Kadi Silan

As the Duros man approached her with a bow, Kadi returned the gesture. She wasn't one who felt bowing to a Jedi was necessary, but she understood it was a sign of respect, not fear, and the least she could do was reciprocate the gesture. He was older than most hopefuls she'd met, but the Jedi order was still rebuilding after the Sith rule. They weren't exactly in a place to be picky about who they recruited. She gestured to her ship with a smile. "Roozemom I presume? Please, come aboard. We have much to discuss regarding the Jedi Order." She turned and walked towards the ship, feeling a pang of guilt. She had returned to Felucia, seen Eisa again, but their duties made those meeting incredibly rare. It was difficult keeping a close friendship and burgeoning relationship going in such conditions, and for the briefest of moments she felt resentment towards her position as a Jedi. What she would give to just settle down with Eisa on a planet like Kashyyyk and spend a few years uninterrupted by Sith attacks and hopeful recruits. But she quashed those feelings as fast as they arrived. It would be a pale immitation of peace, knowing that they both had the knowledge and ability to help the galaxy heal, but had chosen to run away. In a way, it would be even more miserable for them both. It was wishful thinking to believe they could drop everything and hide from the world together. She looked back towards the Duros, addressing him again. "Why choose the Jedi Order now, after so long living as a monk with the Force?"

Kadi stepped aboard one of the many orbital stations around Duros, looking out at the planet through the observation deck. The planet suffered under the whims of absolute industry, the Duros shipyards and manufactories choking out most living beings. She couldn't imagine what would drive a species to do such a thing to their own home. It was a type of pollution utterly alien to what she was used to- More complex, more complicated. When she had to cleanse a world of the effects of the Dark Side, it was as simple as righting the natural order, and removing whatever was causing a disruption in the Force. To cleam a planet of the smog that covered Duros would take trillion of credits, and probably close to a hundred years. Even still, such a restoration could never be perfect. She wondered what species would never see the galaxy again, what plants were forever lost to industry. She was glad she didn't need to approach the planet itself. The hopeful she was to collect and assess was on one of the many orbital stations, the one that she had just boarded. She had left her lightspear aboard her shuttle, opting to bring an more traditional saber that had been gifted to her. She wore her traditional Jedi robes- she knew who she was here to find was a Duros, and expecting her, and hoped that without a way to contact him he would be able to spot her in the crowd. She closed her eyes, reaching out in the Force like a beacon, telling the Jedi hopeful her location.

Kadi stepped off the shuttle from Falleen, taking a deep breath. The hot, humid air of Felucia was a welcome change to the stale, recycled bite of the shuttle's. Around her, Jedi and civilians alike scurried around. In the two years since she was last on the planet, so much had happened. She'd been to planets that she'd only read about, and witnessed war on a planetary scale. She'd met new friends, and new enemies as well. It was comforting, being home, but also strange to see how much life had been breathed into the temple with the fall of the Sith. Her communicator beeped,and she glanced at it. Eisa She couldn't stop the grin on her face as she saw the message. Her friend was only a day or so away from her own arrival on Felucia. Between Kadi's work on ruined ecosystems, and Eisa's work on ruined infrastructure, there was virtually no overlap on their taskings. It would be the first time they'd seen each other since the end of the war. But she wasn't the only one Kadi was excited to see- She could feel the bond with Juro, her acklay companion that she'd left behind when she left. He was always near the temple, hunting dangerous prey and keeping them away. She always wondered if it was because that was what he preferred to hunt, or if it was because he understood that the temple was to be protected. She moved with a small crowd carrying supplies to the Temple's exit, helping them move their goods where she could. She didn't want to waste time while everyone around her was so clearly hard at work, even if she was here for some time to herself. It was the least she could do before she headed into the wilderness for the night. When they were finished, she gave them a polite wave, making her exit into the wilds of Felucia.

