Kayla hummed as she sat cross-legged within what had been designated her space. Her back was to the wall, just beneath the vents, her helmet still off as she took some time to eat and recover some strength from the day. Her gaze remained on her lap even as she listened carefully to the sounds of the streets above, though also keeping an ear out for any footsteps to indicate anyone coming her way.

She'd had yet to hear from Din since she'd left him earlier in afternoon. Admittedly she was a tad hurt by his decision to not say goodbye to her, or even come past since their small disagreement, though it was likely more testament to how much he'd secretly disagreed with his own actions than her statements. All Kayla could hope was that he would at least check in on the child, even if he didn't come back to see her.

"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

The loud yelling from above followed by multiple sets of rushed footsteps made Kayla frown, the sound most unusual for this time of night. A bad feeling settled in her chest as she slowly got to her feet, hands automatically picking up her helmet and sliding it on. Her visor automatically flickered to night vision as she pulled herself up to the vent, allowing her to see multiple lifeforms moving away from the centre of town. Her eyes narrowed.

"Told you that Mandalorian was bad news." One of them gloated as they moved past, confirming Kayla's suspicions that Din had perhaps gone to check on the child, questioned his Guild and, in the process, incited the violent reaction he'd hinted about.

Wordlessly she dropped herself down from the vent and moved to the chest at the side of her space. Pulling the lid open, she cast a look over the various trinkets Din had collected for her over the years, before settling on the folded fabric in the corner. She gently pulled the burgundy clan cloak from under the items, rubbing her hand over it before nodding, throwing it over her shoulders and connecting it in place. Taking a breath, she flared it out slightly, admittedly feeling a tad strange with the addition but knowing it was tradition.

Kayla glanced briefly back over her shoulder, hearing more voices, a small tinge of panic beginning to set in. A red flare of blaster fire was all it took before she exited her small space, walking briskly through the halls. Her cape fluttered behind her as she moved at pace, her brain well past the stage of clear thought as she dived to the forge.

"Buir, I need," She called out, only to stop as her gaze settled upon Paz who sat before the forge with his son. She didn't move as her fellow Mandalorians turned their gaze to her, her mother frowning under her helmet at the sight of the cloak once owned by Kayla's father hanging off her daughter's frame.

"What is this about young one?" Her mother called, breaking Kayla's gaze away from Paz and his young son. Seeing the child seemed to have thrown her daughter, who seemed to be stuck debating her next words, head moving between her and Paz. However, before the Armourer could prompt further, Kayla's set back her shoulders and puffed out her chest in a way that had the elder woman growing concerned.

"I believe Din Djarin is in trouble." Kayla revealed to the group, earning a scoff from Paz who moved to get to his feet, helping his son do the same.

"Of course he is." The blue warrior bit out, shaking his head, "What has he done now?"

"On his latest job there was a child that the Empire desired, I believe he's gone to rescue it." Kayla offered in explanation, leaving out the tidbit about Din handing the child over in the first place. She cast a glance to the young child of Paz before continuing, "It would be against the code of the Guild that he works for to question or move against clients and as such I believe that they may be after him."

"You would risk the covert for that coward?" Paz huffed, shaking his head as he stood in front of his son. Kayla shook her head, backing down from her initial thoughts in calling the tribe to arms, admittedly not having even considered the effect on the children already in the care of the tribe. Her selfishness having taken over once she'd heard on the threat against Din.

"I will go myself Paz." Kayla denied, her tone a hint somber before sighing, turning her gaze to the matriarch of the tribe, her hands clenched into fists, ignoring the sharp look of disappointment from him as she continued, "Din is following the way of Mandalore, and as such that child should be considered a foundling, and if not, we are still bound by creed to help our own." She cast a look to Paz, sensing him about to comment on her attachment, "No matter how you may feel about them."

"We are indeed bound by creed," The Armourer began as she got to her feet, preparing to move to her daughter only to pause as the vents surrounding the room flooded with the red flashes of blaster fire. Kayla lifted her head to the nearest vent, body automatically moving to the closest gap, away from her mother and Paz, as shouting and explosions could be heard. Her hand fell to her blasters, her chest tugging once more for her to leave, as her head continued to remind her to remain until permission was granted. She quietly turned back to look at her fellow Mandalorians, for the first time in a long time, feeling completely uncertain of her place.

The Armourer glanced between her daughter and the vent, watching as her daughters' grip tightening around her weapons, seeing the tension across her body. She was almost able to see the hopelessness and fear for this Din Djarin radiating from Kayla. Her heart clenched for her child, as she silently debated her role of mother verses that of the tribe leader. Her gaze turned down.

"I'll gather our brethren." Paz decreed suddenly, causing the clan of of two to turn to look at him. He sighed in frustration, more so at himself, not looking at either of them as he responded, "As irritating as Din Djarin is, you are right. He is one of us. And we are bound by creed to help our own."

