Rilme Caatl: okay, I kinda find it funny that your cat attacks your pencil. I have a cat, but he's an outdoor cat. His name is Moo. (He's actually the pic for my avatar) If it's not too weird, may I ask what your cat's name is? If it's a weird question, don't answer, XD. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Everyone: I took the apology note out, so the reviews are a little messed up now, jsyk.

The Icy Bite of Steel

"Be mindful of your surroundings, Padawan. This is a hostile planet."

"Keep your lightsaber on you at all times."

"Watch for any suspicious activity or followers."

"Stay in my sight at all times."

"Don't wander off."

His Master's wise words of wisdom echoed in his head as thirteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi shivered, bowing his head. He had kept all the words in mind and obeyed. And then, he remembered, wandering off into the night for a reason he couldn't recall, leaving the relative safety of the tent he and his Master shared. He remembered the punch to the face that seemingly came out of no where, sending him reeling. He remembered the strange barks and grunts of the natives as they clapped a steel collar around his neck and Force-inhibitors around his wrists.

He remembered trying to fight back with his lightsaber, but remembered tripping and dropping the weapon as teenage hormones threw him off balance. He felt his quena, the instrument Qui-Gon had given him when he was three, crush painfully against his sternum as he was hauled over someone's shoulder.

A gag had been shoved into his mouth and a blindfold tied roughly over his eyes. His head swam as the blood rushed to it. He tried to yell for his Master through the Force, but was shocked by a jolt of electricity the inhibitor cuffs delivered.

That entire ordeal was how Obi came to be sitting in a cage suspended in the air, nursing a bloody nose, with the smoke from the fires as his only companion. The steel collar round his neck chafed and rubbed his skin raw, and the inhibitor cuffs provided an everlasting feeling of discomfort raging throughout his system. He watched the natives sit around their fires, eating whatever food they had hunted. The smell of roasted meat hung heavily in the air.

Obi tried not to think about food, or the comfort of his bed, or his Master. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he was fairly sure that these people had no intention of keeping him. Most likely he would be sold into slavery. Obi shuddered at the thought. That would be awful.

He fell into a fitful sleep full of restless dreams and fearful images.

...

"Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon sat up from his bedroll and glanced at his Padawan's empty one. He crawled out of the tent, and surveyed the area, hands on hips. "Obi-Wan?" He called again. No reply. It was then that Qui started to get nervous. He very quickly crawled back into the tent, dressed in Jedi robes, grabbed a survival pack and headed out into the wilderness.

It wasn't long before he came across the place where the small Padawan had been jumped. The ground showed evidence of a scuffle, with the ground ripped up from claws. Drops of blood marked the dirt. Qui-Gon hoped it wasn't his Padawan's. Then, he noticed the horrifyingly familiar silver tube on the ground. Obi's lightsaber! Qui quickly scooped it up and clipped it on his hip opposite his own.

There was a faint trail going to the east, where the ground foliage had been trampled and low-hanging branches cut away. Qui silently followed, hoping for the best.

...

Obi-Wan awoke to the cold metal floor of the cage, his growling stomach, and his aching nose. He glanced around in confusion. Oh. He had been taken prisoner yesterday. Right. He sat up and once again the smell of freshly roasted meat and woodsmoke filled his nostrils. Obi groaned silently and tried not to watch his captors eat. It was hard.

He fingered the quena hanging around his neck, hidden beneath layers of tunic and tabard. He fingers ached to play it, hold it. It had been years since he'd played it last, and he knew how much Master Qui-Gon loved to hear it. He swore he would play it for him as soon as he saw his Master, if that were to ever happen.

A native approached his cage and tossed a bit of meat in, barking in its native tongue.

"Eat!" It said, though the boy couldn't understand. Obi grabbed the strip of meat. It was barely as long as his pinkie finger and barely as wide as two fingers pressed together, but he pounced on it all the same, quickly making it disappear. Then he was let down from the cage. The natives slapped binders around his wrists and prodded him with a stick. Along with the Force-inhibitors, the binders pinched and rubbed his skin raw.

And then he was made to walk, tied to the saddles of the natives' mounts. They walked for what seemed like hours. Obi was given a little water to keep him going, but that was all. When they reached the next camp, it was dark. Obi-Wan was tied to a tree in the center, and watched again as his captors built fires and ate.

...

It was beginning to get dark as Qui-Gon reached the camp, only to find it empty. These natives must move daily, and quickly, Qui surmised, pulling a ration bar from his survival kit. Knowing there was no time to stop and rest, he quickly followed the next trail. These natives were not good at covering their tracks. He started down the path at a quick pace, Obi-Wan's droid following behind.

...

Obi hadn't slept a wink last night. Sleeping tied to a branch with your arms suspended above your head was near impossible. When would Master Qui-Gon get here? A native shoved a tough piece of meat between his teeth and watched in fascination as the boy chewed it. Then he let his arms down and poked him. Obi refused to move towards the caravan, and was rewarded with a fist to the gut that sent him down to his knees. Obi-Wan gasped for breath as he was yanked roughly up and over to the caravan.

...

Qui-Gon watched as his Padawan was punched and dragged over to a waiting animal and tied to the saddle. Qui jumped out of the foliage, lightsaber brandished. Quickly, he went and cut his apprentice free and slung an arm around his shoulder, pulling him tight to his chest.

"I'm taking the boy!" He shouted at the natives, pounding Obi's chest for emphasis. The natives squealed and ran into the wilderness. Qui released the boy and cut off the collar, binders, and inhibitor cuffs, freeing the boy from the icy bite of steel. The Force came rushing back to him, pounding in his ears.

"Master?" He croaked. "Is it really you?" He asked, dried blood flaking off his face as he spoke for the first time in two days.

"Yes, Padawan-mine. It really is me. Let's go home, shall we?"

...

Here us guys go! A long chapter! I felt that two cliffies in a row would be cruel, so I put it all together for ya.