, and was met by Bahr. The tall man wore the insignia of a pilot on his left shoulder. His young clean-shaven face smiled when he saw the girl skipping towards him.
"How's your friend?" He asked mildly, falling into step beside Mira.
She shrugged. "He's new to the festival. I think he'll be ok," she grinned, and followed her taller friend into the cool forest air, beyond the ring of huts and into the night.
***********************
Obi-Wan rolled over, clutching the provided pillow beneath his cheek. Rousing to semi-consciousness, he was aware of the slight draft in the hut, and pulled his robe closer. Realizing he was still /in/ his robe, the Jedi stiffly sat up, and automatically pulled off his boots, placing them beside the cot. On the floor, he registered a cloth blanket, and as he removed his robe, he replaced it with the soft comforter. He sank back down with a sigh, fluttering his eyelids. The light of three moons washed over his face from in-between the grass door, and as his eyes began to shut, a moving shadow blocked the light.
Furrowing his brow, he glanced towards the door. There was no one there. Dismissing the shadow, Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He was skimming the surface of sleep when he heard a soft giggling, almost like a breath.
Unmoving, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and stared outside through the grass. Again, he saw a shadow cast under the door. The giggling continued outside. It sounded like a child was playing. At this hour? Surely, it was well past midnight. Somewhat concerned, the Jedi mournfully lifted himself from his resting place and swung his legs over the cot. Barefoot, he stood, and parted the grass curtain.
In a pool of moonlight, a small child played in the dirt. Chubby hands sculpted and molded the damp earth, creating a warped construction of a castle. The air was cold to Obi-Wan. It was not safe for such youth to be out here alone this late. Stepping cautiously forward, the master inhaled sharply when his bare feet hit the chilled ground.
Though he was silent, the child must have sensed him, and turned around. Two huge brown eyes peered up at the Jedi in the moonlight, pale skin seeming to shimmer. A wide smile broke his face, and the child giggled again. The sound echoed against the trees.
"It's late, don't you think little one?" Obi-Wan asked gently, crouching beside the youth. The child only grinned, and stuck one pudgy finger into his castle. The breeze intensified, and Obi-Wan shivered, cold. Concerned for the boy, he touched the child's bare arm. and found the flesh frozen.
"All right, let's get you inside, now," the master hissed, scooping up the boy and making haste to his hut. Once inside, he plopped the child down on his still-warm cot and wrapped the blanket around him. Turning only for a moment, he struck one of the provided matches and lit the small candle. Soft light bathed the walls. When he turned around, Obi-Wan saw that the boy was escaping his encasement of blankets and trying to get to the floor.
"Hey!" Obi-Wan said, blocking the waddling child's path to the door. "What are you doing?"
"Wanna play!" The boy chirped, trying to evade the Jedi. He was unsuccessful, and was swooped into the larger man's arms and again placed on the cot. And again, Obi-Wan was filled with concern and the chilled skin of the boy.
"Not in the cold, you aren't. What's your name?"
"Dem," responded the boy with a pout, clearly not pleased that he couldn't go back outside.
"Hello, Dem. I'm Obi-Wan," The Jedi introduced himself. "Let's get you home, alright? Who do you live with?"
Dem frowned. "I dun live here anymore, silly," he said as if it were a stupid question. Obi-Wan stifled a groan. Not games. Not this late. And to complicate matters further, a strong wave of force crashed into his consciousness, impeding on his thoughts. Jamming his eyes shut, Obi-Wan knelt beside the cot, struggling to get control of his thoughts and actions. It was getting worse, he realized. This was stronger than before. He could almost imagine his midicholrians singing in his veins, the power they held coursing through his body and mind. Even behind closed eyelids, his vision was streaked with light and color.
He thought he heard a voice, a voice in his head.
"Obi-Wan."
And the world went dark around him, mind as well.
******************
"Master Kenobi?"
