The Next Day…

Luke arose early that morning, without Aunt Beru's customary knock on his door, dressed quickly, and grabbed the injured hawk. After a fast breakfast he was out the door, the bird nestled snuggly in a pack on his back, leaving his arms free for any climbing they might need to do.

On and on Luke trudged, until at last, the entrance to Maia's cave became visible.

"Just a little further, little guy, Maia will fix you up. You'll be good as new in no time." Luke said, panting from exertion. Into the cave they went, the boy and the hawk, and finally they reached old Maia.

"Ah, hello there, my little star child." Maia greeted in her raspy voice, never once looking up from her cooking. "How are you, and who is your little winged friend?"

"I haven't given him a name yet. I'm worried. His dehydrated, but won't accept even a little moisture, and his wing is all funny, but I can't get a good look at it." Luke was on the verge of tears. He was trying so hard, but he didn't really know what to do.

"There, there, little star child. Come, bring the little bird here, Maia will fix him." She extended her bony arms out to him to take the hawk and Luke handed it to her. The hawk immediately tried to bite her. "Oho, ho, ho! A little warrior! Just the right companion for my little star child. Perhaps Cedric will be your name, hmm?" Maia moved off and grabbed a few things. "Now my little star child, we shall treat this bird and should he chose to stay with you, we will name him." She said, smiling, giving her wrinkled face more wrinkles.

"I liked Cedric. What does it mean?" Luke asked, as he bound the birds wing like Maia.

"It means 'Battle-chieftain', my little one. He is a warrior, this one." Maia said, tenderly, as she gave the bird some strange liquid. "He will be fine, little one, but you must go home. Take him with you, and every morning before you head out, and every evening before you lay down, for a week, give him some of this infusion. When the week is over, come and see Maia again."

"Yes ma'am." Luke tucked the hawk back into the pack, took the three bottle Maia gave him of the drink, and trudged home, wishing he could have stayed with Maia.

A Week Later…

Once more Luke trudged through the desert to the cool cave in which Maia resided, the hawk tucked gently into his pack. It had been a week since his last visit, and he was looking forward to it. But something nudged at the corner of his mind, anticipation, of some sort. What it was that he was anticipating was unknown, but he got the distinct impression that this would be the last time he'd see Maia for several years. The last time he saw Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen for several years. But why?

When he finally reached Maia she seemed excited. Her old body twitching and jerking with childlike anticipation, a gleeful smile on her face as she slowly accepted the hawk, trying hard not to startle it, despite her intense joy.

"Today, my little star child! Today, of all days!" She laughed happily. "I'm so happy for you, my little star child!"

Luke wasn't sure what she was talking about, and his questions were met with vague answers. "You shall soon see, little one, soon. Now, little hawk, your wing is healed. You must chose, stay with my little star child and leave this dusty planet, or go on your own way, and remain in the desert."

The hawk blinked, turning his head to look at Luke inquisitively, as if to say "You're going somewhere? Where?" Luke could only shrug, he didn't know what was going on any more than the bird did. The hawk looked back at Maia, and then, with a few quick flaps was airborne. He soared high up in the cave, pulling loops and diving straight down, before perching gently on Luke's small shoulder. "Ah, you will stay with him, then. Very well, Cedric, I had a feeling you would." Maia said, with a conspiritory wink, "So I made this for you Luke." She handed him a small metal whistle that hung on a silver chain.

Luke gave it a blow and from the small whistle came the sweetest sound ever.

"If ever you need him and he is not there, the sound of the whistle, when blow by your lips, no one else's, will call him to you." Maia hugged him. "Now, you'd better go. Destiny awaits you, Luke. Go, and when you return, come and see me."

Luke was still clueless, but he trudged obediently on.