A Life Without Meaning

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕝 (𝕍)

Finally, they were ready to begin the journey to the cave.

The majority of the villagers and Sand People rode across the dunes on the back of the Bantha's, with two slow moving speeders bringing up the rear while Din, Ellia, and Cob led the charge with their own.

After a long trip underneath the beating suns, they came over the crest of a tall ridge, the mouth of the dragon's lair looming in the distance.

While the rest of them looked out at the formidable cave, a single Tusken bravely went to scope things out. It walked about halfway towards the opening, placing a palm against the sand. He then turned back towards the group cowering on the ridge, gesturing silently with his hands.

"What'd he say?" Cobb asked.

"He says it's sleeping." Din answered. "If we listen carefully, we can hear it breathing."

Ellia craned her neck, and as the group briefly fell quiet, she could in fact hear the distant, low sounds emanating from inside the cave. The way that it was bouncing off of the stone for some reason made her shiver, despite the desert heat.

At their side, one of the Tusken's handed Cobb another fruit, much like the one from the night before.

This time around, the Marshall accepted it with a sigh, downing it without question.

"Let's get to work." Din ordered.

Everyone immediately jumped into action. Either unloading explosives, or taking out shovels to begin digging the pit close to the mouth of the cave.

"The Tuskens say the belly is the only weak spot, so we have to hit it from below." Din had explained, "First, we bury the charges at the opening of the cave. Then, we wake it up. We have to get it angry enough to charge."

The villagers made quick work of the explosive pit, while the Tuskens readied some of their large grapple slingers. Ellia bounced around the lines, helping wherever she could.

When things were all but set, she rejoined Din and Cobb, standing at the center of the provisions. One of the villagers walked up with a charged detonator, handing it over to the white-haired man.

"Careful, Marshal." the woman said as he took it from her.

"Thank you, Jo." he said, "And you stay safe." he ordered.

They walked back to take shelter behind the Tusken's guns, and a tense stillness fell over the valley. Some of the Sand People approached the cave, and began sending out calls at the top of their lungs, attempting to wake the sleeping creature.

It wasn't long before they got a response. And when they did, the Tusken's wasted no time sprinting back to the rest of the collective.

That now far too familiar rumbling began to shake the ground, the sand rippling out of the cave, before eventually, from the darkness, the huge head of the dragon emerged, bearing its teeth and sand-covered tongue.

On it's first advance forward, the Tuskens barked an order, shooting off their large grappling hooks, the heads of the spears managing to stick in between the tan scales of the dragon.

One of the three Tuskens who had awoken the dragon tripped and fell over its feet, and the dragon took little time chomping down on it.

From the considerable distance that they were at, Din looked through a small, singular noc.

"Dank farrik, it's going back in!" he grumbled.

The Tuskens on the front line scrambled to keep hold of their tethered lines, pulling with all of their might to try and force the creature back forward. But the dragon was simply too strong, breaking the strings with ease as it continued to retreat backwards into the cave, dragging some unsuspecting Tuskens along with it.