The sandstorm howled wildly as it continued to blow past the outpost. Silence crept into the meeting room while Tupac explained the stakes at hand. With the information gathered from the bantha carcass, he was able to confirm that the outpost they built were directly above the lair of a Krayt Dragon. 

If missing troopers weren't chilling enough, Tupac's description of the beast was no less a nightmare. An image of a scaly brown-skinned creature, with sharp horns protruding out of the crown of its head, hellish yellow eyes and rows of unforgiving sharp teeth. 

"This is a Canyon Krayt Dragon. A common subspecies of the Krayt Dragon that is a whole lot smaller than the Great Krayt Dragon." Obi-wan, Cody, Reetha were huddled around Tupac as he explained. "Great Krayt Dragon's grow up to five meters while this subspecies, in particular, reaches an average of two to three and a half meters making the one we encounter now just a baby, about a meter's length." 

"For a baby it sure is dangerous." Reetha pointed out to the teeth. "It has fangs. Is it venomous?" Thankfully, Tupac shook his head side to side. "No sir. However, they passed a powerful bite, able to crush bones. They hunt from below the surface of the sand by sensing the movement of their prey on the surface. Once they find the prey, they shoot out from the sand and drag them down into their lair." 

Obi-wan stroke his beard thoughtfully. "So we are dealing with a youngling of a dragon. Do we need to expect a visit from its mother?" 

"No sir. The mother dragon usually chases it's young away after six months after birth. It's already independent of hunting on its own. But this sir isn't hunting. It's protecting its home."

The older Jedi nodded in understanding. "We need to find a way to relocate the beast without hurting it. It's just defending its home, and rightfully so." 

"We need to locate the lair and find Jex and Scowl, that is ... if they are still alive. How do we do that?" Reetha pursed her lips at Cody's question.

"I might be able to help." 

The attention of the three men in the room was now on her and Obi-wan encouraged her to speak her mind. "An animals scent can last for about two weeks, maybe even more. The bantha carcass is only a few hours old so the scent of the krayt dragon will be easy to track. I can do it in wolf form." 

"Not to show any disrespect, Commander Khan but the dragon disappears back under the sand. Is it possible to track the scent after it disappears underground?" Tupac laid out a logical question that got Reetha thinking. 

Tapping her chin, she came up with an idea. "Does the creature ever walk the surface? If so, how long?" 

Tupac's eyes brightened when he caught on to her idea. "It does. The dragon does it to check its territory and also to fight off other krayts. I get where you're going, commander." Tupac turned his attention to Cody and Obi-wan. "Commander Khan can pick the scent of the bantha carcass and track the dragon from there. The downside is that we need to hope the krayt has recently surfaced. We would be able to determine when and where the creature would resurface next." 

"If that doesn't work we won't be able to find it. I suggest we also use sonar scanners to find it. We can plant in the sand all around the outpost. That may give us a chance to see how big this guy's lair is and track it from underground." 

Obi-wan nodded and agreed to Cody's suggestion. "It's a good idea. We should try not to hurt it. It's innocent and is only protecting itself. Cody, you and I will be in charge of the sonar scanning while Reetha and Tupac and work on picking up the scent. We will deploy the search party when this sandstorm is over." 

The two troopers began to go about their work in preparation for the search effort. Reetha's was deep in thought about the plan when a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. Looking up, she found Obi-wan smiling fondly at her. 

"How are you doing my padawan? Has the excitement begin to tire you already?" He asked in a teasingly in a friendly way.

Reetha smiled cheekily. "Tired? No way master. The fun has just begun. I'm just a little worried about later." 

"What worries you young one?" 

"Well, I've only just begun to properly understand my morphing abilities. I don't want to screw this mission up. Not to mention, I really hope we find Jex and Scowl." 

A smile graced the older Jedi's face. "Not to worry about that Reetha. From what I hear from Master Plo, is that your mastery over your abilities has increased greatly. I have faith in you that you will do well out there." 

Reetha's tense shoulders immediately relaxed. "Thank you, Master Kenobi. By the way master, shouldn't I be with you on this mission? You know, like Master, Padawan thing. I follow your lead and stay by your side and... that kinda stuff...." 

