Raptors of Evidran 5:
Epilogue: A Brighter Dawn

by Fur and Fantasy
full contents and notes located at the bottom of the file

B'lyn took a deep breath to help settle herself as she returned to Evidran 3, some three years after the events that had led to Master Standing-Bear's death. She'd been there for the first year afterwards, helping teach the Jedi the local language, the Night Raptors Basic, and working with Speaks-with-Jedi as intermediaries between their people.

Admittedly, there wasn't much trouble to mediate, the Night Raptors were too aware of their condition to be very touchy about Jedi assistance, and all were well-conditioned by their leaders to make sure offence was intended before taking offence.

Eventually though, her new Masters' missions and her own had forced her to leave; she hadn't really been able to come back since. She had no real idea what would have developed in the intervening time, the few reports she had access to only indicated things hadn't gotten worse, and she was eager to find out how her friends had faired.

She wasn't at all surprised to find Speaks-with-Jedi and Climbs-High among the Jedi and Night Raptors waiting for her to disembark near Valley Outpost 1. It had been hard to clear the Valley out enough to build a small temple there, but every Jedi who'd been there since said it was worth the effort. She touched down on the roof's landing pad, climbing out of the small fighter and bowing to the assemblage as she was expected to.

"Welcome back to Evidran 3, Knight B'lyn," Master Noloth said, returning the bow for the assembled Jedi.

"It is a pleasure to be back, Master Noloth," she agreed, then smiled in welcome to the Night Raptor representatives, her two friends dancing in place for the Jedi to finish their greetings before beginning their own. "Well, come on," she chuckled as the Jedi stepped aside to make room for what had all the indications of being an enthusiastic welcome, even by Night Raptor standards.

They wasted no time in surrounding her, noses pushing and poking as they reacquainted themselves with her scent and touch and chattered nonsense-words.

"Good to have you back, B'lyn." Speaks-with-Jedi was still almost dancing as he grabbed her hands. "Climbs-High has a clutch hatching very soon. You stay?"

"Congratulations," she smiled easily. "And yes, I am staying. The two of you are doing well then?"

"Yes, very." He beamed, his youth still reveling in the rank he had now as the one who had been named as the honored Jedi's contact and primary interpreter for all the flocks. "Come, there is a room for you to rest and clean up in. Real flowing water." He added with a wink, knowing full well her fighter had no such luxury.

"Do you spend much time on Coruscant?" Climbs-High asked as everyone else let her mate lead their newest guest away.

"Not lately," she admitted with a chuckle. "I cleared my solo mission, they named me a Knight, then shipped me off to take care of a smuggling operation between Ryloth and Roon, haven't been back since except to get reassigned to here."

"It is going to be like that a lot?" She asked as the door into the outpost opened for them.

"I don't think so, not for a while at least," B'lyn said, shaking her head. "Unless I'm called for an emergency or a mission somewhere else, I'm pretty much on permanent assignment here. Of course, if you need somebody to come back to Coruscant with you, I should be able to get clearance to be the one."

"Not for several seasons." Speaks-with-Jedi chirped happily as they entered the airy, natural formation that was the outpost. "Hatchlings have to grow up first. When there are enough of us, we will be going to Coruscant. Cultural exchange. I think."

"Here's hoping it won't be too long before there are enough," B'lyn smiled. "How are your numbers doing?"

"Four times as many as when you left. The first clutches are almost big enough to hunt with the adults." He explained. "The meat Jedi provide has been very helpful feeding everyone."

"It was needed at first," she pointed out. "I take it the flocks have been spreading out more then, since they started to recover and split up again?"

"Yes," he nodded as they walked down the wide spiral staircase in the center of the outpost. "Five territories are occupied now. The number of young compared to adults is keeping us more confined than numbers would be normally. We have to take the territories back from other predators too. They came back when we left. We are not used to raising so many hatchlings."

"If it helps any, it has to be easier than the crèche," B'lyn chuckled. "At least they're all one species."

"True," he nodded with an exasperated chuckle. "Night Raptor hatchlings are *fast* and worse than my first name. Into everything."

