Trija laughed and almost galloped to be beside her friend Mical. He kept looking anxiously at Bao-Dur, as if he would jump up and bundle them into the back of a landspeeder. Bao-Dur realised he was still sat on the damp, mossy floor, so he hoisted himself up to be back on his tree stump. He felt it would be too rude to leave these children now. After all, they might be lost. Trija linked her arm through Mical's arm, at which the little boy blushed profusely. It was Bao-Dur's turn to speak:
"So...thank you for finding my canteen," he began awkwardly "Er...do you need help getting home?" Mical seemed to lose his anxiety and started to smile at Bao-Dur. Trija just shook her head wildly.
"No!" She laughed, as if the very idea of them being lost was hilarious. It seemed quite possible to Bao-Dur, though. "We can find our way back. Master Kavar is looking for us. But we're hiding." She pressed a finger to her lips.
"So, er, do you know where I can find Dantari Planes?" Asked Bao-Dur, referring to where the Zabrak camp supposedly was. Trija gasped and nodded.
"Oh, yes! That is near our Enclave. We can show you. If you promise not to rat us out to Kavar." Trija whispered the last part, and looked around wildly as if someone might be listening in. Mical giggled along with her, until Bao-Dur stopped them.
"Erm...promise?" He said, sounding as if the idea was completely bizarre.
"Yep. Pinky swear it, sir!" Trija laughed, unlinking Mical and stepping forwards to offer him her pinky.
Bao-Dur sighed to himself once again. He reluctantly linked his pinky finger with the little girl, who then whooped in celebration.
"Yey! No more lessons!" She cheered. Mical joined in her cheering, both jumping for joy at the same moments. Bao-Dur stood up to leave. He wanted to be early so he could choose where he was going to sleep, but now he was probably going to be late and stuck with sharing a bed with a complete stranger.
"Where you off to?" Mical questioned innocently. Bao-Dur grimaced. He was probably the first Zabrak the two had ever seen.
"Dantari...Planes?" He replied, unsure.
"Oh, come on, follow me. I know where that is. I'm from here" Trija announced proudly.
"Right," Bao-Dur sighed. The last thing he wanted right now was to show up at the camp with two little kids in tow. What would his friends say? He'd hear no end of it.
Bao-Dur and Mical followed a chattering Trija, who talked nearly the whole way to Dantari Planes. A moment of quiet was blissful. Bao-Dur now knew what his mother meant by "silence is golden".
"And, that's our Enclave. We got to be extra quiet when we go past here, so no talking, Mical." She shushed the almost silent little boy impatiently as they trekked over yet another hill. The blush from earlier on had started to wear off Mical's cheeks. Bao-Dur felt a small pang of sympathy for him, but Mical looked happy to be with two people who didn't tease or bully him. Bao-Dur felt someone tapping his forearm. He looked down to see the child Trija wanting his attention. She pointed a small arm to the horizon. It was possible to see some sort of fence in the distance. Tall and wooden with a cheery sign. Bao-Dur raised his eyebrows inquisitively.
"That's Dantari Zed Camp," Trija informed him half-heartedly "Where all the noisy Zabraks are." Bao-Dur chuckled at this. He had heard that the year before that, there had been some sort of juma-fueled party. He was partially looking forward to that side of camp.
"Thanks, kid," he laughed, relieved, swinging his bag over his shoulder "Thanks for the help. Both of you. I might see you again, who knows, eh?" Trija laughed for the final time and smiled up at him.
"We'll come to your camp," Trija told him "We like Juma Juice!" Bao-Dur laughed again and rolled his eyes. He began towards the camp in the distance. He heard them whispering behind him.
"Bye, Mr Horny Man!" Mical yelled, always innocent. He heard a sound like someone being elbowed in the ribs. He could still hear them as he moved further and further away from them.
"What was that for?"
"You don't know?"
"That wasn't nice-"
"Who cares!"
"I'm telling Master Kavar!"
"I'll tell him that you ran away!"
"Bully!"
"I'm going to catch youuu!"
He thought to himself. He didn't know if he did want to meet those kids again. They were a bit too crazy for him. Plus, they were going to be Jedi. And he knew from history and hearing about other's past experiences that Tech Specialists, especially the Zabrak ones, did not often cross paths with Jedi. It didn't matter, anyway. If those kids came to his camp and introduced themselves to his friends, he'd kill them anyway. And there was probably going to be girls at the camp, too. Oh, no. Those bothersome kids were going to stay away if Bao-Dur could do anything about it.