Chapter 33

Rather than splitting up the crew as she had done since their mission began, Skye assembled the inner circle to travel with her, or rather all the organics as she left the droids behind with the Ebon Hawk. A prospect that once again HK did not like though when it was pointed out that if he were out in the desert, all that grit and sand would get into his joints and upon the return he may or may not be given an oil bath. After the discussion, the assassin droid was more than happy to play watchman over the ship and astromech.

The expense of renting mounts was kept down by the companions double riding: Bastila with Skye, Juhani and Carth, Mission and Zaalbar leaving Canderous on his own. It was just as well the Mandalorian was on his own. Not only was he less cantankerous by himself but he also had strapped to his back a blaster cannon which would be an impediment to anyone riding behind him. Being a warrior and saying didn't ride bitch, it was a comment that gained a bit of disapproval from all the women. He insisted the cannon would be instrumental in bringing down a great beast like the krayt dragon or any other goon squad old Tin Jaw thought to throw at them.

The cool early dawn slipped into sultry morning as the twin suns woke, creating purple shadows along the baked yellow earth. Great rolling dunes of sand gave way to monumental jagged rocky walls. As before, the companions became increasingly weary of what or who might have taken advantage of the craggy jutting canyons. Even if the Raiders had pulled back, not all of them would have been given word that the 'ignorant trespassers' were not to be hunted. There were of course wraids, hunters, scavengers and the occasional bandits. Thus far the only things to cross the crew's path were a pack of wamp rats.

The dewbacks of course wanted to make a meal of the scurrying rodents and made great bleating 'haurrumphs' when denied the opportunity to snag a quick morsel. Their protests echoed loudly off the canyon walls before dying out.

"Well if that dragon didn't know we were here, it will now," Juhani stated, "that and anyone else lurking about."

"Agreed." Skye nodded. "Keep your eyes peeled. I doubt we're alone in this place. No sign of Raiders, but it doesn't mean they aren't out there."

Indeed, the sound of the dewbacks had drawn the attention of another. In fact, he was tracking their very moments as they traversed the valley floor. Years of hunting had honed his skills to a razor's edge. He slipped silently in and out of shadows staying just ahead of the Jedi's band, taking care not to rouse their attention. So far, he had eluded them for the past two hours.

Or so he thought.

Bastila pressed her body close to her lover's, leaning in to whisper into the pointed ear. "We're being tracked; I'd say about four kilometres above us on the ridge. Do you feel him?"

The Nagai nodded. "Dangerous... but not threatening. Curious."

"You don't think he's a bounty hunter?" Bastila took advantage of the opportunity their hushed conversation to momentarily enjoy the closeness of their bodies.

The older woman shook her head this time. "No- or at least not for sentient prey."

"So not a Raider then or one of Malak's lickspittles. A hunter from the lodge?"

"Possibly." The former Dark Lord looked to Juhani to signal to her about their 'escort' but it turned out she needn't have bothered. The Cathar sensed the lingering presence too.

Skye held up a fisted hand singling for a stop. Without giving an explanation she slid off her mount and began looking at the ground, half on pretext of scouting the terrain and half to ready herself for their 'hunter.' Her hand lingered near the hilt of sabers, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the crew. Because of the Jedi's silence they knew better than to ask vocally what was going on.

The Nagai pointed to her eyes then upwards indicating where she believed their stalker was most likely hunkered down. Juhani dismounted as well leavening Carth to take command over the mount. Slipping between hers and that of Bastila and Skye's she activated her stealth generator completely disappearing from view.

"I need to stretch." Mission said overly-loud thinking to distract the lurcker, though she was overplaying the part and sounded ridiculously cliché.

Zaalbar grunted his agreement and was off the dewback in a thrice. As for the Mandalorian, he causally took out a thick cigar from his tack vest and lit it whilst keeping his eyes open on the eastern horizon. It was up wind and the suns were in their eyes. It was where he'd hole up if he were hunting some unsuspecting troupe through the canyons.

"Hunter! Hunter! Hunter!" Skye belted out. "If you shoot us... we will know where you are!" Snick-hiss twin blades woke to sizzling life, one black the other viridian. Both held in a reverse hold.

