I was excited when I heard the Tournament for Padawan selection was being held this year, especially since I was rather old for a Padawan at the tender age of 20 since I was usually so busy in my studies that I rarely attended, or helping around the Temple where I could, my willingness to help others had earned me the nickname "Little Hearth." seeing as I was as welcoming as a hearth and as willing to provide comfort and help like one as well, if I am being honest with myself that is probably the only reason they hadn't sent me to one of the branches of the Service Corps by now. I surprised them with how quickly my body reached maturity since my kind's body, in the lore of DnD before I was brought to this wonderful universe, ages ten years for every human's three years. I am standing at my proud 8'4 height and have been for a while, it is a rather big pain to get through doorways but such is the cost with having the body and muscles to support my wings and tail. I scratched in between some of the tendrils on my chin as they absently wiggled here and there feeling the shifts in the air direction and even temperature while my Jedi robes only covered my waist and legs in the form of pants seeing as I put off quite a bit of heat that it actually makes clothing rather uncomfortable for me annoyingly enough.

I made my way to where the Tournament was being held and began to hum softly to myself my deep baritone voice that sounded almost as if mountains were grinding together began to bounce against the walls of the temple and back to me as I was walking towards the Training Gallery where the Tournament was being held and walked over to a corner and laid the mat I was carrying under my arm down and sat cross legged on it as I began to meditate and flex my abilities running through them, Force Heal, Cleanse Mind, Telekinesis, and Telepathy to name a few of them. Though I did stop when i felt a calm and kind presence approaching me and I grinned as I heard. "Dawnstriker, practicing for the Tournament you are hmmm?" I opened my eyes and turned towards Yoda and grinned at him keeping my fangs hidden as I did and said in my deep baritone. "Yes Grandmaster Yoda, I want to be able to become a Padawan and what better way than to practice no?" He grinned as he sat down beside me and I absent minded stretched my wing out and twisted it just a bit to cover his shoulders like a shawl and we just sat in a comfortable silence as I went back to meditating for a few minutes longer before I began practicing my Makashi lightsaber form ignoring the sad pang of pain I felt from the grandfatherly Yoda as I did.

My green lightsaber whirled through the air elegantly as I moved keeping my wings and tail out of the way as I moved through the form calmly, there is a certain meditation that comes with this form of combat, at least when you are practicing it and not actually having to use it in combat.

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(Aayla Secura after her wounding at the hands of General Grevious at the battle of Hypori.)

I sighed softly as I winced the bandages covering my body itched terribly but I dare not touch them unless I wanted the healers descending on me in a worried frenzy. I slowly made my way towards the Training Gallery finally acknowledging that I probably need a Padawan much as I don't want to accept that, the brush with death that I had with that horrible CIS General Grevious made me realize having someone to watch my back would be a wonderful thing to have. I wince again as I moved a bit too much and caused some of my injuries to twinge in pain, I tried releasing the pain into the force as I had been taught and it was working, if slowly as I finally made my way into the Training Gallery and stopped when I seen the strangest being I had ever seen before. He was tall making me have to crane my neck just to look at the back of his head, seeing as his back was towards me, it gave me a clear view of his horns that swept back from his head and ended in some rather lethal looking points while his neck was longer than is normal covered in golden scales that seemingly covered his body and lead to a very muscled back that proudly held two large and broad wings that were more like sails than wings with how they continued down his back and along the top of his tail which was thick but not with fat unlike one would think, you could see the muscles flexing as it swayed behind him staying just a foot or two off the floor. His pants went up to his waist was seemingly held up with an sash of some sort tied around his waist, despite he moved fluidly through a lightsaber form I could vaguely recognize as Makashi despite my rather limited knowledge on the lightsaber form considering my specialty was with Ataru much like Master Yoda.

When he turned around towards me I got an even bigger surprise as his face was not that of a normal humanoid, his face was a large snout almost perfectly square at the end where lips would be on any other being, and above his eyes where brows would be he instead had horns sprouting and stretching behind his head, and just below his eyes he had another smaller set sprouting and stretching back as well though not as much as the upper set. He also had several seeming Lekku under his chin all occasionally moving as if they had a mind of their own, but what startled me the most were his eyes, they had solid gold pupils as he looked at me and caught me staring he simply grinned and one of the Lekku under his chin moved and the tip of it curled up and to the right in a silent Twileki hello. I will admit my jaw dropped open even as my right tchin mimicked the gesture giving him the same greeting he extended me.

