Jungle Mind

Fire. Fire everywhere. Smoke filled her lungs and burned at her eyes. People in white. Carrying flamethrowers and blasters as they destroyed everything she'd ever known. She ran, catching glimpses of her family and clan fighting against the invaders. They were joined by their faithful companions, the Akk dogs, in defense of their way of life.

She ran, and ran, hearing the crackling fires chasing after her. She felt the heat at her back, singing her hair and compelling her to run faster and faster. She was practically a blur through the foliage and trees. She stopped, eyes widening and darting back and forth as she sensed something in the distance. She tore off in that direction.

She heard the sounds of battle up ahead. Blasters, shouting, crying, and snarling. She burst through the trees to see an Akk dog attacking the stormtroopers. Its back was to a cliff as it attacked them. And behind it curled into a ball, scared, and whimpering was a little girl with a face much like her own. She rushed forward, calling out to the Akka dog who batted aside a stormtrooper to let her through.

She slid to a stop as she held the child to her chest, whispering and assuring her it would be ok. The little child, sniffled, looking up into the face of her big sister. She managed a smile despite her fear. Her big sister gave her a hug to reassure her she was safe before she called out to the Akka dog. It swatted aside the last stormtrooper before whirling around to face the girls. It nudged them reassuredly.

The girl lifted her sister off the ground and placed her on the Akka dog. She smiled to her, caressing her cheek to comfort her. She was about to tell the Akka dog to start moving when a shadow passed overhead. She looked up to see a large star ship in the sky. More ships flew out from it, flying over the trees. She heard explosions in the distance, followed by more smoke. The ships were bombarding the forest, intent on wiping out her people. The Akk dog gave a snarl as it heard a ship approach. She saw a ship suddenly appear over them. The Akk dog swatted the girl with its tail, knocking her off the cliff.

Her sister cried out to her in panic. She screamed back as she fell, watching as the the Akka dog and her sister disappeared in the light of an explosion. She hit something as she fell and blacked out.

Several hours later she woke up. She groaned as she sat up, finding herself snagged onto a tree branch sticking out of the cliff face. She carefully shifted around so she could look at the jungle below. She gasped, mouth falling open in horror. The entire jungle was destroyed. Black and nothing but ash, smoke wafting up into the sky. She flinched, remembering what she was doing. She looked up to the cliff ledge. She stood on the branch before throwing herself at the cliff face. She clawed and pulled her way up. It was a slow going climb. But eventually she dug her fingers into the grass and hauled herself up.

She collapsed onto her hands and knees before lifting her head up, only to be met with an even worse sight. The jungle, her home...gone. And before her was the body of the Akk dog. She crawled up to its remains, hoping beyond hope that her sister was somehow alive. The Akk dog didn't stir as she touched it, placing her hand against its blackened body. She prayed that's it tough hide had shielded her sister. But soon she found another body. A tiny human body.

The loyal Akk dog had given its life to defend her. But even its resilient hide couldn't defend against the firestorm the Empire had bombarded their home with. She gazed out into the forest and felt nothing. No life. No people. No more Akk dogs. No more grassers and no herd.

She hugged her knees to her chest as pain and devastating heartache lanced through her chest. Everything she knew, everything she'd ever had...was gone. Hot tears came to her eyes before they burst free. They flowed freely, dripping down her face as she screamed out her pain.

A tear fell into the surface of the lake, as Ella blankly stared into her reflection. She hugged her knees to her chest as her memories assaulted her, reminding her of all she'd lost.

The other initiates watched her, unsure of what to do. They exchanged a glance none moving to do anything. But joining them today was Hiccup. He, like all the other initiates, could sense the sadness within her. It was a pain he knew all too well. The pain of loss.

He looked to the other initiates, he gestured toward the temple. They nodded before leaving, heading back toward the temple and leaving the Jedi Knight with their classmate. Hiccup walked up to her before sitting at her side.

"Are you ok Ella?" The girl tilted her head to the right. Hiccup arched a brow. Ella rarely spoke about herself. The Jedi couldn't help but wonder where she was from. She knew about the Jedi Code. She was a strict believer and adhered to it to the letter, even when they changed it she insisted she would follow it. Her Force sensitivity also felt different from the other children. More natural.

"I sense pain within you young one. It's a pain I know all too well," Hiccup said aloud as he gazed into the water. Ella lifted and turned her head to look at him curiously. "I lost everything when the Order fell. Friends, teachers, my mother," Hiccup said as he stared at hir reflection, looking into a face that looked so much like his mom's. A face that reminder him of her everyday.

