'ello, peoples of the earth!

At long last, I have made my triumphant return from a two-week meditative retreat (also known as an awful writer's block that drove me up the wall)! During this period, I was able to make plans and practice my writing. Let's just hope this unscheduled break yields some results.

I would like to thank katierosefun, Lux's Sister, Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416, Zenkid100, and CaylithTheGolden for reviewing, and I would also like to thank all the readers that decided to click on this story once again. Thank you so, so much!

And now, without further ado, I present Chapter 6 of Style. Hope y'all enjoy! :)

That evening, the three Jedi had more than enough water to drink to wash down their ration bars. Instead of bickering, sounds of laughter rose from the campsite. The plentiful water had raised all their spirits, Kira thought as she went to fill her canteen with water for the fifth time.

And when Caleb decided to push Kira in the water, she was able to pull him in with her, where she berated him for a moment before splashing him. As expected, Caleb retaliated, and the two splashed each other in the shallow water for a while until Depa called them.

Luckily, neither of the Padawans had had their robes on during the unexpected bath. Still laughing, they climbed up the bank and picked up their robes. Then they separated, Caleb disappearing behind some large rocks and Kira heading behind a few trees on the bank, to undress and wrap their robes around themselves while their clothes dried off.

Depa scolded the two teenagers when they arrived back at the campsite, but Kira could tell that Depa was glad the Padawans had actually been able to goof off with each other without fighting and was enjoying the truce while it lasted.

Kira rather liked the peace, too.

"Kira," Caleb said, waving his hand in front of her face.

Kira flinched. "Yeah?"

"You zoned out there for a second." Caleb took a swig from his canteen. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm perfectly fine, thanks." A sudden breeze sent shivers down Kira's spine, and she wrapped her robe tighter around her shoulders.

Caleb eyed her for a moment. "Cold?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Jedi don't lie, Caleb."

"Hypocrite."

Kira didn't dignify that insult with an answer. Instead, she stood up from her seat and approached the fire they had made earlier. The heat of the day had disappated once the sun went down, and the sudden lack of sun made Kira chilly.

Depa was seated next to the fire, and she spoke when Kira approached. "It's getting late," she commented gently. "You should go to bed soon."

Kira nodded in response. "Are we taking the same shifts as last night?"

"I believe so." Depa stood and picked up a few pieces of wood from a pile she'd made next to the fire. When she tossed them into the flames, sparks flew and rose up into the air. "Caleb will wake you when it is time for your watch."

"Yes, Master Billaba."

Depa left the fire and headed over to speak to Caleb. Kira lay beside the fire and watched the Master and Padawan talk. Caleb gestured with his hands as he replied to whatever Depa was telling him. Kira could tell he wasn't pleased, but with what she didn't know.

At last, Caleb rose and allowed Depa to take his place on the bank. He silently made his way to the fire, lay down opposite Kira, and closed his eyes.

Shifting to tuck her arm under her head, Kira rolled over on her other side and brought her knees to her chest. The fire was warm behind her back and quickly made her feel rather drowsy.

Within minutes, Kira was out like a light.

"So you're telling me that you decided to go out on your own to look for some form of fresh meat? You decided that it would be best to go alone and not tell me where you planned to go? Do you realize how scared Kira and I were?"

Kira had to give Caleb credit for having the decency to look ashamed, but she was still mad. Half the morning had been wasted because Caleb had decided to take an impromptu hunting trip, and though the Jedi were not supposed to feel anger, Kira was absolutely livid. After Depa was finished scolding Caleb, Kira was considering giving him a piece of her mind.

It wasn't as if Kira had an unjustified reason to be angry. One minute, Caleb had been helping to pack up the supplies after he and Kira had dressed. When Kira had turned around, he was gone. She and Depa hadn't heard him run off into the jungle, so they'd had no idea where he'd gone. Kira would never admit it out loud, but she'd been worried sick.

"I'm sorry, Master," Caleb apologized.

"You should be." Depa exhaled, breathless from her scolding, then went back to business. "What's done is done. Your little stunt has cost us precious time, but we can make up for it. Let's get moving." Casting one more glare Caleb's way, Depa adjusted her grip on the supplies and started off. The Padawans were close behind.

Kira refused to even look at Caleb.

This didn't escape the boy's notice. "Let me guess. You're angry with me too, huh?" he said quietly, so as not to stir Depa's wrath again.

Kira didn't answer, but she did speak to herself in her head. Yes.

"And now you're giving me the silent treatment?"

Yes.

"Oh, come on. You can't ignore me for the rest of this adventure, can you?"

I can and I will. Now shut up, if you please.

"Point taken."

Kira raised an eye marking, wondering if Caleb was reading her mind. She'd heard of some Jedi who could do so. Still she said nothing, and the walk along the shore was silent once again.

After a while, the trio came upon a shallow, relatively calm place to cross. Not only was the current weak indeed, but there was even a line of large stones that they could use as a bridge of sorts. Kira thanked the Force for the lucky find, as she had not liked remaining wet all afternoon after the previous time they'd crossed a river.

Here it was that they crossed. Depa went first, as always, then Kira and Caleb followed. Some rocks were too far apart for Kira to merely jump to cross the distance; she used the Force to avoid landing in the water.

Near the end of the rocks, Kira nearly lost her balance. Though she got it back, her foot accidentally fell in the water and splashed Caleb, who was jumping the rocks behind her. "Hey!" he yelled indignantly.