Obi-Wan's head shot up at the sound of the voice. His bearded face was red with lines, and he found himself on the floor of the hut, his head had been resting on the edge of the cot. Muttering to himself, he turned to see Tiagra and Faldin looking down at him from the entrance to his hut.
Looking back at the cot, Obi-Wan searched for Dem, but the cot was empty. Confused and disoriented, he struggled to his feet. Faldin reached out a hand and steadied the Jedi.
"It happened again?" the taller man asked softly. Obi-Wan nodded numbly, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't understand what's going on at all. Where's the boy? He shouldn't have been outside so late and in the cold," Obi-Wan muttered, sitting dejectedly on the cot's edge. Faldin frowned.
"What boy? No one was out last night, as far as I know," he asked.
"Um. small one, a toddler, Brown eyes. mop of dark hair." Obi-Wan struggled to remember the past night. "Said his name was. Dem?"
Faldin's eyes narrowed and grew cold. "I don't know what game you're playing, Jedi," He said through clenched teeth, "But it's not humorous. Not at all."
Spinning abruptly, the chief left the hut in anger. Shocked and confused by the outburst, Obi-Wan looked to Tiagra for help. She stared at him in disbelief, then swallowed, looking away.
"Are. are you telling the truth?" She asked with a weak voice.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Jedi don't lie," he said softly, listening to a rumble of thunder in the distance. He felt the impression on the cot when Tiagra sat beside him.
"Dem was Faldin's son, heir to leadership. It was. four years ago, a boating accident." her voice grew tight. Obi-Wan turned to face her, and found tears brimming in her eyes. "I was so fond of Dem, we all were. It hurt both myself and Faldin so. so." She turned away, bringing a hand to her face. Before he could move to comfort her, she turned again, defiance in her eyes.
"Why? How can you know? How can you see him? He's dead, Jedi, dead!" Stifling a cry, she stood and faced the wall. Obi-Wan stood, and followed, touching her turned shoulder. Without warning, the woman buried her face beneath his chin and cried. Using the force, Obi-Wan sent peace and calm to her mind, soothing away the tears. After a time, she drew away shyly, and nodded once, then exited the hut in haste.
Trying to piece all the given information together, Obi-Wan questioned what he'd seen and heard the night before. Could it have been a dream? No, there was still no way he could have correctly guessed the name of the child. Sighing, he decided he would return to the ship to contact Anakin.
"Master!" his padawan's voice rang through the comlink. Abroad the ship, Obi-Wan sank into the pilot's seat and proceeded to explain the situation to his charge.
"That's. odd, master. I've never heard of anything like that before," Anakin said hesitantly.
Obi-Wan snorted. "And neither have I, my very young padawan. Please alert the council of my current situation. This. problem with the force may prove dangerous, if it continues to grow in power. I will disembark tomorrow morning, regardless."
"Very well master. I look forward to having you back. Good luck!" Anakin said as he signed off. Obi-Wan wondered if the boy had increased his caffeine intake during his absence. It sounded like it.
Moving backwards in the ship, he took the opportunity to take a sonic shower, and sighed in relief when he was cleansed of dirt particles when he emerged. After he powered everything down, he moved down the ramp back to the planet. Again, he heard giggling. He groaned. Force, not again. Please.
Glancing up, Obi-Wan could barely see the three moons. They were almost in a line now, but their dimmed light was barely visible by the approaching storm clouds. The giggling returned, louder this time. As the wind picked up, Obi-Wan was able to catch a glimpse of movement beyond the trees.
"Obi!" A young voice cried from the woods. Obi-Wan moved towards the sound, his hand trailing to his lightsaber on his belt.
"Mira?" He asked, recognizing her voice. A giggle- and Obi-Wan relaxed somewhat. A game, was she playing hide-and-seek? No, he could see here beyond the wall of foliage, standing beside a taller man. The man reached down and scooped the girl up into his arms, and Mira eagerly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Obi!" She said again, and pointed at the Jedi. The man glanced at him and gave a slight smile.
