I know this might seem like it's not going anywhere, but trust me, it will, this chapter was meant to cover a whole lot more but my eyes hurt and I've got school tomorrow ad it's like 11.30 so Im off to bedfordshire! Bubi lol! Hope you enjoy the latest installment anyways!
Soph xox
"Put them in the back, keep them tied up we can't risk any fumbled getaways with these two."
The younger man swiftly attempted to comply with his superior, but struggled profusely, he just about managed to half force half throw the younger Jedi into the back of the small, battered, and wood-chipped cart, before doubling over and slapping his knees with the effort.
"Yeah well, Apparently you've been doing a bit too much of that for the Priestess' liking."
The elder harrumphed, and fiddled nervously with a sharp tool hanging from his hard leather belt. A soft moan escaped the lips of the young man who lay awkwardly on his side in the cart, his face twisted in pain before he seemed to visibly relax and let unconsciousness consume him once more. The elder man, a Captain of Guards for his tribe, Jitt Kilsk, looked on at the boy with somewhat concern, he scratched his bearded chin in thought.
"We should probably get them home sir?"
The elder nodded.
"Let's just hope the head priestess still has a heart under all that iciness."
The younger man snorted, but withdrew at his Captain's dangerous glare.
"Why do you suppose D'agri was holding them?"
"Why do you suppose D'agri does anything? He always has his reasons, but we should still remain cautious, if the rumours are true, and these really are, the republic's Jedi, then they could be as dangerous to us as we are to D'agri and his band of lunatics."
The young sidekick nodded, staring at the two unconscious men in their charge curiously, before receiving a sharp slap at the back of the head.
"Get a move on Deffy we haven't got all day, just a good portion of it!"
The younger man, Deffy, pulled up the reins of the tall, undistinguishable creature that headed the cart, and urged it to move. Obediently it did so, and the cart lurched forward in a jerky fashion. Captain Kilsk leapt on as it moved.
"Why do you suppose they hurt the lad, as opposed to the other one."
Jitt clapped his hands together and breathed an exasperated sigh.
"Do you suppose you could stop asking such daft questions that I have no insight as to what the answer is." A silence followed, the soft clacking of the creatures feet pawing off the soft dirt-track echoing off the tree barks.
"Yes sir."
Kilsk shook his head and allowed himself a small grin, the boy really needed to grasp the idea of a sense of humour.
It wasn't long before the cart and it's passengers entered the infamous Jungle once more. Kilsk pulled his cloak about him, the heat never bothered him as much as the insects that came with it, Deffy seemed to be struggling a fair bit more, occasionally slapping his arms and wrists where one had gotten him.
"Feeling the pain yet Junior?"
"no sir."
Did he have to be so formal all the time? The cart rattled on, the maddened looking beast that led it frequently releasing an ear piercing shriek, as if to make it's presence perfectly felt, what a noise, Jitt thought, enough to wake the dead. His thoughts trailed back to the two injured passengers in the back, one seemed to have nasty and infected lacerations to his back, as well as bloody head, where Deffy had managed to kick him in, Jitt tutted silently, he'd really have to teach the lad some subtlety. The other, the older one, seemed physically in not too bad a shape, despite his obvious heat exhaustion, dehydration and several bruised limbs, he didn't seem too bad. For one of D'agri's prisoners anyway. That man was brutality in it's essential form, so Jitt believed, as did many others, he'd stop at nothing to gain what he wanted, he must have wanted something pretty badly for the young boy in the back to have ended up the way he had.
Jitt looked up to what was left of the sky, between the grand and shadowing leaves, streaks of moonlight danced on the ground and foliage, and with a hand Jitt reached out to touch one of the silver beams. He leant back, and folded his cloak closer to his stocky and well-built frame, it'd be a good 5 or do hours till dawn, but they'd reach the camp long before then, he knew he'd seldom get any sleep once he returned, so now seemed a good time, he let his eyes close, and despite the bouncy, rocky nature of the journey, he let the soothing jungle noises, that he had grown to know and love, lull him into a deep, and satisfying sleep.
