The T'nuah Boxes: A Xanatos and Teagan Mystery

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The old library was a strangely comforting place to be. It wasn't like anywhere else in Sanctuary, in that it was old, had history, had books, and most importantly, it had life. It was so unique and separate from the rest of everything, and there was an energy that seemed to just permeate all around.

Of course, none of that really mattered when you were trying to study for an exam. No, the only thing that mattered was a desperate need to cram one's brain full of every single thing that might be on the test. No matter how big or how small, each nugget of information was furiously scrawled on a datapad, and a stylus was always pressed to flimsiplast.

There was a table, with a single, solitary girl. She was considered by some to be strange and 'off'. She was sometimes excluded from normal activities. But that never bothered her. She liked to be on her own, with the few friends that she had. She was not the sort to crave acceptance from everyone - just the ones that she felt mattered. Which was why she was here, now. She could've been in a cafeteria, with others, eating and laughing and not really caring. She could be out in the woods running about, with no real place to be. She could be loitering at the cafe that'd sprung up on the outskirts near the landing pad. She could be a lot of places, but she wasn't.

She was here, at the library.

Studying.

Except, she'd come across a strange book in her searches, and it had taken her interest.

Something about someone named Alex Khine. Apparently this Alex Khine investigated mysteries? Murders? She wasn't exactly sure, but there was a determination to find out.

Her studies had been put on an unexpected hold, and Teagan s'Ilancy found herself pulled into the book, her nose practically inside of it as she turned each page.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos stood outside the library, admiring it's large doors and intricate woodwork along the frame of the building before walking in. He'd been allowed to borrow a large amount of materials from here during his confinement and it felt nice to finally be able to walk into the location himself. Libraries were a wonderful place, peaceful and full of knowledge and seekers of knowledge. They were also excellent because they were free. As his first instinct upon being given his freedom had been to get a Tarkin sandwich he'd gotten as far along as the back of the line before realizing he actually didn't have any money that would likely be legal tender in this part of the galaxy, and even less so as he doubted the Empire had wasted any time in seizing his assets after his betrayal.

The cafeteria of course would provide him with at least a basic meal as long as he was he to learn, but if he couldn't satisfy a craving for another of those fantastic sandwiches he could at least satisfy his craving to finally walk into the library. Entering he was greeted by one of the Order, likely assigned to help run the library as part of a rotation, much like had been the case in those who kept watch over his cell on the Whaladon. He smiled at them as best the blue-haired former Imperial could as they considered the man in front of them.

"So... do I need a library card? And if so, can I go ahead and sign up for one." He asked with a bit of a chuckle.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The young man at the front desk looked at the blue-haired man, giving him a strange expression. Not really contempt, as that wasn't the Jedi way, but more a look of puzzlement.

"We're all here to learn, Sir. The knowledge in the library is... free... ?"

Young Jakori, still what some would consider a padawan, made sure to at least smile somewhat.

"We encourage all to take what they can, and learn from those that came before."

Still smiling, Jakori finally lifted a hand to gesture further back. "We have many books, and if you find something that takes your interest, all we ask is that you tell us before taking it."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos raised a hand in a gentle My bad motion, following the motion of his hand around the spacious library. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to how things work here." He nodded and excused himself, leaving Jakori to return to whatever Xanatos had interrupted him from. There were a few others already busy taking advantage of the library, a few Knights standing near the back having a quiet conversation and someone sitting at a table by themselves with their nose deep in... that cover. He knew that cover.

Xanatos walked toward the table, trying to make out which one of the Alex Khine novels it was. He'd read Case of the Singing Sarlacc while in solitary, and had been on a waiting list for the others which always seemed to be checked out or otherwise unavailable. The cover of the second book in the series Alex Khine and the Coruscant Caper came into view.

The person reading it was definitely invested in it, and he felt a twinge of jealousy at what must be a great story. "I don't suppose there are any more copies of that around?" He asked sheepishly. He hated pulling someone out of their reading.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Not exactly expecting the voice that cut into her consciousness like a razor-sharp knife, Tegan reared back in her seat. Her book, still held in a tighte grip with both hands, was pushed out somewhat as she felt her back meet the chair.

"Oh! Well, I don't... "

Eyes tracking to the side and up, she passed her gaze over the.. blue-haired...

She gasped, then opened her mouth as if to say something. Nothing came out, and she clamped her jaw shut.

A second later she found her voice.

"You!"

[Xanatos Etanial]

His eyes widened in surprise as a face came into view from behind the cover that he hadn't expected.

"You!"

He grinned in genuinely delight at his young Jedi friend. "Teagan!" He said with just as much surprise as she had expressed at seeing him. He grabbed the chair across from her at the table and sat, continuing to beam at the unexpected reunion. He pointed at the cover, "So have you read the Case of the Singing Sarlacc yet? ... Which reminds me I should have someone collect that from the Whaladon for me."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Seeing him out of his cell, and pulling up a chair across from her was about the last thing she'd expected to see today. And then he went and started talking about the book she was reading, and apparently it was just one in a whole series?! What even was this?! The sort of day that crazy things happened during?!

Blinking, the young Lupine finally closed her jaw as she slowly lowered the book.

"I... "

Another moment of stunned silence, and she finally leaned back heavily in her seat.

"... this is the first one I've read," she started, "I've never heard of it until now."

The book was closed, and she gave a fleeting look to the small stack of books beside her before her eyes went back to Xanatos. Xan? Nat? Toes? She idly wondered if he had a nickname.

"I'm honestly supposed to be studying... "

[Xanatos Etanial]

"Oh I don't want to keep you from your studies!" He said abruptly, apologetically. Then reconsidered as she had been nose down in Alex Khine when they'd ran into each other again.

"Needed a break, I'm guessing?" He nodded his head in the direction of the novel. "I've read... two of them so far. Case of the Singing Sarlacc and The Holocron Heist. I've been wanting to read that one, but it always seems to be checked out." He considered for another moment before motioning at the stack of books.

"So anything interesting in there?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Blowing out a long breath from one side of her mouth, she gave an almost helpless shrug while reaching over to pull the top book off the pile.

"Nothing too interesting, I guess."

She opened the old tome, and the pages crinkled as she idly thumbed them.

"I have to learn about Master Thon for some sort of report, since he used to live here on Ossus, but he used to train a girl named Nomi, and Nomi had a girl named Vima, and honestly, Vima is more interesting to learn about."

She flipped the pages of the old book, to a spot closer toward the end, then slid it toward Xanatos.

Her finger pointed to a passage.

"See there? Vima was trained by a man named Ulic, who had once been a Jedi, but he was cut off from the Force by Vima's mother Nomi."

[Xanatos Etanial]

He leaned over it reading over several passages under his breath. It was quite dry, and he could see where it wouldn't be quick to hold someone's attention. He'd read an awful lot of material just like it while he was looking to understand the Force after arriving on Ossus. His face wrinkled a bit in interest and confusion at the wording though.

"Cut off from?"

He repeated the phrase back to her, "I've seen a few references to that before, though I didn't really understand it. Does it say why Nomi would have done that to Ulic?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"I haven't gotten that far yet."

She blew out a breath, pursing her lips as she thought over all of the stuff she'd read over so far. Admittedly it wasn't much.

"Or well, that far back, at least."

Pulling the book back, she idly thumbed further along in the book as she thought.

"I've heard a few of the padawans around here," she started slowly, "... they say that my mom did the same thing. To my... real dad."

It wasn't as painful a thing to talk about, and remembering her real father wasn't as heartwrenching as it'd been in the past. When she'd first come here, she avoided anything and everything to do with Dan, only choosing to remember him in private where she wouldn't have to worry about crying at the memory of him. Of who he used to be.

"Ulic probably did something really bad, if Nomi did it to him."

Pulling another book from the pile, she set it atop the first and opened it up.

"This here though, has some interesting stuff in it. There are passages about boxes that held old Jedi and Sith boxes."

She flipped through the pages.

