Lifting his head he cast an eye over the cloudless sky above. The heat had been a surprise when he had first left the mountain, but now it was just a constant annoyance. It was like a great weight that pressed down over the land non-stop, only lifting to be replaced with a sharp chill each night.

He didn’t struggle as much as he first had, but he still found it draining at times. He had taken to sleeping during the hottest part of the day and doing most of his travailing at night. It was easier and he had found a particular pleasure in traversing the landscape at night.

So far his journey had been interesting. He had met and spent time with many animals, including baboons, giraffe and long-horned antelope. The incident with the honey badger was unfortunate but he wasn’t naive enough to believe every encounter would be a welcome one. And so far the few fights he had gotten into had been minor with no injuries given. He had, however, had occasion to use his stash of salves and powders and had treated everything from a painful snake bite to a deep tear wound that had nearly disabled a young lioness, gained from hunting the wrong buffalo.

However he hadn’t seen another creature for a while, except a pure white bird he thought was an eagle. It seemed to be keeping an eye on him, flying away only to circle back a while later and shadow him before vanishing again. The bird was directly above again, winging lightly along as if suspended in the scorching blue sky. Standing he watched it for a while but eventually it wheeled lazily away and vanished into the distance.

Shaking his head at the strange behaviour he continued along the path he had picked. There wasn’t a track to follow, nor any kind of marks in the windswept sand. He followed something only he could feel, a nudge deep within him where the Force resided. He had no idea where he was, but he trusted his instinct, and knew that whatever happened, he was meant to be there.

As evening drew closer he realised that the heavy weight of heat had lifted slightly. More so than simply the day’s waning warranted. Pausing again he tipped his head back, searching for his silent follower. The bird hung seemingly motionless in the air, some distance ahead. But something else caught Yosun’s gaze. A deep blue line stretched across the horizon, almost shimmering as if caught in a heat wave.

Confused he stared at it for a long time, unsure of what it was. The most likely explanation was a rain cloud in the far distance. But it didn’t seem cloud-like and it was too blue. Not the dull grey that rain appeared from afar. But since the tug he felt through his connection to the Force was still drawing him towards it, he guessed he would find out sooner or later what it was.

His guess had been right as, hours later in full dark, he crested a sharp rise and was stunned at what he saw. Water, for as far as he could see, lapped at the grey sand below. The moon, a slim crescent, hovered above and a second shimmered in fragments below. A salty breeze ruffled his fur and he realised with a shock that it was the ocean. He had heard of it from his Master, but he never thought he would actually see it. That meant he had come as far as he could in this direction… so what of the tug from the Force?

Puzzled he looked round, searching for some sign, some hint as to what he was supposed to do here. Suddenly, from out of the shadows of the forest, a figure stepped. Squinting he struggled to identify it in the darkness but then it made its way down the sand to the water’s edge and as if by the will of the Force, it suddenly resolved into the figure of a lioness.

At least if nothing else, she would be able to tell him where he was, and maybe even held a clue as to why he was here. Without letting himself think about it further and risk loosing his nerve, he stepped down over the lip of the eroded hill upon which he stood and made his way down towards the mysterious stranger.

As he grew closer he could make out more of her. Smaller than many of the lionesses he had met so far, with a pretty white and soft brown coat that would have been good camouflage in the forest but out on the beach it only served to highlight her.

She hadn’t seemed to realise he was there as she stood gazing out over the swelling waves. Her expression was so sweet and dreamlike that he felt uncomfortable about disturbing her. But just as he started to turn away she spotted him. Surprise flashed through liquid brown eyes before a shy smile bloomed. It made his breath catch, for she was simply stunning. Like a Goddess, all innocent beauty and a sweetness of expression that derailed his thoughts entirely.

Finally realising that she was now looking puzzled as well as angelic, he managed to return her smile with an embarrassed grin. Closing the distance between them he was momentarily at a loss as to what to say.

“Hello… I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Pausing he smiled again, apologetic. “I’m Yosun, and I was hoping you would be able to tell me where I am?”

Her smile was radiant as she moved closer, shrinking the distance from strangers to friends. Her coco-brown eyes warm and trusting. And a protectiveness took hold of him so tightly he almost lost his breath all over again.

When she spoke, it was with the softest of tones that were like music, warm and lilting. Her accent clear and exotic. “It is nice to meet you Yosun. I am Tahirah.” She suddenly paused and a warm rosy colour flooded her cheeks. “Ahh.. that is.. I’m normally known as Wren.” She dropped her gaze and seemed both apologetic and nervous. It made him wonder why, and he hadn’t missed the fact she had given him two names.

Yet before he could say anything else she looked back up, seemingly having composed herself somewhat. “This is the edge of my pride. Not many come here..” Her soft gaze turned curious as she looked him over. And he assumed she wasn’t used to either green lions, or strangers…

“Have you come a long way?” She asked with that soft smile again. Distracting him enough that he barely caught her question.

“Ahh yes… some distance… from the Mizani'Ulimwengu.” He smiled at her blank expression. “I’m a Jedi.” It didn’t seem to help her any so he simply smiled, and steered the conversation towards the land upon which they stood. After all, he still needed to discover just where he had ended up. But the Force had quieted in him and he was certain he was on the right track.


(Word count = 1,190)