Chapter Text
Well.
Chopper and Ezra successfully stopped the imperial shipment.
But, erm.
Command isn't going to enjoy this.
Technically.
It wasn't completely their fault that the ship crashed into the imperial compound. The one they were supposed to leave intact.
Of course, Chopper doesn't see what the problem is. Ezra didn't have the chance to relay Draven’s message to the droid before the two of them got separated by a swarm of fleeing troopers as the imperial transport freighter came crashing back down to the planet, destroying the compound in its wake.
Ezra was running toward the forest for cover. That was until he felt a pull through the force, stopping him dead in his tracks. He turns to face the burning ship behind him, half of its guts spilt across the remnants of what was the compound. It's a single cry, a sad weeping that tugs at him.
Without a moment of hesitation, Ezra changes his course to run through the wreckage. He had to bob and weave through flying debris, since when the ship came crashing back down into the atmosphere, it began to break apart. Though he can tell he's getting closer to the source of the pained cries, the source is also growing faint. Ezra stops to look around, the piles of cargo could be hiding anything. His own harsh breathing fills the silence, flames eating the air around him.
Slowing his breathing, Ezra brings balance back to his body, soothing his nerves and focusing on what he can hear. Past the hiss of fire and the creaking of hazardous mounds of cargo, he hears it. A hushed whimper. Ezra rounds the corner for the source.
There, pinned under a crate, is a nexu. Or, at least Ezra thinks it is. He's honestly only ever been told about them through stories. Supposedly they're vicious, ferocious, and bloodthirsty creatures. And seeing the creature up close, Ezra doesn't doubt that they can cause severe injury or violently mutilate their prey. However, even as this creature hisses up at Ezra, Ezra can't find any fear in his body. Just concern from the injuries he's taking in that covers the nexu.
"Sh, sh, shhh…" Ezra raises his hands gently, taking slow steps toward the feline creature. "I'm here to help." The teen focuses on offering comfort and reassurance to the nexu through the force. "I'm not going to hurt you."
The nexu's hissing quiets, the grumbling in her throat melting away as Ezra steps closer. He isn't sure if she's succumbing to her injuries or decides to allow his presence, but she bows her head to him.
Ezra accepts the notion either way and takes a quick step to her side, using the force to gently lift the crate from her body, giving her the chance to claw her way from under the debris. The moment she scurries from underneath the pile, Ezra releases the breath he was holding and drops the crate.
"Okay, that's out of the way, but this isn't over yet." Ezra heaves as he leans down to scoop the giant feline up, being mindful of her injuries. He smiles to himself for a moment, excited to tell Zeb that he cradled a creature easily three times his size.
He pins the thought away in favor of bolting out of the fiery disaster. Once they're far enough out into the forest, Ezra slows to a stop under some fallen trees that create a make-shift shelter. He eases the nexu to the forest's floor and begins to examine her injuries more closely.
"You're in luck, Kanan told me that he had a hunch I may have needed my bactakit." Ezra kneels beside the creature, flipping open his bag.
The nexu just watches him closely. He pulls out a salve that will offer immediate relief to her burns. Ezra holds the open jar put for her to sniff before making any attempt to start applying it. She takes a long moment to inspect the ointment before finally giving her approval.
Ezra begins to apply the substance to her raw wounds. She recoiled at the first touch, but only for a breath before easing into the cool gel.
"Sorry that you got caught up in all of this." Speaking softly, Ezra tries to draw her focus to his words. "Chopper and I were assigned to stop the shipment, but he wouldn't listen when I was trying to tell him that we can't go for the 'two-in-one package deal combo'." He smiles, but it probably comes across as more of a grimace. "And, to be fair to Chopper, he had sabotaged the ship to not be able to take off. Something went wrong with the ship's ractor. I think it was malfunctioning and mixed poorly with Chopper's pulse detonator."
The nexu's breathing calms as Ezra continues to tend to her wounds.
"Chopper seems all 'murder, murder, kill, commit war crimes' and, don't get me wrong, he is. There's no doubt there. But he's also gentle too. Surprisingly sweet. Sometimes he does it by accident and he's falling over himself to discredit that side of him." A gentle smile touches Ezra’s face as he begins to wrap one of the Nexu's injuries. He isn't sure when she started to purr, but he’s doing something right. "Other times, though, he does it without shame and is very intentional." Ezra laughs, "And sometimes he's both at the same time. Just the other day, I was working an undercover job with him. Some high ranking officer started treating me like crap and Chopper chased after him for two hours."
An entertained huff of breath comes from the nexu, as she relaxes into the grass and leaves in exhaustion. The quills on her back vibrate as she begins to purr when Ezra begins to work his fingers through her thick fur, massaging her as he feels for any injury he may have missed.
"He may be a menace, but I won't ever let anyone try to say that he isn't a good friend or a part of the family." Flicking his eyes over to the nexu's playfully, Ezra smirks, "Besides, he's been in the galaxy long before me and he'll probably outlive me too." Satisfied that he's put attention to every wound, the teen nods to himself. "Alright, these should heal within a week or two. I can come back and check on you during that time, and I can be back tomorrow with food."
Ezra swears the feline rolls her eyes at him before she yawns and makes herself comfortable enough to sleep. Rolling his eyes right back at her, Ezra props some more fallen logs and foliage up so that she's a bit more hidden. Once he's satisfied, Ezra nods to himself before heading in the direction of the nearest in-tact imperial compound that Chopper is most certainly terrorizing.