Obi-Wan stood. “Come, Padawan. It is time to go.”
They took off in the direction Wren had gone. At first the tracking was easy. Wren had not bothered to hide the clues that a Jedi would catch - a disturbance of leaves on the forest floor, the slight indention of a heel. After two hours, they were momentarily stumped when they could not locate his direction, until Anakin plucked a silver-gray hair from a leaf and pointed.
“This way,” he said self-satisfied.
Behind Anakin, Obi-Wan shook his head. Sometimes he felt there was so little he need to teach his Padawan. Even to Obi-Wan, who knew him so well, Anakin’s command of the Force could be astonishing.
Wren had better come up with his most clever tricks, or Anakin would follow through on his promise and find him by nightfall. * By midday, Anakin and Obi-Wan had to admit they were lost. Wrens clues had grown increasingly difficult, and Anakins cocky confidence had hardened into dogged resolution.
Frustrated, Anakin suddenly stopped. With one smooth motion, he swiped a rock and tossed it into the woods. It hit a tree with a satisfying thud.
“Feel better?” Obi-Wan asked.
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. Frustration is part of the exercise, young Padawan.”
“I know. I know,” Anakin muttered. “Breathe in my impatience. Then let it go.”
“Correct,” Obi-Wan said serenely. He waited a moment. Well?”
“Well, what?”
“I didn’t see you breathe.” Obi-Wan knew he was straining the patience of his Padawan. Yet these small tests were good lessons.
Obediently, Anakin shut his eyes. He took a breath and released it. He opened one eye. “Can I stop now?”
“I suppose.” Obi-Wan grinned. “If Wren could see us know, hed be very happy.”
A gleam of humor lit Anakin’s eyes. “The day isn’t over yet.”
“Come on, let’s backtrack,” Obi-Wan suggested, heading back down the train. We must have taken a wrong turn.”
Dappled sunlight streamed through the thick leaves overhead. They moved from pools of light into shadows and back again. The sun warmed their skin, then the shadows cooled it. The air smelled fresh and softly scented. It was a good day to be lost.
Anakin suddenly crouched down and examined the trail. “He stopped here.” He pointed to the dirt on the trail.
Obi-Wan bent down. “Yes, I think so.”
“Definitely.” Anakin’s voice rose in excitement. “And then he passed over the grass here. This way.”
He led the way off the trail into the forest. Obi-Wan noted the clues and followed. After a morning of looking for tiny changes in the ground and leaves overhead, Wren had left a substantial clue to his progress. It must be part of his strategy to mix up his hard clues with some easier ones.
Anakin led the way through the dense forest. It was easier to track Wren now. The ground was soft and the leaves underfoot were still wet. Obi-Wan allowed Anakin to take the lead, enjoying the fragrant walk through the trees.
Anakin stopped and turned. “There’s a clearing ahead,” he said in a hushed tone. “And some coves. Do you think weve caught up with him already? Those marks still look fresh.”
“I doubt it,” Obi-Wan said. “But proceed carefully. We have to get close in order to end the exercise.”
“A lightsaber’s length away,” Anakin said. “But I think our only chance is to surprise him.”
“Anakin -“
“Obi-Wan’s call was swallowed in the shadows. Anakin ran silently ahead, and then dashed out into the clearing.
Obi-Wan followed, wishing he could teach his Padawan to curb his impatience.
He wished this even more when he realized where Wren had led them. They had stumbled on a malia den.
He remembered the malia from his first trip to Ragoon-6.They were fast, agile, deadly creatures, fierce predators with triple rows of teeth.
Anakin stood frozen in the middle of the clearing. He had seen the malia spread out on the rocks. At first their blue-gray fur had melted into the shadows.
At least they hunt at night.
He had fought them with Qui-Gon. He remembered the gleam of fluorescent green eyes, the cunning of the creatures as they circled. He did not want to meet up with them again.
“What are they?” Anakin whispered.
“Just … back … up …” Obi-Wan murmured.
But even as they took two steps backward, Obi-Wan saw one creature stir. A long, tapered snout lifted. Two fierce eyes opened. A low rumble deep in the malia’s throat told Obi-Wan that they were in trouble.
Chapter Three
The malia sprang at the same time as Obi-Wan. The creature was just a blue streak in the air. Obi-Wan slashed at it and it fell with a wounded howl.