"Not holocrons, but something else. Old wooden boxes that have trinkets and other things that used to belonged to the Jedi or the Sith, and then they're sealed with a bunch of dried wax. People apparently think they hold the spirits of those Force users."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Perhaps this wasn't the conversation to have so soon after reconnecting with his young friend. There was something personal there, even if she seemed comfortable enough to bring it up. The dialogue quickly shifted over to another book, and to Sith and Jedi boxes.

Now THAT sounded interesting, he titled his head a bit surprised at the notion of well, what would it be, captive spirits? It reminded him of some of the more unique stories and history of his own world, soaked in legend. Of things that you could find on the green hills and the rock formations if you looked hard enough, or walked where you weren't meant to. Of the 7-legged Dravik horse that would follow from the corner of your vision, beckoning you to take the last ride of your life. He had always had a fondness for stories like that, and hearing that the Jedi had similar tales piqued his interest.

"What are they called?" He leaned in quietly, as if this were secret and forbidden knowledge.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"T'nuah Boxes," she answered immediately.

There was no way she could forget such a name, especially for something as strange and mysterious as these.

"I've been reading as much as I can about them, but it's really not much. There are a few mentions in this book," her hand gestured to the book she was flipping through, on a mission to find one of the passages she'd stumbled on.

"Oh! Here!"

Her motions stopped, and she carefully lifted the book up so that she could slide it to him. Her finger pointed to a paragraph.

"There."

'And I happened upon a box, worn and old, the wood scored by old runes and markings as though they'd been carved by fingernails. Of course, that was what I guessed. Some of the scratchings were obscured by the deep purple wax drippings that sealed the lid closed. It was as though someone had set an old Jassapai Prayer candle on top, then let it melt down until it had dripped over the lid seam, shutting the box away from everyone. I picked up the box once, and could hear a dread rattling of objects from within, but I could not tell you what they were. I was too apprehensive to actually open the box, as I did not know if the contents belonged to a Jedi or a Sith. For if I opened it, and the objects belonged to a Sith, then I would invite destruction to not only myself, but my entire family.

And so I left it as it was, sealed and untouched. I kept the thing, make no mistake. For such a find is rare, but for as long as I breath I will never open it.'

[Xanatos Etanial]

He read the passage, lips moving in time with his eyes as he become more and more intrigued with the concept, of the notion - a deep-rooted desire for knowledge and understanding flaring back to life inside of him. He remembered his time in the Whaladon, of researching the ways of the Jedi so intently he had transformed most of his cell into a place of learning and study for a great length of time. This was another great mystery to uncover, a truth to find and chronicle and work out.

As he read, finally, that the writer of this tome had decided not to open it, not to uncover what it held he felt a bit of sorrow burn within. A question struck him, suddenly and without warning then. "What would Alex Khine do?" Well, besides enjoy a roast nuna sandwich and a cup of herbal tea - he would insist on finding the truth, even if he had to stumble his way to an answer. Xanatos' eyes looked up at Teagan and a smile widened over his face.

"I wonder if we can find out anything more about these boxes? It feels a bit like an adventure, doesn't it? Searching out hidden knowledge." He rubbed his chin with the base of his thumb before looking back at the library itself. "But I really shouldn't pull you from your studies..." he rumbled, knowing that he shouldn't distract the Padawan from what she was doing. She had a test to prepare for.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Well... "

Immediately her attentions went to the next book on her pile, and Teagan pulled it toward her, opening it in the same motion before starting through the pages. It wasn't as big as the others, and seemed to be more of a journal than anything else.

"This one isn't as old as the others, but it's still old. Just not... old old."

Her eyes scanned the contents, searching page after page for something that she had read earlier.

Finally.

"Here."

She flipped it around, setting it atop the book he currently held, finger again pointing to a passage.

'I found a box, in the old ruins of a hut that was in the foothills of the Essokus Mountains.'

"Those are the mountains about east of here," she clarified, "... I looked them up."

'It looked old, and the wood was almost as though stone, but there were markings on it. I don't know. It's like someone scratched those marks on there, with their fingernails. They looked like old runes, I guess. Either way I'm not sure I should open it. It's sealed with wax, and when I shake it, I can tell there are things in it.'

[Xanatos Etanial]

He steadied himself. He had just gotten free of the Whaladon and was he really about to rush off to explore ruins and potentially dangerous haunted boxes? He rather wanted to, just to see what was there even if they did nothing else. "That's... that's exciting." He said letting the breath slip from him as his mind raced. He shook the thought off and made a more calming motion with his hands, more for his own benefit than for Teagan's.

"We should consider something like that carefully though. We definitely shouldn't do anything rash like rush off." Absolutely, definitely. He steadied his leg as he considered it, though - stilling it's thumping as adrenaline tried to push him on despite his brain insisting it was a bad decision. "And we definitely shouldn't go alone." Wait, had he already lost the battle with himself over even going? "We should see if we can find out more information about those mountains, if... and that's a big hypothetical if, we were to go looking."

Oh by the divines. How would that look 'Yes, sorry Master Vymes. I know I've only been out a day or so... but it seems I lost your daughter.' Forget the cell on board the Whaladon. They'd bury him under the ship entirely. Here lay Xanatos Etanial. Idiot. inscribed on the outer hull with an arrow pointing down.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She blinked, staring at him in a strange and mild shock. She'd not even considered going off and trying to find a box, and here was Xanatos, already voicing interest in doing just that.

"Well, I hadn't really... "

Really what... thought about it?

Well, she was thinking about it now! And it was enticing enough to cause her to breath in deeply. She pulled in the scents of the old library; the mustiness, the crinkly papers, the bindings, the sheer age of the place had an olfactory tinge to it that was wholly unique. And then, the scent of Xanatos. He smelled clean and crisp and there was something else to him that she couldn't entirely place.

"... thought about going out to try and find the one in that journal."

She bit her lip, continuing to mull the idea over. It wasn't all that bad, and she wouldn't mind a small trip out as it was. A break in her studies would be nice; let her clear her thoughts.

"It might not even still be there though," she mused, but she was already committed to the idea so any resistance to it was symbolic at best. She pulled the journal back toward her, skipping ahead by a few pages.

"Here we go."

She angled the book so that they could both read it.

'I remember the hut being in the foothills, but I can only find it by following a certain set of guides. I tried stomping out without looking for the markings, but couldn't find it and so I had to go back and watch for the landmarks.'

"There's no map in here that I've found, and whoever wrote it didn't describe the landmarks... " her eyes tracked to the pile, "... but I did find another of these journals. It might be in there, I just haven't had a chance to look yet."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos' curiosity was at war with that voice inside of him reminding him 'You have a history of terrible decisions. A long, storied history.' At the same time it was in the pursuit of knowledge and learning. That was what he was here for, wasn't it? To learn more and grow. Teagan seemed just as excited about the prospect as he did, as well. He bobbed his head almost imperceptibly back and forth as he weighed it out.

"Well... it couldn't hurt anything to at least see what that other journal says, right?" He was starting to feel like a bad influence.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She nodded absently, already pulling another few books from her pile.

"I think you're right," she started, "... I mean, it could all be... khe'seh'a... cautious worry? Cautious belief?"

She paused as her mind tried to think of the right word, and idly flipping through the old pages, the young Lupine did her best to remember her Basic. Her brow furrowed as she lifted her head to look at him, intense though clouding her eyes.

"Ohga'raub... super, superstitching? Superstitches?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

"Superstition." He said off the cuff, nodding at her in response. "Yeah, it could be. But.. still." Even if it was just old myth or legend it was exciting, it felt like being a part of a story of something larger and older than either of them. Xanatos had grown up, locked away inside the near palatial family estate reading exciting stories of adventure and mystery. He'd daydreamed about being out there one day, of seeing it all.

This new mystery in front of them, these T'nuah boxes? It felt like a step on that path. It felt natural and exciting. He leaned a bit trying to get an angle on seeing the pages as she flipped through them.

"And even if it were..." he thought, considering the stories he knew from Mithos, "There's always some kernel of truth to myth. Something it originates from."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

A small bit of truth to myth. It was a notion that sang sweetly, and Teagan couldn't help the satisfied grin that passed over her features as she thought it over.