A shifting move from far above sent a miniscule avalanche of pebbles to skitter down the ledge. It was enough- Juhani was a blur of invisible motion. The Force lent strength to her bones and muscles allowing her to leap upwards to great heights. Outcrop after outcrop-ledge to ledge, in no time at all she was on their stalker. Her blue blade at the throat of a tan-skinned Twi'lek before he even realized she was there.

"Life is too precious to toss away 'friend'," she cautioned, her voice the seemingly dangerous purr of a saber cat. "Shall we be the intelligent sort and put our weapons down or do you wish for this to become bloody?"

His scoped sniper riffle was set down, slowly as his arms went up. "I was watching only," he said in an even measured tone, as if he were talking to a feral beast. "I wanted to see why such a heavily armed band of people were travelling in this territory. You are clearly no hunters."

"No, but we hunt." Juhani said. Despite her early remarks of disarming she had no intention of deactivating her lightsaber. Not yet. She bent down and picked up the riffle and slung it over her shoulder by its strap. Only then did she return her blade to her belt. "You seem familiar to me. You are from the Lodge are you not?"

"Aye, I'm Komad Fortuna."

It took a little longer to descend then it had to climb up with a non-Force user in tow. Once the Cathar and her captive were in front of the others the interrogation began. As a show of good faith, Ravensong deactivated her sabers but placed only the smaller of the two on her belt. Something Fortuna was very quick to note. She was expecting trouble. Wise precautions given the majority of members of the Hunting Lodge were not as scrupulous or dare he say it as intelligent as not to challenge a Jedi never mind three offering a peaceful resolution.

"I am no threat to you," he said once he was on flat ground once more and again he held his arms up in surrender. "I'm out here hunting a krayt dragon. He's an exceptionally large bull."

"A trophy hunter." Canderous said. There was a hint of approval in his voice. "Not something easily done, especially not alone."

"I wasn't alone. But my partner became impatient and rushed the beast's lair. You can imagine what's become of the fool."

"Lunch…" Zaalbar said dejectedly. He himself was growing hungry. Apparently the Twi'lek didn't understand Shyriiwook so Mission translated for her friend.

"Quite so." He looked at each of the Ebon Hawk's crew. "I could use your help. Perhaps together we can bring it down."

"You'd share the glory?" Canderous tested.

"It's not so much as glory as necessity," Komad corrected, "my father slew many dragons. But this is larger than any he took down. Its massive size… it is upsetting the ecological balance of the region. With such an ecological threat, you can see why it is necessary to kill it to restore the natural cycle."

His response was not something any of them had expected. Skye even returned her remaining lightsaber to her belt. His talk of restoring order was true if not ironically metaphorical for their current situation with Malak.

"And how do you plan to go about killing this thing?" Carth asked. "Well you and your buddy before he got himself eaten."

"Not honourably." Komad shook his head sadly. "Because of the threat… I planned to lure the monster out into using banthas as bait. All my partner was to do was to rush the heard just over that ridge with fodder and return with the herd in tow. "

"The dragon smells a tasty meal and blam. One dead drake." Skye grinned. "We had planned to do just that ourselves."

"Truly?" Clearly the Twi'lek was both surprised and impressed.

"I dare say our goals were not the same, however. There is something in its lair we need."

"Perhaps we can work together then?" Fortuna offered seeing the opportunity before him.

"Oh, I bet. I bet he wants you to play the part of his dead pal." Mission snorted. "We do all the work of getting the banthas here and he just waits. Typical."

"I assure you my role is not so passive as all that, youngling."

"I am not a youngling!" Mission snapped.

"My apologizes," Fortuna said diplomatically. "While that was my initial idea yes, I will be setting up the minefield."

"Pft, won't the banthas activate 'em you know when they come into the area?" Countered the Tarisan teenager. "And how you gonna get so close that the dragon won't come out and snack on you?"

It was a good question. "I have the means to go unnoticed by the dragon. I will be placing the mines just outside its lair so when it steps out that is when it will die. as for the banthas they will not get near enough to the lair before the dragon destroys itself."

"Just how are you going to go about unnoticed? We killed a rancor caged in a sewer system using a similar method. Well, not mines but using a backpack filled with body parts and frag grenades, but the beast still smelled me when I was wearing a stealth generator." Skye said.

"It may not of if you were wearing its scent."

"Its scent?" Bastila asked, not sure she truly wanted to know how that was accomplished. .