Kadi froze as the Consumed appeared. Hundreds of people, taken and possessed by the Dark Side. These were no cultists, they weren't Sith Lords. They were regular people, taken from their homes and forced to fight a war they had no hand in, robbed of control of their minds and bodies. She let out a shuddering breath, forcing herself to step forward. What was she supposed to do? The Sith had turned the very populace she was here to protect into unwitting living weapons. What was the right choice? If she struck them down, was she not just killing people who had no more wish to be the Sith's pawns than she did? But if she let them live, they would doubtlessly hurt many more before they could kill those responsible for this magic, and there were far too many to cleanse, at least for her. Her eyes drifted to Leena as the healer leapt into the fray, offering a simple solution. She darted forward, swinging the haft of her lightsaber spear at an encroaching Consumed, knocking him to the ground. "Master Leena, these people are not willing combatants. If we stop those responsible for this, we may free them all at once, but we can't just let them massacre people in the mean time. Please, let me find where this is happening and put a stop to it." There was a plea in her eyes- She couldn't watch the Sith lay waste to an entire city, especially using the Jedi as their instruments of destruction as they sent bakers, workers, mothers and fathers into the fray in the hopes of slowing them down.

The craft hit the ground, and immediately Kadi could tell something was off. A dark miasma coated the spaceport, trying to envelope the Jedi that she could sense. She glanced at Kerriwar before speaking. "Something's wrong out there. I can feel it. Close your eyes- The Dark Side is like a disease, rooted deep in this world, and this spaceport is an infected wound. Whatever is happening here will only make the situation worse. Stay here if you'd like, I need to go see what's happening." The shuttle door hissed open, and she stepped out, her lightspear hanging loosely off of her back. She looked around, spotting a familiar Mon Cal healer and an unknown Twi'lek. She smiled for a moment at the sight of her friend before looking on. No physical weapons were drawn, but their wills fought in to Force in a conflict clear to see by anyone trained to sense such things. Was their cover blown? Were these people cultists of the Dark Side, looking to kill whoever it was Leena and her allies were protecting? She didn't know, but she wasn't about to stand by helplessly. She moved closer, careful not to reveal her location to the group, before adding her strength to the Jedi master's. She could only hope Leena would recognize her presence.

The shuttle shuttered as it broke through the atmosphere, moving along it's predetermined path as it descended to the planet before. Kadi's eyes were squeezed shut as she tried- and failed- to meditate. Somethign about re-entry always bothered her. Maybe it was the idea of hurtling towards the ground as a fireball that bothered her, or maybe it was just the isolation that came with the void of space being acknowledged as it was abandoned, as though the darkness itself clawed and dragged against the shuttle to keep the craft wrapped in it's embrace. She took a breath. If meditation wouldn't work, she'd fill the anxious void in her mind. He checked her communicator- An update from Eisa informed her that her friend was busy helping with humanitarian aid efforts on Nar Shaddaa. She felt a pang in her chest- How long had it been since they saw each other? Nearly a year. Kadi was used to the isolation, but it was strange having someone to look forward to seeing. Maybe after she had Kerriwar settled with the order, she could ask for an assignment on the ruined moon. There was no end of tasks to do across the galaxy, and very few Jedi left to help. She stood, looking to the Wookie that shared the cramped hold with her. "Remember, the Jedi aren't officially here. They're doing reconnaissance on the planet so that when the liberation forces arrive they're not walking into a nest of gundarks. If anyone asks, we're not Jedi. Unless it's a Jedi asking, but I suppose that's a moot point. Are you ready?"

Kadi grinned widely- she couldn't help herself. It faded quickly, however, as she realized the weight of what she had just done. Was it right to take him from his people, from his culture? To enlist him in what was essentially a war against Darkness itself? He needed training in the Force, but was inducting him into the Jedi really the only way to go about it? Had she robbed Kashyyyk of one of it's few protectors? Or had she done what she had to, to make sure the Sith would never have a foothold on the galaxy again, to make sure that no village was ever senselessly massacred again throughout the galaxy, not just on Kashyyyk? She'd have to talk to Eisa about it. In the mean time, there was work to do. "If you're willing to learn the ways of the Force, then the Jedi Order is willing to have you. I grant you the rank of Padawan, Kerriwar of the Tree Carers. We're glad to have you. If you'd like, I can take you to Falleen, where most of the remaining Masters of our order are trying to unseat the Sith loyalists still present. There, we can find a suitable teacher for your wishes and your talents."

