Imperial Memories and Forgotten Dreams
I do not own anything Star Wars. Han, Leia, and Luke are all borrowed characters, obviously, with Samantha Heart and Komiak being my own creation.
I wrote this a LONG time ago so please be patient as I "update" it...lol. Enjoy!
Chapter Ten:
Nightmares and Snow
I wake to hands lifting me and a gentle voice. Looking up I see Han over me, cradling me as he lifts me from the ground. I hear Nakita somewhere near by and I reach up, gripping Han's shirt.
"What's going on?" I ask, my voice sounding groggy.
"We're leaving." He says quietly. He shifts me up, sliding me easily on Nakita's back where strong, familiar arms circle around me, holding me tight against a warm body. I try to move but can't. Looking down I see a blanket wrapped around me.
"Go back to sleep." Luke whispers to me. "It's all right." I snuggle up against him as Nakita begins to move beneath us, the snow crunching under her hooves.
I remain awake for a while, drifting between sleep and waking, relishing the feel of Luke's arms around me when suddenly I pick up a presence near us, shadowing us. My hands tighten on Luke's shirt and he glances down at me. I am wide awake now, staring out into the woods.
"She's here." Luke frowns.
"Who?"
"The female Talar, the white one. She's nearby. She knows we're here." I say quietly. Suddenly I hear one of the wolves howl, a distance away, and Nakita snorts.
They have picked up the scent of the Talar pack. They are ahead of us, up in the pass. Nakita sends to us both. Luke's arms tighten around me slightly and he looks down at me.
"What do we do?" He asks. I don't move for a long moment, thinking, then sigh.
"Nothing we can do. It is too late to turn back. At least we know they are there. We will be prepared." Luke nods, relaying the message on to Nakita before sliding one hand up, cupping the side of my head and guiding my head to his shoulder.
"Rest. I can tell you are still weak." I nod, the touch of his hand gentle on the side of my head, his fingers stroking my temple pushing me toward sleep.
I am running, always running. The cold wind whips at my face and neck, the cloak doing little to shield me from the intense cold and driving snow. I can sense them behind me, can still hear their yells in my mind. I know it is only my own fear creating the sensation of their hands grabbing at me but it still spurs me on faster. Ahead of me I see the dark shape of Komiak, the she-wolf lunging through the snow.
I suddenly fall, my legs trapped by a deep snow drift. I cry out, hoping Komiak can hear me, but the wind swallows my voice as I land deep in the snow. All around me the snow. It piles higher atop me, burying me alive. I cry out, my throat raw yet I still cannot hear my own voice above the winds. I claw desperately at the snow, yet it still piles higher and higher.
I hear someone yelling my name, and I try to crawl toward it, the snow pushing me deeper and deeper into the drift, dragging me down.
There is no warning. Luke has no time to catch me before I suddenly convulse, falling abruptly and heavily from the saddle. The nightmare still echoes in my mind and I feel it's grip on me tighten as I feel the deep snow beneath me. I am dimly aware of others around me and I crawl away, only knowing that they are after me, that I can't let them catch me, can't let them touch me. I crawl away as best I can, the snow making me lose my grip on anything I try to grab.
Komiak suddenly appears from behind the group, in full wolf form, and knocks Luke down to keep him from approaching. Han and Leia hang back, staring in horror as Komiak walks forward toward the cowering form near them. Nakita remains back a bit, making sure Luke stays put before walking forward once more.
I huddle against a large rock, pressing my body against it as the convulsions racking my body slowly ease. I struggle to breathe, the weight on my chest relentless. I hear snow crunch near me and my arm shoots up, black lightning crackling around my fingers. The snow around me starts to melt from the heat of the lightning and the heat coursing through my body. The dark side clutches at my frantic and fear-paralyzed mind, taking over me.
Samantha. The voice echoes through my mind.
"LEAVE ME ALONE! GO AWAY!" I scream, curling my fingers slightly to concentrate the lightning.
Samantha, it's me. Komiak. Hearing the name I pause, fighting to remember.
"You left me behind." I whisper. Near me I see the familiar black form take a step closer. "You left me behind." I say again, rage starting to build. The dark side of the force suddenly explodes, the snow all around me for at least four feet instantly melting, revealing solid rock.
I came back, don't you remember? I came back for you. The voice insists. I curl my fingers tighter, the crackling of the lightning growing more intense.
