sorry, but not sorry: this chapter turned out to be much more fluffy than intended, I felt like I needed and I hope some of your readers need it too

They were all up before sunrise. Provisions were packed and with everything and everyone in the shuttle they set off towards the ridges. She landed two times, first to let the heavy infantry and Tulata and then the Rulls out. The third time she landed it was her time to start the exploring. Hers and the Nevarro brave's, Tern's.

It felt strange, even forbidden, to know that much of his name already. Just letting it wander through her mind made her feel uneasy. The healer, his sister Tulata, had halted deliberately before revealing their family name. She hadn't let it slip, she had given it a thought before letting it drop.

Soon enough she found the little brook. It was well hidden, just a trickle of water and it took them some time to trace it back to the hole in the wall where it came from. The entrance was small enough to not be easily detected. Shrubbery was overgrowing the dark notch in the rock.

She looked up its length and guessed its height to be about eight feet. It was wide enough to fit through the bike and thus a man, even one as wide as Big Blue. She shouldered her pack and slipped the rifle from its scabbard on the bike.

Her escort took his backpack and followed her. With the light of their helmets switched on they entered the darkness. It was slightly humid and the ground slippery, their steps resonated with a soft wet sound, each single step. The warmth that engulfed them increased the further they ventured.

Columns of jet black stones formed the walls and when she looked up she wondered at the hexagonal shape of the stone clustering snuggly together and forming a natural arched ceiling. Where ever their helmet-lights hit, a glittering sparkle was reflected back at them. It was to be found everywhere, on the ceiling and the walls, sparse dots, long stripes and even deep pockets. It was an unworldly experience to wander through the dark canal accompanied by this kind of fairy light.

The path was winding, sometimes forking. Whenever they took a turn she mapped and marked their way. Some forks would have ventured too far off from where she thought she could end up by their view from above the day before. These she gave up quite quickly, others ended in rather spacious pockets. Even if not for constant settling this cave has proven to be usable to some point already.

When she finally saw a the dim shine of natural light, her step increased. She was glad to have the sky above her. But what she saw as soon as she stepped out of the dark tunnel made her stop abruptly.

In fact she halted so suddenly that the warrior behind her missed it completely and bumped with a clank of their armours into her. His momentum shook her forward and she would have stumbled and fallen if his arms hadn't wrapped round her shoulders in reflex.

She was totally entranced by the sight when she clasped her hands over his, he hadn't let go of her. His helmet was also trained on the sight before them.

Due to the early morning a fine mist was hovering over the crater of the extinct volcano. The lowest area was filled with a small lake of the purest turquoise. Fine ferns and reeds lined the lakeside, lush green bushes and small trees were set further from the shore. The chirps of various birds could be heard.

Her eyes swept around and she gasped at the sight of a long thin waterfall that came down on the other side of the crater – that was where the small blueish line in the landscape, which she had seen from above, ended. The mist where it met the waters of the lake clad the whole back in an eerie vapour where a dim rainbow quivered in the morning breeze.

She felt the arms loosen around her as she was drawn to the water. She switched off the helmet light and adjusted a scanner of her HUD system. Only then she peeled off one glove and dipped her fingers into the water. It was warm, bordering a pleasant heat. How nice it would be to let her body sink into it.

"How much time to we have?" The words were out of her mouth before she registered saying them.

The green-blue helmet tilted at her questioningly. She curled her finger at him: "Come and feel it. If we have an hour I would really love to enjoy this little paradise quite selfishly."

He came forward, but there was a falter in his step. Only slowly he hunched down and his fingers immersed in the water. His helmet came up quick in surprise, but his voice had a hoarseness which she couldn't place.

"Ermm, yeah. Sure. Go ahead." He turned abruptly.

"What? You are not going to join me?" She knew she was tempting, even taunting him.

He shuffled where he stood: "Someone has to keep watch."

It was just an excuse and they both knew it. Her eyes quickly swept along the shore: "Don't think it is any different to what you have seen on Nar Shaddaa, but I can use those bushes as cover, if you feel more comfortable that way."

He just grunted in response as she made over to the indicated bush. Putting down the bag and her rifle she started to undress. Only for a second she pondered to leave on the undergarment, but she didn't have another set with her.

