A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles

Tionne tossed that little what was left of the second half of the fruit to the forest floor and licked succulent juices off her fingers. The sweet aftertaste slowly faded, leaving behind mild inebriety that teased the senses. Her muscles relaxed as she reclined back in the nest, half laying down, half sitting up. The redhead then bit her lips inwardly, eyes drifting to Hicchoru.

''I suppose you lead a normal life, before revelations at Felucia. Sometimes I envy those normal people. Seems to me that I missed a lot, being brought up as a Jedi.'' she admitted with a guileless smile, then sulked between her shoulders, shying away. The drug made her inner geniality surface, a part of her she had suppressed and neglected for an entire lifetime.

"You must have had girls running after you. With your good looks and all...'' Thanewulf probed, sticking out a finger to poke him in the shoulder playfully.

Anbira was at risk of being flattered to death. His smile broadened, and he ran a hand up to his filthy beard, trailing up to his filthy hair. And she found something within all that to like.

"It feels like another lifetime, really."

Something stuck with him. There was something wistful and sad in her words.

"Maybe there's something I can teach you after all."

Everything felt right. Whether his confidence was bolstered by the fruit or not, Anbira felt her warmth against him, which was inviting and not oppressive like the heat of the day earlier. The fauna in the canopy and below seemed to grow quiet, and maybe they sensed it too. He leaned forward, tilting his head carefully, as if the slightest wrong movement would undo it all. There was time for her to break away...there was time...

...through the grime they both endured on the planet, the only pristine parts of their bodies were their lips, each stained with sweet and inviting nectar. They met softly.

As soon as their lips met, Thanewulf felt an unknown surge in her lower abdomen, like a rising tide threatening to flood the banks of an already bulging river. Despite countless chants of the Code she repeated through the course of her lifetime, Tionne had secretly hoped for a moment like this; spontaneous, impulsive, predetermined. To act on whim was discouraged, even forbidden, yet very much craved. To touch and be touched was only human, to express affection in a kiss inherently natural. What could be wrong with it, the redhead wondered in those first seconds when her lips shyly grazed against his, testing with barely audible pecks.

''To hell with it.'' she voiced internally, readying herself to disregard all former cathecism echoing against the walls of the Jedi temple. Those walls were now nothing but ruins, a monument to blind indoctrination with century-old ideals. Unlike those who saw the world through scrolls and ancient scrips, the Coruscanti-born Jedi wanted more, to drink mead from the chalice of emotions. Or was it the potion of the fruit clouding her mind? It mattered not.

Propping herself on one arm, she broke the kiss only long enough to straddle Anbira, sitting atop him, weight pressing against his hips.Tionne supported her upper body by her arms as she leaned forwards, naturally reposing into a posture that felt most comfortable. Her face hovered above his, warmth of her breath percolating through his beard.

"What could you possibly teach me, Anbira Hicchoru?" the redhead challenged with voice barely louder than a whisper.

He smiled, knowing that this could not have been a coincidence. He believed in the Force strongly enough to dispel any thought of this as blind happenstance. There was good in this moment, beyond even their desires.

"Faith in people. As long as we can feel, I will always believe we are inherently good."

Anbira realized that was a lesson he hadn't picked up as a Jedi. He'd learned that one even earlier. He'd learned it at home. It was that lesson that finally pulled him away from the Empire. It was that lesson that sent him on his journey through the wildnerness, to the stars, and to Tionne.

There are no coincidences.

Giving himself completely to that all-enveloping truth, he kissed her again. Overhead, the setting sun was finally swallowed up by the night, and the forest sang in a million voices, just for them.

The kiss was returned, lips intertwining when last light left the horizon, leaving only glimmer of stars upon the celestial stage. Through the thick canopy they shined at two Jedi trapped in a timeless moment; Tionne wrapped around him like a vine, fingers tracing along his neck and ample upper trunk, exploring every scar a lifetime spent in wilderness had left. After a lengthy exchange of caresses, the ascent of Vendaxa's three moons lulled them into sleep, her head peacefully resting between his chin and chest. Their breathing synchronized and deepened, exhausted bodies aching for a good night's rest.

The shortness of the Vendaxan night allowed only for a few hours of sleep; it was not before long that the sun ascended from the east, beginning its sluggish drag across a brightening sky. Carefully slipping out of the nest not to wake Anbira, Thanewulf embarked on a mission of finding them a more protein-rich breakfast. After half an hour of scouting the nearby thicket, she returned with two handfuls of small, cricket like creatures wrapped in large leaf.

"Breakfast is served!" the redhead shouted into the canopy and sat under the tree, spreading what was to be their breakfast on a leaf before her.

Eschewing the climb up, Anbira dropped from on high, his feet finding sure purchase on the ground as he eased down into a crouch to offset his landing momentum. Stretching up to his full height, he gave himself a full stretch and a yawn, tilting his neck just so until it gave a satisfying pop.

"I haven't slept that good in a year."

A deep sigh, and he exhaled with an expression of contentedness. The morning hadn't yet picked up the heat of the day, so it was almost cool in the early hours of light.

"Breakfast, eh?"