"As Jedi, we aren't supposed to mourn the loss of loved ones. We should rejoice in the fact that they become one with the Force. But's it's not an easy thing to do. Is it?" he asked as he looked to her. Ella blinked before she shook her head in agreement. "I don't know what you've lost Ella. But you must learn to let go. It's something I had to do and only accomplished just recently," he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Otherwise the pain will cloud your heart. So try not to dwell on what can't be changes. Instead focus on what you've gained," he said with a smile. She cocked her head to the side.

"A new family."


The next day the initiates remained silent as they trekked through the jungle on the way to their favorite hang out spot. They kept glancing back at Ella, who'd been more quiet than usual and kept glancing down at the ground. Her mood was hard to read, even with the Force.

Young Ella had been deep in contemplation as she turned over Hiccup's words in her mind. She wanted to be a great Jedi someday. So she was determined to adhere to the code. But she'd lost so much and that had left a pain in her chest. An ache that seemed almost never ending. But as Hiccup had said, the Jedi don't dwell on the past and things that couldn't be changed, such as loss, and grief. So she had to overcome it.

Somehow.

As the initiates went Wally, the wolfen teen kept running around them and through the foliage and trees as he sniffed the surroundings. His people were natural trackers and hunters, making him eager to find something chase. He kept his nose low to the ground as he walked further and further away from the main group.

Havolian and Wrath stopped as they looked in the direction they could feel their comrade. The other noticed and looked into the jungle to see if they could spot Wally. They called out to him, yelling at him to come back. They started to get worried when they didn't get a response.

"Dang dog boy," Emma said with a sigh. She placed a hand on the hilt of the sword at her hip and was about to go after him when someone grabbed at her arm. Emma stopped and looked up to see Ella, eyes trained on something in the jungle. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she felt something.

Suddenly Wally burst from the bush, eyes wide in panic and running on all fours. "Run guys!" he howled as he ran by them. They all glanced at his fleeing form before looking back to where he'd come from, only to see something huge burst through the bush and come barreling at them.

It was some kind of huge cat like creature, green with black and brown spots and with hair like grass. It roared at them, making the initiates shout in surprise before they began to run. They were all caught off guard as the huge thing chased them down.

The big jungle cat was the alpha predator of the jungle. It feared nothing and ate everything. And these strange creatures were no exception to it. It picked out the littles one and began picking up speed. It drew nearer and nearer before it pounced at her.

Emma looked back to see the big cat about to leap onto Nuna. She slid to a stop and was about to call out in warning when Ella tackled Nuna from the side, rolling with her and out of the way of the cat. The big cat hit the ground and skidded to a stop before it turned to face it's prey and the interloper.

Ella crouched low, keep Nuna beneath her and the big cat's attention on her. She locked eyes with it, instigating a challenge to the big cat. It growled, stalking back and forth as it began to circle them. The other initiates ran back, weapons drawn and ready to kill the cat if they had to.

They were about to rush it when Ella raised a hand up, beckoning them to stay back. They obeyed, but held onto their weapons. Ella didn't draw her sword, keeping her eyes locked onto the cat as she crawled off Nuna and sideways. The cat followed her movements, Nuna forgotten as it met the girl's challenging gaze. It was surprised and even a bit confused to see such a little creature standing it's ground, but it crouched low, claws scraping against the ground as it prepared to pounce.

It growled lowly, body coiling like a spring before with a roar it leapt at her. Ella jerked to the side to avoid its massive jaws before leaning back to avoid a swipe from it claws. She backflipped away before landing, scooping up a rock and throwing it at the cat, hitting it right in the muzzle. The cat, recoiled in pain from the rock before hissing, teeth bared and fur standing on end in anger before it charged her.

Ella spun on her heel before tearing off through the jungle. The other watched the two of them go before rushing to pick up Nuna and then chasing after them.

Ella moved through the jungle at blinding speed. Leaping over logs and roots while sliding under low branches and vaulting over rocks. She didn't even need to slow down. She could feel everything in the jungle as she connected with the Pelekotan. She sensed a clearing up ahead and skidded to a stop. The big cat closed in at amazing speed, but Ella only waited for it to come. Glancing up she saw many a vine hanging from the trees above them. She looked down at the big cat as it drew nears. She clenched her fists and breathed, waiting for just the right moment. Then she charged the cat.

The cat was so startled by her advance that it slowed and skidded to a stop. As she drew nearer it took a swipe at her. But Ella leapt over its claw before leaping onto its head and up to the trees. She quickly drew her sword and cut away a long length of vines.

