There were now eight left, half the original pack. Two were limping from the battle. The others circled, snarling. They still bared their teeth and howled at the Jedi, but Obi- Wan could see that their attack had become less focused. They had not expected such resistance.
Next to him, Anakin was breathing hard. Hid lightsaber was held firmly in his hand. Not even the slightest tremble betrayed how hard he had been working.
"Let's keep backing up," Obi-Wan murmured. "Slowly. Do not look at them directly."
Anakin gritted his teeth. "Believe me, Master. I won't make that mistake again."
The malia continued to follow them, but kept a few meters away as the Jedi retreated. Obi-Wan did not blame the malia for the attack. The Jedi had stumbled on their territory. He did not want to wipe out their entire pack.
The Jedi speeded up their pace a bit. The malia did not follow. They huddled together and roared their anger as Obi- Wan and Anakin retreated. The shadows gradually swallowed them up, and soon all the Jedi heard were their angry snarls
Anakin shivered as he deactivated his lightsaber. "The sound alone is enough to scare you," he said. "Do you think they'll follow us?"
"I doubt it. Despite their cunning, they are simple creatures," Obi-Wan said. "They were defending their home. We were lucky that it was daylight. They weren't in hunting mode."
"You mean they would have fought harder?" Anakin asked incredulously.
"And longer." Obi-Wan tucked his lightsaber back in his belt. "They would not have given up."
"And here I thought this was a peaceful planet," Anakin remarked. "Why would Wren lead us into a malia den? That seems extreme, even for Wren."
"He wouldn't," Obi-Wan said. "We must have misread the clue. Let's return to the place on the trail where we saw it."
They quickly moved through the trees, retracing their steps. They bent over the clue once again.
"It was my fault," Anakin said. "I saw the flattened at the edge of the trail, and I assumed it was Wren." He carefully searched the surrounding ground as Obi-Wan continued to study the disturbance in the dirt.
Anakin was right — it was an impression of a heel.. Wren had put too much weight on his foot, enough to leave a mark. It indicated that he had stopped here for a moment. It was an easy clue for the Jedi to follow. Wren had not bothered to conceal it or make it harder to read.
It wasn't like him. Then again, maybe it was. Wren enjoyed being inconsistent.
"Master — this way," Anakin called. "This time, I'm sure."
Obi-Wan crossed to the opposite side of the trail. Here, the level ground dropped sharply to a steep rocky hillside.
"Look, here. And here." Anakin left the trail and leaped down the slope from rock to rock. "He went this way."
Obi-Wan followed. It was important to let Anakin lead. That was part of the point of the exercise.
Anakin made his way down the steep slope, his footing sure and swift. They reached the bottom of the slope and immediately plunged into a forest so thick that the overhanging branches shut out all light. They paused for a short moment so that their eyes could adjust. The trees were tall, with long, flat leaves and vast trunks with thick, peeling bark. Anakin began to study the ground again.
Obi-Wan searched without moving, his gaze traveling over the dirt, rocks, and surrounding trees.
Frustrated by his inability to find a clue, Anakin straightened and began to study the trees around them. He hurried forward to a tall trunk and leaned in to examine it.
"He rested here. He touched the trunk with his finger."
Obi-Wan saw the slight flaking of the bark near Anakin's pointing finger. "How do you know? All the trees have peeling bark."
"There is sap running alongside. Here's a fingerprint. Smudged. But it's there."
"Yes. So he went — which way?" Obi-Wan enjoyed the keen look in Anakin's eyes.
With the trunk of the tree to guide him, Anakin eagerly searched the ground again. "this way!" he called triumphantly. "We'll catch him yet!"
Smiling, Obi-Wan followed Anakin through the forest. This was what he'd hoped for. Anakin had forgotten him impatience with the exercise and what he'd thought was his secret feeling that it was a waste of time. He was now filled with the excitement of the chase.
They moved through a thick curtain of needles and bark. They could no longer see the mountain looming over them. It was as though they were tucked away in a fragrant green cave.
Then the trees stopped abruptly and they came upon a sheer rock wall. The wall curved around them and rose on three sides. There was no way to go except back the way they'd come.
"It's a dead end," Anakin said, disappointed. "But I was so sure Wren came this way!"
"Hold on," Obi-Wan said, "Look around you. You might be missing something. Remember your temple exercise to explore the present moment? Close your eyes."
Anakin closed his eyes. Obi-Wan waited until he was sure his Padawan had focused. What did you see?"
"Bark and leaves under my feet. Sheer wall ten meters ahead with insufficient handholds for climbing. Small plant growing in a crevice thirty meters up. Snow dusting at top of cliff. Bird circling twenty degrees to my right. At the base of the rock wall, what appears to be a small opening — a den of a small animal, or — " Anakin's eyes popped open. "A cave."
Obi-Wan smiled. He had seen the entrance to the cave minutes before. "Let's see what it is."
Anakin and Obi-Wan examined the small opening. "It's not as small as it looks," Obi-Wan said. "It could be the nest or den of an animal."
"It looks like it opens up," Anakin said, peering inside. "Let me go in."
Obi-Wan hesitated. He would rather be first. But part of this exercise was also for the Master. He had to learn to let go, to allow his Padawan to test his skills. He knew Anakin was well trained and could handle what lay beyond.
"All right, Padawan."
Without a glow rod, Anakin would have to feel his way. He eased inside the hole carefully, one hand on his lightsaber hilt.
Obi-Wan heard Anakin's voice echo hollowly. "It's a cavern! It's beautiful!"
Obi-Wan squeezed inside the hole. It was a bit more difficult for him to make it. He wondered how the tall, stocky Wren had managed.
He was able the straighten after crawling just a few meters. Anakin stood ahead of him, scanning the cavern.
It truly was beautiful. The walls shimmered with phosphorescence, lighting the space. The cliff face outside had been gray, but this stone was pink with veins of bright gold and silver. Cone-shaped deposits of the stone hung from the veling and rose from the floor.
The smooth floor sloped steeply downward. Anakin hurried ahead, running his hand along the wall. "Hell never expect us to find him here."