She walked in until the turquoise waves she had created playing along her hips before she sank into it and relished she sensation of simply floating. The warmth of the water was a bliss and she closed her eyes.

When they were left on the shuttle a relaxed quietness settled between them. She had shown him on a map where she intended to land and take the bike from there. Several times he caught her looking at him and whenever he returned the look beneath his visor a quick smile was all he got before she turned her head away again.

He gnawed at his lower lip, trying to imagine what she and his sister might have been talking about. His musings where interrupted when they found the dark entrance in the wall of rock. Though it was not wide, it was rather tall, placed in a reclining notch it was not easy to detect at all.

The tunnel itself was a sight to behold, though completely dark and damp the glittering walls when their lights ghosted over them were entrancing. But the further they ventured the less hope he had that this was a place to locate the tribe.

The warmth of the depth put a sheen of sweat on his skin and he felt a droplet run down his spine. But maybe it also came from the knowledge that they wandered through the innards of an old volcano. He was just glad when he saw the sunlight at the end of the tunnel, too much reminded him of the sewer system on Nevarro and he had hoped that his tribe didn't have to hide underneath again.

Suddenly he crashed into her, his hands shot out and wrapped round the woman in front of him. He felt and heard their plates connect, but only his hold kept her from tumbling forward. He wanted to excuse, but the sight he beheld had him stunned. He gaped at the beauty that had formed unperturbed over centuries.

Only when she wriggled in his hold he realized that he still pressed her to his chest. With a silent exhale he let her go and only watched as she ventured to the water. His eyes were still swivelling around, trying to take in as much as possible when she addressed him.

How much time they had wasn't a question he could answer, it was her who had planned the exploration. While he followed her call towards the lake his mind mulled over what she meant with enjoying the place, but as soon as his fingers felt the warmth of the water he understood.

His movement had lost all its fluency when he turned. Did she really intend to have a swim, just like that, what would she do with the wet clothes, had she another set in her bag. A thousand questions jumped through his brain, all at once.

He didn't want to, but couldn't help thinking of the impossible picture forming in his head. He had seen her, had undressed her, but all in a state of emergency, not by her choice. And now she was thinking of undressing to go for a swim – his head swam, too.

Yes, sure he had seen her stripped to her undergarments and even less, remembering what her body had felt like even when the washing cloth was between her skins made him tense up. It was true that he had seen the women in the private area of the Star Cluster Casino. But thinking of her undressing before his eyes made a heat spread in him that challenged the heat of the tunnel they had just crossed. It even reduced a midday out in the desert of Tattooine to nothingness.

A rustle in the foliage of the bush and soft splashes of the water as she waded in. Just for a second his head drifted to the side, his head swung back at once as he saw the paleness of her flesh walk deeper into the soft waves. He swallowed hard, thinking about the curves he was able to glimpse sent a wave of heat directly into his groin. Add anther two suns to Tattooine, still not comparable.

He heard her moan and turned abruptly around – was she hurt, where did the threat come from – he realized his mistake too late. It was not a sound of pain, but of pleasure. His Adam's apple bobbed up, froze, and then down and his legs took a remote-controlled step and another. The turquoise water played at the front of his boots.

But that was not what he saw. He only saw her, partly submerged in the water: Her head was tilted back and her eyes were closed. Her arms were spread to the side and the liquid lapped at the soft curves of her breasts, areolas tight and nipples hardened to small nob.

His mouth was dry, no swallowing helped as his eyes wandered along her form to where the tiny waves lapped at her stomach and to where a dark triangle of short coarse hair led to where her legs met.

With an audible sound of his teeth clicking he closed his gaping mouth. His suit and gambeson had got all too warm, his armour all too heavy and tight in places he didn't want to think of. He tore his gaze off and whirled around.

"You could just sit near where water is still shallow, so there would be no need for you to swim and your helmet could stay on safely."

He only dimly heard her voice over the white noise and constant drumming in his ears. It was an option and the heat that spread from his shoulders all over his body, slowly drenching him in sweat, would finally subside. He looked down his front, fully aware what he would see without the protective piece of metal over his crotch, which had become painfully tight.

