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The Memory of the First Hunt


Sleep had been a long time coming for Major Mia StormChaser, and when she did finally did fall to sleep in her sparse quarters aboard the ISD Redemption, she was plagued by dreams of her childhood.

Mia found herself back on her home planet of Dantooine and eleven years old again. Pushing through the undergrowth of the wild and untamed borderlands just past her father’s farm she realised with a shock that the boy that she could see in front of her was her childhood friend, Govon.

“Mia, look here, I found the tracks of the Kath Hound!” Govon had stopped and excitedly pointed to some large cloven tracks which transacted a patch of muddy underbush.

“I’m not sure Govon, remember what my father said about hunting the Kath…” Mia whispered, even though if any Kath were around, they surely would have already heard them.

“What does he know? He’s ancient! Last time he went hunting for Kath was before you were born.” Govon laughed – an infectious sound which despite her fear, made Mia smile.

Mia and Govon had headed out this morning with grand plans to hunt a wild Kath hound which had been spotted by some farmer’s recently. They had excitedly discussed what they would do with finder’s fee once they caught the animal.

“Okay, but let’s just be careful Govon – I’ve heard that Kath’s can kill if you corner them.”

“Come on Mia, let’s go.” Govon replied, already hunting around the underbush to pick up the tracks.

******

In her sleep, Mia groaned, almost at the point of waking. The dream had shifted again.

Govon stopped in his tracks – alert.

“What is it Govon?” Mia asked, trying to catch her breath. They had been tracking the Kath hound for half a day now, and the sun was starting to dim.

“I thought I heard something. I…” Govon started to reply, but before he could finish, the unmistakable sound of a Kath hound bark.

Govon and Mia stopped in their tracks – any thought of pursuing the hound now started to melt. Suddenly they heard a rushing in the undergrowth and the tusked form of their Kath hound appeared – obviously ready to charge.

Both children screamed, and started to run…

******

Mia woke with a start, and it took several moments for her to realise that she wasn’t eleven years old again, and there wasn’t a Kath hound bearing down on her.

Shaking her head to clear it, she sat on the side of her bunk and smiled. Her and Govon hadn’t caught that hound that day, or any other. In fact they had run as hard as they could back to Mia’s farm.

Mia had felt so ashamed that she had run though, and promised herself that she would never again run from danger so blindly again.

It was a promise that she had kept.