Hello wonderful reader people. I know this comes as a shock to you, but I'm still alive. Has it been a month? Heh heh. Sorry! A bit of writers block, plus a bit of personal problems. But, I promised Lay'ren (who is responsible in part for the delay, keeping me up on MSN chatting all night when I should be writing! :P) a really good update. I hope this fits, I worked really hard on it… (I mean, I'm seeing little kite's spinning around in my head every time I close my eyes…) Alright. I'm done rambling. Oh, and a quick thank you to Roo, for beta-ing this part, and doing it so quickly so I could get this part out! She rules! ^_^
*
The stream widened more in a pool above them, and two huge rocks met in the center of the water, like twin stone giants. Qui-Gon ducked underwater and paddled toward them, managing to scramble up on one of them to survey the creek.
He stretched out on the sun-warmed rock happily, an expression of utter contention on his boyish face. His damp hair stirred slightly in the gentle breeze as he settled down. The rock felt gloriously good against his back, and the sun dried his soaking body with its soft kisses of light. Sighing blissfully, Qui-Gon drank in the beauty of the day through half-closed eyes.
His silence was broken by Tahl hauling herself up on the rock and plopping down next to him, dripping wet. "You look happy." she observed with a laugh, wringing out her hair. "Had enough of the water then?"
"Mm." He rolled over on his stomach, letting the rays caress his back. Tahl flicked water at him, with a smile.
"You're going to get burnt, you know. Then you'll really be miserable."
"Proper little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" He turned to face her, a hand self-consciously going to his healing shoulders. "I don't care. It feels so nice to be warm."
Tahl plucked at her soggy tunic, trying to wring it out but with little success. "Nice, hm? Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you, my friend." She gave up on the struggle with her tunic and flopped down next to Qui-Gon to let the sun dry her. "I suppose we might as well suffer together, hm?"
Qui-Gon gave a soft laugh. "As always." She didn't answer, sighing as the comfortable warmth enticed her as well.
Qui-Gon closed his eyes, and let the warm sunlight do it's work. Tahl, however, kept her eyes open, watching him. It suddenly struck her how different he looked now. It was as if spring had come to the scarred, weary lands, bringing back the life that had lain covered by the snows of winter. The ice in his eyes had melted away, bringing them back to the placid grey-blue she had known before. Time and healing had massaged away the knots in his shoulders and he didn't hold himself as painfully stiff as before. His face was more open, less bruised and now healthy color flushed his cheeks. Qui-Gon was slowly unfolding, it seemed, unraveling all the tangles that he'd built up in his imprisonment. He still bore scars; and he might never leave all of the ghosts of the Muh-Hadden on Childor, but it was good to see him laughing again.
She had scarcely closed her own eyes before Qui-Gon was up again, digging in the pack. She sat up and watched him pull out a piece of fruit with vague amusement. He stretched his mouth over it, biting down at the same moment he locked Tahl's eyes.
"Wha?" he questioned, his mouth full.
She shook her head, then stretched cat-like with a smile. "Just you."
They spent the few remaining hours of day doing blissfully nothing. Tomorrow, there had another long leg of journey to travel.
~*~
The sun set in bloody magnificence, like a sobbing heart of crimson behind the sharp mountain ridges. The light weakened with the dying sun, pulling farther and farther away from the prison, and lengthening the shadows behind the building. The bleeding sky reflected in Conns' expressionless eyes.
He turned to the darkening forest, and his insides wrenched with anger. The image of the trees filled him with rage and frustration. They hid his prey. And no one, ever, *ever,* escaped Conn's fury. He had watched victim break to his will, and then had crushed each one of them like insects.
Except now. How he wished he had beaten that foolish little boy until his defiant heart ceased it's struggle, how he agonized about not killing him then! Perhaps things at the prison would have worked out differently, if he had. The half-grown Jedi runt was bad luck. An intruder, an escape and an uprising. It couldn't be coincidence. He hoped wherever the wretch was now he was hurting.
"Councilor Conn?" A trembling voice broke his vengeful thoughts.
Conn did not turn. "What word does Lord Thorno send?" A datasheet was hastily thrust at him. He took it, glancing down and scanning the page. His angry was soothed by the words, and a small smile curled on his thin face. "Excellent."
"Sir?"
He handed the message back to the quivering Muh-Hadden, and strode past him. "Let's be moving out then. Oh, and before we go, get the new supplies inside. Storms are coming."
~*~
Tahl lay sound asleep under the ferns, happily unaware that evil things were being plotted on the other side of the forest. The woods were still and dark now, full of the whispering sounds of night. The wind hummed her a soft lullaby as it moved through the leaves and stirred up the dust. Far off in the forest, there was a distant call of some predator, out stalking small birds and rodents among the leaf litter.
Qui-Gon, however, could not find peace. For some reason, his back was bothering him. It had been feeling quite better over the past few days, but suddenly tonight the cuts felt sore and painful again. He couldn't seem to find a comfortable position on the ground, and try as he might his mind would not settle.
He shifted the pressure off of his throbbing shoulders by sitting up. He moaned softly. The laserwhip had really torn him up more than he thought, it was hurting so badly. Qui-Gon squeezed his eyes shut. Pain was merely his body reminding him he was injured. That he needed to take it easy, as Tahl would say. He sighed, frustrated. He could not afford to take it easy right now.
He turned his face to the dark sky and felt a drop of rain on his face. A breeze stirred his hair. A few moments passed and a brilliant flash of lightning lit the sky, illuminating the forest. A deafening roar of thunder followed. Qui-Gon jumped, in spite of himself as the trees seemed to quiver.