Kadi chuckled at his amazement. "Not the same as me- every person's connection to the Force is different. But we're very similar, yes, through our connections to nature. As for becoming a Jedi- That's up to you. The old Jedi Order from what I understand used to search the galaxy for Force Sensitive children and induct them into the Order. Luckily, we're well beyond that. What you do with your power is up to you. It's more than a gift though, regardless of what you do with it. You have the power to call on the Force to aid you in your endeavors. It can be a helping hand, guiding you through the trees and the Galaxy to the next person in need..." She gestured forlornly at the large swathes of damaged forests that dotted the vistas before them. "...or you can use it a weapon, to subjugate and destroy, perverting the very nature of the Force to destroy life, and itself. Such power is corruptive by its very nature. When you tear apart the web of life with malice and hate, it infects your very soul, and you become a slave to emotion and petty violence. That's what the Sith are, and that's what they breed. Whether you take up the mantra of the Jedi, or pursue your studies alone here on Kashyyyk, it's your choice. But if you want to join us, I can do that for you, and I can train you in the ways of the Force, or find someone more suitable to your beliefs and ideals." In truth, she hoped that he would join them. It was a slightly selfish hope- The Jedi were full of warriors and healers and politicians, but there were few who took up the mantle of healing the worlds as much as the people that the Sith and their terror wrought. Kerriwar was a Wookie, a Tree Carer with a unique connection to his planet. A kindred spirit in the Force. But his gift was his to do with what he wished. It wasn't her job to make him a naturalist, only to enable his decision.

Kadi grinned as the bird came over- He was a natural, even if he didn't know what he was doing. It seemed that he was unaware of the power that was within him. She reached out, gently caressing the bird. She couldn't speak to the creature like Kerriwarr could, but that was something she shared with Juro. She knew it well. This planet was his as much as Felucia was hers, and even without training he had learned the first step to learning what she knew. "You're already doing it. Close your eyes. Feel it inside you- the Force is there. It surrounds us, a massive tapestry connecting all life, a story for us to tell. One of peace. Of protecting life, and stopping those that would harm it. Your connection to your world is what she comes here for. When life has nothing to fear, it flourishes. Listen, and she'll tell you how she's feeling, even without saying it. It's through this connection in the Force that Jedi draw their power. It's also what gives us our duty- Many who feel this connection are compelled to portect it, myself included. That's why I came here." She took her weapon, laying it on the branch before her. "I am a Jedi naturalist. Through the Force, I seek to heal wounded worlds, and through the Force, I seek to protect those that the forces of evil set their sights upon. We are champions of the people, guardians of life, and servants of the Force."

Kadi closed her eyes- The view was beautiful, but the feeling of the Force around her right now was even better. She could almost always feel it, the connections between living things, but in places like this, serenity mixed with vibrant life, it became ever present. She could feel the Wookie, the tree they stood on. If she pushed further, she could feel it's neighbors, small flora and fauna that grew within them. Even further out, directed now, she could feel the Shyyyo bird. It was certainly beautiful, both in the flesh and in the Force. She reached out tentatively, steadying herself, slowing her breathing, speaking softly. "See if you can feel this. If you can mimic it." she whispered, smiling softly. She connected with the bird, careful not to startle it. "Be gentle. We aren't trying to dominate her, only tell her that we're here and mean her no harm." She could feel the Shyyyo bird. It was happy, but it still had scars in its psyche from whatever had happened to it. Kadi understood the feeling all to well. It's what had driven her here, to heal a world she knew nothing about. She shared her empathy through their connection, her understanding. She meant no harm, and did her best to convey that she was here to help. Whether it would work remained to be seen- She didn't know this creature or its species. It was different, getting a wronged creature to trust a new presence than getting a young beast to trust food.

Kadi stood as her did, taking his hand and he offered to help her up. It seemed now would be when he was ready. She wasn't disappointed, but she hesitated for a moment as he took off through the trees, looking down towards the canopy below. She was disappointed that Telperien hadn't joined them, but the girl was free to make her own choices. In time, she was sure they'd meet again. She looked back up as the Wookie began to disappear in the distance. He moved fast for a creature of his size, but she could keep up easily, especially now that she had caught her breath from the frenzied hunt below. She took off through the trees after him, tracking his movements with the force as he fell out of sight. She didn't understand Kashyyyk's flora physically, but all life was similar in the force. It was almost second nature to track with it to her. She sprung from branch to branch, following the Wookie through the foliage. It wasn't long before she caught up- If not for her enhanced agility, she might not have been able to. This time, she had the time to take in the world around her as they climbed. How the higher they got, the more the trees thinned and other life dropped of. The solitude of the great trees in their age and size was well deserved, considering the importance they seemed to have on the rest of the ecosystem. The birds and arboreal creatures were all that remained this high, drinking from pools of water that collected on the massive branches, consuming the bark and leaves of the trees that gave them protection and housing. This was what she lived for- The solitude and majesty that nature provided her. "The trees are much taller in person than they seem from a shuttle." she admitted between breaths as she tried to keep up. She had the Force, but he had natural strength and agility, as well as experience in these trees.

