They hadn't anticipated to getting lost or separated from the others but that was what had happened on the planet they had landed on. An Outer Rim planet that wasn't fully explored, they were suppose to search it for sources of fresh water for the Rebellion and possible locations for bases.
So he, Kanan, Sabine and Zeb headed out in the Phantom while Hera and Chopper ran diagnostic and cleaned the Ion scorching from the underbelly of the Ghost.
At one point they had found a area that looked like it might contain fresh water and had landed to search, splitting up into two teams and going in each their direction. Kanan of course stayed close to Ezra, seeing at this wash is first mission since the parasite had been removed. Commander Sato had looked a bit hesitant, his shoulders tense until he realized what mission they were going out on, even smiling a bit to Hera before giving his all go.
The Commander had apparently been affected by Ezra's state and didn't want to see him return to it again as quickly. But the young teen had started to get antsy after just a week in the medical wing and Hera had finally relented and went for one of the easier missions on offer. Just a scouting for resources and perhaps bases.
Now though, Kanan was regretting it. Because after about a hour of walking, a storm had hit and a pack of wild and rather large carnivores had started tracking them, they reminded the Jedi about a mix of tigers and horses at the same time but much bigger then either animals. Kanan hurried Ezra along, the teen stumbling a bit here and there but not objecting. He was to tired to use the Force to control it, his handle on it to strange and awkward since he had woken up less then two weeks ago and Kanan was not able to control the whole pack of big carnivores alone.
"Quicker Ezra...these things sound hungry." Kanan reached for his lightsaber.
"I...I know." Ezra panted as he climbed over a few rocks before abruptly stopping. "Kanan, this is dead end, a cliff." Ezra still hurried forward as they couldn't go backwards with those things behind them. He reached for his own lightsaber now as Kanan followed after him.
"Great. Guess is stand and defend then." Kanan growled quietly, keeping Ezra behind him as they backed up towards the edge, his lightsaber activated with a low hum, hearing the same one behind him.
"They...look angry. Or well hungry...they FEEL hungry." Ezra murmured warily as rain pummeled down against their bodies.
"I haven't seen a lot of prey animals." Kanan answered grimly as the carnivores came over the rock. "They might be to fast or they might fly. We must look delicious to them." He settled on.
Ezra wanted to return something witty to that only to yelp and shot as the first one lounged at them. Only it shook of the blast and snarled angrily at them. "I don't think these will be stunned Ezra!"
"No, I think you're ri-WATCH OUT!" Ezra cried out as two of them pounced, steadily driving them both back until...Ezra's stepped out into nothingness, yelping loudly. Kanan turned quickly, deactivating his blade as he reached for his padawan, gripping his arm only to be pulled forward too, both going out into free fall down the cliff.
Ezra's eyes were wide in fear, flailing with his legs and free arm before he was jerked up and into Kanan's arms, tucked into the others chest. "K-Kanan!?"
The Jedi didn't answer and Ezra felt them shift and halfway slow down thanks to the Force but now Kanan's back was suddenly facing downwards towards the ground with Ezra on top of him. "Hold on." Kanan hissed, gritting his teeth as he tried to slow the impact some more, his fingers digging deeply into Ezra's back.
The teen didn't even have time to protest before they hit.
And they hit hard.
Kanan felt the air being forced out of his lungs and Ezra press down on his ribs. But worst was the pressure that went through his right leg before it snapped, making him let out a guttural yell of pain before he quieted down, feeling rain hit him in the face as the wind picked up, trying to focus on just his breathing.
Ezra laid against him, stunned before the teen started to shift slowly on top of him, lifting his head to look at Kanan, blue eyes wide in fear and shock. "A-Are you alright?"
The older man wanted to reassure him, to ease the worry he saw in those eyes but he knew he wasn't alright. "No...I think my leg broke and my ribs are aching." He managed to wheeze out as Ezra shifted of him. "And my back is burning..." He panted out, trying to get air into him.