"Hello," Obi-Wan said warily. This man looked nothing like the native people of Amak, his hair was blond and closely shaved. A dark leather jacket covered his torso followed by tan leggings and boots. "Are you from around here?"
"Not really," The man replied.
"Obi, Obi!" Mira whined, begging his attention. "This is Bahr!"
Obi-Wan blinked. Bahr? The invisible friend? His thoughts were cut short when an extremely loud crash of thunder shook the ground. Mira cried out and clung to Bahr. The man looked worried.
"Here," He said, moving towards the Jedi. "Take her. It's not safe for her to be out here alone."
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked, confused. Bahr smiled as he handed the quivering child to the master.
"My ship. it's over there, beyond that pass. It was a good three years ago that I crashed here."
The realization of his words dawned on Obi-Wan.
"You're. dead?" He shook his head, almost violently. "That can't be! You just lifted Mira, you're talking to me, I can see you!" Reaching out an unoccupied hand, Obi-Wan touched the leather of Bahr's jacket. "I can feel you!"
"You could feel Dem, couldn't you?" Bahr raised an eyebrow. Obi-Wan just shook his head again.
"It's ok, Obi!" Mira tried to sound reassuring, despite the oncoming storm that howled in the distance. "It happens every year. Don't be afraid!"
As the storm approached, the force flowed through Obi-Wan, touching, kissing his skin, whispering to his mind. For a moment it seemed that Bahr was a pale blue, his skin radiating light. Then, as the force grew stronger, Bahr's body grew solid again. Obi-Wan blinked rapidly, trying to focus his thoughts.
Bahr looked up, through the trees. Fading sunlight was shining over his skin just like any other man.
"You'd better get back to camp. Storm's coming," He smiled. "See you later, Mira."
"Bye Bahr!" She called from Obi-Wan's arms. The man turned away, and disappeared into the trees. Obi-Wan stared after him, still not believing this.
"Let's go, Obi. I don't like thunder," Mira asked, huddling against his torso. The wind grew stronger and fingered through his hair, and a few drops of rain caught his cheeks. Clearing his mind and planning on releasing all this into the force, Obi-Wan began to return to the camp. By the time he reached the circle of huts, his hair was damp and Mira whimpered from his chest, her hands clutching his tunics.
"Mira!" Tiagra cried, running across the circle. The bonfire was out, now just smoking in the rain. Kou and Faldin were helping to move the food into huts, to save it for later.
Tiagra swept the child into her arms, and motioned Obi-Wan to the edge of the camp's circle. Thunder roared loudly overhead, it's power causing the land itself to shudder. Water trickled into Obi-Wan's hair, the locks sticking to his brow in an unpleasant fashion. He yanked his hood over his head to prevent more rain from drenching his face, though he feared it would be a futile effort.
"Big storm!" She yelled to him. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. Apparently the day had been trying on him, his temper proved shorter than usual. Then again, one usually doesn't have conversations with dead people. He briefly wondered how master Qui-Gon would deal with this. The thought was shoved away when a super heated bolt of lighting ripped through the sky, not far from the camp. Mira cried out and buried her face in Tiagra's slender shoulder. The woman motioned her goodbye, and the two separated into their own huts.
Despite the semi-open grass curtain that marked the entrance to his hut, the rain did not enter the wooden construction. Not bothering to light the candle, Obi-Wan stripped the damp hood from his head and shrugged out of his cloak, the material stained a darker color from the dampness. Hanging the robe on a crooked piece of wood that lined the hut, he yawned and removed his boots. Feet bare, he padded to his cot as sat cross-legged on the soft cushion, and closed his eyes. He cleared his mind and struggled to find his center. but the loud crashes of thunder proved enduring in their attempt's to jar him from meditation and stability.
Groaning, Obi-Wan leaned sideways and sank into the cot. Sleep beckoned, it's darkness a sweet seduction and a welcomed bliss from the confusing world he visited. He wasn't aware when a tall form lowered itself to the cot, it's weight indenting the mattress and drawing Obi-Wan's limp hand to the rough material of a dry robe.
TBC