Sorry for not posting in a while. Had to take a break. Continuation of "The Wolf and The Crow" Nerezza's POV, BTW. Enjoy!

It was a week after the whole Crowvern fiasco, and everything was running smoothly. I can finally sleep in peace and train without worry.

A feel like a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders.

After Hera recruited Kayla and me, we both left to do some training. Kayla agreed to train me, even though I'm not that fluent with a lightsaber whatsoever.

My life certainly turned around after Kayla, Zelara, and the Rebellion came into it, and I am forever grateful to all of them.

Right now, Kayla and I were training on the outskirts of Alvar.

I was pretty shaken up when we arrived, but I think I'll manage.

"Okay Nerezza, let's work on your blocking and deflecting." Kayla said.

I nodded and continued to listen.

"Whether it being a blaster or another lightsaber, it is crucial to learn how to block and deflect. Now, I going to blast at you and you're going to have to deflect the blasts back at me," Kayla said.

"What if I accidentally hit you?" I asked.

"Don't worry. I'll have my lightsaber on standby."

When she said that, Kayla pulled out her lightsaber and activated it. The amber color of the blade bounced off her pale skin like a sunset.

"Alright. Let us begin." Kayla said.

Nodding towards my friend, I ignited the White Wing Saber. When Kayla took out her blaster, she fired an energy blast. I raised my lightsaber and blocked the blast, but the blast bounced off the blade and flew past Kayla.

"Good block. Now, deflect the blast at me." Kayla said, readying her blaster.

I nodded firmly and gripped my weapon. When Kayla fired an energy blast, I raised my weapon and was able to deflect it back at her.

"Nice work." Kayla said, deflecting the blast back at me.

Concentrating, I deflected the blast back. The two of us went back and forth until Kayla deflected them towards the ground.

"Uh, what was the point of that?" I asked.

"To work on your accuracy and agility. Now, let's see if you can deflect blasts at multiple targets." Kayla said.

In an instant, Kayla created six Force illusions of herself.

"There will be six rounds of blasts. One blast for each of my illusions. Good luck." Kayla said.

She then fired an energy blast not too long after her statement. Raising my weapon, I deflected the blast and watched it hit one of the illusions, causing it to disappear. Kayla and I repeated these five more times until it was just her.

"Great job, Nerezza. You're a fast learner," Kayla commented.

"Thank you, Kayla," I said.

"Ready for more?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Kayla then made more Force illusions, enough to surround me.

"You know the drill." Kayla said.

"Right." I said firmly.

Like before, Kayla fired at me and I was able to deflect the blast back at an illusion. Every time I made an illusion disappear; another would come in to take its place a second after.

Kayla is not letting up...

After a while, the blasts started coming in more rapidly, as did the illusions. I was somehow able to keep up with every blast that came my way. The blasts soon came to a sudden halt. I looked in front of me and saw Kayla down on one knee, panting. Deactivating my weapon, I ran up to Kayla's side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Kayla?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm fine..." she said.

"You don't look fine. You look exhausted."

Kayla sighed and looked up at me with a kind smile.

"Really, I'm fine Nerezza. No need for you to worry." she said.

"Oh really? Try and stand." I said leaving her side.

Kayla let out a heavy sigh and stood up on shaky legs. Not a second after, she dropped back down on one knee. I quickly supported her before she could fall. I looked at Kayla with a smug smile on my face.

"See? You can't even stand," I said.

"Guess you're right." Kayla said.

"Next time, when you're training me, don't overwork yourself. I know you're only helping but helping yourself is more important."

Kayla smiled at my words.

"Already sounding like a Jedi, I see." Kayla said.

I rolled my eyes with a fond smile.

"Don't get used to it. Come on." I said.

Slinging my arm over her shoulder, I was able to help Kayla onto the ship. Walking in the cockpit, I set my friend down into a seat.

"Thanks." Kayla said.

"You're welcome." I said, taking the controls.

Powering up the ship, we were soon off the ground and in the never-ending space.

"How are you feeling, Kayla?" I asked.

"Better, thanks. Guess this kind of thing can happen when you make too many Force illusions." she said with a chuckle.

I nodded with a fond smile.

"So, where are we headed? Another place to do some training?" I asked.

"Not quite. More like a little side-quest. We're heading to a planet called Yavin 4. If my memory serves me right, I believe that is where Zelara and her friends found Zunela," Kayla said.

