The way back to the platform was, thank God, not too far. Willow's muscles still burned slightly. Cal helped her settle down on the ramp of the Mantis.

"You did a good job, Cal," Cere said. "We haven't found Tarfful yet, but you saved lives. Don't forget that."

"You couldn't find him?" Willow asked. The boy shook his head.
"No, not yet. But the Wookies I freed are helping us search."

Willow nodded, and the crew moved back into the Mantis. Without further ado, she dropped into her seat in the cockpit. Cal was already at the holo table, selecting their next destination. Willow planned to make a quick trip to the bathroom, as soon as they were in hyperspace.

"Back to Zeffo, huh?" the pilot asked.

"The Empire might have found a Zeffo tomb. We can't waste any time," Cere explained.

"Well, pity. Heard about a high stakes game from one of Saw's fighters. A few extra credits couldn't hurt, ya know?"

"Gambling?!" Cere looked at the captain indignantly. "Greez, use your head! One of these days, the Haxion Brood is going to catch up with you."

"Those schlubs? Hah! I'll hear 'em coming from a parsec away."

"I don't need your gambling habits causing us more trouble with murderous criminal syndicates."

"You're right, you're right. I know it. I just wanna blow off some stress every once in a while, ya know? Anyway, all of that is in the past. I'm sure it won't be a problem."

Since the flight would take a while, Willow made her way to the guest room. She carelessly dropped her bag on the floor before heading straight to the bathroom. Her clothes bore a few dirt stains, which she promptly cleaned using Tergeo!

She opened her corset and set it aside, then lifted her blouse. As she feared, she had two bruises. One, already a deep purple, was right on her stomach. The other, on her side, was so severe that it hadn't yet turned color except for a slight greenish hue. Willow was frustrated that there was neither a potion nor a spell to help her bruises fade.

She dressed up again and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her complexion was pale, paler than usual. Dark circles marred her otherwise soft face. Her neck also bore marks from smaller imprints. She didn't remember when it happened, but her face was scratched in several places. She was just about to grab some items for cleaning and disinfecting when there was a knock on her door.

Curious, she went to the door, which opened with a soft hum. Standing in front of her was none other than Cal, holding a small medkit.
"You look like you could use one of these," he grinned at her.

"Your timing is incredible. I was just about to grab one," she smiled back, making room for him to enter. He walked straight to her bed and plopped down on it, then patted the spot next to him.

She sat beside him, and he began to speak: "I would say it's my mind-reading abilities, but even a blind person could see you need wound care."

She had to smile; he was spot on. She reached for the kit, but he quickly moved it out of her reach. She looked at him, puzzled.

"Don't even try, Lills. Let me help you."

Willow rolled her eyes playfully. "I can do it myself, Kestis."

"Oh, really? Have you seen the tiny splinters hiding in your skin?"
Knowing he had won, he just grinned at her.

"I have what?! Fine, Dr. Kestis. You may proceed. But if you're rough, I'll make sure you spend the rest of the trip vomiting slugs."
She watched with satisfaction as a hint of fear crept into his confident look.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," he said, and Willow believed him.

Gently, he laid out the materials he needed and soaked a cloth in disinfectant.
"Ready? This is going to sting."

Willow nodded, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. A second later, she felt the damp cloth on her skin. Cal was right; it stung terribly on the open scratches. But she made an effort to stay still.

When he finished disinfecting, she opened her eyes again. She watched as he grabbed both a pair of tweezers and a fine needle to work on the splinters. He directed BD-1 to shine a light on the spots so he could see better. Willow noticed how he furrowed his brow in concentration. Then something came to her mind.
"Hey, Cal."

"Hm?"
He carefully poked at a spot on her cheek. Now she could feel the splinters he was talking about in her skin.