Kira giggled, looking back at Caleb to see his annoyed expression. This was her folly, for when she turned around, Caleb quickly crouched, dipped his hand in the water, and flicked it. Little water drops landed all over Kira's face, hair and neck. She squealed playfully, forgetting her anger for the moment, and splashed Caleb back. Laughing, she jumped to the next rock before he could react.

The Padawans raced to the end of the rocks, trying hard to dodge each other's water attacks. Several times, one of them would almost fall in the river before getting their bearings.

Depa stood on the bank, watching the two act like children. She was shaking her head, but she had a small smile on her face. Kira had a sneaky feeling that the Master didn't mind their play all that much. In any case, she made no move to stop them.

At last, Caleb attempted to splash Kira one more time, but he tripped on a slippery rock and fell face first into the river. The water was shallow enough that Caleb wouldn't drown, but it was deep enough that he became completely drenched. Kira burst out laughing at the surprised, startled expression on his sun-kissed face when his head popped out of the water.

To both Padawans' surprise, Depa began to laugh, too. Caleb wasn't too happy about that. "All right, I get it," he said, running a hand through his wet hair to get it out of his face. "I'm one big joke. Now can somebody please help me up?"

"You're not a joke, Caleb," Depa replied through her laughter as Kira hopped onto the bank. "But if you saw yourself, I believe you'd agree that you are quite the funny sight at the moment."

Caleb wasn't amused. He stood up and headed to the bank. "Glad I could provide a moment of comic relief," he said. He didn't sound at all glad.

Kira shook her head and extended her hand when Caleb reached the edge of the bank. "Lighten up, would you?" she said as she pulled him up. "It's not that bad."

"I've been humiliated!"

Kira rolled her eyes. "No, you haven't been," she chided him. "It would've been worse if Cadena had seen you. You'd never hear the end of it from her."

Caleb's eyes widened. "Don't tell her, Kiki. Please don't tell her."

Kira pretended to think for a moment. "Fine. I won't tell her."

Caleb sighed, relieved.

"Well!" Depa said brightly, hoisting the supply bundle. "Now that that's over, let us continue. I believe it won't be much further until we reach help."

That thought was a cheering one, and after Caleb and Kira filled their canteens to the brim, the group forged on, eager to return to civilization once more.

Around midafternoon, dark clouds gathered in the skies. Kira bit her lip, studying them. "We're in for a storm," she observed. She felt as if she could almost taste the bitter tang of electricity in the air as she spoke. "Soon, too."

Depa nodded in agreement. "It won't just blow itself out, either. It's going to linger."

This statement was true. The storm was bringing no breeze with it. On the contrary, the air was as still as a tomb. The humidity was almost unbearable to Kira, who felt as if the fluid was being sucked right out of her skin.

"We're almost there," Depa said, sensing Kira's discomfort. Kira nodded in reply, for there was a faint whiff of smoke in the air. She truly couldn't wait for this ordeal to be over and done with. What she wouldn't give for a cold shower in the refresher on the Fist.

Caleb emerged from the jungle, where he'd been scouting ahead. Despite the head, his face was paler than usual. "Er, Master?" he said. "You might want to come see this."

Kira and Depa exchanged worried glances, then they hurried after Caleb, who led the way through the foliage to the edge of another clearing.

Only this one wasn't natural.

Before the three, a downed Republic ship lay in the middle of the trees. Smoke still rose from the wreckage, and the hull was damaged beyond repair. Kira knew without Caleb having to tell her that there were no survivors.

Still, Kira couldn't help gasping. Depa stayed calm. "Obi-Wan made the right call," she said. "It seems that the Separatists are out here in uncharted territory. This couldn't possibly have happened more than a few days ago."

"There's something else, too, Master," Caleb said. He gestured towards the northeast. "There's a Separatist base located in that direction. It seems they have a new weapon that can shoot ships in space from the ground. I'm guessing this wreckage must be the remains of a test subject."

"An educated guess, my young Padawan," Depa said, her mouth a straight line. "Do you think you could make a transmitter out of this wreckage?"

"I can try," Caleb replied.

Depa nodded and turned to Kira. "You and I will go take a look at this new weapon and see what we're up against."

Kira inclined her head.

Depa glanced at the gathering clouds. "We'll come back here when we're finished, Caleb. Stay here and don't move."

"Yes, Master."

"I mean it, Caleb. Don't run off." With that, Depa gestured to Kira, and the two set off on another long trek through the jungle.

Let's just say this. I. Hate. Fillers. It's not the big, dramatic scenes that give me all the trouble, oh no! It's the freaking FILLERS.

Kira: You know what I hate? I hate Caleb.

Me: No, you don't.

Kira: Yes, I do.

Me: Well, you better not tell him that. You've still got a ways to go with him.

Kira: ARGH! I swear if he goofs off again, I'll start pulling my hair out!

Caleb: *enters room* Hey, guys. What'd I miss?

Me: Enh. Not much.

Kira: *pretends to be invisible*

Caleb: Oh, hey there, Kira!

Kira: *mutters* Blast.

Me: Well, this is awkward.

*silence*

Me: Whose turn is it to pick a song? Does anyone know?

Caleb: It's my turn.

Kira: No, it's mine!

Me: STOP BICKERING. Caleb can do it because he wanted to do it last time and he didn't get a chance.

Caleb: Huzzah!

Kira: *sulks*

Tablet: I feel better, better, better than before, I feel better, better, now I'm not down any more...

Me: Remember, whoever guesses the song correctly first gets a preview and a cookie! Kira? Want to finish us off?

Kira: *sigh* Review if you liked it, hated it, or wanted to light it up and watch it burn. Thanks.

Me: Thanks for clicking in, peoples, and may the Force be with you always! See you next time! :)