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Three Tuskens traipsed towards the mouth of the cave, beige capes billowing shortly after. They slowed, standing tall and bringing their hands up to cup their mouths. The loud yelling that clashed with the silence made Hebe's stomach lurch, a bead of sweat dribbling down her neck. The yells echoed, ricocheting and echoing painfully blaring. And in response, a distressed growling caused the Tuskens to hastily retreat just in time as the sand began to sink and shift with the movements of the krayt dragon's back. Hebe stood rigid as a monstrous oversized tapeworm birthed from the ground, flashing its people-sized gnashing teeth.
Shortly after it emerged, the sand people let loose 7-foot long steel arrows and sent them spiralling into the dragon's gums. The ropes that hung from the arrows stressed and tightened with every thrash of its gargantuan head. It skidded closer and closer, crashing down on a few raiders. "Dank farrik. It's going back in," Mando breathed, looking through his binoculars. The Tuskens grabbed helplessly at the ropes to try and haul it back. Hebe's nose scrunched. "It's retreating." Hebe shifted from one foot to another, desperately wanting to run and help the Tuskens being dragged away. But if she did, it might interfere with their plan, but she remained vigilant.
"I'm going to hit it," Cobb said, finger hovering over the device in hand.
"No, wait," Din commanded. "We only have one shot. We've got to get in out."
"I've got an idea," Hebe told them quickly. "I'll be back," and before Din could grab her, Hebe darted off towards the struggling tuskens.
"Hebe! Dammit!" Mando cursed as he watched her retreat, kicking the sand with his boot.
"Do you trust her?" Vanth asked the frustrated Mandalorian.
"What?" He snapped.
"Maybe she could do us some good. It's no good running after her now," Vanth reassured as blaster shots and yelling rang put distantly. Her hip was killing her but Hebe pushed on through the sloping sand and the middle of the raucous group. The villagers and sand people watched in horror and alarm as she sprinted to the front of the group with no weapon in hand. Hebe skidded to a stop as the dragon reared its ugly head and once again opened its jaws. She could feel its hot breath burn at her skin as it carried closer and closer until it was merely 10 feet away and screeching at her ears. She was nothing short of terrified but Hebe didn't once budge. Her hands thrummed, and her skin grew unbearable hot. She didn't mean to, but she was absorbing the suffocating heat around her, her eyes flared a brilliant red, orange veins pulsing under her eyes.
A scornful blaze set fire to her hands and it was calm for a split, serene moment, before a storm of orange shot out in a blade towards the creature. An impossibly large throng of fire hurtled upwards and into its mouth. A horrific scream tore through its throat.