Her hands still idly passed through the pages of the journal that she'd pulled from her pile, and a slight shift in a page broke her from her imaginings.

Something thick, as though it was folded, was pushed into almost the center of the journal, and carefully she turned the last few pages. There was old parchment, crinkled and cracking at a touch, and the young Lupine pulled in a sharp breath as she grew still.

"This is a different journal," she breathed, slowly reaching out to dislodge the folded parchment from the pages.

"Not from the person who lost his way."

Reverently almost, she set the folded bit of old paper - it wasn't even a flimsi, it was paper - on the table between them. Would it crumble to dust if they tried to open it? She sorely believed that it would, given the brittle feel of it. But, determined as ever, Teagan began to slowly unfold the thing until it was ever so carefully laid open before them.

[Xanatos Etanial]

"This is the part of the holovid where the music swells in the background." Xanatos thought to himself, afraid to take a breath in case he breathed on the ancient paper wrong and sent it to the wind like powder. Suddenly it all felt very real. All the talk of possessed boxes and exploration was a fun flight of fancy, but this was something physical and tangible.

"Okay." He finally managed to squeeze out. "So." He looked at it, then Teagan, then it again. "...We have a map." He suddenly wished he'd paid more attention to cartography in his studies, leaning over it to try and make it out. There were some notable landmarks, though he hadn't seen enough of the compound to have any idea where to place those.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Eyes glued to the map, Teagan held her breath out of simple shock. She'd never expected there to be anything like this in any of these old books she'd been studying. Heck, mostly up until now it'd been boring historical stuff; well, ok maybe not all the way boring, but there were still some slow bits that she'd had to slog through. Journal reading was usually interesting, since it let you see another person's life through their eyes, but until now, none of the journals that she'd read had been remotely like this. And none of them had had a secret map folded up inside.

Gingerly, she pointed to the top left corner, where a small drawing of what looked like some temple was.

"I think this is the library," her voice was a hushed whisper, just in case someone else was nearby.

"And this," her hand moved, finger passing over until it rested at a tiny, simple drawing of a hut at the edge of a mountain range, "... this has to be where the box is. The old hut from the other journal."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos chewed at his lower lip as he watched her finger slide across the map to rest on the drawn image. This had moved along faster than he expected when they'd started talking about this. It was superstition, fantasy, a bit of historical fiction. And now apparently geography. By the end of this journey he wondered if they'd have taken a stop at all the genres. This was crazy though, the idea of going through with it. But it was also maddeningly exciting. He took a long breath, trying to regain some semblance of adulthood and maturity.

"Okay. So." He started, completely unsure where he was actually going to go with this line of dialogue. "There's a map, and it looks very much like we could find this hut."

Under the damned ship. He reminded himself.

"But you're a student, and I'm a recently paroled ex-Imperial, so... maybe we should show this to someone else?" It stung to suggest it, he so wanted to have an adventure like this, it was the sort of thing he'd been reading about in the Alex Khine series and other novels that had used to pass the time aboard the Whaladon - but it also felt irresponsible.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She was taken up in the moment of it all, her wide eyes on the map and not entirely listening to his words of caution. She wanted to know, wanted to find the hut! According to the map though, there was a large cliff range that they would have to scale down to even get on the same level as the hut.

And then his words fully registered, and she blinked, leaning back in her seat.

"I guess," her answer was half-hearted and noncommittal. It brought her crashing back to reality in such a way as to take the wind out of her sails. There was still a gentle breeze that stirred them, but the previous gale was gone.

"I mean, we could talk to my dad if you really want to," she couldn't help the downturn of her voice, the lowering of her tone, "... or we could just go."

She had a healthy notion that Zem would hold them up with official whatevers and cautions about not going places they'd never been.

"I mean, I don't care if you're ex-Imperial. You're here now, and you say you want to change and all of that. Going on an adventure to find old relics from old Jedi mystics seems like the best way to show everyone that you want to help."

It was a twisting of logic, and she knew it. But his earnest eyes and blue hair that fell into those eyes were compelling. She didn't know why, just that they were. He was so earnest and wanted to do the right thing, and she wanted the same. In a way, weren't they both trying to prove their worth?

[Xanatos Etanial]

He did want to go. He wanted to explore this, he wanted to learn and seek knowledge - but he also didn't want to overstep the tenuous position he already found himself in. He was free, but he wasn't trusted, not yet. Teagan trusted him though. He found himself looking back at her, at how much she was chomping at the bit to just go and discover. He calmed himself and the split thoughts inside, letting out a long breath as he considered it all. He did have a lot to prove, she was right. Proving he was earnest in his desire could go along way toward that. Searching out hidden knowledge, lost relics and artifacts it was an exciting prospect.

Was this the Will of the Force? Was it his own selfish desire? He couldn't say, but he could read her as easily as he could any pages in a book - and she was ready for an adventure. If Xanatos asked to wait or to talk to someone first would she be willing to. And if not would he have to report her to someone. She was one of the only people here who seemed to fully trust him, and one of the first friends he'd made on Ossus. He sighed and nodded slowly. He had a feeling she was going, with or without him - and it would be safer if they went together.

"Okay, but we have to be smart." He said leaning in conspiratorially. "Rations, supplies and someway to signal back here if things go wrong."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

It was all the acknowledgment that she needed, and Teagan grinned wide.

"Well yeah, we'll get some rations and all that," she reassured.

Her hand passed over the old map one last time, then slid back to fold it over itself once more.

"I bet we can get to that cliff before the sun goes down, at least."

She slid her chair back, the legs making a rather audible screech against the stone tiles of the floor.

"We can get some comms from my dad's room, too. He keeps them just in case, so it's not like it's stealing or anything. He told me to use them if I ever need to, and I think this is one of those times."

The book she'd had open was closed with a snap, the map held apart, and Teagan licked her lips before holding the old parchment out for him to take.

"You should hold on to this for now, I think."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Her excitement was palpable as she held out the map to him and he experimentally reached forward for it. This was it, adventure. He took it with all the care one should give to such an ancient and valuable relic and nodded, his heart pounding a bass beat into his ears.

Yeah, we don't want to lose this." He agreed, making a note internally to NOT LOSE THE MAP.

"I'll see if I can wrangle up some rations and some of the supplies if you want to go after the comms and any gear we're going to need. Might raise some eyebrows if the former prisoner starts asking for ropes and climbing gear."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

2 HOURS LATER...



She had two comms, a rucksack with a change of clothes, a rolled up blanket belted to the bottom, another satchel that hid away climbing rope and two sets of shoe spikes, caribeners, an anchorgun, and a second ruck for Xan that held another few blankets and a tightly folded rain covering for when they'd inevitably need to make camp. It wasn't the most extravagant set of camping supplies, but it was what she could scrounge up on short notice, and to a degree she was rather proud of herself. Tied to her wrist was an old leather pouch that held a firestone and striker, which she'd grabbed at the last minute from one of Zem's nightstand drawers; he had the weirdest stuff in there, like a small never-used tea candle, an empty blaster holster, a small tin of something with a label that said it was for sore muscles, two dead comm unit battery slips, a fistful of stylus sticks scattered throughout, and a smattering of loose credit chits. It never failed to puzzle her, the sorts of things that grown-ups kept around.

But now, she was at the meeting spot that she and Xan had agreed to, sitting on a bench amidst the supplies she'd gathered and waiting for him.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos had been far less successful in his attempts. It seemed that despite his freedom trust was in short supply, which was understandable. Climbing gear had been a no go, the initial interaction in asking - hypothetically - about such gear raising enough eyebrows from the personnel handling supplies and provision requests that he had quickly laughed it off as a flight of fancy in regards potential hobbies.

At least the cafeteria staff had been more agreeable to his requests. a half-dozen protein bars, canned supplies in the form of mixed fruits and vegetables and some form of sausage that had been preserved to such a degree it would like outlive himself. Mention of his time aboard the Whaladon and the lack of anything with flavor had been enough to tug at some heartstrings and he had packed away a small bag of spices, curries and seasonings that would help to turn the individual components into something a bit nicer. The pièce de résistance of his efforts came in the form of a camping kit containing a small cooking pot and two sets of utensils and serving mugs and self-heating 'stove-top' which he couldn't imagine would be effective for more than a use or two at most.