She must have mistaken the sinking movement of his helmet. He heard a soft splashing and then her voice again, sounding victorious: "Convincing you wasn't that hard this time."

"Can't." His voice sounded like a croaking frog.

There came a giggle, much closer than before. He dared a side-glance. She had turned over, that had been the soft disturbance of the water. The round firmness of her backside was too much, he stared at a point straight ahead of him.

"What if you get in from the other side of this little piece of water. Over there, near that waterfall, there is more shrubbery for your modesty."

He grinned in a sour way. She was relentless, but then his resistance wasn't that strong from the beginning: "Fine!"

He more or less stormed off, setting a vigorous pace, just anything to get out of her line of sight. Yet even secluded by the bushes he felt like she was watching every movement as he shed off the pieces of armour.

What normally came off of the metallic protecting first, was the last he unclasped, giving himself time to find at least some of his composure again. He struggled out of the gambeson, the suit and his briefs while he kept his back towards the lake.

Not that it helped that much. Still in a state of half rigidness he quickly splashed into the water, barely noticing that the waterfall was not a source of warmth, quite to the contrary. It was the only source that brought freshness. And as close as he was to the gushing water he sank into relatively cool water.

But it was a relieve to his state. Even from that afar he could see her intense gaze. He was glad that his helmet saved him from the disgrace of his totally blushed face. He felt bared, but inwardly he hoped that she approved of what she had seen, even the slightest hope sent a shiver down his spine and set him on fire again.

He slipped further into the shallow water until he was still able to sit while the water reached his shoulders. It was none too soon, she was coming closer with slow strokes. Too plainly he saw her form beneath the crystal clear water and sudden awareness made him look down and instantly cover up himself.

Didn't she realize that he was still able to see everything in waters that clear – it was too late to flee from the water and get dressed again. Her eyes were unfaltering on his helmet as she finally reached his position and folded her legs under her, kneeling next to where he sat.

"The water is much colder here." It was a simple statement but a drop of his eyes put the perking proof of her words in his sight. He lifted his helmet more than necessary.

"It's the waterfall. Feels refreshing." He would find any excuse to not venture to the warmer area of the lake.

She stared at his visor so penetratingly that the feeling of exposure almost got unbearable to him. It took her a long time of just watching him that he started to shift under her gaze.

"Be honest. What is wrong?" He sat even straighter – was she really that unaware of what she did to him.

He was just going to assume that he had been watched: "You saw what you did – do to me. It-it was – is obvious enough."

He watched her closely as she lowered her glance to where she could see his hands covering himself. It made his breath shaky. His mind raced and somersaulted in what it could mean that her inhale came sharp and that her lips had parted slightly.

He ran his tongue over his lips, his mouth felt too dry as the blood in his system couldn't decide which end to race to first. Not true, it definitely had decided to run down south.

"Can't – can't form a clear thought. I – my body reacts on – on its own will. You make me want you. You make me want to touch you. You make me want to hold you and never let you go. T'is all I can think of."

His voice had become more husky and wantonly. He couldn't care anymore with as close as she was sitting next to him. His mind had only one thought he revolved around, what her skin under his bare hands would feel like.

He couldn't help it and his helmet lowered as his eyes raked over her body, how the water round her chest moved with her breathing, how the coldness of the water had the pinkish nobs perking out, how her waistline curved in, how rounded her hips were and down to where her hands rested on her thighs accentuating only too plainly the darker patch between them.

Stupid – he scolded himself. As if he didn't already know what looking at her did to him, the result he could feel hard against his palms.

When he lifted his helmet again he noted the blush that coloured her cheeks: "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, but … you asked. And … and you are … beautiful … to behold … mesh'la."

She slowly shook her head. Although a smile played on her lips her eyes looked at him in an almost pained expression. Her gaze fell on her knees, but he had seen the glistening.

He shuffled closer until his hips brushed against her knees and lifted one hand to cup her face. With his thumb he brushed the salty droplet that rolled down her cheek away. His voice was a soft whisper: "I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you sad."