He dropped down beside her, looking at her haul. No stranger to a good nosh of bugs, he picked one up, turning it over in his hand, before popping it into his mouth. He gave it a crunch, paused a bit, rolled it around on his tongue, and continued chewing, eventually swallowing and carefully spitting aside the tougher hind legs.

"That's so similar. You're trying to overwhelm me with nostalgia, aren't you?"

"Insects are a valuable source of nutrients, throughout the galaxy. Not only Felucia has these little snacks loitering about. Besides, I've eaten far more disgusting things. You should see what Rodians serve as delicacy...''' the redhead asserted, remembering all the gruesome foods she tried out of sheer politeness. Some societies made it mandatory to taste local foodstuffs, as a way of showing one honoured their culture. There were times, more often than not, when Thanewulf wanted to spit but had to swallow. And smile afterwards.

Upon pulling the hind legs out, she tossed an insect into her mouth and chewed on the crunchy exterior, relishing its mild taste. Another two were also thrown in, legless, and some serious munching commenced. Tionne valued breakfast above all else, being one of those very few people who actually found themselves able to eat in the morning.

''Ahem... The thing that happened between us, up there...'' Tionne uttered clumsily, pausing between two bites - "I'd like for it to stay between us."

Anbira considered her words, and after some thought, nodded.

"I suppose there are ways of thinking on the subject that are derived from a differing point of view."

What did happen between them? They had a moment. It had to be more than that. Was Tionne sure of that as well though? He hoped this wasn't a rationalization for putting it aside entirely.

"It will be our secret."

"Good."

It was all that was to be said on the subject. There were more important things at hand, like retrieving the holocron and getting off the planet alive. Tionne was not going to allow for any more distractions; in complete silence, she finished her portion of insects. That flutter previously wobbling in her stomach was again cocooned in an impervious shell, stashed away not to interfere with her rationality. Yet a part of her still yearned for a his lips, and the tickling od Anbira's beard against her chin.

The time had come for them to make the descent into the rift valley and voyage across it, to the caves under the waterfall. Tionne lead the way back to the clearing, then leaned in to take a drink of water from the dripping wells.

''Those lianas might help us on our way down." she suggested, motioning to the long-stemmed, woody vines rooted in the almost vertical slope of the cliffs. Grabbing one of them, Thanewulf swung to the side only to grab another lower one, her feet finding barring in the irregularly shaped rocks.

Anbira tested the strength of a vine he picked, giving a hefty tug and putting his back into it. Confident that it would do, he began to ease himself down the vine, feet kicking back from the rock face periodically as he descended. Reaching the terminus of his vine, he pushed in either direction to swing and find another. It was, admittedly, a fairly perilous way down. Any one of the vines could...

"AAAHH!!"

...snap and not support his weight, sending him free-falling down the cliff face. Fortunately, Anbira's quick reflexes and Jedi intuition quickly sought purchase with another, stronger vine. Thanks to the "boost" from the near-death fall, Anbira was a good 30 feet below Tionne.

"It's alright. Just a bad luck of the draw, I suppose!"

Hand cut a bit from the severe grip he'd taken on the vine that broke his fall, Anbira endured it and continued down the sheer edge of the rift. It wouldn't be much longer before they were at the base.

Her heart skipped at the sight of Anbira loosing barring and almost falling into the chasm below. Just as her lips opened to scream, he grabbed another vine and shook the entire sinewy creeper pervading the side of the cliff, almost throwing her off balance. With eyes briefly closed, Tionne wheezed and centred herself in the Force, regaining her composition and focus. Was it fear that bewildered her, fear of loss? She had known him for a short while, yet trembled at the mere thought of something happening to him. Pushing those ominous musings out of her mind, Thanewulf completed her descent into the lush coppice below.

"Let me see that..." the redhead voice softly and grabbed his injured hand gently to inspect the cut. Despite not being deep, it bled. And the scent of blood would eventually attract predators from afar; thus, the wound had to be conserved.

The Knight reached down and ripped the lower part of her tank top off, leaving her in nothing but a cloth strap stretched over her chest. The strip of textile was then wrapped around Hicchoru's palm, folded and tied tightly to completely stop the bleeding. Her eyes sought his before she finally spoke -
"There's some disinfectant on board. This will have to suffice, for the time being."

"It'll be fine."

In actuality, the salt of his sweat and the mingling of grime was causing it to sting a bit, but Anbira could only smile at Tionne's bedside manner of a sort. She tended to him like it was second nature, and the net effect was the Felucian hermit came out of the ordeal better for it.

He felt something wild flutter in her, the ripple effect of his brush with death.

"I've had much worse spills than that, and each landed me on my feet. It'll take more than a bad step or two to get rid of me."

Giving his bandaged hand a flex or two and confident in the result, he deferred to her with a smile and a wink.

"Ready when you are."

The voyage through the lush valley lasted another half an hour, not another word uttered between two Jedi. Tionne kept purposefully silent, knowing the rift was a crucible infested with predators. With ears perched, she meandered though the fern thicket, the forest floor ominously bedimmed by the dense canopy above. Her senses stretched far out before them, scanning the environment for any signs of immediate danger. They were still covered in primeval mud, which was a sound guarantee their scent trails would not be spotted. However, one of them would be ridding themselves of grime soon and thus be nothing more than a snack offered on a silver platter.