Having exhausted any other good will he could have managed as a relative stranger, or at best oddity, he met up with Teagan at the bench with a small wave of his hand to signal his arrival. His heart was pounding as he hoped she'd had more luck, and worrying they were far in over their heads.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

His wave was met with her own, and Teagan rose to stand, leaving one of the packs on the bench.

"I got a pack for you," she started with a smile.

He looked excited and just a little bit nervous, and the young Lupine tried to smooth over any misgivings that he might have.

"Basic stuff though. Nothing fancy."

One hand dug into her back pockets, and she pulled out one of the two comm units she'd grabbed.

"Got you a comm though!"

[Xanatos Etanial]

He pushed his hair back with a returning smile, even if his own worries were obvious beneath it.

"Thanks," he started, taking the offered comm and looking it over. It seemed reasonably similar to the sort of units he he had used before and didn't expect there to be any real issues in using it, assuming they would.

"I got us food," He held his own supplies up in the canvas bag that had been given him along with the supplies, and then held up the camping kit triumphantly, "and something to cook it in."

"Unfortunately that seems to be about the extent of the trust I've earned so far." He clicked his tongue and gave a short shrug of his shoulders, "But it's better than nothing."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She grinned wide, at the thought of camping and preparing dinner over an open fire. Xan said that it wasn't much, but they wouldn't be able to get very far without food, and so what he brought with him now was just as important as what she had managed to scrounge up.

She gestured to the pack still resting on the bench.

"Our tent and coverings and blankets and stuff are in here."

A pat to the pack that she herself wore.

"I also got climbing stuff. Not a lot, but I think it'll be enough."

She didn't wait for any sort of invitation, and half-turned to grab the bulging backpack and hold it up for him to take.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos reached out and took hold of the pack, immediately noting its weight as he hefted it over a shoulder. He sat down the food and reached his free hand into its top to pull out and reveal the map he'd been entrusted with.

"You'll know the immediate areas better than I will, so you should probably navigate."

He didn't mind being a glorified pack mule, either. There was an honesty to manual labor that had been missing in his work in Imperial Intelligence.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

A Few Hours Later...

They'd gone past the library, following the map as best as they could interpret it, and as the sun reached its' zenith in the sky, the young Lupine slowed her pace. She bit her lip, and turned in a tight circle to take in the view around them. The hills were covered with scrag-bushes, and bled into the further-away mountains. Around them though, were still somewhat lush underbrush, fed by the water run-offs so that in the valleys, it was far more green than the hillier land.

"I bet we can make it to that cliff," she pointed out a far off outcropping, "... at least by the time the sun starts to hit the mountains."

Her pace resumed.

"We should be there at least by the time the sun hits the mountain tops, than we can set up camp."

[Xanatos Etanial]

There wasn't much to talk about for the next few hours, not that the brisk pace of their journey would have allowed for much small talk. The former Imperial found himself making mental note of the local flora and fauna, certainly enough to fill a respectable travel guide with.

He was suddenly left wondering if there may have been such a guide in the library, and mentally kicked himself for failing to consider that before they'd left.

If there wasn't, he'd have to consider beginning one himself upon their return.

Teagan had been right, as well, they'd arrived at the site she had pointed out just as the sun was cresting the mountain. He sat the pack down near a stone and took a moment to stretch, grateful to have the weight off his back, if even for a moment.

"I'll start setting up a fire and cooking pit." He offered, already setting his mind's eye to the task of clearing a spot for a fire and gathering kindling.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

For a few moments she watched him as he set about tending to the tasks of beginning a cooking fire. In the next moment, Teagan was swiveling about to determine the best spot for the tent that she'd packed. It wasn't anything fancy, like what Knight Rabeak had had with his perma-tent and everything, but it was still something that would offer shelter. It was a small, two-person tent that had probably seen better days, but it was still a small shelter in the face of anything else she would've been able to find.

There was a small clearing, and it was there that she had decided would be the best place for the tent. Twigs, stones, and leaves were swept away, and after that she unfurled the canvas tent. Interlocking alusteel rods were connected, and twenty minutes later the tent was up. It wasn't anything special. Just a two-person thing that was meant to keep away the most basic of elements; rain, light wind, small hail...

"Ok so, the tent is set up... "

It was time to think about dinner, and the light gurglings in the pit of her stomach were a damning indication of that fact.

"We can have some of that sausage you brought, or... "

Standing there, the young Lupine crouched down and reached out to run a finger over on of the stones he'd gathered to make a fire-pit ring.

"... we could maybe... hunt for something... ?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos looked up from their provision bags. He had been making an inventory of items and had, in fact, just noted the sausages for their evening meal. The fire pit had only taken about 15 minutes to finish, enough small loose brush around to make gathering the necessities of a basic campfire easy. They would need to get at least one or two larger logs to keep the fire going afterward, but the basics were ready.

The mention of a hunt made him furrow his brow in thought, it would extend their supplies a bit, but he had to admit he wasn't familiar with the fauna that was found on Ossus. His few walks out of the Whaladon had been infrequent and usually short, just some exercise, fresh air or a walk with one of the Jedi to discuss matters he found himself having questions on.

"Is the hunting good here?" He said with a genuine curiosity.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She looked down to the stones, then out to the surrounding thicket beyond.

"There's a lot of jakrabs out here," she let out a long breath, making a face.

"Then again, it might just be easiest to stick with the sausages for tonight."

She let herself rock back to sit, and pulling her firestarter kit close, pulled out a striker and a wad of Harch bark. Pulling a strip off, she shoved it beneath the kindling before positioning the striker. Pulling a folding knife from the front pocket of her trousers, the young Lupine set it against the striker to try and spark a flame to the flammable Harch bark.

[Xanatos Etanial]

He watched her reaction, and wondered how much she had her hopes on hunting, truthfully he wouldn't mind the experience himself. The last time he had even camped was as a child back on... Mithos. That seemed like a lifetime ago, no - that was inaccurate. That seemed like two lifetimes ago. It had been his sword fighting instructor, Master L'eroux. He'd insisted, arguing all day with Xanatos' mother, that the young Noble needed the experience. That if Xanatos were to one day take his role as head of the household and manor, he would need to at least be aware of the essentials, that it was vital to his instruction. Xanatos had no idea if that had been true or not or if the old warrior simply saw the stir-crazy caginess he'd began developing locked away inside the mansion studying all the time. The experience remained one of his fondest memories of Mithos, of a world he could no longer return to.

As the flicker of flame finally sparked and grew in front of his eyes, his thoughts wandered to that distant planet, to an ancestral manor likely seized by the Empire, and a family name disgraced. It had been disgraced long before he had turned on the Empire, though only he and a few others were aware of that fact. Etanial let a sigh part his lips and ran a hand through his blue hair.

"Let's go hunting." He said, surprising himself with how confident it sounded. "We wouldn't want to deny ourselves an experience like that, would we?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Looking up from the flames, Teagan blinked owlishly at him for a few moments before propping her arms up on her knees.

"I hunt a lot," she finally admitted, biting her lower lip as she kept her eyes on the fire.

"Some stuff I learned from the Cizerack when they were still here, but most I just sort of... knew how to do on my own."

Her mother had once told her that the great secret to keep was the truth of their people, but times had changed, and she was not her mother. In fact, the elder Lupine had even changed her old rules, and acquiesced to the younger's need to be truthful with everyone. The desire to not hide who she was. And now?

Teagan let out a long breath then, and finally sent her gaze to Xan.

"I'm going to do something, but I want you to not freak out, ok?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos wasn't entirely surprised she was someone already familiar with hunting - people don't usually suggest it unless they have some history with it. He hadn't even considered hunting for food before she'd mentioned it. She was nervous about something though, and if it wasn't that then what was it?

"I'm going to do something, but I want you to not freak out, ok?"

