A/N: Ever come across a piece of art and you think- I know there's a story here. Well, this is what happened. It's nothing special, just a short and simple piece. I hope you'll take a moment to enjoy an uncomplicated, peaceful moment. Not unlike a rainstorm. May the Force be with you!
Check out the art that inspired the fic and the amazing artist who made it- prettypansexualpeninsular on tumblr (i tried to post the full link but ffn is being weird about it)
Gunfire no longer took Ahsoka Tano by surprise. It echoed through her head, rattled in her bones; after six months on the front lines, she could hear it in her sleep. It made her montrals buzz and ache, made her remind herself that if she wasn't careful- it would be the last thing she ever heard.
She was fourteen and three-quarters, and gunfire no longer surprised her. Tree roots did.
"Ah!" She exclaimed, clamping a hand over her mouth to quiet herself, breath escaping in a choked gasp. Before she could slam face first into the ground, a hand flashed out and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her back upright.
Ahsoka winced, glad that the darkness would hide her blush from her Master and the troops following, but lightning chose that moment to crash across the sky, throwing the darkened stripes of her lekku into full view.
Anakin took advantage of the light to fix her with a pointed look and a stern pulse along their bond, then released her arm as the jungled plunged back into darkness.
Ahsoka accepted the correction without complaint, not that she had much choice. This was a deep stealth mission, dependent on speed and silence, but the weather was making the former impossible. They'd been sent to extract a number of clones, civilians, and Dooku's political rivals from a heavily guarded Separatist prison, without raising any alarm. Easier said than done.
Three hours of trudging through thick mud and unforgiving jungle was exhausting both clones and Jedi. She could tell Anakin was frustrated, even with his shields up. He wasn't a big fan of stealth missions, their need for precision and sticking exactly to the plan. He wanted to get this over with, but the jungle was dense and he couldn't risk using his saber to cut through, slowing them down even further.
Ahsoka shared his frustration with the environment. It was much like her home planet, but the humidity made the air seem to stick in her throat, to the point it felt like she was suffocating. But she gritted her teeth and pushed on anyway. Maybe I'll get lucky and an animal'll cross our path. It'd be nice to have real meat instead of kriffing rations.
Ahsoka indulged in the distraction to keep her moving forward, casting her senses out for any tree roots or protruding rocks, determined not to make the same mistake twice.
For another quarter hour, nothing could be heard but the buzz of insects around them and the squelch of their boots through muddy ground. Never silent, but eerily quiet.
Quiet, at least, until another thunderclap shook the heavens, opened the sky, and let rain pour down in sheets. Ahsoka shivered, tugging up the hood of her cloak. Not that it would matter, it was quickly getting waterlogged and would just be another weight she'd have to carry through this Force-foresaken jungle.
A gloved hand tugged at the edges of her hood, pulling it more securely into place. The same hand hesitated a moment, before wrapping around her own. It gently squeezed once, twice, three times in quick succession. Their silent signal for 'I'm okay, are you?'
Their training bond, which had been slightly shielded, opened instantly at the familiar touch. Despite the rain, Ahsoka was suddenly flooded with warmth and energy and the Force; the rattling of rain and the rolling thunder seemed far away, as if behind a window pane. With their connection opened fully, she sensed rather than saw her Master's form above her.
"Stay close, little one." Anakin murmured, a voice so low in was nearly lost in the rustling of the leaves.
Ahsoka squeezed his hand back once, an affirmative, though she couldn't help the small amount of indignation that slipped over their link.
/I know you're not a child./ He replied, knowing full well that his student was a child, and a sheltered Temple child at that, dropped into a war she was never meant to take part in. /But it's dark, the storm's getting worse, and I don't want us to get separated. Trust me, Snips./
/Always./
She gripped his hand tighter as they ducked under a fallen tree and continued their march.
The rain continued to fall and fall and fall, and Ahsoka began to wonder if they would ever reach the prison. It was getting harder to keep her footing as the soil beneath them liquified into an impossibly sticky sludge. Even Anakin was struggling to maneuver through it, not that the troops could tell. Only Ahsoka, anchored by their bond, could see the intense focus he was channeling into every step.
The winds howled as they swirled around them, through the leaves, ripped branches from trees. I have a bad feeling about this. Uncertainty and dread swelled within her, billowing like the black clouds that raged overhead.
/Master, I don't like this./
The elder Jedi tensed, but didn't slow his pace as he probed the Force for answers.
/I don't either, but we have to keep moving. Trust the Force, little one./
Despite the storm, Ahsoka still picked up the familiar footsteps as Rex came up beside Anakin. He kept his voice low, but it was taught and heavy with fatigue.
"Sir, Wrangler's been hurt. Looks like a broken ankle. Kix says he can set it enough for him to keep going, but we need a place to hunker down for a bit."
Ahsoka felt him raise his shields as he weighed their options, projecting confidence like only he could.
"Alright Rex. We'll stop until the storm passes. I sense that Wrangler won't be the only one injured if we continue in this weather. Any ideas for a shelter?"
"Yes sir. Cave system, 'bout half a click to the east. Should work fine."
"Then let's move."
Anakin felt amused, grinning to himself as they set off in the direction of the caves. Ahsoka poked the bond lightly, curious.
/What's so funny, Skyguy?/
/We trust the Force, Snips. I guess it doesn't like the storm either./
The young padawan clamped her free hand over her mouth and swallowed her giggles, grateful that the heavy storm would muffle any sound.
At the caves, they stopped, allowing for Rex and the rest of the clones to catch up: Wrangler limping and leaning on his brothers for support. Ahsoka unclipped her canteen and pressed it to her lips, but it was empty. She frowned.
/We'll resupply once this lets up./ Anakin said, sensing her question before she spoke, offering her a drink from his canteen. /There should be a good source around here somewhere./
/Um, Master, I think we might have found it already./
Anakin glanced down as lighting streaked across the sky, illuminating the knee deep puddle of muddy water they were standing in.
Ahsoka swallowed another giggle, but that didn't stop her from teasing him through the bond.
/Gotta stay focused , Skyguy. Isn't that what you always tell me?/
Anakin rolled his eyes, and then elbowed her in the ribs, sending her straight down into the puddle. She spluttered, mouth open ready to protest, but Anakin simply held a finger to his lips and helped her back to her feet.
/Don't get cocky, little one. A Jedi's path is full of surprises./
/And mud puddles, apparently./ She huffed, but stuck closed to his side anyway as they followed their troops into the caves, the rumble of thunder ever present in her mind.