Kayla felt her shoulders sag, and found herself nodding, replying earnestly, "Thank you, Paz." The blue warrior nodded, picking up his son before disappearing to do as he'd just said, Kayla instantly moved to follow when she was paused by a hum from the gold helmet of her mother. She winced, turning herself around quickly, "Buir, I am sorry but,"

"Come here young one." The Armourer ordered lightly, cutting over what she was sure would not be a true apology anyway. A light smile of adoration made its way onto her face as Kayla didn't hesitate to follow the instruction, moving to stand before her. The Armourer slowly lifted her hand, placing it on the helmet of her daughter, who instantly bowed her head at the contact, "Ibi'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. Go well young one." (Today is a good day for someone else to die.)

Kayla froze at the phrase, pulling back and lifting her head up to her mother as she tried to read between the lines. Seeing nothing else coming from her mother, she nodded slowly, before quickly pulling her mother in for a hug, "Ret'urcye mhi." (Maybe we'll meet again)

Her mother nodded once as Kayla took a step back, the younger offering her a nod in response before she turned and left, purposefully avoiding looking back no matter how much she wanted to. The red warrior exited the forge, casting a glance to the right and nodded, hearing multiple Mandalorian voices calling for weapons. Content Paz would keep his word, and the rest would follow, she turned to the left, heading to the exit.

Kayla paused as she was met with the bottom step of the secret entrance to the covert. Her choice she knew would leave to repercussions, the covert would be at risk, clans separated, Mandalorians killed. Foundlings could be endangered, their lives changed by her reaction and decision to speak up for Din. Her own name was at stake, she was the last of her clan, her death would lead to the end of one of the oldest clans.

One explosion was all it took to throw thoughts and concerns from her brain. Kayla bounded up the stairs to the world she'd left behind a while ago, her mind only thinking of protecting Din and the child he'd found on his travels.

Her steps slowed as she arrived at the top of the entrance to the covert, her heart hammering in her chest as she let out a breath and finally took a step out from the darkness she'd been living in for the past few years. Her steps were slow and careful as if she expected a mine to have been placed, her head twisting violently as she worked on getting her bearings, uncertain of the true terrain of Nevarro compared to the underground tunnels she'd become accustomed to. Cautiously pushed herself out further from the the entrance, though continuing to stick to the shadows as she listened out for more blaster fire.

As she moved, Kayla lifted a hand to her head, adjusting her visors to display heat signals. With the advantage and seeing no masses of red, her steps became more confident as she made her move down the street, though unable to help pulling out one of her blasters as she walked. It wasn't much further before she spotted a few hot tracks and signs of blaster fire, eyes narrowing on instinct as she crouched down and placed a hand on the ground, eyeing the hot footprints. Humming, she continued on, following the heat signs and not bothering to cover her own tracks in anyway, knowing it would only help Paz and the others would follow. Hunting an enemy down was not something any of them had had to do in a while, but all the lessons from her childhood were coming back quickly. She kept to the shadows, moving quickly but silently only to pause as a huge flare of heat exploded not far from her.

She was off in an instant.

Kayla paused against the wall of an alley as she came upon a group of people, her head tilting to peer around the corner as she pulled out her secondary blaster. Her eyes darted over the targets before her, trailing over their weapons with interest. None of them looked back in her direction, their attention focused on a target ahead, a target she quickly realised was a pinned down Din who was ducking for cover behind some crates. The tense silence that filled the steer indicated to her the group were at an impasse, and as such she took the opportunity to study what she assumed what had been Din's fellow bounty hunters, her quickly eyeing her first few easy targets.

Her head tilted as the familiar sound of jetpacks filled her ears. Her lips quirking into a smirk as she spun her blasters once around her fingers before lifting her arms, taking the opportunity to line up her first two targets before pulling back her finger on the tigger.

Chaos immediately ensued, the huge group of bounty hunters turning around just in time for multiple blaster shots to come raining down from above. Kayla jumped out from the alley she'd been hiding in, rolling to the side as she continued to shoot, doing her best to move towards Din while taking down enemies. The red warrior ducked quickly to avoid fire, still smiling slightly, a familiar rush filling her as she only just avoiding multiple shots. Reactively she reached back up, quickly aiming and taking out two more before continuing forward towards Din, her haste leaving her open and causing a grunt of pain to escape her as a shot bounced off her beskar. Kayla let out a small huff as she immediately ducked, shuffling until she was right beside Din. Her fellow Mandalorian glancing her over once while lifting his hand and pulling the trigger, the hunter who'd clipped Kayla falling to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Din questioned, Kayla moving to his side, settling her left blaster back in his holster while lifting her right blaster to offer some cover.

"Helping you." She answered easily, taking down another hunter before glancing over at him. Seeing Din in one piece, her eyes fell down to the bundle of blanket beside him unable to see what was inside by just glad he had the child, "Where's your ship?" Din seemed to short circuit at the question, turning to stare at the red helmet of Kayla, unsure if she was saying what he thought she was.

"The Covert…"

Kayla turned her head back to the fight, blaster hand lowering slightly, as she let out a sigh, "I can't leave forever," She admitted, "but the covert will need time to rebuild." She fired off another blast at a hunter who had been aiming for Din, "And so, for now, Din Djarin, I am with you."