Zaalbar snorted a laugh as he understood perfectly. "If a hunter covers his fur in the dung of his prey it won't smell him as easily. My people's hunters often do that on Kashyyyk. It is a good method of disguising your natural musk."

"EWWW!" Mission scrunched up her nose. "You mean he's going to be wearing dragon poodoo?"

Fortuna nodded, affirming the Wookiee's declaration and the Jedi's earlier suspicions.

"Okay I take it back, we run the bait poo-boy and you do the mine thingy." Mission's blue face turned violet as it dawned on her she had overstepped her bounds in making the agreement for the group. "Um, right Skye?"

"Wearing 'l'eau du dragon piss' is not my idea of this season's perfume." The Nagai nodded.

"And if it were, you'd get no were near me." Bastila said.

"Especially between the sheets," Canderous jibbed, "eh Princess?"

"Do NOT call me Princess, Mandalorian," she returned a murderous look to the graying man.

Canderous shot his hands up in mock surrender knowing not to push the boundaries on that one. Of course, he knew 'Princess' had become something of a pet name for the Whelp to call her little Jedi lover. He was smart enough not to piss in another man's… er woman's territory.

"May I ask, how did you gain the dragon um… waste." Skye diplomatically turned the subject back to the Twi'lek.

"I do not think you wish to know." Fortuna said. "As for the dung, well… minefields are not the only thing you must be careful not to step in. Though I dare say it will be hard to miss the piles of scat the dragon leaves behind. More like fairly large mounds. You will see them once you get closer to its lair. We're upwind so you wouldn't have smelled them. Nevertheless, it will not kill what it cannot see or smell."

"I smell them." Zaalbar said. "Much better than the Undercity's sewers of rakghouls, Gamorreans and rancors."

"Well good, but you 'aint rolling around in poodoo either, Big Z." Mission was positively adamant. "It's still gross."

Ravensong looked around her. "Carth, Canderous- take vantage on the ridge just over the lair. We're not taking any chances. When that thing walks into the mines, you let loose a volley. But don't hit any boulders above it, no rock slides. We still need to get in the cave to get to the Star Map.

"Mission fall back and stay out of range with the dewbacks. Myself and the other Jedi will go for the banthas. And keep your eyes open, where there are banthas there will probably be Raiders. Despite the peace, we made they won't take kindly to the use of their sacred animals like this. That's where you come in Big Z; I want you to cover our flanks in case we have opposition. You have your orders. Move out."

The others quickly moved to obey. Before Mission could take the dewbacks away however, Skye went to the saddle bags and lifted the mines Mission, Zaalbar and Canderous and constructed beforehand. "Fortuna. Here, add these to your arsenal. They are of the highest area of damage possible with a three point three-meter detonation radius and most are plasma but there a few in there that are gas and frag," she held up another bag. "This has clusters of thermal detonators. Set them near the mines and they will go off."

"You were taking no chances." Fortuna said gingerly, taking the three bags of munitions."

"No."

"With a blast of that magnitude it could conceivably block in the cannon including the cave you need clear."

"Already thought of that- that last bag I gave you isn't the only bag of thermal donators we have. She may not look it but Mission is a whiz-kid with munitions and Canderous of course being Mandalorian knows demolitions like nobody's business. We have it covered."

As the Jedi were walking away to find the bantha herd, they passed several mounds of dung. As a trio, they each instinctively covered their noses in response to the rank fetid odder leaching into the air.

"Covering yourself in the faecal matter of your prey is a time-proven method to cover your own scent. It's why the kath-hounds do it." Juhani pointed out.

"I can safely quote Mission here when I say 'Ewww.' And yes, I know most apex predators do it. Hey, if you want to take a dive in shit go ahead but you're taking a shower before getting anywhere near the hanger where my ship is."

The Cathar snickered. "I wasn't suggesting we cover ourselves in dragon dung. We'd never get close enough to the banthas in order to lure them in."

"I am not covering myself in bantha poodoo either." Bastila said haughtily. "The fodder will have to do."

"Agreed," the other two said at the same time.

In short order the three Jedi women came to a dip in the canyon floor- a small valley that looked as if some great hand used an ice-cream scooper and plucked out the dune-colored rock and sand. The bowl shielded the banthas from the dragon's overwhelming stench. There were grazing on the short shrubbery that grew along the rocks.