The sound of tumbling waters neared as they approached the waterfall, its tumult almost deafening. The sheer grandness of it would astonish anybody who stood under it, sprayed by a light haze of water vapour. Instead of admiring the scenery, Tionne's slate eyes narrowed upon approaching the cave entrance on the right side of the waterfall. It took a few moments for eyes to adjust from the brightness of the Vendaxan day to the near pitch-black darkness of the caves.

"Keep close." the redhead advised softly, literally pulling Hicchoru by his hand, while her other hand took grip of her saber and ignited the blade, illuminating the corridor in a golden-yellow glow.

Descending into the cave, Anbira did as he was told, igniting his own saber as well, holding it high and to the side to offer as much illumination as they could afford. He stretched out with his feelings, looking for either danger or a sure path alike.

"How far into the caves is it stored?"

From the rocky edifices and stalagtites, the cave seemed to be fairly extensive within.

"Far enough." Thanewulf replied laconically, her eyes fixed on the faintly illuminated path ahead. Sounds of water dripping from the ceiling echoed across the endless maze of corridors, each and every falling dab creating a crystalline sound resonating against the stalagmites. Bioluminescenct fungus flourished on the walls, translucent in blue-greenish neon glow. An aura of serenity encompassed the place, its tranquillity pacifying both of them - sensation that would not last for long, the Coruscanti knew.

Through another long naturally carved hallway, they reached a spacious cavern, it's floor submerged in water. On the other side, a small extrusion hovered above the water's rippling surface , illuminated by a single ray of light cascading down. There lay a leather sack, containing the precious holocron.

"Hold this, please." the redhead pleaded, offering Anbira the hilt of her powered-down lightsaber and stepped down into the cold waters, turning to him -
"Don't follow me. One of us has to make it out alive, so I thought it would be you. You are at home in these kind of woods." she said with a mysterious smile and leaned backwards into the plunge pool and pushed herself off the edge, stroking across water.

"Don't toy with saying such a thing."

What was she doing? Anbira took her saber reluctantly, watching her swim across, losing the muddy protection she had insisted would keep them hidden from the dangers of Vendaxa.

Whether Tionne's response was gallows humor or serious, he found that he didn't like the notion of what she said one bit.

As Tionne spread water with her hands, creating ripples in otherwise sedate waters, the coolness of the fluid streaming around her pricked at the back of her head like a thousand needles. With every stroke, grime chipped off, dissolving in the purity of the lake, leaving her without protection against Vendaxan bloodthirsty fauna. She chased any semblance of fear or doubt from her mind, concentrating only on what lay ahead.

When the holocron was just at hand's reach, Tionne dived into the water only to emerge from it like a siren, scooping the sack off the rock where it was placed a quarter a century ago. The Knight then swam back, across the pool to where Anbira awaited, making sure the holocron was kept above water's surface at all times.

The redhead rose from the water, last of mud trickling down, meandering across her skin. White fabric of her breifs and tank top was soaked, acquiring a gossamer-like texture that barely hid anything underneath. A wet hand extended to exchange the hilt for the sack.

"We take what is given." she proclaimed, leaning in to merely press her lips against his, her voice transforming into a soft whisper - "Make sure the holocron makes it back to the Wheel."

Anbira received her kiss, almost too busy in contemplation of her words and actions to reciprocate. His eyes moved from the holocron, and then to Tionne.

"You should follow your advice as well. This is our responsibility."

Easing the holocron down to the ground nearby, Anbira turned to face Tionne, and jumped backwards into the water.

Something twitched inside the Coruscanti upon seeing Hicchoru immerse himself in the lake. What was he try to prove? With one person still covered in mud, they had much higher chances of returning to their ship unharmed. Was this the unity Jedi often spoke of? Hardly. There was something brewing underneath; such dedication and sacrifice was not oft seen, even among the Jedi.

Thanewulf briefly stood there, buried in place, mesmerized by his deed. Her lips parted, but no words came out, just a long-winded, docile sigh. The nobility of his act was indisputable, by far the nicest thing anybody did for Tionne in a long, long while. Such feats could restore her trust in others, if repeated. She graced him with a soft smile and a look words could not even begin to describe.

Wordlessly, the Knight faced the exit, igniting her saber. With a confident stride, she walked out of the cave and into the light of the day and the tumbling waterfall outside, knowing he would follow suit. As soon as bright light of Vendaxa Prime struck her skin, dabs of sweat formed on her forehead, it's scent - sweet as mead - rode on the breeze. Dinner was served.

"The way I see it, our trip to the cave was simply too easy."

Anbira made light of their danger-filled situation as they exited the cave, toting the holocron along with his own blade.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Isn't that what they say? At any rate, I'm sure even in the face of a grisly death I will remain victorious, and give my devourer indigestion."

He continued his deadpan expression, eventually cracking wise a bit as they walked. His feelings were extended beyond their sight, and he was ready for whatever this planet had to throw at them.