𝘚𝘈𝘓𝘜𝘛𝘌→𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩

the guilt.

             ALORA NERO'S eyesight began to grow blurry, as hot tears threatened to spill over her reddened cheeks. The other members of The Bad Batch were now exploring on Coruscant, but she had managed to get inside of the Jedi Temple, long enough to retrieve her things she left behind those few months ago. Her and Master Obrinth's shared chambers were left untouched. The Council was holding out on their hope that Alora would soon return, to claim the room once again as her own, and to stay. They, also, respected her and her fallen master enough to not go through their things. With no reason to do any different, they just decided to leave it as is. It was painful for Alora to come in, feeling as if she should see Lo'ree sitting on her neatly made bed. However, it probably would have been more painful to see the room bare.

"Alora, you okay?" Hunter had decided to come along with her. The look on her face, though she wouldn't admit it, was enough for him to know that she needed someone to be there with her. Besides that, due to his heightened senses, he could just hear how fast the girl's heart was beating. She was scared to go inside, yet it was necessary.

Alora was sitting down on her bed, her old Tooka doll held between her hands. Even at her age of nineteen, she held it every night she slept in the Jedi temple. She had missed it.

Alora ignored Hunter's question, and wiped her eyes vigorously. "Could you hand me that traveling bag?"

Hunter looked in the direction she pointed, then reached over to grab the bag and hand it to her. He watched her closely, however, his eyebrows furrowed.

Hunter was left feeling extremely anxious in that situation. What was silence to Alora, was excruciating angst for him. He could hear each one of her heart beats, and the quickening sound worried him. Every sniffle, every shaky gasp, every time her breath hitched and it took her a moment to catch it again. It worried him. Hunter could see the way she was carrying herself as she packed away some of her things. She was in so much pain, yet was using all of her strength to conceal it. He knew she needed him, or one of the other squad members, though she would never admit it.

Hunter looked around the room nervously, his eyes landing on a photograph sitting on top of a small dresser. He examined it, and a great deal of sadness washed over him. Alora couldn't have been over ten years old in the photo, as her small hand held onto Lo'ree's emerald green hand tightly. He could easily see the love the two had for one another in person, as he had the privilege to work with Lo'ree. But, this photograph truly solidified it. Lo'ree was more than a Master to Alora, she was much like a mother to her. That much was obvious.
He couldn't help but focus on Lo'ree in the photograph. The twilek didn't look that much different, other than she was missing a few battle scars that she had when Hunter met her. Her eyes were filled with love. From the time he got to spend with her he knew that the Master was an amazing General. Daring, confident, and fearless. But now, he knew that she was a wonderful person all in all. Hunter understood why Alora was so hurt by her loss.

Even after two months to try to process everything, Hunter felt a bit of guilt and responsibility towards the loss. He never had to deal with losing a General, or anyone, really, in battle. He wasn't prepared for the painful feeling of it. He felt like he could have done more to save her. If he had, General Obrinth would still be alive, and Alora would not be in so much pain.
This young girl has come to be one of the most important people in this clone's life, and the thought of her being so hurt, bothered him.

It's no secret to him that Hunter tends to freak out in these situations, and he always has tried to be by himself when he gets like this, but this time he had nowhere to hide. He looked back at Alora, hearing her chest beating rapidly once again. She was trying her hardest to calm herself. "A-Are you okay, Alora?"