He blinked a bit at the request, what could she possibly do, say or show that would freak him out at this point? He was a former Imperial Intelligence officer who had defected to live with the Jedi - he certainly felt like there was nothing that could catch him off guard at this point. A small voice in the back of his head, remnants of his time with the Empire tried to warn him of dangers and attacks and treachery. He shook off those concerns like brushing away a nattering insect. He trusted Teagan, he trusted the Jedi, and more importantly he was learning to trust the Force - and it had led him here, hadn't it?

"Alright." He said with a small nod and waited for her to continue at her own pace.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She stared at him for a moment longer before slowly leaning to the side in a motion that sent her upwards; first to her knees, then to her feet. Moving over to a large rock that rested along the edge of the clearing, Teagan sat down. Her shoes were the first things to come off, followed by her socks. Bare feet rested on the ground then, and she wriggled her toes into the dirt. It felt good; natural.

"You've heard of... shapeshifters, right?"

Methodically, she began to unbutton the well-worn overshirt she wore. Without ceremony, she shrugged the tan garment from her shoulders and set it beside her.

"I mean, I guess it would be weird if you hadn't, what with Clawdites and all."

[Xanatos Etanial]

When she'd sat down and began removing her shoes and socks he'd knit his brow, a moment of concern set in when her hands then moved toward her shirt. Had there been some kind of miscommunication or mistake in what their relationship was, or what she thought it was, and if so he'd need to speak up immediately to rectify that. The question about shapeshifters had snapped him away from that conversation instantly, his head making a small lilt to one side in confusion.

What was she suggesting - and why did he suddenly feel as if he'd arrived at one of the story twists, like when Alex Khine had stumbled into the truth behind the Mandalorian hunter's helmet found at the scene of the crime in the Holocron Heist.

"I'm... familiar with them, yes." he finally said honestly and waited to see where the question was going. As an Imperial Intelligence officer he had been familiar with Clawdites. There was always a use in intel gathering for someone who could change their face and appearance.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

All of the outer bits of her clothing had been removed and set aside. But, she was still a bit shy with the last stuff; namely, the stuff that kept her all-the-way covered. Looking at him, Teagan lifted her arm, the fingers of her hand curling in except for the index, which she used to make a swirling motion.

"Turn around."

Unlike her mother, she was still shy about simply stripping down to her naked body in front of people.

"I'll keep talking for a little bit, but I'd rather you not see me... naked, you know?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

"Oh! Of course, sorry." Xanatos stood and turned, taking the extra step to close his eyes as well. He didn't have to, turning away would have been enough, but there was something instinctual in the act. Someone asks you not to look, you go all the way and make sure you're definitely not going to betray their trust, even accidentally.

He was left wondering what kind of shapeshifting Teagan had been talking about. She'd mentioned Clawdites, and he hadn't thought her one, but would he have known if she were? It was rather exciting, honestly. A mini mystery within their larger adventure.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She watched him turn away, waiting a few extra moments before slowly grasping at the bottom edge of her undershirt. One last hesitation as she made sure he was definitely not looking, and she pulled up quickly, tugging the garment off. Her pants came next, as well as her underwear. Those she tucked inside of her trousers before rolling everything up tightly. Just as private as her naked body were her underthings, and the young Lupine made sure that they were unseen.

Gingerly she stood up, and one last look to Xan, Teagan let her body melt into itself. The tendons and muscles moved over changing bones, and with a grunt she felt herself pitch forward. She caught herself with her hands, head bent down as she watched her own fingers widen and grow thick. A wild mane of mottled grey fur sprouted like wildfire, traveling over her entire body as she ground her teeth in the uncomfortable transition. And yet, it was wonderful all the same.

She felt her tail unfurl, the bony appendage stretching out like a ribbon streamer; except, the poisonous barb at the tip belied any sort of innocence to it.

Large ears crowned her head, skewing about as she took in the sudden cacophony of sounds from the forest that could now be heard.

And then it was complete, and she felt so much relief.

The vornskr gave a snort, then a sneeze, and turned to see that Xan was still facing away. She moved then, a slow, cautious creep that brought her around to the front of him. His eyes were closed, even, and inwardly Teagan felt a small wave of appreciation for that small gesture. So minuscule, yet it meant so much!

Gingerly she lowered herself to sit on her haunches, tail lazily flopping from one side to the other, and a moment later she let out a gentle huff while lifting a foreleg and pressing the calloused pads of her paw against his leg.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos had managed to keep a steady mind despite the noises happening behind him, though he did feel the grip on his left hand tighten for a moment when they had first started an instinctual call back to his sword training, his ready hand preparing to withdraw his blade at a moment's notice. A blade, he reminded himself, he no longer owned. Old habits were hard to quit, and trained movements and muscle memory far harder than that. Still eventually the noises had stopped and he was left with the sound of nothing. No, not quite nothing - a soft and well-trained movement, almost imperceptible at first. Still, he kept his eyes closed. She would tell him when it was appropriate to do otherwise.

No voice came then, but the sound of a breath of air from deep and powerful lungs resonated in front of him, the feeling of weight and pressure against his leg a moment later. He cracked an eye slowly, and felt himself lose a step as he was greeted by a wolfish beast - a shock of fear surging through him as both eyes snapped open. He did not scream, nor attempt any further movements other than the one step back he had made in his immediate shock, instead he found his brow furrowing, eyes darting to note no other presence.

"..Teagan?" She had warned him not to freak out, and he was trying to abide by that request as much as he could manage.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The tail seemed to go still for a fraction of a moment before it looped back around to wrap lazily in front of her fore paws. Toothy maw opening in a 'smile', the vornskr switched her ears forward.

She didn't need to make a sound, as her body motions would be enough to answer his question.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos could feel the hair standing on the back of his neck. He had moved out of the mystery section of the bookstore at some point and found himself now firmly planted in fantasy, or perhap even horror fiction. The vornskr that was Teagan, which... is a very odd thought to try and process, moved in a casual manner to show him it was still her. That even without vocally addressing him, and he wasn't actually sure he could handle Teagan's voice coming from the animal right now and keep his fleeting grasp on sanity, he could trust her.

He leaned down slowly, bending one knee so they could once against be on something approaching eye level. "This is... incredible." He said as a million thoughts and questions started to filter through past the initial concerns and even momentary shock of fear. Any thought of dinner, the reason she had changed into this form, was light-years away from where his head was now.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

He was committed, and she was ready.

With a small yip, the vornskr skittered back, her tail swishing back and forth as she felt her chest rise and fall with expectation. He knew it was her, and he hadn't run away! He was interested!

The young Lupine felt her body give a shiver of anticipation, as she crouched low, giving a bizarre smile as her front end angled down, head looking up. There was a game to be had from all of this, and she wanted him to understand that.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos really wished his family had raised canines now with the actions. There was something here she was telling him, but he didn't know the body language - didn't recognize the odd... wait. He didn't know vornskr body language, true. But he did know body language, it had been a vital part of his training as an intelligence officer. He needed to remember that, there were other species he could draw on his understanding of for this.

The tail sway was a sign of playfulness, as was the posture now that he recognized it. Her frame was full of anxious energy. He'd accepted before that this was her, but now watching the movements, the energy she had for the 'game' she was playing. He knew it was her. His smile brightened.

"Alright Teagan, what are we doing?" This was her game, and that meant she knew the rules.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

He knew. He understood. It was more than she could hope for!

A mere moment passed after his query that she let out a yipping bark, her entire body hopping back in anticipation and excitement.

He wanted to follow her lead, and she was more than happy to do just that.

Only, there was no way to verbalize that, so she simply fell back on the Force and nature.

Follow. Stay close.

it was a feeling that she projected outward, hoping that he could understand.

Bounding off through the brush, she went along for a few meters before pulling up, and her head swiveled to make sure that he was following.

[Xanatos Etanial]

The former noble watched Teagan bound forward and yip at him again - tracking her to see if he could pick up on what she was asking him to do in all of this. His senses were so focused on her movements, her little 'vocalizations' of barks and yips that the sudden feeling to follow her, to stay close nearly knocked him over.

He had opened himself up to the moment to the world around him and it had been answered back through the Force.

