NOTES: It took me forever to edit this one. It's a long chapter. I probably could have broken it up into two chapters.
But it's done now. Hopefully it's okay.

I'll try to put up more tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 38: Found

The sun rose over Fayra's head. She knew it was almost time to go. Before she did she wanted to climb to the top of the waterfall. Blue discovered it while the two took some time exploring the area.

"Blue!" She called. He was at the opposite end, poking at some sort of small forest creature. "Come on!" She slipped her pack on and started on the small path hidden in a cove beside the waterfall.

As Fayra waited for Blue she looked toward the path that brought them here. She was unsure she could take another step that would be further away from the ship. She wondered if he had made it back to the ship. She shook her head as if she could shake him from her thoughts. No, she came here to experience the falls, like she'd always dreamed. He promised her that, instead he's off doing business and she was stuck in the ship.

Fayra turned away and forced herself to keep going. Just a little further, then she'd returned. Hopefully he'd wait for her. The path took Fayra and Blue up and up until it leveled off about 20 feet from the top. Stepping stones were strategically placed on the side of the mountain in order to reach it.

"Well, looks like we're climbing." She declared. "You can climb right?"

Blue beeped.

"Oh come on, it's not that much farther."

He shook his little body in protest.

"We can't stop now, we're so close."

He whistled.

Fayra shook her head and picked the little droid up. "You can hitch a ride." She stuffed him between her back and the pack then pulled the strap tighter to secure him. She hoisted herself up on the first stone. Blue beeped furiously in protest.

A few minutes later Fayra was nearing the top, when her foot slipped from the rock she was standing on. Fayra's hands strained at the extra weight and Blue began slipping from his spot.

"Hang on Blue!" Fayra leaped for the edge, repositioning her foot, but it was too late. She let go of the edge and caught Blue by his small mechanical arm that shot out from his side just in time. Their bodies swung around nearing crashing into the mountain.

Fayra did a double take as she looked down at Blue. "When did you get an arm?!" Blue began furiously beeping at her, but Fayra couldn't listen because her other hand began slipping off the ledge she now dangled from. She looked around for vines or roots, anything she could connect with. Her fingers ached and the ground began giving way. It was too late. They began to fall.

Suddenly a hand snatched out and caught her by the wrist. Her first thoughts were of Mando. He had come for her, she thought.

"Don't worry, I got you!" A man shouted from above. His voice was deep with an odd accent. "Use your feet!"

She obeyed as the stranger pulled her and Blue to the top. Out of breath, she sat up and looked at her savior.

"Hello, darlin'." He tipped his large brimmed hat to her.

She smiled, but inside she terror rocked her body. Blue rolled up next to her, now absent the arm he was displaying moments ago. "Thank you."

"The name's Pac." He extended his arm, taking her hand in his and pulled her to her feet.

"Thank you." She said again, hoping she didn't sound too nervous.

"Ah, no worries. You and your little droid alright?"

She did a mental check. "Yes. I think so."

"You here enjoying the falls?"

"Um, yes." She smiled.

"Yeah, me too. Beautiful, huh?"

"Oh, yes, very!" She genuinely smiled this time.

"You should check out the view from there. It's amazing." He suggested, pointing to where the water fell over the edge of the mountain.

Fayra didn't hesitate. She carefully stepped close and peered down. The water flowed effortlessly over. Cascading down large boulders. The lagoon looked so far away, but it was so clear her could see all the way to the bottom. Fish and other creatures swam about.

"What do you think?" Pac asked.

She joined him back on the path. "It's incredible, it's more than I could have imagined."

He nodded in agreement.

"You look like you could use a drink." He suggested.

"Oh, thank you. But I gotta get back before dark."

"I'll have to say "no" to that."

Fayra's smile faded as he smirked at her.

"You can't leave." He shook his head. Her fear returned. "That is until you drink from the fountain."

Fayra was confused.

"You see anyone that makes that climb earns the right to a drink." He pointed toward the path. "It's tradition. If you came to see the falls you shouldn't miss it."

Fayra now understood.

"It's not far, just around that bend there. You'd make it back in time."

She looked down at Blue. He didn't protest.

"Come on. I'll show you." He started up the path.

Fayra followed. Pac was right; it was only a few minutes walk. When she saw the fountain she couldn't help herself, a smile spread from ear to ear. Streams of water were shooting up from the ground.

When she looked at him in excitement Pac winked at her.

Fayra blushed.

"Well go ahead, give it a try."

She set her satchel down and kneeled, scooping up a handful at a time.

As she reached down into the water again it began pulling at her. A loud ringing filled her ears. She searched with her eyes, but saw nothing in the water.

"What?" She whispered into the ripples. "What is it?" She shook her head, frustrated. Her and water never got along. It was getting late, she thought and turned to tell Pac goodbye. She stumbled backward trying to avoid bumping into him. He held a device toward her, beeping a red light.

