Chapter Twenty Two:
Luke, Mara and Thea all took turns walking alongside Shiva, who had done her best to accept the aid without being too fussy, though on occasion she did ask for time alone. This went on for two days as they crossed the vast grassland towards what Luke knew was the final leg of the journey: a desert.
The desert was long and narrow, Thea had said, but was arid and there was no water. So the challenge would be to find water before they crossed it, and then conserve the water they could until they found more.
"Kestans have been known to lose their minds in the excessive heat there," Thea was now saying to Luke. "It's hot, and the temperature is compounded for us because to the fire organ in our bodies. We can't cool down by sweating like other species in the galaxy, so the build-up of heat eventually messes with our heads." Thea shuddered in horror, touching her brow as if that would ward off the unseen evil.
Luke frowned. "Then why make you cross it?"
Thea sighed. "It's to honor our ancestors, who had no choice in their own journeys but to cross the desert. The desert is not lengthy from east to west, but if you try going north and south, it would take a week to go around."
Luke nodded, knowing by now how much the Kestans relished challenges. "Well, what does cool you down?"
"Shade," Thea said simply. "We can rest in pockets of shade for a time if needed... if there is any."
Luke tilted his head. "You don't make it sound like that's an option."
Shiva was the one to answer from where she and Mara walked ahead of them. "There is absolutely no vegetation. It's so arid and dry that only spits of sandstone remain, and then there are the sandstorms... those can skin a living creature faster than a pod of river piranhas."
Luke grimaced at the image that conjured in his mind, and he resolutely pushed it away. "Pleasant." He deadpanned.
Shiva nodded, and Luke noted how she seemed to be trying to keep her armpit off the crutch. Shiva had swiftly gotten into a rhythm with the thing, and the group had been able to move at a surprisingly good pace. But Luke wondered if that had come at a cost for Shiva.
"Is the crutch hurting you?" Luke asked.
Shiva sighed. "It's not very comfortable in the armpit."
Luke considered, and then pulled out another small fur. "Here, tuck this under your arm to help cushion it."
Shiva did so and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
The group continued onward for about an hour before something beneath their feet began to quiver. Luke paused, looking down in curiosity.
"Is it just me or is the ground trembling?" Mara asked, looking around.
Shiva nodded. "It is."
Luke heard a dull roar to his left, and he craned his neck to observe, but there were too many hills, all too high for him to see over.
"Thea, can you go higher and see if something is coming?" Luke asked, pointing to the sky.
Thea nodded and lifted off, flapping her wings as she drew to a height above the hills. Meanwhile, Shiva looked around when stones began to move about on their own. Luke saw this too and had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach the more the stones vibrated. On Trichi, the grasslands had been teeming with large herds of animals... creatures that spooked easily and then ran in the hundreds.
And they didn't stop for anything in their path.
"I don't like the looks of this," Mara said what was on all their minds.
"Run!" Thea called from above, diving for the ground. "It's a stampede of palumpas!"
Shiva swore, already flapping her wings to take off. "We need to get out of their way or they will trample us to death!"
Before the humans could move, however, the first of the animals crested the hill on their left and in surprisingly few seconds were mere feet away. They were some sort of herbivore with a slightly hunched back, Luke saw, with short fur and powerful bodies. Their long legs and necks told Luke they were built for running.
Luke and Mara instinctively ran to try getting free of the herd, with Luke gesturing to her. "Move perpendicular to get out of the herd!"
Mara nodded and did as he said, trying her best to dodge animals. She didn't directly tap into the Force, but it still whispered to her when and how to move. And for a while it worked. Mara zigged here, zagged there, and made significant progress in avoiding being hit.
At one point she spied Shiva and Thea in the air, looking as if they wanted to fly down and pick the humans up. But with the herd moving as it was, they couldn't get a clear path. Mara saw Shiva try regardless and snatch at Mara. Their arms connected momentarily, but when Shiva lifted Mara, a palumpa rammed into Mara's legs, and Mara went down while Shiva was flung away.
The air left Mara when she hit, since with the multitude of palumpas, she was unable to tuck-and-roll successfully. Mara leapt to her feet, heart pounding as she was bombarded with sensory input. Mara struggled to connect with the Force again, and did so briefly, but her concentration was broken when her foot snagged on a cluster of stones protruding from the earth. There was just too much input to her mind all at once, with the sheer number of animals, instructions from the Force, the terrain changes and the need to catch her breath after her fall.
From there, it was difficult for her, and she found she couldn't get her sense of direction again from the Force, since there was no rhyme or reason to the animals' positioning.
Mara knew they were on their own.
She saw Luke not far off, dodging the animals that Mara had already avoided.
Mara shifted her body ahead of one palumpa and had to dip her stomach outward when the one directly after it pushed against Mara's back, nearly sending her to the ground. But Mara managed to push off another palumpa and stay upright.
However, her actions frightened the two she'd made contact with and they trumpeted to the herd. With a churning in her gut, Mara was powerless to do anything when the stampede increased its speed, their panic obvious.