Then she sheathed her sword and landed in a crouch behind the cat. It whirled around and charged her again. She ran toward a tree. The cat figured it had her cornered and prepared to kill her when she ran up the trunk, kicked off it and flipped to land on is back. The cat reared up in an attempt to shake her off, roaring angrily only to have a vine wrap around it's mouth before tightening and squeezing it shut. Ella held on as she lassoed it's mouth shut. It attempted to fall on it's back to flatten her but she leapt off just in time. As she got up she began running around it. Throwing out the vines as she began ensaring its limbs.

She slid under it as it thrashed about in an attempt to free itself from the vines, growling and snarling angrily. With a strong tug Ella tightened her trap and yanked it off it's feet. Yet the cat still fought on, rolling and attempting to free itself. Ell rasied her hands up, focusing her power on the vines hanging off the trees. Then she brought her hands down. Making the vines fall onto the cat. It thrashing and panic only made the vines ensnare it more and more before eventually it couldn't move at all.

The other caught up just in time to see the big cat completely immobilized, Ella stood off to the side before she drew her sword and advanced on it. The others only remained on the spot as Ella drew nearer and nearer to the cat. The cat looked at her with its yellow eyes, struggling ceased as it realized it was at her mercy.

Ella stood before the cat, feeling it's surrender. And it's fear. She raised her sword up, making it tense before she brought it down. The other gasped.

Ella crouched, leaving her sword stabbed into the ground to the side as she stroked the cat's head, whispering soothingly to it. The cat watched her, heart rate eventually slowing and breathing going back to normal. Ella smiled at it, feeling its power with every breath, and with one final word she stood up and drew her sword.

Everyone let out a breath in relief before gasping as she cut through the vines and free the cat. The cat picked itself up. Towering over Ella as it held her gaze. It drew its head nearer to her, staring into her green eyes, feeling a sort of power and strange kinship coming off the girl.

The other remained silent and still, holding their breaths in worry as Ella and the big cat remained in a staring contest. And then to everyone's amazement the big cat leaned in and began to nuzzle her face. Ella laughed as the big cat bumped into her, rocking her back on her heels. She felt the vibration in her face as the cat purred happily to her. She rubbed it's giant head and gave it a pat before it licked her and turned away to lumber off. Ella shouted a goodbye in her native tongue as the others joined her at her sides.

"We should get back to the trail," Ella suggested casually as she began heading back toward the trail to and from the lake and temple. The other gawked after her before following. They stared at her in amazement as she simply stared ahead and blushed from all the attention. Nuna hugged her arm in thanks, earning a genuine smile and a pat on the head from the older girl.

Later on all the initiates could talk about was Ella's run in with the big cat. The Kinnarans gasped in amazement, telling them that not many ever battled the king of the jungle and lived to tell about it. Ella only shrugged as if it had been nothing. But to reward her Thrush gave her a gift. A large tooth, taken long ago from one of the old jungle kings, an item only the bravest of the Kinnaran warriors were given. She wore it around her neck in pride and blushed and smiled at the praise of her friends.

It was only a start, but Ella felt the ache of all she'd lost begin to dull. She would never forget her people, her clan, her sister, but she would move on. Let the past stay in the past and cherish the memories of all the time she'd had with them.

And she'd let the Jedi become her new family.

As the initiates slept later than night Hiccup smiled to himself as he began telling Rapunzel and Elsa where he belived Ella to be from.

"Haruun Kal? That's where you think she's from? You think she could be one of the Korunnai?" Elsa asked curiously. Hiccup gave a nod.

"I've noticed that she does this sometimes," Hiccup said as he tilted his head to the right. "Its a Korun version of a shrug. Her Force sensitivity seems more natural than the others. The Korunnai people are all Force sensitives. She knows the code. Korunnai people were apart of the Jedi Order and have Jedi ancestry. I'm betting she had family members that were Jedi. Lastly she said her planet was destroyed. I've heard that the Empire attacked and bombed Haruun Kal. Likely because if any surviving Jedi were to search for recruits that'd be a good place to look."

Elsa and Rapunzel nodded in agreement. They thought it over, and all of it made some sense.

"And Ella seems to have a natural connection to the jungle. The Korunnai call the Force the Pelekotan. It translates to the jungle mind. Ella is very strong in the Force," Hiccup said smiling in pride.

Elsa and Rapunzel smiled as well. It was good that they'd learned more about one of their new recruits. They needed to form a bond with all of them, learn all they could if they were going to teach them to be Jedi one day.

And Hiccup decided he'd talk with Ella a little more. Gods knew he had a lot in common with her. He knew he had to be more than just one of her masters and teacher.

He, like all the others, had to become her new family.


new chap

Icemistress99's OC: Ella Bijou