"Well... I've been thinking." The boy didn't stop his work but gave her most of his attention. Their eyes met briefly.
"Uh, what happened earlier really opened my eyes. In my school, the combat aspect of training is solely focused on fighting from a distance. And that's not easy to do here. Especially not when I lose my only weapon in a fight because of my clumsiness. I think to support you guys properly, I'd like to at least learn the basics of close combat. Do you... do you think there's anyone who could help me?"
She couldn't explain it, but she didn't dare ask him directly. Under no circumstances did she want to ask too much, but the situation on Kashyyyk had been quite precarious.

Holding her breath, she awaited his response. He pulled his hands back, and although Willow valued her personal space above all else, she weirdly missed his warmth. She had never felt such a feeling before, and it confused her.

The Jedi Padawan sought her gaze.
"Of course. Both Cere and I would be more than willing to help you. To be honest, I had already discussed it with Cere before I came here. What Cere doesn't know is that you're actually really good with your wand. If you like, we can start on Zeffo right away."

The sincerity Cal showed her was overwhelming. The last time she felt it to this extent was with Professor Fig. He had been her mentor during her first year at Hogwarts. But he was more than that; he was somehow her best friend. Yet, in the final battle beneath Hogwarts, he lost his life. Willow was with him during his last breath, she had accompanied him. She had watched the life leave his body, and the guilt plagued her regularly.

"Well?" Cal's question brought her back to the present.

"I'd love that, it would be wonderful," she answered, beaming at him.

"Great. I'm done with the splinters too, you did well," he grinned crookedly.

"Well then, thank you for your effort, Dr. Kestis."

The boy bowed to her before heading towards the door. "My pleasure. You should grab something to eat before we move on on Zeffo."
And with that, she was alone again. She gathered her thoughts before heading to the Mantis' kitchen with a book.

There was still plenty left from breakfast, so she fixed herself a small portion. She grabbed a cup and sat at the large table. Not fully trusting the ship's water source, she used her wand to fill her cup with Aguamenti!

As she ate, she wanted to read a book on potions and various potion ingredients. If she wasn't mistaken, this book contained a chapter on brewing with unknown ingredients. But before she could start reading, her new friend joined her.
"Whoa, is that... a actual book?"

His excitement was evident, making Willow laugh briefly.
"Indeed."
She pushed the book towards him, and he flipped through the pages, utterly fascinated. "I have no idea what any of this says, but it's pretty cool. We don't use paperbooks anymore."

At that moment, they heard Greez call from the cockpit: "Take your seats, we're landing soon."
Willow got up and put her dishes away, leaving the book and cup in the kitchen before heading to the cockpit.

Once they landed, the weather was awful. Rain lashed against the windows, the wind howled, and thunder rumbled. Cere sighed resignedly.
"As much as it pains me to say this, I think we should wait for this storm to calm."

"Agreed. And I already know a way to use the time effectively."
Cal stood up and gestured for Willow to follow him. She exchanged a glance with Cere, who smiled encouragingly. Willow had a sense of what was coming.

Hesitantly, she stepped into the Mantis' living area, and Cere followed.
"Okay, Lills. I'd say it's time to start your training," the boy grinned.

Her intuition was correct. She took a deep breath and nodded. She was ready.
"Your weapon won't be needed right now," Cal said, extending his hand. Willow handed him her wand, and he set it aside.

"I suggest we start with defense first. With this foundation, you'll be able to support Cal soon enough," Cere added.

The woman guided the two youths, showing Willow the correct stances and helping her execute various evasive maneuvers while Cal played the attacker. Time flew by, and a glance at her watch revealed that about two hours had passed. Willow felt good; she had the basics down, and the weather was clearing up.

Cere clapped her hands. "Great job, you two. Your posture looks good, Willow. Next time, we'll work on basic attacks. Have a drink, we'll be off soon."

Cal and Willow exchanged a glance, and a bit of pride flared in her. She beamed at him and playfully bowed. He laughed and handed her her cup. They followed Cere's instructions and rested for a moment. Willow disappeared into her room to grab her robe and bag. When she returned to the living area, Cal was already in departure mode, not to mention his curious droid.

They activated their communicators, and Willow took her wand back from Cal. With newfound confidence, she stepped out into the chilly world of Zeffo. Come what may, she was prepared.
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