He clicked a button and pocketed the device. He looked her up and down. "You're the bounty." He smiled.

Panic pounded in Fayra's chest. She began calling the earth to her, feeling it rumble beneath her feet. Before she could muster enough strength he lifted his other hand and blew a purple dust into her face. The mist it created infiltrated her lungs as she breathed. She immediately began coughing. She fell back to the ground, gasping for air.

"Now, that there," he pointed at her "is gonna incapacitate you for a bit."

Blue began beeping frantically.

"It's gonna make your brain a bit foggy." He bent down over her as the purple smoke disappeared. "You're not gonna be able to talk."

Fayra grabbed her chest trying to fight the tightness closing in. She tried to fight and get up, but her vision blurred.

"Now, now. Settle down. The more you fight it, the worst it feels."

Pac was right, the more she tried to move, the harder it was to breath and the dizziness began worse." She couldn't feel anything. Her body almost felt like it was floating. Pac reached around his back and revealed a pair of handcuffs. He clicked them tightly around her wrists.

"You are gonna be the biggest payday I've ever had." Blue rammed his ankle and shot out a beam from his body, where his arm had protruded earlier.

Pac yelped. "Why, you little…" He jumped toward Blue and landed a kick to his little body. Fayra watched in terror as Blue landed in the river. She screamed, but no sound came out.

Fayra's coughing stopped. She watched helplessly as the Pac searched her, then her bag. He pocketed the blaster and money she had taken from Mando, he inspected the knife then slid it into his belt then dumped the rest on the ground and tossed the bag to the side.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there but her head finally began to clear. She groaned, shaking her head, trying to clear away the fogginess.

"Welcome back." Pac said, jerking her to her feet. He pulled her close, his hot breath blasted her face.

"Now, I tracked you on that ship. The Mandalorian's ship." He smirked. "Where is he?" He asked. She swallowed, refusing to say a word.

"You know, he left me for dead. Adrift, to slowly die."

"Good." Fayra spat, her voice hoarse and cracked. She could still taste that purple powder.

"I got lucky though, the power came back on. And here I am!" Pac smiled. "I'd like nothing more than to rip into him, but he is a Mandalorian." He shook his head. "I don't want that kind of heat!"

Pac released her, Fayra stumbled back, her legs tingling and heavy.

"Running into you was lucky. So, I'll just take you."

He jerked the cuffs forcing Fayra to follow behind him. Her heart sank as he walked in the opposite direction they had come.

Fayra tried looking back to see if Blue made it back to the riverbank. She saw nothing. She wasn't sure if droids could go in water, with all the wiring and metal parts, she assumed that was a no and Blue was gone forever. Pac pulled the cuffs again. Fayra grunted at the pain.

After a few more minutes her head was much more clear. She tried to think of what to do. What would Mando do? She scolded herself. She failed miserably at Mando's first lesson, be ready. She had her weapon's in her satchel, not on her person. She now realized that's why Mando always had weapons attached to him.

She had to tune Pac out as he continued to talk, as long as she listened she couldn't think.

They walked for at least an hour. The path's terrain changed rapidly. On one side was the forest. On the other cliffs, far below lay an unforgiving river rushing in the opposite direction they walked.

She thought of Mando's second lesson, never be too eager to rush your opponent. She needed a plan.

Mando reached the base of the falls. The area was vacant, but scanned the area to be sure. He found Fayra's tracks on the opposite end of the clearing, just beside the waterfall. He sighed. She took her things, money, and weapons. It didn't look as though she had plans to return to the Razor Crest.

Suddenly something rammed him from behind. He whirled around, blaster drawn. He looked down. Blue rammed him again. Mando took note of his muddied ad frazzled state.

"What is it? Where is she?" He asked. Blue rolled past him toward the falls and the direction of Fayra's footprints. When Mando didn't move, the droid rolled behind him and rammed his heels again. His small body rumbled and trembled furious beeps.

"Yeah, I know." Mando scoffed. He knew she was angry with him, she was acting out and wasn't thinking clearly. That was understandable. He sighed and continued following her tracks.

The path led Mando to a level area. He was going to have to climb if he wanted to continue following her. What they hell was she doing, he thought, venturing this far away. Blue jumped up, but came nowhere close to reaching the top. He picked up the droid and tossed him up and over the top.

At the top, Mando scanned the area and froze. There were now two sets of footprints. One was Fayra, but the other was someone larger and heavier, a male. The tracks led away, further up the path and it looked as though Fayra went willingly.

The droid scoured ahead of Mando, stopping next to the river bank where a natural fountain sprouted from the ground. Blue became frantic. As Mando arrived he saw items scattered along the ground. The clothes and satchel were Fayra's, they had her scent.