Din seemed too stunned to respond to her reveal, him continuing to stare at her, ignoring the chaos surrounding them. Kayla felt herself smiling slightly, her own shock at the opportunity completely covered by the concern she still had about getting him and the child out alive, but still appreciative of his silent excitement. She turned to make a comment, only to gasp and throw herself forward, covering Din and the Child as a huge explosion from a thermal detonator occurred just behind them. She didn't wait for Din to react, pushing herself up to return fire just as Paz descended from above, taking out many hunters with his heavy infantry blaster.

"You took your time." Kayla bit out somewhat playfully as she got to her feet, throwing a hand down to help pull Din up who didn't hesitate to accept.

"Some of us actually perform our duties." Paz tossed back, as he continued to offer covering fire, "Now, get outta here. We'll hold them off." Kayla nodded her head, taking another few shots.

"You're going to have to relocate the covert." Din advised as he lifted his own blaster to shoot back at a few hunters.

"This is the way." Paz nodded.

"This is the way." Kayla and Din returned.

Kayla pulled back out her other blaster as Din picked up the swaddled child, tucking it into his chest before looking at his red companion. Wordlessly she gestured for him to start moving, as she began walking backwards to try and continue to offer cover. Once she felt they were far enough away, she turned, tucking her blasters away and sprinting after Din who had just made it into the ramp of his ship.

"Hold it Mando." She heard a voice call inside the ship, Kayla's pace slowing as she instead took careful steps to hide her approach, slowly pulling out her blaster, though not lifting it just in case this was not an enemy, "I didn't want it to come to this," The voice declared, Kayla now able to see a man holding a gun at Din and the child, her eyes narrowing as she lifted her blaster, frowning as she caught Din lifting a single finger slightly in warning for her to hold off, "But then you broke the Code."

Kayla lifted a hand in silent gesture, asking if she could kill him now. Din didn't drop his finger but instead tilted his head, leaving Kayla unsure if it was out of amusement with her or to intimidate this man. After what Kayla thought was too long, he eventually acted, Din letting off one of his remaining whistling birds into his ships carbon freezing system, activating the smog. While the man was blinded, the two Mandalorians visors switched to heat vision once more. Seeing Din's movement to the back of the ship, Kayla let out a sigh and dropped her gun, instead watching as the enemy let off shot after shot yet continued to miss.

Din waited for a gap which soon arrived as Greef Karga paused his shooting to try and get a better view. Taking the opportunity gifted to him, Din lined up the shot and pulled the trigger. He watched quietly as Karga, the man he'd regularly worked for and bartered with, collapsed backwards as the force of the blast hitting his chest knocked him onto the ramp of the Razor Crest. Din didn't move, eyes still on Karga, until movement from the red armour of Kayla caught his attention. He watched she wordlessly hopped onto the ramp, turning and kicked the groaning man, rolling him down the ramp onto the sandy planet below. He felt a tinge of amusement fill him, tilting his head as she cast him a look.

"That necessary?" He couldn't help but ask, not at all offended but unable to withhold himself from engaging in their old ways. Kayla read him effortlessly, crossing her arms in mock annoyance at his amused tone.

"Well, you didn't let me shoot him." Din shook his head at her, making Kayla smile, her shoulders sagging as a load she hadn't realised she'd been carrying fell away from her.

"Here, take the kid. Let's get out of here." Din offered, holding out the blanket to her. Kayla wasted no time in jumping over to pick up the child that all the fuss had been over. Any trailing negative feelings fading into adoration as the green kid with huge ears stared back, cooing while reaching up to pat her helmet, seeming to be enthralled with the different colour.

Din watched the two for a quick moment, thoughts beginning to drift, before forcing himself to focus, moving to ascend the ladder that would lead to the cockpit. He didn't waste anymore time, taking the pilots seat as he worked on getting the Razor Crest into the air and the three of them as for from Nevarro as possible. Once they were off the ground, he cast a glance behind him, a smile grazing his face as a sight he'd never expected to see greeted him, the red helmet of Kayla poking up through the entrance. She didn't wait for an invite, hauling herself and the child up into the space and looking around in what he assumed was wonder, her space travels having been somewhat limited. His chest warmed at the sight, feeling glad he'd finally get the chance to show her where he'd been and what he'd been doing all these years. His eyes continued to follow Kayla, as she looked out over the clouds they were now in, his gaze snapping to the right when a projectile caught his eye. The two Mandalorians stared openly as Paz offered them a salute of goodbye and well wishes before disappearing.

"Huh." Kayla offered as she sat down in the copilot's seat, plopping the child down onto the floor as he wiggled to try and get free of her grip, her well used to this gesture due to her experience with young children of the tribe, "I guess he didn't hate you completely." Din huffed out a half laugh, it slowly fading into a longing sigh.

"I gotta get one of those."

The red warrior chuckled at his comment and nodded in agreement, her eyes still scanning the unfamiliar skies as Din piloted, smile gracing her face as she spotted Din handing the child something from the corner of her eye. Watching the pair before her, her chest filled with a warmth she was unfamiliar with, nothing she'd ever felt while with the covert, something she'd long since forgotten since her fathers passing and her mothers ascension to tribe leader. Kayla settled back in her chair, eyes falling closed as she let out a breath.

She finally felt like she belonged.