Mortal fear touched her heart as she more and more lost the race to steer clear of the animals. Try as she might, Mara couldn't find the outer edge of the stampede. To her it looked like it went on for miles, and she was starting to get tired from the constant dodging.
Mara cried out when one slammed into her back from behind, and she went flying to land on the ground.
"Mara!" she heard Luke exclaim as she tried to get up.
She did manage to do so, but only for a second before another animal rammed into her. This one stepped on her calf, and Mara yelped. "Luke!"
Unable to stand again, Mara did the only thing she could: curl into a ball and protect her head and neck. A few hooves knocked into her, and one even stepped on her foot, making Mara holler. She tightened her ball, preparing herself for another round of kicks, when suddenly they stopped.
Mara was confused, able to still hear the herd and feel the thunder of their feet, but nothing was touching her anymore. She dared to peek an eye open, and saw a shadow above her. Opening both eyes now, Mara saw that Luke had made his way over to her and was covering her body with his own. He rested on hands and knees, taking the beating she'd just sustained, except he was unable to protect his head.
Mara met his gaze, seeing his pain each time he took a hit, and she touched his face. Her eyes leaked as she witnessed this outpouring of devotion to her.
"Luke, what are you doing?" She choked, though she already knew the answer.
"Protecting the woman I love," Luke murmured, flinching when something struck him in the side of the head.
Mara reached her arms up and wrapped them the best she could about his head, trying to help him in return. Something struck Luke in the wrist, and another hoof instantly followed it, and Luke screamed as Mara heard something snap. Luke went down partially, his face paling, but he swiftly struggled to resume his protective position over Mara regardless, determined more than ever to keep her as safe as he could. However, he couldn't put weight on his broken wrist, so he used his one good arm, though it trembled from his own bodyweight.
That was when he saw that in the struggle with the herd, Mara's sleeve had been broken away. When he saw the leaf symbol, he realized it was glowing the same color that the healing vines had. In a flash, Luke felt the Force touch him, and into his mind came an image of the ice golem, the creature gesturing to the spot on the ground where Mara had been healed. Then he felt the planet's life-force touch him as well, and turn his attention to Mara...
Luke suddenly had an epiphany, and he gasped.
"Mara, you can stop the herd!" he called to her over the noise.
Mara stared at him as if he had grown another head. "What?"
Luke sucked in a breath when another hoof struck him. "Mara... you have a special connection to Keostea! You can connect with these animals!"
Mara hesitated. Was that true? She noticed the leaf he kept staring at, and gaped. Surely it was just a mark... right? But then why was it illuminated?
"Mara..." Luke's voice quavered; he as losing his battle to remain upright. "Please trust me..."
Mara swallowed, meeting his gaze. She saw his confidence in her, his trust... and she chose to believe him. "How?"
"Speak to them..." Luke hissed as he was once more hit, immediately followed by another animal stumbling into and over Luke... taking the man with it.
"Luke, no!" Mara screeched when the animal's full weight landed atop the man.
Feeling a surge of white-hot determination course in her veins, Mara leapt to her feet, threw up a hand and shouted at the top of her lungs to the palumpas.
"STOP!"
To her shock her voice seemed to reverberate over the area and the animals immediately slowed, some jumping over the animal that lay atop Luke, while another tripped over the legs of the fallen palumpa, and it too went down... on Luke.
Finally the animals stopped entirely, and all of them turned their attention to her. Mara glared, speaking again. "You will not move until I say!"
She spun around, glaring at the two palumpas atop her best friend. "Except you two! Get off of him!"
Mara pushed at the topmost animal and it struggled to its feet, scampering away. Mara then shoved the second animal off of Luke, who gasped as the weight was lifted from him. He didn't get up, however, which concerned Mara greatly.
"Luke?" Mara dropped to his side, turning him over as his chest heaved. She rested his torso and head against her bent knees. "Are you alright?"
She saw his broken wrist and cringed, then got a good look at the rest of him. There were bruises and marks all over him, and on his head where the hoof had struck him was a dribble of crimson. She sucked in a breath and shifted so she could inspect his head.
Mara fingered the cut and thanked the Force when she saw it wasn't a critical injury. Mara took her already ripped sleeve and used it to press against his head. Luke hissed and Mara winced.
"I'm sorry." Tears filled her eyes at his condition and she let them fall freely. "I'm sorry..." She repeated in a small voice.
Luke touched her wet face with his unbroken limb. "Don't blame yourself," he said breathily. "I'll be alright."
Mara kissed his palm, leaning her face into his hand until the bleeding stopped. She then kissed his head and helped him sit upright. Luke took a moment to breathe while Mara inspected his wrist.
"I'm not much of a medic," Mara murmured, "but I do know we need to try resetting the bone."
Luke nodded. "I know. But we'll need a splint or something after that to keep it in place."
Mara heard a whooshing sound, saw a few of the palumpas shift to make room, and then Shiva and Thea both landed. Mara looked away when she saw that their mouths were both slightly agape, and they were looking to Mara in utter shock.
