A Song Of Light and Darkness - Book One: Dawn Of New Force

Chapter 12: The Child

Rey skidded to a halt as she walked down the slope. It was full of tiny pebbles, and they only made her slip even more. Ben followed close behind her and proppeled himself on the outlined rock that bordered the path.

The morning sun hit them straight in the face, promising another good day. And a crisp wind blew up there, on the tops of the mountains, flapping their cloaks in the wind and snapping them against their backs, yanking them from behind. Yet Rey was tired. More tired than she remembered ever being. And in spite of that harsh wind, she could sit right there and take a good nap.

Her hand went up to rub the sleep that threatened to creep in her eyes off. It was not far, until they rounded a corner and almost bumped into the large head of the fathier that ate what rough leaves could be found in that barren land.

"Whoa, hello there." Rey said drowsily as she took a few paces back and almost toppled over a bigger rock. But Ben was there to catch her.

"Easy." he said as he helped her to her feet.

"Thanks." She managed a low mumble, drowned by a yawn.

She had to admit it, she felt drained. Not only regarding her energy, but the little Force she had got left, too. And she didn't even realize how she clung to Ben as they made their way to mount the fathier.

"Need help?" Ben asked as she placed her hands on the animal's back.

She shot him a glare and wanted to object, yet no words came out of her mouth. Instead, she only scoffed and let out an exasperated sigh as he placed his hands on her waist and lifted her in the air as if she weighed nothing more than BB-8. She tried to kick with her legs, yet she was up in the saddle before she could even say a word.

Still she felt like she was not ready to leave, in spite of the tiredness that overwhelmed her.

"Ben," she said softly as she could feel him ready to jump behind her.

He tilted up his head to look her in the eyes. "Yes, Rey?"

"We should not leave." She insisted, this time convinced on her words. And she could see how troubled Ben was as he frowned up at her. "I think... I think I can feel another force-signature around. Please, Ben," she insisted, her eyes softening. "We need to know what it is."

And he reached up and took her hand. "We can't risk it Rey. What if it's something bad?"

"I know it's not." and her voice had a hint of coldness in it again. But he responded patiently with a squeeze on her hand.

"I'll go." he said as he nodded, looking in her eyes.

"I'm coming too."

Rey had no mind to wait for him there. She knew there was nothing bad going to happen, yet they needed to stick together and Ben was as tired as she was; she could see it even thought he tried not to seem so for her own sake. And then there was the fathier... Well even thought she had been up in the saddle twice, she still wasn't used to the animal. Every time she was up at that height, see lived with the sensation that she would tumble forward over its head.

So she jumped quickly and followed Ben.
She jogged until she caught up with him. His head jerked up as he heard her steps behind him and the low rumble made by the pebbles that rolled down the slope.

And she walked in front of him and took up the lead. "Over here." She said as she rounded a gathering of four small pines.

Her paces led her farther down the steep path until she came to a sudden halt, causing Ben to almost bump into her. And her head turned this way and that. What was there that she needed to see? She couldn't sense anything.