Mando drew his blaster when he found another set of footprints, overtop of Fayra's. A strange purple power was splattered around an area, he scanned it. It was a docile powder, meant to render someone immobile and submissive.

Mando studied the footprints. The male came up from behind Fayra as she kneeled next to the water. She struggled, then he took her further up the path. She gave him her back. He scolded her for making such a mistake. Had she learned nothing?

Mando began following both tracks at a faster pace, someone had her and he wouldn't let them get far.

Fayra watched Pac for a while, forming her plan. She felt as though it might be stupid, but if she didn't do something soon, they'd arrive at his ship. And if he got her on that ship, there would be no escaping. He had to act on her plan now. She fell to her knees.

"Hey, move it!" Pac demanded pulling on the cuffs now marking her wrists in red and blue bruises.

Fayra groaned.

"Get up." He jerked her arms roughly.

She fell forward and Pac was forced to let her go.

When he reached down for her she blocked him and swung her hands up and around. The fists connected with his jaw. Just as Mando instructed, use what was around her. The cuffs were a weapon. They were steel, and would provide a more effective blow than just her fists. She stood as Pac stumbled backward. Fayra took the opportunity to turn and begin running.

She almost made it to the trees when Pac grabbed her from behind. As he pulled her away, she kicked up and off a tree trunk in front of her.

Just like she had practiced over and over again with Mando she forced Pac to carry her weight. Don't help it, she told herself, trying to remember everything Mando said. She scolded herself for only half listening. She pulled her legs up, as they stumbled back. Pac ended up dropping Fayra to catch his own fall.

She twisted around and landed another punch across his face. With her hand now throbbing, she grabbed the knife he took from her and shoved it in his chest. Fayra's eyes went wide and warm blood oozed around her hands. Pac grunted, mirroring Fayra's shocked expression. He began falling back to the edge of the cliff, before he fell over he shot out a hook from his sleeve. It wrapped around her ankle pulling her with him.

She raked her cuffed hands along the ground trying to stop herself. She caught a thick root sticking up from the ground and just as her body fell over the cliff's edge, the root halted her descent toward the river below.

Fayra screamed as more than half her body dangled over the cliff's edge. The hook ripped her pants and snapped away from her ankle from the weight of Pac's body, the roots she held onto cracked. She screamed once more when she thought they had snapped, sending her to her death.

She gripped the tree root desperately as the roar of the river's rapids filled her ears. Her chest hurt from the pressure of the ledge cutting into her. "Okay, okay. Think." She instructed herself. She couldn't use her power with her hands cuffed, she deduced, so she told herself to stay calm and pull.

She pulled at the root, trying to drag herself back up. She fell back down, the strength it took to pull herself up seemed impossible and her arms gave out. Falling just a bit further over the ledge. Fayra took a breath and tried again, this time using her feet as she pulled. She raked the feet against the cliff wall, dirt and rocks fell away, splashing into the water below.

She pulled and pulled and right when she thought she couldn't anymore she gave one last pull, as hard as she could, and succeeded. She had pulled up far enough to throw her leg up, catching the edge and scooted her body back to solid ground.

She rolled herself over to the trees, getting as far away from the cliff's edge as possible. Her emotions overwhelmed her and she burst into tears. Fear from being captured and almost plummeting to her death, gratitude for being alive, anger. She had expected Mando to show up and rescue her as he'd done before. But he didn't, sorrow spilled out of her as she realized he must have left her behind. She didn't realize before how much she wanted him to follow her and take her back to his ship. She pulled herself up and leaned back against a tree. With her hands still cuffed she put her head in her palms and continued to cry.

Mando heard a scream echo down from higher above. The path had been climbing in altitude for a while causing the river next to him to shrink farther and farther away. The incline made it impossible for him to see what was ahead. When he heard the scream he began sprinting. Blue picked up speed as well. He reached a point where the path finally leveled off. He scanned the area, just up ahead Fayra sat against a tree, alone.

A few hundred feet away Mando lowered himself down, Blue imitated his movements. He didn't immediately see anyone else, but he needed to assess the situation. Mando kept the position for a few minutes, studying her. There had been no sign of anyone else, only Fayra.

She sat crying, hands bound at the wrists with large cuffs and her knees were drawn to her chest. Mando gave it another minute then began to slowly make his way to her. As he approached she looked disheveled. The tracks scrambled in all directions and smeared everywhere, scratches and bruises littered her body. There had been a struggle. He kept his weapon drawn as he approached, he didn't want to be caught off guard as he knelt down in front of her.

He reached out, lightly brushing against her legs. "Fayra." He said softly.

She jolted, kicking out her legs toward him, screaming. He blocked her kick, pushing her legs to the side. She looked at him with wild eyes, her tears turned the dirt on her cheeks to muddy smears.