He started moving just as quickly as she had, a step behind her and keeping pace.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She moved quickly along, nose down as she scented the ground and all of its dirt and roots and leaves. Making sure that she didn't go too far ahead, the young Lupine every so often pulled up, twisting her head around so that she catch a glimpse of Xan.

And he always was.

It was a nice feeling, to share this moment with someone other than her parents.

Snout 9nce more returning to the ground, she caught a whiff of something wild, and with an excited bark, the vornskr dashed ahead.

[Xanatos Etanial]

As she sniffed at a trail, searching out something Xanatos remembered the hunt. The very reason she'd taken this form. In the excitement of the moment, the surprise of her transformation Xanatos had near completely forgotten about it.

She bounded off ahead of him, fast on the trail of something, and the blue-haired man found himself rushing to follow, trying not to disturb the brush too much as he did.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The Jakrab was a rangy thing, long of limb and quick. But, she'd had experience in her time here, with hunting the local wildlife. The frantic creature had burst out of a small shrub, disturbed by the sound of her paws, and in anticipation her jaw opened. The small creature darted to the right, but she'd anticipated, and her neck craned over, teeth going around a small neck. A quick crush, and the corded muscles of her shaggy neck gave a quick shake.

The jakrab felt no pain, its neck snapped in less than a second.

Skidding to a halt, Teagan stood, her chest heaving in spent exertion, her prize still held aloft in her jaws, and as her ears picked out Xan behind her, she pivoted around to present their dinner.

[Xanatos Etanial]

She had taken off like a shot, with bestial speed and left him behind to catch up. The sound of skidding paws and the shake of an animal ahead of him was his own signal to what had changed before he got to where she sat, and turned, to find the prize she had caught.

The jakrab looked like a toy in her muzzle with it's limp form. Xanatos' walk slowed as he approached her, standing ahead he looked at her with appreciation. She had told him that she had hunted often. This is what she had meant, and her skill in the hunt was evident in not just her success, but in the efficiency as well. He offered a hand to her, to take the jakrab if she wished to deliver it to him.

"I can take this back and get started on it, in case you'd like to change back."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

There was a final hurff, snorted out through her nostrils, and she let him take their dinner from her jaws. His offer to begin preparing it was appreciated, as was the knowledge that he was willing to allow her privacy in changing back. Of course, her clothes were still back at their small camp, and the young Lupine chose to enjoy the last bits of her time on all fours.

As he relieved her of the jakrab, Teagan lifted herself back up to stand. She practically danced all around him as he started back to camp, trotting along for a few paces and dashing off every so often to inspect an errant scent in the underbrush.

Xan had fallen into an easy acceptance, and Teagan was happy to take advantage.

She burst from a bush, a few steps ahead of him, to dash to the other side, intent on inspecting everything she'd missed during her chase. Nose down, the vornskr pushed it through the soft dirt for a few moments before perking up and seeing her blue-haired companion pass her. The next moment she darted forward again, on a winding 'path' that brought her close to his legs, and with a toothy 'smile', she gave a hop with her front end as she nudged her muzzle upward into the lifeless jakrab body in excitement for the meal she knew it would provide them both.

[Xanatos Etanial]

He laughed lowly as she played, bounding in and out of brush to run up on him before rushing off again to explore and sniff. It was easy to forget that this was his friend Teagan with just how natural the canine movements were. Actually, now that he considered it, this felt very natural to Teagan. Her youthful energy, her exuberance. There was definitely a spark of the girl he knew in her actions, or maybe this was simply how she was when she wasn't bound by typical conventions.

It was good to see her spirits so high as they walked back to camp. This had been a difficult thing for her to willingly share, if her tone of voice had been any indication earlier. There would be more questions to ask over dinner, as the reality of the situation was finally settling on him. She had stopped in front of him, happily nosing at the jakrab which gave him a chance to talk to her when he was certain she wouldn't rush back off into the brush.

"Camp's not far ahead. I'll head into the tent to start cleaning our little friend here." He gave the jakrab a little wiggle to indicate, "So you can have some privacy."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

With a rumbling acknowledgment that sounded from her throat, the young Lupine let her gait continue on lazily, choosing to remain at his side until they got to camp.

And when they did, he was true to his word, leaving her in relative privacy to revert back into her other form. Her mother often called it the 'Second Form', and she couldn't help but agree with the unsaid notion that to be on all fours was the most freeing of her two bodies. And therefore, it was the First.

The reversion was swift, as she was quick to pull her clothes back on. There was excitement, as she couldn't wait to see how far Xan had gotten in his task of cleaning and skinning their dinner.

The sun was beginning to dip closer to the horizon, and Teagan slipped into the tent he'd vanished inside of.

She didn't say anything at first, instead biting her lip as she tried to think of something to break the silence of his work.

She settled on a single word.

"Hey."

[Xanatos Etanial]

When he got back to the library he would need to study up on how to field dress an animal. He had managed to get a small incision into the jakrab's back, surprised at how easily the skin began to slip away at first, the first few pulls and cuts after that had made it seem like an easy enough process, the pelt coming off easily through the torso - but once he had gotten to the extremities his own unfamiliarity with the process had began to get the better of him, causing him to stall on the limbs and head. He was focused so intently on trying to muddle his way through that he hadn't heard her come in, and wasn't aware of her presence until...

"Hey."

Xanatos turned his head to find Teagan, back in the form he had met his young friend in, standing nearby and looking over his work. He gave her an apologetic grin, aware of just how unskilled his work likely seemed - especially as she had admitted to being a frequent hunter before.

"I fear I may be just a touch in over my head." He admitted with a defeated chuckle. "I don't suppose you could?" He motioned at his work, happy to have another, hopefully more experienced, hand involved.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

With his invitation, Teagan was more than happy to step in somewhat. She took the skinning knife, giving the jakrab a quick once-over. He'd done a good job with the main stuff, and only seemed to trip up with the legs and head.

"Well, I saw my mom do something like this once, so I'll try my best."

Another few moments of study, and she finally reached out with her free hand to grab a back paw.

"I do remember that she cut the skin around all the paws," the knife sliced through skin, cutting a ring around the leg of the paw she held. Then, she let go and grabbed a hold of the other, repeating the process. Once that was done, she let her free hand move upward to the forepaws and again cut around the leg.

"Since we won't need to eat the feet, we don't have to worry about skinning the feet, and we can do the same thing around... " she shifted her hold to the neck, "... the neck."

Looking back to Xan, Teagan offered a hopeful smile. She said nothing for a few moments, pursing her lips for a brief second before speaking again.

"Thanks," she gave a slight sway, unsure of how to progress before just throwing herself into the moment.

"... for not freaking out."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos had followed along as she had finished dressing the jakrab, it was good information to know in case he ever found himself needing to fend for himself. So much had changed from his first days after leaving Mithos that uncertainty had become a fact of life in his existence. While he had a home, the necessities and peace for now, it wasn't guaranteed to him. Knowledge was the one thing you could be certain to hold on to, and he knew he would have to strive to learn as much as he could.

Her thank you brought a small smile to his lips and he found himself giving a gentle shrug and distant chuckle, "Well... you certainly caught me off guard." he admitted, "But I told you I was going to do my best, and I didn't want to let you down."

He paused between breaths, debating if he should say anything else before continuing, "Is it... alright if I ask what that was?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"A vornskr."

With a last jerk, she pulled the skin away from the body. It separated with a crisp yet wet sounding shlerp, and she held it aloft for a few moments, unsure of exactly where to set it. Eventually she settled on carefully holding it out for Xan to take.

"That's the only thing I can change in to, though. I'm not like a Clawdite exactly, since I only have two bodies."

Blinking then, the young Lupine gave a shy smile.

"My mom always used to say that we were supposed to keep what we are a secret, but lately she's been ok with not keeping it secret anymore."

Which, honestly, was something of its own thing. For as long as she could remember, her mother had insisted that she never tell anyone what they truly were. And it had always seemed so... strange. She wanted everyone to know what she was, that she could Change. There was a small part of her that understood though, as some people didn't like the notion that someone could change shapes and have a different body.