"Who's Zunela?"

"She was one of the strongest Jedi who ever lived. Like Master Yoda, she has lived through every war known to man. She was even a General back then as well."

I turned to Kayla as I put in the coordinates with wide eyes.

"Whoa. She must be pretty powerful." I said.

"Oh, she is... Well, she WAS, that is until she became blind and hid on Yavin 4. Zelara suggested that we check out her home there and bring back any of her belongings that she may have left." Kayla said.

The ship soon disappeared into hyperspace. The two of us sat in peaceful silence for a good while.

Wonder what Yavin 4 looks like...

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention." Kayla said, breaking the silence.

I turned my head towards Kayla and tilted it.

"Once we drop of Zunela's belongings to Zelara, I have to make a trip to a friend of mine, in the Expansion Region," Kayla said.

"Really? Interesting..." I said, averting her gaze.

"It's nothing major, just need to drop off some supplies... You don't have to tag along if you don't want to. I know you have a history about that region."

"No, no. I'll come. Besides, you're going to need someone who knows the sector, system, and every planet of that region better than anyone to help you get around."

Kayla smiled and nodded. When our ship jumped out of hyperspace, Yavin 4 was clear as day. It was a lush green and blue planet.

Another forest planet... Yay...

Entering the planet's airspace, I landed the ship in a clearing.

"Think you can walk now?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think I'll be good." Kayla said, standing up.

Following Kayla off the ship, I marveled at the amount of vegetation.

Definitely not Dunbarr...

"Zelara, you there?" Kayla asked into her wrist-comm.

"I'm here, Kay. You guys on Yavin 4?" she asked.

"Wouldn't have called if we weren't." I said.

I could almost tell Zelara was rolling her eyes.

"So, where's Zunela's old place?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah, about that... You see, when Ahsoka and the others arrived, Zunela had "friends" to help us get there." Zelara said.

"What kind of friends?" I asked.

Then, we all heard a deafening howl in the distance.

"Uh, Zelara... You never told us what creatures live here." Kayla said.

"Right, sorry. That howl you just heard was from a creature called a Howler. Aggressive, territorial, and predatorial." Zelara explained.

"You couldn't have told us that sooner!?" I asked.

Then, there was a rustle in a nearby bush. Kayla and I didn't waste any time igniting our lightsabers. Then, a giant lizard-like creature popped out.

"What is that thing?" Kayla asked.

"That's a Howler! Guys, deactivate your lightsabers!" Zelara cried.

"Are you insane!?" I asked.

"Trust me."

Kayla and I looked at each other with the same concerned expression. Trusting Zelara instincts, we deactivated our weapons.

"Now what?" Kayla asked.

"Tell it Zunela sent you," Zelara said.

"It can't understand us." I said.

"It can so watch what you say around it."

I took a deep breath and walked up to the creature. I barely moved a muscle and the Howler roared at me.

"Hey, take it easy. We are not here to hurt you. Zunela sent us." I said.

Once I said her name, the creature lowered its guard and became docile.

"That was easy." Kayla said.

"Great. Now, the only way to Zunela's place is by riding the Howler." Zelara said.

"Zelara Opal June, you have truly gone insane if you think we're riding that thing." Kayla said.

The Howler let out a deafening shriek and growled at Kayla.

"Told you to watch what you say around it," Zelara said.

"Can it, June. We'll just take the ship." I said.

"Can't. The canopy's too thick, and it would be impossible to find Zunela's place. The Howlers know how to get there. After all, Zunela DID train them."

Kayla and I turned to one another and sighed.

"We'll call you when we get there, Z." Kayla said.

"Understood." Zelara said.

When Kayla ended the call, another Howler came from the bushes. Both creatures bent down and waited patiently. I timidly walked up to one of them and hopped on its back. I looked over at Kayla and saw her mounting the other Howler.

If the canopy's too thick, how will these things be able to find Zunela's place...?

The two creatures growled and shrieked at one another before running up to a tree and scaling it.

"Whoa! These guys are fast!" I said.

"No joke." Kayla said.

I quickly gripped on the Howler's spines the minute I felt it pick up speed. The two creatures ran and jumped across the large branches at incredible speed.

"Zelara didn't tell us these guys were fast!" Kayla cried.

"Does she always leave you hanging like this?" I asked.

"Majority of the time!"

Oh, wonderful...

After a while, the Howlers started to slow down. They let out soft grunts and began to climb down a tree.