She quickly stood. He mimicked her movements. When she realized it was him, her sobbing started all over again. She began shaking her head, pushing him away. The cuffs clancked against his armored chest as she struck him. Fayra was trembling, frightened and angry. Mando ignored her strikes and allowed her to hit him. After a moment he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. She stopped hitting and began clinging to him.

"Where is he?" He asked after she calmed down.

"Bottom of the cliff." She replied through ragged breath and sniffles.

"You fought him?"

She nodded. "I did what you said." She paused to take a breath, "you were right. I'm sorry… you were right." Fayra realized without that small bit of training, she could be on Pac's ship right now, helpless, and unable to use her powers.

"Are you angry?"

"No," he paused a moment. "Let's go." He demanded. He used that low dangerous tone of his, with a hint of a threat. Fayra tightened her grip on his cuirass, she had no intentions to argue.

"What about these?" She stepped back stretching out her arms, Mando grabbed her cuffed wrists inspecting them.

"I don't have a key."

"What? Well, don't you have a… tool, or something?"

"Not on me." He confessed. She gave him a pleading look. "I left in a bit of a hurry." He scolded.

"Can't you shoot them off?"

She could see the sneer across his beskar helmet. "Sure, if you'd like to lose your hands."

Blue rolled up, crashing into Fayra's leg.

"Blue!" She fell to the ground scooping the droid into her arms, ignoring the pain in her wrists, arms and chest. "How? He kicked you in the water."

Blue swiveled. She let him down. He beeped and suddenly a clear shield popped out all around him. Completely covering his entire body. Blue had floated safely down the waterfall and found Mando.

He beeped again, victoriously.

Fayra laughed, her tears blurring her vision.

Making their way back down, they stopped to gather her satchel and items that Pac had thrown about. As the day gave way, they could only see by Mando's helmet light. Blue put off a small light, but it wasn't much to make a difference. A few times Fayra nearly fell and the cuffs binding her wrists together made everything worse. A few times Mando had to wrap his arm around Fayra's waist to help her navigate the darkness and to keep her balance.

Fayra didn't complain and held on to him at every opportunity. She wondered whether she did so because of the darkness or her desire to be as close to him as possible. Mando came to a stop where the water fell over the edge.

Fayra had forgotten about the twenty foot drop she had to climb. With her hands cuffed, getting down was going to be impossible. Suddenly Blue rolled right over the side.

"Blue!" She screamed, running to the edge. She watched as Blue bounced from one stone to the next, bracing himself with anchors attached to wires protruding from his body.

"Why didn't you do that before?!" She scolded. Then she realized he had tried to get her to turn around.

Fayra ducked as she heard a shot ring out. Mando stood next to her, looking up at a tree. A steel cable ran from his vambrace and hooked around a large tree branch. He held out his hand. She looked at him suspiciously. When she took her hands he pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and squeezed her into him, locking her in place against his armor.

She gasped and her body tensed as he walked them over the edge. She squeezed her eyes shut when she imagined herself hurtling toward the bottom. However, it didn't happen. Mando lowered them slowly to the ground.

They finally made it to the base of the waterfall.

"We'll camp here for the night." Mando announced taking the satchel from Fayra's cuffed hands. She blew out a deep breath, grateful they were stopping. She was tired and her feet hurt from all the rocks and fallen limbs she stumbled over in the dark.

The night air was cool, but the mist rising from the falls put an extra chill in the air. Mando gathered wood and sparked a small fire. Fayra sat down next to it trying to warm up. Mando sat, leaning against a tree next to her. Blue rolled up on the opposite side of Fayra and settled down. She made a pillow out of her satchel and laid down, brushing lightly against Mando. She felt the heat radiating from him and she'd hoped between him and the fire she'd stop shivering.

"Manny?"

"Hmm?"

"You must have known him."

He dipped his chin down to her, waiting for more of an explanation.

"He'd said you left him to die, leaving him adrift."

Mando realized he had made a mistake in leaving the bounty hunter alive that had attacked them just before they landed on Valerious. It was a mistake he'd not repeat again. He nodded.

"Go to sleep." he ordered.

"But, what if he wasn't alone?"

He lowered his hand running his fingers through her hair. She nuzzled his palm, inhaling his leathered and spicy scent. Her lower stomach shuddered at the comforting heat it offered.

"You are safe, Fayra. Go to sleep."

It didn't take long for Fayra's exhausted body to give in, Mando felt her relax as she fell asleep. He stood, unhooking his cloak and covered Fayra. He scanned the area several times, no sleep would come to him tonight, just as other nights like this, he'd keep watch, it's what he was trained for.

Fayra mumbled and shifted, rubbing her legs against his. "Mm, Manny?" She whispered, eyes closed, still sleeping.

"Manny?" She reached out for him. The cuffs jangled together.

"Sshhh, I'm here." Mando placed his hand on top of hers and settled himself back against the tree for the long night.