"She used to tell me stories about how our people weren't really from the normal parts of the galaxy here, and that we were sometimes called... " she felt her shoulder sag slightly, "... nightmares."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos took the offered jakrab and listened to the rest of Teagan's story. So the canine form, the vornskr, was her only other form. It still didn't answer his question as to how she could transform, but it seemed to be a thing her people simply could do, judging from the label her mother had apparently told her they'd been given. He would have pegged Teagan for human, though he should honestly know better. There were many human-like species in the galaxy that didn't quite match up with the expectation. He, himself, was Mithosian afterall. If not for the wider variety of natural hair colors, their longevity and a few less obvious traits, they themselves could easily be mistaken for human.

The label itself though, felt familiar in a way that made him initially uncomfortable. He saw nothing monstrous or nightmarish about Teagan, but he knew her. He knew the kind soul she was, and had kept his calm through the surprise of her transformation by reminding himself of that. Others meeting with a similar experience may not have such a reaction - or worse, had encountered those who used that gift for dire purposes. Much like he had with the Force as a younger man. Much like the Inquistoriate had. He had spent many years thinking of himself as a monster, as a nightmare.

He let out a soft sigh and leaned down just enough to be sure he and Teagan could speak as equals. "You're not a nightmare, Teagan. Neither are your people. Your people are just... people. Some of us make bad decisions and leave an unfortunate history to color people's perceptions of us, and those like us - but you're not responsible for their actions, and all you can do is keep being you, and trust that the people who matter, those close to you, will see you for who you are."

He smiled at her reassuringly. "You're not a monster Teagan. You're you. You're my friend, and I trust you." He stood back up and held up the jakrab, 'And right now I can think of nothing better than the two of us getting started on some dinner."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

He had come down to her eye level, and she was about to throw her arms around his neck in appreciation, but in the next moment he'd grabbed the jakrab with a smile, holding it aloft with desires of sharing a dinner with her. Oh, they would've shared dinner regardless, but now there was something more to their meal now, and Teagan couldn't help but match the expression on his face.

His blue hair was like a shining, glittering mass of jewels in the waning sunlight, and she couldn't help but stare. It was mesmerizing.




* * *

The jakrab carcass was nearly done cooking, and the young Lupine reached out to poke at it as it rotated on the hastily-crafted spit.

"I've had them raw, more than I've had them cooked," she admitted with a wry grin.

[Xanatos Etanial]

He watched the lean animal cook slowly over the spit, drips of escaping juices falling every so often to sizzle and pop against the open flame. He looked up at her, with that sheepish grin, talking about her previous hunts.

"Are they good that way?" He said with genuine curiosity.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"When you're a vornskr, they are," she laughed.

"Otherwise, not so much."

Raw jakrab was apealing, but the carcass currently sizzling over the open flame was much more so, and Teagan gave it another turn out of anticipation.

The covered pot that sat in the coals also caught her eye, and she gestured to it.

"How does the reconstituted tuber mash look?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos gave an appreciative nod to the information. He had a bit of a taste for his meat tartare from his days in the mansion. It was supposedly more refined and a symbol of his family's status and breeding that they could still enjoy uncooked meat with no consequences, so mother had been certain to flaunt that fact frequently to dinner guests. It was far less accepted, he had discovered, in the wider universe.

He had heard that the Cizerak still prepared their food raw. It was something to consider for later if he had the opportunity to sample it.

He glanced over at the pot at her question and fanned away some of the smoke and steam as he carefully reached for it's lid. It was hot, but thankfully not quite hot enough to burn him and he lifted it to inspect the contents within.

"They look good, I'd say they're ready for whenever the jakrab is."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Then dinnertime it is," she grinned wide, grabbing the crossbar of their makeshift spit and pulling it off of the fire to set it on a cleared-away rock that she'd made sure to put a small plasteel cutting board atop. The same knife that they had skinned their meal with had been washed, and she began to slice away bits of meat from the left haunch. It steamed, and the young Lupine craned her neck to smell the aroma as it drifted lazily up into the air.

"Oh mannnn," was all she could momentarily say, eyes closing as the scent filled her nostrils.

"It smells sooo good!"

[Xanatos Etanial]

The smell of cooked Jakrab caused his stomach to rumble, a sharp pain of hunger helping him to realize that they had hiked all day before settling in to eat. As Teagan worked to cut into their dinner Xanatos spooned out generous portions of mashed tuber into plasteel bowls, careful to leave enough room for their jakrab entree to be added, before handing one after the other to Teagan to portion out the roasted jakrab.

"It certainly smells better than anything I've had aboard the Whaladon..." He said with another stomach gurgle emphasizing his statement, "Tarkin sandwiches excluded."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She couldn't help but laugh.

"Those Tarkin sandwiches are so good!"

The smell of the jakrab, and the smell of the tuber mash was enough to sway her just a little bit though, and Teagan handed over a camping utensil to Xan.

"... but, I have to admit that after hiking all day, this is looking like a dinner that would put that old Chiss to shame."

It was strange, how such a simple meal could be the best she'd ever had, after time spent trekking through the wilds of Ossus. And truth be told, she wasn't too hesitant to admit that fact.

Her own utensil was dug down deep into the mash, and it pulled out some of the jakrab with it. She held it aloft for a few seconds to watch the steam rise, and with a few quick blows to try and cool her forkful, the young Lupine brought it hungrily into her mouth. It was still hot, but the taste was still there, and it made her give a strange expression; something that was between pure enjoyment and 'gods above this is still hot'.

"Haweeww," she breathed out, not ready to swallow lest her throat burned as well, "... haawwww... "

She breathed out a steamy breath, heat clouds coming from her mouth as though she was one of the Krayt Dragons on Tatooine.

"It'sss hhaawwt!"

Another few seconds passed, and with a few forceful chomps to try to alleviate the heat, Teagan finally swallowed.

"But oohhhh man it's good!"

[Xanatos Etanial]

The blue-haired Mithosian hard been moments from biting into his own food when Teagan's reaction had tipped him off to just how searing their dinner was. He smiled a bit and stirred it, giving it a few more minutes to cool before he would enjoy it himself. He let a breath slip from his lips and thought more on Teagan's transformation. She'd mentioned her mother sharing stories of it with her, and wanting her to keep it secret, but hadn't mentioned Master Vymes at all. Family issues could be... tricky to discuss with others. He knew that from his own history, so he had to be careful how he approached the conversation.

"So, your vornskr form." He started slowly, "Is that something everyone in your family can do?"

He brought a fork full of tuber up and gave it a few sharp blows before taking it into his mouth and immediately wishing he had let it sit few minutes longer yet, tears welling in his eyes as he fought to keep his composure and slowly chewed to distribute the heat and help cool it down.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Her metal camping fork dredged through the tuber mash before spearing a shred of jakrab meat, and she held it aloft, giving a quick little blow to try and cool it off somewhat.

"Yeah. My mother was always super strict about who we told, back when I was younger. My Uncle - well, not really Uncle, but to me he is - his people apparently hunt us. Or well, other Lupines. There's a whole huge history that goes back forever, and I haven't quite gotten the whole story. Mostly what I know is from him, and from the stuff I read in the old books I've 'borrowed' from my mom."

Another blow, and she hesitated for only a few more moments before bringing her fork to her mouth.

Chewing, she took a few moments to enjoy her mouthful before finally swallowing.

"I think that now, 'cause we're on Ossus, she believes it's safe enough to not be as strict as she used to be."

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos listened with interest to the brief glimpses into her people, his years as an Intel Officer quickly picking up keywords and important details.

Old history, an 'uncle' who is part of a people who hunt Teagan's race, Lupines. He wasn't certain he had ever heard the name before, and if he had it had been far above his paygrade as an Imperial officer. The conversation they had shared earlier of how her people had been viewed as monsters, this knowledge of people hunting them, and his own unfamiliarity with their existence painted a stark portrait. No wonder she had been so nervous about sharing her ability with him.

He gave a small nod, chewing a bit more Jakrab before swallowing. "Ossus is... pretty special." He leaned forward. "Like a fresh start." He smiled at her, "To be more than our pasts." His own past still haunted him, though he was learning to let go of it, to trust himself to the Force and to the future.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

A quick bit of the tuber mash, and she gave him a hopeful look as she chewed before swallowing quickly.

