As Hongjoong looked at Cara with skepticism, he asked, "So you want us to work with a werewolf and a mandalorian? Are you sure about Zara? Can we trust her?"

Cara nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, please trust me. Zara has earned my trust." Zara let out a chuckle, her eyes twinkling as she spoke, "My trust is hard-earned, but those who've proven themselves worthy will have it."

She then turned her gaze towards Hongjoong. "You and your crew were once under my king's rule, yet you've returned. May I ask why?"

Hongjoong leaned forward, his bright orange hair twitching slightly as he spoke with clenched jaws, "We're here because we know that the children of the force are never quite safe under the rule that now plagues the galaxy."

Mando, his voice laced with suspicion, interjected, "You don't trust the New Republic?"

Hongjoong laughed with a hint of irony, "Who does? The New Republic is just like the Empire, only a bit nicer on the surface. But ultimately, the notion of humans ruling over other creatures is flawed. It always ends in the same way—death and destruction for those deemed unworthy."

Hongjoong turned his gaze towards Zara, his tone firm and resolute, "Your king, your father, he was just like the rest of them—humans ruling over those they consider lesser. But we're done with that. Now, we'd follow even half-humans, as long as they stand against the tyranny of purebloods."

He nodded towards a man in a formal black suit with a white shirt and black tie, his hair framing his face. "Seongwah, please share your story and explain how you came to join our cause."

Seongwah's dark gaze pierced through Zara, causing her face to flush with heat. Mando tensed at the sudden shift in the atmosphere. Seongwah spoke, his words sharp and cutting, "You refused to mate with Lee Felix, the fated mate of your clan, and I left the ancestral lands because of the draconian rule of Bang Chan. He might be a great leader, but he's not a great king. He'll ensure the Empire gets what it wants; he's already under Moff Gideon's thumb."

Zara's lips twitched with annoyance as she replied, "I was never fated to mate with Felix. I never loved him like that."

Her gaze shifted towards Mando, who couldn't help but feel a flush creeping across his cheeks at the intensity of her stare. Zara continued, "I don't live to mate with just one man."

Seongwah hummed thoughtfully, "We're aware of that. The Force Ghosts of your mother told us that you would find true happiness with this Mandalorian, and that the child you carry is a source of joy. But now, we need your help to drive out the raiders that plague this poor village."

As he finished speaking, a beautiful woman with brown hair tied back approached them. "Tea, gentlemen?" she inquired politely.

Zara graciously accepted the cup of tea from the woman, offering a warm smile in return. "We will help you," she declared.

Seongwah exchanged a knowing glance with Hongjoong, and a hint of satisfaction curved his lips. "Good," he responded, pleased with their decision to aid the village.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Cara motioned for Omera and Winta, the two brown-haired women, to step forward. They bowed their heads respectfully towards the werewolf and the Mandalorian.

"Thank you for helping us," Omera expressed gratefully, to which Zara smiled in return. "Anytime. Now, where is the Imos hideout?" Zara asked, turning her attention to Cara, who let out a sigh before responding.

Zara's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of the information. "Skeleton...wait, do you mean 'skeleton'?"

Cara nodded. "Yes, that's right. It's the ancient remains of some huge creature that used to live in this region decades ago. The locals don't really know what it is, but they say it had wings."

Zara's eyes widened in alarm. "Wings? Wait, does it have claws too?"

Omera nodded gravely. "Oh yes, huge claws—bigger than the whole village, really."

Zara's breath caught in her throat. "Oh no..." She turned to Mando. "You stay here with the child. I need to investigate this." She turned back to Cara. "Take me there."

As the two women set off towards the mysterious skeleton, Hongjoong took a deep breath and called out to Seonghwa, who was humming nonchalantly. "She's not going to like this!"

Seonghwa shrugged. "Well, she knew what she signed up for, didn't she?"

Mando, frustrated and defensive, yelled out, "We didn't know she would end up doing something she wouldn't like!"

One of the others, a more muscular man, snorted derisively. "Well, don't lie either. The lizards that are still hunting the selectors hate both wolves and pureblood humans alike."

Mando felt a pang of unease at the thought of Zara facing such danger. He knew she was capable, but that didn't make it any easier to watch her walk away into potential peril.

Mando, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity, asked, "What else is there? What kind of lizards are these?"

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow and pointed to a tall, slender man with dark hair. "You've never seen a dragon before, have you?"

Mando shook his head. "No, dragons don't exist. They're just mythological creatures."

Hongjoong chuckled. "You have the mythosaur, don't you? That's essentially a dragon. They're in the same family."

Mando felt his breath hitch in his throat. "Wait, you mean we're going up against dragons? That can't be right!"

Hongjoong raised one shoulder in a dismissive shrug. "If you've got dragon hunters here, then it's not impossible. In fact, this guy over here is one of them." He clapped the tall, slender man on the shoulder.

The man looked down at Mando with a cool, appraising gaze. "Greetings, Mandalorian," he said calmly. "If there are indeed dragons here, we will deal with them."

Mando sighed in exasperation. "Dragons are nothing more than mythical creatures. You can't be serious about this!"

Just then, a neat and tidy voice cut in, "You're a werewolf with a Mandalorian lover."

Mando snapped to attention, seeing one of the wolf folk who had attacked them on Nevvaro just days before. "You...!" he exclaimed.

The man simply nodded. "Yes, I was one of those who attacked you on Nevvaro. But I want neither Zara nor the child to come to harm. My name is Jeongin, and I am the youngest in my pack."

Mando, still skeptical, pressed further. "What do you know about dragons?"

Jeongin shook his head. "I know more than you, Mando. They kill people they don't like? No, that's not true. Dragons only kill those who trespass on their territory." A cold smile graced his lips. "And you and Zara...are trespassers."

Mando raised an eyebrow, his frustration evident. "Where do you get off? You come here, calling us trespassers, when you and your group are just as guilty."

Jeongin shrugged one shoulder dismissively. "We are werewolves. Hongjoong and the pirate crew may not be the same, but the dragons will kill them just as readily as they'll kill you and Zara."

Jeongin stood, running a hand through his red hair. "Regardless, it's not my job to hunt them down. That task falls to you and your girl. Be careful though—the Empire is still here and they've got a walker with them."

Jeongin then disappeared back into the village, leaving Mando with a deep sigh. His gaze settled on the trees in the distance, hoping that Zara would return soon so he could hold her close once more. But it seemed that fate had other plans, choosing to test the already battered Mandalorian's resolve. After all, things rarely go as one would wish.