Skye often wondered how massively furry creatures like the banthas could thrive on the arid world of Tatooine especially out on the dune sea where there was no greenery to be hand. At least on the in the canyons there was some vegetation, however sparse. There seemed to be more in the little caldron where the wild heard had propagated.

"There are a couple of cows and a few calves." Skye said as she edged closer to the lip of the basin. The others were crawling on their elbows and knees overlooking the herd.

"See any Raiders?" Bastila asked.

"No… wait… yes! I see one of them now." Skye answered. "Make that three of them."

"We can use the nerve-toxins." Juhani said. "They need not die. They should not die."

"It'd spook the heard," Nagai shook her head. "But you're right, they shouldn't have to die."

"We can use the stealth belts." The Cathar suggested. "Render them unconscious at close quarters."

"Not the most expedient route." Bastila stated. "But better than the alternative".

The Jedi as one activated their stealth field generators, rendering each invisible to the naked eyes. But previously remarked upon while they were impracticable they were not altogether unnoticeable; the fodder however would keep their scents cloaked from the banthas more or less even if it gained their attention. Beast-control had come naturally to Juhani at an early age. Even without knowing it she had done so with some of the vermin on her home planet before she enrolled in Jedi academy for proper training as she had with the kath hounds in the glade on Dantooine. Not only could the young Cathar maiden control the minds of beasts she could trick them into believing she was not a threat. It would not be that difficult to expand to the other two Jedi. However as soon as an aggressive move was made, the beasts would shake the affect form their minds and quite possibly turn hostile. Stampeded by panicked banthas was something they all wanted to avoid.

The Jedi moved swiftly to render the Raiders unconscious with Force –aided strangle holds. The combination of fodder and the ruckus of incapacitated guardians spooked the heard. Their massive heads tossed side to side causing a miniscule dust storm, their trumpeting bounced dully into the desert rock. Instinct drove them away from the immediate threat, one of course they could not see. Their senses became confused; in such a state the Jedi could be easily crushed.

Juhani reasserted her will upon the matriarchal cow or at least the most aggressive one within the herd. While not calming completely it had settled into a less agitated state. In that fraction of a moment the Jedi Guardian continued to push and dominate the animal's mind. Skye and Bastila disarmed and secured the Raiders so that should they wake they would not become problematic.

"It's a good thing none of those Raiders were pair-bonded to the banthas." Skye said when she and her lover returned to their companion's side. Who by now asserted her domination over the herd. How long it lasted was difficult to say so close to the dragon's lair.

"What do you mean pair-bonded?" Bastila said. "I assumed they were just like dewbacks, simply mounts like any other."

The Nagai shook her head. "I learned a few things that whole time I was a 'guest' at the Enclave. Raiders are pair-bonded with a bantha when they turn seven. It's a big ceremonial thing. The youngling Raider is presented with a bantha of the same age as a companion-for-life. The youth learns to care for the creature, and the two built a mystical bond. When the bantha reaches maturity, the male Tusken Raider saddles his companion and rides it into the desert for their adult initiation ceremonies. When Tuskens married, the couple's banthas also mate. Often, the resulting calf would be of the same sex as the Tusken child."

"Presuming this is the bantha calf they are presented with at seven?" Juhani conclude.

Skye nodded, "Yep. Apparently, they form deep bonds with the Raiders and often commit suicide if their riders die first. If the bantha dies first however the carcass is placed in vast graveyards, which other banthas treat with a kind of ceremonial reverence."

"You learned all of this while we were securing the moister vaporators?" the human asked incredulously.

Skye shrugged nonchalantly. "I had a bit of time on my hands."

"If those raiders were not with their mounts what were they doing here?" Asked the younger woman.

"Same thing we were I suspect. Well sort of. I imagine they were looking to increase the number of their herd," came the answer.

"We best move." Juhani interjected. "I will not be able to maintain control for long." "The matriarch is already trying to resist me. She knows something isn't right."

"We'll take your lead on this Juhani." Skye said. "Move them out."

The low trumpeting of the matriarch bounced off the walls—while not distressed she was clearly not happy to be in a canyon so close to danger. Her rumblings stirred the calves that were already close to panicking into bolting towards the canyon and the dragon's lair. Their spooked bugles transmitted to their mothers causing a chain reaction. Before long the heard was rushing the ravine.

