Padawan Gone ~ AU (2nd Installment of the Padawan Series)

Chapter 11

When I awoke, I was in a small hut illuminated by fire light. I looked around curiously. It reminded me so much of Ahsoka's hut: paintings on the walls and a chest in the corner. This person lived simply, just like Ahsoka, and just like a Jedi. They had to be a Jedi.

"You're awake." I turned and saw a girl standing at the entrance of the hut with a basket of fruit in her hands. She looked about my age. When she set the basket down, I took in her full appearance.

She was a Twi'lek. Her skin was a rare light purple with two purple head tails scaling the length of her back. She wore a jeweled band across her head along with noticeable Padawan Beads. Her head tails were graced with dark purple crescents, contrasting the light purple of her skin.

She wore a gray band across her chest which was decorated with long strands of beads that ended at her bellybutton. Along with her band, she wore gray leggings which fit tight to the skin and were also ripped in random places across all areas of her legs. Her boots were heavy and were gray like the rest of her attire.

When I looked back at her face, I saw her ice cold blue eyes peering at me. I smiled modestly.

"Hello," I said. "Are you the one who saved me? Are you the Jedi?" She just smiled.

After a while she spoke. "Yes."

"Let me see your lightsabers." I said. I didn't believe her.

She nodded and walked over to the chest in the corner. I instinctively reached for my lightsabers, but they weren't there.

I looked up and I saw her holding all of them in her hand. She threw them at me and then ignited her own. It was a green lightsaber like Master Yoda's.

"I am a Jedi." She admitted.

"Then why weren't you at the Temple? How do I not know you?" I asked, igniting my own defensively.

"Put your sabers down and I'll tell you." She said. I thought for a second and finally lowered my lightsabers.

She smiled. "Sit," she ordered and I complied.

"My name is Faven and I'm sixteen." She was around my age.

"That doesn't explain-" She hushed me.

"Be patient Padawan." I settled down and she continued. "I was fourteen when I became a Padawan, one of the best in my class. I was second only to one other, Ahsoka Tano." My heart stopped.

"We entered the Academy together and were both placed with Masters around the same time. She was with Master Anakin Skywalker, and I was placed with Aayla Secura. We never fought together after that, in fact, I have heard rumors of her death."

Rumors had spread to this part of the galaxy. I was afraid I was about to explode with anxiety. Would she kill me if she knew I was responsible for Ahsoka's death?

"My Master and I were on Felucia when the clones started killing Jedi. I knew something was wrong when I overheard our clone Commander's transmission. He talked about commencing an Order, Order 66. I went to Aayla, but she said everything was fine and she posted me with a section of the 501st legion. We were to stay on watch because the Separatists were planning an invasion of the planet."

"I'm so sorry." I tried to sympathize.

"We were separated, a perfect time to catch a Master and Padawan off guard. When I heard the blaster shots, I turned and saw the clones aiming their own blasters at me. I didn't know it yet, but I had just heard my Master's death. Then I ignited my lightsabers and killed them, only seven of them were posted with me. That's when I ran."

"Faven, I'm-"

She cut me off again. "The clones searched for days without finding me, and then they finally left. I went back to find my Master's body. I grieved for seven days until I finally buried her. The Jedi say we are not supposed to form attachments, but she was the closest thing to a sister I've ever had."

She breathed in quietly and tried to hide the tears. I lightly rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I came here after that and have resided here for a few weeks." It had only been a few weeks since the purge at the Temple. Time meant nothing to me until now.

"I lost my Master too."

"To Order 66?" She asked.

"No. To stupidity," I responded.

"Would you like to share?" I shook my head.

"Well, I say we stick together. Two Jedi with nothing to lose, an inseparable duo." She said and I smiled at that but deep down I knew I couldn't trust her.

"I agree. Let's get off this planet." I said, standing.

"Are you sure you're ready for that? You took a pretty hard fall yesterday while facing off against Ventress. What happened?"

"I just haven't been sleeping lately, on the run from everything but I'm well rested now." I reassured her. She smiled and stood.

"Well then, galaxies await us! By the way, what's your name? I feel as if I already know you so well but I don't know your name!" She laughed, grabbing her cloak that was resting on her bed and I clipped my sabers to my belt.

"My name is Icara." I lied. I had to.

We would never be sisters. We would never be friends. I had to keep her at my distance or else she would end up like Ahsoka. I couldn't handle that.