"A universal truth, if you let the young grow up as they will," B'lyn giggled.

"Now you get to help chase them." Climbs-High clicked in amusement as they stepped off onto the third floor landing where the permanent residents lived. "You get plenty of work to do with hatchlings."

"Oh dear," B'lyn chuckled, shaking her head. "You're raising your own, or they're just all being raised here?"

"All of the Jedi Valley flock hatchlings are around here. Most in the jungle, not in the outpost." Speaks-with-Jedi explained. "Other flocks raise their own hatchlings."

"I didn't realize there was an entire flock in and near the outpost," B'lyn smiled approvingly. "What with your reaction to the valley. Though frankly, having nearly been eaten by a plant once, I definitely understand that reaction."

"Once the killer things gone, it is territory like any other." He said easily. "This territory also includes what Creeping Wind and Crystal Gorge flocks used to claim. Very large territory, all territories are now."

"Understood," B'lyn nodded. "I hope there haven't been any problems, as the flocks split again?"

"Not much. Just little squabbles. Most are used to splitting a large flock up into two smaller ones to claim a new territory. This is bigger, not much different from what we always did." He explained and tapped a control panel next to one of the doors. "It is like Mother-of-All's time, kind of. Breed young, spread out, change mates for each clutch. At least we don't have to breed with animals to survive this time."

"Always a strange sort of time," B'lyn agreed. It still happened with her people, though rarely - usually when a family was forced into exile, and had to found a new mine. "It's good that it's working out." She breathed in the warm, humid air of her new home and looked around her quarters -- open and airy and in glimmering white like so much of the outpost. It was a kind of artistic openness that she'd glimpsed from Nose-in-Danger over three years before on Coruscant.

"Yes, very good." Climbs-High nodded and clicked in approval for B'lyn's positive reaction for her new home. "Good. You like."

"I do," she smiled. "Thank you." She stepped in, looking around, quickly spotting a few places that would be excellent meditation spots. "Did the two of you design it?"

"I helped." Speaks-with-Jedi crooned in delight. "Had help to make it good for Jedi meditation and clothes and such. Glad you like." He nuzzled her shoulder. "We leave you to settle in? Or do you want to meet the flock first?"

"Mmm ... I should probably settle in first," she smiled. "Get myself centered before getting attacked and swarmed by hatchlings," she winked.

"I told you she was very smart." Speaks-with-Jedi teased his mate.

"Hatchlings soft at least. Not hurt soft skin." Climbs-High clicked in amusement, ignoring her mate's teasing. "Sharp edges don't come until the first long rain."

"I'll see them in just a bit," B'lyn smiled, the two Night Raptors leaving as she closed the door and took a deep breath. She walked over to the window of her room, overlooking the Valley that surrounded the outpost, and had very nearly claimed her life once.

"I bet you'd never thought I'd be back here, did you, Master?" She asked softly, remembering Standing-Bear, how he'd saved her, and ended up having to save himself, before they'd befriended the Night Raptors. "I know I never really did ... the planet, certainly, but not the valley. I know you'd be glad to see the Raptors thriving the way they are ... I just hope we don't change things too much, by being here. I'd hate to think that we'd all saved them, only to destroy what you died for by helping them too much."

The purple-skinned Twi'lek took off her lightsaber, setting it to the side as she sat down to meditate. As she did so, she could swear she felt a familiar flicker in the Force.

It would all be all right. One way or the other ... things would be as they were meant to be. Master Standing-Bear had died seeing to that.

And now she would help make sure his sacrifice wasn't in vain.

Raptors of Evidran 5: Epilogue: A Brighter Dawn


10 KB, Story is Complete, Series is Finished
Written October 2, 2005 by Rauhnee Ranshanka and Karl Wolfemann

Setting: Star Wars (Furry)

Primary Races: Ka-Karur (Night Raptor), Twi'lek

Contents: Furry. Gen.

Pairings: None

Blurb: Three years after the Night Raptors were reduced to less than 500, they are well on the rebound with more hatchlings than adult and, many members too crippled to hunt.


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