Komad had scarcely laid the last of the mines at the mouth of the dragon's den before he was nearly overcome by the stampede. Diving behind a pillar of rock and stone, the desert sands swirled around the hunter in a miniature sandstorm. He couldn't see the Jedi females but knew they had to be close.

Far above his head the men of the Ebon Hawk watched the banthas movements, more than a little amazed to see three of the massive wild beats were being ridden by the women. It was totally unreal, Jedi urging their mounts towards the den, using the behemoth's fear to their advantage, though the men supposed it was no stranger than anything else they've experienced since the destruction of Taris.

It was too much for the krayt monster to ignore. The tantalizing sent of prey edging so close to its territory set its mouth to drooling. The banthas snorted. Panic shot through them- an all-encompassing panic that seared away rational thought. They tried to turn but were caught in the bottleneck. No way back, only forward. The banthas surged forward challenging, rushing past the dangers for the other side- a way out.

Now! - No chance to gamble-

Collectively the Jedi used the Force to propel themselves upwards to the rocky outcropping several meters above their heads. No sooner had they landed when dragon rushed from its den, its mouth yawning open in a thunderous roar. A calf wheeled, screaming—fear reeking off of it. Lost to thought and action, it bleated for help.

The dragon lunged, its maw snatching-slamming shut with a clash. The trap set.

The blast was deafening. Roars of pain, anger, bleating trumpeting of terror.

KLBAAAMMMM! KAAAAAAAAAABLOOOMMMM!

Rock fell, rained down, pink mist showered, indescribable hunks of flesh hailed and pelted.

Silence.

Wait….

A small voice over the radio. A teenaged girl. "So… is it over?"

Silence—stunned-waiting.

Then-

"I believe so." The Nagai Jedi finely answered the question. "You can rejoin us now."

Komad crawled out from his hiding place. His nose wrinkled at the sight of so much gore. The dragon hadn't been the only one to die in the massive blast. Several bantha carcasses littered the canyon floor. He wasn't the only one disturbed, the sight of so much carnage was too much for Mission to deal with, and she promptly vomited. Zaalbar made a predatory decision and picked of a chunk of meat. Whether it was bantha or dragon it didn't matter to the Wookiee who promptly bit into it and tore a morsel away.

"Oh gods…" Mission moaned and threw up once more, her blue face a decisive shade of green and growing greener. "I think I'll go back to the mounts… Big Z you are just… ugg!"

"Why let good meat go to waste?" he asked confused.

"Why indeed? Though I like my bantha a bit more well done than that. Bleeding's fine but not that bloody." Canderous commented kicking at something resembling a ribcage.

The smell was almost too much for Bastila who felt her own gorge rising. Willpower alone let her overcome the instinctive dry heaves, though she was quite pale as was Carth. Skye and Juhani ignored the bloody mess, answering the plaintive cries of the banthas not lucky enough to die in the blast radius. Compassion moved both Jedi to end the lives of the poor animals as mercifully as possible with their lightsabers.

"A regrettable action, but necessary." Fortuna said when the Jedi returned. He was looking at the mound of dragon remains. Without a word he bent down and shifted through the bloody detritus and came up with two small rounded objects. "Dragon pearls." Using the leg of his breeches he whipped the gore off of them, one he pocketed the other he handed out for Skye to take. "Perhaps you can find some use for this?"

Canderous whistled. "They're worth a pretty penny."

The Nagai held it up to the twin suns examining the iridescent surface. Dragon pearls were indeed worth quite a bit, and for good reason as they were after all very difficult to come by.

"Some Jedi used them to augment their lightsabers." Bastila commented. "I believe Master Kreia had one in hers before she left for the Wars."

"I heard the same. The pearls greatly enhance the destructive power of the blade," Skye echoed. There were three Jedi and only one pearl, who of the three should be granted the privilege of using the small treasure?

In her black blade, Skye used the crystal she discovered in the kinrath caves which she called the 'Mantle of the Force' in combination with a solari and damind gem. It gave a definitive edge over the Dark Side. In her shorter blade, she had the 'Heart of the Guardian'- the second crystal she found and an upari crystal. If she were to add the krayt dragon pearl to the smaller one, it would be devastatingly powerful… something she would need when confronting Malak and his disciples.

'You should be the one to use it, my love.' Bastila spoke through their Force Bond. 'I do not believe Juhani will protest if you did so. She is pragmatic when she needs to be.'