Ezra swallowed and shifted more to the side, hissing as he saw Kanan's leg, twisted in a unnatural angle over a rock. "No, no you're not fine." He got out too before looking around, their clothes getting soaked from the storm. "There's...a cave over there." He got up, holding out his hands to Kanan. "Lean on me, I'll get you there." He glanced warily up. "I don't think those things will follow down...unless they know a quicker route down." Ezra added dryly as he took Kanan's hands, carefully pulling his Master up on his feet.
"Mmmn, don't jinx it Ezra." Kanan panted, shaking a bit as leaned on Ezra's smaller figure. "Are you alright?"
"Shaken and my stomach feels sore but else good." Ezra started moving towards the cave opening he had spotted, carefully guiding Kanan along. "I don't think I'm hurt, you took the brunt of the impact...Hera is going to be so worried." He frowned deeply. "...At least we're not sharing the cave with a stinky wet Lasat?" He gave Kanan a half grin.
Kanan snorted dryly at that then groaned at how it made his ribs feel. "Yeah...I guess."
Ezra frowned at the groan and continued guiding Kanan along, inwardly panicking at the injuries. He could try to set the leg, he could rip up his vest or his flightsuit. Find some longer sticks. And he'd have to check Kanan's back for injuries, just in case. His ribs would need a look at too. Ezra wasn't a healer but he could check for bruises at least.
He stopped at the cave entrance though and tried to slowly reach out, to feel for life before giving a frustrated grunt. "I can't..."
Kanan shifted and held out his hand instead, eyes closed. "...Its empty." He murmured and Ezra gave a low sigh of relief as he lead his master into the caves, slowly moving them inwards to get away from the rain that was pouring down. "I don't know if we can light a fire..." He murmured worriedly.
"I think everything is to wet out there...we can get light at least Ezra." The older man assured gently, feeling the light panic from the bond.
"Yea, right, we can." Ezra awkwardly looked around then cursed, looking back towards the outside. "I...I dropped mine."
"Call it to you then." Kanan eyed Ezra, smiling at those blue eyes.
The teen licked his lips then nodded and shifted halfway towards the opening, holding out his hand, focusing again. The same feeling returned but this time he could actually get his lightsaber to come to him. The awkwardness in the Force inside him was still to touch and feel but he could at least manage this.
"You can do this Ezra, I know...I believe in you." The other squeezed Ezra's shoulder carefully as they found a spot that was dry to sit down. Ezra carefully settled Kanan down, staring at him. "I'm not sure about that but I'll try...I'll get some sticks so I can try and set your leg. You try to radio the others." He waited for Kanan to pull his own lightsaber before moving towards the storm and rain again.
He quickly found the right sticks for the job then hurried back, feeling the water soak into his bones.
He found some sticks that would be solid yet long enough to keep Kanan's leg stretched and firmed and hurried back, using his lightsaber until he was at Kanan's side, kneeling down on the cold, unforgiving rocks as he did. "Okay, I...this might hurt Kanan." He gave the older man a quick look.
"I know. But it needs to be done." Kanan took a deep breath and leaned back, gritting his teeth as Ezra took of his vest and started ripping it up for makeshift bandages. "I'll get you a new of those."
"Would appreciate it." Ezra gave a shaky laugh and then reached down, giving Kanan a look before quickly settling the leg and starting to wrap, focusing on that and not Kanan's yell of pain. Instead he made sure to make the makeshift bandages tight around the wood and the leg, settling the leg before reaching for the bottom of Kanan's shirt and pulling it up, critically eyeing the ribs and lightly touching them, listening to the mans hisses and short breaths.
"They...they're bruised from what I can tell. But your legs the worst, its broken. You're gonna need the bone knitter and some strong painkillers when we get back to the ships." He said quietly. "Lean forward so I can check your back?"
Kanan carefully did so, feeling Ezra's smaller hands carefully touch him.
"You're gonna bruise...badly." The teen decided, touching the already deeply reddening back before pulling back. "Did you try radioing for Hera or the others?" He asked as the Jedi settled back again.