If being able to breathe meant that she was sad he would gladly forsake every single breath. He ignored the stab in his chest her despair gave him: "Ner meshurok. Please, no tears. I do not know what I said or did, but I will make amends. Just tell me how."

His fingers gave the slightest hint of a nudge where they curled round her head, inviting her to lean against his shoulder. It took a moment and he quickly reflected on what else he could do. But then she leant forward, burying her face in the hollow of his shoulder.

Her voice was muffled and sounded drained: "I just realized … so intense … your feelings … love … can't lose it … not again …broke me."

His hand ran along the length of her wet hair over and over again. If she closed herself to him out of this reason he would be on the losing side. Nothing would make her open to his feelings for her. The prospect intensified the stab in his innards.

What could he possibly answer – that they were hunter and prey, that shereshoy was the Mandalorian lifestyle, that he would try to stay alive for her at all costs – any of these and much more had probably been already said by Denx too and yet he was marching far away.

"I understand." He had cleared his throat intentionally yet his voice still broke in a way that made his mouth curl with the sour taste it left. He didn't want to sound pathetic, but her words and her brokenness churned his own feelings. He had to close his eyes, squeeze them tight to get rid of the burning sting.

He stirred when he felt her hand on his shoulder her deep inhale had him concentrate on her alone.

"Give me a reason to become alive again." It was just a whisper, hoarse and raw, but never had anything in his life felt more reviving.

Before he knew what he was doing both hands cupped her face, titling her face up to look at his visor. When he was sure that he had her attention he brushed a hand lightly down the front of her face and his smile was radiant when she understood.

Slowly he reached under his helmet, his heart was thumping hard as he searched her face. Even though he kept her waiting she sat still without even the slightest flicker of her wet lashes.

When he had lifted the Beskar far enough to still cover everything from this nose upwards he leant in. He could feel the warm air of her exhale on his lips and he was sure she could feel his: "May I kiss you?"

"Please." It was a permission and a request.

The first touch was pure electricity, a touch feather-light, a brush soft as down, but it had him breathless. He pulled back to gaze at her. She was still as a statue and suddenly her body shuddered with her deep inhale.

Before he could retreat fully her hand slip from his shoulder to his neck and he felt the same nudge he had used with her, the mere suggestion of an invitation: "Please." It was a request and a longing.

Again he brushed his lips on hers, still soft, yet with a lingering passion. He dared to let his tongue skim over her lips and was electrified when her tongue tip mapped out his lips. Their first deep kiss was slow, they were hesitant and careful in their exploring, but when they broke apart they were both catching their breaths.

Determinedly he shove the helmet back on, the sound of his breath became modulated and static in his ears once again. He rested it against her forehead and cupped her face in his hands again: "Ner meshurok. I can't make promises, but I would love to love you forever, hoping that our forever turns out to be very long, until we march away from old age."

Her giggle was still shaky: "And what about a warrior's death?"

He snorted: "Aging is a hard fight."

But he sobered quickly again: "A kiss is probably by lengths not enough. I'm an awkward idiot when it comes to … errm … matters of the heart. Promise me something …"

The corners of her mouth twitched for a second, but he was able to transfer how serious he was about what he was asking and she nodded, slowly, once.

"Promise me that you will help me out there. Promise me that you will let me know what I can do to … make you become alive again. Promise me that …."

He stilled when her finger came to lie on the vertical line of his T-visor where his mouth was hidden beneath.

"I promise." When she rested her head back in the hollow of his shoulder his hands moved to rest on her back, just below her shoulder blades.

He savoured the time they stayed like that. It helped him to relax knowing that she wasn't giving up on them and that she was willing to help him with his shortcomings. The only problem was with his worries lifted like that his all too human mind started ramblings of his own again.

As soon as he felt his hands savouring the contact too much he cleared his throat: "Maybe we should get out of the lake before we start looking like dried blumfruits."

Her giggling turned saucy: "Do you really feel like you are in any danger of that?"

He didn't have to look and the surface was splashing as his hand short straight down: "Then we better get out before I don't fit into that part of my armour anymore."

His defiance made her giggle more and it was contagious. She was gasping for breath before she finally calmed down: "Ok, but only if you promise that we come back here and maybe we don't have to tell the others about our discovery."