Another bump, another crash, a repetitive cycle that was driving Obi-Wan insane, he'd longed the blackened realm of sleep to keep him there, not to release him to his harsh reality, but it was not to be. He was tossed awake by yet another leap from the broken wheels that seemed to be taking himself and his Padawan somewhere, he shook his head to clear his mind, and with his bound hands, tried to feel his way around the cell, with little or no help of the force, he was, both in metaphor and reality, alone in the dark. He heard a soft moan, and a faint thump from about 5 feet away from him, he tried to pull himself on his hands and knees towards the sound, but the jerking from the battle-hardened wagon threw him off balance.
"Anakin?"
No reply.
"Anakin, can you hear me?"
There was a pause, and Obi-Wan made out a faint shifting noise against the hard wooden flooring of the cart.
"Yes……hear you…m…master."
It was Obi-Wan's turn to be silent, his apprentice sounded very much weaker than when they'd last spoke, his voice tired and strained, and each harsh breath seemed to take every ounce of strength away from him.
"Where are you Padawan?"
"Somewhere…..to…y…your right."
Obi-Wan strained all his senses to locate his Padawan, despite the insignificant size of their holding cell, he didn't much fancy the idea of cascading into a wooden wall. He could just make out the faint silhouette of his apprentice against the farthest right wall. Carefully, slowly, he edged his was towards him, before sitting himself down beside Anakin, trying to relive the pressure from his aching wrists.
"Do you know…..where…where we're headed…master?" Obi-Wan ceased shaking out his wrists, and accepted that his hands were going to go numb whether he liked it or not.
"No Anakin I don't." A jerk from the cart sent them both into the wall.
"Ouch." Anakin muttered. Obi-Wan laughed quietly.
"Try and shift to your side a little Anakin I need to see your back." After a moment of consideration, Anakin gingerly tugged himself a little further to his right, he felt his master's hand on his side pushing him gently, helping him tomove. The cloak that had been covering most of his upper body for most of the night was carefully removed, and Anakin sucked in the air between his teeth as the rough material rubbed.
"Try to hold still for a moment Anakin." Oh, so this is going to hurt then. Anakin moaned internally, and he braced himself as far as his body would allow, He felt a cold hand gently press against the middle ofhis spine, and the pains in the wounds registered with fiery authority, he had to fight hard not to cry out in pain.
"It's too hot." Obi-Wan did not bother trying toshield the concern in hisvoice."They'regetting worse Anakin." Obi-Wan murmured, as he removed his hand and replaced the warm cloak, gently holding it away from Anakin's mutilated back. Not the most reassuring thing Anakin had wanted to hear right now but he was beyond caring. Another jerk sent him into the wall and his master flying backwards. Obi-Wan sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"That's really starting to become irritating."
"I have to agree." Obi-Wan laughed, and sat himself in a more secure position.
"How long since we've lat eaten or drank anything Master?" Anakin's voice was quiet, the question almost inaudible.
"I'm not sure Padawan, maybe 2 days, why, hungry?" Anakin attempted a small laugh, but was cut short with a convulsion of pain in his back.
"You could say that." He said through gritted teeth. Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder encouragingly.
"You're doing well Anakin, very well given the circumstances, rest now my young Padawan."
"All I seem to be doing now is sleeping, I keep…..keep, missing….out on all the f…fun."
"Trust me Anakin, you've missed nothing." Obi-Wan spoke with a smile."It's the best thing for you at the moment."
Anakin nodded, and tried to relax himself into a comfortable position, letting his bodily need for sleep consume him. Obi-Wan kept his hand on his apprentice'sshoulder, his presence felt reassuring, despite the irratation he'd often felttowards his master in all the years he'd know him, he was glad that he was here with him now, he wasn't in the sort of situation where he wanted to make decisions for himself. His master's authoritive and almost fatherly presence was certainly comforting. The intense fire in his back subdued for a moment, it was short-lived, but enough for a peaceful state of rest to fill the young Padawan's being.