"Yes, but I couldn't come through. Storm is scrambling it, you can feel the static in the air." Kanan sighed then reached out and pulled Ezra to him, holding him against his side. "Its going to get chilly." He said softly.
Ezra didn't protest, settling against the other. "Yeah...and we're soaked." He sighed. "At least its not my tower during tornado season." He mused, shifting a bit closer to Kanan's warm side. "It used to shake and rattle, sometimes I thought it was going to give." He sighed a bit.
"...It was that unsteady?" Kanan murmured, tightening his arm around the teen.
"Felt like it, it was built ages ago and I don't think anyone bothered to maintain it for at least ten years. At least not as long as I lived there." Ezra shrugged, tucking his face into Kanan's side while shivering a bit, the rain was cooling against his skin and it was not fun.
Kanan stared down at the dark mop of hair that was plastered against Ezra's skull. "...It kept going though, and you had water?" He rubbed a shoulder slowly, ignoring the ache as best as he could.
"I collected rain water?" Ezra shrugged slower this time. "And sometimes I bought water jugs in town if possible. I did what I had to." He whispered, barely heard over the storm raging outside the cave.
Kanan sighed and nodded, tucking the other close. "You did what you had to. I'm glad. You survived and you're here."
"Might die here too." Ezra chirped.
"...Not a optimistic thought."
"Well we don't know how long this storm is. You're hurt." Ezra pointed out logically.
"It will end, we know that."
"...A warm shower back on the Ghost sounds nice...or on the rebel ships. Not picky about where." Ezra murmured, feeling adrenalin leave his system.
"I'd settle for a doctor and some painkillers." Kanan snorted then sighed. "But yes, a shower too, long and warm..."
"...Kanan I think there's rain in my shoes."
"Mine too. But we can handle it...try resting a bit Ezra." Kanan murmured, his eyes already shut. Ezra looked up at him then blinked, noting how tired he looked before shifting discreetly, keeping himself awake. "Mmmn..."
Quietly he watched the other man fall asleep, taking steady breathes until he knew Kanan was asleep, the Jedi lax against the cave walls. "Its alright Kanan...I'll keep a eye out...just in case." He murmured quietly.
He kept himself awake, sometimes shifting closer to Kanan's side and sometimes trying akwardly to reach out with what control he was slowly starting to grasp with his Force, soothing Kanan's sleeping one.
Ezra kept his eye on the cave opening, in case those carnivores actually did smell them out. And for the storm to end.
He listened to it hammer out and the thunder that followed, counting quietly to hear how far away it was before settling again. Slowly though, the thunder passed over them and went further and further away until only a light drizzle still remained outside.
Ezra took the chance to call for Hera then, sighing in relief as he got contact. They had been gone for five hours, Sabine and Zeb had returned with the Phantom only moments before to inform Hera that they couldn't find Kanan and Ezra.
"We in a cave, can you track our position? Kanan's hurt."
"Hurt?" She sounded worried.
"We...we fell down a cliff side. Kanan took the brunt of the impact, he broke his leg and his back and ribs are bruised." He glanced hurriedly at the Jedi. "He's still asleep right now, but he doesn't look worse of?"
"We're on our way Ezra. And you?"
"Shaken? My stomach feels sore? And I'm tired because I kept awake in case of those carnivores who chased us of the cliff returned. But else I'm good...cold though, rain soaked us both to the bone." He sighed.
"We'll be there in less then fifteen minute Ezra, wake Kanan and we'll come fetch you two in the cave." She sounded tender. He could imagine the smile on her face.
He wondered...would his parents smile the same way if he had done this?
Perhaps...he could know one day.
For now he carefully woke Kanan, smiling to him. They were getting a pickup.
"You don't have to worry Kanan, they're coming for us." He grinned.
"I wasn't worried...I was with you." Kanan smiled tiredly.
Ezra didn't have a answer for that.
Author note: Eh, just something fluffy, we need it sometimes