The grin he flashed had a feral tint at the hidden promise that he read into it and his remark became more lewd than he had intended: "Our love cave?"

Her gasp was cut short by the hum she spread onto his shoulder: "Promise."

Before she withdrew she pressed her lips against his pulse and she had it accelerate within a beat. And he was more than glad that she turned to swim back where here clothing was lying on the ground. It gave him time to make his way back behind the bush without becoming totally embarrassed.

When he was back in the safety behind the bush he struggled to get the layers of fabric back up over his wet skin. He cursed loudly and colourfully at how it got stuck, at how tight it felt in places and in the end he gave up trying to rearrange his codpiece until his mind stopped playing havoc with his body. He just stuffed it into his pack, placing this to cover his indisposition was much easier.

The water was just too relaxing and she wanted to share. As she wasn't sure whether the helmet or the inability to swim came from his reluctancy she gave him options with which both problems could be covered.

It took her only one glance to recognise the rigidness of his posture and when comment on his inability in general made her giggle she gave him a way to overcome even this problem. Convincing him wasn't a problem at all.

With all his struggles to keep his composure she had been made only more curious and of course she watched him from when strode off to when he splashed into the water to sit stiff as a poker. Only then she drew closer.

The water got colder with every stroke and she wondered if the shivers that seemed to run along his body were only caused by that. She tried to keep her mouth still and her face expressionless at the swivelling of his helmet, he didn't feel comfortable at all.

Her eyes had taken in the position in which he sat, mostly how he used his hands to cover his crotch. She wanted him to be honest, she wanted to know and understand him. But she wasn't prepared for his sudden boldness. Of course she could see his bodily reaction, but that wasn't what she had really meant.

The confession that followed had her even less prepared. All of a sudden she felt the emotions wash over her and her heart started a heavy rhythm when she imagined by the movement of the helmet where his eyes wandered over her form.

It was no question if he did like what he saw, the tense jerk was all she needed for confirmation. But his verbal praise had her composure shattered. The tenderness of his touch and words didn't help at all.

For the first time she felt like she didn't have to hold back, but she could be what she actually was – broken and fearful of reliving anything similar. It was his broken voice that made her understand that she had to overcome the darkness to have the light spread again – There is no light without the dark.

Suddenly she understood why her father had accused her of having lost the way of the Mandalorian creed – death is life. She had experienced the first, it was part of life, to come back to life was what she had forsaken. The man sitting opposite her gave her that chance. He could be the reason to become alive again.

The touch his hand against her forehead had her tingling and when is brushed down she got his intention. The his of the helmet opening had her listen breathlessly and her senses were overridden when she felt his breath against her lips.

She wanted it more than anything else. And her brain whispered to her that she could have had this much earlier. No not much earlier, there had been no one with the aura this man emanated. He stirred her like only Denx had been able to and there was something more, something uniquely him that captured her. The warm coil within her told her that she needed more of this to become whole again.

It was definitely the first time that a man was able to make her laugh, cry, feel desired and aroused at the same time. His sincerity rivalled his eagerness, his modesty competed with his arousal. But his truthfulness conquered all.

They life didn't allow promises, she had learnt the hard way, those promises that could be made had her look forward to what was to come with tightening sensation deep within her. The lewdness that he suddenly let shine through gave the discovery a whole new aspect and had her shudder.

In the end all three teams had explored three caves each with two that held an actual promise to be able to house the tribe. Luckily the entrances of these two were located were not far apart and their layout indicated that they could easily be joined.

As one of these caves had been explored by the heavy infantry and the healer and the other by the maroon couple different aspects of their usability had been taken into consideration. It was agreed that these two should be explored the next day once again and that then plans for the relocation of the tribe should be put into action.

The excitement only slowly subsided until a peaceful quietness settled over the ship with each person present slipping into sleep and their dreams.

Mando'a

mesh'la: beautiful
Ner meshurok: my precious (one) lit. my gemstone
Shereshoy: lust for life and much more - uniquely Mandalorian word, meaning the enjoyment of each day and the determination to seek and grab every possible experience, as well as surviving to see the next day - hanging onto life and relishing it.