I lay in the hold, staring at my claws, feeling the weight of the situation settle heavily on my heart.

In the cockpit, Hunter turned to the others, his voice filled with concern. "She's been like this ever since we gave Omega to Cut and Suu," he said, letting out a heavy sigh that seemed to resonate with the guilt lurking in the air.

"Well, yeah, she misses her," Tech replied matter-of-factly, adjusting his goggles as he studied the readouts. "It's quite the obvious truth that she was close to her."

Echo's voice was softer, tinged with a hint of doubt. "Did we do the right thing giving her away like that? I know we weren't exactly the ideal family, but look at Obsidian. She stays with us."

"Yeah, but she had a choice too," Wrecker chimed in, his usual boisterousness dampened. "She could've stayed with Omega."

"It's not that simple," Tech interjected. "She's loyal, and no, I'm not saying Omega isn't. It's just that—"

"She's a child!" I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended, causing all their heads to snap in my direction.

I stood at the cockpit opening, arms crossed, and yelled, "You guys are talking really loud! You forget I'm not human; I have better hearing than a cat!" I shook my head, frustration boiling in my veins. "And don't worry about me leaving Omega with those two. Cut and Suu are the best we could have done. The Empire is after us, not her."

Their faces softened, the weight of their guilt contrasting with my resolve. I turned away, still feeling the ache of separation. Omega's laughter echoed in my mind, but I knew she'd be safe. After all, that was what mattered most.

"Obsidian, we're sorry, though," said Hunter, standing up and beginning to move toward me. But I snapped my fangs, just inches from his outstretched hand.

"Just..." I sighed, my red eyes narrowing in frustration. "Don't speak to me."

I turned away, retreating to the hard floor again, curling up with my tail tucked under my chin. Hunter stood there, frozen in place for a moment, before he sighed and walked back to the cockpit, leaving me in the dim light of the hold.

Overhead, some lights flickered, casting eerie shadows around me, and I groaned, burying my head in my talons. The weight of everything felt unbearable, and I couldn't shake the feeling of loss gnawing at my insides. It was hard to ignore the ache of separation, the loneliness echoing in the silence that enveloped the hold.

Suddenly, the ship jolted violently, and I lifted my head, my heart racing as I realized, to my horror, that we were shot out of hyperspace. The ship lurched again, and I yelped as Gonky, the defective power droid, rolled over and crashed into my tail.

"Whoa, steady there, buddy!" I shouted, wrapping my claws around him to keep him from flying around the ship.

"What's happening?" I called out, my voice laced with panic.

Wrecker came barreling in, looking more than a little scared. "We're crashing!" he shouted, and the urgency in his tone sent a chill down my spine.

I stood slowly, digging my claws into the steel floor beneath me, trying to steady myself. Hissing out a breath, I felt the ship enter the atmosphere of a moon, and the jolt of landing sent me sliding across the floor.

The ship skidded along the rocky, pockmarked surface, and with one final, hard jolt, I was thrown forward, hitting the wall with a painful thud.

"Yelp—AH!" The cry escaped me as I slid down against the wall, pain radiating through my body. I tried to shake off the shock, my heart pounding in my chest. "Is everyone okay?" I shouted, hoping against hope that we could pull through this.

Wrecker groaned and didn't respond immediately, but Echo unbuckled from his seat and came over to help me stand. I leaned against his shoulder, feeling my head whirl from the sudden shifts in gravity.

"Yeah, we're fine," Tech chimed in, rubbing the back of his head. Hunter groaned again, clearly feeling the effects of the crash as well. I limped away from Echo to check on Wrecker, who was gingerly holding his head.

"Big guy, you alright?" I asked, concern slipping into my voice. He nodded, but the slight wince told me he was still in some discomfort.

I nudged off the safety bar and turned to look out the cockpit window. The landscape outside was a mix of rocky outcrops and deep shadows, the surface of the moon seeming to pulse with an eerie light.

"What a landing," I said, trying to keep my tone light despite the unease settling in my stomach. "Anyone have any idea where we are?" I scanned the horizon, searching for any signs of life or which direction we should go.

"Not exactly, no," Tech muttered, adjusting his goggles with a faint sigh. "But we definitely need a new power core. This one's completely drained."

I practically vibrated with restless energy, twitching my tail playfully. "Come on then," I said, my voice a mix of eagerness and mischief as I stepped outside, the others trailing behind me, their breathing masks in place.

Honestly, I could have skipped the mask. Breathing the air out here was more like a game for me than a necessity.

I inhaled deeply, letting the foreign scents wash over me, "There's no scent here yet," I murmured thoughtfully, my whiskers twitching with curiosity.

Echo sidled up beside me, his flashlight piercing the darkness like a beacon. "Can you see in the dark?" he asked, his brow furrowed with intrigue. I nodded, a smirk tugging at my lips, "Yeah, that's the perk of being a predator made to kill."