Kadi shrugged humbly at his words. He was right- other people were busy trying to survive their own horrors, too busy to help those around her. But she had the opportunity and the ability to help, and it was only natural that she wanted to learn about the people she was seeking to aid. It would guide her in the coming peace time, to find her own peace. She'd had a moment of clarity in her fight with Telperien, as she'd relived the horrors she'd found on Felucia, but holding onto that clarity had been difficult. She knew what she was fighting for, but it was hard not to feel like her contribution had been insignificant. Felucia had still been raided, they'd still lost Lehon, Nar Shaddaa still burned, and countless other worlds that she hadn't been present at had been ravaged by war and terror. "We can begin whenever you're ready, Kerriwar." Her words were short, but she'd already made it clear that she was willing to learn- to delay any further would potentially insult the Wookie, or otherwise impose on his time and his own goals. Even if she couldn't make a meaningful change on her own, it wouldn't stop her from trying, and she refused to become a burden.

Kadi listened intently as the Wookie spoke, and it was as he explained what the Tree Carers really were that it dawned on her what he was truly offering to teach her. He wasn't teaching her of just how to care for the forests, but how to preserve their very culture. A part of her didn't want that responsibility- She had so many already. She'd only come here to help heal the wounds of the Sith Empire. Another part of her realized that to do that, she needed to know what Kerriwar would teach her. Without knowing how the Wookies' culture intertwined with their world, she could never truly repair the damage done. "In truth, I know little. I came unprepared for the responsibility, a reaction to atrocities committed around me. I'd hoped to find my own path, to help those close to me..." her mind drifted to Telperien, who'd lived her whole life in darkness. She never knew another way. "... But to do that, I need more wisdom than I have, and knowledge that can't be found in books and temples. I need to know people as well as I know plants and animals, to bond with them and to understand them as I do the life around me. It would be the highest honor for you to teach me about your people, what drives them, their fears, their loves, their hopes." She looked on as he withdrew a large cone- She did recognize that much. She'd been acquainted with the seeds upon arrival by the liasion who had greeted her, but she was told they'd be rare, and to not interfere with them. She leaned forward to get a closer look- it was smaller than she'd expected. That such a small seed could grow such gargantuan trees was truly a marvel of life, and of the Force.

Kadi sat on the branch, crossing her legs as she faced the Wookie. He had offered to teach her about his world, the very thing she'd come for. Who better to learn from than a native dedicated to caring for the forests? The Force would only take her so far in her endeavors. "Please, teach me about your world. I have little to offer you in return, but perhaps I can help you with your own abilities in the Force." She had always been an eager student- It had helped her master the dangers of the Felucian wilds at a young age. it had helped her train and bond with Juro. It had helped her hone her martial prowess, but it couldn't do all the work. Without a teacher, a source of knowledge, all her aptitude for such things would have gone to waste. She wasn't too full of herself to reject such a genuine offer from such a person as the Wookie before her. "We can start wherever you want- History, flora, fauna, it's all important to heal a world from the atrocities that the Dark Side may visit upon them."