Tahl stirred, and he heard her voice, roughened and sleepy. "Was 'at thunder-?" She broke off with a yawn.
"Storms brewed up."Qui-Gon speared his fingers through his hair absently.
Tahl sat up quite abruptly. "We're about to get very wet, aren't we?"
"Looks that way."
"Let's find cover then." Tahl started to get to her feet. It was amazing how she could go from total blank sleep to action. A bit scary, Qui-Gon thought, pausing.
She saw Qui-Gon hesitate. "Come on, unless you want to get beaten to death with hailstones."
Her friend scrambled to his feet. "Right. Hail, Tahl?" Qui-Gon shook his head and looked around at the darkened forest. "besides, where are we going to go?"
Tahl had already started off back toward the stream. "There was an eroded cave farther down the bank, back where part of the creek had dried up. I saw it earlier today. It's not very big, but we can stay there just until the storm passes."
"It's pitch black out there!" Qui-Gon called, reluctant to leave the safety of their campsite. "It's just a little rain!"
As if to intentionally prove him wrong, a lightning bolt snarled across the dark indigo sky, and Qui-Gon caught a glimpse of towering storm clouds. The following thunderclap made him jump. "Tahl!" He stumbled after her, casting nervous, disapproving looks around the wood. The girl had disappeared into the thick brush.
Another flash of lightning brightened the trees for a millisecond. The first thudding raindrops made it through the canopy of branches. Tahl appeared from behind a tree, and seized his hand. "Come on, it's just down the bank!"
They made a mad dash for the cave as the downpour started. Tahl skidded down the sloping bank, scattering pebbles and splashing through shallow water across to the other side. Qui-Gon was dragged with her, slipping and sliding across the loose river stones. He stared when he saw the 'cave' Tahl had indicated.
It was slightly larger than the average animal den, a rocky, gaping hole in the side of the bank. Tahl was crazy if she thought they were both going to fit in there. Besides being small, it looked like it could collapse in at any second. Definitely not the place to be in a heavy thunderstorm.
"You've got to be kid-"
If Tahl was deterred by the appearance of the cave, or his words, she did not show it. She yanked him inside quickly, ducking under the low ceiling. Qui-Gon's protest was cut off as he staggered into the tiny earthen cave. It was pitch black. Tahl was dragging him along what was seemed a tunnel... Finally she released him.
But...now he realized...it wasn't so tiny after all. Qui-Gon found himself suddenly staring into a wide cavern, with a high dripping ceiling and enough room for both he and Tahl to stand easily.
"We made it just in time." Tahl's voice spoke out of the gloom. Though he could not see her, Qui-Gon knew she had a triumphant grin on her face. "Listen to that rain!"
He reached out a hand and brushed her soft tunic. "Is that you? It's so dark in here...I can't even tell which way is up..."
"Yeah, I'm right here. I don't suppose you thought to bring a glowrod?"
"I didn't think it would be this dark in here. At least out in the forest I could tell the general direction of things..."
"We're in a cave at night, Qui-Gon! How dark did you think it would be?"
His sigh echoed off the walls. She smiled. "Well, at least we aren't out in that downpour." Thunder rumbled from outside.
"I suppose." Qui-Gon said, a little uncertainly.
Tahl laughed softly. "What, you don't like closed spaces, now?"
Her friends reply was quick and sharp. "No, the combination of small spaces and darkness, it just, doesn't really suit me." His voice was icy. "Sort of brings back things, you know?"
"Oh." There was no amusement in Tahl's tone now. "Listen, Qui, I didn't-"
"Shh."
"Alright..." She whispered, sounding a little afraid.
There was silence from her friend. Tahl turned toward the direction she supposed he was in. "Qui-Gon?"
His voice, when it finally spoke, sounded distant and hollow. "Tahl...what is this that we're stepping on?"
She blinked and stared at the ground, straining her eyes in vain. "Feels like some sort of leaves." Tahl took a step backward and heard a snap, followed by a quick hissing sound. Alarmed, she whirled on her friend. "Are you alright?!"
"I don't like it in here." Qui-Gon's voice trembled ever so slightly. "I think we should leave."
Tahl felt a cold, sick feeling of disturbance wash over her. She glanced around at the black sea surrounding her. Suddenly leaving seemed like a very good idea. "I think you're right."
There was another snap and hiss. Tahl thought she felt something fly through her hair.
"Don't move!" Qui-Gon yelled.
She froze. For a moment, the cave was silent, save for their breathing. Then Qui-Gon began to quickly speak. The words tumbled out. "Remember when I told you about the dangerous plants here? I think there might be one in this cave... One that shoots little poisoned darts as a form of defense. The Philomel warned me about them before I left in Muh-Hadden territory. We need to find out where it is in here." He took a steadying breath. "I'm going to use my lightsaber and see if I can't find it. You, don't move, what ever you do. I think it can sense movement."
Tahl found it suddenly hard to breathe. "You...*think?*"
Qui-Gon flicked the activator button on his saber. Green light shot up, illuminating the cavern with an eerie glow. Instead of one, the Jedi could now see hundreds of small plants each loaded with strange, dart-like fruit glistening in the wane light. The cave was filled with them.
"Oh, sith." Tahl whispered.
There was a collective snap, and then a lethal hiss, as hundreds of poison-filled darts sped toward Qui-Gon and Tahl.