Obi-wan chuckled and shook his head. "Because I know you're a very capable Jedi and your mastery over your abilities proves that." Obi-wan's eyes softened when the girl beamed. "We will have time for a proper introduction later padawan. Until then, let's first save our missing troopers." 

---

Red and gold painted the west sky while the twin suns of Tatooine dipped down the horizon. A ping was intercepted on Reetha's comm unit indicating that Obi-wan and Commander Cody have begun to execute their part of the plan. 

"Master Kenobi is in position. Tupac, let get to work." 

The trooper signalled for the bantha carcass that was wrapped carefully in cloth so any remnants of its innards wouldn't spill on the sand. "Anything else you need ma'am?" 

"That would be all, Tu. Just, tell the men not to be too surprised with what's going to happen." Reetha shyly scratched the back of her neck, receiving a smirk and nod from Tupac before he fell back with the rest of the men and took his place beside a clone named Boil.

"So, she's gonna eat that thing or..?" Boil looked disgustingly at the rotting carcass eliciting an amused chuckle from Tupac. "Spoilers. Just, don't be too surprised with what's about to happen." Boil sighed, a clear sign that he wasn't up for his brother's jokes "It that what you told the others?" 

"Relax, and enjoy the show." 

The moustached clone only sighed again before taking a nervous glance at the rest of the men. It seemed to him that they too had no idea about the commander's plan. "Ready Tupac?" The padawan approached the carcass when he gave her a thumbs up.

Releasing her worries to the force, Reetha allowed herself to once again assume her canine form. As usual, her morphing was always jaw-dropping and almost magical to all those who saw her perform what they would call a miracle. Some troopers removed their helmets to get a proper look at the scene, only hoping they weren't going mad, while others were left speechless. She didn't pause to get familiar with the troops, instead straight away sniffing at the carcass. 

Boil couldn't register the person calling his name until Tupac slapped his back rather harshly. "Oi, open your mouth any longer and you'll catch a fly." Poor Boil's confusion was only elevated at the calmness that Tupac showed. "You-She- DID YOU SEE THAT?! Waxer's going to think I'm nuts when I tell him this." 

Tupac wasn't given a chance to reply because Boil began to go all haywire. "She turned into a loth wolf! A kriffing loth wolf!" Then suddenly he paused and turned to Tupac, a mixture of dread and curiosity in his voice "Or is she a changeling?" 

Tupac was left laughing his heart out at his brother's reaction. "She's definitely not a changeling. And yes, she did turn into a wolf." Boil was about to shout again but an animalistic growl followed by a howl stopped him as well as the other baffled troopers. She turned and moved her head in a particular direction and Tupac understood this as a sign that she's locked on to the scent. 

"Alright boys, Commander Khan's got the scent. Let's march." Silence. "BOYS!" Tupac fired his several shots to the sky which was enough to get the attention of the others. "Gawk and question later, search now." 

---

Obi-wan waited patiently while Cody read the readings of his datapad. "Scanner's indicate a maze of sorts running under the outpost. Looks like the Krayt has occupied an abandoned Sarlacc pit that may run downwards five meters or, maybe more." 

"I never knew a Sarlacc would abandon its pit. What more do the scanners reveal?" 

Cody continued to read the results of the sonar scan on his datapad. "Well, we haven't picked up any lifeforms yet. The dragon must be on the surface." 

Obi-wan hummed. "What about Jex and Scowl, any sign of them?" The commander sadly shook his head from side to side, no. "The sonar's still mapping out the entirety of the pit. I can only assume that they are somewhere deeper. I'll inform you as soon as I pick them or the Krayt on the scanner." 

"Goodman. I'll inform the Waxer to set the outpost on alert. I don't want any more men going missing today."

"I'll inform Commander Khan, general."  

---

"Reetha, hold up." The white loth wolf raised its head from the ground. "I have information from Commander Cody." Reetha morphed back into human form and Tupac continued. "They've found the lair but there are no signs of life forms." 

