Chapter 10: Back to Camp

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Anakin suddenly felt a mix of terror and shock rip through his body. *Where did that come from?* Suddenly he realized that Tahiri's presence had dimmed slightly. Anakin got a sinking feeling in his stomach that all wasn't as it should be. He ran outside of the tent and found to his dismay that Tahiri was gone.

"TAHIRI!!!!!" Anakin wailed, "TAHIRI! Where are you?" He reached out with the force he knew that she was still alive and unhurt as far as he could tell. Mentally he looked for his brother and sister, he found them in short order. *Jaina! Jacen! You need to get back to camp now!*

*Anakin? What's wrong?* His brother and sister seemed confused.

*Tahiri's gone! I don't know where she is. I can barely sense her now.* Anakin was starting to panic.

Jacen who was beginning to wake up faster than he sister really started to feel the intense panic radiating from his brother. *Anakin try to calm down. We're on our way.*

*Thank you Jacen* Anakin attempted to go into a meditative state, but soon found that to be nearly impossible. He couldn't concentrate on anything except for the hole in his heart.

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"Tenel, wake up," Jacen said as he shook her awake.

"Jacen, what's wrong?" As soon as the words escaped her mouth she knew what was wrong. She could feel Anakin's pain through the force. The only other time she had sensed him in this much pain was when Tahiri had been taken and tortured by the Vong. She prayed that wasn't the case now, but she knew it was. "Tahiri is gone isn't she?" Jacen could only nod in response.

"We need to get back to camp." Jacen stood and helped Tenel Ka to her feet.

"Then let's get going. I fear the longer we wait the less hope there is of ever finding Tahiri. I may not know her force presence as well as some, but I know I feel her less with each passing minute." Tenel Ka said. Her voice full of sorrow for the young couple that had already been separated by death once, she didn't think they could last that again.

Jacen looked at her and she could see the impact of her words in his eyes. He knew she spoke the solemn truth, but he couldn't believe that they might never find Tahiri again. Not after all Anakin and she had gone through to be together.

"Well, if you feel that way let's get back to camp on the double," Jacen said. He turned to the direction of camp and started running followed closely by Tenel Ka. *Hang on Anakin, we're on our way.*

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Jaina, who had jumped up when she had heard her brother's cry, fell to the ground. Tears streamed relentlessly down her face. Hadn't her brother been through enough between the war, loosing Tahiri to the Vong, the loss of Chewie and then his own death. *Is he to be granted no peace?* Zekk stirred as he heard Jaina crying.

"Jaina, what's wrong? What happened?" His mind searched for why she was in tears. *She hardly ever cries, only when she can't hold the pain in any longer*

"Oh Zekk, Tahiri's gone," That was all Jaina could choke out. Two ideas instantly appeared in Zekk's mind as to what Jaina had just said. *Either she's dead, which I highly doubt because I can still sense her, or she's been taken again.*

"Jaina, what do you mean gone? Was she taken?" Zekk asked as he cradled Jaina in his arms gently rocking her back and forth. Finally Jaina stopped crying.

"Yes, she's been taken by what or who we don't know. All I know is that Anakin went to get some firewood and then he could hardly feel her through their bond. When he went to see if Tahiri was all right she was gone. He doesn't know any more than that."

"We need to get back to camp then. Maybe we'll find something on our way back." He offered hopefully.

Jaina nodded then she and Zekk rose to their feet and started back to camp.

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A few minutes later Jacen and Tenel Ka arrived by the Southern edge of camp. They were closely followed by the apperance of Jaina and Zekk from the Western end. What they found nearly broke all of their hearts.

Anakin was sitting by the fire with his knees pulled to his chest. His arms held his knees there and his head was down. It was obvious that Anakin was crying, but was also furious.

Jaina and Jacen went over to their younger brother. Jaina sat down next to him and hugged him around the shoulders. Jacen sat on one of the logs closest to his brother and rubbed his back.

"Anakin," Jaina whispered, "We're all here…." She was sharply cut off by a glare from her younger brother's ice blue eyes.

"No, we aren't. Tahiri is still out there somewhere." Anakin's voice was like and ice wind on Hoth.

"Anakin, we're here to help you look for her. Do you have any idea which way the kidnapper went?" Jacen asked. Anakin nodded. "Which way? We'll follow your lead."

Anakin got up, and headed in the direction from which he felt Tahiri. *We're coming Tahiri, just hang on baby.* Silently he moved into the night darkened forests of Yavin IV followed by the others. *We're coming*