Kadi was startled as the Wookie spoke, looking for the source of the voice. She spotted him quickly, and felt her face flush. She'd been so taken aback by Kashyyyk's beauty that she hadn't even noticed the large Wookie sitting feet away. She relaxed, shocked to find her hand drift away from the lightspear on her back. Was that her first instinct now? To fight? She nodded her head apologetically at the stranger, shocked to see him approach so acrobatically. He towered over her, in both size and demeanor. She could feel his presence in the Force, as well. Was he another Jedi, returning home upon peace time to heal his world? Was he a shaman of his people? Or was he ignorant of his gifts? She didn't know. "I've been many places, seen many sights. This is one of the most beautiful. Your world holds boundless wonders, Tree Carer. I'm Kadi Silan, of the Jedi Order." He Shryyywook wasn't outstanding, and she hesitated to call him by name, if it even was his name. Was it his rank in the Tree Carers? A title? She didn't know. Still, she knew his order. She could count on one hand the number she had met, but she knew of them. They shared the same goal- to rebuild the forests of Kashyyyk. She had much to learn from them- It had shocked her to see how little her knowledge of Felucian flora and fauna had carried over, though upon further reflection she had realized how obvious it had been. "I've come to help rebuild, but short of cleansing places where the taint of the Dark Side still lingers and inhibits growth, I'm afraid I'm at a loss. This world is so... different, from what I'm used to. I have much to learn before I can truly make a difference."

It disheartened Kadi to see her friend fall deeper into her emotions. She was admittedly at a loss for how to help- Maybe indulging her in this hunt had been too naive. She slowed, letting the cats take the lead as they closed on their target. As they made the lunge, she steadied herself against trunk of the tree whose branches she perched in. It had been a nice distraction, but she had much work to do here, something that the still burnt forests around them never ceased to remind her of. Her words were quiet- spoken not as a decree, but a plea for understanding. "The hunt is not something to be shunned, as long as you understand its purpose in nature. Even the fiercest of predators don't kill for fun or for pleasure- they kill for sustenance, or to protect their homes and their young. To kill for pleasure, or for entertainment, is what separates the dark from the light in nature." Kadi was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I need to return to my duties, Telperien. Much of this forest still needs help healing, and the people who live here are still recovering from war. You're welcome to join me, if you'd like, but it's your choice." With that, she turned, jumping back up through the canopy. She had no doubt that should the Nightsister wish to follow her, she'd be able to without difficulty. She didn't know what to think of the girl- She was hurt deeply by the people she loved, and it was clear she had little faith in others. And yet, she had opened up to Kadi. Why? Shared trauma at the hand of Quela? Their bonds with nature? It was an enigma to her- People had never been her strongest suit. She contemplated all of this as she climbed higher into the canopy, her movements as fluid as ever as she jumped from tree to ruined platform. The Wookies had a much more extensive civilization on Kashyyyk than most people gave them credit for. Or at least, before the Empire had arrived. Now all she had found since leaving the spaceport she had arrived at were ruined villages and forgotten memories. She finally broke through the canopy, cresting the top of the treeline as she gazed out to an ocean of green. The world was healing already. The thought brought a smile to her face as she took the opportunity to catch her breath. Such a sight reminded her of why she fought, what she worked so hard to preserve. Peace and tranquility.

Kadi could feel it- The source that Telperien tapped into. It saddened her. A world corrupted at it's heart, its people fleeing to the treetops to escape it. The frenzy of the hunt that she felt in her companions. The hunt was a beautiful thing- Life and death in one complete cycle, one life gone to nurture another. When she died she would do the same. But what Telperien thought was the hunt was a twisted manifestation of the natural order. Where the cats hunted for sustenance, Telperien had twisted it into one of bloodlust and frenzy through their shared bond. "Control yourself, Telperien. A hunt without purpose is no hunt at all." she said quietly, before taking off again. This wan't the time for spiritual debate, but she wanted the young girl to think. They could discuss it after the hunt, while the cats fed. She was moving faster now, the Force guiding her from branch to branch, from tree to tree. She could see it now, their prey, leaping through the trees. It was getting closer to the ground, likely looking for a burrow or a hollow trunk to hide in. Unfortunately, the chance of it escaping the cats that were right on its heels was miniscule.

Kadi felt Telperien reach out as they darted through the treetops, felt her spurn the cats' violent nature. It made her uncomfortable. They were loyal animals, but how much of that was mutual aid and how much of it was the pure dominance that the Sith were so fond of? She darted through the trees, the Force guiding her, painting a tapestry of the living forest, an elegant web of life and beauty. And Telperien's presence was a fly, caught in the web, struggling against it, trying to mold it to her will rather than leaping gracefully from strand to strand. It was no wonder that she felt trapped by the dark side. Kadi leapt across a gap, grabbing a branch above her, using her momentum to swing up several feet as she looked down- She's lost the cats too by now, but she could feel all three of her companions in the Force, as well as the prey. It comforted her that the girl had come not to fight, but to meet peacefully. Kadi was still on guard, of course- she hadn't forgotten what had happened last time they met, nor had she forgotten who had spawned the young girl. But she would do her best to act upon this opening- to save Telperien from her fate. She spotted what the cats hunted, whistling loudly to call attention. "Telperien, it's up here!"

