Wolven | The Mandalorian

Chapter 22: The Apostate

Chapter 22: The Apostate
Word Count: 6072
*EDITED*

Pain radiated throughout her body. Her veins were alight with a poison eating its way through her system. She clawed at her leg to try and extract the foreign entity under her skin. Blood welled at the site, and skin peeled away like sheets of paper. She couldn't see it. Not passed the blood, but it was there. She could feel it.

Elodie cried more frantically, a whimper passing her lips.

Make it stop.

It writhed as she drew nearer. She had to get it out. The pain wouldn't stop until she did.

Make it stop.

The feeling was still spreading, and her chest rose and fell with rapid pants of air. A nagging feeling passed through her mind, like she was missing something. Her hand was cramping, and she couldn't close her fingers.

MAKE IT STOP.

Ringing in her ears broke suddenly, and her head shot up, eyes flying wide open.

"Elodie!" Din was turned in the pilot seat in front of hers. He was shouting at her, calling her name. She furrowed her eyebrows, her mouth slightly agape from exertion. The pain was gone in an instant. "Gar cuyir morut'yc, Ner runi. Haalur." [You are safe, My soul. Breathe]

Clasped in her trembling hand was Din's hand. His glove was gripped tightly in her own, claws almost penetrating through the thick leather. Her thigh was bloody under her hand, where she'd been pawing at it in her parasomnia.

Breathe.

Elodie let her head fall back on the headrest, closing her eyes to gather herself. "Ni ceta." [I am sorry]

"Naas at cuyir Ni ceta par." With her grip now loosened, he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. "Gar cuyir jii mirjahaal." Looking at her leg, she saw that he was right. The bleeding had stopped, but it would take a little while longer for it to heal to gouges from her nails. [Nothing to be sorry for. You are already healing]

"Vaabir gar copad at rejorhaa'ir ni maye?" [Do you want to tell me anything/talk about it]

"Nayc ibi'tuur." She lightly shook her head. "Pehea munit akay vi ve'ganir ogir?" [Not today. How long until we get there]

"Vi cuyir olar." [We are here]

The star fighter entered the atmosphere, and Din was easily able to track down the relocated covert. He was part of the clan; he knew what they would need to fight and survive. That, and there was a sea monster beached on the shore of the otherwise desolate desert-like tundra.

Din removed his hand from where it rested lazily on Elodie's legs, extended either side of his chair, and brought both hands to the controls.

The sea beast wailed and rolled out of the fibercords. Mandalorians were either being beaten or flattened under its weight. More shockingly, there were children among their new numbers; all of whom were attempting to run back into the safety of the caves.

Din fired shots from the turret, aiming for the expanse of its exposed side. Waves of water concealed where the shots had actually landed, but when it settled, the beast was losing the strength to stay standing.

It roared, collapsing onto the shore, blood and guts spilling from mortal wounds.

Din landed the ship, and they both jumped out onto the sand. Elodie felt a pinprick of worry for the hostility they might face since Din had been cast out of the covert. Perhaps they would be too preoccupied with their recoveries.