"You left me all alone. Even after everything they did to me because of you, even after you promised me, you left me alone. You abandoned me!" I say, my voice rising as I speak. Tears gather in my eyes as my vision clears slightly. I can see Komiak clearly, the she-wolf only feet away. I can see her fear, sense it through the force. Nakita is right behind her, barely able to keep herself from bolting. Even from the distance I can see the whites of her eyes. I can see others behind them and I rise to my feet so fast Komiak flinches. The movement snaps Nakita out of her fright and she begins backing away. I can feel the darkness coursing through me, feeding my rage and pain.
Samantha... I hold both hands out, palms facing each other, and the lightning begins to gather between my palms. The snow-less circle of rock around me continues to expand as I step forward, letting the dark side of me rage out of control.
"You will pay for what you did. You will pay for abandoning me." I growl. The lightning grows even more, the dark forces arching from my hands and striking the ground. I can feel the wind pick up, driven by my hate. My hair whips in the wind, almost straight up in the air, and I clench one fist, the lighting energy gathering around one fist.
"Samantha! Don't!"
The voice somehow reaches me, something deep within me reacting. Every cell in my body suddenly feels as if I am being ripped apart and I scream, my vision suddenly going white as I hear Komiak suddenly growl deep in her chest, something hard impacting me.
The snow is suddenly gone from around me, and I can hear the sound of Komiak growling. Suddenly she is there, digging around my body to free me from the snow. Weakly I reach up and wrap my arms around her neck, managing to keep a hold of her as she drags me through the snow, down the slope toward the relative shelter of the forest far below.
My vision clears slowly, and I stare up at the steel gray sky a long moment.
Komiak is standing over me, her muzzle clamped firmly around my neck, my head tilted back. My body is limp beneath hers, my right hand radiating agony up my arm. Tears run freely down my face as I move my head enough to look Komiak in the eye.
One large wolf eye studies me intensely, and after a moment she releases slowly, keeping a paw on my chest. I stare up at her, struggling to breathe.
"You came back for me." I whisper. She nods. "I remember now." She kneels her head down and nuzzles my chin lightly. I roll onto my side, curling up into a ball as the shaking starts again.
I hear movement near me but don't look up as Komiak speaks, in human form now.
"Thanks. You guys go on ahead. We have to stay behind for now. We'll catch up."
"Are you sure?" Hearing Luke's voice, sensing his presence, his clean, bright presence in the force so close to me, I suddenly sit up, rising quickly to my feet. Luke stands just a few feet away, startled by how fast I had reacted.
"Luke." I reach out to him, about to take a step forward when Luke backs away. In his eyes all I see is fear. Behind him Han is on the ground, Leia huddled behind him. Han has his blaster drawn, aimed directly at my head. I ignore them, intent on Luke. He stares at me, a bit more composed but afraid.
I collapse onto my knees in the snow, the pain of his expression burning in my mind. I wrap my arms around myself, rocking slightly. Komiak comes up behind me, dressed in clothes Luke had handed her before and she wraps her arms around me.
"Go on ahead. Now." Komiak demands. "Luke, take the pack horse. Nakita has to stay here. Further ahead is a stand of trees, wait for us there."
Once they are gone Komiak turns to me, reaching out to me. I shy away, huddling closer to the rocks.
"Samantha..."
"Stay away." I say softly. Komiak sighs and sits cross legged near me.
"You need to go back. We've just entered the pass. I can guide them from here. They won't blame you. Go." I shake my head, reaching out for Nakita. She approaches slowly, allowing me to stroke her muzzle before helping me rise. I cling to her neck, my legs still weak.
"No. I have to see this through." I don't continue until I am up on Nakita's back. "Unload the pack horse of all the supplies except only what we need. Stow the rest in a safe location for us to come back and get later. I'm going on ahead."
"You can't stay out there alone." Komiak demands, jumping to her feet.
"I am to great a risk to be around you all. It is better this way." I pause, staring down at her.
"In case something happens..." My voice dies and I inhale deeply, looking away from Komiak's gaze. "Goodbye."
Luke watches Komiak approach the stand of trees where they had stopped, worry creasing his brow. Komiak walks with her head low, her movements slow. Luke scans the area behind her, looking for Samantha.
Komiak looks up just as Luke scans the ground behind her. Her ears wilt further and she stops, forcing her head high. As soon as she gets within the trees she changes, the clothing she had been wearing falls to the ground from where they had been tossed over her back. She dresses quickly and joins the group.
"Come on, on your mounts. We have to go a bit further before nightfall." Han and Leia exchange a glance as Luke mounts up on the pack mount.
"Where's Samantha?" Han asks as he helps Leia up. Komiak doesn't answer, instead Luke speaks up.
"She left."