Kadi smiled as the cats took off into the jungle, leaping through the trees as they chased down the frightened beast. There was a simplicity to the natural world. In the natural world, death was almost always a necessary occurrence. When a cat hunted its prey, it did so for nourishment. What it didn't finish became food for worms and fungus and carrion birds, feeding the next generation of plant life. The next animal of prey would consume that plant life, and the cycle would continue. An ancient and unending cycle of food and nourishment. It never bothered her when Juro would hunt, or when an animal was slain by another. There was always a simple purpose behind it. Nothing like the warmongering of empires and armies, who killed millions simply for power and territory. She followed the hunt, springing to her feet as the cats sprinted after there food, smirking at Telperien as she did. "Think you can keep up?" And then she was off, jumping through the trees with the aid of the Force. These kinds of acrobatics were no stranger to her- she regularly made incredibly difficult jumps both in combat and in her times in the wilderness with Juro. She glanced behind her as they leapt through the trees, but that didn't mean much. With how thick the vegetation was, for all she knew the Nightsister had already passed her in the trees.

Kadi's frown dissipated as the cats bounded up to her, and she returned their affection with her own, rubbing them softly as she and Telperien spoke. It was nice to let her guard down- It had felt like the last few months had been spent going from one gruelling battle of attrition to another, with her only respite being the time it took to get from place to place, and the time it took for her to heal between each fight. She glanced up- the canopy was nearly bare, the burned branches holding few leaves now. One day, the trees would recover. This village would either be repopulated, or be reclaimed by the surrounding nature. Still, there was nothing wrong with mourning for what had been. She scratched behind one of the cats' ears, looking back at Telperien. "I'm glad you found me. It'll be nice to talk outside of an active warzone..." How did one apologize for killing someone? Hey, sorry I murdered you, it was for the greater good? No, maybe it was best left unsaid. But how their last meeting had ended certainly didn't help with the awkwardness of meeting someone who normally, she'd be dutybound to fight. It concerned her- was this awkwardness just a matter of past hostilities, or because she had unintentionally separated herself from the act of killing someone? She didn't know, but it wasn't an introspective moment she wanted to have right now. "Sorry, I don't really know what to talk about. The weather?"

Kadi frowned at Telperien. Claiming another's body as her own... While what she did was for her own survival, it made Kadi shudder. Were these people willing? Or were their bodies and mind stolen from them? And the poor animals... Did they know that the one who previously inhabited the body was gone? That their friend had disappeared? She was conflicted- on one hand, the she was glad that Telperien had lived. Her life had been an injustice, one she hadn't deserved. On the other... Her survival had cost someone their existence. She didn't stand as she pondered these things, glancing up to Telperien as she spoke. "It's... good to see you too. What are their names?" She crossed her legs, sitting on the damaged landing pad with her staff across her lap. She reached out to the cats with the Force, offering them peace and friendship. It wasn't a controlling move- they were free to decline. But she wanted them to feel at ease, to understand that she wasn't a threat. Her gaze drifted to Telperien once more, and she spoke quietly. "What brings you to Kaskyyyk?"

Kadi didn't know what to do. She had thought about what she'd say, how she'd greet her former opponent now that they were away from the battlefield; But now that Telperiën was here, and approaching, she didn't know what to say. She stood awkwardly at the other end of the landing pad, watching for... what? Signs of treachery? Telperiën was in a different body now, another young woman. Her presence in the Force was the same, though, and it wasn't too much of a surprise considering their last conversation. She wsa quiet for a moment, before she spotted the two cats that flanked her. She grinned, squatting and holding out her hand. "Hello there, lovelies. Who might you be?" She glanced up at Telperiën. Had she taken something to heart? Were these her cats from love, or from dominance? Were they hers, or were they the body that she now possessed's? Time would tell. "You've been busy. It's good to see you again."