He then looked down and I seen his slanted eyes widen a bit before he began walking towards me his long legs making that a rather easy if not short task to do, and he was even taller up close, though he interrupted my train of thought by extending a large clawed hand towards me and saying in a deep baritone voice that would make a rock slide envious, "Jedi Knight Aayla Secura! Are you alright? Do you need help with something?" The concern he showed could be felt by everyone near us, luckily it was a few younglings and Knights milling about and I cleared my throat with a soft thankful smile as I shook my head. "No thank you... I apologize but are you a Knight as well?" He chuckled softly as he shook his head causing his Lekku to sway wildly. "No Knight Aayla Secura, I am a "youngling" looking to be a Padawan to a Knight. My name is Dawnstriker Knight Aayla Secura." He bowed formally at the waist with his arms crossed at the waist forming an X at the wrists and held out away from him slightly. I shook my head with a soft chuckle, "I see "youngling" Dawnstriker, I wish I could say I have heard good things about you, but sadly I have been rather busy here of late what with the war going on." He nodded sadly as he straightened back up and absently offered an arm to me as he said, "That is alright Knight Secura, I would not expect such things seeing as the war effort is far more important. Would you like to join Master Yoda and I in meditating some more seeing as I just finished my lightsaber exercise?" He finished with a questioning lilt to his tone and I rested my arm on his and, I am ashamed to say this, sighed as I leaned quiet heavily into him as he slowly walked with me back to Master Yoda who was looking upon the scene with something akin to a proud, if controlled, look on his face and absently patted the mat beside him.

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Youngling Dawnstriker as he introduced himself wrapped the other arm around my shoulders and helped to slowly lower me onto the mat and I released a soft sigh before breathing in a soft hiss as he slowly moved my legs into the crossed position, causing some of my injuries on my leg to send a pain shooting through me. The youngling frowned before gently laying his hand on the center of my chest while his palm began to emit a gold glow. Were it not for his healing I would have assumed he was just looking for a reason to fondle my breasts considering how large his hand was, but when i felt that comforting warmth flow through me and my injuries begin to mend I tried to pull away but he held my firmly, if gently, in place not letting me get away, "Stop Dawnstriker! That technique uses your life force just as it heals mine!" He smiled once my injuries were completely healed causing me to admittedly tear up before he spoke up with a smile his eyes still closed as he removed his hand from the center of my chest and held it close to his chest, "Do not worry Knight Secura, my kind are... very long lived. We are so long lived that were nothing to kill me I would outlive Yoda, what is but a drop of my life force to heal you?" He opened his eyes and I noticed something startling, "You're eyes, they have more gold in them than they did when I first saw you." He chuckled softly as he said. "Ah yes, as my kind get older, our eyes turn seemingly liquid gold, by my using some of my life force for you I artificially advanced that process, do not worry I will still be able to see." He chuckled shutting down my next bout of questions before I could even speak them.

He began to gently remove the bandages covering me revealing untouched and unblemished skin that wasn't covered by my clothes, I marveled in amazement as I looked myself over before looking up at him and my jaw once again dropped open in wonder along with Yoda who had seemingly been content to watch our interaction, to see him having bundled all of the bandages into a ball in his hand before the scales on his chest and throat began to glow a vibrant orange and he pursed his muzzle and shot a small jet of flames catching the bandages aflame as they burnt quickly in his hand and then just turned into an ash so fine it was more like sand as he let go and looked at our reactions and laughed softly, "Yes Knight Secura and Master Yoda I can breathe flame, it is a completely natural process that is rather complicated and difficult to explain." I shook my head and laughed with him before saying with a soft grin, "Shall we do that meditation you were talking about Youngling Dawnstriker?" He nodded and sat cross legged causing us to form a triangle on the floor before we closed our eyes and began to meditate. I reached out with the force to see if I could feel Dawnstriker and I gasped softly as I felt warmth and an almost bottomless kindness and peace from him tempered by an iron will though it was. I gasped once again as I felt the force beginning to forge a bond between us. My eyes flew open as I looked at him to see he was just grinning softly as he shrugged and said, "Well. If that isn't a sign from the Force I do not know what is. Could I be your padawan Knight Aayla Secura?" He asked calmly as I stared at him baffled for a moment.

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(Dawnstriker moment's after the force bond forged.)

Holy shit! That was NOT was I was expecting to happen when I suggested we meditate, when I felt her probe the force feeling for my presence I opened up and welcomed her in, I didn't expect the damn Force to forge a BOND between us! Okay calm down, my thoughts were derailed when I heard her speak in that french like accent her people are known for, her Lekku showing her own mental turmoil as they wiggled about wildly, "I agree that, that was a sign from the Force, but are you sure Dawnstriker? I am being chosen to lead the 327th Star Corps, it won't be easy for you if I take you on as my Padawan." I shrugged as I tried to say as non-nonchalantly as possible, "I know Knight Secura, but is anything in life ever truly easy? We are peacekeepers and that is no easy task and it is one I chose willingly when I stayed with the Temple after I hatched." I said passionately though calmly, wouldn't do to possibly yell at my potential master now would it. She seemingly mulled over my words for a moment before nodding slowly and saying, "You are correct Padawan, when it comes to doing the best for the galaxy it is never easy." I nodded and stood up slowly before looking at Master Yoda who had a proud smile on his face, and said, "Then I accept to becoming your Padawan Master. I shall retire to the Chapel for meditation as is Tradition, thank you Master's, I shall not let you down." I said and began making my way towards the Chapel, a large grin writ on my face that I had just enough thought to contain so that my fangs didn't spook some poor youngling or knight walking by me. Once I finally reached the Chapel I closed the door and made sure I was alone before doing a dance excited for what the future may hold, I can finally get out of this Temple.