"What?" Mara growled. Luke touched her arm, urging her to be at peace.
"How did you do that?" Thea asked.
"Not even the herders of our people can stop a stampede like that." Shiva added. "They merely redirect it."
Mara sighed. "I don't want to talk about that right now. Please, can you help me with Luke? His wrist is broken."
Shiva and Thea shared a look, and then approached. "We can fly you to the edge of the herd, and there we will have more space to work."
Mara nodded, accepting their offer and helping Luke rise to his feet.
The two Kestans each took one of the humans, and with an obvious effort took to the sky with their new load. Thea carried Mara while Shiva took Luke, since Shiva was the stronger of the two Kestans.
Still, by the time they got to the edge of the massive herd, both Kestans were trembling with fatigue. However, neither Shiva nor Thea dropped their passenger, but instead placed them securely on their feet before releasing them.
"I'm afraid we don't know much by way of medicine," Thea said apologetically.
Mara waved away her apology. "It's alright. Please see if you can find something to use for a splint."
"Use my crutch," Shiva offered, already moving to break it into pieces.
"Wait, Shiva," Thea stopped Shiva's movements. "I kept another of the sticks Luke collected before. Let's use those. However, we have nothing to secure them with."
"Sure we do." Mara declared, already ripping pieces of her skirt off as the others watched.
Concerned for her modesty, Luke tried to stop her as well. "Mara, don't..."
Mara pitted him with a fierce look. "It's a dress, I'll live." She softened, knowing his reasoning. "I'm still covered Luke."
Luke nodded once and let Mara do what she needed to. Thea broke the stick for Mara, and once everything was ready, Mara turned to Shiva.
"Can you hold his arm out for me?"
Shiva nodded and took Luke's hand, and Mara prepared to set the bone, looking to Luke. "You ready?"
Luke nodded, closing his eyes. "Go ahead."
Mara counted to three in her head and pushed the bone back into place. Luke cried out but managed to remain still, though he trembled. Mara's fingers were sweaty from nerves, and cursed the bone when it slipped from her grasp. Luke cried out again, trying to breathe through it.
Mara steeled herself and forced the bone back into place, studiously trying to ignore Luke's pain that she could both feel and hear. Once the bone was set the best she could get it, Mara gestured to Thea, and with Luke's guidance the two of them set the splint into place, securing it with the pieces of fabric Mara had donated.
Once that was complete, Mara touched Luke's shoulder. "All done."
Luke nodded. "Thank you, all of you."
Luke rose to his feet, looking to Mara like he'd been in a cantina fight. She looked to the animals, came to a decision and motioned to two of the palumpas.
"You, and you, come here." Mara ordered, and the palumpas obeyed. "You will carry Shiva and Luke."
The animals bowed their heads submissively, but Shiva hesitated, looking at the creature next to her. "I've never ridden..."
Mara smirked at her. "I hadn't either when we rode the other things."
"You mean the honites?" Shiva corrected.
Mara nodded. "Yes, sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive."
Shiva accepted this and leapt atop the palumpa, seeing Luke try to do the same, though with his injured wrist he couldn't get purchase.
"Here." Thea moved over and cupped her hands together for him to use as a step.
"Thank you Thea," Luke said softly, this time making it into a position on the palumpa's back.
Mara felt a little bad for separating the two palumpas from their herd, but Thea smiled gently. "Don't worry, these two will find their way home again when we are done. But we should not take them into the desert; they would not survive."
Mara nodded. "I will release them at the edge of the desert."
Thea inclined her head and the foursome moved on, with Mara walking beside Luke's palumpa, and Thea staying with Shiva.
Luke touched Mara gently on the shoulder, and when she looked to him, it was to see him smiling at her. "I knew you could do it."
Mara blushed lightly, but accepted his praise. "Only because you believed in me."
"Always," Luke promised.
Mara smiled back at him before she returned her attention to fore. Their group travelled until the sun went down, and Mara was gratified to see what looked like sandstone on the horizon.
"We will be at the desert tomorrow." Shiva announced. "With three days to go."
"How long will it take to cross the desert?" Luke asked.
"Two at minimum," Thea said.
"Alright."
They called it a night and made camp, with Mara allowing the animals to graze but not leave.
Thea and Shiva lay down and went right to sleep, but Mara and Luke didn't fall asleep as quickly. They lay close together, with Luke lying in a way to keep weight off his wrist.
"Thank you for saving me, Mara," Luke said quietly, speaking so only she could hear him. They were close enough that was an easy task.
Mara reached across the small distance to finger his golden locks, and a playful smile tugged at her lips. "Consider us even."
Luke rolled his eyes, though he was smiling. "You've spent far too much time around Han."
Mara offered her best representation of Han's famous lopsided grin, which only set them both off again. Shiva shifted in her sleep, and Mara covered her mouth, sharing a look with Luke.
"I think it's time for bed," she said.
Luke captured her hand and brought it to his face, where he kissed her fingers. "Sleep well, Mara."
"You too," Mara answered, closing her eyes and not noticing it when sleep claimed her.