The padawan's mind raced with thoughts and plans. If the Krayt dragon is on the surface, her men could be its next victims. Reetha called her men to her, all five in total. "We received intel that the dragon is on the surface, meaning that we could very well be in the hunting zone. I want you guys to stay next to me at all times. There's no telling how aggressive this creature is and how it attacks. All we know is that it drags it's prey below the surface of the sand, I assume into its lair." 

The men, despite still being fully aware that Reetha could morph into a wolf, listened carefully. "Set your blasters to stun. The dragons may be able to lead us to Jex and Scowl. For know keep your eyes peeled. When you see the dragon, don't attack." 

"How are we going to chase after it?" A trooper asked. 

"I'm going to assume my wolf form for the rest of this mission. When I find the Krayt, I'll try to knock it unconscious. Their hides are thick so the stun blasts may not work on it."

Boil shivered beside Reetha. "Either way, I'm going to shoot at it. I won't be remembered as the clone who got eaten by a Krayt." 

Reetha smiled. "As long it's in stun, I have no problem with that. Stay close guys." With that, Reetha reassumed wolf form. Nodding to her men she began to lead the way again until she stopped dead in her tracks. 

Her white ears began to twitch and she released a snarl that immediately set her group on high alert. The clones gathered close to her. Reetha's golden eyes scanned over the surrounding dune. They where now a good distance away from the base and Obi-wan, if anything happened out here they wouldn't be able to get back up. 

Reetha tentatively sniffed the air again. The sensitive receptors picking up on a very strong and clear scent of the Krayt they were hunting. Getting into a defensive mode, she circled around the clones, setting a perimeter between them and the expanding dune. 

The clones exchanged worried looks. "Calm down boys." Tupac attempted to soothe his brothers as they huddled closer. Boil flinched when he heard another growl escape Reetha. She was now facing a particular spot, claws coming out into the sand and she barred her teeth. 

A sudden scream pierced into the air. The clones watched as the sand in front of them began to shift and rippled like water. From beneath the waves rose the beast, lunging into the air and launched itself at full speed towards its target. 

The battle of the beast began when Reetha leapt forward and pounced on the krayt, pushing down with such force that the dragon was stunned. 

"Stun it!" 

Sensing danger the dragon began to evade the shots and started to dig into the sand. Like a flash of light, the white loth dove headfirst into the dune. Jaws snapped shut on the krayt dragons leg elicited a roar from it, although her teeth weren't strong enough to pierce the dragons hide. The krayt began to fight back more aggressively, twisting its body so it was on its back, the dragon lunged and sank its teeth into the hind legs of the wolf. 

Reetha quickly let go of the creature and retreated to the clones. Her leg was dripping scarlet but the pain was not on her mind. Right now, she had to occupy the beast so Obi-wan and the rest can find Jex and Scowl. 

No longer interested in the clones, the krayt now fixed it hellish eyes on the wolf. The dragon began to circle, Reetha followed suit. All she needed was to get a good hit and tire the dragon. That won't be so tough, won't it? 

Reetha lowered her head to the ground, growling deeply to intimidate her opponent as her animalistic instincts took over. 

"As soon as you guys get a good opening, shoot it and distract it. I'm going to try to tire it out as long as I can. Hopefully, the stuns have an effect." she spoke to her men through the Force. Boil's reaction as well the others amused her. A  ray of sunshine in this dire moment. She'd have a lot of questions to answer after this.

Ever seen two creatures from separate planetary systems brawl? Well, leave it to Boil, Tupac and the rest can tell you the sheer intensity. Orange sand was kicked into cloudy dust when the two creatures collided, illuminated by blue stun rings. Jaws snapped and claws flew into the air. Deafening roars and ear-piercing shrills were thrown about like curses dripping of a person's mouth. Seeing an opening, the wolf attempted to jump over the krayt and lodged its jaws on the dragon's neck. 

Throwing herself over the dragon, she managed to turn the creature belly up. Still caught in her jaws, Reetha stood on her hind legs, then came crashing down on the creature. Her front paws pushing on the unprotected belly of the beast. The krayt dragon tried to stand but the wolf's crushing power only pressed it back into the sand. 

