“It was my fault,” Anakin said. “I saw the flattened at the edge of the trail, and I assumed it was Wren.” He carefully searched the surrounding ground as Obi-Wan continued to study the disturbance in the dirt.
Anakin was right - it was an impression of a heel… Wren had put too much weight on his foot, enough to leave a mark. It indicated that he had stopped here for a moment. It was an easy clue for the Jedi to follow. Wren had not bothered to conceal it or make it harder to read.
It wasn’t like him. Then again, maybe it was. Wren enjoyed being inconsistent.
“Master - this way,” Anakin called. “This time, I’m sure.”
Obi-Wan crossed to the opposite side of the trail. Here, the level ground dropped sharply to a steep rocky hillside.
“Look, here. And here.” Anakin left the trail and leaped down the slope from rock to rock. “He went this way.”
Obi-Wan followed. It was important to let Anakin lead. That was part of the point of the exercise.
Anakin made his way down the steep slope, his footing sure and swift. They reached the bottom of the slope and immediately plunged into a forest so thick that the overhanging branches shut out all light. They paused for a short moment so that their eyes could adjust. The trees were tall, with long, flat leaves and vast trunks with thick, peeling bark. Anakin began to study the ground again.
Obi-Wan searched without moving, his gaze traveling over the dirt, rocks, and surrounding trees.
Frustrated by his inability to find a clue, Anakin straightened and began to study the trees around them. He hurried forward to a tall trunk and leaned in to examine it.
“He rested here. He touched the trunk with his finger.”
Obi-Wan saw the slight flaking of the bark near Anakins pointing finger. “How do you know? All the trees have peeling bark.”
“There is sap running alongside. Here’s a fingerprint. Smudged. But it’s there.”
“Yes. So he went - which way?” Obi-Wan enjoyed the keen look in Anakin’s eyes.
With the trunk of the tree to guide him, Anakin eagerly searched the ground again. “This way!” he called triumphantly. “We’ll catch him yet!”
Smiling, Obi-Wan followed Anakin through the forest. This was what he’d hoped for. Anakin had forgotten him impatience with the exercise and what he’d thought was his secret feeling that it was a waste of time. He was now filled with the excitement of the chase.
They moved through a thick curtain of needles and bark. They could no longer see the mountain looming over them. It was as though they were tucked away in a fragrant green cave.
Then the trees stopped abruptly and they came upon a sheer rock wall. The wall curved around them and rose on three sides. There was no way to go except back the way theyd come.
“It’s a dead end,” Anakin said, disappointed. “But I was so sure Wren came this way!”
“Hold on,” Obi-Wan said, “Look around you. You might be missing something. Remember your temple exercise to explore the present moment? Close your eyes.”
Anakin closed his eyes. Obi-Wan waited until he was sure his Padawan had focused. What did you see?”
“Bark and leaves under my feet. Sheer wall ten meters ahead with insufficient handholds for climbing. Small plant growing in a crevice thirty meters up. Snow dusting at top of cliff. Bird circling twenty degrees to my right. At the base of the rock wall, what appears to be a small opening -a den of a small animal, or -” Anakin’s eyes popped open. A cave.”
Obi-Wan smiled. He had seen the entrance to the cave minutes before. “Let’s see what it is.”
Anakin and Obi-Wan examined the small opening. “It’s not as small as it looks,” Obi-Wan said. “It could be the nest or den of an animal.”
“It looks like it opens up,” Anakin said, peering inside. Let me go in.”
Obi-Wan hesitated. He would rather be first. But part of this exercise was also for the Master. He had to learn to let go, to allow his Padawan to test his skills. He knew Anakin was well trained and could handle what lay beyond.
“All right, Padawan.”
Without a glow rod, Anakin would have to feel his way. He eased inside the hole carefully, one hand on his lightsaber hilt.
Obi-Wan heard Anakin’s voice echo hollowly. “It’s a cavern! Its beautiful!”
Obi-Wan squeezed inside the hole. It was a bit more difficult for him to make it. He wondered how the tall, stocky Wren had managed.
He was able to straighten after crawling just a few meters. Anakin stood ahead of him, scanning the cavern.
It truly was beautiful. The walls shimmered with phosphorescence, lighting the space. The cliff face outside had been gray, but this stone was pink with veins of bright gold and silver. Cone-shaped deposits of the stone hung from the ceiling and rose from the floor.