"Komad?" Skye said. "Before you depart, is it possible to purchase that other pearl from you? Even out here you have heard of Darth Malak, yes?"

"The Destroyer of Worlds. The Fallen One. Yes of course I have," he looked to the Jedi. "You seek a way to end him."

The Nagai nodded. "Indeed. It is the only reason we are out here in the first place. In that cave is a relic that will lead us to the means to do so. However, the relic is not the only means."

"I fail to see how a krayt dragon peal is supposed to help you. But I heard you speak of making your lightsabers even that more powerful. Is that necessary? Is not your Force enough?" The Twi'lek protested.

"If it were so very easy he would be brought low by the collective power of the Light Side and of all Jedi who wield it. It is not. Aid or do not aid in the effort to end his madness. The choice is yours." The former Dark Lord said silkily. "I am offering to buy the pearl."

"We can just take it." Canderous grumbled reaching for his blaster. So far to day had been a complete bust. He didn't even get to fire a shot into the dragon! He was itching to shot something, anything, anyone.

"No we cannot." Skye denied the suggestion almost immediately. "And we will not. The pearl- will you sell it or use it as a trophy? If the former then sell it to us, if the latter, take the teeth and a holopic as proof as well as the bragging rights of the kill."

The hunter thought for a moment, then nodded. He was going to sell it after all and why not to the Jedi. He'd get an honest price out of them, more than he would anywhere else. Unless of course they did their mind-trick on him making him think he get a fair price… But Ravensong seemed far too genuine and trustworthy to finagle him out of his due credits. "Very well, Master Jedi, you may have the pearl for a fair price," he handed the small prize over to the young Nagai who in turn handed it to Bastila. "We can settle back at Anchorhead."

"Thank you." Bastila said to Fortuna diplomatically. "It will not go unappreciated."

As suggested, Komad picked up what remained of the dragon's jaw bone and headed for the ravine's exit leaving the companions to themselves.

"Well you just pissed away a good deal of credits for nothing. Hell, you could have done your mind-wammy on the fracker and taken it."

"Jedi are not thieves, Mandalorian." Juhani snorted in disgust.

"Tell that to Malak and his dead master Revan," he countered. "They done plenty."

"Gotta agree with him on that one." Carth backed the other male's comment.

"Malak is no Jedi and Revan is gone." The Cathar rebounded.

"That is enough." Skye commanded. "Come on, we still have the Star Map to find." She reached for her belt and took the smaller of the two blades and ignited it to use as a sort of torch.

Behind her the snap-hiss of other blades coming to life indicated the other Jedi were doing the same.

Carth and Canderous used small flashlights taken from their utility belts. Zaalbar's Wookiee eyes allowed him to see perfectly well in the dim light of the cave without the need of further illumination.

"You coming Mission?" Skye called out.

"In a dragon's den? NO!"

"It's dead, and being male it won't have a brood waiting to be fed." Skye pointed out.

"Yeah? Still not going. It stinks. It's dark and… yeah just no. I'll watch the stupid dewbacks and wait out here where it doesn't stink."

"As you wish. Though I thought you might like to see the Star Map. Where's your adventurous spirit, girl?"

Mission shouted back. "My adventurous spirit is just fine not walking into anymore stinky places. I had enough of that in the Undercity. I'm all stunk out. Maybe the next one."

"That will be on Manaan… which means under the ocean." Bastila commented. She gave a knowing smile to her lover.

The true reason why she was reluctant to have Mission remain alone in the desert was that even if they were still uncurious, the Raiders could come to at any moment and seek retribution for the death of the herd. And while fear could be used to motivate the teenaged Tarisan into coming with the rest of the companions, or even orders to come, having it be her choice gave the youngling a sense of self determination.

Silence…

"I… oh fine!" the sound of stomping only petulant children can create heralded the approach of the young Twi'lek. "But I'm using the olfactory blockers."

"Aren't we all?" Skye grinned.

"I'm not." Zaalbar said.

"Yeah, you're a Wookiee, you don't count Big Z 'cause you like it. Besides that, you eat raw guts and junk." Mission wrinkled up her nose. "I still can't believe you ate the dragon."

"It was tasty." The older teen protested. "I was hungry."

"When aren't you?"

Skye shook her head at the arguing younglings but said nothing as she started for the cave's mouth.