"I think we're close." I said.

When the creatures touched the forest floor, Kayla and I hopped off them and looked around at our surroundings.

"Okay, where's Zunela's place?" I asked.

The Howlers shrieked and started walked forward. Following them, they led us to an old transport. Looking around it, we saw four more Howlers laying around the transports.

"Guess this is the place." I said.

Kayla nodded and pressed on her wrist-comm.

"Zelara, we made it. What are we looking for?" Kayla asked as we walked inside the transport.

The transport was converted into a comfy living space. It didn't even look like a transport at all.

"There are some books, some documents, a hologram, and Zunela's journal. They should be on the desk." Zelara said.

"Got it." I said.

Walking over to the desk Zelara mentioned, I picked up the documents and books and placed them in my satchel. When I spotted a brown leather book, I picked it up and saw that it had some sort of symbol.

"What symbol is this, Kayla?" I asked.

Kayla placed the final book and hologram in her satchel before turning to look at me.

"That was the Jedi Order symbol. Seen it all the time in my days." Kayla said.

Nodding to my friend, I placed the book in my satchel with the rest. Looking around the room, I nodded and turned to Kayla.

"I think that's everything." I said.

"I think so, too. Let's get going." she said.

When the two of us walked out of the transport, the Howlers were waiting for us.

"We're ready to head back." I said.

Two Howlers walked up to us and bent down. Once we were on their backs, the creatures dashed up a tree and started sprinting and leaping through the branches.

"We're heading to Atollon now, right?" I asked.

"Yes. Then, we're heading to... you know where." Kayla said.

"Right..."

Home...

Once we were back at the ship, we dismounted the Howlers and thanked them for their assistance. They let out deafening shrieks and disappeared into the forest. Kayla and I turned tails and made our way into the ship. 

"Next stop, Atollon." Kayla said, taking the controls.

The ship soon left the ground and blasted off into space. When Kayla put in the coordinates, we jumped into hyperspace.

"Nerezza, are you sure you want to come along with me to... you know where...?" Kayla asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll manage." I said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Kayla sighed and smiled. We soon came out of hyperspace, and Atollon came into view. Heading to Chopper Base's landing dock, Kayla landed the ship next to the Ghost.

"Come on." I said, standing up.

We grabbed our satchels and made our way to the ship's ramp. Once the ramp was down, we saw Zelara, Kanan, and Chopper.

"Good to see you two again." Zelara said.

"Likewise, Zel." Kayla said.

"We have Zunela's belongings." I said, handing over my satchel to Zelara.

Kayla took off her satchel and handed it to Kanan.

"Thanks. Chopper, contact Zunela and tell her we have her belongings." Kanan said.

Chopper warbled with a salute and rolled up the Ghost's ramp.

"Well, we better get going. Don't want to overstay our welcome." Kayla said.

"If you don't mind me asking, but where are you guys going?" Zelara asked.

I breathed out a shaky breath before looking back at my Jedi friend.

"Umbara... My home..." I said.

Both Jedi looked at me in surprise.

"Oh..." Zelara said.

"But I'm ready to face my parents... if I run into them..." I said.

"Nerezza, answer me this, and answer me this TRUTHFULLY." Kanan said.

I turned to the blind Jedi and nodded towards him.

"If you do run into your parents during your visit, what will you say? What will you do?" Kanan asked.

I stared at the blind Jedi before fixing my gaze on the ground.

"I... I don't know... I never thought I would be going back home after I met Crowvern. It's all happening so fast." I confessed.

Kanan hummed in thought and nodded.

"They'll be overjoyed to see you again after so long, Nerezza. Trust me," Zelara said.

"You don't know my parents, June. They'll just bombard me with questions." I said.

"Well, answer me this. Do your parents love you?"

The question caught me off guard.

Do my parents... love me...?

"I-I guess they do... I mean, they never said it out loud, but they do praise me for my good works." I said.

"I know they care for you very much. After all, they went looking for you after you ran off." Zelara said.

I averted her gaze and nodded.

"Well, the best way to find out is by going to Umbara." Kayla said.

I turned to Kayla and nodded firmly.

"Right." I said.

I'm ready to go home...

OMG I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE! FAMILY DRAMA😥😣😔

Still hope you enjoyed this part. Find out what happens in the next part. Suggestions are forever open and welcome. May the Force be with You!

💎DiamondJedi18⚔