Without the krayt's legs in the orange sand, there was no escape. Reetha was determined to keep it that way. As the dust kicked up and the constant ring and blue glow of the stun blasts, the krayt was left visually distorted. Its other senses were on high alert but there was no time for the creature to escape. 

Reetha released her grip on its neck and went for one of the dragon's legs. She began to wildly shake her head as if tearing meat off a bantha's bones. If the dragon had no natural predators, it would consider the white loth wolf it's first. Her grip on its legs prevented any sort of digging.

 The non-sentient but intelligent dragon stared into golden eyes death strikes fear into its hearts. Cowering under the shadow of the white loth wolf, the creature submitted. Golden eyes stared into the other yellow paired eyes. Sensing that the creature had submitted, Reetha leaned towards it and spoke through the Force. 'Sleep'

---

Meanwhile... in the krayt lair.

"Cody, not to say I don't trust the scanners but are the scanners showing us the correct route?" The older Jedi huffed as he pushed himself over a boulder. 

Cody sighed tiredly for the third time. "With all due respect sir, the more you mope, the more longer this will be. For me, mostly." 

Some of the troopers that were with them snickered. It was common to see the Jedi and very independent marshal commander joke around. After walking several bends and a few more complaints about the unhygienic tunnel system and unfortunate sand allergies, the rescue team finally found Jex and Scowl. 

Despite the harsh bite marks on their forearms and nasty scrapes and grazes on their skin, it was nothing bacta and good amounts of bed rest would not heal. In the end, both troopers were happy that they were saved. 

---

Back at the base, Waxer watched carefully through his scopes. From the distance, he finally saw the rescue team returning. 

"They're here! Get the medic team out now!" 

Medics rushed to the team and began tending to Jex and Scowl. Obi-wan, Cody and Reetha had met up somewhere along the way back, so the krayt that Reetha had dragged along wasn't a surprise to them, but a frightening sight for the troops in the outpost. Those who had not seen Reetha's transformation nearly freaked out of their skin. Not everyday does someone see a big white loth wolf, with a bloodied hind leg drag a sleepy krayt dragon into a base full of clones. Reetha yawned in an attempt to comfort her aching jaw after unceremoniously dropping the dragon to the floor.

After a little comfort from the rescue team, Reetha's wounds were tended to. Medics initially approached her timidly. Slowly she lowered her body to the ground and laid on her side so her hind legs were easily accessed to the medics. Her calmness did much to show the men that she wasn't a threat. 

Credit to the good medics, Reetha's hind leg was not in terrible shape as she thought it be. 

"All things considered, I see you've made quite an impact on the men." Obi-wan jutted his chin to Boil. He was surrounded by awestruck clones as he told them about the recent adventure he just had, hands waving around rather animatedly. "You certainly impressed them, Reetha. I have to say, quite a show for your first day." 

What seemed like a wolf's huff was actually a silent conversation passed into Obi-wan's mind. "I tried my best. I didn't want them to get hurt." 

The general offered a proud smile, not one bit surprised about Reetha speaking into his mind. Guess he knew what was coming. "So it seems. How about we release our friend here." Obi-wan crouched by the sleeping dragon and patted its reddish scales. "How I want to study this creature." 

All the clones watched in anticipation from the windows of the outpost. Reetha, still in wolf form, dragged the krayt to the desert sand. "Awaken"

The creature began to stir and within seconds, it was already trying to balance itself on its legs. Quietly, the dragon sniffed the air. Reetha understood that the dragon was disoriented. Damn, the Force if it wanted to fight again, but she doubted the outcome. When the dragon seemed to be steady on its feet, its head turned to find a white wolf sitting silently and watching it with deadly golden eyes. As if it had already recollected the memory of its apparent defeat, the creature began to whimper and cowered closer to the sand. 

The loth wolf stood up tall, towering the dragon and showing dominance that screamed 'This is my territory now. With its tail in between its legs, the dragon bowed its head and slowly walked away into the ever-extending dune sea. Reetha finally relaxed and transformed back to human. Happy that the threat to the outpost was over but then frowned immediately at the reminder that she was going to spend a lot of time answering a new bustling paparazzi that was the 212th.

"Here we go, again."