Kadi could still feel it- the attack that had wiped this place out. Pirates had come looking to enslave more Wookies, and when they had resisted, they were attacked. It hadn't killed everyone, or even most of the denizens, but without protection and with pirates attacking them regularly, they had abandoned their homes for the safety of a larger settlement. As large and menacing as Wookies were, they were still no match for superior numbers and bigger guns. It was a familiar tale in the Outer Rim. Pirates and slavers regularly attacked frontier villages like this one, too far away from other settlements to be protected. She'd stopped a few herself in her time under her master, a Jedi Knight by the name of Hiron Gurz. He was a grim man who had seen the worst days of the war, and it had reflected in his training of her. He'd taught her to always be on her guard, had told her the stories of the Spider and his deceits. This had been solidified in her battle against Quela Darksong, when she'd seen what the Sith were truly capable of. But then, at Lehon, she had met another. It was a fight that could have been avoided, and while the sadness she had felt at the wqoman's death had been based in her belief that Telperien had been so set in the Dark Side that she saw no way forward but a fight, the time Kadi had spent in recovery had given her insight into her part in the conflict. Her distrust of the Sith, the foundation built by her master and grown by her own experiences, had narrowed the choices as well. And so when she felt the familiar presence of the Nightsister, she pushed aside her worry, at least for now. She didn't know what brought her to the planet, perhaps a Sith incursion. But she would have to let the other Jedi who had come on this trip handle that- She had an opportunity to save someone, and she would take it.

Kadi hadn't been disappointed with her expectations of Kashyyyk. From the Wookies in their sprawling treetop villages to the trees themselves, towering thousands of feet into the sky. But what also wasn't exaggerated was the destruction- Kashyyyk had seen almost 200 years of continuous warfare, ever since the Separatists had sieged the planet in the Clone Wars. From their enslavement under the Empire to the terror attacks and ravages by the Sith empire, a large portion of Kashyyyk's natural habitat had been devastated. Craters the size of cities, entire forests flattened into plains of dead trees and wildlife, and abandoned villages were most of the planet's vast wilderness now. It was another good reminder of why, despite her affinity for nature, she kept finding herself in battle against the Sith. She'd been here maybe a week, and had since admitted to herself that it was nice to have time to herself. Sure, she was doing a job, and she was surrounded by people, but they respected her alone time and she enjoyed the work she was doing. Right now, she was meditating in what was once a bustling tree city, but had been bombed into the ground by orbital turbolasers. She could feel the death, and the pain, but she could also feel the wilds seeking to reclaim what was lost, to begin again and heal the land. All it needed was some help, and she was more than willing to give her services, both spiritually and mechanically.

Kadi's recovery seemed to crawl on. The days became weeks, and the weeks became a month. She'd refused treatment beyond what was needed for her to heal naturally, insisting to save the supplies in case the Sith struck again, but the fact that her recovery was her own fault did little to alleviate the anxiety. Eisa had been her go-to to keep herself busy. She always felt herself drawn to the other Jedi when she had free time- It was a quiet peace that she found there, sitting quietly as she listened to the tapping and clanking of the Sentinel's tools. But she was still a Jedi, and she'd been called away to held with the organization of Nar-Shaddaa's defenses only a week into Kadi's recovery. Her next bet had been the wilderness, to head out with Juro and spend the remainder of her recovery in the comfort of the wilds, but the healers refused to authorize the excursion if she didn't get proper treatment, so she was stuck here. She had spent some time with the younger Padawans, teaching what she could about the natural order, but even then, she still yearned to do something. So when the opportunity came for her to join a group of aid workers on a trip to Kashyyyk, she volunteered. From what she had heard, it was a beautiful planet, though it had been ravaged by war. She was looking forward to seeing it firsthand; Even with the damage it had supposedly sustained, it was a whole planet of trees, wildlife, and nature. From what she understood, the Wookies were a relatively nature-loving race, so she was hoping to find something untouched by industry and urban sprawl, similar to Felucia. Getting Juro there was her only concern- It was only after a long thought that she decided to leave him here.He had done well at Lehon, but Kashyyyk was a foreign locale- feeding him would be difficult, and giving him reign to hunt in an area that didn't usually hold Acklay was just asking to upset the natural balance. And so, as she boarded the ship to leave for Kashyyyk, she was truly alone for the first time since she'd joined the Jedi Order.