"To the future of us both, then," was all she could think to offer in that moment, while hefting another forkful of mash and a shred of jakrab meat.

But, she paused before lifting it to her mouth, and biting her lower lip, the young Lupine couldn't help but let her gaze flit up to his hair, then back to his face. He looked young still, but there was an age in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

"Where you're from... what's it like?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xan prodded at the remains of his meal as he considered her question. Could he even recall? It had been so long since he'd actually been home. He let the air escape through his nose and knit his brow.

"Green." He said simply at first, hoping more words would come to him after the first. "It's very... green. Fields, hills, forests. Even the rivers and streams seem to shimmer with a reflection of the plants around them." He sat back and closed his eyes, letting his mind wander to the breeze on the field, to the warm summers pulling at his skin. His face faltered into a frown and he leaned forward a bit, eyes reopening.

"I miss it. I spent a very long time wanting to leave, to flee and discover what the rest of the galaxy had to offer, and now that I can no longer return... I realize how much I gave up." A flash of memory, of his mother... his sister. He caught his breath in his throat and began to repeat slowly to himself. "There is no emotion, there is peace..." until he could feel himself calm and his breathing steady.

"It was nice." He finally said solemnly. "I think you'd like it."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She watched him, her meal momentarily forgotten as he described his old home. In her mind's eye she could see the beauty that he spoke of, and the beauty that it all held in his memories. And then the admission came, of his inability to return. It made her wonder just how she would feel herself, if she could never return to Schwartzweld. The thought was too abstract though, and she refocused on Xan.

"I'm sorry you can't go back," she managed to at least mumble out. It seemed such a tiny thing to say to such a big concept.

Instead, she clung to his last words.

"I'm pretty sure I'd love a place like that."

A long pent-up breath was let out then, and she finished off the last of her meal without much fuss.

"Did you ever think you would end up in a place like this?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

He looked away wistful, lost in thought and nearly missing her conversation before managing to pull himself out of the prologue of his life and back into it's current chapter. "I think you'd like it to." He managed softly under his breath, setting his bowl down and finding his appetite gone.

What a question. Did he ever think he'd be here? There was so much to unpack in such a seemingly simple query. The choices he'd made, the false starts, the wrong paths, the way it would have all ended on Zeltros if hadn't been for Master Vymes.

"No is far too-simple an answer." He finally said softly, "But it's also the right one. I didn't think I'd be here, or anywhere like here. Honestly, the more i think of it, the more I find that it could only be the will of the Force that would have ever led me to this place." He smiled at her a bit with a soft nod, the ember light of the cooking fire casting across both their faces.

"I wasn't a good person, Teagan." He looked back to the sky above them. "And this feels like a chance I've neither earned nor deserve, but the Force must have a place for me, for it's led me here all the same."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"None of us are ever really good people."

She looked at his with a strange expression. Something of a mix between understanding and encouragement.

"It's all about making sure it counts by trying to be good."

Another almost oversized bite, and Teagan chewed hungrily before swallowing.

"I mean, you're here now, you're trying to do the right thing," the young Lupine flashed a smile, "... so that counts for a lot, I'd say."

[Xanatos Etanial]

He gave a soft smile at the Lupine and nodded, even if it was clear his heart was not fully in it. This would be an issue to struggle with, he was already sure.

"I suppose that is all any of us can do. Try to do the right thing, and... of course, trust in the Force."

He thought on it a moment long, a more resolute nod slowly forming. "Thank you Teagan. I think I needed to hear that."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Through another bite, she smiled at him.

"We're all here for something, yeah?"

She had swallowed, licking her lips as she'd spoken those words.

The girl gave another grin, then tucked in to her own meal once more, happily disappearing at least half of her dinner in a disturbingly short amount of time. The jakrab was gamey, but delightful all the same.

"You think," she gave a swipe to her lips with her palm, trying to wipe away the greasy remnants of her food, "... I mean, it's not like there's much we have to go on. Just old lore and legend. But, I mean, do you think that there's anything to these boxes? I know we both saw those journal entries, but do you ever get a little bit of... kheh'seh'a... not sure of intents?"

There was a strange expression that fell across her features then, as if she was apologetic about her occasionally persistent lack of Basic.

"We're looking for something good, right?"

It was a strange sort of plea for confirmation for this strange adventure that the two had set out upon was indeed a thing worth investigating.

[Xanatos Etanial]

Xanatos glanced up from what little remained of his own food, having taken the moments between the conversation to return to it, and finish what little meat he could from the small jakrab. He had momentarily considered biting into the bone and simply eating everything that was before him, before one of his mother's old constant reminders of being above the common gentry and not stooping to the rest of his people's eating habits sprang to mind. The thought of if he should bother with such formality any longer weighed on his mind until the conversation changed topics and his attention was drawn back to his friend.

It was a bit of a wild pelikki hunt, and there was an uncertainty to their goal and it's nature - but there was also an air of adventure, of discovery. The longer he focused on that aspect of it, the more certain his resolve became and a slow, deep nod began in response.

"We're unraveling a mystery." he said somberly, "I have to believe that the value in what we're doing is in the search, that the end result will be the knowledge we gain from the journey. Even if we were learn that the box isn't what we hope it is, or even that it doesn't exist. We'll have still gained something from the experience." He raised a finger, eyebrows arching as a thought occurred to him and he leaned over to dig into one of the rucksacks. He hadn't thought to mention it earlier, but he had managed to acquire a small, outdated datapad. A parting gift from the requisition officer he had made his unsuccessful attempt to get climbing gear from, with a mention of writing down potential hobbies - as he had written the request for gear off as being - in order to find out which ones were viable with the current level of trust he had earned. Finding it he held it up with a triumphant smile.

"We should chronicle our experience, then we'll know for certain that there has been something gained by all of this, at the very least we'll have something to add to the record."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Her eyes lit up at that, and Teagan felt her features brighten into an eager smile at the thought of documenting their adventure. It wasn't something she'd even considered, which was strange in its own way since she had begun to - as of late - develop her mother's penchant for writing. She had even saved up credits from her weekly allowance that Zem made sure she received, and bought herself a journal. It was an old-style book, with actual paper pages. The cover wasn't fancy and leather like the ones her mother had, but it worked well enough for what she'd bought it for.

"Yes!"

With one hand waving the bony remnants of a hind leg into the air, she felt her enthusiasm renewed.

"That's perfect!"

Scootching closer then, she brought the leg back down and lifted it to her mouth, crunching the bone into two pieces before taking one half with her free hand and bringing both up to suck out the tiny trickle of marrow left inside. It was a rich taste, deep and full of earthy flavor that lasted but a moment owing to the scant amount available.

Licking her lips, she tossed the two halves off into the brush.

"Do you have anything written up yet? Or were you waiting until now to do that?"

[Xanatos Etanial]

"Honestly..." He smiled awkwardly, a hand rubbing the short hairs at the back of his neck, the longer strands of blue falling over the back of his hand like so many accusatory words at the lack of planning on this particular idea, "it just sort of came to me now." The Mithosian let out a small chuckle and shook his head haphazardly. "Though I suppose that simply makes the acquisition of this - " He held up the datapad to emphasize the object at the word 'this' "more fortunate than I'd originally expected."

He pressed the power button and waited the several seconds it took to come fully online, definitely an outdated model. He opened the writing tool and begin typing with the onscreen keyboard.


The T'Nuah Boxes Mystery

He looked at his young friend with an uncertain acknowledgement. "Where do we start? Should we just be highlighting what we find, or should we start from the beginning at the Library?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

It was a question that stopped her short for a few moments, trying to think of the best way to start such a journal.

"I guess... "

Pursing her lips, the girl furrowed her brow as she pondered.

"Well, I guess we should start at the library. That's where we found out about the boxes."

Licking the last of her dinner's drippings from her fingers, she went on.

"Least, that's what I'm thinking... " she couldn't help her grin, basking in the happiness of a full belly and their current adventure, "... I think it's going to be a great story no matter where you start it, though. "