Just as I was about to resume my inspection of our surroundings, an unexpected chattering reached my ears—a dry, skittering sound that sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. Instincts kicked in. "Be careful," I warned, my tone low and serious as my tail glided across the ground, feeling the tremors of the hidden world beneath.

I paused, catching a glimpse of a sliver of a tail darting into the shadows, flashing golden eyes that glinted with curiosity—or perhaps a hunger of its own. "Stay close to the ship," I whispered urgently, crawling forward toward a cluster of strange, jagged rock formations that loomed ahead, ready to uncover whatever mystery lay within the embracing dark.

Just then, out of nowhere, a small creature sprang forth and delivered a sharp, unexpected swipe to my snout. "Yelp!" I exclaimed, scurrying backwards, my instincts kicking in as I let out a startled roar.

The little menace slid across my back, its claws digging into my scars. What the?! How can it hurt me?! Panic surged through my veins as I instinctively reached back to dislodge the furious creature that had decided I was its next target.

With a desperate yank, I managed to toss it aside, but not before it sank its teeth into the base of my neck, tearing a chunk that made my vision blur momentarily.

In the chaos, blaster shots whizzed by, narrowly missing my head. My heart raced as I braced for impact, knowing the little beast was about to get blown away. Sure enough, with a blast that sent it skittering off me, I let out a huge sigh of relief, the tension releasing from my body.

Hunter rushed over, concern etched on his face, "Are you all right, Obsidian?" he asked, the worry in his voice wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

I nodded, though my gaze was locked onto the deep, bloody gashes marring my skin. "That thing's got claws," I muttered, still in shock from the encounter. The adrenaline was fading, but the sting of those wounds was a sharp reminder of just how dangerous this place could be.

"Sure, we need to get you upstairs; your bleeding's bad," Hunter said, concern etched all over his face.

I swallowed hard, shaking off the remnants of shock and spreading my blood across the surface of the moon like a warning sign. "No, it's okay. I'll just go hunt the bugger down and make sure we get something else for dinner—rations can wait," I insisted, ready to slip away despite Hunter's presence at the ship.

"Obsidan, please reconsider. This creature knows this terrain; if you don't, you might get lost," he said, his voice laced with genuine worry.

I couldn't help but snort, letting a laugh bubble up. Standing tall, I locked eyes with him and pressed my nose into his hair, the action both intimate and reassuring. "Hunter," I said softly, my tone steady, "stay with the ship, and your brothers will be fine."

With that, I retreated into the shadows, the darkness wrapping around me like an old cloak. It felt familiar, cozy, and alive—an invitation to the hunt I simply couldn't resist. Time to track down the creature that dared to attack me.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥ 

I found the bugger gnawing on the power core that we needed. Of course, that bugger's got really what we need. I sniffed around the edges of its nest, taking in the scents that surrounded me, before slipping inside, fitting through just by inches. The moon's shadows danced around me as I approached.

Suddenly, a screech echoed through the dimness, and I saw it—this small creature, baring its tiny teeth at me, spiteful yet undeniably fierce. It was a small being, but it had a ferocious spirit, and I could feel my wounds throb in reminder of what it was capable of.

"Easy, easy," I barked at it, snapping my teeth in a warning gesture. "You just took something of ours; I need it back!" I said, pointing a claw directly at the power core.

The creature paused, perhaps sensing the gravity of the moment. I could feel the tension hanging in the air, and I was ready for whatever came next. This was a standoff, and I wasn't about to back down—I needed that power core, or we'd be grounded forever.

It chittered and nudged the core toward me, and I couldn't help but smile. Grabbing it, I nodded at the little creature as a silent thank you before slipping back up the shaft of the stone and out into the fresh air. I let out a satisfied sigh through my nares, relishing the cool breeze, before making my way back to the Marauder.

Hunter was out on the ramp waiting for me, and I couldn't resist teasing him. "Waiting for me, honey?" I called, seeing him freeze for a second. I laughed, "Oh, don't worry too much, I'm fine."

With the power core clasped tightly, I made my way over to where the tech crew was modifying various systems. I grunted a greeting as I approached, then gingerly set the core down under my wing. Hunter reached over to take it from my mouth, shaking it free of spit with a grin. "Well done," he said, the relief evident in his voice.

"Just doing my part," I replied, feeling a rush of satisfaction. The ship would be back up and running in no time, and we were one step closer to making this moon our home.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

Soon enough, Hunter was up and going, and we'd finally be able to get off this rock. I clambered into the ship, the others following close behind me. I heard Echo by the gunnery nest, leaning against the stairwell, and he called out, "Do you want to see us take off?"

I gave him a snort and just tweaked my tail in response—it was a tempting offer, but honestly, I was too tired for that. I found a cozy spot and settled in, my eyelids growing heavy. Before I knew it, I had dozed off, the gentle hum of the ship already lulling me into a deep sleep. After all the excitement, I figured I could use a little recharge before our next adventure.